Your skin’s condition is inextricably bound to your health. What you see on your skin reflects what is going on inside your body – and skin problems like psoriasis, acne, dry or oily skin, and other conditions usually point to something wrong internally. This is why eating a healthy diet full of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is an essential part of the skincare regimen.

The question you may be asking now is: what should I be feeding my skin to give it a healthy glow?

We have a few suggestions for you:

Water

Water makes up more than two thirds of our body weight.  Despite this, or probably because of this, our bodies need water, and lots of it. Everything we do uses up our water supply. In fact, even as you’re sitting there in front of your computer, water is evaporating off your skin.

Experts suggest drinking around 2 liters of water everyday. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables replenishes your water supply too, and helps you stay hydrated throughout the day. It can also help if you lock in some of the moisture in your skin by applying some Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion daily.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Another great way to keep your body, and your skin, moisturized, is ensuring that you have enough EFAs in your diet. EFAs are vital to allowing nutrients into your cells, and pushing waste out. They are also important for maintaining the moisture content in your cells. This makes EFAs an indispensable element in repairing your skin and maintaining its flexibility.

Sources of EFAs include cold water fish like salmon and mackerel, walnuts, as well as flaxseed and safflower oil.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is required for cell growth and replication. Without vitamin A, your skin can’t replace dead cells with new ones, leading to dry, scaly skin.

You can get vitamin A by including animal products like liver, milk, and eggs in your diet, but don’t limit yourself to that. Carrots, pumpkins, chili peppers, and other brightly colored produce are usually rich in vitamin A, as are spinach, kale, and other green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin A is also great when applied directly to your skin. You can get some of its benefits by using Diana Stalder Vitamin A Beauty Bar regularly.

Vitamins C & E

Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants that prevents damage and keeps the skin firm. Though they are both potent on their own, they become more effective when working together, protecting your skin from wrinkles and premature aging, as well as damage caused by the sun and pollution.

You can get these vitamins from apples, peaches, guava, citruses, and other fruits, as well as in bell peppers, kale, parsley, turnips, broccoli, and other vegetables.

Flavonoids

These antioxidants have similar effects as vitamins C and E, and then some. Flavonoids also help improve circulation, which helps nutrients get to where they’re needed, thereby giving your skin a rosy complexion.

Want to know where to get your flavonoid fix? Try some dark chocolate, which is rich in polyphenols, as well as some green tea. Red wine, red grapes, and cranberries are also full of flavonoids called proantocyanidins.

Selenium

Another antioxidant you want in your diet is selenium, which promotes tissue elasticity and helps prevent inflammation. This means less wrinkles and fine lines. On top of this, it plays an important role in protecting the skin from sun damage, another cause of skin aging.

Whole wheat, seafood like tuna and salmon, turkey, Brazil nuts, garlic, and eggs are all rich in this antioxidant mineral.

 Zinc

This mineral is a must for healthy skin, especially if you suffer from acne. Some research has shown that acne may be a symptom of a zinc deficiency. Even if you don’t suffer from acne, zinc is important because it regulates the production of oil in the skin.

To load up on zinc, grab some fresh oysters, oats, and eggs, as well as certain kinds of nuts.

Do you know of other nutrients you need for healthy skin? Leave a comment and share them with the rest of us!

Don’t worry, this is normal

We’ve said it before, you can’t stop the effects of aging. Some of the symptoms of skin aging are entirely normal, albeit unwelcome.

Pigmentary Changes

Melasma is a brown discoloration that starts showing up in your 30s, though it is more common among dark-skinned women. One way to treat melasma is by using skin lightening creams and soaps. Our pick suggestion, use Diana Stalder Black Soap regularly.

Wrinkles and fine lines

Like it or not, lines may start to form around your eyes in your 30s. The timing for this may be due in part to genetics, but another key factor is exposure to the sun. The best way to delay the appearance of these fine lines involves wearing protective eyewear and regular application of suncreen.  We can’t help you with eyewear recommendations, but we suggest you use  Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream everyday.

