When it comes to skin care, especially facial care, benefits of honey are multiple.

Honey is a strong anti-inflammatory agent that prevents infections and reduces the existing ones when applied on problem or sensitive skin type.

It also has antibacterial properties if used for preparation of body scrub recipes that cleanse the body and leave it bacteria free.

When combined with coconut oil, it serves as a great base for a hydrating mask after which the skin feels moist and nourished.

Pumpkin honey mask

Ingredients

4 tablepoons of peeled pumpkin

4 teaspoons of corn flour

2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel

2 teaspoons of mashed pineapple

1 teaspoon of green tea

½ teaspoon of sunflower oil

Preparation

Prepare green tea and let it rest a bit. While that is cooling down, combine pineapple, honey, pumpkin, and aloe gel. Add to that sunflower oil and then green tea. Mix well.

Apply the mix on the face and neck and leave on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pad dry. This amount is enough for 4 applications. Keep it in a glass jar, tightly closed and refrigerated. It is not to be used after 2 weeks.

Japanese face mask

Ingredients

100 gr of honey

100 gr of flour

A bit of milk

Preparation

Combine flour and honey, and gradually add milk. Add enough milk to make the mass creamy. Apply on the face and let it rest for 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water (or cooled chamomile tea).

Hawaii face mask

Ingredients

½ of ripe papaya

½ cup of fresh pinapple

2 teaspoons of honey

2 teaspoons of green tea.

Preparation

Put green tea in boiling water and let it rest a bit. Peel the papaya and remove the seeds. Mix papaya and peeled pineapple in a blender or food processor until the mass is consistent. Pour everything in a bowl and add honey and green tea.

Apply the mask on clean face (you could use a facial steam to remove impurities). Apply the mask on the face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse the face with warm water and pat dry.

This mask can be used within a week, simply keep it in a glass jar, tightly closed and refrigerated.

Honey glycerin mask

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of glycerin (alternatively, use 3 teaspoons of Vodka but do not add water)

1 teaspoon of honey

2 teaspoons of water.

1 teaspoon of wheat flour.

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients and apply it in a thin layer on the face. Leave it on for 20 to 25 minutes. This mask is to be used 2 times a week. It is recommended for dry and normal skin type.

Oily skin honey parsley mask

Ingredients

4 teaspoon of honey

¼ of a cup of chopped parsley.

Combine the two and apply on the face. This recipe yields one application.

Antiaging honey mask

Ingredients

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon of honey

1 teaspoon of glycerin or vegetable oil.

Combine all the ingredients and apply on the face. It should stay on the face for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better. Rinse off with warm water.

Relaxing honey mask

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of honey

2 tablespoons of sour cream

Oatmeal or wheat

Preparation

Combine honey and sour cream. Add oatmeal or wheat until the mass thickens. Apply it on the face and neck and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Biljana Drake is an avid collector of homemade skin care recipes. For more great skin care tips, facial masks recipes, homemade remedies, visit her website http://www.skin-care-recipes-and-remedies.com

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Interest in skin care supplements, or beauty foods, has been strong in Asia, and that trend is growing fast in Europe as well. These nutrient rich beauty foods make a good case for starting a beauty regime from within, one that is designed to prevent or reduce the effects of aging, like sagging skin.

Some products on the market include a supplement containing lacto-lycopene, vitamin C, and soy isoflavones. This is aimed at restoring firmness to the skin for women over 40, and was developed by Nestle and L’Oreal. Others have been developed using lycopene and grape seed extract, both antioxidants. Grape seed extract also stops enzymatic reactions that lead to collagen in the skin being broken down.

Antioxidants protect the capillaries in skin and thus ensure that enough nutrients get to the living cells that eventually push their way to the surface and become the skin you see in the mirror. They also protect from broken veins and early wrinkling. Capillaries also deliver oxygen to the cells, and remove the waste products of cellular metabolism. This prevents puffy, sagging, and dull skin.

