Fish oil supplements continue to be sold in the market in spite of the fact that there is no use for them. In its campaign against quackery, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prohibited products from saying that they can prevent and/or treat diseases since "there is inadequate scientific evidence to support any health claims on fish oils.

Among the many unfounded claims of fish oil supplements is that they can cure psoriasis. This myth was sparked by a double-blind study which showed that patients who took 1.8 grams daily of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid), one of the two omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils, were better off than those who didn't take fish oil at all.

While all that may sound promising, a single study is not enough to prove the use of fish oils in psoriasis. The FDA has reviewed scores of materials regarding the possible uses of fish oils and found that none of them hold water. Public health officials recommend eating more fish instead.

"The best way to get your fish oils is the way nature packaged them in fish," according to Dr. Sheldon Saul Hendler in "The Doctors' Vitamin and Mineral Encyclopedia." That means eating a lot of herring, salmon, tuna and shrimps daily which can cut your risk of a heart attack by as much as 50 percent.

Those who continue to swallow fish oil supplements - whether for psoriasis or other reasons - may actually increase their blood cholesterol level. But that's not all: pill poppers can also suffer from loose stools, belching and abdominal discomfort as well.

"Other potential risks of taking fish oil pills: blood that becomes too 'thin' to clot in the case of an accident, and higher blood sugar levels for people with diabetes," warned Lawrence Lindner in American Health magazine.

Psoriasis sufferers may turn to lecithin for relief. What's the verdict on this fatty substance found in marga¬rine, ice cream, chocolate and mayonnaise? Again, there is no evidence that it works.

What we do know about lecithin is that too much can cause certain problems. The psoriatic patient who wastes money on lecithin supplements may end up fat - a condition that may trigger flare-ups. This is because lecithin has as many calories like other fats and contributes to obesity.

"Our bodies make as much lecithin as we need and any extra simply serves as a source of calories - and rather expensive ones at that. Extra lecithin is of no benefit whatsoever," said Arnold Bender, vice president of the International Union of Food Science and Technology in "Health or Hoax?"

"An intake of over 10 grams a day will cause severe stomachache, sweating, drooling and loss of appetite," added dietitians Annette Natow and Jo-Ann Heslin in "Megadoses: Vitamins as Drugs."

What about zinc supplements? Can they treat psoriasis? A zinc deficiency (which usually occurs during pregnancy) can result in dermatitis (skin inflammation) of the face and limbs which may resemble psoriasis. Gorging on zinc tablets, however, has no effect on the disease itself.

Taking as much as 500 milligrams can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Other side effects are dehydration, stomach pain, poor muscle coordination, tiredness and kidney failure, according to Drs. Harold M. Silverman, Joseph A. Romano, and Gary Elmer in "The Vitamin Book: A No-Nonsense Consumer Guide."

"One group reported that in young men large doses of zinc (150 milligrams of zinc daily) depress high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. This is undesirable, because high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is thought to protect against coronary heart disease," Hendler said. (Next: Treating psoriasis.)

The perfect time for your skin to naturally repair itself is when your body is at rest during your sleep cycle. Applying a night cream before bed is also helpful in facilitating the body's regenerative capabilities. The primary purpose of a night cream is to keep the skin moisturizer while you sleep.

Water And Oil Do Sometimes Mix
A night cream is really a skin moisturizer. In fact, moisturizers fall into two groups: water-in-oil and oil-in-water formulas. These moisturizers are commonly known as night and day creams, respectively. Day creams are light and easily absorbed into the skin. Night creams are usually heavier and more oily than their counterpart allowing it to stay on the skin's surface for prolonged periods of time.

Proper Application
Night creams are actually power packed with rich ingredients designed to be an intensive overnight treatment. These ingredients promote healing and cellular renewal. It is important that the skin is perfectly cleansed before a night treatment is applied. To improve the effectiveness of your night cream, gently apply a dime-size dab to your skin and use an upward, circular motion to lightly massage the cream into your face.

Night creams do have their limitations. Again, their sole purpose is to keep your skin moisturized during the night. There are some key components missing from these creams that would make them a much more effective anti aging treatment. Here is a list of what a night cream lack:

1. Botox alternative that diminishes the signs of fine lines and wrinkles.
2. Collagen stimulating ingredients that promote the production of your own collagen which is necessary for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity.
3. Antioxidant properties that fight off the detrimental effects of collagen-destroying, accelerated age causing free radicals.

A Breakthrough Alternative
Not to mention, that applying 10 different creams and serums daily, each one combating a specific premature aging skin care concern is time consuming. Fortunately, those days are over. There is a breakthrough all-in-one anti aging treatment that attacks premature skin aging from all sides. It's called Lifecell by South Beach Skincare. LifeCell has been the secret weapon of Hollywood A-listers, supermodels, and even European royalty. And now, this all-inclusive anti aging treatment has recently been made available to the public.

You can feel the zit under your skin, but you cannot see it yet:

• Apply a product with salicylic acid twice a day (this should prevent the pimple from coming to the surface
• Another option is using a product called "Zeno." This product looks more like a cell phone, but releases heat to fight blemishes in the earliest stages by killing bacterial that is underneath the surface

Visible red bump made its way to the surface:

• Apply over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream twice a day to stop the inflammation that causes redness

You have a full-fledged zit:

• To get rid of a massive blemish before a special occasion goes to your doctor for a shot of cortisone. It is not cheap and it may sting a bit, but nothing gets rid of a zit faster. A cortisone injection brings the pimple down within 24 hours
• If you cannot get to the doctor, topical treatments like salicylic acid and hydrocortisone will suffice. Apply regularly and conceal the pimple with makeup. Try not to pick, this will only extend the life of the blemish and possibly leave a scar for life.