Wrinkles might start showing up at the corners of your mouth in your 40s, with deeper wrinkles around the face and on the neck becoming more prominent in your 50s. Regular moisturizing with a product like Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion helps, as does washing with Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar to help maintain or restore your skin’s elasticity.

Hold on, that’s not right

Sometimes, the changes you see in your skin aren’t normal signs of skin aging. Instead, environmental damage and other factors are the root cause. Here are some changes that maybe you should be concerned about.

Yellowish skin

Dry, sallow skin indicates trouble that is more than skin deep. There are many factors that can cause this, including illness, but one of the most common causes is smoking. Don’t smoke, or if you do, quit today – your complexion should get better soon.

 Deep wrinkles

Wrinkles are unavoidable, but you shouldn’t have to worry about anything more significant than fine lines until you hit your 40s, and probably even later. One effect of sun damage is the early onset of wrinkles, so you want to protect yourself from the sun early on. Another cause of wrinkles, especially around the mouth, is smoking. Avoiding this vice, as well as other bad habits, should help you delay the appearance of deep wrinkles.

Pigmentary changes, but in your 20s

Overexposure to the sun can cause skin to age quickly, and one of the early signs of this is pigmentary changes in your youth. We can’t stress enough how important it is to wear sunscreen everyday.

Unusual moles and lesions

If you notice sudden changes in the size, color, or shape of any moles on your body, we suggest you visit your doctor. If you find lesions that crust or bleed, be worried too. These changes could point to skin cancer.

Of course, there is only so much we can tell you about this over the Internet. We suggest that you simply take a good look at your body regularly (we recommend doing this once a month), and meeting your dermatologist annually.

This is far from a comprehensive list of what’s normal and what’s not, but it’s a start. Can you think other skin changes we should worry about? How about changes that are perfectly normal and expected? Please tell us by leaving a comment.

Hyperpigmentation — melanin deposits such as brown spots, lesions and excessive freckling caused by too much sun — is a significant sign of aging, along with wrinkles and greys, but remains largely hidden from view. Considering that modern UVA/UVB sunscreen was not around until the 1980s, anyone in their 30s and beyond (especially those “beyond”) have soaked up a lot of harmful rays.

In effect, today the look of uneven, spotty and sun-damaged skin has become the new grey hair. And don’t think the cosmetics industry hasn’t noticed. Selling out as fast as wrinkle remedies, products and specialized procedures abound to promise even skin tones, lightened areas and radiant skin.

You probably know already that overexposure to the sun’s rays can damage your skin and cause it to age prematurely. You also probably already know the value of wearing sunscreen daily.

Chances are, however, you didn’t worry about sun protection in your younger years, and you’ve already sustained several years worth of sun damage on your skin. You can’t change the past, but by taking steps to care for your skin, you can reverse some of the effects of sun damage. Interested? Here are a few simple tips:

Smooth it out

The buildup of dead skin cells can make your skin look blotchy and uneven. One of the simplest ways to make your skin appear smoother is by exfoliating. Regular use of an exfoliant like Diana Stalder Facial Scrub removes dead skin cells, leaving skin looking smoother.

An added benefit of exfoliating is that the treatments you apply afterwards work better. When you exfoliate, you apply lotions, creams, and other topical treatments on a fresh layer of skin, and not the layer of dead skin cells that normally stay on top.

One disadvantage of exfoliating, however, is that it can make your skin more susceptible to the elements. This is why our next tip is so important.

Protect your skin

We can’t stress this enough: the best thing you can do for your skin is protect it from the sun. Even (or especially) if you’ve already sustained skin damage from the sun, putting on sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 like Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream is important. Wearing sunscreen helps prevent further sun damage, and this is especially important after you exfoliate, when your skin is most prone to damage from the elements. This also gives your skin and immune system time to repair some of the damage that has already been done.

Bleach a little

If you’re worried about blotchy skin, dark spots, and other discoloration caused by sun damage, we recommend the Diana Stalder Surely White Body Bleaching Kit. The kit not only includes soap and lotion to treat the blemishes on your skin, but also a two-in-one moisturizer and sunscreen.

