There’s no doubt that having smooth, healthy-looking skin goes a long way to making us look and feel younger.
There are hundreds of skin problem-solving creams and lotions to choose from, all claiming to be the one you need to give you the beautiful skin you’ve always wanted but how can you be sure that those magic ingredients will do what they promise?
As well as performing The Five Minute Face Lift Workout for Men every day, it is important to keep your facial skin moisturised with a good quality, vegetable based cream or lotion.
Adding certain essential oils and other plant extracts that have a reputation for their beneficial effects will help to keep your skin looking smooth, clear and fresh.
The next few pages will detail the essential oils I feel you need to include in your skin care routine simply because their benefits have been observed over a long period of time.
Flick through any men’s magazine and you will see dozens of full page, glossy advertisements for the latest ‘wonder cream’ for men. The marketing text will boast that the cream contains some new, miracle ingredient whose rejuvenating properties can be yours.
One way is to opt for a product that contains ingredients that have been used for hundreds, even thousands of years to help keep skin young looking and healthy.
Even today, practitioners around the globe use the natural plant extracts you will read about in this chapter to minimize the formation of wrinkles and keep skin looking fresh and healthy. There are a number of plant oils that have been proven to deeply penetrate the skin and rejuvenate it from within.
These oils are not like the vegetable or mineral oils you find in shop-bought cosmetics. Their texture is so fine and light they look and feel more like water than oil and it is these bio-active liquids that are the essential ingredient in a branch of herbal medicine called aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-based bio-active substances from flowers, trees, shrubs, leaves, stems, roots and fruits for psychological and physical well-being and it can take many pounds of plant material to make up just one tiny bottle 10 ml of concentrated oil.
Although the word ‘aromatherapy’ was only coined fairly recently, it has its origins in the most ancient of healing practices, for the plants from which we obtain essential oils have been used in one form or another since man first became aware that he could use plants to heal.
A French chemist by the name of René-Maurice Gattefossé became interested in the use of essential oils for their medicinal use in the early 20th century. Previously, he focused on the aromatic use of essential oils, but his interest in their medicinal use grew after an accident heightened his curiosity. While working, he burned his arm rather badly. By reflex, he plunged his burned arm into the closest liquid which happened to be a large container of lavender essential oil. The burn he suffered healed quickly and left no scar.
Gattefossé is credited with coining the now familiar term of ‘aromatherapy’ in 1928 in an article he wrote supporting the use of using essential oils in their whole without breaking them down into their primary constituents. .
Robert B. Tisserand is a English aromatherapist who is responsible for being the first individual to bring knowledge and education of aromatherapy to English speaking nations. He has written books and articles including the highly respected 1977 publication The Art of Aromatherapy – the first aromatherapy book published in English.
From the late 20th century and on into the 21st century, as the limitations and unwanted side effects of mainstream medicine have become more and more evident, the public have shown a growing interest in more natural medicinal products, including essential oils, for therapeutic, cosmetic and aromatic benefit. The use of essential oils never ceased, but the scientific revolution minimized the popularity and use of essential oils in one’s everyday life.
Today’s heightened awareness regarding the use of synthetics coupled with the increased availability of aromatherapy information within books and the Internet has refueled the use of essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, fragrant and spiritual use.
The natural chemical composition of each essential oil differs according to the plant from which it is extracted and therefore the therapeutic benefits of each oil can also differ.
One thing all essential oils have in common is their ability to be readily absorbed by the skin. That’s because their unique molecular structure allows them to pass through the cells that make up the outer, semi permeable layers of the skin and into the bloodstream and cells where they can have beneficial effects.
Here’s an interesting experiment you might like to try to prove this to yourself. Garlic has been used medicinally for nearly 5000 years. Its unique anti-viral and anti-bacterial chemicals help treat high blood pressure, coughs, colds, acne and asthma.
Garlic oil also contains essential oils. Break open a capsule of the oil and massage it into your skin, somewhere on your body. Within a few hours you should be able to smell the garlic on your breath without ever having eaten it! That’s because the oils have been absorbed through your skin and have made their way around your body to the respiratory system. Be careful – garlic oil has been known to irritate the skin in sensitive people.
Another thing all essential oils have in common is that they are to a lesser to greater extent, naturally anti-bacterial and antiseptic, so using a cream or lotion containing an essential oil will go some way to help keep spots and pimples at bay.
