Hi,

Skin care markets overwhelm you with a variety of options. Skin Cleansing products are available in an extensive variety of forms, types, price ranges and so on.

Here are some different type of cleansers that work well for different skin types:

Cleansing Soaps
Though soaps may claim to clean your skin very well, it should never be used on the face. Soaps contain harsh ingredients that strip off the natural moisture from the skin. However, there are gentle soaps as well which women with oily skin can benefit from.

Foaming Cleansers
They can be quite drying… so best used by women with oily skin. Even a small amount of cleanser is enough to clean your entire face. So it’s a good investment. Try Skin Care Heaven Purifying Gentle Cleanser, a deep cleaning foaming cleanser that is filled to the brim with potent antioxidants such as Green Tea and Caffeine. The Purifying Cleanser cleanses the skin and fights off free radical damage at the same time.

Cleansing Gels
They are gentle cleansers that don’t foam all that much… and therefore have a reputation of not cleansing the skin well enough. Cleansing gels can simply be washed off with water (or even wiped off with a tissue) thus making them a good choice for women with dry skin. La Roche-Posay Biomedic LHA Cleansing Gel is great for purifying and preparing the skin. Moreover, it helps to stimulate the exfoliation process as well. This Cleanser is great for evening out the skin tone and helps to remove dead skin cells.

Cleansing Lotions
These are just like gels or foaming cleansers. With its milky texture, it is an ideal choice for women with dry skin. These cleansers contain oils that remove dirt and impurities along with all traces of make-up and sunscreen without making the skin dry.

Medicated Cleansers
These cleansers are available in all forms – gels, lotions and soaps and are especially formulated for people with acne-prone skin. They contain special active ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide that help unclog the skin pores and kill the acne causing bacteria. iS Clinical Cleansing Complex by Innovative Skincare is great for resurfacing and deep cleaning the skin. It is anti-acneic and is safe enough to be used on sensitive skin. It does not leave the skin dry and contains a rich blend of antioxidants to fight free radicals.

So, the next time you are shopping for cleansers, make sure you opt for the right one!

Marilynn Syrett
Skin Care Expert

Hi,

Women have always been skeptical about the use of toners. While some still take time out to include it in their skin care regimen, there are others who choose to skip its use altogether. This is however a serious mistake

Toning is an integral part of a skin care regimen that follows the cleansing routine and prepares the skin for the moisturization process. Here are some of the important functions of toning.

It removes the residual impurities from the skin pores that are left behind after the cleansing routine and then closes them. After cleansing, skin pores tend to open up and enlarge in size. As a result, moisture evaporates easily and makes the skin dry and dehydrated. Toners in turn close the opened skin pores and prevent the skin from becoming overly dry.

Because toners close the skin pores, dirt and debris from the environment do not settle within them and this helps to prevent skin damage. Moreover, good toners also include antiseptic properties and provide moisture and nutrients to the skin, thus preparing the skin for subsequent moisturization.

There are certain skin care products in the market that claim to have cleansing-toning-moisturizing properties all in one. However, it’s nothing more than a marketing gimmick. This is because cleansers are supposed to open the skin pores to remove the debris while toners are supposed to close the open pores. Then how can a single product perform both the functions simultaneously?

Follow an intelligent skin care routine consisting of all the 3 steps – Cleansing, Toning and Moisturizing! Also, don\’t forget to exfoliate twice a week.

Women with dry skin should avoid using astringents and alcohol based toners. They should rather stick to mild toners that contain soothing ingredients like witch hazel. Obagi Nu Derm Toner is a great product made up of a unique combination of natural ingredients and herbs that tones the skin and restores its normal pH balance. It contains a natural astringent called \’alum\’ that adjusts the skin\’s pH levels.

Hi,

Removing make-up before you hit the sack at night is one of the most important skin care steps. In fact, no information about skin care is complete if it doesn\’t stress the importance of removing make-up and keeping the skin clean. After all, it is important let your skin breathe and regenerate at night as you sleep.

Well, let’s face it, removing make-up is not that tough a job. But still, thereare an alarming percentage of women who skip this nightly routine. After a hard day’s work, it’s no surprise that women go to or fall asleep without remembering to take off their make-up. But then this habit can be extremely damaging.

Leaving make-up on your skin during the night tends to clog your skin pores and give rise to breakouts and acne blemishes. In fact, when cosmetic particles get trapped within the skin pores, they make the pores appear larger and this paves the way for the development of ugly pimples.

Here is a step by step procedure to remove make-up from your skin effectively!

Start by removing your Eye Makeup
A regular cleanser or make-up remover may not be able to remove eye make-up effectively because mascara and eye shadows generally contain very stubborn cosmetic particles. Therefore, use a special eye make-up remover to wipe of all the make-up from the eyes and around. Take care not to stretch the delicate skin of the eye contours.

Cleanse your face with a Cleanser
Wet your face and apply a cleanser to wash your entire face and neck areas. Make sure you the areas where you had make-up on like the mouth andcheeks, etc. Rinse well! Make sure you remove all traces of cosmetics as well as the cleanser.

Tone your skin
Use a good toner or astringent to wipe your face. Toners remove all the leftover particles of make-up and cosmetics that the cleanser would have missed. Moreover, they also normalize the pH balance of the skin and reduce the pore size.

