The cool, crisp cucumber belongs to the same family as courgettes, pumpkins, and water melons. It was one of the first vegetables cultivated in the world. Ironically it has little nutritional value. Its only remarkable quality is its exceptionally high water content i.e. 96.4 % which is known to make it both refreshing as well as low in calories. It can therefore be called a natural diuretic but not a powerful one.
Cucumbers have long been valued as an important ingredient in skin care preparations like cosmetic creams, lotions, face packs, masks and hair care preparations. Since they have high percentage of water, they are also regarded as natural moisturizers and cooling agents.
Cucumber juice is incorporated in skin creams and lotions for enhancing moisturizing and cooling effect on skin. It is also added in face packs and masks to improve skin texture by providing extra moisture to the skin after the pack is washed off. Cucumber slices can also be used on eyes to sooth puffy eyes and for revitalizing effect. The juice can be used in hair care products that treat dry and frizzy hair.
Dry hair is basically deprived of moisture; hence cucumber juice can be used in hair masks to treat dry hair condition. These make hair smooth and manageable. However although cucumbers are since long being used in cosmetic preparations, there is not much scientific proof regarding their extract being beneficial to skin.
Acne and zinc
Posted on: June 29, 2009
Hi,
Its been a long time since i could sit down to write something for our blog.
Well here’s starting it again with the most talked and discussed topic of all time.. ACNE..
The red, painful, pus filled swellings known as acne are known to be caused by bacterial infections of the skin. These are most likely to occur when the body’s resistance power towards bacterial infections is low and which can be either due to a recent illness and/or an unbalanced and unhealthy diet. Acne is also known to be caused by an imbalance in secretions from the sebaceous glands found beneath the skin. These oily secretions basically give a coating to the skin to protect it from environmental stress. So, when these glands secret excess oil as a result of improper diet or hormonal imbalance, the bacteria starts to grow, thus infecting the skin and thereby clogging the pores. Initially these are small, red eruptions on the skin which on neglect take the shape of ACNE. In simple words, acne can be said to be a condition of severity of pimples.
If you are suffering from acne, try to boost your immune system for its fight against the infection. Zinc, in particular, has been found to boost the immune system. Having a daily intake of about 8mg. is more than sufficient. Useful amounts of zinc can be found in poultry, cereals, fish and oyster. Plenty of raw garlic, which is known to have natural antibacterial properties, can also help improve the general health of the skin as well as assist in the fight against acne.
Let your comments and doubts come !!!
Home Remedies for Skin Remedies
Posted on: November 9, 2008
After going through the do’s and don’ts let us talk about some home remedies for dry skin.
Since dry skin is a permanent condition of the skin there can be no permanent remedy to prevent it, one can only take precautions against preventing the dryness of the skin. Lotions, creams, mild soaps can help where genetic problems do not exist.
However the skin can also be pampered at home without indulging in the costly cosmetic products. Applying face packs of fruits such as peach, papaya, banana, rose water, almond oil, honey, olive oil and beaten curd can help as they are rich in vitamins and water. Use of mashed avocado can help in enhancing skin glow. However after using face packs or avocado, a moisturizer, particularly an oil based one should be used as they help gain back the moisture produced by face pack application. To increase the effectiveness of moisturizers they should always be applied in an upward circular motion.
Taking supplements of vitamins A, B and E help enhance the inner glow of the skin. Eating leafy vegetables helps regain back the skin moisture. Skin moisture can also be regained by good intake of water and fruit juices. Fruit juices in particular help in softening the skin.
In order to wake up with a fresh feeling of the skin night creams containing alpha hydroxyl acids should be used as such night creams being oilier than regular moisturizers work for longer hours when periodic application of moisturizers is not possible.
Massages and facial sauna also give a fresh look to the skin.
Applying a mixture of 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of milk on the face for 10 – 15 minutes and then washing with warm water gives the skin a very rejuvenating effect. Honey and milk can also be replaced by mashed apricot and warm olive oil. Applying almond oil all over the body till it gets absorbed as we massage gives a very soft feeling too. The results for this can be easily seen if done daily for 2 weeks. Applying vaseline after bath daily can also help in retaining moisture and giving the skin a soft subtle look.
Well I guess I can conclude this series of dry skin. You are welcome to post any queries to me and I shall reply you as soon as possible. So here’s to you till we take up another type of skin for discussion…..Enjoy….. Happy skin care…..
Dry Skin Care
Posted on: October 27, 2008
Dry skin looks dull due to the fine pores it has. This skin usually is comfortable when creams and moisturizers are applied. But, other than application of creams, certain care should also be taken by people having such types of skin.
Dry skin usually gets more intense during the winter. Summers are also equally bad for dry skin as the moisture tends to escape from the fine pores in the dry skins. To get back moisture one should leave the windows open for as much time as possible. Consuming lots of water, bathing with bath oils help in retaining the moisture content. However bubble baths are not a good option for retaining moisture content. Similarly as much as possible, coffee should be avoided as it ends up leaving the skin dehydrated.
Fingernails should not be let dry and lotions should be applied as much as possible, because when moisture loss happens, it starts showing up from these areas.
Having a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and yoghurt and having plenty of water are certain basic do’s for taking care of a dry skin. Special care should also be taken of delicate skin near the eyes.
