The Best Eye Creams Out There and Why

By Sarah | Published August 16, 2012

Perhaps one of the common plights of office moms or busy women is the fact that they have to deal with dark eyes. Tired eyes not only give you grows feet but give the areas around it a blackish hue; so unless it’s become fashionable to have a black-eye look, you might want to get rid of it.

The explanation for this is quite simple; since your body is allotted with little or no sleep, it doesn’t allow the recovery period to be so robust; hence the dark circles. Fortunately enough there’s two kinds of treatment for such situations: long term and short term effects. Long term effects are referred to as cream-based treatment that internally treat the dark circles, while short term effects are concealers, which serve to mask the dark circles instead of out right treating them.

Read on and find out which eye creams are just right for you:

Olay Regenerating Cream + Touch of Concealer

Olay has certainly a lot of skincare products out there that are not only effective, but incredibly practical. It combines both long-term effects with short-term effects so that you’ll not only be hiding the dark circles around your eye, but you’ll also be effectively treating it with retinol-based treatment that helps stimulate collagen growth.

It’s not exactly all that much pricey and it’s essentially hitting two birds with one stone. It’s quick, it’s effortless and effective. What more could you want?

RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Eye Cream

Not all types of skin are created equal. While most types of skin respond positively to retinol-based skin treatments, some brands tend to leave out treatment for people who have sensitive skin. RoC seeks to address the issue of eye creams that are safe for use for people who have allergies or have sensitive skin. The formulations are essentially a less aggressive form of retinol that is milder than its ordinary counterparts without sacrificing its effectiveness.

To give simpler explanation to their formulation; it’s essentially still retinol – an ingredient stimulates your collagen, effectively healing your skin by restoring its elasticity and its suppleness. However, for mild skin, they’ve re-engineered the release of retinol so it affects your skin gradually instead of all at once in order to lessen or avoid inflammation.

Channel Ultra Correction Lift Total Eye Lift

Channel is right up the bat for lifting the sagging as well as the darkened eyes. Again, this is another worthy contender to other creams in the market since it improves on the retinol cream treatment to a certain extend. it not only improves your skin via the reintol-collagen reaction, but it also tightens the sag in your skin on top of solving the darkened discoloration in your skin due to lack of sleep.

It’s effective for its price and seeks to be more than just a off-shoot of retinol-based treatments.

All in all, these products are derived by a basic formula: retinol. What’s different about them is how they are applied to your skin. Also, they’re selected for their alternative uses that make them more effective and above most products out there.

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Stretch Marks: Easy Ways to Make Them Less Obvious

By Sarah | Published August 5, 2012

Teens that go through puberty and undergo fast changes in their body such as gaining weight are those who are usually prone to stretch marks. And because of an individual’s sudden growth, skin is cause to be quickly pulled too excessively and in this manner a scar is made. When skin is stretched too much, collagen production can easily be interrupted and causes the mentioned mark.

Both male and females are at risk of stretch marks and usually appear on the upper thighs, buttocks and hips. Women on the other hand have it hard because pregnancy would most likely cause excessive stretching on the skin, thus causing a lot of stretch marks. This makes it a more common problem in girls than in boys.

Who Are Most Likely To Get Stretch Marks?

There are actually a number of people who are prone to getting this kind of scars, for example an athlete will need to workout in order to gain muscle mass to get stronger or at least meet the requirements for an up coming competition and just the pace of developing their mass can potentially cause stretch marks.

That goes for individuals who are over weight or skinny people who’ve gained significant amounts of weight in a short span of time. But this skin problem is the kind whose dark color would lighten up and gradually fade away in time, though a fact most people just can’t wait for it to go away if they’ve got more important occasions to attend to.

Quick Means of Concealment

  1. Makeup. This is the most common way to hide stretch marks but even if there are water resistant make up available using this method isn’t really the best if you’re planning on going to the beach or pool. It’s convenient that there is a lot of skin tone makeup to choose from and use when in a hurry to certain events.
  2. A Different Choice of Clothes. This is supposed to be an obvious thing to do but then again some of us do forget simpler means of things. Whether it’s a dress or your bathing suit for the pool party purchasing less revealing clothes is the way to go. It’s easy to browse for clothes appropriate for you, there’s even a lot to choose from.
  3. Sunless Tan Lotion. There are claims that these type of products can help conceal stretch marks because of its ability to temporary darken the appearance of skin. This does not give the user any protection from the sun though, so sun screen is still a must if you want healthy skin.

There are other ways to reduce stretch marks such as surgical means and by using creams but most of them are expensive and may give little results. It might take a while if ever you did wait for the scars to just naturally heal that however seems to be the best way to treat them.

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Liposuction Treats Cellulites: A Fact or a Myth?

By Sarah | Published July 27, 2012

Have you noticed bumpy areas on the skin which usually appear on the belly, thighs, underarms and buttocks? You yourself may be affected by the ugly cellulites. This is an issue that concerns many women like you. It is not an alarming condition though; however, its lumpy appearance makes it a skin disaster.

