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Home Remedies for Teenage Acne

Teenagers hate acne, of course, and they’re also the people most prone to it. It was the big thing back in the ’80s and ’90s to have teenage acne or pimples leap out of nowhere and ruin a wedding, dance or recital. Teenage acne was the equivalent of the social plague as it was a social status death. Usually, there would be a mad dash for some acne solution or some home remedies for acne so that they can make it to the prom as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

Luckily, acne treatments are no longer the exclusive realm of skin doctors or dermatologists as it can be handled from home with the right items. Here are some ways you can keep your face spic-and-span without having to go to a skin clinic.

Oatmeal

A knife that spreads can also cut and the oatmeal that can feed you can also become a fine example of a home-available acne solution. Simply cook the aforementioned oatmeal and then spread it out on your face. Apply it as cleanly and evenly as you can and simply wash it after a few minutes. It absorbs the oil on your face, clearing up the acne in the process.

Lemon Juice

One of the more complex home remedies for acne involves lemon juice. Create a mixture that consists of equal parts lemon juice and rose water, then use a cotton ball to apply it to the acne-affected area. Make sure that the application stays on for around an hour then wash it thoroughly with water. This isn’t a quick solution, though, as it takes around two to three weeks for it to really kick in.

Toothpaste

Apparently, toothpaste isn’t just for your teeth as it finds itself a part of a very effective acne solution. Putting toothpaste on the offending pimple before you go to sleep or overnight can reducing the amount of redness and swelling. It’s a popular acne solution as it is readily available. Just make sure you’re actually using the paste as the gel doesn’t work this way. Also, don’t apply it on a ruptured pimple lesion as it might get infected.

Eating Healthy

The best home remedies for acne are those that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Staying healthy can actually help keep your face clear; that means eating fruits and vegetables, each one as fresh as you can get it. Five servings of the stuff should be present in your diet to maximize effectiveness when it comes to your face. In fact, this should be combined with other acne treatment to further maximize its effectiveness. This leads to a cleaner body through the help of fiber and, thus, less oily skin.

Popping the Problem

If these don’t work for you, you don’t have to fret and freak as there are literally dozens of other acne treatments and home remedies for teenage acne around the world. Talk to some friends or go visit a forum on the good old internet and you’ll find a lot of other ideas. Don’t worry, as there’s probably one acne solution somewhere out there that will work wonderfully for you. If you don’t find it at first, just keep trying. And maybe, it’s time to visit that dermatologist after all.

Cellulite Solution – Liposuction

Cellulite has long plagued men and women around the world, often preventing them from enjoying their swimsuits without wondering if people are looking at it. Now, there are a number of so-called cellulite solutions running around, promising to eliminate cellulite, such as liposuction. Liposuction cellulite procedures appear to be fairly common but when you really think about it, what do we know about this cellulite solution? How effective is it and if it is or isn’t, why?

Cellulite

Can liposuction work on cellulite? First, let’s take a look at what cellulite is. Cellulite is basically dimpled skin in various areas of the body, usually around the thighs and buttocks or wherever else there are areas of fat close to the skin. Women are more prone to getting the condition than men and women first experience cellulite in puberty due to the large number of hormonal changes that they undergo.

Interestingly, being overweight has absolutely nothing to do with cellulite. Losing weight is not a cellulite solution – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. If you want to prevent it naturally, exercise is the best way to go.

Liposuction Cellulite

Liposuction is exactly what it sounds like, it is the process of sucking out fat. It’s a common procedure and one that has been around since the late seventies. It has been immensely improved since then and has found other uses. Liposuction can provide a great aid in fighting cellulite as it can suck out the dimpled fat or the cellulite. However, like many things in medicine or the sexual preference of a boy band member, nothing is really certain.

Success varies from person to person depending on their body type and their genetics. Liposuction can help eliminate cellulite, but it cannot do the job all on its own. This is, however, true for the old-style liposuction, the one that required actual suction. There is a new method, one that uses laser, but the jury is still out as to how effective it is in handling cellulite.