But you don’t always need to reach for a bottle of supplements. Simply by eating more antioxidant rich food on a daily basis should see some improvement in skin tone. Fruits rich in antioxidants include blueberries, prunes, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, cherries and plums. And of the vegetables, eat more artichokes, broccoli, red cabbage, pontiac potatoes, brown onions, asparagus, non-green capsisum, beetroot, spinach and sweet potatoes.

Women are more prone to the damage caused by antioxidants than men, according to research from the University of Berkeley, and hence possibly their aging effects (Angyal).

Another strong antioxidant is beta carotene. Beta carotene is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit and carrots. This antioxidant has been found to counteract the effects of a particular type of oxygen free radical, singlet oxygen, which occurs after the skin is exposed to UV radiation in sunlight. UV exposure can lead to premature aging by the effects of singlet oxygen.

A study found that whilst the provitamin A aspect of the carotenoid did not combat the singlet oxygen, the beta carotene did. It prevented the action of two enzymes, associated with UV light and the destruction of the skin cell’s extracellular matrix, which happens in premature aging of the skin. Sunlight also destroys beta carotene in cells after sun exposure, so this beta carotene has to be replaced.

Beta carotene has been reported as having a mild sunscreen effect too, though it needs to be taken as a supplement to get this effect.

The skin care supplement beauty market is still not a strongly developed one however, as these types of supplements tend to be more expensive than other supplements. And there needs to be more research and clinical trials to prove which products do what they are designed to.

References:
1. http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=54477-beta-carotene-boosts

2. E Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days

3. http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=57434

For an anti aging skin care treatment rich in antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid, try this herbal remedy. If you’re troubled by acne, try reading this article on acne skincare products.

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Dry skin has no permanent cure but the skin can be softened and made smoother by using a few remedies. Most popularly, lotions and creams are used to soothe the dry skin. Using a mild soap or a cleansing body wash might eliminate the problem temporarily. However, this option can turn out to be pretty expensive if the skin is genetically dry or just exceptionally dry.  Certain remedies can be used to soften the dry skin right at home.

A face pack made of fruits rich in vitamins and water can have a good effect on the dry skin. Some of the fruits that can be used are papaya, peach, and banana. Mashed avocado can also be applied to the skin for a glowing effect.  A mild lotion or moisturizer can follow these face packs, to retain the moisture produced by the face pack. It is advised to use oil-based lotions in such instances. Moisture has to be applied with upward circular motion always.

Night creams containing alpha hydroxy acids can be used as night cream so as to have a fresh looking skin in the mornings. These are more oily than the regular creams and work more effectively for longer time during the nights.

A diet consisting of a lot of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin E can be taken for an inner glow in the skin. Leafy vegetables help the most in replenishing the moisture in the skin. The water intake needs to increase a lot to help the body have the required amount of fluids. Fruit juices are also considered to be very helpful in softening the skin.

Rose water, almond oil, honey, olive oil, and beaten curd can all be used as good face packs. Other than this, daily massage or facial sauna with herbal oils and use of mild detergent and fragrance free soap can work wonders on dry skin.

Dry Skin provides detailed information about dry skin, dry skin care, and more. Dry Skin is affiliated with Ring Worm Symptoms.

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Click here for Antiaging skin care products

The long vertical bands often visible at the front of the neck are caused by the displacement of the edges of the muscle, which lies under the skin. The problem will cause to worsen if left untreated.

However, cosmetic botox treatment offers a temporary and fairly satisfactory, easing of the problem. When the muscle bands are very prominent, cosmetic botox does not completely eliminate the lines but helps to soften them. Sometimes it even seems to ease the horizontal rings on the neck as well.

Besides, cosmetic botox can also be used to raise the outside portion of the eyebrows by injection just below the eyebrows into the muscle that pulls the brow down. Paralyzing this muscle allows the muscles that lift the eyebrow to act unopposed, resulting in a significant lift.

Cosmetic botox has also been proven effective in interrupting the impulses to the sweat glands under the arms, allowing control of excessive sweating in this area. Those who suffer hyperhydrosis, as it is called, are most grateful of the relief afforded. Most unexpectedly, cosmetic botox has been widely reported to stop migraine headaches.