Nourish your skin

Vitamin A is great for rejuvenating sun-damaged skin. We recommend using Diana Stalder Vitamin A Beauty Bar regularly to help nurse your skin back to health. As a side benefit, Vitamin A also helps treat acne.

Nourishment, however, shouldn’t just be (pardon the pun) skin deep. What you eat affects your skin’s health, so it’s important to watch your diet too. You want food rich in Vitamins A, C, and E to fight skin damage. Recent research has also shown that lycopene, which is found in tomatoes and other food, does wonders for your skin’s natural UV protection.

Of course, hydration is also important. Your skin needs water to look healthy, and dehydrating yourself doesn’t help with your skin’s repair process. Make sure you drink enough water during the day, and keep a bottle (or a glass) of water by your bedside too.

Do you have any tips or tricks to repair the effects of sun damage? Please share them with us too!

In this post, we discuss some common complaints about baby’s skin and share some possible solutions (and even preventions). After all, it’s never too early to start caring for your skin, right?

Diaper rash

This is the most common skin care complaint among babies, especially in the first few months. This isn’t too surprising, since babies’ bottoms spend most of their time wrapped tight, sometimes in close contact with wee and poo.

Dealing with diaper rash is simple – just wash baby’s bottom in warm water. If you want, you can put some oatmeal in warm water, then bathe baby like normal. You can also use Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar, which works great for various skin irritations, including diaper rash.

If you want to keep diaper rash at bay, you need to change diapers pretty often. The moist environment in a diaper and the ammonia released by baby’s pee have a tendency to irritate baby’s bottom. The downside of this, of course, is that you spend quite a bit more money (and time) changing diapers.

Cradle Cap

If you notice greasy or scaly patches on your baby’s scalp, and possibly behind baby’s ears, it’s probably cradle cap. While it looks alarming, it is quite common, and is a harmless condition. Cradle cap usually starts in the first three months, but usually doesn’t last much longer than a few months.

Many believe that cradle cap is caused by overactive sebaceous glands, likely caused by their mother’s hormones lingering in their system after birth. The extra sebum, or oil, produced causes dead skin cells to stick to baby’s scalp instead of simply falling off.

We suggest applying some olive on baby’s scalp to soften the scaly skin, then gently removing the softened scales with a fine comb or a soft cloth. While this doesn’t treat the condition, it does get rid of the unsightly scales. Simply do this regularly until the condition resolves itself.

Eczema

If you notice scaly patches in other areas of your baby, like maybe the nose, armpits, or others, you might be dealing with eczema. There many possible causes for this, but one thing they have in common is irritation. Whatever the cause, eczema usually goes away on its own, but you can reduce the symptoms of eczema by minimize possible causes of irritation.

Regular bathing with lukewarm water will definitely help. Some people recommend applying moisturizers rich in lanolin or aloe vera, but we believe that’s a personal choice. Consult with your pediatrician if you want, but the most important thing is that you’re comfortable with what you put (or don’t put) on baby’s skin.

You should also make sure to dress baby in soft, natural fabrics like cotton and wool – these are less likely than other fabrics to irritate baby’s skin. It’s also a good idea to keep baby’s hands wrapped in mittens to keep them from scratching themselves. Just make sure you take them off every so often to give baby’s hands time to breath too. Sometimes, mittens can keep sweat from drying off baby’s hands.

The most important thing to remember is that baby’s skin is thinner than your skin and very sensitive. This means that you have to be very gentle to keep baby’s skin soft and smooth. Avoid harsh soaps and cleansing products – they might do more harm than good. Relax too, most of baby’s skin conditions, no matter how alarming initially, will simply go away naturally. Of course, if you have any doubts, you can always consult with your doctor.

The skin on a baby’s bottom is soft, smooth and very sensitive. It’s also thinner than adults’ and has a higher pH level. It has to put up with difficult conditions, spending most of the day and night wrapped tightly in

Infant skin care is a very gentle procedure. Avoid harsh soaps or artificial cleansing products and most of the time the condition will simply go away naturally. However, like anything related to your baby, if you have any doubts make sure that you consult a medical specialist as soon as possible.