Other Methods

Massages, surprisingly, can serve as a cellulite solution, but only if performed vigorously. It could bruise heavily as the force required is intense, but a person’s body can eventually adapt. No less than ten sessions are absolutely required for the massage sessions to work well. Not all fat responds the same way. Fat found in people older than forty tends to be softer than young fat and, thus, is more prone to treatment.

Put the Cellulite In a Cell

Cellulite doesn’t have to trap you in massive, old school bikinis that hide everything. There are ways of getting around this naturally-occurring condition, such as the aforementioned liposuction and massage. Ultrasonics and liponic sculpturing are other methods that you may want to look into, if liposuction and massage don’t work for you.

If they don’t work, don’t fret; there are still more ways of handling cellulite. Simply talk with your dermatologist, as they would know of any recent advances that can help you find your cellulite solution.

Skin Dermabrasion for Facial Acne Scar Treatment & Removal

Treating acne and the craters that it sometimes leaves is becoming easier by the day, though some may not be that affordable. Some people may find that after their bouts with acne, another issue must be boldly faced: acne scars – some barely noticeable, others deep and aggravation-inducing. Interestingly enough, a lot of people actually find themselves without scarring after their acne-ridden years. However, if you think that your face is cratered like the surface of the moon, facial acne scar treatment can vary from a simple treatment to skin dermabrasion or surgical scraping.

How Do Acne Scars Occur?

Acne scar removal is a common practice as acne scarring is fairly common. When an acne lesion has healed, either from natural or forced popping, it tends to leave a reddish mark on the skin. This mark isn’t the scar but what is called a post-inflammatory change. This redness is part of the remodeling that the skin is up to and it takes around half a year to a full year. It is during this time that it’ll either end up as smooth skin or an actual scar.

It is best not to cause those lesions in the first place and not require acne scar removal but if you’re there already, you’ll be happy to know that it’s not too late. Prevention is best, however, which largely revolves around protecting your skin properly such as wearing enough sunscreen and, of course, not just picking at the scabs themselves.

Skin Dermabrasion

Skin dermabrasion aims to smooth out your face, making it look better. Skin dermabrasion isn’t just for acne scar removal, it’s also for the removal of all sorts of scars, such as those from accidents. It can also handle and smooth out the finer wrinkles on your face. For deeper acne scar removal, something called dermaplaning is done instead.

There are other options than these surface repair jobs, such as a chemical peel. In fact, that might be coupled with skin dermabrasion or dermaplaning to maximize the outcome of the procedure.

Something you should consider before taking on this facial acne scar treatment is that it might not work for you. Technology only goes so far – luckily, so does foresight, as your dermatologist can examine your status and see if you’re a proper candidate for dermabrasion. Age usually doesn’t matter as much as the current state of your acne. If it is currently active, undergoing skin dermabrasion or dermaplaning can cause severe skin infections and cause more trouble than you were expecting. Previous skin treatments can also modify and affect your candidacy.

Skin Deep

Although skin dermabrasion is basically a simple surgery, it also carries with it some inherent risks. For the most part, the greatest risk you face, even with the most skilled dermatologists, is some skin darkening; nothing life changing, unless you’re an actor or the like.

Regardless, you still need to take care with facial acne scar treatment. It’s the first impression that people will get of you and you want to make sure that the impression you give is a good one. Take care of your face – it’ll repay you in spades.

Acne Vulgaris – Causes and Treatments

Acne has long been the sworn enemy of people about to go to prom or, at least, are about to get their picture taken. According to movies, it always seems to pop up right at the morning when you really don’t want it to come.

While that happens every now and then, movies are astoundingly inaccurate and rarely pay attention to reality – just check out Independence Day or the various failures in physics fantastically represented in The Core. They did get one thing about acne vulgaris right: it is almost certainly universally unwelcome.

