Skin care - complexion a complete guide

The skin is a tissue covering the whole body, the largest organ of the human body, one and half sq mt's in area approximately. It consists of 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the sub-dermis.
The epidermis is a visible surface layer with no blood vessels. It is, in fact, made up of dead but important cells. This layer heals without a trace.
The second layer, the dermis is full of collagen fibres, cells that store and release vital moisture. This layer has sebaceous glands which secrete oil and sweat glands which regulate body temperature.
This layer acts as a cushion between the surface skin and muscle below. It is this layer which has blood vessels and is responsible for blushing and other changes in the colour of the skin. Some people turn red with anger or white from panic.
These glands function through which are the exit , visible to the eye and which if the skin is not cleaned properly, become clogged and form whiteheads or blackheads. It is the sebaceous glands which cause oily, dry or normal skin. These glands are present on the scalp also and decide the type of your hair oily, dry or normal.
The sub-dermis is the bottom most layer of the skin, it has fat cells which are thicker in women. This is what gives them their rounded appearance.

Types of skin

1. Oily skin:
Oily skin comes from the over-activity of the sebaceous glands, oily skin is shiny, thick and has enlarged pores. It is likely to get blackheads and whiteheads. Oily skin makes up for these horrors by aging slowly. Since it has so much moisture of its own, it tends to get wrinkles late in life.

2. Dry Skin:
Dry skin is thin and fine pored. It blotches easily and feels tight. It occurs because of inactivity of the sebaceous glands. Less oil is secreted and this makes the skin look dehydrated. Dry skin tends to wrinkle early in life.

3. Normal skin:
This is the most desirable and also the rarest type of skin. Here the sebaceous glands function properly and the skin is smooth and flexible and the pores are just fine.

4. Combination skin:
This is the most common type of skin. It usually has a T-shaped panel of oiliness down the centre forehead, nose, mouth and chin whereas the cheeks and other portions are dry.

5. Sensitive skin:
Both oily and dry skin can be sensitive. This type of skin is sensitive to certain foods, alcoholic drinks, emotional problems or application of new cosmetics.

Recognition of skin type
Different types of skin need different types of treatment. Combination skin will need 2 types of treatment for the oily and dry areas.
But most people do not know which type of skin they possess. So it is important to know how to recognise a skin type because wrong recognition may lead to wrong treatment of skin. Given below is the way to recognise your skin type.
Clean your skin with a good cleanser at night. Do not apply any night cream on your face. When you get up in the morning, before washing your face, place a tissue paper on your face and press lightly.
If the tissue paper becomes oily, your skin is oily. If the tissue paper remains dry, then the skin is a dry one and if it is has oiliness on the T zone and the remaining areas are dry, your skin belongs to the combination category.

Skin Problems.

Acne:
Acne occurs due to over activity of the sebaceous glands. If acne is scratched, it leaves permanent scars on the skin. In fact, acne is hardly a problem. If the pimples are only a few in number and grow now and then, in that case it is best to leave them to disappear on their own. But if it is a persistent problem, then it should be dealt with.
There are many homemade remedies which will not only free you of acne but will also make your skin clear. Take fresh neem leaves, dry them for 3days and make a powder of them by either rubbing with your palms or grinding in a mixer. Preserve this powder in an air-tight container.
Apply this paste on your face; apply extra neem powder on the pimples. when it is absolutely dry, rub your face very lightly with upward movements, and wash off.
Neem is a very effective herb for pimples. Apply this pack thrice a week and after 4 weeks, you will not see a single pimple on your face.
This treatment makes the face look dehydrated because the aim of this treatment is to absorb the extra oil from the skin. To get rid of this dryness, drink plenty of water and apply oil-free moisturiser on your face during the day.

Circles under eyes:

Dark circles under the eyes appear due to various reasons such as eye strain, faulty reading habits, and reading in inadequate light, lack of sleep etc. It can be easily treated if the cause of the problem is discovered.
Keep chilled cucumber slices on your eyes for 10 minutes daily. Cucumber gives great relief to tired eyes. Placing used tea bags on the eyes also serves the same purpose. This is a very effective way of treating dark circles under the eyes but it helps only if the treatment is done every day.
A good healthy diet and adequate sleep also help in mitigating the circles under the eyes.

Blackheads:

Blackheads are nothing but clogged pores. They appear on oily skin. On combination skin, they appear on the nose. Unclean skin invites blackheads.
Regular deep pore cleaning helps in getting rid of blackheads. Adding a pinch of turmeric in any face pack you use goes a long way in avoiding blackheads.

Pigmentation:
It is discolouring of the skin due to amount of melanin deposits in the skin. It occurs due to reaction to some cosmetics, medicines, hormonal changes or during pregnancy. Rubbing with the peel of boiled potato helps in lightening pigmented spots.

Freckles:
They are pigmented spots which appear on the surface of the skin. On exposure to the sun, they increase in number.
Prevention is better than cure. Use a good sun block before going out in the sun. Lime juice helps in gradually lightening freckles.

