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Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese art that benefits the entire body. The mind, body and spirit work in conjunction with one another, to create an overall state of well being.

When most of us think of the term “Tai Chi”, we think of bodily exercise or movements. We can also use the same principals and techniques for the face as well.

Before we dive deeper into the facial aspect, let’s take a closer look at Tai Chi as a whole:

What Is Tai Chi?

According to this article, Tai Chi is based on slow and controlled movements, paired with proper breathing and a sense of mindfulness. There are actually a wide variety of Tai Chi styles, but each of them encompass the same, overall principals.

When proper breathing and movements are performed, along with stillness of the mind, an energy will be created. This energy, which is also called “life force”, is what we want to flow through the body. When the energy flows freely, our inner self connects with our outer self, creating an overall sense of harmony and peace.

How Does Tai Chi Help The Skin?

Performing Tai Chi on a regular basis will significantly reduce stress in the body and mind. We feel more relaxed. When we are not stressed, there is less cortisol released in our body.

This article states that when stress levels are running high, the it can really take a toll on the skin. Things like increased oil, will create inflammation and acne. Psoriasis, eczema and rosacea are also common with high cortisol levels. Some may also find that hives or cold sores will appear during times of stress.

When we are stressed out, we also tend to acquire more fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, our diets often wane, when life gets thrown off kilter, which also causes more skin issues.

Facial Qigong

Facial Qigong is an incredible way to stimulate blood flow to the face, neck and head. Increased blood flow will promote healing and bring more oxygen to the skin cells. This makes the skin appear to have a healthy glow.

Facial quigong movements that are shown here, will also relax the face and the body, which will in turn, greatly reduce the stress level.

Conclusion

The overall health benefits of Tai Chi are astounding. The fact that this practice has been around for nearly 2000 years, speaks volumes. Incorporating it into your lifestyle can help keep you feeling and looking more youthful. You will have a greater peace of mind and a healthier state of being, in doing so.

There are also other factors that you should also keep in mind to care for your skin.

Always protect your skin from the ultra violet rays of the sun. You can do this by applying a sunscreen to exposed skin, every time you go outdoors. Another way to combat sun induced skin damage, is to wear sunglasses with a UV protection on the lenses and a wide brim hat to cover your face.

Our bodies should always stay hydrated to be at peak performance and appearance. Strive to drink half of your weight in ounces of water on a daily basis. This will ensure that you are fully hydrated and that all the toxins are being flushed out of the body.

Diet also plays a large role in obtaining healthy and younger looking skin. Eat a diet rich in greens and other vegetables. Limit your intake of alcohol, sugars and processed foods for optimum health, as well.

For further reading, check out: Island Holidays – Protecting Your Skin From The Elements and The Best Face Lifting Massage For Aging Skin.

Image: Flickr

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Toners are a necessary component to a healthy skin care plan. Many people tend to skip this step during their daily routine.

If you are not familiar on how and when to use toners, they are to be applied immediately after cleansing the face. The mist should be lightly sprayed over the entire face. It should sit on the skin and absorb before any further products are applied.

There are many benefits to using toners for all skin types. For instance, it works wonders to soothe irritated and sensitive skin.

Another great factor, is that it can help eliminate and control excessive oil on the skin, which can cause acne. When the oil on the skin’s surface is reduced, the acne will start to improve.

The pH balancing effect that toners have on the skin will neutralize and alkaline or acidity caused by cleansers or even water.

When we start to age, we pay more attention to our skin and how we can combat aging and the signs that we are starting to look older. Using a toner is just one more tool to put into our basket to keep a youthful appearance.

Let’s take a closer look at the science behind toners and how they can affect aging skin:

Toners Repair Acid Mantle

This article states that in addition to rebalancing the pH level of your skin, a toner will also aid in replenishing the skin’s acid mantle, which is also known as the hydrolipid barrier.

When this outer layer of the skin is coated with perspiration, pollution, and cosmetics, it becomes dry and more prone to inflammation.

Flaking skin, fine lines and wrinkles often start to form or will appear more prominent. Scrubbing too hard on your skin or using rough materials to cleanse your face can also damage the acid mantle.

Applying toner will help repair this hydrolipid barrier, which increases moisture as well as protects the skin from the elements. This article suggests that using a toner that contains probiotics, will also help balance the natural bacterial on the skin’s surface.