If you must pick, follow these instructions:

• Do not attempt to squeeze a zit that is not ready to be squeezed. When it is ready, it will be more white than red. You should wait until it is paper white.
• Sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol
• Prick lightly in the center of your pimple
• Place your fingers on both sides of the blemish and push gently once, and only once. Let whatever comes out the first time come out. Anything left will be pushed deeper into the skin if you push more times than once.

How to Hide your Pimples:

• Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone exactly
• Avoid liquid concealers that will slide right off
• After you apply foundation, tap the concealer onto the pimple using a concealer brush
• Do not pile the concealer on
• Use just enough concealer to cover the spot
• Finish by dusting on translucent powder to set the product

You have been staying up too late, not getting enough sleep and your face is telling the whole story on you:

• Use one whole egg for normal skin
• Use one egg white for oily skin
• Use one yolk for dry skin
• Mix it up
• Apply to face
• Rinse

Are you suffering from cold sores and you want to stop your cold sores? Millions of Americans are suffering from this infection and it is caused by herpes simplex-1 virus. If you get infected by the virus, you will suffer pains and embarrassment. The virus is highly contagious through physical contact like kissing. People might avoid you and it will ruin your social and personal life.

It is best to seek professional or medical advice on how to stop your cold sores and to make sure that you do not have other health problems.

Having cold sores is very stressful because it affects your physical appearance. It has the tendency to come back and sometimes it appears on situations that you want to look great and beautiful.

Here are some tips to stop your cold sores:

Over the counter and prescription medicines is one way to stop your cold sores. Unfortunately, in most cases the medications are just for immediate relief and the virus keeps coming back. But the medicine is helpful if you want instant relief for the pains and avoid further embarrassment.

Cold compress is another way to stop your cold sores from annoying you. Do not put ice directly to your skin because it will worsen the lesion or cold sore. Wrap the ice cube in a clean cloth and cold compress the affected area for at least 30 minutes to ease the pains and swelling.

Lysine supplements. There are studies and research that a daily dose of 1000 mg lysine for several days is one way to stop your cold sores. It is also beneficial to include in your diet foods rich in lysine like meat, beans, parmesan cheese and soybeans.

Avoid stress. Stress is one reason for the occurrence of cold sores. To stop your cold sores, avoid stressful situation that weakens your immunity against viruses and diseases. Enhance your immune system by eating the right kind of food and by taking enough rest. A healthy and well rested body has high resistance to viruses and diseases.

It is important to stop your cold sores as early as possible to improve the quality of your life. Getting rid of cold sores for good will take away all your worries. No more cold sore outbreaks on special occasions and you can be flawless and beautiful again.

With each passing decade, we all face fresh challenges in our quest for a radiant complexion. In our 40s, it is the new crow's feet, in the post menopausal years dryness arrives, and sagging sets in by our 60s. The right kind of products and procedures will prepare you to meet these challenges successfully.

Your 40s: Treat, Tone and Texture At this life stage, skin starts to lack luster, brown splotches may appear as result of increased melanin production and redness (a mark of tiny broken capillaries become more prominent. The collagen and elastin that keeps skin firm starts to break down. Pores also sometimes become enlarged with the loss of collagen.

Best Home Treatments:

• Vitamin A derivatives boost collagen production that soften fine lines and minimizes pores
• Retinoids rev up sluggish cell turnover so skin can become smoother and more radiant, dark spots fade
• Prescription such a Renova provide noticeable changes after about 8 weeks
• Retinol, the strongest over-the-counter option takes 12 weeks. Choose a product formulated with up to 1% retinol, dependent upon your skin's tolerance
• Start by using a retinoid every third night for at least 2 weeks, then apply every other night for the next 2 weeks, eventually moving up to nightly applications.
• Summer is an ideal time to get started on a retinoid because the increased humidity tempers dryness that might occur as your skin acclimates.
• Exfoliate regularly once you have built up to a nightly retinoid application by substituting in an alpha-hydroxy acid twice a week. If skin is dry, choose an AHA formulated with moisturizing lactic acid
• Consider hydroquinone, an agent that inhibits the production of melanin of help fade blotchiness. Rx versions boast 4% of HQ, daily spot treatment can diminish dark patches in 6 to 8 weeks. However, one single afternoon spent unprotected in the sun can undo all the hard work. Use HQ only for 3 months, after that, maintain results with a skin lightener that contains kojic acid or licorice extract.

Your 50s: Hydrate and Plump: The average of menopause is 51. With the drop in hormones, the skin becomes parched and brown spots increase. You might notice deeper folds, including the smile lines that run from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth, develop as skin loses underlying fat. The loss also "hollows out" the under-eye area.