Acne vulgaris treatments and causes vary from person to person in terms of effectiveness. People around the world are looking for the acne solution that will work for them and, hopefully, the following will able to help them achieve that goal.

Acne Vulgaris – The Cause

Sounds lewd, but it really isn’t. It’s just something that affects over 80% of the people in the world at one point or another. There are plenty of names and forms for acne vulgaris, from pimples, zits and blackheads to blemishes and whiteheads. But one thing is sure, acne vulgaris can cause a lot of emotional aggravation for adults and teenagers alike. It may start at puberty and may well continue to haunt adults in their forties or beyond.

Acne vulgaris can be partly hereditary or genetic, so if your parents have it, you’re most likely vulnerable to it. Hormonal changes brought about by puberty, menstrual cycle or stress can also be blamed for the occurrence of acne vulgaris. Any one of these hormonal activities, or a combination thereof, causes the sebaceous glands to go into hyperactive mode triggering the outbreaks.

Acne vulgaris can also occur when oil or even dead skin cells clog up your pores, or when bacteria accumulates in the pores due to improper hygiene. Use of anabolic steroids or taking medications containing barbiturates or androgens can also cause acne vulgaris.

The severity of the acne and, thus, of the required treatments for acne vulgaris ranges from person to person and usually case to case. Some people have severe and intense occurrences with literally hundreds of pimples blemishing their face, neck and back, while others are lucky enough to get only one or two.

Acne Vulgaris Treatments

Acne vulgaris treatments varies on the exact type you’re suffering from and the severity of the condition itself. The best approach that most doctors will advise you of is to simply combine treatments to maximize the chances of affecting acne vulgaris positively.

Mild Acne Vulgaris Treatment

Mild acne vulgaris ranges from whiteheads, blackheads and, of course, the eponymous pimple. Treatments for acne vulgaris of a mild severity requires simple actions, such as using mild soaps like Dove. The more common method of handling it involves Clearasil and Benzac or anything that has benzoyl peroxide as main ingredient which is every effective against acne vulgaris. Acne solution such as these should be enough to handle most mild outbreaks. If they’re not effective, you might have a more severe case than you think.

Moderate To Severe Outbreak Treatment

This is when treatments for acne vulgaris tend to be combined to truly affect a change. Cysts and nodules or deeper blemishes matter a whole lot – these are the ones that tend to leave scars. Most doctors and dermatologists actually end up prescribing antibiotics as well to help you heal.

Treatments involve a combination of most of the same stuff involved in mild acne vulgaris treatment and with some additions. Larger pimples and cysts should actually be drained by a professional to prevent most of the scarring. Antibiotic gels and oral antibiotics also feature prominently in this case.

Home Treatments for Acne Vulgaris

Treating yourself well at home can easily aid in handling the random flare-ups that most teens and even some adults tend to experience. Gently washing your face once or twice a day does wonders. Go with water-based products. Milky cleansers and cold creams can end up aggravating the problem and making it worse, so does lip gloss and lipstick that are loaded with oils.

Everyone knows that squeezing and popping pimples is generally a bad idea, but people do it anyway. Squeezing and popping zits and pimples can lead to a whole lot of nastiness, from mild infections to permanent scarring. So, once again, never squeeze your pimples even if you’re tempted to do so.

You can also head to your local drugstore to buy some cheap treatments for acne vulgaris. Benzac, Clearasil and Benoxyl can help unclog pores, prevent the onset or reduce the occurrence of acne vulgaris. Alpha-hydroxy acids can dry up those annoying blemishes and can cause the topmost skin layer to peel off. This item is easily found in various facial treatments from moisturizers to sunscreens. Salicylic acid, also found in Clearasil, does pretty much the same thing that alpha-hydroxy acids do.

Make sure to consult with a dermatologist before self-medicating or you may end up using treatments for acne vulgaris too much, which can lead to worsening of the condition or you might end up using too little and changing nothing.

