Under Eye Wrinkles

When it comes to skin care products, a lot of people are very particular about using only natural skin care products. After all, the skin is the first line of defense to protect our bodies, so it should be treated with kid gloves. But, are natural skin care products the answer to all of our problems? What if a natural skin care product is not available for the treatment of a particular skin disorder? Are synthetic skin care products so harmful that they should be banned?

Different people have different answers to these questions. However, the reality is that due to the presence of synthetic preservatives, it’s really tough to find a natural skin care product that is 100% natural. There are natural skin care products that have natural preservatives, but their cost might be prohibitive. Moreover, such natural skin products have a shorter shelf life and hence are not preferred by manufacturers of natural skin care products.

It is equally important to note that some people carry a wrong notion that since natural skin care products are natural, they cannot cause harm to the skin. The suitability of a skin care product is not based on whether it is synthetic or natural. An unsuitable natural skin care product can harm you in almost the same way as a synthetic one.

When selecting a natural skin care product consider the following 3 factors:

1. Your skin type (dry, oily, normal, sensitive).
2. The climatic conditions in which it will be used e.g. hot and humid conditions would warrant the use of oil-free natural skin care products.
3. The process for application/use of the natural skin care product. A good natural skin care product (in fact any product) can seem useless if not used in the proper way.

Remember that using a natural skin care product does not mean that you can exercise carelessness with other aspects of skin care. Natural skin care products should be used like supplements to the following “essential” recommendations: healthy eating habits (avoiding oily food), regular exercise, drinking a lot of water (8 glasses everyday), and cleanliness. This will then form a perfect and completely natural skin care routine that will help maintain a healthy beautiful skin for longer time.

Dealing with eye wrinkles does not have to be complicated and time-consuming in order to make a difference in your skin’s appearance. Although wrinkling is inevitable, there are ways to slow down its progress. First and foremost, reduce the risk of accumulating further wrinkles by staying out of the sun.

Sunscreens, creams, blocks and lotions help shield the skin from damaging ultraviolet rays. But many rely on synthetic chemicals which may cause more harm than good. Substances such as para-aminobenzoic acid can cause allergic eczema; stearyl alcohol can dehydrate the skin; mineral oil prevents the skin from breathing; methyl anthranilate, which is made from coal and tar, can cause rashes; alcohol dehydrates the skin; and courarin can cause contact dermatitis.

If you are exposed only to moderate sunshine and do not have very fair or excessively dry skin, it can be enough to apply a natural vegetable oil with screening properties. The most effective are jojoba, which has a sun protection factor of 5-10; beeswax, whose high viscosity means it sticks on the skin’s surface; and shea butter, which is 50% fat, including essential fatty acids, so provides a good protective seal and antioxidant protection. Avocado, rosehip, sesame and wheatgerm oils are all rich in antioxidant vitamins, so are all natural free radical fighters. You can combine these in various ways, adding some vitamin E as a preservative, as in the Natural Sunscreen Recipe below:

3 tbsp wheatgerm oil
2 tbsp sesame oil or shea butter oil
3 tbsp avacado oil
3 tbsp jojoba oil
3 capsules of vitamin E oil

Pour all ingredients in a glass jar, put on the lid and shake well. Keep the oil in the refrigerator, as exposure to heat and light will destroy its antioxidant qualities. Apply regularly to the skin in warm sun, but do not consider it complete protection. An oil like this has an SPF of 4-5, so is a sun filter rather than a block.

If you take care of your body and your health, it’s going to be reflected in your overall appearance. Vitamins and natural antioxidants found in food, such as the healing lycopene antioxidant prevalent in tomatoes and green tea, help the skin stay healthy and functioning properly.

As a general guideline, eating fruits and vegetables, at least five servings daily, can be one of the best things you can do for your appearance. Foods like carrots and butternut squash contain beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A that keeps your skin healthy. Antioxidant-rich foods, like citrus fruits and broccoli, are great choices.

Foods rich in vitamin E should also be part of your daily diet, as this antioxidant helps keep the skin healthy and vibrant. Look for vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, nuts and seafood for your vitamin E fix.

Water, at least eight, 8-ounce glasses a day, is still a crucial aspect of keeping the skin hydrated and glowing. It’s important also to keep the body in good shape, as the natural consequence of too much fat, in the form of clogged arteries, won’t allow enough blood to get where it needs to go.

For additional information on the importance of antioxidants, read Antioxidants: Your Natural Skin Protection.

There’s plenty you can do in seven days to make over your skin. Exfoliating offers the fastest route to improvement. For this, you will need the bare essentials:

• a mild granular scrub,
• a pore-cleansing clay mask, and
• anything with glycolic and salicylic acids.

A possible regimen can consist of a mask every other night, with the scrub on alternate nights. Both treatments will help remove superficial buildup.  The salicylic acid product will clean the pores even further, and glycolic acid will remove any stubborn residue. Finish with a coat of moisturizer.