Best Home Treatments:

• Switch to a gentler cleanser.
• Replace oil-stripping gel cleansers or bar soaps with a creamy face wash
• Switch to double-duty moisturizers. Look for formulas that contain a humectant to draw water in and an occlusive to create a barrier that prevents water from evaporating
• If you have not already, switch to Renova or Atralin for moisturizing
• Look for under eye cream containing silicone, an emollient that temporarily rids you of fine lines

Your 60s and beyond: Nourish and lift. The upper layers of skin struggle to retain moisture, oil production slows and dark spots are more pronounced. Bone loss creates jowls and the area below your cheekbones and your temples may look sunken. Fair-skinned women may notice concentrated areas of roughness, called actinic keratoses (Aks) that are scaly patches that can be precursors to skin cancer.

Best Home Treatments:

• Minimize facial cleansing, even creamy cleansers can irritate very dry skin
• You may want to use just a milky makeup removed that tissues off without the need to rinse
• Look for thick moisturizing formulas with a high concentration of oils, such as petrolatum. Many doctors recommend using straight Vaseline at night as it seals in moisture and is gentle enough to use on eyelids
• Instead of applying your Retinoid on bare skin, layer a light moisturizer underneath or mix it with your moisturizer.

Maybe you have a sparkling wit and a personality that can charm the birds off the trees, but would it not be great if your face were as smooth and shiny as an apple's?

The good news is having an impeccable skin is now within your reach! Try a skin care routine that can do wonders for your facial skin. We will share with you some DOs and DON'Ts here. Be patient. Even Rome was not built in a single day. There is work for you to do to get that lovely complexion you want.

It is not very difficult nor complicated. A good facial skin care routine basically consists of four processes--cleansing, toning, exfoliating and moisturizing. Let us try to understand what each of them is all about and how we go about them.

1. Cleansing. The first step in any skin care regimen aims to remove from the skin extra oil, pollutants, dust, and grease. Once you have picked a good cleanser, you gently apply it on your face using cotton wool or a soft face tissue. Dab gently; do not rub. Use upward strokes. This should be done twice a day, that is, in the morning and at night. Experts agree that water soluble cleansers work best on most skin types.

2. Toning. Cleansing may or may not be followed by toning. Toning's primary purpose is the complete removal of all traces of excess cleanser, grease, and dirt cleanser from the face. This stage is optional since thorough cleansing might be sufficient. However, you may opt to tone your skin after your having been exposed to the elements.

3. Exfoliation. Exfoliation assists the skin in its natural process of removing dead skin cells, a process which prevents dead skin cells from blocking the pores. However, experts agree that daily exfoliation may be too much as it can damage the skin. Once or twice a week is ideal. Skin type as well as the prevailing environmental conditions in your area should help you determine how often you need to exfoliate.

4. Moisturizing. Probably the most crucial portion of the facial skin care program, moisturizing prevents dryness of the skin. Dry skin leads to breakage of the upper layers of the skin, causing the skin to exhibit a dry, wrinkled, and flaky look. Once you have selected the best moisturizer for your skin type, you dab it on a warm and damp skin with light upward strokes, just like you would do with cleanser.

Your regular facial skin care program is now complete. But if you do not want to leave anything to chance, here are a few additional steps to having a great skin:

If you wear make-up and want to wash it away, a proper make-up remover should be used to ensure that your face is free of all traces of make-up. Whenever you have to be exposed to the sun, wear a sunscreen lotion or cream for skin protection As much as possible, avoid direct sunlight. When using a new product, test it for allergies by rubbing a small amount into a patch of your skin, like earlobes. If redness and itching follow, do not use the product. Never rub your skin intensely when applying anything. Always use cotton wool or soft face tissue.

What are "natural" skin care creams and when are they your best choice for skin care? Natural skin care creams contain ingredients that come from nature such as pulp or herbal extracts as opposed to chemicals and fragrances that can irritate your skin. Depending on your skin type, different products will work better for you than they will for other skin types. You need to determine your skin type before you can choose the best natural skin care cream for you.

There are basically five different types of complexion skin types: Dry, Oily, Normal, Combination, and Sensitive. Dry skin usually has fine pores and rarely blemishes. This type of skin usually burns easily and normally appears taut and flaky and easily develops lines, especially around eyes and mouth.

Oily skin, on the other hand, doesn't wrinkle easily, feels soft and supple and tans easily. Oil often becomes visible through the day with frequent blemishes occurring on the nose and chin where pores are enlarged. Normal skin is just that, normal. Pores are neither too fine or enlarged and tans easily except with overexposure to the sun. Some lines may form, but not in excess.

Sensitive skin is often the most problematic skin to keep healthy looking and the type of skin for which natural skin care cream is most useful. Although pore size is average, blemishes may occur in response to antagonists. This type of skin burns easily and becomes inflamed as well. It will not wrinkle excessive, but will often appear as being red, irritated, flaky, or itchy.

Although some people have normal skin, it is rarely 100% so. There is almost always a tendency towards dry or oily skin. If you are fortunate enough to have this skin type, then the best skin creams for you are those that perform the most basic treatments to keep your skin at its natural best. Cleanse, exfoliate, protect, and moisturize.

Don't think that you don't need a moisturizer cream just because you have oily skin.
If you have oily skin, then you need to find a skin care cream that fights blemishes and helps prevent acne problems. Stay away from products that contain alcohols. Even though this used to be the most suggested type of astringent for oily skin, experts now know that alcohols will only dry your skin and cause it to produce even more oil. Lemon, Avocado, and Ginseng are in some good choices for soothing oily skin.

