My Reviews.com

2006-07-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Nutrition and your skin
The journey towards healthy skin begins with good nutrition - a well-balanced diet is essential for healthy skin. It won't necessarily reverse damage that is already done, but it will prevent more damage and nourish your skin by supplying the essential vitamins and minerals that your skin needs to keep it looking healthy.
Vitamins and minerals that play an important role in maintaining the quality of your skin include vitamins A, C, and E, and minerals such as selenium and zinc.
The following chart will help you to ensure that you are including these vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.
Nutrient
Role in skin health
Food source
Vitamin A
Maintains and repairs skin tissue. If you are lacking vitamin A, your skin may appear dry and flaky.
yellow and dark green leafy vegetables, whole milk, liver, and butter
Biotin
Forms the basis for skin, nail and hair cells. Easily obtained from diet, with little effort.
bananas, eggs, oatmeal, and rice
Vitamin C
Protects skin from sun, smoking, and pollution by acting as an anti-oxidant. When excessive amounts of oxidants or free radicals are produced due to sun exposure, smoking, and pollution, they can cause damage leading to disease and aging. Anti-oxidants help to remove these free radicals, thereby reducing the damage.
citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens
Vitamin E
Same as vitamin C.
vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach, and asparagus
Selenium
Can protect your skin against sun damage by helping to minimize the damage caused by free radicals.
whole grains, seafood, garlic, eggs, and liver
Zinc
Can clear skin by controlling oil production. It is also important in cell growth
oysters, lean meats, and chicken

Taking care of your skin
Healthy skin is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. For good skin care, start developing healthy habits that protect your skin from the outside and the inside.
Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated.
Eat well-balanced meals.
Protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.
Practice an effective skin care regimen.
-Identify your skin type. When choosing how to cleanse and treat your skin,
what works for someone else will not necessarily work for you. Based on the characteristics of your skin, skin types can be grouped into one of the following:
Dry skin: Often feels uncomfortably tight and rough. For this particular skin type, avoid cleansing with hot water and using soaps and alcohol-based products. Cleansing creams or cloths will help infuse moisture into the skin without stripping away natural surface oils. It is important to moisturize your face with lotions or creams to keep your skin hydrated and looking its best!
Oily skin: Skin may appear shiny with dilated pores and is prone to blackheads and pimples. Use a mild cleanser twice a day. If acne breakouts are a problem, talk to your dermatologist to help you select a medicated face wash best suited for your skin. Don't make the mistake of over-scrubbing acne-prone skin - it will worsen the problem. After cleansing, follow up with an astringent to remove the excess oil. Moisturize with a light oil-free product specifically formulated for oily skin types. Avoid using any type of oil-based cosmetics on your skin, as they may clog pores and promote pimples and blackheads.
Combination skin: People with combination skin have areas that are dry and areas that are oily. The nose, forehead, and chin tend to be the oily zones. There are many products on the market that can be applied to both areas of your face.
Normal skin: People with "normal" skin have a pinkish, glowing complexion with hard-to-see pores. This type of skin maintains a balance between dryness and oiliness. As this skin presents no particular problems, its water/oil balance does not need adjustment - just ongoing maintenance. Therefore, the use of a skin-care product that helps the skin keep its water balance is recommended.
Sensitive skin should always use beauty aids that are mild. Always test the product on a small area on your arm to see how your skin reacts before using it on your face. Don't assume that a "natural source" product doesn't contain ingredients that can irritate your skin. Try cleansing with gentle, milky, water-soluble lotions and tepid water. Avoid face-cleansing gels or soaps that contain drying alcohol, preservatives, or strong-acting acid, since these ingredients can irritate the skin. Do not use exfoliating scrubs or astringents on sensitive skin, because they can cause inflammation.
Nora kuch is the author of many skin care tips and articles. Enjoy

2006-06-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Review of NouriCel-MD,

a research based cosmetic ingredient only found in TNS, was originally discovered through wound healing research, NouriCel-MD is a proprietary mix if multiple human growth factors, soluble collagen, matrix proteins, antioxidants and other elements essential for healthy young skin. NouriCel-MD visibly improves skin discoloration and the appearance of wrinkles, and it increases skin firmness and resiliency. With regular use of these physician recommended SkinMedica products, you'll see visible, dramatic results.
For best results, use in conjunction with" Skin Medica Derma Repair". Also, Skin Medica Dermal Repair is a fantastic night cream loaded with Antioxidants and helps to fade the mild citrus scent of the TNS Recovery Complex. "

Ingredients:Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media, Ethoxydiglycol, Isoceteth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Fragrance
Product review:
In my opinion it is worth to use it, even when it is a little pricey.
It tightens, smoothes and brightens the skin. You can tell a difference after the first application, and with the new formulation, it doesn't smell as bad.