Essential oils are highly concentrated substances and should always be diluted in a vegetable-based carrier cream, lotion or oil before application to the skin. Sunflower and sweet almond oils are light and easy to use. If your skin is dry, heavier oils such as avocado or wheat germ may be more suitable. Most vegetable oils contain naturally occurring vitamins which are also of great benefit to the health and appearance of the skin.
Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin, dilute them according to the following guidelines:
20 drops of essential oil to 60 ml of carrier oil or lotion.
10 drops of essential oil to 30 ml of carrier oil or lotion.
5 drops of essential oil to 15 ml of carrier oil or lotion.
Please also note that you should use these oils for external use only and avoid contact with the eyes.
Do not use essential oils on babies or young children without the advice of a qualified aromatherapist. If you are epileptic, have liver damage, are taking medicines, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, consult qualified aromatherapist or your medical practitioner before using these blends.
A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an essential oil that you’ve never used before. If you suffer an adverse reaction stop using the blend immediately.
The author cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions experienced from using these home-made treatments and the reader uses them at his or her own risk. Consult your doctor or a qualified aromatherapist if in doubt.
Naturally Smooth Away Lines and Wrinkles and Rejuvenate Aging Skin
If you have frown lines, crows feet or lines at the corner of your mouth you know how depressing it can be to watch your face getting older in the mirror every morning. Let’s face it, we all want to look as young as possible for as long as possible but may not want to resort the the surgeon’s knife or paralyzing face injections.
Whether you like it or not, you live in a very superficial society where looks and appearance have a huge effect on all parts of your life, from sex and relationships to employment and social acceptance.
If you are 40 or over and you do nothing now, things are only going to get worse. If you let your face slowly degenerate into a tired-looking, wrinkly man, one day you will suddenly realize you look like your dad! Perhaps you’ve tried both conventional and alternative ‘cures’ anti-aging face creams before without much success and this has left you feeling let down and hopeless.
Thousands of years ago, in ancient Egypt, they believed that their divine Kings were destined, upon death, to undertake a long journey to the afterlife. To help them prepare for and survive this quest, the bodies of the dead were mummified or preserved so that they might arrive in the next world as fresh as a daisy.
Part of the preservation process was to cover the body in a natural oil that was renowned for it’s ‘death defying’ effects on the skin. This treatment was so effective that, thousands of years later when modern archaeologists uncovered their graves, the skin of the long-since dead was still perfectly preserved! This precious, ‘immortality oil’ is still used today and is called frankincense.
Frankincense has, as we said, been used as far back as ancient Egypt to preserve the skin. They used frankincense to mummify their dead, whose skin, thousands of years later, remains intact! As well as a skin preserver, it tones, smooths, moisturizes, restores dry skin and slows down the appearance of wrinkles.
Neroli is considered very nourishing for the skin and, like lavender, helps stimulate the growth of fresh, new, plump skin cells. This prevents dry skin from looking parched and tired. It also has mildly antiseptic properties.
Lavender is a plant that has been used for centuries to rejuvenate and refresh tired-looking skin. It does so by stimulating the production of new, healthy skin cells.
This essential oil restores tone and elasticity to mature skin that often tends to be try and inflexible. It is also known for it’s ability to remove age spots, reduce wrinkles and improve the blood supply to the skin.
Sandalwood brings balance back to the skin. It is a natural antiseptic that softens and deeply moisturizes dry, mature or wrinkled skin.
The next two natural extracts are not essential oils but are known to be very beneficial skin treatments.
Rose Hip Seed Oil. Rose hip seed oil is extracted from the seeds of a rose bush called rosa moschata or rosa rubiginosa which grows wild in the southern Andes. It is unique among vegetable oils in containing retinol (vitamin A) in the form of retinoic acid which studies show reduces the appearance of wrinkles and brightens skin.
Rose hip oil also contains vitamin C and omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, known to heal scar tissue. It is used for a variety of skin conditions, including dermatitis, acne and eczema but it is in the field of anti-aging that rose hip oil is best known because of it’s ability to soften fine lines, fade irregular pigmentation and diminish the damage caused by sunlight.
Another key benefit is this oil’s ability to be absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy feel. This is because it is classed as a ‘dry oil’ so it penetrates to the deepest layers of the skin where it regenerates skin cells and encourages the protection of collagen and elastin, the skin’s supportive proteins. This results in firmer, smoother, and more youthful skin with greater elasticity.
Rosehip seed oil also contains a high amount of vitamin E, which further promotes healthy skin.