What are Cellulites?

This term refers to a skin condition characterized by bulging fats that leave your skin the cottage cheese appearance. This is one of the skin issues that stop women like you from wearing their favorite clothes and being comfortable in their own skin. These fat deposits known as adipose tissue may push hard on your collagen fibers making them bulge. This explains why cellulites appear like lumps under your skin.

The Culprit

There are many factors to cellulites such as age and gender. However, hormonal change is considered as the major factor to this condition. This explains why cellulite occurs mostly in women. It is also linked with aging since as you age you may have a diminished production of hormones in the body such as estrogen. It may sound unfair to you but women are the ones mostly affected by cellulites.

What is Liposuction?

This surgical treatment is said to be one of the treatment options for cellulites. Is it a fact or a myth? This procedure is known to eliminate fats by surgical removal. This invasive treatment must only be done by a board-certified, licensed surgeon. Also, it is performed only in a health care or medical facility. You can’t bear the pain caused by this surgical treatment so a need for general anesthesia is necessary.

This usually takes a few hours and may cost you lots of money. It may leave you with bruises and pain which is always a part of invasive procedures. Today, newer variants of this treatment are available such as liposculpture and lipojet.

Does Liposuction Treat Cellulites?

You may think that it is the solution to your cellulite problem. The sad truth is that it doesn’t remove cells of fat found on areas where these cellulites lie. There’s even a sadder fact about liposuction. Since this surgical treatment removes fat cells, it may leave you with a lax skin thereby worsening the dimpling appearance caused by cellulites.

How Does it Worsen Cellulites?

Liposuction may leave you with a loose skin. This is because of the lack of elasticity due to the overstretching brought about by layers of fat that fill your compartments. Since fat cells are removed in liposuction, loose skin is often a problem. It doesn’t reduce cellulite appearance but rather it can cause the lumpy areas to be more evident due to your skin’s looseness.

Now you know that it is a myth that liposuction is the solution to cellulite problems. There are various treatments for this skin problem that you can opt to reduce the appearance of these ugly lumps. Natural ways of eliminating cellulites are a balanced diet and regular exercise. Work your way towards having a smoother and flawless skin.

Recommend reading: http://cellulitecreamguide.net/

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Eye Creams: How They Work

By Sarah | Published September 13, 2010

There are a lot of eye creams out there in the market, but did you know that most of them are derived from a simple formulation? Most eye creams in the market use a skin-repair formula known as retinol – an active ingredient that helps repair your skin’s elasticity and suppleness by stimulating collagen.

Collagen is a naturally occurring chemical in your body that is responsible for repairing your skin on top naturally moisturizing it, thus restoring the supple quality. This is why most skin care experts encourage its use on to of moisturizers.

Skin and Eye Creams

Most people wonder why lack of sleep or stress affects primarily skin around your eyes; and it’s not what you think. Skins around your eyes are particularly more vulnerable than other parts of your face. If your skin is not given enough time to repair or replenish itself, the skin around your eyes are first to feel the pain. And since blackish hue or darkened tone is an indicator of poor skin condition, it’s no doubt that most people who have lack of sleep or are stressed to have eyes that look like black eyes.

The truth is, there are a lot of creams and moisturizer brands out there and it can be quite a challenge to try them all in order to suit your needs. Fortunately, there is a work around to that which doesn’t involve you having to fork over wads of cash to try out each one: your dermatologist. Dermatologists can perform tests and know your skin better than you do; thus they can point you in the right direction which significantly narrows down the products that you are considering on buying.

Complaints and Grievances

Just to point out an earlier statement, all eye creams are derived from a basic formula but they have different means of application. So if you’re buying a particular brand over a more expensive brand, the choice doesn’t matter much at all in terms of effectiveness. The rationale why people stress over this is the effect of how the ingredient reacts to your skin can be a problem.

There are the commonly addressed problems with eye creams:

  • They’re hurting my skin. Retinol is an active ingredient. While it works remarkably well on normal skin, it can prove to be fatal to people with mild skin since it can even cause inflammations.
  • I don’t feel the results or It doesn’t work fast enough. Again, this is not due to the retinol itself, but rather how that formulation incorporates that active ingredient into their overall formula.
  • It’s pricey.  Although it is true that some brands overprice their products thinking that buyers will think that the more expensive they are, the more effective they will be; this does not mean that they’re always the same formula. Some brands are expensive because they have secondary effects or have a more potent formulation that lessens the recovery time.

Doctors Know Best

Doctors know more about your skin than you, so naturally they’re a great way for you to better understand your skin and know what type of brands are effective. If you want to know more about expert advice straight from the doctor’s mouth, check the links below for practically medical advice on skin care!

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The Incision: Treating Stretch Marks with Surgical Options

By Sarah | Published March 18, 2010

Stretch marks are linear scars on the skin which may appear as reddish, purplish or silvery white depending on their age. They usually appear after a dramatic weight loss or gain; and, are caused by overstretching and tearing of the skin.