One of the best skincare products I have used up-to-date. You see it working within minutes of putting it on. I highly recommend this product to anyone.
You can buy this product at www.beautyuno.com
I would recommend to buy "Skin Medica TNS Illuminating Eye Cream " " SkinMedica Dermal Repair "
" SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic "
All this worksexcellentt!!! And just for you I found a place, where you can get 15% off Every Order, Every Day, Forever! Great Products, Great Prices at www.beautyuno.com and click "greatskin.com banner.
Enjoy!!
Nora Kuch is a skin care specialist and articles writer for "e-zine" and other skin care review places.

2006-05-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Know your Skin Type - It's that SimpleBy Norah Kuch
What type of skin do you have? To have a perfect skin you have to treat each cell within perfectly. You need to know your skin type! You may think you know it already, but you need to remember, our skin changes with age, with seasons , with diet and even according to the time of the month.. So truly know your skin type, you have to reassess it regularly.
Is it dry?Is it oily?Is it combination skin?Is it sensitive skin?Is it maturing skin?Is it stressed out skin?Is it tiered skin?
In series of articles about skin types, you will be able to assess your skin type and take better care of your skin and hopefully have a healthy, glowing skin.
Dry skin.What are the characteristics?If you have dry skin, your face feels tight, never relaxed, dull and some times gray. It’s flaky and has lots of tiny fine lines. Dry skin occurs when the protective barrier of oil in the lower level of skin starts to break down and water evaporates from skin. The problem with dry skin is that it will make you look older. Getting those moisture levels back up to normal is therefore priority.
Dry skin care:To take care for dry skin means making sure the products that you use contain no drying ingredients like alcohol or soap. Choose creamy or milky cleansers that will add moisture and leave a fine protective film. If you have to use soap, choose glycerin based one.
You need to exfoliate. One of the reasons why dry skin looks dull is that its cell renewal is slow. Using a cleanser with alpa-hydroxy acids can help to exfoliate. Apply them every day for a week, then stop for 2-3 weeks. In between use facial scrub to remove dead skin cells.
Use the right moisturizer. Moisturizers use two types of ingredients to hydrate the skin: - humectants, which attract moisture to the skin-emollients, which help reinforce the protective barrier.
Choose product, which include both. Look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and lactic acid, which are humectants and lanolin, which is emollient.
Choosing moisturizers high in water will also help the skin look and feel hydrated.
Apply moisturizer twice daily.
Top five tips for dry skin:Cleanse your skin once daily (only once) at the end of the day. This will remove dirt and grime and will prevent further drying. In the morning, use some moisturizer.
Exfoliation is essential for dry skin. When choosing facial scrub, avoid any made from seeds or salt - these can have sharp edges which may tear dry skin , increasing moisture loss.
Never expose your skin to really hot water. It dries out parched skin. Never dry your skin completely. One of the best way to hydrate your skin is just to pat it with the clean towel after washing, then apply moisturizer to seal the extra moisture.
Increase your intake of oily fish or take a supplement of essential fatty acids.
Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Cleanse your skin once daily (only once) at the end of the day. This will remove dirt and grime and will prevent further drying. In the morning, use some moisturizer.
Exfoliation is essential for dry skin. When choosing facial scrub, avoid any made from seeds or salt - these can have sharp edges which may tear dry skin , increasing moisture loss.
Never expose your skin to really hot water. It dries out parched skin. Never dry your skin completely. One of the best way to hydrate your skin is just to pat it with the clean towel after washing, then apply moisturizer to seal the extra moisture.
Increase your intake of oily fish or take a supplement of essential fatty acids.
Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Nora Kuch is an author of many skin care and beauty care articles and owes website:
http://www.beautyuno.com and her new addition is http://www.beautyuno.com/skintype.html

2006-04-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

Confused by anti-wrinkle ingredients ? Ingredients explained.
By Norah Kuch.