One of the predictable benefits of cosmetic botox that has not yet been realized is its use to prevent the development of wrinkles, rather than in the treatment of established wrinkles. If small doses of botox are used in areas such as outside the eyes and in the glabella, the ubiquitous smile lines and glabellar frown lines would very likely never develop. This would require a long-term regimen and we simply have not been using botox long enough to deem this true.

The cost of cosmetic botox treatments varies according to the amount and concentration used and the individual doctor. It is a very expensive product to purchase and some feel that dilution and minimal dosage is an effective way to keep costs down. Fees for treatment of the forehead and crow’s feet range from $700 to $1600. While the techniques are not rocket science, one should be skeptical.

For more information on finding safe cosmetic plastic surgery, effective cosmetic botox treatment or getting a permanent cosmetic plastic makeup, please visit the following website: My Fashion House

©Skyjoe. All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed as long as it remains unaltered inclusive of the active links and the copyright notice. No alteration is allowed without express written permission from the author.

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Click here for Anti-Aging Wrinkle Creams

According to this article, a new Consumer Reports study has found that cheap wrinkle creams outperform the pricey ones. Despite making claims such as “scientifically proven” and “breakthrough treatment,” the benefits of most anti-aging creams are barely visible to the naked eye, a study by the publishers of Consumer Reports magazine has concluded.

The luxury brands, some priced over $300, don’t perform any better than more moderately priced drug store versions, which sell for less than $20, the non-profit consumer research group also said in its first-ever study of anti-aging products.

Olay Regenerist, priced at $19, was the top performer, while RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream scored the lowest.

After 12 weeks the top-rated products did smooth out some fine lines and wrinkles. But even the best performers reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 per cent, a magnitude of change that was barely visible to the naked eye.

The differences between the top and bottom scoring creams were “marginal,” the authors noted. However, consumers can improve their chances of getting better results by trying various brands as the same product performed differently on different women, the study showed.

The makers of top performing Olay Regenerist gave the report high marks. The most expensive product tested, La Prairie Cellular, which sells for $335 an ounce in the U.S., ranked second least effective. The Toronto Star was unable to reach the Swiss company for comment last night.

The consumer group also tested a brand that is currently the subject of a class action lawsuit in the U.S. and a Health Canada review over some of its health claims. StriVectin-SD Intensive Concentrate for Existing Stretch Marks, which sells for $135 in the U.S., scored seventh out of nine products listed.

The best prevention for wrinkles is the old standbys: Stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, avoid tanning salons and don’t smoke, the report concluded.

Alpha hydroxy acids are now in common use by dermatologists, cosmeticians and the many people buying over the counter skin care products. They are available in moisturizers, cleansers, eye creams, peels, foundations and anti-wrinkle preparations.

They are most commonly used for dry skin care, but can tend to be too harsh and therefore damage the skin further. The damage can be repaired with a shielding lotion, but it might also be a good idea to try some of the gentler alpha hydroxy acids Mother Nature has to offer instead of those on the shelves.

Alpha hydroxy acids are plant extracts that, in themselves, are not harmful unless used in very high concentration - which can cause redness and swelling that may last for weeks. Their major benefit is in their ability to accelerate exfoliation. Dead skin cells are stripped away, leaving your skin looking fresh and young.

The acids also improve fullness and elasticity by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. As dead skin cell build-up is more common with dry skin than other skin types, and as dry skin tends to be thinner and less supple, these properties are especially benefical in dry skin care.

If you would like to try these acids au naturel rather than in expensive treatments or preparations, here’s where you can find them:

* Bilberry extract - Bilberry is a shrub with leaves and fruit that have toning properties. The extract is a good source of natural alpha hydroxy acid and is available in health food stores.

* Citric acid - most concentrated in lemons and limes, is it high in both antioxidants and alpha hydroxy acids. Both lemons and limes are helpful for dry skin care and are easy to prepare. You can squeeze them for juice and apply them, or simply cut the fruit in half and run it in.

* Sugar cane and sugar maple extracts - extracted from the juicy pulp of sugar cane and the Sugar Maple Tree, these are both good natural sources of alpha hydroxy acids. Although these may be hard to find in stores, a quick search online will produce many sources.