Hacking the Acne

Acne is a difficult thing to handle for some people while others seem to be dealing with their acne vulgaris extremely well. It’s all in the way you deal with your acne vulgaris. If you’re not okay with “you” as an individual, no amount of treatments for acne vulgaris will help you feel better.

There’s always going to be something wrong with your external self, some blemish you can pick at or something that you want to fix. But, it is best to fix what you can and be contented and happy with what you can’t. Acne vulgaris is just a pockmark that you can beat with some medication, after all.

Cosmeceuticals & You

I like keeping my skin healthy, so I try and keep my eye out for products that could slow down or prevent skin aging and help me deal with skin problems like acne flare-ups or chronic dryness.

Unsurprisingly, most of the products I end up finding usually fall under a relatively new category of skin products called “cosmeceuticals.”
This is a pretty obvious thing to mention, but I really just have to put it out there, in case anyone misses out on it: “cosmeceuticals” is a kind of combination word made up of “cosmetics,” and “pharmaceuticals.”

There. Now that that part of my little definition-of-terms is out of the way, I can go on to say that, cosmeceuticals are primarily cosmetic products that are applied to the skin and claim to have active ingredients that are powerful or effective enough to have the same kind of healing effects on the skin as drugs have on the rest of the body.

Hold On a Second, is “Cosmeceuticals” Even a Real Word?

Actually, that was the first question I asked. I mean, it kind of sounds like some sort of bogus marketing gimmick meant to draw in hypochondriac skin-care addicts who want to be able to apply their flu medication by smearing it on their faces or something.

As it turns out though, “cosmeceutical” is an actual term. It isn’t recognized by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and neither are cosmeceutical products subject to FDA review.

Ok, so “cosmeceuticals” isn’t a legally recognized term, but it HAS been around, and it’s used in cosmetic advertising to describe topically applied skincare products with active ingredients like botanicals, antioxidants, vitamins, essential oils, and herbs.

What’s Up With Cosmeceuticals?

Alright, let’s clear something up first: cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products. They’re usually safe to apply without prescription, but are meant to serve a specific skin-care function. Cosmeceuticals include anti-aging products, mild acne-management creams, and products meant to help people deal with skin problems like chronically dry or oily skin. Hypoallegenic cosmetics are also often marketed as cosmeceuticals, since they’re formulated a special way, with a specific problem in mind.

One of the biggest criticisms that a lot of people have of cosmeceuticals and the usage of the term is that it can be misleading. People who aren’t very familiar with cosmeceuticals might think that products marketed as such could be used for medical purposes. They might also think that these products go through the rigorous testing that medical drugs have to undergo, for quality control and efficacy.

Sure, these products are tested for safety, but as far as effectiveness is concerned, as the old folks say; ”The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

If it’s manufactured by a reliable company, then a cosmeceutical anti-aging cream, for example, will probably effectively make skin healthier and get rid of a few of those fine lines that people seem to hate so much. Not all cosmeceuticals are created equal though, and some products might not effectively deliver on their promises at all.

Your best bet, when buying cosmeceuticals, is to research, ask questions, and have a sense of humor, if the product you buy turns out to be a dud.

Get A Fishy Fish Pedicure

The fish pedicure has got to be the cutest foot-care treatment I’ve ever heard of. Before you ask, yes, the term “fish pedicure” is exactly what it sounds like: fish giving you a pedicure.

Getting Your Feet Wet

Conventionally, people would use razors to get rid of any scales or calluses they have on their feet. It’s not exactly the safest or most comfortable way to go about it, but it’s one of the cheapest and commonest ways to smooth down scaly feet.

A great alternative to razors is the fish pedicure. It doesn’t involve any sharp objects scraping dangerously close to major arteries, just some warm water, and a lot of really small fish. Depending on where you get your underwater foot treatment, you could be plunging your tootsies into a warm footbath with a hundred or more of these tiny, toothless carp called garra rufa.

