Basic Skin Care

The care you give to your skin depends to a large extent on the type of the skin you have. However, we will discuss the basic skin care principles first. Then we will go into specific recommendations based on the type of skin you have.

A daily routine of skin care requires no more than ten minutes and requires only three simple steps each evening and morning:

Night care

1. Cleanse. Remove any makeup with cleansing cream or a natural makeup remover. Wash with mild soap or other cleanser, rinse, and pat dry.

2. Tone. Apply an acid-containing solution to restore the pH balance and protective shield. For dry skin, use a mild freshener-toner. For oily skin, use an astringent preparation.

3. Moisturize. Splash on cool water or mist with a spray bottle. Blot, but do not dry completely-moisturizer magic relies more on retaining moisture than in providing it-then smooth on a few drops of your moisturizer.

Day care

1. Cleanse lightly to remove nighttime accumulations, refresh your face with a few splashes of water, and pat dry.

2. Tone by applying a freshener or astringent.

3. Moisturize around your eyes. If your face is excessively dry, mist or splash with water, blot, then lightly cover with moisturizer.

Other Steps That are Useful for Skincare

• Apply Masks

  Masks

  Facial masks are some of the oldest known beauty treatments. The ancient Egyptians used mud and clay to remove dead skin cells and heal blemishes. Seventeenth century European women experimented with milk and egg masks. Fresh foods, flowers, and herbs were used to cleanse and nourish the skin. A mask softens the skin, unclogs the pores, and removes the impurities. It also replaces lost moisture and sooth the skin. It is also very relaxing.
  Clay and oatmeal are ideal ingredients for any face mask. A natural powdered clay is fuller's earth, which can be mixed into a paste with hot water. Cool and then add yogurt for a smoother consistency.
  Mix finely ground oatmeal into a paste. Let it cool down. Add 15 drops of essential oils that is recommended for your skin type for each cup of this paste. Apply this to your face. Let it dry slightly and then sponge off.
  For particularly dry/sensitive skins add 15 ml (1 tbsp) evening primrose base oil to give a more moisturizing mask. Do not apply the mask on or near the eyes.
  Mix regular or quick-cooking dry oatmeal with water or milk. Allow it to dry on your face and throat for 10 to 15 minutes. This will smooth, soften, and remove the dead cells. To multiply the benefits, blend 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon of instant nonfat dry milk, and 1/4 teaspoon almond oil with the oatmeal.
  For sensitive skin, pulverize the oatmeal in an electric blender or food processor; or stir 2 tablespoons oatmeal into 1/2 cup milk and cook it to soft mush.
  Yogurt mud refines pores and tightens normal or oily skin. Here are three recipes you can use:
  Mix 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 teaspoon each fuller's earth and honey. 
  Mix 2 tablespoons yogurt, 2 teaspoons fuller's earth, a few drops of mint extract, and enough water to make a creamy paste. 
  Mix 1 tablespoon each yogurt and fuller's earth with 1/2 teaspoon honey and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.
• Eye Treatment

  Eye Treatment

  The skin around the eyes is much thinner than the skin on the rest of your face. This skin requires extra care to ward off signs of ageing. 

  Skincare recommendations

  Use an eye cream or gel both at night and in the morning. Apply it only along the orbital bone. (It is the bone directly under the eye). Gently pat it on, being careful not to drag the skin.
  While relaxing with a face mask on, close the eyes and cover with cotton pads soaked in rose water, or soothe with 2 slices of fresh cucumber.
  Treat your eyes while you have a face mask on. Soak two cotton-wool pads in cold camomile tea and place them over your eyes.
  Treat sore eyes caused by exposure to the sun, wind or chlorine with a soothing eye bath. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of rose water with 150ml distilled water. Use this solution to give a bath to your eyes.
  Puffiness around your eyes is caused by a build-up of toxins or excess fluids. Press gently along the eyebrow and around the eye socket with your middle finger. This will help reduce any swelling by stimulating the lymphatic system. For a cooling and soothing effect, store an eye cream or gel in the fridge and gently pat it onto the delicate skin around your eyes.
  
  
• Facial Massage

  Facial Massage

  Massage helps the skin to absorb oils and creams easily. It relaxes you. It relieves tension. It restores energy to your body by stimulating the blood flow.
  1. Pour a small amount of the blended oil into the palm of your hand and gently apply all over the face. Avoid your eyes.
  2. With the backs of your hands, gently tap the skin around the jaw-line and underneath the chin to stimulate the skin cells.
  3. Apply small circular movements to the chin area, using your thumbs. This will tone, help circulation and eliminate toxins.
  4. Make an "oooh"-shaped mouth. Massage either side easing out fine lines.
  5. With your fingertips, press along the top of the cheekbones and massage outward up to the temples to release toxins.
  6. With the middle fingers, apply pressure to points above the bridge of the nose and underneath the eyebrows. Hold for 5 seconds and smooth across from the inner to the outer corners of the eyebrows and continue up to the temples.
  7. To relieve tension, apply firm pressure at either side of the temples, and rotate backward.
  8. Stroke up the forehead to the hairline with the palms of the hands, smoothing out fine lines.