Of course, if you have dry skin you know that your skin requires a lot of moisturizing power to protect it from damage. Be careful about using toners and cleansers. They should be formulated specifically for you skin type. Some of the best choices for your skin care will contain papaya or rose milk. Don't use a lotion since a crème is heavier and provides more protection for your skin.

The ingredients in skin care cream for sensitive skin aren't as important as the number of ingredients. If you find a certain type of product that works well for you, stick with it. The more ingredients there are, the more likely you are to have a problem with the product. The skin creams for you are those that offer simplicity and are formulated with sensitive skin in mind.

For those that have combination skin that means the "t-zone" across the forehead and down the nose and chin is usually oily while the rest of the face is either normal or dry. It would be tedious at best to have to treat these areas with different types of products and most of us would probably fail to keep up the needed treatment for our skin. The best skin creams for you are going to be those that are specially formulated for combination skin. These products will not contain oils that add to the oily areas, but will provide moisture that can be tolerated by both the oily and the dry or normal areas.

Natural skin care is always a more beneficial way to treat your skin, no matter what your skin type. There are no harsh chemicals or unnecessary perfumes to harm your skin and the positive results are most likely to be obtained by using natural skin care cream for your skin care type.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is another herb said to control psoriasis flare-ups. Its active components are the alkaloids hydrastine and berberine.

Unfortunately, the same substances can lead to digestive problems and other toxic symptoms. Common side effects of goldenseal are diarrhea, convulsions, abortion and hypertension.

"High doses may cause nausea, vomiting, a decrease in the white blood count and feelings of pins and needles in the hands and feet," according to Dr. Sheldon Saul Hendler in "The Doctors' Vitamin arid Mineral Encyclopedia."

Below are other quack cures for psoriasis that you should avoid:
Vitamins and minerals - Many people take vitamins in the mistaken belief that they will prevent and treat serious diseases. But the facts say otherwise: The only people who need vitamins are those suffering from vitamin deficiencies which are unlikely to occur if you eat a balanced diet, that is, a variety of foods everyday.

In spite of this, vitamin salesmen like to tell people that they need vitamins even if they don't. What they fail to tell their customers is that a vitamin deficiency is extremely rare except in severely malnourished individuals.

Psoriatic patients are not spared from all this nonsense. In their effort to get rid of the disease, they may fall prey to the unfounded claims of vitamin hucksters in the medical marketplace. One of the vitamins promoted for psoriasis is vitamin E which is said to help if taken orally or applied to the skin.

This myth is an extension of yet another false claim, namely, that vitamin E is good for the skin, can prevent scars and stop wrinkles from developing. None of this has been scientifically demonstrated.

"Vitamin E has no value when applied to the skin's surface or the hair. Vitamin E does not penetrate the skin's outer layers, and all of its claims for healing powers are without scientific foundation. In fact, there is evidence that when vitamin E is forced through the layers of the skin (as with spray-on preparations), it can cause severe allergic reactions," according to Deborah Chase in "The No-Nonsense Beauty Book."

"Claims of favorable effects on skin remain purely anecdotal. So do claims that vitamin E promotes healing of burns and cuts and minimizes scar tissue," added Hendler.

Vitamin E supplements are equally worthless for skin conditions like psoriasis. The problem with taking too much is that you can suffer from side effects like nausea, headache, increased blood clotting time, increased blood pressure, fatigue and muscle weakness. This can occur with daily doses of 600 international units (IUs) or more.

"The assumption that more vitamin E is likely to be better than less is a naive and dangerous one। Vitamin E has proved time and again just how complex and sometimes unpredictable it is," Hendler added. (Next: Niacin for psoriasis?)

Vitamin C is gaining recognition in the skin care world. Known to promote production of protein - called collagen - in the skin. Vitamin C works effectively against wrinkles and slows down aging. Collagen makes the skin more elastic and firm. Vitamin C is also known to control the common elements that harm the skin.

The growing reputation of Vitamin C as an effective anti-aging and skin care compound has also led to its increasing blend as ingredient in so many skin care products. This unfortunately has created complications in many skin care or anti-aging products because Vitamin C reacts relatively quickly to oxidation. Thus the shelf life or effectiveness of Vitamin C-laced skin care or anti-aging products quickly diminishes when exposed to oxidizing elements like air. When Vitamin C in skin care products gets oxidized, the product's color turns yellowish-brown.

The challenge therefore for skin care products enhanced with Vitamin C is to be careful with their storage. Always keep them from being exposed to oxidizing elements. Also, these products require a particular range of storage temperature, which normally forms part of product information and can be read from the product label itself. When a product starts showing discoloration, it is time to discard it.

Manufacturers of Vitamin C skin care products have stepped up research on how to deal effectively with the problem of Vitamin C oxidation. They have already tried raising the concentration levels of Vitamin C in these products. The reformulation might have slowed down the reaction process, but unfortunately it hardly addressed the underlying cause of the problem and is therefore unlikely to totally resolve it. Moreover, the increased concentration of Vitamin C in skin care products means higher costs and makes them more expensive.

