Ended Up With

 

Wished For.

 

Should Your Face Be Wet Or Dry.

 

I have been trying to figure out why my skin absorbs all of the serums if it is allowed to dry between products but it its when it is still damp. Serums are light-weight, super concentrated  products designed to target specific skin products. Serums can help decrease dark spots or fine lines and wrinkles.  

You want to make sure what ever product you choose is filled with vitamins and minerals. Look for one that has most of what you want but don't expect to find a product that has everything. Do not apply any product with vitamin C or Retinol in the morning as both makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

When you apply serums, make sure it is damp because wet skin is able to absorb ten times the amount of moisture dry skin can. This is extremely important if the product contains hyaluronic acid because this acid helps bind moisture to wet skin.

It is strongly recommended that you rotate serums because applying some of these products can make your skin sensitive and even dry out. In addition, one should not use those potent anti-aging or exfoliating products more than 2 to 3 times a week.  When you rotate your serums, you expose yourself to more of the benefits of all the products.

Before you apply any serum, you need to make sure you've taken time to cleanse and tone your face. When you clean your face, you remove any impurities from your skin and the toning helps balance your facial pH and preparing it for serums. When you clean and tone, you get your skin in the best shape for applying serums and creams so your skin receives the most from all the nutrients.

Once you've applied all your serums, finish it off with some sort of moisturizing cream because serums do not provide the moisturizing power of proper creams.  If you use several different serums, wait at least 90 seconds between each one so your skin has a chance to absorb nutrients before the next one is applied.  Otherwise, you could dilute the efficacy of each serum. 

Make sure you store your serums away from the sunlight in a cool dry location.  This is so the ingredients contained in the serum do not break down. You do not need to invest in a small fridge for all your beauty products. Instead, place them in the bathroom on a shelf as far from the shower and windows as possible or on a shady dresser in the living room.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Is New Zealand Honey Better Than Regular Honey in Skin Care?

 

I was down, visiting New Zealand, earlier this year and one thing that came out of the trip was how proud the people were of their special honey, also known as Manuka Honey.  This honey is produced from the flowers of the Manuka tree found only in New Zealand and parts of Australia. Manuka honey is said to have better therapeutic and antimicrobial properties than regular honey since it contains Methyglyoxlal and hydrogen peroxide.  

In addition, Manuka honey also contains lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B3, potassium, zinc, and antioxidant compounds such as phenols and flavonoids which neutralize free radicals. The  honey helps block the damage these free radicals cause so you don't age as fast.

According to what I could find, this honey helps improve skin that is prone to acne by decreasing the amount of redness and helping inflamed skin. The two compounds mentioned earlier are great at killing bacteria so your skin is better able to heal. There are suggestions that it possibly fights infection while boosting healing.  In addition, it helps repair cellular damage at the same time it encourages skin regeneration. It has such a good reputation for healing that it is often used in clinical settings.  Manuka honey is also known for balancing your skin's pH, while helping get rid of dead skin cells. 

Furthermore, Manuka honey also works as a moisturizer due to it's humectant and emollient properties.  Remember humectants draw moisture from the air and deposit them on your skin while emollients fill the spaces between skin cells so your skin is softer. It is in this dual way that the honey hydrates your skin and causes your skin to look dewy.

You can either use it straight or you can invest in skincare products that contain it.  If you use it straight, you can clean your face by massaging a pea sized amount of honey all over before rinsing it off.  You can also mix the honey with ground oats and lemon juice as a mask. Mix it, apply it all over your face and leave for 15 minutes before washing off.

When shopping for Manuka honey, you want one that has a UMF or Unique Manuka Factor of 15 or more and an MGO or methylglyoxal rating of at least 250. Furthermore, make sure it comes from New Zealand so it is the actual item. It will be a bit expensive and the cheaper ones are not always what you want.  So know you know why Manuka honey is considered better than regular honey, especially for skin care.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Does Bee Venom Really Work?

 

Every time I turn around, there is some new ingredient hitting the skincare market.  One that makes all sorts of promises.  There's been snail slime, dragon's blood, and so many others.  Some stick around, some fade in time.  Recently, bee venom has been on the list but does it really work?  I know the hype says it does but does it?  We'll find out today.

We already know that bees play an important part in our world.  They fly from flower to flower, pollinating so we get both food and more flowers.  In addition, they produce a beautifully sweet liquid known as honey.  One other thing, bees have is venom which is used to protect themselves when they have to sting someone.  The venom is now found in many skin care products. Bee venom is said to contain amino acids, enzymes and peptides.

It appears there are multiple reasons ones should use a skincare product containing bee venom.  First, it helps reduce the the look of inflammation in the skin.  Bee venom contains melittin which is responsible for helping sooth skin.  Another thing it helps reduce is eczema which an outbreak of redness and itchy skin.  The same ingredient that helps sooth inflammation, also helps reduce eczema.  In addition, it is also suggested one use bee venom to help acne as it can help reduce the inflammation associated with acne.  

Furthermore, it is said to reduce how wrinkles look.  According to several studies, bee venom reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles so your skin does not look as if it is aging as fast.  One study I found indicates that bee venom actually reduces the total wrinkle area, total wrinkle count, and the average wrinkle depth. It is also said to make your skin glow giving it a more youthful look.

One other thing, if you have a sensitivity or allergy to bee venom, it is suggested you not use it at all.  If you really want to try it, speak with a medical professional first.  If you do not have a sensitivity, give it a try.  I use a cream at night that contains bee venom and I like the results but know results can vary form person to person.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

For Two

 

For One.