There you go! Follow these steps diligently as you remove your make-up at night every day. And remember, your skin is only as healthy as you keep it!

Hi,

No matter how much is discussed about the topic of toners, this is one question that women seem to continually ask..

Probably that\’s because they are two major schools of thought – one that advocates the use of toners and the other that simply dissuades it as an unnecessary step in the skin care regimen.

Well.. we believe that the answer to the question is different for different types of skin conditions. In fact, it depends on your skin type, your choice of toners and the way your skin responds to it. As per skin care guidelines, toners are extremely important for women who have oily and acne prone skin. Toners provide an extra cleansing effect and gets rid ofstubborn make-up particles and residues that are left behind by the cleansers.

Here are some basic functions of toners:

Cleans Residual Impurities

Even after you wash your face with a cleanser, often there are impurities still left behind. They may be stubborn particles of make-up or just particles of the cleanser itself. Toners flush out all the impurities from the skin pores intensively and leave the skin squeaky clean!

Shrinks the Skin Pores

Toners also make your skin pores appear less significant. Thus, it is a great product for women who face the problem of enlarged skin pores. And because toners shrink down the skin pores, they help to prevent external impurities from entering the skin surface.

Adjusts pH Balance

The most important function of a toner is that it adjusts the pH balance of the skin. The pH balance of the skin gets disrupted by a number of factors, including using too many skin care products. Toners normalize the pH levels of the skin and prepare it for further moisturization.

So ladies.. The choice is yours! If your skin says that it needs toners.. Go ahead and complete your skin care regimen!

Hi,

This is one question that gets thrown at me quite often.

Women know they need to use cleansers and they know they need anti-aging products and moisturizers but somehow they are skeptical about the importance of toners. Toners are often confused with cleansers and most people think they are just replaceable.

Toners are the last step to ensure that all makeup and residue have been removed. However, there is more to them than just that. Let me explain some benefits of toners.

Toners Restores the pH Balance of the Skin
After using a cleansers on your face, the pH balance of the skin is changed. Toners help to re-establish and normalize the pH balance of the skin. By doing so you allow any other product that you use after to work better.

Obagi Nu-Derm Toner
It is a unique combination of natural ingredients and herbs that tones your skin and restores the normal pH balance by using a natural astringent called ‘alum’.

Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm
It’s a great exfoliating lotion that comprises of Phytic acid and helps make the skin smooth and supple.

Obagi Nu Derm Exoderm Forte
A fabulous exfoliating lotion that has alpha-hydroxy acids in it that smoothes damaged skin and tones it.

Hi,

I just checked out my mail box. And there were many of you who wrote to me rechecking if they really needed a toner. Apparently some of you have not had a good experience with toners!

So, here let me tell you… Who needs skin toners?

The answer is – Everyone! Yeah everyone!

Toners essentially clear of all residual elements that escape the cleanser and make the skin neat and dirt free.

There are available toners that cater to all skin types. However, you should be careful about what you decide to purchase…

Let me tell you who needs what…

Oily Skin Type
Women with oily skin are the ones who need it the most. Get a toner or astringent that is high in alcohol content. It works very well with oily and acne prone skin. Toners that contain salicylic acid not only get rid of the cleanser residues but also exfoliate the skin pores from within and thus reduce the chances of acne attack. Also, look for toners that have witch hazel.

Normal and Dry Skin Type
You guys have it made. Go for a moisturizing toner that contains humectants and botanicals that nourish sensitive skin.

Some women believe in completely abstaining from alcoholic toners. That need not be so! There are certain cosmetic alcohols like cetyl that doesn’t have any drying effect on the skin! However, regular use of toners with salicylic or glycolic acid can be bad.

What you can do is rotate them alternatively. For instance, use a mild cleanser one day and the stronger one the next! Try toners that contain chamomile

The moral of the story is that for any skin care product to be effective and work well, you need to know which ones to pick and how to use it correctly!

Hi,

So we know how important is it to have squeaky clean skin yeah?

Cleansing usually removes all dirt particles, excess oils and make up residues from the skin. But how do you make sure that there is nothing left behind and your skin is completely clean?

Here comes the toner! Yeah… the oft forgotten and oft overlooked part of skin care regimens. I’ve seen women jump directly from cleansers to moisturizers… which is not quite the right way.

Let me tell you what toners can do for you…

Removes Residues

Thick creamy cleansers generally leave back a filmy residue on the skin. People with dry skin can live with it but those with oily or combination skin will have problems… severe ones. It could result in further oiliness and give rise to blemishes and inflammations.

Toners cut through this film and relieve the skin off any residue that is left behind by the cleanser!

Balances pH

Cleansers tend to change the pH balance of the skin, restoring which is very important. Toners come in handy here. They restore the normal pH balance of the skin and help prevent dryness or irritation.

Clarifies Skin Pores

There is a common misconception that says toners shrink the skin pores which is completely untrue. Stretched pores can never be shrunken down. However, toners can help you minimize the appearance of large pores.
How… u ask?

Toners that contain cosmetic alcohol like SD or isopropyl alcohol cause the opening of the pores to swell a bit… just so much as to make the actual pore less noticeable. But yeah… the effects are temporary!!

So there you have it! Move over to a 3 step skin care regimen and make use of the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ to get yourself better skin!

Watch this space as I get you more information on toners next time

Byeee