You are currently browsing the Choosing skin care cream category

Spring Skin Care

  • Posted on March 21, 2010 at 4:51 pm

Spring is finally here, and that means that your skin can start to recover from the long harsh winter. Not only does the cold weather take it’s toll on skin, but also the dry air that is caused by central heating systems dries the skin out rapidly. Finding the right skin care cream to keep your skin in good condition over the winter months can be tricky, which is why starting a new spring skin care regime is so important.

We all know the importance of exfoliating, cleansing and moisturising, but it is so easy to get out of the habit when winter hits. Less of our skin is exposed during the winter months, and as a result dry, rough patches on knees, ankles and elbows seem to set in quickly, and even the skin our our faces looks a little worse for wear. It is only when the weather picks up and we start to think about wearing dresses and shorts again that we realise how badly our skin needs some attention. However, you have to go about kicking your skin back into shape carefully. Over zealous exfoliating can actually cause tiny tears in the skin, that will make tired winter skin look and feel a lot worse. Use very gentle exfoliating scrubs, or even better a cream or face mask or peel that contains Glycolic Acid and/or AHA’s. These will work to regenerate the surface of your skin without an abrasive effect, so there is no danger of causing damage to your skin. These kinds of masks should be treated with caution, and it is best to test them on a small area of skin first as they aren’t suitable for all skins. You really only need to exfoliate or use a face peel once a week, any more and you are risking overdoing it and doing more harm than good for your skin.

Cleanse your skin everyday – preferably twice a day, especially if you wear make up regularly. Cleansing unblocks your pores and removes the day’s grime from the surface of your skin, leaving it free to breathe and regenerate. It may sound obvious, but many of us fail to cleanse our skin properly and then wonder why it looks dull and unhappy. There are so many different ways you can cleanse your skin, and it is a case of finding which method suits you best. Face wipes, face washes, cold cream or even soap and water, whichever you prefer, and whichever leaves your skin looking and feeling clean. You shouldn’t be left with tight feling skin after cleansing though, this means you have stripped all the oils out which can lead to dry skin.

Moisturising is next, and this is where the skin care cream range gets a bit crazy. There are so many different types of moisturiser, all offering different benefits. The main thing you need to take into consideration is your skin type, as this will determine how heavy or light the cream you are going to use will be. There is no good using a cream for oily skin on dry skin as it won’t be able to deliver enough nourishment to your skin. It may take a few different tries, but you will eventually find a skin care cream that is the perfect one to take your skin from winter to spring with glowing radiance.

Care to leave a comment?

Skin Brightening Creams

  • Posted on March 19, 2010 at 3:00 pm

Many people have an uneven skin tone, and this can be caused by many different factors. For some people it is a result of sun damage, for others it may be marks left by acne. No matter what the cause of the uneven pigmentation of your skin, there are ways to correct it, however you have to be very careful what you use, as there are some brightening skin care creams that can damage fine or sensitive skin.

Even those that follow a wonderful skin care regime can find they have patches of darker skin here and there, and this is referred to by dermatologists as hyper-pigmentation. Providing you have ruled out some of the internal factors that can cause hyper-pigmentation such as excessive iron intake, deficiency of some vitamins such as A, B and E or even hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause, then you should be able to effectively even out your skin tone with one of the many skin brightening creams that are on the market.

There are many skin care creams that claim to be able to give you a smoother, clearer, fresher looking complexion with regular use, with most being able to give results within around 3 weeks of consistent use. However, for significantly darker patches, you may well need to use your brightening creams for up to a year to get a perfect skin tone. There are many different types of creams available, so you will be able to pick and choose one that suits you best. The most common active ingredient in skin lightening creams is Hydroquinone, however some people find they are not able to tolerate this on their skin. If you find that you seem to be having a reaction of some kind to a skin lightening cream that has Hydroquinone as it’s active ingredient, then you should discontinue use and look for a cream that has ingredients such as glycolic acid or tretinoin in.

It is worth remembering that you are in effect bleaching your skin everso slightly when using these kinds of creams, so if you have sensitive skin you should always test the cream on a small area of facial skin first. Many companies offer free samples so you can try their products before you buy, just so you can be sure it is compatible with your skin. Take advantage of these offers and try out a few creams so you can find the one that suits your skin best in terms of leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth. It is always important, no matter what kind of skin care cream you are looking to buy, to make sure that it is right for your skin and that you are going to get maximum benefits from it.