These appearances are most common during the puberty period wherein there is presence of hormonal changes stimulating growth and development. Women, during their pregnancy stages, are also prime recipients of these scars.

Although they could not jeopardize health, they can cause esteem and appearance issues. You don’t have to worry that much, though. There are surgical options which you can avail to reduce the linear streaks on your body.

Treatments for stretch marks have been widely used worldwide and anyone having enough financial support can avail these treatments with proper medical consultations.

Microdermabrasion

This is a technique commonly used to treat old stretch marks. The doctor uses a special equipment to blow small mineral crystal particles on the affected area. The crystals are designed to polish the outermost layer of the skin producing a smooth and evened-out skin surface. After which, the doctor will use a vacuum to suck the mineral crystals and the skin cells removed during the procedure. This technique allows your skin to regenerate a better outer layer.

Pulsed Dye Lasers

This technique is recommended to both old and new stretch marks. The procedure includes short bursts of laser energy to stimulate the fibroblasts – a precursor needed for collagen and elastin formation. This process alters the affected skin and decreases the appearance of the scar.

Excimer Lasers

An excimer laser treatment is capable to return even the most off-hue skin parts to the original skin tone. The main mechanism of this procedure is to stimulate melanin production. Melanin is the skin pigment. It is responsible for giving your skin its natural hue tones. This technique aims for re-pigmentation wherein the stretch marks are given back the pigment they used to have.

Fractional Photothermolysis

Fractional photothermolysis is an alternative to pulsed dye lasers. Both treatments aim to increase collagen and elastin production. However, the difference between the latter is that fractional photothermolysis alters small skin zones with a larger treatment area. The benefit of altering smaller skin areas is that it takes little time to heal but as effective as the latter.

Chemical Peels

A less invasive procedure done in an in-office set-up is a chemical peel. This procedure includes exfoliation using certain chemical compounds which are capable to remove layers of your skin. These peels leave a smoother and more even skin tone. The peel also stimulates collagen formation and production.

Putting Perspective

Stretch marks are famed for their harmless nature. However, according to recent studies, having extensive stretch marks can predispose tearing or ulcer formation on the skin.

There is no best treatment for stretch marks, though. Regardless of efficiency, it still isn’t consistent because of the individual characteristics and peculiar adaptation.

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A Balanced Diet Erases Lumpy Cellulites

By Sarah | Published August 7, 2008

There are various ways on how you can deal with cellulites. There are hundreds of anti-cellulite products in the market. The number tells you that cellulites are indeed hard to manage. However, there are natural ways on how you can reduce the appearance of this skin condition.

Diet

A balanced diet and vitamin supplements are vital in skin care. Also, getting your doses of nutrients from food may also help you in dealing with cellulites. Most dieticians and health experts agree that nutrition is essential in having a healthier-looking skin.

There are many foods that taste great and have loads of anti-cellulite nutrients as well. A healthy diet is the most practical and the safest way to reduce the cottage cheese-like skin. This may be used in combination with other treatments such as regular exercise and anti-cellulite products.

The Essential Nutrients

There are substances that you must include in the list of your must-haves. These nutrients from food are essential in treating the lumpy areas on your skin:

Calcium

This substance found in dairy products is known for their importance in heart-health. Not only that, calcium is also an anti-cellulite substance. It helps your body reduce fat. Since cellulite is a fat problem, this nutrient may help you in preventing and treating this skin disaster.

Potassium

The substance found in bananas and watermelons can fight cellulites. They prevent fluid retention that can worsen the lumpy appearance caused by the said skin condition. This also explains why a low-salt diet must be maintained in order to prevent water to be retained on the areas where cellulites lie.

Iodine

Are you fond of eating sea food? Here is the good news. Iodine found in foods such as fish, shrimps, clams, crabs and the like can help you fight cellulites. You may be wondering how. Iodine stimulates a slow metabolism. If body fats are metabolized well, this may help diminish the appearance of the lumps pushing against your collagen fibers.

Lycopene

There are various antioxidants you can get from fruits and veggies. Lycopene is one of these antioxidants that aid in the production of collagen. This will not only prevent cellulites but also reduce its appearance by building a strong connective tissue.

Other Minerals

Magnesium is known to help in weight management. Selenium improves cellulite-fighting properties of Vitamin E, C and even beta carotene. Magnesium is found in beans and nuts while selenium is mostly found in plant foods.

There is another mineral that just like selenium and magnesium can fight cellulites. Same with the action of anti-oxidants, sulfur is known to reduce the damage caused by free radicals to your skin and connective tissue. This makes it a good anti-cellulite substance.

Vitamins

There are several vitamins that are known to be essential for skin health. Vitamins B6, C and E are some of them. Vitamin B6 is a fluid fighter while vitamin C is a detoxifying agent and is vital in collagen and elastin production. A good circulation is important in maintaining a healthy skin. This explains why vitamin E is important in cellulite treatment.

Indeed, a healthy diet is very essential in treating cellulite. This skin issue can be managed by choosing from a long list of treatment options and changing your lifestyle by eating healthy foods.

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