Sometimes, despite doing all the right things to keep your complexion flawless, a disaster will happen at the most inopportune time. You can ensure that intruders like under eye puffiness, dull skin and blemishes disappear as quickly as they arrive by keeping your “beauty first aid kit” fully stocked. The following five ingredients are all you need:

1. green tea bags
2. brown sugar
3. milk
4. ice
5. clay mask

Depuff your eyes: Moisten green tea bags with water and chill them in a refrigerator for a few minutes. Lie down with the chilled bags over the eyes. The polyphenols in the green tea are an anti-inflammatory agent, and coolness reduces swelling.

Instant Radiance: Grind brown sugar with warm milk and let the mixture cool to room temperature. This is a great scrub, since it exfoliates in two ways. The lactic acid in the milk acts as a mild exfoliant and the sugar granules deliver a scrubbing action.

Deflate a Pimple: When a blemish is really red and inflamed, an ice cube placed over it will instantly calm it down. Follow that with a dab of a clay mask to dry out the pimple.

If improved skin care has become your mission for the upcoming year or if you have a friend or loved one interested in better skin care, consider getting a jump start for Christmas.  You can certainly add a few choice items to your wish list that just happens to find its way to the folks who like to buy you perfume, candy or yet another coffee mug. And, you can surprise one of your family members or friends with a unique gift that shows you care.

If you need some ideas, take a look at Skin Care Stocking Stuffers for Her.

Simply put: Take care of your body!

Just about every thing you do to nurture the inside of your body enhances your outward appearance as well.  For example, drinking lots of water gives you brighter, clearer eyes; improves circulation; and gives you more radiant skin.  A diet rich in protein, complex carbohydrates and essential fatty acids cuts down on inflammation, lowers your blood sugar and gives you a healthy glow.

Don’t fall for every new cream, gel or lotion promising miracles.  Protecting your youthful appearance is a holistic process.  Creams and cleansers only address half the problem.  To keep your skin gorgeous, young and free from eye wrinkles, you must work on the inside of your body as well.  Learn more at Fight Eye Wrinkles From The Inside Out.

The single most effective way to prevent under eye wrinkles is to protect your skin from the sun. Begin slathering on a sunscreen with at least a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. Use sunscreen daily (rain or shine, since the sun’s rays can penetrate cloud cover) wherever you are, whether you’re at the beach or on the tennis court or simply walking to work, eating lunch outdoors or taking an afternoon jog. Because the thin, delicate skin around your eyes is especially affected by the sun, the sunscreen you dab under your eyes is more valuable than the priciest eye cream.

For further information read 5 Ways to Prevent Eye Wrinkles.

There are two primary factors that can contribute to the formation of eye wrinkles. First, are the genes we inherit from our parents, which trigger a reduction of two connective fibers, collagen and elastin. Collagen supports the skin and elastin gives it flexibility. Together collagen and elastin give skin its structure and tone. Over time, connective fibers start to break down, and the skin starts to sag.

Second, wrinkles can come from environmental factors, such as sun exposure, diet and nutrition, muscle tone, pollution, habitual facial expressions, chemicals, stress, improper skin care, and smoking.

Though you can’t turn back the hands of time, you can take steps to protect against eye wrinkles. While there are various options available on the market to get rid of eye wrinkles, you may consider some interesting home remedies first. (Please note that I have not tested or verified these remedies. They are merely a compilation of concoctions I have discovered over time. You should not use any of the remedies without first consulting with a physician.)

• Take two sardines, and place one under each of the eyes and leave on for about 10-15 minutes or longer. You can also place them on the eye lid to reduce wrinkles and tighten skin. Susan Lucci (Soap Opera Actress) snacks on sardines for their Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Rub the core of pineapple on the face and leave for 10-15 minutes for fine wrinkles.

• Apply the juice of green pineapples and apples on the face daily and leave for 10-15 minutes for fine wrinkles as well as cracked skin.

• Apply a paste of turmeric powder with sugar cane juice to remove wrinkles and to prevent skin aging.

• Cut a Green Thompson seedless grape in half and gently crush it on your face at wrinkles (lines). Leave it on for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water and let it dry in natural air.

• Apply pure castor oil to face to prevent wrinkles.

• Massage coconut oil into the skin where wrinkles appear before bed.

• Leave metal spoons overnight in the freezer. In the morning when you first wake up, apply the backs of spoons under the eye to reduce under eye wrinkles. This also helps with under eye circles.

• Eat a spoonful of shredded ginger with some honey every morning for wrinkles.

In addition to the remedies listed above, the following are some tips to maintain healthy skin.

• Eat a balanced diet including blueberries, tomatoes, red and dark orange vegetables, whole grain foods, seeds, nuts and legumes.

• Drink 4-6 glasses of water a day. This will help keep your skin hydrated and flush away toxins.

• Obtain fatty acids from cold water fish, e.g., Salmon.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes. Smoking, in particular, decreases the capillary blood flow to the skin, depriving it of needed oxygen and nutrients. It also damages the elastin and collagen that help to keep the skin soft, tight and elastic.

• Always protect your skin from the sun applying a sunscreen with a sun protection factor ( SPF) of at least 15.

• Avoid alcohol- based products. Use witch hazel or an herbal/ floral water instead.

• Avoid using harsh soaps or solid cleansing creams. Instead use natural oils such as avocado oil to remove dirt and makeup.