Care to leave a comment?

Self Tan Moisturisers – Skin Care Cream with a Twist

  • Posted on October 26, 2009 at 11:52 am

As winter draws nearer, and our summer holidays are starting to fade in our memories, finding a skin care cream that can give our skin a little bit of a glow becomes a priority for many of us. There is nothing worse than looking back over your holiday pictures to see yourself tanned and smiling, only to realise that your tan has faded to nothing, and your skin is starting to look a bit dull and lack lustre. This is where self tanning moisturisers step in to save the day, they have been around for a couple of years now, stepping in to rescue those of us who have either fallen foul of a shocking fake tan, or who have seen enough shocking fake tans to not even want to think about giving it a go. Self tanning moisturiser claim to allow you to build up a lovely golden glow, with no risk of streaks, patches or strange orange hues gracing you with their presence.

There are many different gradual tan moisturisers on the market now, with more appearing as their popularity increased, so the question now is which one is the best. Let’s take a look at some of the main players in the self tan moisturiser market to see how they perform.

Garnier Summer Body

Garnier Summer Body

This comes in two different shades, one for pale to medium skin and one for medium to dark skin so you can decide on your tan level. It smells quite sweet, and may even get a bit sickly if you are not one for sweet smells, but this does fade so it’s of no great concern. It’s a lovely moisturiser and goes on very easily, although you can’t really see where you have applied it as it is white, and absorbs very quickly. Garnier summer body has a nice consistency, which makes it very easy to apply and within about 5 minutes it feels like it has soaked in and there is no sticky “fake tan” feeling. It does give a good, even colour, with no hint of orange, and doesn’t really need to be used every day as the colour builds quickly and easily – you could probably get away with using it 2 or 3 times a week and maintain a lovely tanned glow.

Dove Summer Glow

Dove Summer Glow

This also has two different shades, fair to medium and medium to dark. It smells OK, although does have a little hint of fake tan smell about it, but nothing to overpowering. It goes on very easily, but again it is difficult to see where you have applied it as it is a pinky/white cream that disappears on application. The drying time seems to be a bit of an issue with this one, and it says on the bottle not to get dressed until the moisturiser has soaked in, which it never quite seems to do. There is a definite feeling of stickiness left over, and this doesn’t really go until you have showered. The colour is nice, but if you don’t apply enough then you are in danger of getting streaks, and of course you won’t know this until the next day. Still a good product, but needs to be treated with similar caution as full on fake tan – exfoliate and moisturise before applying, paying particular attention to dry areas such as knees and elbow to make sure they don’t go orange.

Johnsons Holiday Skin

Johnson's Holiday Skin

This also comes in two shades, fair to medium and normal to darker. With the distinct smell of fake tan it can be a little overpowering, but if you use it at night then only you will be able to smell it! This goes on very nicely, although as with all these products it is a white cream so you cna’t really see where you have applied it. The moisturising aspect of Johnsons Holiday Skin is great, it leaves your skin feeling wonderuflly soft and silky. The colour however isn’t so hot. Unfortunately it seems to rub off on clothes and towels etc. after application, so not something to put on first thing in the morning if you are intending to wear light clothes. It is also a bit on the sticky side, although this does wear off after a couple of hours. It does give a lovely golden tan, but seems to go a bit streaky/patchy if you use it for a few days in a row, and starts to build up a bit of an orange hue. Definitely one to use two or three times a week, before going to bed so you can restrict the dodgy smell and colour transference to your bed.

Out of these three it seems to be Garnier Summer Body that delivers the best results, with minimal smell, stickiness and risk of streaks and for a reasonable price too – all of these self tan moisturisers retail at around £4, although you will find many shops have great offers on them from time to time, so if you have found one you really like then snapping up a couple of bottles while it is on offer is a good idea. If you are looking for a nice glow throughout the winter, and don’t want to subject your skin to sunbeds or risk a full fake tan, than you could do far worse than investing in a good bottle of skin care cream that lets you build up a tan as you moisturise.

Care to leave a comment?