Toners Add Beneficial Ingredients

When looking for a toner to use to combat aging, choose one that includes antioxidants. This will help fight off the effects of pollution, smoking and free radicals in the air.

Moisturizing is also a very important factor in keeping the skin looking supple and healthy. Toners that contain Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid work extremely well.

Toners Prepare Skin For Further Treatments

Before applying a moisturizer or serum, the skin surface should be neutralized by the use of toners. Applying a product on top of skin with an unbalanced pH, would cause the skin to flare up and not be as healthy as it should be.

Once skin is balanced to a pH of 5.5, it will be in the best condition to absorb other products that will benefit the skin.

Conclusion

Adding a toner into your daily skin care routine will help you achieve the younger looking skin you are looking for. Remember to be consistent in your skin care and use products that are dedicated to your specific skin type.

To further improve the appearance of your skin, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. This will also help keep the skin plump and full of moisture.

Always apply a sunscreen when going outdoors to avoid skin damage and further signs of aging.

For further reading, check out: Safest Lightening Creams For Aging Skin and Island Holidays – Protecting Your Skin From The Elements.

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Lightening creams are an excellent addition to your skin care regimen, especially if you have aging skin.

Using lightening creams on a regular basis will diminish hyperpigmentation, which is caused by the sun. Hyperpigmentation can be described as patchy, brown spots on the skin. There can be just a few spots, or there can be an entire area of the skin that is affected.

Heredity can also be a factor in this condition, as well as pregnancy and other hormonal changes in the body.

Dangerous Ingredients In Lightening Creams

There has recently been concern over the use of over the counter lightening creams. This article claims that there are many online and retail sellers who are marketing lightening creams that contain the ingredient, hydroquinone. This ingredient has the ability to strip off a layer of skin and puts the user at risk for skin cancer. Hydroquinone can also cause kidney and liver damage.

Another popular ingredient in these toxic products is mercury. Mercury poisoning is very dangerous and can be potentially life threatening.

You may be asking yourself, “ So, what IS a safe lightening cream?”

Let’s take a closer look at how you can lighten those pesky dark spots without the worry of potential health risks:

Get A Prescription

If your dark spots are severe, then a prescribed lightening cream is probably your best bet. You won’t have to be concerned about the product containing dangerous ingredients and you will also know exactly what is in it.

To obtain a topical cream, just visit a trusted dermatologist in your area for a prescription. If you notice any adverse effects, you can contact them immediately to discuss further treatments.

Make Your Own Skin Lightening Cream

All natural ingredients are always your safest bet. Some of the most popular home remedies for lightening skin, include items, such as: lemons, tumeric and almonds.

The skin lightening recipe below is suggested in this article.

Combine almond flour or almond meal with a little plain yogurt, lemon juice and honey. Mix all ingredients together and apply to the dark spot at night on clean skin. Store remaining cream in the refrigerator. Results should start to become visible within two weeks.

Another simple and natural skin lightener is an aloe vera mask. The following method is recommended in this article.

Simply break open an aloe vera leaf and put gel into a bowl. Use a fan brush to apply the gel evenly to the skin. Let it sit for fifteen to twenty minutes then rinse off with warm water.

This next mask has become quite popular in recent years and has been proven to work very well to even out skin tone and lighten dark spots on the skin:

First, make a cup of green tea. You will next add two tablespoons of sandlewood powder to several drops of the tea. To enhance the lightening power, you can also add a few drops of tomato juice or cucumber juice to the mixture. Let sit on your face for 20 minutes then gently remove with a damp cloth.

Conclusion

If you do end up using a store bought product, be sure to check the ingredients on the back. Understand the exact ingredients that are listed. Purchase your product from a reputable source or obtain a prescription from your dermatologist to be cautious.

To prevent further dark spots from presenting themselves, be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Always wear a sunscreen and reapply as needed. Cover your eyes with sunglasses and wear a large brimmed hat to better protect your face.

For further reading, check out: Island Holidays – Protecting Your Skin From The Elements and How Facial Exercises Actually Work To Give You Firmer Skin.

Image: Flickr

Beauty routines should be at the top of your self care list, if you want to keep your skin looking healthy.