As a baby boomer I try to avoid aging as much as possible. I try to buy every possible anti-aging cosmetics available on the market. But some ingredients are very confusing even for me, who is familiar with chemistry and biochemistry.
Lets start with some explanations.
Alpha-hydroxy acids: These slough off dead skin cells to reveal smoother, younger-looking akin underneath.
Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin C, A and E, green tea, copper, grapeseed and kinetic help skin by neutralizing molecules called free radicals, that destroy your skin.
Aqua( water): Number one ingredient listings, is vital for you.
Beta-hydroxy acids: These work in the same way as alpha- hydroxy acids but are less iritating to the skin. The most common one is salicylic acid, which also fights bacteria on the skin.
Botanicals: Ingredients from natural source(plants) believed to have some healing and regenerative powers on the skin, like aloe vera, gingko, and ginseng.
Coenzyme 10: A nutrient found in every cell of our body, this is also a good wrinkle booster.
Emollients: Found in moisturizers, these help protect skin by reinforcing the moisture barrier in the lower layer of skin.
Essential Oils: Most commonly used in aromatherapy, these are plant oils used to scent products, but also as ingredients-lavender or chamomile is commonly used in skin creams as it soothes irritation.
Humectants: Similar to emollients, this attract moisture to the skin from the air.
Hypoallergenics: Ingredients shown to be least likely to cause allergic reaction.
Liposomes: These aren’t ingredients, but ways to deliver ingredients like vitamins deeper into skin.
Mattifiers: Ingredients like witch hazel or cornstarch, that soak up oil on the skin.
Non-comedogenics: Ingredients shown to be less likely to block pores.
Retinols: Another word for products made from vitamin A, these are powerful antioxidants and some ( the RX only Retinol A and Renova) have been ahown to dramatically reduce skin damage from ultraviolet rays.
Sun Protection Factors: The most important ingredient in any skincare product, they screen out harmful and aging UV rays.
So here you have it explained. This should help you by choosing the right anti-wrinkle skin care product for you.

Nora Kuch is an author of many skin care and beauty care articles and owes website: http:www.beautyuno.com

2006-04-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Confused By Anti-Wrinkle Ingredients? Ingredients ExplainedBy Norah Kuch

As a baby boomer I try to avoid aging as much as possible. I try to buy every possible anti-aging cosmetics available on the market. But some ingredients are very confusing even for me, who is familiar with chemistry and biochemistry.
Lets start with some explanations.
Alpha-hydroxy acids: These slough off dead skin cells to reveal smoother, younger-looking akin underneath.
Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin C, A and E, green tea, copper, grapeseed and kinetic help skin by neutralizing molecules called free radicals, that destroy your skin.
Aqua( water): Number one ingredient listings, is vital for you. Beta-hydroxy acids: These work in the same way as alpha- hydroxy acids but are less iritating to the skin. The most common one is salicylic acid, which also fights bacteria on the skin.
Botanicals: Ingredients from natural source(plants) believed to have some healing and regenerative powers on the skin, like aloe vera, gingko, and ginseng.
Coenzyme 10: A nutrient found in every cell of our body, this is also a good wrinkle booster.
Emollients: Found in moisturizers, these help protect skin by reinforcing the moisture barrier in the lower layer of skin.
Essential Oils: Most commonly used in aromatherapy, these are plant oils used to scent products, but also as ingredients-lavender or chamomile is commonly used in skin creams as it soothes irritation.
Humectants: Similar to emollients, this attract moisture to the skin from the air.
Hypoallergenics: Ingredients shown to be least likely to cause allergic reaction.
Liposomes: These aren’t ingredients, but ways to deliver ingredients like vitamins deeper into skin.
Mattifiers: Ingredients like witch hazel or cornstarch, that soak up oil on the skin.
Non-comedogenics: Ingredients shown to be less likely to block pores.
Retinols: Another word for products made from vitamin A, these are powerful antioxidants and some ( the RX only Retinol A and Renova) have been ahown to dramatically reduce skin damage from ultraviolet rays.
Sun Protection Factors: The most important ingredient in any skincare product, they screen out harmful and aging UV rays.
So here you have it explained. This should help you by choosing the right anti-wrinkle skin care product for you.
Nora Kuch is an author of many skin care and beauty care articles and owes website: http://www.beautyuno.com

