Charcoal VS Clay Face Masks | BEAUTY

Hello!

"so your skin appears fresh and glowing."

Face masks are a beautiful thing. Not only do they make you feel super pampered (whether done at home or in a super fancy spa), but they also do wonders for your skin - if you find the right one, that is. There's the issue: which one is the right one? 

Peel Off Deep Sea Face Mask | BEAUTY

Hello!

"if you find you have an issue with large pores, with regular use ...you will see them become smaller"

I love a good face mask. You'd think that they're just for slumber parties and to make you feel like you're a bit of an alien - who knew they actually help the skin?! *shock, horror*

Setting Your Beauty Free | Guest Post

What is the very first thing that we notice when we meet someone? Physical appereance, of course, more specifically, facial features. This is why we must take care about our skin, so we would be more satisfied with ourselves. If you are having some skin-related issues, no matter how much you are trying not to care about what others may think about you, it sometimes bothers you, because you may find yourself  unattractive, or with low self-confidence, due to the fact that you have, perhaps, acne. Yes, they might be bothersome, and nuisance, but, fortunately, they can be treated. And, you are not alone.

Causes 

According to some studies, about 80 to 90 percent of young people in Western world are affected by acne. In 2010., it seized 650 million people. And yet, science can not give straight answer to the question:”What is the cause of acne?” On the other hand, there are several factors that could contribute to appereance of this skin condition. In the past, food was considered as one of the biggest reasons for manifestation of acne, but this misconception has somewhat been proven false.

On the other hand, genetics is one of the reasons for having this condition, but, inheritance of acne does not follows the classic Mendelian pattern. Inheritance can skip generations, or be achieved from relatives, not just direct ancestors. However, some new researches have shown a link between specific type of bacteria, called Propionibacterium acnes, which causes inflammation that leads to some more serious cases.

In spite of popular opinion, dirty skin does not causes acne, in fact, scrubbing skin too hard, or using chemically aggressive coditions, lotions or soap, can only irritate skin and make things worse, leading to permanent scarring and marking. Eventually, most scientist agree that acne are connected to hormones, which is the main reason for its appereance during puberty,youth age, or menstrual cycle. For this reason, acne are harder to treat, for example, during pregnancy, when hormones are also on a rampage, because not all medical drugs can be used without risk of permanent damage to fetus.  Acne can also appear, during menopause, or as a result of a Cushing syndrome, which is outcome of abnormally high level of hormone called cortisol.

Consequences 

If not treated in time, or unprofessionally , acne can severely damage skin, and, in most cases the damage caused is permanent and irreparable. Acne can leave scars, marks, dark spots, pigmentations, which are noticeable. Apart from physical aspect, a lot more serious aspect are mental issues, which can lead into depression, anxiety, low level of self-esteem, or, in some extreme cases, even suicide.

Treatment

Treating acne should be acquired exclusively from professional doctors and dermatologists. Do not wait for acne to disappear by themselves, visit the doctor as soon as you notice any escalation of condition. They will prescribe adequate treatment and take care about you. Luckily, today, thanks to scientifical progress, there are a lot ways for you to get rid of acne. Not all of them include medications, especially those based upon benzoyl peroxide, which is connected with appereance of cancer. In general, medical drugs with each passing day are becoming more and more overcomed by new, painless and modern ways.

Laser technique, for example, represents a cutting edge of struggle of mankind to preserve its beauty. These therapies can also improve skin texture and lessen the appearance of scars. It is completely safe, reliable, and accessible anywhere in the world. If you find yourself on a holiday in Australia, for example, and because of a hot weather, your acne got worse, you can find many specialised companies for acne treatment in Sydney.

Can Your Diet Really Cause Acne? -Guest Post

Over the years, a debate has ranged as to whether there is any relationship between diet and acne and if any, to what magnitude. Dermatologists have differed with those supporting the theory but this has slowly come to change as research reveals that some certain foods could definitely contribute to acne and other health cases.  One of the supporting evidences about the link between acne and diet is that an increase in bacteria, hormones, sebum and hyper production of follicular cells can be directly associated with acne. There are certain foods known to contribute to excessive proliferation of the aforementioned substances in the body and the question that we should ask is whether these really have an effect on your skin condition.

First, it is good to note that diet plays a major role in the treatment of acne. People with some skin conditions or those trying to fight wrinkles and aging process can effectively do it by eating the right diet. With this is in mind, it is obvious that if diet can be used for treatment and rejuvenation of the skin, the same can on the other hand be instrumental in the development of acne.  Before going far however, it is good to answer a few questions so as to establish the truth about this matter.

