- Cleanse face twice a day with a mild facial cleanser.  Pat dry - never rub.

- Use a humidifier at night while sleeping to keep your lips and skin moist, particularly in dry weather.

- Take Vitamin E supplements daily - the antioxidant properties of Vitamin E protect the skin from free radicals and keep it healthy.

- Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and drink sufficient amounts of water to keep the skin well hydrated.

- Exfoliate your skin on a regular basis.  Gentle exfoliation helps uncover new layers of skin, unclogs the pores, removes dead skin cells, cleans the skin’s surface and help prevent acne breakouts. 

- Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, even if it’s cloudy or you don’t plan on spending a lot of time outdoors. If you sweat a lot or go swimming, reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours (even if the bottle says the sunscreen is waterproof).

- Utilize the power of green tea! Studies have shown that when worn under sun screen, green tea in a cream base may offer additional sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation. Taking green tea extract as a supplement or as a brewed beverage gives the skin the benefits of green tea’s antioxidant and anti-flammatory properties.  Studies have also shown that green tea may increase the skin’s elasticity and suppleness.

Here are some simple skin care tips using green tea:

- Additional sunscreen protection - combine green tea with zinc oxide-based sunscreens.

- Skin toner - brew a batch of green tea, freeze in an ice cube tray and thaw as needed. Moisten cotton ball with thawed green tea and apply to face and neck.

-  Make your own green tea cream using standardized extract as an active ingredient. 

 

 

 

Cucumber Facial Peel

Cucumber is a natural astringent that tightens the skin and helps to smooth out the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.  Chamomile and green tea alleviate skin puffiness, and the aloe vera gel adds moisture to the skin. This mix can also be used as a sunburn remedy - apply to the affected area 3 times a day.

 

Ingredients

1 small cucumber (peeled and seeded)

2 ounces of chamomile tea (steeped and strained)

1 packed of unflavored gelatin

2 ounces of green tea (steeped and strained)

1 ounce of aloe Vera gel

 

Preparation

Pure or grind the cucumber until it forms a paste. Strain the paste through sieve and reserve any remaining cucumber juice.  In a saucepan, combine green tea, chamomile tea, and gelatin. Stir over low heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and pour into bowl.

 

Mix in the reserved cucumber juice and aloe vera gel. Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.

 

Apply the mix over the face and neck and leave to dry for at least 20 minutes. Peel the mask off and rinse off with warm water.

 

Papaya Facial Peel

Papaya contains Vitamin C and Vitamin E, plus an enzyme that helps exfoliate and smooth the complexion.

 

Ingredients

2 small papayas

5 tbsp oatmeal

2 egg whites

1 lime

 

Preparation

Peel papayas, remove seeds and chop. Mash the fruit and add the oatmeal, egg whites and lime juice. Mix well. Apply the mixture onto the face and neck, while avoiding the eye area. After 15 minutes, rinse with warm water.

 

Honey Exfoliating Scrub

For centuries, honey has been used in skin care.  A natural antimicrobial agent, it is an effective treatment for minor abrasions and burns.  It is a natural skin moisturizer and also provides significant natural antioxidant properties.

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons finely ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

 

Preparation

Mix honey, ground almonds and lemon juice until combined. Smear onto face and rub gently in a circular motion. Rinse off with warm water.

 

Honey Firming Face Mask

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg white

1 teaspoon glycerin

¼ cup flour

 

Preparation

Whisk together honey, egg white, glycerin and flour until a paste is formed. Smooth paste over face and throat. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

 

Oatmeal Exfoliating Scrub

Mix 4 tablespoons Baking Soda with 1/2 cup oatmeal in a mixer or blender. Add enough water to make a paste. Apply to face, and rub gently in a circular motion.  Rinse with water and pat dry.

 

Tags: antioxidant, facial peel, skin care