These fish thrive in hot water, which, unsurprisingly, doesn’t really support much of the aquatic life they eat. So, when a tasty human foot comes along, they’ll swim up to you and eat their fill of your dead skin. Usually, letting the fish go at it for about fifteen to thirty minutes is enough for most people to come out of it with really soft, completely callus-free tootsies.

A lot of spas will follow up their fish treatment with an actual pedicure, which many say becomes a lot easier because of how soft the skin becomes after the fish are done with you.

No Worries About Piranha Movies

Being toothless, these little guys won’t be able to get to any of your live skin, so if you’re worried about suffering the fate of a movie extra in a piranha flick, stop. Barring a really unlikely freak accident where a stray fish might mistakenly decide to swim up places where “the sun don’t shine,” garra rufa are harmless to humans.

And they’re really cute.

On top of that, even though these guys are essentially eating your skin, a lot of customers say that it doesn’t hurt when they do. They say it’s more of a ticklish, tingly sensation, like your foot’s fallen asleep or being really gently massaged.

Doctor Fish!

The whole fish spa thing got its start in Turkey, but it’s spread to a lot of parts of Asia, and it’s making a bit of a splash in the United States, too.

In the US though, even though the novelty of the fish pedicure has made it a hit among customers, US health officials are still a little worried about whether or not using skin-eating fish to clean your feet of extra stuff would be particularly sanitary. A lot of people swear by it though, and a lot of the time, customers have nothing but praise for the treatment.

Garra rufa are also referred to as “doctor fish” and “nibble fish” and for good reason: When they nibble away at your dead skin, they can also relieve some of the symptoms of skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and skin asthma. A few minutes in a tub full of these great little guys will give your smooth, younger-looking skin that all but glows with health.

What could possibly be cuter than that?

Xylitol, Hydrogen Peroxide & Baking Soda All Whiten Teeth

A great smile can brighten up a whole room. Of course, if your pearly whites are more grungy yellows or gunky browns, that doesn’t happen as effectively. There are a lot of different ways to make teeth whiter.

Searching online can glean a lot of different tips and suggestions on how to whiten those teeth. Of course, since it’s the internet, and not all of the sources online are particularly reliable, you’ll have to separate the grain from the chaff.

There are a lot of different ingredients that you can use to whiten up your teeth, but sometimes, you have to ask, does xylitol whiten teeth? Does hydrogen peroxide whiten teeth? Does baking soda whiten teeth? I’m guessing (from my research) that they all do, to a certain degree.

A bit of double-checking and poking around will present you with mixed results. Most of the time, the answer is yes, but the effects of each ingredient, as used as a tooth whitener, can vary between people and based on how you use it.
Whiten Teeth

Xylitol is actually a kind of sugar alcohol, and it’s usually used as a sugar substitute. Usually, sweet things are associated with tooth decay, but before you toss this idea aside, xylitol is actually a kind of sugar that’s good for your teeth. It can kill off germs and prevent plaque and cavities from forming, and helps maintain the PH balance in your mouth.

Some toothpastes and chewing gums actually contain xylitol, but the question remains: does xylitol whiten teeth? In a nutshell, yes. However, dental whitening isn’t xylitol’s main dental care function. It’s more of a side-effect of the fact that with xylitol, your teeth actually get healthier.

Hydrogen peroxide, on the other hand, is one of the active ingredients in many bleaching gels sold in drugstores and used in dentists’ offices. It’s also an ingredient used in a lot of different whitening toothpastes.

If anyone asks, does hydrogen peroxide whiten teeth? The answer would definitely be yes, but if you want to make a homemade teeth whitening solution using hydrogen peroxide, it might be best to consult a dentist or another professional for any safety or medical concerns.

The best thing to use for DIY dental whitening would definitely be baking soda. It’s readily available in just about any grocery or drug store, it has a lot of different uses, and you’re not likely to get chemical burns on your gums the way you might if you use high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide unsupervised.