Of course, you should consult with your doctor if you have any concerns about these conditions, but generally they are simple to care for and can be easily addressed with some natural home care remedies. Here are the three most common skin care complaints for babies and some simple remedies for them.

“Laugh a lot, and when you’re older, all your wrinkles will be in the right places”

-        Anonymous

There are few things as soft and smooth as a baby’s bottom, at least if you believe the expression. With few exceptions, a baby’s skin is soft, clear, and wrinkle-free – and it usually stays that way until early adolescence. After that, however, it usually goes downhill.

You can, however, do something about it. You can’t stop the effects of aging entirely, but there are  ways to help keep your skin looking fresh, clear, and young. All it takes is a little care, and a bit of help from us.

The Teen Years and Hormones

Puberty brings a lot of hormonal changes, and along with this rush of hormones comes a lot of skin changes. Among the most common changes are increased oil production, along with its more annoying cousin: acne.

The best thing you can do for your skin at this age is protect it from the sun. This means staying in the shade as much as possible, and wearing sun protection when you have to get under the sun. Our suggestion, dab on some Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream everyday.

Of course, there’s still the problem plaguing teenagers the world over: acne. Washing your face regularly is a great way to keep your skin clean and free from oil, and a mild scrub like Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar does wonders. If you need something a bit more potent to combat pimples, Diana Stalder Tea Tree Beauty Bar has antimicrobial properties that are very effective against acne and fungi.

The 20′s: First Signs of Aging

The first signs of aging usually begin in your 20′s, when the collagen and elastin that have kept your skin soft and supple start to break down. Once again, UV protection is your best bet to control any skin damage. Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion contains an SPF 30 sunscreen that protects skin against harmful sun rays, and gently moisturizes your skin, helping prevent premature aging.

The 30′s: Early Environmental Damage

Damage from sun exposure usually begins to show up in your 30′s, but the good news is that sun-induced wrinkles are still barely visible at this age. Your skin’s collagen and elastin continue to lose their spring too, making skin care more important.

On top of protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, moisturizing skin becomes even more important. A soap like Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar helps restore your skin’s elasticity, as does Diana Stalder Skin Revitalizer.

The 40′s & 50′s: Revealing the Damage

Moisturizing comes to the forefront in your 40′s & 50′s. Dead skin cells start to stick around longer, but a mild scrub like Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar can help solve that. Diana Stalder Nourishing Crème  exfoliates your skin as well, and also maintain your skin’s elasticity.

If you haven’t done your diligence protecting your skin from sun damage, this is the time it starts showing up. This is also the when wrinkles, age spots, and spider veins become evident. As always, moisturizers and sunscreen should be a part of your daily skin care regimen, and a product like Diana Stalder SBF-Collagen Cream gives you both.

The 60′s and Beyond: Protection & Pampering Paying Off

When you hit your 60′s, a lifetime of skin care starts paying off. You can’t stop the clock completely, so  your skin probably shows some signs of aging already. Fortunately, if you’ve taken good care of your skin, your wrinkles, spots, and other blemishes won’t be too obvious.

This doesn’t mean you should stop caring for your skin though. A daily dose of moisturizer, a dab of SPF, and continued care should help keep your skin young and fresh. Of course, smiling a lot helps too – if you’re going to have wrinkles anyway, you can at least have your wrinkles in the right places.

How, exactly, do hormones affect your skin? The answer is that it depends on the hormone, and how much of it you produce. Need a more specific answer? Here’s a brief guide.

Testosterone

One of the effects of increased testosterone levels is increased oil production. Another is the rapid growth of corneal cells, which can accumulate in sebaceous or oil glands. Combine the two – plugged ducts and increased oil production – and you have a recipe for acne.