Another option has been to apply Vitamin C derivatives like magnesium ascorbyl phospate and ascorbyl palmitate in Vitamin C skin care products. Although they are not as effective as pure Vitamin C, they bring to the products some advantages that make them more desirable. Some consumers say that these derivatives are in fact more stable against oxidation. They help skin care products become less irritating than those enhanced with pure Vitamin C. They are also less expensive. Vitamin C derivative skin care products thus look promising and are attractive alternatives to Vitamin C skin care products.

It is important, however, to keep in mind that skin care treatment using Vitamin C or its derivatives has no uniform effect on everyone. If none of them are showing positive effects on you after their regular use, then you may decide that Vitamin C is not suited for you. It is useless to stick to a skin care regimen just because it is popular and everyone else seems to swear by it. The bottom line is Vitamin C enhancements continue to be refined and that there are many ways to beautiful skin. The way to yours may or may not be Vitamin C skin care treatment.

When you have oily skin, common sense will nudge you to find out what causes it. Here are some facts about oily skin.

Excessive production by the skin of an oily substance called sebum causes oily skin. Too much oil makes your skin susceptible to complications which can be bad. In the same way, too little oil makes your skin dry, which is also bad. Excessive oil clogs the skin pores. It leads to build up of dead cells that risk bacterial infection and give rise to pimples or acne.

Care for oily skin basically aims to check the excess of sebum or oil from the skin. Skin care products for oily skin are therefore effective if they succeed in getting rid of the excess oil only, and not all of the oil in your skin.

Oily skin care starts with cleansing. For best results, cleansers must contain beta-hydroxy acid or salicylic acid to slow down the pace of sebum turn-out. You need to do cleansing once or twice daily. You need more cleansing under hot and humid weather because sebum secretion increases under those conditions.

Be fully aware of what the labels say in your oily skin care products. The perfect product for you would depend on how oily your skin is. If your skin is not too oily, facial skin care products marked as "suitable for all skin type" are likely to work well for you. If your skin is excessively oily, you need to limit your choices of products to those with specific labels like "for oily skin".

In addition to cleansing, you will also need toning with alcohol-based toner. This aims to completely remove the oil and dirt from you skin. But be careful to used the right amount of toner. Excessive toning can damage you skin.

Again depending on how oily your skin is, you may include a mild moisturizer in your oily skin care program. If you decide to use a moisturizer, look for something that is lipid-free, wax-free, and oil free. You can also use a clay wash once or twice a week as an additional oily skin care procedure.

Like any other facial skin care product for other skin types, you will probably need to try several specific brand or formulation before you can finally settle for the one that brings out the best results for you. The last recourse, of course, if over-the-counter products leave you less than satisfied, is to see your dermatologist. Proven to be effective at checking oily skin problems are sulphur creams, retinoids, Vitamin A creams, and the like. But these substances are best applied with professional advice.

Herbal skin care is nothing new. In fact, for centuries people turned to the world of plants to find the answer to most of their health issues. Only in the last few decades have we begun to rely heavily on synthetic products. What we've discovered is that our ancestors may have known best after all.

The skin is exposed to any number of environmental irritants all of which can do a tremendous amount of damage if left unchecked. As we've begun to learn more about maintaining our health, we've come to discover that what we put onto and into our bodies is the key to staying fit. As with other areas of fitness, a good diet is the basic building block. In other words, herbal treatment for the skin actually begins with what we eat.

Getting the proper nutrients in our daily diet as well as properly hydrating the body is the key to maintaining healthy skin. Natural antioxidants culled from food help to rid the body of toxins and increase its ability to heal itself. Herbal skin care includes a well balanced diet rich in the proper nutrients, providing the skin with the nourishment it needs to remain flexible, smooth and strong.

Equally as important as feeding the body is treating the skin with safe, gentle, soothing herbs and other natural substances. Herbal treatment for the skin can do everything from removing excess oil to adding moisture for extremely dry skin. And it is far safer than most synthetic treatment.

Aloe vera, witch hazel, grapeseed oil, coconut oil and other plant based ingredients can offer a range of benefits for stressed skin. Herbal skin care has been used to sooth itching, cracking and flaking, hydrate parched skin, encourage collagen growth and restore elasticity. And it does so without relying on harsh chemicals which can damage the skin.

Along with eating right and using organic ingredients to treat the skin, getting a proper amount of sleep is crucial. Getting the right amount of rest allows the body to restore itself naturally and helps it to respond better to herbal treatment for the skin.

Since the needs of the skin vary from individual to individual, finding the herbal skin care regimen that works for you is extremely important. You need to know your skin and be aware of its unique needs so that you can provide the proper balance of nutrition, therapy and rest.

Finding the right natural formula for your skin can make all the difference. Looking better and feeling better go hand in hand, so the better care you take of your skin, the better you're liable to feel in general. If skin care is important to you, then why not go the extra step and take the herbal approach? Your whole body will thank you for it!

In a world where a gallon of gas costs more than a fast food combo meal, we are all looking for a bargain these days. It is not that we are cheap, but that we need to stretch a dollar so that it is most effective. One place that many of us compromise is on skincare products.

Today we will take a look at how the cheapest way to obtain healthy skin might actually be to splurge on a premium product, and how buying those bargain skincare items might actually be one of the costliest mistakes you don't realize you are making.

When you buy a skincare product at the pharmacy or department store, you may not know it, but you are essentially buying a bottle of chemicals.

All of the oils and perfumes and healthy sounding extracts smell wonderful and may even make your skin feel quite nice for a while, but the secret is that they are wreaking havoc on your skin.