Although bilberry, lemons, limes and sugar plant extracts may be easier on the skin than the usual products, the exfoliation process can still leave it a little raw and vulnerable. So make sure you follow your alpha hydroxy treatment - natural or otherwise - with a good shielding lotion specially formulated dry skin care.

Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for Gloves In A Bottle, Inc. For more information, visit www.glovesinabottle.com.

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Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down, or even reverse the effects of aging on our skin and body?  It is an enigma for which so many have searched the answers to for years.  Now, with advanced modern science making breakthroughs and discoveries every day, the answers have become apparent to the age-old quest for the proverbial fountain of youth.

In large part, your everyday lifestyle choices contribute to the way you age, and at what rateyour body ages.  Diet, environmental factors, exercise and the topical skincare products and skin care regimen you choose, all affect the way you are going to appear now and ten, twenty, and thirty years down the road.  It’s no surprise your lifestyle plays a pivotal role in how your body and skin age over the years, since we’ve always known diet and exercise affect our energy levels, appearance, moods, and fitness level.

However, several key foods have been found to be very effective weapons not only against aging in general, but also against skin disorders ranging from acne, rosacea, thin skin, and photo aging (sun damage).  These foods can even help reverse and repair sun and other environmental damage done to theskin.  This powerful weapon is a goup of chemical compounds called antioxidants, and what they accomplish in high doses, along with adequate exercise, can mimic a surgical facelift over a relatively short period of time!

Think about all of the damage your skin is exposed to on a daily basis.  It is your largest and most vulnerable organ, exposed to toxins and other damaging elements, like the sun, every day.  These elements will actually accelerate the aging process by producing harmful compounds  called free radicals, which can damage cells and in turn damage the skin.  Antioxidants actually fight free radicals, and reverse some of the damage already done by them in the body.

Precautions to be taken to prevent these nasty little free radicals from wreaking havoc on your skin include wearing sunscreen every day, getting regular moderate exercise, using preventive skin care (cleansers, lotions, gels, creams, etc.) formulated with powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid, and making sure your get an abundance of antioxidants in your every day diet.  Some examples of foods high in antioxidants include berries (strawberries, bluberries, raspberries, etc.),citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, etc.), and vegetables rich in color, such as broccoli, zuccini, spinach, and summer squash.

Green tea is also agreat source of antioxidants, not to mention  a better choice than coffee for a pick-me-up.  See the following links for more information on where to find these anti-aging priciples:
http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com/best-weightloss-supplements-reviews.html/

While there are many foods to be enjoyed while living by the “anti-aging” diet, there are also foods that need to be either avoided all together, or strictly minimized.  These are refined sugar, caffeine, and all starchy and white flour products.  The resulting surge of insulin created by these foods produces more free radicals and breaks down the cell’s defenses against damaging elements, leaving you wide open to more skin damage
(ie. wrinkles, skin disorders, and other premature aging effects).

These foods are highly inflammatory by nature, and while they may taste good going down, know that they are destroying good cells and allowing for future damage by weakening the cell’s defenses further.  Eating these foods results in less tone and definition.  The skin “droops”, hence the creation of fine lines, wrinkles, and dull color.  You will know a person that has a high sugar and high carb diet by looking at their face.  They may have almost a “doughy” appearance to their skin, lacking the sharp definition and tone enjoyed by those who follow a healthy diet based on the anti-aging principles.

So, there you have it, some of the core concepts that will get you started to minimizing and even reversing the affects of aging.  This is really just the tip of the iceberg. There is actually a lot more information on these concepts available that would be well worth your time to learn.  What you do with these principles is up to you, it’s just a matter of making some minor changes for a longer, happier and healthier life.  I’d say that is definitely worth the investment!

Danna Schneider is the webmaster of the beauty and makeup product review and advice website CosmeticsGalore.com http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com - providing reviews and research on everything from natural breast enhancement products and cellulite treatments to self tanners, acne treatments, and makeup.

She is a cosmetics and beauty product researcher and enthusiast.

Click here for skin care tips and anti-aging wrinkle creams.