Treating our skin

Too many women in a bid not to be perceived as frivolous neglect to care for their skin. To them sitting in front of the mirror for an extra 10mintues is a waste of time, oh really? I sympathise with such women because, no matter how hard you try to dissociate yourself from these ‘must’ feminine rituals, at the end of the day girl, you are still a woman.

As you grow older the state of your skin is what will determine how you will age. A lot of women age prematurely because of neglect to their skin. And what do you really need to help your skin to be there for you when you need it to glow, nothing extra- ordinary. Just a little more attention. Below, I have compiled a list of 10 sins you can unknowingly commit against your skin.


Not cleansing and toning regularly; I was with Ayora (Dr.) Bola Kuforiji-Olubi a few days ago and when I asked how she has managed to keep her skin looking so good at 70, she told me, she didn’t do much, but one ritual she has maintained, is her cleansing and toning routine. So tell me, if she, with her very tight schedule can find the time for this ritual, why on earth can’t you. Cleansing, toning and moisturizing , morning and evening is compulsory if you are going to have and maintain a good skin.

•Using too much make-up; if there is one sin Nigerian women are really guilty of, it is the excessive use of make-up. The way our women pile on foundation, eye shadow and lipstick is so theatrical that it makes clowns of them. The tragedy is that some of these women are so-called sophisticated celebrities, who should know better, but don’t. Make-up is supposed to enhance your natural look not take away your personality. Make–up should be subtle for day and adventurous at night, but nothing outlandish.

•Using the wrong products; Too many times people use the wrong products for their skin. In most cases this happens because they do not know their skin type. Some women use products for all the wrong reasons, either, they like the smell, the look or,it worked well on their friend. The only reason you should have for buying any product is, because it suits your skin type.

•Not reading the label; Too often we buy products without reading the label or understanding the ingredients and what they are supposed to achieve. The result is that we end up using products that aggravate the skin. Learn to read labels and ask questions before parting with your money.

•Not doing facials or facial exercises; Nigerian women are of the opinion that once you have a good skin you do not need to go for monthly professional facials, how wrong. Irrespective of how beautiful your skin may be, you need to go for professional facials at least once a month. Apart from deep cleansing the skin, which you can never achieve on your own, professional facials. encompasses massage and facial exercise, a procedure which helps to keep wrinkles at bay.

•Not using eye gels; Most women do not use eye gels simply because they do not know about it. Using eye gel is compulsory for every woman from the age of 30 What does eye gel do? It controls the puffiness under the eye. As one grows older, skin under the eye starts to weaken and eventually develop bags or become saggy. T o delay this happening, researchers came up with the eye gel. Unfortunately, as a result of ignorance, a lot of women develop lines much earlier than they should. Do endeavour to get yourself one, if you are 30 and above.

•Not drinking enough water; Water, water, water and more water is good for the skin, but, many there be who do not drink it enough. One can not over emphasize it , you need to drink at least, eight glasses,or two litres of water everyday to get the benefits. Water helps to flush your system daily, it also prevents dehydration. Because your skin is hydrated,it looks and feels plum and healthy.

•Not eating a healthy diet; Generally, our diet tends towards lots of carbohydrates (carbs) this is why almost 90% of us are overweight. To maintain a healthy skin, you need to cut down on your carbs and eat more of fruits and vegetables. Lots of it as a matter of fact delivers dollops of nutrients, which helps to sustain the integrity of your skin. Recommended daily dose; five portions of fruits and vegetables.

•Smoking; One of the quickest route to destroying the elasticity of the skin is smoking. Smoking does not only give cancer but, also destroys the fiber that holds the skin together. So, if you are still smoking get wise.

•Not using a sunscreen; Also known as Sun Protecting Factor, (SPF) Sunscreens help to protect the skin against the harmful rays of the sun. (This will be treated in more details next week. ) Out of ignorance, we believe that because we live in the tropics,we do not need to protect ourselves from the sun, how wrong. The sun is the skin’s greatest enemy, and that is why so many women have avoidable problems with their skin such as two-tone colours-a dark face and lighter body, hyper pigmentation, and photo-aging. You must use a sunscreen. So when next you go shopping for moisturizers, check the label to make sure that the product contains SPF before buying.

Source : www.vanguardngr.com