Viva Woman

This is my daily dose of beauty inside out.  One teaspoon of Nordic Naturals Complete Omega-3.6.9 Liquid every evening before heading to bed.  In fact, this is an upgrade from my previous bottle of just Omega-3 (see post on Take Omega-3 Fish Oil For Beauty Inside Out) because this formula contains essential fatty acids from both fish and plant source to promote healthy skin, flexible joints and strong immunity. 

I take this for both health and beauty reasons and it’s great tasting and not very fishy because of the lemon flavor.  But I can’t say for certain if taking this has contributed to better skin for me because I’m also using many skincare products at the same time.  But one thing I noticed is that my cuticles are not so dry since switching to this formula.  In addition, the pain I felt occasionally on the joints of my knees is also less apparent.

 
Nordic Naturals Complete Omega-3.6.9 Liquid is available locally from www.vitakids.biz and to know more about the difference between Omega 3, 6 and 9, you can read about them here. 

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Exfoliation is often said to be an essential step in our beauty regime as it works to remove the dead skin cells on the epidermis, resulting in a clearer, smoother and more even-toned skin which has greater translucency.  In fact, regular exfoliation not only improves the surface appearance but the function of the skin as it allow better penetration of the active ingredients in toners, serums and moisturizers.  

There are two ways we can exfoliate.  Mechancial exfolliation is where the dead skin cells on our skin’s outermost surface are physically scrubbed off with mircobeads and microdermabrasion falls under this category too.  Chemical exfoliation on the other hand uses alphahydroxy acids (AHAs), betahydroxy acids (BHAS), retinoids, fruit enzymes, salicylic or glycolic acid to loosen the glue-like substance that holds the skin cells together, thus allowing them to slough away.

While exfoliation do sound like good skincare, but is it for all skin types?  Apparently not, according to what I’ve gathered after reading The Skin Type solution by Leslie Baumann.

Sensitive skin
Those with sensistive skin should not exfoliate as the process of scrubbing may cause inflammation for such skin type.  Stick to using a soft washcloth to slough away dead skin.  If yours is sensitive and oily with acne, you may already be using prescription retinoids and that itself provides natural exfoliation.

Combination skin
Those with combination skin can choose either mechanical or chemical exfoliation and exfoliate 2 times a week to keep pores clean and trouble-free.  Anything more may induce sensitivity and lead to skin reddening.  Microdermabrasion can be done but again, should be in moderation.

Dry resistant skin
Those whose skin are dry and resistant can exfoliate either mechanically or chemically more frequently and can even go for microdermabrasion regularly to keep skin glowing and smooth.

Pigmented skin
But if you have pigmentation, exfoliation like microdermabrasion or chemical exfoliation may help to remove the superficial unevenly pigmented skin cells stuck on the surface but it is not possible to remove those deeper.  In fact, those with hyperpigmentation should exfoliate moderately as overexfoliation in some instances is said to aggravate pigmentation.

So while exfoliation provides great skin benefits, it does not work for all skin types.  Even if it is suitable for yours, I would say exfoliate with moderation. In addition, never use mechnical and chemical exfoliation together; pick one or the other as too much exfoliation may induce skin sensitivity and redness. 

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I store most of my skin care products in my bathroom, tugged away in a shelf away from direct sunlight.  I know it’s a cool place so I have no concerns that my products will degrade that easily. Recently however, I have been keeping my TDF C Scape Serum in the fridge because it contains Vitamin C and most vitamin-based skin care products have to be kept chilled.

In addition, preservative free items need to be chilled (not frozen!) to prevent bacteria from multiplying. I remember keeping a sample of an organic product in the bathroom and it degraded within a week after it was opened. But I have no problems with my other natural and organic skincare products being left in the bathroom shelf because these do contain some form of preservatives.

I also understand that those with eczema might benefit from skin care products that are kept in the refrigerator as the cooling will enhance their itch-relieving effect.

So do you girls keep any of your skin care products or cosmetics in the fridge? I know of some beauty addicts who even go to the extend of purchasing a special cosmetic fridge just to maintain their beauty regime!

Well, I guess while there’s no need to keep most of our beauty products in the fridge, there’s obviously no harm doing so. Some have even advised to keep perfume and nail polish so that they perform better and last longer although I have kept some of my nail polishes for a very long time in my cupboard and they’re still fine.

Anyway, here’s a practical tip I found that involves the refrigerator before I go: before you sharpen your eyebrow pencil, put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. This firms up the center portion allowing you to sharpen it quickly without losing a lot of the material.

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I have been wondering for weeks now about the difference between a toner, a toning mist and a facial spray and I think I have found the answer after reading Skin Type Solution by Leslie Baumann, M.D.  

Toners for oily skin
According to the author, toners are an unnecessary expense but those with oily skin may use them for refreshing or oil-control purposes.  However, those with rosacea, sensitive, dry and combination skin should steer clear of toners because toners usually have drying ingredients that remove lipids from the skin.  Instead of a toner, use a facial water which you can spray on your face immediately prior to applying an eye cream and moisturizer.  The moisturizer and eye cream will help trap the water on the skin, giving the skin a reservoir to pull water from.  And this is especially important in low-humidity environments such as in the winter air, on airplanes, in air-conditioning, or in windy locales.

Facial spray for sensitive skin
In addition, facial waters are more suitable for those with sensitive skin because the facial waters come from thermal springs and do not contain chemicals such as chlorine that are added to our tap water to keep it free from algae and other organisms.  In fact brands like Vichy and La Roche-Posay which produces facial waters containing sulfur and selenium are effective in treating eczema.

Gentle toner or toning mist for dry & combination skin
Actually I think those with dry or combination skin can still use certain toners or toning mist as long as they do not contain drying ingredients such as alcohol or menthol and are mild.  This is so because a key benefit of using toners is that it can hydrate, revitalize, soothe and balance the pH of the skin, literally relaxes and tones the pores preparing them to more effectively receive the benefits of the moisturizer.  

Toner and toning mist difference
And ingredients aside, I figured out the difference between a toner and a toning mist appears to be more of an application process where some might like to use the former as a last step to cleanse their face thoroughly while a toning mist is more for rehydration purpose. Hence, a very gentle toning mist with soothing ingredients is also suitable to calm the skin of those with sensitive skin.

Facial spray to set makeup
But whether you have oily, dry, combination or sensitive skin, I think everyone can do with a facial spray to keep our skin constantly refreshed.  They do not cost too much and you have various choices in the market to choose from; like Vichy Thermal Spa Water, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, Shu Uemura Depsea Water and Evian Mineral Spray. 

And oh, they’re great for setting makeup as well!

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