Of course, one question that may be crossing your mind right now is, how exactly does baking soda whiten teeth? Baking soda doesn’t exactly change the color of teeth, as much as it scrubs your teeth and gets some of those tougher stains and plaque out. It can be a bit abrasive though, so it’s best to use baking soda only once or twice a month.

There are a lot of different methods of getting whiter teeth – you might want to try a safe, gentle and natural option before some of the harsher alternatives.

Natural & Non-Toxic Nail Polish

Did you know that many brands of nail polish use harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and phthalates in their formulations? That stuff is nasty, and they can kill you or at least make you feel very sick.

A lot of nail polish makers and removers have back off on the production of these kinds of nail polish and nail polish removers. Speaking of which, natural nail polish and natural nail polish remover have begun to proliferate. Finding a non-toxic nail polish isn’t that hard to do anymore.

Nail polish can come in a lot of different colors and can range from completely matte, to blindingly shimmery, but even though there’s a lot of variety to today’s most common nail care component, finding a totally chemical-free variety of nail polish can be a real test.
Natural Nail Polish

Parents with kids who want to play around with nail polish may be dismayed to hear this, especially since the chemicals found in most nail polish can potentially cause some very serious health problems.

The bright spot in this little dilemma can be found in water-based or “peel-off” natural nail polish varieties. Even though these brands of nail polish are almost always phthalate free and use all natural ingredients, it’s still not a good idea at all to maintain a nail-biting habit after getting a manicure.

Something meant to dry out quickly into a hard, tough covering that goes over your nails can’t be completely poison-free, and even if the product claims to be organic or all-natural, it’s never a good idea to tempt fate.

As far as finding a natural nail polish remover is concerned, unless the nail polish you’re using comes out with water, you’ll probably have a really hard time finding nail polish remover that doesn’t have poisonous acetone as its base.

Ethyl acetate is an alternative, and relatively less toxic, nail polish remover solvent to acetone-based ones. This particular compound is pretty much just ordinary alcohol, and small amounts of it can actually be found in wine as well as in perfumes. On the other hand though, this so-called natural nail polish remover has also been used in insect collecting “killing jars”, to choke insects to death without damaging their bodies.

Not very encouraging at all.

Still, if you’re looking for a toxicity-free way to get rid of conventional kinds of nail polish that don’t involve scraping them off or simply waiting around and clipping away at the colored edge of your nail as it grew, something with ethyl acetate is your best bet. This substance occurs naturally, and is about as natural as any natural nail polish remover can get.

Non-toxic nail polish is also still a bit of a while away, but natural nail polish, created with organic ingredients and completely free from poisons offer kinder alternatives to the phthalate and toluene-filled crud often found lining the shelves. They can be a little hard to find offline, but by keying in a few keywords, you will find these product can be ridiculously easy to find.

Do Facial Exercises Work?

If you want to firm up your face and get rid of wrinkles without having to break the bank with expensive skin products or invasive procedures, you can try doing facial exercises. Of course, the question you might ask is, “Do facial exercises work?” Well, it’s very likely that they do.

The muscles on our arms and legs are directly attached, not to our skin, but to the bones of our body, which allows us to move our arms and legs. The muscles on our face, on the other hand, are attached directly to our skin, and as we get older, these muscles, as well as the skin covering them, lose elasticity and tone. These factors all contribute to the sagging and wrinkles that many believe to be inevitable.

Of course, we can’t really stop the march of days or turn back the clock, but we can hold off the effects of aging that may show up on our faces simply by taking care of ourselves and exercising the muscles of our faces so that they’ll stay firm and keep our skin from sagging. Like any anti-aging method that claims not to require any pills, shots, or surgery though, facial exercising has both fans and detractors.

While a lot of people will swear by the benefits of facial exercise for the reasons stated above, when people ask, “do facial exercises work?” those who criticize it will point out that the deepest and most prominent kinds of wrinkles are the ones that come from the facial expressions that a person makes.

