EVERYDAY SKINCARE

Embarrassing and unsightly skin conditions can be improved by following a healthy diet and a regular skin-cleansing routing using suitable products. The important thing is to follow both of these recommendations if you want to see positive, lasting results.

Regular cleansing and moisturizing your face will keep your complexion at its best.

Lifestyle Changes
A good starting point is to make a record of your dietary intake each day for a week. By studying this, you will be able to make any necessary adjustments. Try substituting fresh fruit for crisps and chocolate, or fresh juices and/or mineral water for carbonated, sugary drinks. At the same time, monitor improvements to your skin.

If you support yourself by taking aromatherapy baths to relieve stress and follow the skin-cleansing regime below, you should see visible results within a week. If you do not, it may be because the diet and/or care treatments have not been strictly followed. Remember, too, that acne is often worse just before menstruation, and that teenage acne usually subsides by the early twenties.

Daily Skincare Routine
To see immediate improvement to the skin, a five minute skincare routine should be established and carried out twice a day. Essential oils added to unperfumed creams or lotions can be useful for treating difficult skin conditions and to help with the added emotional difficulties of low self-confidence. With perseverance (and improved lifestyle habits), this routine has proved to be extremely effective. Once the skin begins to improve, stress is reduced and a positive, rather than a negative, cycle is created.


Cleanse the skin with a light, water-soluble cleansing milk. Make your own by blending 1 drop each of rosemary, lavender and geranium oils into 30ml (2 tbsp) base lotion. Rinse off with cold water.

Make a gentle, purifying mask by adding 2 drops each of cedarwood, juniper and lemon essential oils to 30ml (2 tbsp) base cream. Apply to face and leave for ten minutes. Rinse off thoroughly with cold water.

Add 3 drops each of lemon and geranium oils to 50ml (2fl.oz) distilled water. Wipe over the face and neck as a tonic. Follow with a moisturizing lotion mixed with 2 drops of hazelnut oil.

Problem Skin
The hormonal changes of puberty lead to increase production of sebum by the sebaceous glands in the skin. From the normal, peach-like skin of childhood, a young woman may find her skin (particularly on her face) changing in texture. The pores become enlarged and more open and the skin becomes oily - particularly on the forehead and in a "T-panel" leading down the nose and on to the chin. These open pores are a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to spots, pimples and blackheads, which is why a regular and effective skin-cleansing routine becomes so important.

A spotty skin can become a problem if it develops into acne (Acne vulgaris). This is a medical condition and requires special care.

The feet are prone to patches of dry, rough, skin. Moisturizing your feet on a regular basis will help to keep them smooth and soft.

Drinking plenty of water can vastly improve your overall health and vitality.




Teenage Care
Acne is caused when excessive amounts of sebum form a blockage at the skin's surface on the face, shoulders and back. Cysts, blackheads and red pustules develop, which can lead to pockmark scars. It is difficult to improve the skin once these scars appear.

The rise in the incidence and severity of teenage acne seems to be connected with some aspects of today's modern culture. Insufficient fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet, chemical additives in food, and air pollution all cause a toxin overload which puts extra strain on the body. Taking good care of your skin and body will really help.

Tips For Healthy Skin

• Stick to a suitable daily skincare routine.
• Exercise for half an hour three times a week.
• Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of mineral water a day.

Regular steam inhalations with juniper can help clear blocked pores or blackheads.








Stomach ache or period pains can be treated by applying a compress using basil, lavender and sweet marjoram. A piece of soft cotton or linen soaked in a water-oil mix makes a good compress.