Everyone is going natural, and who can blame them? The skin is one of the body’s most noticeable features. It is constantly exposed to chemicals and other harmful influences like UV rays and stress. The foods we put into our bodies can also influence the appearance of our skin. Since there are enough chemicals and negative influences affecting our skin, we should steer clear of chemical-based skin care products, and opt for a more natural approach. Here are some of the benefits of using natural skin care products:

1. No chemicals. Each day we are around chemicals that are used to clean, gas from vehicles, and some of us are even around cigarette smoke. These things are not good for our skin. Constant exposure to a variety of negative things can leave our skin looking aged, dry, cracked, and old. Natural products are chemical-free.

2. Natural skin care products treat the skin better than unnatural treatments do. Natural things like plants, fruits, herbs, etc., were put here to serve a purpose. It is a shame that some of us are still not taking advantage of these natural and plentiful benefits that are so readily available to us.

3. All natural skin care products possess healing properties that chemical-based skin care products do not. It is true that Mother Nature has given us all that we will ever need to take good care of our skin. Natural skin care products not only help to take care of your skin, they get down into the deeper layers of the skin to repair it and permanently heal it.

4. There are no allergic reactions. There is no eye redness, and no other forms of irritation to deal with. All of the man-made substances are absent, so there is no need to panic that you will be allergic to a natural skin care product.

5. Less use is needed. Since the products are genuine, there is no need to go back and constantly repair the damage done over and over again. All natural skin care products provide better quality, and the creams last longer when not being used.

6. Natural skin care products do not do additional damage to your skin. Chemical-based skin care products might appear to do some temporary repair to your skin, but over time, they are actually damaging your skin. This is what leads to the constant usage of chemical-based skin care products. Suppose that is how they keep their business going? They give you a little bit of repair, and a little bit of damage at the same time.

7. You do not have to worry about harmful substances getting down into your blood stream. It has been proven that over 60% of chemicals that we put on our skin get absorbed into our blood streams. When chemicals absorb into our blood stream through the skin, it heightens our chances of developing eczema, allergies, breakouts, oily skin, cancer, and other various illnesses. With natural skin care products, you know exactly what is going on your skin, and you do not have to worry about getting sick.

As you can see, the benefits of using natural skin care products definitely have the upper hand over unnatural skin care products. Natural skin care is readily available to us only if we choose to use it. The results that natural skin care products have on our skin are better and longer lasting. It is no wonder why they are becoming more and more popular. It is a huge relief to know that more people are actually taking the time out to switch to something better for their skin, and easier on their health. We need to be using something that our bodies are compatible with, not something that we are constantly going to be at odds with. All natural skin care products are the answer.

There are many ways to repair skin damage and maintain its youthful appearance. It could be as simple as following basic skin care, avoiding those that lead to skin damage and finding all natural skin care products ideal for your type of skin. The problem, however, is that there are so many different creams and skin care products out there. Skin care tips are sometimes contradictory that the once simple solution to skin damage became more baffling.

There is no best cream for everyone but there is such a thing as healthiest cream for your skin. This is because people’s skin type differs. Some are oilier while some are drier. Some are more tolerant of the sun’s rays while some are more sensitive. A person’s lifestyle should also dictate on which cream to purchase. This is because people can be exposed to different triggers that cause free radicals. This means that all natural skin care products you have to purchase should focus on protection your skin needs the most.

The first thing one has to consider when buying the healthiest cream is its protection against the sun. Long exposure to the sun has been long proven to lead to skin damage that sunscreen is one of the best bets for choosing one. Being exposed to the sun for long hours has many consequences including sun spots, discoloration, dryness and wrinkles.

The condition of the skin will inevitably deteriorate with time but it can be slowed down with apt skin regimen and all natural skin care products. There are a few components that your cream has to have to guarantee that it would help you keep that youthful glow. The first one is antioxidants. Free radicals lead to oxidation which has been considered to be a culprit in the process of skin aging. Antioxidants, such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E have been known to kill free radicals and keep the cells of the skin healthy. Having these ingredients in your skin care products would definitely prove to be beneficial.

Products with water and oil need preservatives to prevent bacterial growth after they are opened. Most skin care products contain preservatives, such as quaternium-15 and imidazolidynyl urea, that sometimes cause skin irritation. For people who have skin reactions from these preservatives, it is best to resort to all natural skin care products.

Another main consideration is the moisturizing properties of the cream. Moisturizers, in all natural skin care products, can hold water in the outermost layer of skin. Aside from that, they also act as a temporary barrier that allows damaged cells of the skin to be repaired on their own. Again, it all depends on the type of your skin. For normal to oily skin, water-based moisturizers are best to avoid that greasy feeling. On the other hand, those with dry skin and mature skin may need more moisturizing components that it has to be oil-based.

It is not enough to use the cream that suits your skin best. You still have follow a basic skin care regimen and avoid other factors that lead to skin damage. A multi-level strategy might just do wonders for skin repair and its maintenance. Having a well-balanced diet and having a healthy lifestyle can also improve the condition of your skin.