Laugh-lines follow the way the skin folds when a person laughs; frown-lines are created when a person frowns. Given that argument, wouldn’t exercising the muscles that create these kinds of facial expressions simply aggravate the problem?

Also, the drooping and sagging that happens as we age isn’t just caused by our facial muscles losing their tone; as we grow older, the stuff that keeps our skin youthful-looking; collagen and elastin, as well as the fatty layer of our skin, get depleted. These factors are certainly not to be ignored in the battle against time and gravity that we all have to wage, the older we get.

On the other hand, fans of facial exercise say that it stimulates blood flow to the face and the skin on the face, as well as relieve tension. Have you ever had a “stress spot” on your face –between your eyebrows, for example- where all of the anger or stress you feel seems to just pool in?

Usually, these areas have the deepest wrinkles. With facial exercises, you can help take some of the tension away from those spots, as well as refresh your whole face in general.
Just like any other exercise program though, facial exercises require dedication, patience, and repetition.

One example of a facial exercise which firms up the muscles around the eyes will have you winking one eye partway, holding it for a second, and repeating it at least fifty times before switching over to the other eye.

Exercises like these can take a lot of time. In fact, it can take months before the effects start to show, but when they do, you can pretty sure that the answer to the question, “do facial exercises work?” is “Yes.”

How To Soften Skin Naturally With Natural Moisturizers

Nothing feels nicer than soft, smooth skin, but even if you’re genetically blessed with really great skin, unless you live in a tropical country, you’ll probably have to slather on even more moisturizer once the winter months come around. Store-bought moisturizers and skin treatments can cost a lot of money though, and if you want to make a few savings, all you need to do is find out how to soften skin naturally.

You’ll not only get the benefit of making a few savings, but you’ll also be giving your skin a treat that’s completely free of all the unpronounceable (and sometimes potentially harmful) chemicals that can usually be found in the moisturizers and skin treatments you can buy in plastic bottles. It’s pretty easy; you can glean a lot of great natural moisturizers from your kitchen alone.

If you want to figure out how to soften skin naturally, it’s a really great idea to work on it from the inside out. Something as simple as adding more fruits to your diet and staying hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water can actually do wonders to brighten up your skin and keep it soft.

And the benefits don’t stop there, either. Staying sufficiently hydrated and consuming the nutrients and fibers you get from fruits and vegetables can also show in healthier, bouncier hair, more energy, a trimmer waistline, and better feelings all around.

Of course, if you don’t want to take my word for it, there are other ways that tweaking your daily routine can help give you naturally softer skin. Hot showers, for example, may feel absolutely wonderful during the colder months, but all of that hot water can actually cause skin to dry out really badly.

Add that to the fact that when the weather’s cold, the dryness in the air can tend to seep out the moisture in your skin and hair, and you’ve got a recipe for some really unpleasant winter dryness. A cold, bracing shower at seven in the morning (or whatever time you wake up) can seem like an advanced torture technique when it’s three degrees below zero outside, but your skin will thank you for it. Just make sure you don’t catch pneumonia after getting out of the shower.

Of course, aside from staying hydrated, eating the right kinds of food, and keeping the shower’s temperature on low, moisturizing outright is a must too.

Snooping around your kitchen cupboards is actually a really good way to find great, all natural moisturizers. For example, olive oil –yes, the stuff you put in pastas and salads- doesn’t just taste great, it’s great for your skin, too! In a pinch, you can rub a bit of it on “problem spots” on your skin, like your knees, elbows, and heels for quick results. For a real treat, right before showering, slather some of this all over your body, and rinse it off in the shower.

Yogurt is another really great natural moisturizer, and people have used yogurt to give their skin a boost for centuries, and these days, it’s really popular as a facial mask as well as a healthy treat. Aside from softening the skin, it tightens pores and gives your skin a gentle deep cleansing. If you know how to soften skin naturally, using unflavored yogurt should be a given. Warm it up a bit, apply it, leave it on for ten minutes, and rinse it all off with some warm water.