While we can’t help you bring down your testosterone levels, we can help you deal with the symptoms. Regular application of Diana Stalder Night Gel combats the inflammation and bacterial growth that leads to bad acne breakouts. If you’d like, you can also try the Diana Stalder Surely White Acne Treatment Kit, which includes the Night Gel as well as other acne-fighting products.

Thyroxin

Thyroxin is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. If you produce too much of it, your skin gets easily flushed and sweaty, and also starts looking warm and smooth. Unfortunately, your skin also becomes thinner and more fragile.

If you produce too little thyroxin, on the other hand, your skin can become coarse, thick, dry, and scaly. Your sweat glands also begin to shut down, making it more difficult to sweat.

Either way, you’re likely to suffer rapid hair loss. Because both of these conditions stress your body, it can redirect energy and nutrients from hair cells and follicles to other areas.

Estrogen

Estrogens, both natural and synthetic, decrease the effects of testosterone and other male sex hormones. This leads to decreased oil production, which in turn, helps prevent acne. For this reason, birth control pills are sometimes prescribed off-label to treat acne.

Reduced estrogen levels, on the other hand, lead to significant changes in the skin. It causes a decrease in collagen and a reduction in the number of blood vessels. This leads to dry, fragile, pale, inelastic skin that is more prone to wrinkles. One way to combat this is by regular washing with Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar.

However, not everything is rosy when it comes to estrogen. High estrogen levels can trigger an increase in melanin production. This can cause patchy discolorations on the face which are known as melasma. If you are prone to melasma, we recommend protecting your skin from the sun with a sunscreen like Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream, as well as loading your diet with antioxidant-rich food. To deal with the melasma, we also recommend regular washing with Diana Stalder Black Soap.

Like it or not, your hormone levels will keep changing, whether due to health conditions, illnesses, or aging. One of the keys to healthy skin is knowing how to deal with these changes. We hope this post helps you do that, or at least gives you a starting point.

Do you have any of your own tips to share? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Washing your face removes makeup, excess oil, dead skin cells, dirt, bacteria, and other impurities that can block your pores. More importantly, washing your face allows your skin to rest and to rejuvenate itself.

This post, however, isn’t about the importance of washing your face. What we want to discuss here isn’t why you should, but rather, how to wash your face. Here are the steps we think you should take:

1.  Prep your face

Before cleaning your face, you need to make sure what you’re cleaning them with – your hands – are clean too. You don’t want all the dirt and germs on your hands to end up on your face, do you? To keep that from happening, gently wash your hands with lukewarm water and antibacterial soap before starting on your face.

If you have long hair, it’s probably a good idea to tie your hair too. This allows you to see and access your entire face, as well as your ears and neck.

2.  Warm up

Wet your face completely with warm to lukewarm water – this opens up your pores for cleansing. Be careful not to use water that is too hot though. You want your pores to open up, but you don’t want to shock and irritate your skin with the sudden temperature change.

 3.  Apply the cleanser

Place a small amount (usually a dime-size) of your chosen cleanser on your palms, or if you prefer, on a washcloth. Gently rub this all over your face, making sure you cover all areas. For this, the Diana Stalder Facial Wash is our recommended  choice.

Make gentle circular motions in the T-zone: your forehead (don’t forget your hairline) and nose, then move on to the areas around your mouth, your chin, and your cheeks. You can then start using upward strokes on your neck, and go back to circular motions behind your ears.

4.  Give yourself a massage

This actually starts in step 3, but we wanted to add this step to make sure that you give your cleanser time to penetrate your skin and work its magic. Spend a minute (or two) massaging your skin before rinsing. This also helps blood circulation, which gives your skin much needed oxygen and nutrients.

5.  Rinse off

Rinse your face and make sure you wash off the cleanser completely. You probably have to splash your face with water three or more times to do this. If you want, you can use a sponge or a cloth to help you rinse off.

6.  Cool down

Splash your face a couple of times with cool (not cold) water to close your pores.

 7.  Pat dry

Dry your face with a clean, soft, absorbent towel.