Some companies do this in order to make a cheaper product and some do it so that you will continue buying the product to undo the damage the product itself is actually causing.

Clearly this is not going to be the most effective skincare. The reality is that there are completely natural products out there that can truly reverse signs of aging and end dry skin, you just have to find them.

In all my research into skincare products, I have come up with one astounding conclusion. The most effective skincare products are not in my local stores. Instead, they are on the Internet, and at their manufacturer, waiting for someone like me to stumble upon them and realize the truth behind the science.

Trust me, over the last 10 years I have used them all, and finally found the most effective skincare products.

There are products out there that use real proteins, such as Functional Keratin to actually reduce fine lines, rather than offering a synthetic keratin that cannot be used by human skin but does wonders in making a product sound effective.

Truly effective skincare companies conduct extensive research with their money rather than waste it on advertising, and they sell their own products rather than leaving the stores to ad on money for profit.

These products may take some searching, and they may cost a little bit more, but they have one advantage over every product I have ever bought in the store: they work.

In retrospect, the forty dollars or so I spend on one bottle of cream to moisturize my skin and stop redness and irritation is far less expensive than the ten dollars or so a week I spent on products that only served to make my skin worse.

I never thought I would utter these words, but in all honesty, it is better to spend more money on one truly good product than to spend less on something that only looks effective. In this case, premium skin care really is the most effective skincare.

There are many products out there that claim to provide the best oily skincare. The truth is that there are products out there that really work; you just might not know where to find them.

The best place to look for good skin care products these days is actually on the Internet. With so many companies offering premium products, companies are finding that the best way to keep prices competitive is to avoid having to sell in stores that add large percentages to prices in order to make a healthy profit.

When searching for skincare products that truly work for oily skin, the key is to think natural. While chemicals and alcohols in many products do have the effect of drying the skin, they do so by removing vital oils, which forces the skin to actually over secrete new oils in an attempt to repair the damage.

This can quickly become a spiral situation, forcing the user to put on more and more cream to try to rid their skin of excess oils. In the long run, this process can be very damaging to the skin.

Natural ingredients are minerals and proteins that are needed and used by the skin, as well as minerals and extracts that work to naturally absorb excess oil without causing skin damage.

An excellent and cutting edge example would be Kaolin, an extract from a New Zealand clay that works by gently absorbing oils and pulling grime safely out of the skin without damaging or over drying.

Products that contain ingredients like Kaolin, which are backed by significant scientific research are at the top of the list of oily skincare products that are truly worth investing in.

In conclusion, when it comes to any skincare, especially skincare for oily skin, it is best to look for the most cutting edge and safest products on the market. While it is always best to use all-natural products, when it comes to skin that is easily damaged and made worse by store bought products, it is essential.

What might only be a case of slightly oily skin can quickly spiral out of control once alcohols and chemicals are applied.

Now that you are armed with these facts, it becomes clear why I urge you to seek out other venues when looking for the best oily skincare products.

For the price of only a few bottles of cream that would seem a quick fix while silently doing far more harm than good, you can search the internet for the latest research proven cream that can actually heal and repair your oily skin and give you the complexion you have always wanted.

Today's market is flooded with skincare products that claim to be all-natural. The truth is that many of these products are far from what they claim to be. Truly natural skincare products are free of artificial perfumes, dyes, and chemicals.

Often, a product will claim to be natural when it is actually using synthetic versions of natural minerals and proteins. With so many ingredients in each product, it may seem like a daunting task to find out if a product line is truly natural, but with my help, you will be able to weed out the artificial products with ease.

The best way to find out more about a product is to go to the manufacturer's website. An honest product will have a clear list of ingredients, as well as explanations of active ingredients and how they work to benefit you. If you see alcohols and perfumes, you should typically be a little leery of the product.

In addition to being chemical in origin, alcohols actually dry out your skin and make it slightly irritated. Perfumes are often made with chemicals as well, and some even have ingredients that can be toxic in large doses. It is important to keep in mind that anything you put on your skin will also enter into your bloodstream as it is absorbed.

If a company's website does not fully answer your questions, you still have ways to find out if the product is truly all-natural. The first is to call the customer service number listed on the product's packaging. A product made by a reputable company will have someone available to answer and address any concerns you may have. If this does not work, then use your Internet to perform searches on any ingredients you are not sure of.

Where all of this can get tricky is with certain proteins. Keratin, for example is often a listed ingredient on natural skincare products. Many companies use a man-made version of keratin that while structurally similar, is unrecognizable to the skin and therefore essentially useless in producing real results.

Some companies, however, use a wool derived form of Keratin called Functional Keratin that is close enough to the Keratin produced by our own bodies that the skin is able to use it to reduce wrinkles and promote skin firmness and elasticity.

A patented version of Functional Keratin known as CynergyTK uses a patented method of rendering the Keratin so that it is so much like human skin that it has actually been nicknamed liquid skin. This is just one of the many proteins that you will have to look into when selecting a natural skincare cream or lotion.

If all of this sounds like a lot of work, rest assured that it is not. Most of this research can be done from the comfort of your own home. Once you find a natural skincare line that you believe in, that has shown documented results and has proven research, the work is over.

It is worth a great deal of homework to stop spending money on chemicals and products that simply don't work. What are you waiting for? Look today and put your skincare worries to rest for good.