2006-03-23T15:04:00.000-08:00

Beauty
Article is presented by Norah from http://www.beautyuno.com
Men are subconsciously more attracted to younger women, for the latter possess a better child-bearing capacity.
Psychologists had two goals when working on the Beautycheck project: to find out what beauty is, which features it has and to determine social consequences of human attractiveness, or how human looks influence other people. Young researchers photographed 96 volunteers (there eight models among them) between 17 and 29 years of age. Five hundred respondents of all age groups and social layers estimated the photographs on the 0-7 scale, in which "one" designated a less pretty face and "seven" stood for the most beautiful and attractive image.
The majority of people will say that the faces depicted on these photographs are immaculately beautiful. The portraits were made with the help of a special computer program by German psychologists Martin Gruendl, Claus Marberger, Christoph Scherber and Christoph Braun. The researchers designed the images on the base of ideal proportions and features of human face.
Applying one image on another, psychologists were amending facial proportions and the type of skin. Women's features, for example, were changed on the children's scheme: an enlarged head, a large curved forehead, a shortened nose, rounded cheeks and enlarged eyes. It turned out that children's proportions make an adult woman breathlessly beautiful. Even the most beautiful female model will think that she looks a lot better on a morphed image of her face, on which child's features had been added.
The child-adult combination in the looks of a woman has a biological significance. The above-mentioned psychologists wrote in their work that men are subconsciously more attracted to younger women, for the latter possess a better child-bearing capacity and they can stay in their childbearing age longer than adult women. Not so many men find mature women sexually attractive: when a man takes a look at the face of a mature woman, the image signals him that this woman is not a child and she can become a mother.
When the experiment was over, scientists summarized the basic selection of features, which should be typical to a good-looking face of a man and a woman. A female face is believed to be beautiful if it has: dark or tanned smooth skin, narrow face, full lips, large and expressive eyes, thin eyelids, thick, dark eyelashes and eyebrows. Handsome men are characterized with similar features, plus a resolute chin and an expressive lower jaw.
It is noteworthy that a combination of features as depicted on these morphed photographs is impossible to find in any of living people. A human face can be wrinkless if only it is a digitalized picture. There are no perfect eyebrows, eyes or lips either. One may thus conclude that the woman on this picture is an absolutely unnatural, albeit a beautiful individual. Natural beauty cannot compete with digital perfection: the latter always wins, although it does not exist in reality. The top five of the computer pageant was made of only digital pictures. Furthermore, 79 percent of original male faces and 70 percent of original female faces were described as "not pretty" or even "ugly."
We may thus infer that the majority of people have absolutely unreal requirements in their estimations of other people's physical attractiveness. Everyone will probably agree that they never see such beautiful people in the streets, although there are more than enough gorgeous faces on magazine covers and make-up commercials. People are therefore forced to compare living individuals with digitalized images of handsome men and amazingly beautiful women on television and on the Internet. If someone sees a paparazzi picture of a movie star without make up on, they usually think: "Oh my God, she looks so terrible."
Modern people with their standards of beauty run risks of losing the battle with perfect computer images and fall a victim to non-existent perfection. In addition, German scientists concluded that there was a certain stereotype in perceiving a beautiful person. People think that beautiful individuals are talented, creative and sensitive; that they have an ability to exert a positive influence on others. Those, who have not so pretty, or absolutely unpretty faces, are usually perceived as people who cannot boast of such qualities and traits - just an instant visual contact is enough to conclude so. Unattractive people are usually perceived as someone unhappy, malcontent, presumptuous, stupid and exhausted with their own lives.
Social consequences of human appearances are enormous. It is easier for beautiful people to live on this planet. They are usually more successful in their private and professional lives, although it may seem to be absolutely unfair to others. All is not gold that glitters - this is the saying for those, who disagrees.
Reprinted from http://english.pravda.ru/

2006-01-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Anti-Aging Skin Care
by Susan du Plessis
Submitted Monday, January 16, 2006

