Bad Habits That Could Be Causing You Acne

It doesn't matter if you are young or old, male or female, acne is a problem that everyone has. It can pop up at anytime and can be caused by a number of different reasons. It can be hard to figure out what causes acne and how to prevent it. Here are some ways that you may be causing acne upon yourself and how you can stop it.

1) Using make-up with ingredients that can cause irritation. You should avoid products that contain artificial color, artificial fragrance, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, and isopropyl myristate. Artificial color is found in products like lipstick and blush, and can cause breakouts around the mouth and on the cheeks. Artificial fragrance can cause breakouts and skin irritation because your skin is sensitive to certain smells. Lanolin, petroleum, and mineral oil are all forms of oil. They can be good if you have overly dry skin, but if your skin is oily, it will cause more oil to form in your pores, which creates zits. Isopropyl myristate is a product used in toners that can make your skin feel less greasy, when in reality it is clogging your pores. If you stay clear of these ingredients, it will help you to have acne free skin.

 2) Over drying your face. If you have oily skin, you tend to dry it out to get rid of the excess oil. Well, your skin will correct itself throughout the day if it is dry, so be drying out your skin you are actually producing more oil on your face. Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water, and use a mattifying moisturizer. It will soak up the excess oil on your face, with out drying it out.

3) Pressure. By constantly touching your face, or having something constantly exposed to your face, you are allowing the bacteria on the object to be forced onto your skin and into its pores. This will cause breakouts to form. Clean things you touch often, such as your hands, sheets, and pillow cases. It will help to minimize bacteria growth and keep it from going onto your skin.

4) Stress Pressure. If  you are constantly stressed out, this causes your hormone levels to rise, especially the ones that cause acne. Find ways to relax yourself and minimize the stress in your life. Your skin, body, and mind will all thank you.

5) Laundry. You always wash your clothes after wearing them once or sometimes twice, the same thing applies for your sheets, pillows, and towels. Your pillow especially holds tons of bacteria and dead skin cells, that you are lying on every night. Wash your pillow cases 1-2 times a week. After you shower, be sure to use a new towel every time, if you don’t, you are just putting all the dead skin cells, and germs back onto your body from your previous shower. Also you should wash your sheets once a week as well.

6) Hair Products. Women and men alike both use hair products, and if your hair is long enough to touch your face, it transfers those products onto your face and pillows. Be sure to wash your hair every night before you go to bed. Avoid hair products that contain oil, and silicone’s. They will weigh your hair down and clog your pores as well.

Keep on a daily skin care regimen. You should cleanse your face twice every morning then apply toner and moisturizer. Then at night repeat and add on a night cream. You should also receive monthly facials for a deep cleanse and exfoliation. They can also guide you to help you use the right products for your skin. 

Fixing Distressed Winter Hair

Everyone has a problem with there hair when winter comes around. Its flat, dry or has lots of static. If you have ever wondered how to fix your distressed winter hair, this is the post for you. Here are 5 main winter hair problems and how you can help to fix the problem.

1. Flatness. Every women loves to have big voluminous hair, and sometimes the winter weather does not allow this to happen. During the winter months, the air becomes drier, and has less moisture, all because there is less humidity. The humidity tends to just effect those who have finer hair. You can help your hair out by using a thickening shampoo in the shower. They are made to add bulk to your hair, without the extra product to weigh it down. When you blow-dry your hair, use lightweight styling products that come in a liquid form. It will make it easier for you to blow-dry your hair with volume, and the lightweight products formula won’t weigh down your hairstyle. 

2. Dryness. In the summer months, the heat makes your scalp produce more oil, which keeps your scalp hydrated and your hair shiny. During the winter months, the cold air will dry out your scalp, and using hot styling tools drys out your hair even more. When you shower, switch to a shampoo and conditioner that adds moisture to your hair. And every other week you should go in a salon just to get a scalp treatment and style. The scalp treatment allows time for the scalp to retain moisture, and give you healthier feeling and looking hair.

3. Flakiness. Do you feel like since the weather has become much colder, your scalp is much more flaky then normal. This is because your going from a warm house, to a cold climate on a daily basis. It causes your skin to flake faster than normal, especially on your scalp. Try using a shampoo with natural based products. Lather your hair and leave the shampoo on for about 2-3 mins then rinse. Follow with a natural based conditioner. Wash your hair every other day, and on the off day, use a dry shampoo before you brush your hair. It will soak up the oil that the skin flakes attach to.

4. Static Hair. While you keep warm when your outside using winter apparel, when you go inside to take it off, your hair becomes a static mess. This is because dry hair strands, attract to positively charges, and when you remove your hat, it causes them to repel, which gives you the static in your hair. The natural oils in your hair help prevent static, so try to not wash your hair as much. Wash it 3-4 times a week, and you can always use a light amount of hair spray or water to smooth down the stragglers.

5. Split Ends. Split ends are the result of damaging your hair over and over again. It can be from the weather conditions, over use of hot styling tools, and from not getting your hair trimmed enough. The best way to fix split ends is by getting a hair trim every 4-6 weeks. A trim is only less then an inch of hair being removed. There are products that help get rid of split ends, but all they do is camouflage them for a few days. The only way to get rid of them is by cutting them off. So visit a salon every 4-6 weeks to get rd of your split ends. 

Do these things to help minimize the winter distress on your hair. Thank you for all of your support.

~aphrodite