Betty Wolfe is a dedicated researcher of skin care and health products. She supports and uses products that are not polluted with chemical clutter that is found in most health and beauty products.

With so many inexpensive skincare products on the market, it might seem unthinkable that people could spend forty or even fifty dollars on a bottle of skin cream. In many cases, you are right.

Did you know, however, that there are high quality products available to you right now, if you know where to look, that use only the latest research-proven ingredients and are scientifically proven to truly reverse the signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles?

Today we will examine the five major reasons you might want to consider trying some of the premium skincare products you might not even know exist.

The first reason is safety. Did you know that virtually every skincare product available in store contains chemicals that irritate the skin and some even contain ingredients that are toxic?

Think about this. Read the label on the back of your current skin cream. Would you consider eating these ingredients? Believe it or not, you already do, in a sense. When you put a cream on your skin, it is not only absorbed into your pores, but also into your blood.

Suddenly you want to know what they mean by fragrances and dyes, don't you? Some skin care products even contain chemicals that are also used in common weed killers.

There are premium skincare products available that only use completely natural ingredients, such as minerals and proteins that are native to and needed by your skin. The best skincare products always use only ingredients that would be completely safe if you were to ingest them.

The second reason is value. This might sound silly, but let me explain how this is true. If you were to purchase your average five to ten dollar bottle of skin cream, you would not be getting the best skincare. In fact, your skin would be getting dried out by alcohols and irritated by chemicals, which only makes your original reason for using skin cream worse than when you started.

Furthermore, many common skincare product ingredients are actually being linked to depression, anxiety, and a number of other conditions. A single bottle of premium, all-natural skin cream with active and functional ingredients can do more to moisturize your skin and reverse signs of aging than any amount of drugstore cream can ever hope to achieve.

The third reason is research. While many drugstore skin creams are tested only to ensure that they do not cause rashes or other obvious harm, premium skin creams are tested to ensure that the researched ingredients perform their job as intended. These creams are formulated and tweaked until the company is certain that you will achieve the maximum benefit technology that nature will allow.

The fourth reason is reliability. Low-end creams are made in a number of plants and in a number or locations. Ingredients can be changed or reformulated whenever a lower cost alternative is found. The best skincare products are made by the company that designed them and monitored carefully for consistency and effectiveness. Ingredients are always tested for quality and the company sets rigid standards to ensure that no inferior products ever make it out of the factory.

The fifth and final reason to use premium skincare is that it works. With cutting edge ingredients like Functional Keratin and Phytessence Wakame, both of which are at the leading edge of skincare science, there are products out there that simply can't be matched by anything at your local discount store or pharmacy.

Dry skin beneath the eyes is one of the most common skin care problems.

Most of us have tried remedies for this problem, often for years, and the lack of effectiveness of products for dry skin around the eyes causes a lot of stress and anxiety -- with pretty good reason.

For one thing, the dry skin often leads to dark circles around the eyes. For another, we worry that bags and wrinkles are bound to come next. After a certain age, the bags and wrinkles usually become a fact -- and many products, including many very expensive ones, aren't much help.

So what can we do?

Of course you must follow the basic rules of good health. To look and feel youthful, you need to eat natural, healthy food, drink plenty of water and get regular exercise. Try to ignore those basic facts of taking care of your health, and any treatment for dry skin beneath the eyes has a lot of strikes to overcome.

So assuming you're treating yourself and your body with respect, here are some keys to finding an effective treatment for reversing that dry skin around your eyes.

1. It's a highly sensitive area, and any treatment must be gentle and must be applied with some care, to keep from irritating easily damaged skin, and to keep the treatment out of the eyes themselves.

2. Avoid these ingredients, some of the most common found in facial products: petrolatum or petroleum jelly (the ingredient in Vaseline), liquid paraffin, paraffin wax, or any mineral oil -- all of them clog the pores and strip the natural oils from the skin; PEG (polyethelene glycol), parabens (methyl, butyl and ethyl paraben) and acrylamide -- all suspected carcinogens.

3. Look for a product whose ingredients have been tested in clinical studies. And not just one ingredient; if all ingredients in a product for dry skin around your eyes haven't been tested for safety and effectiveness, what are they doing in a treatment for so sensitive an area of your face?

4. Satisfy yourself that the manufacturer has been keeping up with the latest science in skin care. It's not your job to track the research -- you have a busy life, after all. The manufacturer should be delighted to explain -- in simple English -- exactly what's in their product, and why each ingredient is there.

If you're interested in reducing cellulite, chances are it's having a large impact on your skin. Do the phrases "orange peel", "dimpled skin", and "cottage cheese" sum up your situation? Well, if that is the case, then stop what you're doing and take a peek at the few natural remedies below. Not only can they help to erase cellulite from your body completely, they can actually help to prevent it from returning!

Cellulite Massage: What better way of reducing cellulite than by getting it massaged out of your body? Through intense massaging pressure, the body's circulation, blood flow, and lymphatic drainage can be greatly stimulated, thereby leading to the reduction and possible elimination of cellulite. After several cellulite massage treatments, cellulite should begin to dissipate, leaving behind smoother, improved skin.