The aging of your skin may be inevitable. But why rush it? There are ways to slow down sagging and wrinkles. Using skin creams and treatments may already be a part of your daily grooming regimen. However, topical creams cannot be expected to work alone for full efficacy. The best way to start your anti-aging effort is on the inside.
First of all, are you drinking enough water? There are varying opinions about how much water an individual actually needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that you probably aren't drinking enough. If you're thirsty, your skin is thirsty too -- which means dryness and wrinkles. Hydrate your skin by drinking water regularly.
Drink water . . . but avoid alcohol and soft drinks. The contents of these beverages -- alcohol and caffeine -- dehydrate skin, wreaking havoc on its structure. An acceptable alternative to water is green tea, which is low in caffeine (but enough for a pick-me-up). Green tea, as you probably already know, is loaded with antioxidants that destroy free radicals, which cause aging.
A multivitamin is always a good idea, but our bodies most easily absorb nutrients from food. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. In addition to vitamins and minerals, you're fortifying your body with more antioxidants. Blueberries are one of nature's "super foods," having one of the highest antioxidant values.
Exercise! Exercise helps keep us from aging by keeping weight down, working the heart, toning muscles, and getting the blood flowing (to the skin!). People who exercise look younger and feel younger. It's a most beneficial habit to get into.
People who look younger than their age repeatedly reveal one vital secret: getting enough sleep. If you aren't, find ways to work it in. Instead of sitting up in front of the television, turn it off at a reasonable time and take a book to bed. This quiet practice can lead to an easier time getting to sleep -- sometimes the colors and movement of the television keep our brains working even after we've begun to relax.
You may feel that you don't have the time to take care of your skin, but keep in mind: by the time you do "have time," it will be too late. The time to protect your skin is now! Years later, you'll be thanking yourself for it -- and not only will you look younger, you'll feel younger too.
****************
Visit Susan's website A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness for more information on health, nutrition, longevity, beauty, fashion and fitness.
Find fine anty-aging skin care at http://www.beautyuno.com/antiagingskincare.html

2006-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

Brighten Up Dull & Tired Skin

By Danielle Sims
As we grow older and are constantly exposed to the UV rays of the sun our skin starts to appear dry and dull. This is the result of the outside layer of the skin getting excessive build up and is not exfoliated on a regular basis. Build-up is especially noticed after we have spent the summer in the sun. It’s more apparent to women since we realize that our make-up doesn't look as fresh and our foundation begins to fade within a couple of hours. Our make-up and foundation is actually being absorbed into the accumulated dead skin cells, which gives a very tired and unhealthy look to the skin.
To keep your skin vibrant and healthy on a regular basis, you must have a regimen that incorporates exfoliation and nourishing the skin. Your regular skin care program does not have to be a department store or drug store solution. You can prepare an all nature skin care program right from your kitchen table and manage to get the same results if not better results that your store bought product promises.
Exfoliation:
You should exfoliate at least 2-3 times per week (daily is even better) to keep the skin’s healthy glow. One solution for exfoliating the skin in an in expensive way is to use sugar. Yes, Sugar! Glycolic acid which is found in most AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) products is from sugar cane. You can benefit from glycolic acid by using sugar for exfoliation.
Simply mix ½ to 1 teaspoon of sugar in with a small amount of your favorite skin cleanser. Wet your face and massage the cleanser/sugar mixture over your face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse your face with lukewarm water to remove this mixture and you will instantly feel a difference in your skin.
Nourish:
Give your skin a refreshing drink with a simple nourishing facial mask. The ingredients are powerful and can be found in your kitchen. Combine one or more main ingredient with a liquid ingredient for to make a wonderful facial mask. Base your ingredient choices on the health properties of each item.
Base Ingredient:
Honey – It is a humectant (which draws in moisture) and it has antibacterial qualities that also stimulates and smoothes the skin.
Mango - Provides natural fruit enzymes which also exfoliates the skin and the oil in mangos help moisturize.
Avocado - A naturally rich moisturizer has essential fats and oils.
Oatmeal – Moisturizing and slightly exfoliating Liquid Ingredient:
Milk – Enzymes and Lactose acid to exfoliate and milk fat to condition the skin.
Aloe Vera Gel – Healing and softening.
Egg White – tightening and conditioning. You will want to follow your treatments with your favorite hypoallergenic moisturizer. For best results, these treatments can be done 2-3 times a week to help keep your skin youthful and vibrant.
Danielle Sims explored her library of alternative health, herbal books, and aromatherapy books and created a blueprint for making her own body wrap formulas at home. Now she offers this information in an e-book entitled Wrap Yourself Slim: Body Wrap Exposed. Monthly newsletter is also available at her web site. For more information go to Body Wraps Exposed

I think this article brings up the basics of skin care. We need to take care of our skin, to get a glowing and younger lookink effect.
Find more on skin care and wrinkle defying cosmetics at http://www.beautyuno.com/wrinklesportal.html