Skin care:

All types of skin can look good if a regular skin care routine is followed. Today, so much of research has been done on skin and beauty care that no skin problem is insurmountable. Even the onset of wrinkles can be easily delayed if one follows an appropriate skin care routine.
Even if you have a flawless complexion, you still need to follow a regular skin care routine because maintaining a healthy skin is more important than acquiring a healthy skin. Pollution and a life full of tension make skin care more important today than it was some 20 years back. I can't recall my grandmother using any moisturiser, toner or night cream and she still had skin which would qualify for a neighbour's envy.
After recognizing your skin type, choose beauty products accordingly and follow a strict skin care routine if you want to have a flawless and youthful skin.

Steps In Skin Care:

Cleaning:
Whatever the type of skin, cleaning of the skin plays an important role in skin care. A good cleanser should be used to remove the city's grime and the day's make up and to loosen clogged pores.
An oily skin requires more cleaning than dry skin because of open pores which become clogged with dirt and oil.
These days the market is flooded with skin care products. One can choose any face cleanser made from natural products. Every night before retiring to bed clean your face thoroughly.
If you have nothing else, for cleansing take 2 tsp cold milk. Apply on your face with cotton and clean your face, for oily skin, add a little water in the milk. This cleanser is not only economical but it is also always available in every household. Oily skin should be cleansed twice a day.

Toning:
All skins need a freshener or a toner. Toners come in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic forms. Alcoholic toners are meant for oily skin, whereas non-alcoholic toners are for dry skin.
Toners are required to clean the remains of the cleanser and to tone up the muscles. It aims at stimulating blood circulation and restoring the pH balance which may have become unbalanced during the cleaning process. The best way to tone up the skin is to splash lots of clod water on the face. Every time you clean your face, wash your face with tap water and then splash lots of clod water on your face. This practice will close the pores which had opened while the skin was being cleaned. You can use any ready made toners also.

Moisturising:
Moisturiser forms a film over the skin's surface, holding in the natural moisture and providing a base for make up. Make up stays on for a longer time if a good moisturiser is applied first. It is a misconception that a moisturiser is required only for dry skin, it is a must for all skin types. Moisturiser forms a barrier between the skin and the environment. An oil free or light weight moisturiser will do for oily skin but for dry skin, a rich moisturiser is to be used. If needed, use it more than once a day. But at night it must be removed.

Night Cream:
Ideally skin should be left bare to breath at night. But for dry or mature skin, after cleaning and toning your skin, apply a little night cream in dots. Let it be there for about half an hour. Then wipe it off lightly with a tissue paper because whatever good night cream has to do, it will do in the first 30 minutes. After that it is not required.

Face pack:
Face or mask can cleanse, revitalize, stimulate and exfoliate. It does deep pore cleaning. A good mask helps to free clogged pores, loosen blackheads, remove dirt etc. A good mask meant for your skin type should be used twice a week. Even though you have so much of good face packs in the market, there is nothing like a homemade pack.
You can use gram flour, rice powder, cucumber juice, milk, cream etc, depending on the type of skin you have.

Scrubber:
A scrubber or exfoliating mask is designed to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin and to encourage the growth of new cells. It helps in increasing blood circulation and brings a nice glow to the skin. It is to be used once in a week. You must apply a very thin film of moisturiser before using a scrubber.
A very good homemade scrubber is a mixture of choder, rava and rosewater in equal proportions. Apply it on the face. When semi dry, scrub your face with moist hands. Scrub a little hard on the sides of the nose and where you have blackheads. Without scrubbing, this pack is not very effective, that is the reason for the name 'scrubber'. Later wash it clean.

Sunblock:
Use a good sunblock while going out in the sun. Without a sun-screen, your skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays and pollution and is more inclined to have freckles and blemishes. This exposure can even lead to skin cancer.

Facial:
Besides routine and regular skin care, a monthly facial is a must. This facial can be easily done at home. Take any good cold cream for the massage. If your skin is very dry, you can even use milk cream.
Massage your face by making circular movements with your fingertips and palms. The movements should be very gentle and in the upward direction only. Do the massage for around 15-20 minutes. After the massage, give light steam to your face for 2 minutes.
Then apply a scrubber on your face. Scrubbing will help in removing blackheads, the last step in the facial is pack application. Let the pack dry fully and then wash off with cold water. As the pack dries, the pores which got opened while massaging and steaming will close.
In the end, splash lots of cold water on your face, splashing of cold water will help in closing all the pores fully and effectively.

Diet:
A good diet which includes fresh fruit and green vegetables is as essential as the facial for a flawless complexion. Drink plenty of water at least 10 to 12 glasses a day- which helps in cleaning the system. You will benefit even more from a glass of warm water with 1 tsp of honey as the first thing in the morning. It dilates the blood vessels and blood flows more easily and quickly around the body, hence bringing a natural glow to the skin.
Last but not the least, is practising the art of staying happy. If your mind is happy and tension free, it will show on your face. No regular skin care routine and facial can do anything, if one is always brooding or worrying. So be happy.
If you follow a regular skin care routine, you will soon have the beautiful skin which you are longing to have.