If you’re serious about anti-aging facial skin care, you owe it to yourself to investigate all the alternatives. While cosmetics might seem to be the logical solution, over time their cost might prove prohibitive. Botox injections, chemical peels or microdermabrasion can give superior (and more immediate) results that often justify the additional cost.
Botox injections relax the muscles that create wrinkles like the “frown lines” on your forehead. The treatment lasts three to six months, and lines and wrinkles either disappear or dramatically diminish during this period. Besides frown lines, Botox is effective on crow’s feet, laugh lines and forehead wrinkles.
A medical doctor must administer Botox injections. After several treatments, some doctors report that the period of effectiveness is extended.
Chemical peels are meant to improve skin appearance and diminish wrinkles by removing one or more of the skin’s outer layers. Like Botox, chemical peels are done by a medical doctor and usually consist of phenol, TCAs (trichloroacetic acids) or AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids). Phenol is the strongest of the chemical peel agents and provides the most dramatic results.
TCAs are the next strongest, but several treatments are usually required. AHAs are the least strong and are generally used for skin brightening and smoothing, rather than wrinkle removal. Phenol and TCAs will remove wrinkles and blemishes, and even out skin tone.
Microdermabrasion does not require a medical doctor. It can be performed by a trained aesthetician. In this procedure, tiny crystals are sprayed against the face with a device similar to a sand blaster, producing a gentle polishing action that removes the dead outer layer of skin on the face. Microdermabrasion is less harsh than chemical peels and works well for women with sensitive skin. Treatments must be repeated for maximum effectiveness.
While not for everyone, Botox injections, chemical peels and microdermabrasion are all valid methods of anti-aging facial skin care. If you want fast results and are willing to spend the money, these treatments can provide significant improvements in skin texture and appearance.
Treatment of Age Spots
What are age spots and what causes them?
Age spots, also known as liver spots and sun spots, are skin blemishes that are brown in color. Age spots usually develop in older people, usually at the age of forty but could also happen to younger people in their twenties.
Although age spots are natural, its discolored nature affects a person general appearance that treatments are sought. Age spots develop in the face, hands and neck. Age spots are caused by the ultra violet rays of the sun. With constant and significant exposure, the ultra violet rays will ultimately penetrate the skin and will induce the formation of the darker pigments.
Age spots though are harmless. Their development will always happen with exposure as they are natural reaction of the skin to the sun’s harmful rays. These are benign and are not a cause or a symptom for the onset of skin cancers. However, they are still a blemish that must be remedied. Age spots could never be prevented as it will always naturally occur in time.
Since age spots could never be treated, their early development could be prevented by less frequent exposure to the sun. If that cannot be avoided, application of creams is good.
The following procedures for removing age spots are also commonly used as anti-aging treatments:
Laser Treatment
Laser treatments to remove sun spots are often done in conjunction with other anti-aging treatments. The intense heat of the laser beams will burn away the spots and restore a younger looking blemish free skin. Laser treatments though, as they involve several stages and usually require a number of visits to the physician, are generally costly. These procedures are very necessary if optimal results are desired.
Retinoid Treatment
Retinoid comes usually in the form of a cream that is applied topically to the affected parts. Retinoid is prescription medication that promotes healthy skin and fades away the spots. Retinoid also contains anti oxidants that are good for preserving skin cells and tissues. However, Retinoid dries the skin for the duration of the treatment.
Chemical Peels
The acidic agents in the chemical peel have proven to be effective method at removing sun spots; the method takes a while longer as the peels will happen little by little until the desired skin tone is achieved.
Age Spots Creams
Age spots cream usually works in bleaching the sun spots out. The result is a slow and gradual fading of the discolored portion of the skin revealing the skin underneath. Active ingredients that are commonly included that fade the sun spots out are the hydroquinone. Vitamins A and C are also active ingredients to promote rejuvenation and healthier skin.
Sun Block
Probably the most popular method of preventing the onset of age spots is by using the old reliable sun block creams and lotions. While sun block will not fade the age spots, its formulation prevents the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun from penetrating the skin. Sun block users also develop less sun spots in later years.
It is also a good anti-aging treatment when it comes to preserving the skin’s more youthful glow. Sun blocks have also demonstrated to reduce the development of skin cancers.
Like any anti-aging procedure, applying the treatments mentioned should as much as possible be consulted to a physician. Except for sun block and some chemical peels, application of these treatments could result to unwanted side effects.
Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-view-of-two-faces-of-men-5932722/