What causes acne?

Acne occurs as a result of blockage of hair follicles which might be caused by a number of factors. One, the follicles can be blocked by dead skin cells, oil secretions and bacteria and this is evident especially in the facial skin, neck, shoulders, chest and on your back. These parts of the body are known to have many oil glands or sebaceous which help to protect and moisturize the skin tissue. However, dead skin cells can easily block these glands while oil can also accumulate leading to bacterial reaction. This reaction results to inflammation which is linked to acne.

What foods can contribute to acne?

For long, junk foods such as French fries, processed drinks and chocolates have been associated with acne. However, this cannot be taken as a wholesale issue since not all people have reacted negatively with these foods leading to acne. It is however important to point out that some people normally develop acne when they eat these foods owing to the increase of fat in the body which is at some point released through the skin pores leading to some level of blockage. Research has also shown that some people develop acne when they drink milk that is highly concentrated with fats.

Some researchers have also pointed at foods that lead to the production of excess insulin levels as a major contributor of skin inflammation. Such foods include processed sugar and sugary foods that cause an increase in insulin thus leading to endocrine response and hormonal surge. This leads to an increase of pore-blocking cells and excessive activity by oil gland. It is not however conclusive as to whether diet and acne should be linked but it is good to assess your skin and its reaction to different foods. When all is said and done however, you should bear in mind that proper diet leads to a healthy skin and body. 

Molly Garner is a beautician by profession. She is contributing article on behalf of CoLaz Beauty Salon they offer laser hair removal, advanced acne treatments and beauty treatments.

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Editors Notes: 

Hello! 

I hope you enjoyed the really informative post by Molly Garner, I loved reading it and found it really interesting! Do you think diet causes acne? 

Good Things Skincare - Review

Hello!

Now I haven't really written/spoken to you about skin care... like, ever. Which is quite weird because I want to be a dermatologist in the future - so like a skin care specialist...hmm...

Anyway, there's a lot you may or may not know about me... well, did you know: I used to have hormonal cystic acne. Yep, was as disgusting as it sounds, trust me. I've had a lot of ups and downs with my skin and it was definitely a huge confidence-deflater for me and when my skin cleared up - let me tell you, it was a slow, long process and didn't happen overnight - everyone and their mothers would ask me my "secret"... and that would make me feel a little angry as when I was in the process on clearing up my acne, these same people were the ones who gave me dirty looks and making me feel insecure - well, who's laughing now?

Okay, it's not me laughing because guess what? I have quite a few spots again.
 Now let me tell you from experience: your skin doesn't depend on simply just what you put ON your face. It depends on a whole load of things such as mental health - who gets pimples when they're stressed? This girl... - what goes into your body and even the pollution levels in the place you live. When I went to a quite countryside/village for a holiday in February this year, my skin was amazing, because the pollution level was low and I felt my skin got a nice 'detox'!

Anyway, so when I go to buy new skincare products I try to find what will work best for me (duh!), but I have combination/oily skin, so I keep that in mind when shopping!
So, I went to Boots one day and saw this line:

Good Things sounds amazing for spot prone oily/combination skin, plus the packaging is gorgeous and totally drew me in!

First of all, this smells GORGEOUS! It's like fruity and 'girly' and a great scent to fall into bed with! It lingers even after you've rinsed it off and I can't say I hate it.
Besides the smell, the actual product is a gel like consistency, which is meant to be perfect for oily skin. Also, it is clear in colour.

The product doesn't really create a lather, foam or suds - I personally prefer this as it feels silky on the skin and you really feel like you're living in luxury and truly pampering yourself when putting this on. The skin feels soft when the product is rinsed off and doesn't feel like the skin is stripped of natural oils.

However, the product has downfalls...
It broke me out.
At first I was in love with this product but after a couple of weeks of uses I noticed my spots coming back. The first few times a pimple popped up I blamed it for other reasons, such as stress or a bad diet, but then found that they may be factors as well as this product.
Good Things Facial Cleanser went straight in the bin.

Overall, I do recommend you give this a go if you have oily skin and would like to try a gel cleanser - if you don't like strong/lingering scents STAY AWAY. If you're like me and LOVE the scent, try it!
I actually have very sensitive skin too, so very few products work for me - if you find your skin is slightly less sensitive, then I suggest trying it.

Unfortunately this was a stay away product for me and I will not be repurchasing.

Hope you liked the review, what's your go-to cleanser when the spots come out?
Leave a comment!