Cellulite Exercise: Do a couple of quick exercises each and every day for 15-20 minutes. You can run, walk, swim, bike, hike, or even lift weights; all of these activities can help in reducing cellulite. Remember to keep up the exercises and stick to a routine; otherwise, the cellulite won't be affected. Keep at it and the cellulite will melt away like butter!

Anti Cellulite Diet: Drop the "inexpensive" fast food habit. Although it may be a cheap way to feed yourself, it is not helping with your cellulite problem in any way. The toxins you're ingesting from those fatty, sugar ladened foods are worsening your cellulite problem 10 fold! Aside from that, you should add more fish, nuts, and produce to your diet, while at the same time removing junk food, unnatural foods, and anything else that's just plain "bad" for you.

Cellulite Treatment Creams: Apply a topical cream to your affected area before and after exercise and before bed each night. Don't get this cream from a department store; get it from a place that specializes in skin care and cellulite removal -- otherwise, you'll just be wasting your money.

Reducing cellulite might not be easy, but that doesn't mean it has to be hard. Use the remedies above to keep cellulite removal simple, safe, and inexpensive!

Revision skincare produces products that are at the moment considered to be the most advanced. The firm, with their innovation prowess and technological superiority, provides these products to physicians so that they can distribute these products amongst their patients. The firm has been around for fifteen years and in every one of these years they have strived to produce state of the art skincare products that provide results. This means when you are looking for a reliable skincare product, you do not have to look beyond the products by revision.

Revision skincare is a one stop shop for any kind of skincare. All the products that provide every kind of function that you can possibly imagine are highly renowned and clinically tested for accurate results. Revision has skincare products that purifies, refines, resurfaces, restores, protects, hydrates and corrects.

They provide correction therapy in which you can heal damaged part of the skin by conditioning, nourishing, protecting. This is achieved by the presence of antioxidants in the cream. This product is called vitamin K serum and this cream is also used by the doctors to calm and soothe inflamed skin. This is particularly useful in post operative care of the patient. There are creams that are targeted at healing damaged skin in the sense that it heals wrinkles and other line on your skin. It reduces the appearance of these wrinkles and lines due to the presence of vitamins and anti-aging peptides. As skin in various parts of your body has various requirements, the products have been specifically designed for specific parts of your body. Nectifirm is a skincare product that is specifically meant for healing the damaged skin on your neck.

There are other basic products that revision provides that are aimed at purifying and refining your skin. The purification products act as a base for the rest of the anti-aging products to work properly. Skin refining products cleans the pores of your skin and aids in skin cell renewal. You should typically use this cream after cleansing your skin as this will restore your skin's natural pH.

Another set of products provides protection against the UV radiation from the sun. If you are currently in the process of repairing your skin, then the new skin that is formed is sensitive to the sun's radiation. This requires protection and the set of products from revision that is intended for protection is an ideal choice. Every product is different and it is better if you are advised about what product is best suited for you.

These products from revision essentially protect your skin from the harmful effects of the environment like pollution and other factors. This enables your skin to develop naturally and retain its youthfulness for a longer amount of time. If you regularly use these famous products, then you do not have to worry about your skin. You will be able to enjoy beautiful and youthful skin for a long time by using revision skin care products.

If you want to find the best creams for getting rid of dry skin, first you need to know the cause of your condition. Dry skin isn't an unusual condition, most of us suffer from it on at least part of our bodies at some time. Symptoms can range from flaky, itchy skin to red rashes or chaffing so severe as to cause bleeding.

Soaps, lotions, and body sprays are among the products that can cause your skin to dry out and itch. A lot of these products contain alcohol and fragrances that can drain moisture from your skin. Xerosis, otherwise known as dry skin, is an annoying problem that can be exacerbated by these types of products.

If you have sensitive skin then the problem may be even more difficult to control. Natural topical creams for dry skin don't contain the alcohols and fragrances that irritate your skin and cause it further dryness.

The good news about treating dry skin is that this is a condition that occurs on the surface of the skin and can be effectively treated on the surface. Creams for getting rid of dry skin have the ingredients to get right to the problem and start giving you relief right away.

When you put on your creams for getting rid of dry skin is just as important as the cream itself. If you apply the cream after a shower when your skin is still damp, the moisture is trapped on your skin. Give the creams time to soak in before patting skin dry gently with a towel.

Medications your take can also increase skin's dryness. If you notice a big difference at the time you start taking a new medication, then that may be the culprit.

You may notice that your skin gets a lot drier in the winter months than at any other time. This is usually due to the dry air from heating during cold weather. That same dryness is what causes static electricity that you notice with your winter clothes. It pulls the moisture right out of your skin.

Under normal conditions, our skin produces enough oils to naturally keep it moist. Exposing yourself to long hot showers and baths, especially during winter, washes away the body's natural oils and leaves dry, itchy skin behind. Nothing helps get rid of this type of dry skin more effectively than creams that are designed specifically to add moisture to chronic dry skin.

If not treated, these and other irritants can cause your dry skin to turn into more serious conditions such as dermatitis. Or you may have skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition to the medication to treat these conditions, applying natural topical creams for dry skin to increase moisture will help. Just make sure to ask your physician before using with your medicated creams.

If your dry skin doesn't go away or worsens, check with a physician. There are health problems such as diabetes and hormone imbalances that can cause dry skin. Otherwise, by being careful about using products with harsh ingredients, and applying the right cream for your skin type, you should be able to get your dry skin under control.