Your skin care regimen should not only consist of cleansing and moisturizing. There are additional aspects that you should keep in mind, in order to achieve the best possible outcome.

Every year, we see various ways to keep a youthful appearance, become mainstream and trendy. Some of them come and go, others hold through the test of time.

Let’s take a closer look at the best beauty routines for 2020:

Skin Protection

The most important step in your beauty routines, is to protect your skin from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. Using a sunscreen is your first line of defense against aging, skin damage, freckles and possible skin cancer.

Always wear a sunscreen on any skin that is exposed to the sun, when going outdoors. Wear a hat and sunglasses if you will be in direct sunlight.

Facial Exercise

Facial exercise is one of the latest beauty trends, which is gaining momentum. It is becoming a part of many people’s daily routines.

You are able to target specific areas of the face, neck and chin area. If you stay dedicated and consistent in the exercises, you will start to see an improvement in the firmness of your skin. It will also help smooth out any fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, lips and forehead.

Facial Massage

Similar to going to the spa for a facial, doing facial massage at home can be just as beneficial. It aids in smoothing out facial lines and helping the face look slimmer and overall healthier. This article suggests that facial massage will also help decrease puffiness, relieve stress and elevate your mood.

Facial massage rollers made of jade or rose quartz are also becoming a popular part of beauty routines. By simply using the handle and rolling the stone over your cheeks, forehead, neck and chest area, you will stimulate blood flow. It will also loosen up any tension that you are holding in your jaw area.

Facial Masks

Youthful looking, dewy skin can be achieved by using hydrating masks. These masks are available in sheet mask form or in a serum type formula, that is applied to the skin and left on for a specific duration of time. These are an excellent choice for those who have dry to normal skin.

If you have oily or acne prone skin, you should opt for a clay mask as part of your beauty routines. The clay in the mask will absorb the abundance of oil and aid in healing any existing blemishes. Stay away from hydrating masks, because they could further clog the pores on your face.

There are also skin tightening masks, which can firm sagging skin and make fine lines temporarily disappear. It is also a great choice for those who have oily skin. This type of mask can also be created at home, using egg whites, as described in this article.

Conclusion

If you combine the various beauty routines mentioned above into your regular lifestyle, you should begin to see an improvement in your skin. Your stress level will also be reduced, by taking a few minutes a day to focus on yourself.

Most importantly, you will also be protecting yourself from skin cancer, which affects your overall health and lifespan.

It is the little things that we do on a daily basis that can change our appearance and keep us healthy. Looking younger is an added bonus.

For further reading be sure to check out: Island Holidays – Protecting Your Skin From The Elements and How Facial Exercises Actually Work To Give You Firmer Skin.

Image: Flickr

Protecting your skin from the elements, should be top priority when going on a tropical holiday.

There are very important factors that should be taken into consideration when spending extend time outdoors.

The ultra violet rays from the sun can damage your skin, which causes burning and peeling. Saltwater from the ocean or chlorine from swimming pools and hot tubs, tend to dry the skin out. Windburn can also be a factor if you spend time on speedboats or other motorized watercraft.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can easily start protecting your skin from the environment:

How Does The Sun Damage Skin?

The sun can cause extreme damage to the skin, before you realize it. Many of us have experienced a sunburn from sitting out on a cloudy day. Most times, we don’t even notice that our skin is burned until hours later, when it is too late.

This article describes the damage that the sun does to the skin. When you don’t protect your skin, the ultra violet rays will penetrate it and destroy the elastin and collagen that keeps our skin looking firm and youthful.

After years of unprotected exposure, the skin will become very wrinkled and start to obtain a leathery appearance. The risk of skin cancer also increases with every sunburn and over exposure to the sun.

Protecting Your Skin From The Sun

So, how do you combat the risk of sun damage? The most important thing to keep in mind, is to always wear a sunscreen. The higher the SPF number, the more protection you will have from the harmful sun rays.

For instance, if you choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, you will be protected from the sun’s rays thirty times longer than if you did not apply any sunscreen at all.

Sunscreen should be reapplied throughout the day every two hours. If you have been swimming or perspiring, you should reapply sooner.

If you spend an extended amount of time outdoors, then it is recommended that you use a 60 SPF sunscreen.

