It's your Skinsational News!

Welcome to your November edition of Skinsational topics that will keep your skin looking younger, healthier, and absolutely gorgeous!

Be sure to bookmark the Skin Care Resource Center's Anti-Aging Skin Care Blog and visit us frequently. You don't want to miss out on valuable skin care news or the hints and tips that are published every day!

(. . .and be sure to share the Skinsational News! by forwarding these newsletters along to your friends. Thanks!)

November Issue At-A-Glance:

• Feature Article- Dry, Red, Raw Skin? Winterizing Facial Strategies
• Skin Care Technique- The Creepy, Crawlies- Addressing A Common Aging Skin Care Issue
• Your Top Secret Facial Treat of the Month- Natural Blackhead Remover
• Beauty Tip- Expensive Doesn't Mean Effective
• Skin Care Product Review- Your Wrinkle Iron! Using the Galvanic Skin Rejuvenation Technology to Firm, Tone, and Reduce Wrinkles

Feature Article:

The changes in seasonal temperatures, especially during the winter months can wreak havoc on the skin due to vacillating fluctuations in both temperature and humidity. As a result, the skin's moisture content dissipates very quickly creating dry skin conditions.

Many symptoms of dry, cracked, red, raw skin can be directly attributed to the lack of adequate moisture in the skin. Without sufficient moisture the skin becomes dehydrated giving it a dull, dry, sunken (and wrinkly) appearance.

As skin becomes drier it also becomes much more susceptible to inflammation. Variations in temperature, including forced heat indoors, serve to aggravate the skin producing such symptoms as rashes, redness, itchiness, and acne outbreaks. For those who experience bouts of rosacea, eczema, and other preexisting skin conditions; those symptoms can become exacerbated as the skin loses moisture during the colder months of the year.

Simply by applying a moisturizer rich in vitamins and emollients several times throughout the day will produce immediate improvement, even when the skin is exhibiting symptoms of mild inflammation.

Look at it this way. . .

Skin dryness is a symptom indicating a problem. Skin dryness is a condition that is exhibited when the skin showing signs of becoming unhealthy. You need to treat this symptom quickly in order to avoid the onset of more severe issues.

One of my favorite analogies that demonstrates how important moisture is to skin health is the process used to create dried fruits. Raisins are made by leaving nice, plump, juicy grapes out to dry in the sun, right?

Well, picture in your mind what the sun is doing to the grape in order for it to turn into a raisin. It's the simple science of dehydration that leaves that same plump grape terribly dried out, shrunken, leathery and all wrinkly. The same thing happens to your skin when it starts to lose moisture during seasonal changes with the drop in humidity.

There are some basic rules of thumb to proactively treat the symptoms of dry, flaky, irritated skin. This is especially true for those skin types that react to seasonal changes and each year find it challenging to maintain skin health, especially during the winter months.

Here is a quick guide for preventing dry, winter skin:

• Dry skin is dehydrated skin
• Keep the skin hydrated inside and out.
• Drink plenty of water every day and use every opportunity to maintain the moisture content of the skin.
• Use a facial mist infused with rejuvenating herbs and ingredients that provide nutrients to the skin throughout the day.
• Make time for a facial steam once or twice a week.
• Apply skin treatments to warm, moist skin to seal in the moisture. Example, after showering only pat excess water off the skin then apply facial treatments to slightly damp skin.
• Use a vaporizer near your bed to keep moisture in the air throughout the night and near your desk in the office to increase the humidity in the air during the day.
• Select skin care treatments that a formulated with ingredients rich in nutrients as well as emollient, healing, and antioxidant properties to "feed" the skin the nourishment it needs to stay healthy.
• Moisturize several times throughout the day.
• Protect the face with a light layer of petroleum jelly and a scarf when outside on cold winter days.

Rebalancing the skin's moisture content is a matter of adopting a proactive approach to your skin care regimen to prevent the skin from becoming increasingly irritated which can lead to not only red, chapped and dry skin but to outbreaks of acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and other skin conditions.

Some other tips that also work really well for treating dry skin:

• Use a gentle soy-based facial cleanser like an Aveeno product
• Use a gentle exfoliation treatment once or twice a week to slough away dead skin cells
• Use a moisturizer that includes vitamin A, C, E, Q-10 (coenzyme q10), hyaluronic acid, and/or peptides.
• For natural skin care enthusiasts, coconut oil is wonderful or any other natural oil made from nuts, or seeds are also excellent all natural moisturizer choices.
• For especially stubborn dry spots, break off an Aloe Vera leaf and squeeze a small amount of the gel, applying directly to the dry, chafed and irritated area of skin. Aloe has soothing, healing, and moisturizing properties. It also helps to remove dead skin cells.
• Use pure petroleum jelly as a cheap and effective quick remedy for emerging dry spots, and mild eczema. Simply dab a little pure Vaseline on dry spots or chapped skin before going to bed. Within a night or two you will see that the dryness all but disappears.
• Another proactive approach to caring for extra dry, red, raw, chapped, sensitive, skin is to make time for a super moisturizing facial mask at least once a week in addition to your regular routine.