A professional skin care regime is one of the most important parts of maintaining your skin’s health. Your skin is not a smooth surface like a sheet of glass. On the contrary, your skin is more like a riverbed, full of little lumps, bumps, crevasses and holes. You can give these dermatological names such as fine lines, pores, sebaceous glands, etc., but at the end of the day the fact remains your skin is far from a flat, smooth surface.

Because of this and because your skin is a living, breathing part of your body and fulfils several major functions including temperature regulation, immune defence, protection from the external environment, etc., you will need to look after it if you wish to have it work at its optimal level and hope to have good, healthy skin into your late 70′s and beyond.

What about the type of products I should use for my skin care regime?

You should always choose natural skin care products as many commercially mass-produced skin care products utilise potentially toxic chemicals and highly modified ‘natural’ ingredients.

Wildcrafted Herbal Products hand makes a range of holistically-natural skin care products suitable for your particular skin type. These products are based on traditional naturopathic principles and utilize herbal extracts and essential oils to produce lasting effects.

Their products are designed to benefit your skin’s health for the long term and include only the best ingredients suitable for your specific skin type.

Daily Skin Care Regime

Cleansing your skin

Cleansing your skin is one of the most important steps if you want to maintain a healthy, vibrant and youthful looking skin.

As well as providing the basis for an advanced skin care regime, effective cleansing can actually improve the quality of our skin, enhancing its radiance and keeping it looking younger for longer.

Thorough cleansing is one of the most important steps of a complete skin care regime. Cleansing of your skin should be done morning and night to ensure the removal of surface impurities, make-up, and stale skin oils. When regularly performed cleansing will enhance the skin’s ability to breathe and maintain its other important functions.

One of the best ways to do this is to make cleansing your skin part of your daily skin care regime.

This is how you do it:

First, moisten your face with lukewarm water. Then apply a small amount of facial cleanser. Gently spread the product over your skin, using light, circular movements. At this stage, spend an extra minute massaging the product into your face to boost your skin’s circulation and help decongestion.

Secondly, be sure to be gentle, your skin is a delicate organ and needs to be treated with care and respect.

Lastly, rinse off the cleanser, using lukewarm water and pat your face dry.

If you are still using ordinary soap, STOP. You are seriously compromising the health of your skin. Throw it away and start using a quality cleanser.

Toning your skin

Toning is the second step in your daily skin care regime. These days, women often leave this step out and yet it is just as important as the cleansing of your skin or the moisturizing. It is a must include step. The one or two minutes it takes are worth every second if you desire to have healthy, vibrant skin with a minimum of lines and wrinkles. Don’t leave this step out.

You have just spent time cleaning your skin, ridding it of stale oils, makeup, dead skin cells and other impurities, now you have to tone your skin.

A quality cleanser may contain such ingredients as clay. This helps to remove dead skin cells and other impurities, but may not rinse off totally. This is why you need to use a quality toner.

Firstly, it removes every last bit of the cleanser such as the fine clay particles and other residues from the cleansing process.

Secondly it will close the skin’s pores to protect it from further loss of moisture, which invariably happens when cleansing your face.

Thirdly it provides nutrients and restores the pH balance of your skin.

Now that is worth spending a minute or two, isn’t it?

Moisturising your skin

This is the third part of your daily skin care regime and should also be done morning and night using a day crème in the morning and a night crème before retiring.

A quality moisturiser protects your facial skin from environmental damage, provides nutrients for the skin and prevents loss of moisture, thereby slowing down the aging process.

In addition, a moisturiser should help to maintain the acid mantle of your skin, which is part of your immune system and if the pH of your skin becomes too acidic or alkaline, the acid mantel is compromised.

Weekly Regime

To complete your skin care regime, you should set aside a few minutes once a week, preferably at the weekend to deeply cleanse and nourish your skin. Your weekly treats should include, the use of a Facial Mask and Exfoliation.

These treatments encourage cellular repair, step up collagen production and help strengthen, tone and firm up your skin.

Facial Clay Mask:

Using a clay mask will help to draw toxins from your skin, whilst moisturising and nourishing the skin at the same time. There are different clays that will work for specific skin types and choosing the right products containing the clay that is most suitable to your skin type is important. There are 3 basic clays: Green, Yellow and Red.

Exfoliation

Think of Exfoliation from this perspective. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, soothes the skin and improves its tone. Dead skin cells are the very top layer of your skin. Applying moisturiser to dead skin cells does not make sense, does it? So exfoliation, removes the dead skin cells, promotes blood circulation and helps to invigorate and prepare the skin to more easily absorb any moisturising product you apply.

Exfoliation also helps speed up the rate of cell turn over. Another word for exfoliation is scrubbing. Using a facial scrub at least once a week, makes your skin more receptive to creams and treatments. However care must be taken not to over exfoliate.

The aim is to remove any dead cells from the skins surface without disturbing the healthy cells beneath.

In conclusion, to follow a skin care regime is like taking out an insurance policy on the health and vitality of your skin. Can you afford not to follow a complete, daily skin care regime?