Another way to avoid the sun’s rays when outdoors, is to sit in the shade, as opposed to in direct sun. Protective clothing is also an excellent option. Wear sunglasses and a large brimmed hat to protect your eyes and face.

Protecting Your Skin From Water

Saltwater has many great benefits, but it tends to dry out the skin. If you are one who already has dry skin, this could become a bother.

The best way to alleviate this, is to take a shower and wash the salt off of your skin. After drying off, apply a thick moisturizer all over your body. This should help with any flaking and dryness that you are experiencing.

The same holds true for chlorine, if you are spending time in a swimming pool or hot tub. Chlorine is a strong chemical that needs to be washed off your skin. Take a shower within fifteen minutes of getting out of the pool and apply body lotion to keep your skin from drying out.

Protecting Your Skin From Wind

According to this article, windburn and sunburn are both treated and prevented in the same way. Apply a sunscreen before outdoor exposure. After exposure, apply a hydrating moisturizer to keep skin soft.

Conclusion

Don’t worry that taking these precautions will put a damper on your trip. You will find that it becomes a habit easily and you will be glad you did it. Your skin will stay healthy and you will slow the signs of aging.

For further reading on how to look younger, check out: How Facial Exercises Actually Work To Give You Firmer Skin and The Best Face Lifting Massage For Aging Skin.

Image: Flickr

If your aging skin is becoming more noticeable, you are probably looking for ways to appear younger and more vibrant.

An exercise physiologist in this article, states that it is important to stimulate the superficial fascia, which lies under the skin’s surface. Doing so, will aid in the production of collagen, which keeps our skin looking supple.

By doing the massage movements listed below, your aging skin will start to lift and your wrinkles will be less visible.

Before you get started with massage, you first need to gather an oil or moisturizer. It is recommended to use a product that is nourishing for the skin. Camillia Oil or Sweet Almond Oil are versatile and great for aging skin.

The topical product you choose should allow the fingers to slide across the skin, to avoid any pulling or tearing. The skin around the eyes is especially delicate and extra care should be taken in that area.

Forehead Smoother

If you are looking for a way to help erase the lines on your forehead, try this simple exercise.

Place both hands across your forehead, with the tips of your fingers touching.

Press down slightly and slowly slide your hands apart, all the way down to the temples. Lift your hands and place them back in starting position. Repeat this motion three times.

Face Lifter

Place your fingertips firmly on each side of your face. Slowly slide upwards until you reach your hairline.

Lift hands gently off the face and repeat this movement three times.

Chin and Jaw Tightener

Place hands in the prayer position on the tip of your chin. Slowly and firmly, slide your fingers in an upward motion along the jawline.

Use a smooth and even pressure to lift the sagging skin. Repeat this movement three times.

Eye Area Massage

This article suggests applying a small amount of oil to your fingertips prior to starting this exercise. Be very careful no to tug on the thin skin of the eye area. Doing so will cause more wrinkling and the appearance of aging skin.

Place your moistened fingertips at the outer corner of each eye. Slowly and firmly slide your fingers around the bony area of the eye, up and around the brow.

Slide your fingers down the center of the nose, back up and then underneath the eyes.

Cheekbone Enhancer

When you stimulate the muscles around the cheekbones, you will tighten the skin and make them look more prominent and youthful.

Simply place your first two fingers on either side of the nose. While using firm pressure, massage upwards, along the cheekbone in small circles.

Once you reach the hairline, lift off hands and place them back in the starting position. Repeat this exercise three times.

Conclusion

By implementing a regular facial massage routine into your life, you will begin to see a reduction in the signs of aging skin. The key to success of the above methods is consistence.

The best way to remember to do these exercises, is to set a reminder on your phone. Choose a time of day when you are usually not busy.

Take a few minutes and complete some of the exercises. You can break up the routine in a few segments to make it easier to fit into your schedule.

These exercises are beneficial to your skin and very easy to do. Besides the fact you can turn aging skin into younger looking skin, you can also perform these exercises without any equipment.

Before you know it, your consistency will pay off and you will start to see results when looking in the mirror.

For further reading, check out: How Facial Exercises Actually Work To Give You Firmer Skin and Facial Tapping – What Are The Benefits And Does It Really Work?

Image: Flickr