There are however no permanent remedies for dry skin care. Hence a periodic use of softeners and moisturizers is essential to maintain the moisture balance in the skin. Mild soaps should be used while bathing as it helps prevent excessive oil and moisture loss.
For those interested in home remedies for a dry skin we shall discuss it in the next post.
Till then Happy Skin Care !!!!!
SKIN TYPES – DRY SKIN
Posted on: October 19, 2008
As I said there are lots of skin types, but let’s talk about dry skin first…..
Dry skin has a lot of moisture in the upper layers of the skin and less levels in the lower layers. Hence it is dry as it lacks oil as well as water, thereby tending to get dehydrated quickly.
Dry skin is most vulnerable to climatic and weather changes and if uncared for has a tendency to develop wrinkles. Exposure to ultraviolet rays and air conditioning are some of the chief causes for faster drying of the dry skin. However maximum care for dry skin is needed during the winters as it is during this time when the skin becomes more intense. Not just winters, people with dry skin also tend to suffer when they move into the sun from an air conditioned room or vice versa.
Dry skin calls for the use of a good moisturizing cream, a moisturizing cream that has a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor).
Now what is SPF????? SPF indicates the number of times the cream is capable of saving the skin from the sun’s harmful radiation. As for example if the skin suffers skin burns by sunlight in 10 minutes, then applying the cream with a SPF of 15 will prevent the sun burn for 10 x 15 = 150 minutes.
Therefore regular use of moisturizing creams with high SPF protects the dry skin from getting aggravated. Special care is also needed for dry skin at night.
Removal of make up, especially the eye make-up is one of the most important things to be done before retiring for the night. A cream based eye make up remover should be used as it cleanses as well as soothes dryness in the delicate eye area. This should be followed by application of a rich cleanser for a few minutes after which it is to be wiped off. After this the face should be washed with a glycerine soap as this doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils. Ultimately a good thick night cream should be applied as it seals in the moisture and oils for the upper skin layers.
Also taking supplements of fish oil and Vitamin E capsules are good for dry skins.
SKIN TYPES AND COSMETICS
Posted on: October 13, 2008
Everyone always wants to look beautiful and presentable. Whether it be a girl in her early teens or a lady in her fifties or even older; the mirror has been their common friend. Be it a guy just about to enter college or a guy about to enter a meeting, they both have always wanted to look presentable. This is an inborn trait that the humans have passed to their off springs from one generation to another.
SKIN TYPES
Let us start with skin, the largest organ of the body and which is highly exposed to the vagaries of nature. From the olden days where an ass’s milk and rose water were used today mankind has highly advanced with steady R & D work on cosmetology, chiefly skin.
The first step in skin care starts with knowing about one’s own skin, as it can help choose the right product for the skin or pamper the skin in the right direction.
IDENTIFYING SKIN TYPES
So how does one know about his/her skin type. The test for identifying skin type is a very easy one.The first thing to be done on waking up in the morning is to wipe the face with a clean tissue paper and then observing it.
For those with a “Normal Skin”, no oily patches are observed on the tissue, nor does the face feel tight or flaky.
Oily patches are observed on the tissue for those having “Oily Skin”.
For those whom oil usually comes out from the nose, forehead and cheek parts, the tissue is observed to be oily only in the centre and not uniformly. These type of people are said to have a “Combination Skin”.
People having “Sensitive Skin” tend to react when exposed to new skin-care products with their skin turning red, inflamed or itchy.
This is a broad classification of the various skin types. The skin can also be further sub-divided into various types depending on the geography of the person residing, age of the person etc. We shall have a detailed discussion on this soon.
Cosmetics, a word very commonly used today, has a very superfluous definition. So what are cosmetics?? Cosmetics according to a layman are products used to beautify human body.
“Kosmetikos” a Greek work meaning “to adorn” is the root of the word “cosmetic”. From time immemorial mankind, especially the fairer sex always loved to adorn themselves. Primitive cosmetics such as varied ornaments and hairstyles were the dawn of what is cosmetology today.
The ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra used to apply colours and pastes etc to her face while beguiling the Roman generals Caesar and Antony. This is the first recorded use of cosmetics.
As per the records prehistoric people used just 17 colours to paint their bodies as well as their cave walls. Shades of red, white, orange, yellow and black were those most commonly used. Their main purpose however, behind colouring their bodies was protection from evil and not ornamentation. Starting from around 4000 B.C. Egyptians wore Kohl, a black paste around their eyes to protect themselves from eye diseases and blazing sun.
Egyptian queen Nefertiti used henna to paint her nails red. This can be said to be the advent of nail polish even before the Chinese discovered it. Painted nails though become a rage after the introduction of liquid nail polish in 1913 A.D.. However a lipstick from a Babylonian tomb dating around 4000 B.C. is the oldest recorded cosmetic and surprisingly evidences unearthed point that it may have belonged to a man!!!
Today we are living in the world of colours, perfumes and creams commonly classified under the term cosmetics. Starting from the toothpaste, bathing soaps, bath salts, detergents for clothes our life revolves around cosmetics. Considering human needs, which are unlimited, more and more cosmetics will always be invented as long as mankind exists. Cosmetology is therefore an unending subject used by mankind in its quest to design products to clean, beautify or to alter their appearance.
Fashion, Cosmetics, Style 