Providing your skin with the age fighting nourishment it needs creates a healthy environment for skin cells to regenerate, stimulate collagen production, and actually “feeding” the skin all the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs will result in well hydrated, plumper, healthier skin.

A recent review in Consumer Report confirms what the FDA has asserted for years; many facial rejuvenation treatments are based upon hype and not on the proven effectiveness of the product.

Consumer Report's final recommendation to consumers of skin care and beauty products is to do your homework.

Read the ingredient label.

Knowledge is power! Arm yourself with information. . . accurate information!

Know which active anti-aging ingredients are proven to effectively rejuvenate the skin. Become familiar with the effective concentrations of rejuvenation ingredients are so that you spend your money wisely on skin care products that will produce results!

To get great results you need to use treatments that are formulated specifically to rejuvenate aging skin conditions.

Despite the most diligent efforts, blackheads tend to multiply in the "T" zone area faster than they can be eradicated.

For a quick natural blackhead remover treatment dissolve 1/2 packet of plain unflavored gelatin and 5 crushed plain generic aspirin in a few teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

Apply a thin layer of the mixture to warm moist skin which can be accomplished by saturating a face cloth with very warm water and positioning it on you face for a few minutes or, if you have time, give your face a quick facial steam. This will open up the pores and create a receptive environment for the blackhead treatment.

Let the blackhead treatment dry then peel off along with those blackheads!

Gently scrub skin with a face cloth dipped in baking soda and warm water. Use a natural antibacterial toner by mixing 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon honey and 2 tablespoons finely minced rosemary leaves. Moisturize as usual.

For more natural home made rejuvenating facial treatments:

Natural Skin Care Recipes or get Natually Skinsational!

• Electronic version: eBook
• Paperback: Amazon.com

P.S. With the holidays right around the corner, a great homemade gift basket idea is to assemble the ingredients for your favorite skin care recipe in a beautiful little mixing bowl along with a copy of Naturally Skinsational ~ Rejuvenating Skin Care Recipes to give to family, friends, neighbors and even teachers!

Have you ever wondered what those little red spidery veins are that creep across the bridge of your nose and over your cheeks?

They are broken capillaries which begin to occur with increasing frequency as you age, especially for those with fair skin.

They start off innocently enough and are barely visible. Over time they become more pronounced, radiating out over your cheeks while deepening gradually in color until it looks like you’ve gone wild with a bright red blush. Yikes!

Vitamin K cream will help to tone down the redness and diminish some of the damage. Unfortunately, once those creepy crawlies begin to flourish, more drastic intervention becomes necessary.

If the problem has become extremely pronounced then the sure fire remedy that will eliminate the broken capillaries is facial laser treatments. Two of the options available are the new OTC home facial laser, the Baby Quasar, or a professional intensive light therapy, (IPL), treatment usually performed in a cosmetic surgery medical office.

The Baby Quasar will take several treatments before you begin to see results while a professional IPL therapy treatment will produce immediate results. It comes down to a matter of expense.

While the Baby Quasar has a rather expensive price tag, it's a home photorejuvenation laser devise that can be used over and over again whereas professional IPL treatments start at several hundred dollars for just a single treatment. The more significant the damage from broken capillaries, the more treatments required to eliminate the damage.

Getting rid of those creepy crawlies makes a significant impact aging skin, creating a clear, smoother and much more youthful, healthy appearance.

As a self-confessed "spa gadget gal", I have more facial and skin care gadgets and devises than I care to admit. (My excuse is that I have to test new products so that I can accurately report on whether the benefits achieved are worth the expense.)

I'm often asked what spa treatments and skin care aids produce the best results. Well, I have to say that my personal all time favorite spa skin care product is the one that I refer to as my wonderful little facial "wrinkle iron". While many other spa gadgets produce great results, most take several treatments to actually visually see results.

The "wrinkle iron" on the other hand produces immediate, visible results!

Not in a dramatic sort of way mind you, but even after the first treatment, my fine lines and wrinkles were definitely diminished and "softer" looking and my skin is firmer. As with all facial rejuvenation products, the results are cumulative too.

So with consistent treatments, fine lines and wrinkles continue to simply fade away. (Gotta love that!)

I only wish that I had thought to take before and after pictures when I started using my trusty little wrinkle iron. It's not often that I am stunned with results, but I sure was (and still am) with this home spa devise. At 54, I can honestly say that I really love the compliments I get on how great my skin looks.

, The December Newsletter will feature "With Visions of Spa Facials Repairing Her Skin . . ." along with a wonderfully rich natural skin care recipe for an extra special Holiday facial spa treat!

Have a beauty filled day!

Skinsationally Yours,

Sue