 8.  Tone, moisturize, etc.

Now that you’ve washed your faced well, you can proceed with the other aspects of your skin care regimen, like putting on a moisturizing night cream such as the Diana Stalder Night Gel, or even dealing with dark eye circles.

What steps do you take when you wash your face? Did we miss any? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Sometimes, however, the acne we have to deal with isn’t on our face, but somewhere else. This is called body acne, and while it isn’t as obvious as facial acne, it is probably just as common. Whether or not they are aware of it, people who struggle with facial acne are prone to body acne as well.

Body acne most often pops up on the back, chest, and neck, but it can also show up on other, more hidden areas. Because it isn’t quite as visible, it isn’t discussed quite as frequently. However, wherever acne shows up, the goal is the same – get rid of it. How? Here are a few tips:

Clean up

While poor hygiene isn’t the main cause of acne, it plays a significant role. Dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria can hinder the healing process of the skin. In some cases, these impurities can even aggravate acne by clogging up pores and hair follicles.

The solution for this is simple – wash up regularly. Keeping clean will do wonders for acne, wherever it shows up on your body. If you’d like, you can also use a mild scrub like Diana Stalder Facial Scrub. Don’t let the name throw you off – this product used to be called Facial & Body Scrub, but the formulation is still the same. It says it’s for the face, but it is very effective for use all over the body.

Examine your wardrobe

If you notice acne in very specific areas like your inner thighs, waist, or other areas that are in constant contact with clothing, it’s time to check your wardrobe. Heat, pressure, and friction, most likely from the clothes you wear, can cause acne too.

The solution is to choose clothes that allow your skin to breathe. Stock up on clothes made of cotton and other breathable fabrics, and make sure the clothes you wear aren’t too tight either.

Look at your accessories too

Your clothes aren’t the only things that can irritate your skin. The jewelry you wear, the bags you carry, and other accessories deserve a second look too. If you’re breaking out on your back or shoulders, maybe your heavy bag is to blame. If your wrist or your neck looks irritated, your jewelry could be the cause. Look closely at where your acne shows up, and you’re likely to find the solution there too.

Combat Stress

Stress and acne are usually best of friends. Have you ever noticed that your breakouts get worse during high stress periods? This happens because stress hinders many of your body’s natural healing processes, including your skin’s ability to heal itself.

One of the best ways to fight stress is to sweat it out. No need to get into the details on the numerous benefits of regular exercise, but we’ll tell you that it is a great stress buster. Shoot some hoops, hit the gym, get on a bike; anything to get your blood pumping, and pretty soon your body acne should go away.  Just remember, of course, to hit the showers after breaking a sweat.

Hydrate

Among many other things, you need water to get rid of toxins in your body. If you don’t, acne break outs are one of the body’s natural ways of getting rid of the toxins for you.  Making sure you drink enough water throughout the day will go a long way to fighting acne, whether on your face or your body.

Do you have other weapons that help you fight body acne? Share them with us so we can all arm ourselves better.

These natural products seem to be the better deal for the eco-friendly among us.  The health-conscious will also argue that they should cause less damage to the skin – it seems that natural is milder and safer. But are these so-called natural skin care products really better?  Or are we being led on by false claims?

Natural Skin Care: Pros

1. Natural skin care products contain relatively less chemicals than synthetic products. Because of that, there is less risk on your overall health.
2. Good skin care products made with natural ingredients also have healing properties and can be used to treat skin damages like acne and sunburn.
3. Homemade natural skin care products using ingredients found in the kitchen and in the backyard cost much less than synthetic ones.
4. Natural skin care has been used and has been able to produce results for generations.

1. Natural ingredients do not always mean safe ingredients. There are a lot of natural substances which can cause allergies and serious damage to the skin – people with sensitive skin or skin conditions such as rosacea should be extra careful in using these products.
2. Some natural skin care products in some places are manufactured without strict regulations.
3. Vitamins work wonders for the skin. However, exposure to air decreases their potency and this can only be avoided with the addition of certain chemicals.
4. Most natural skin care products still contain synthetic preservatives to lengthen their shelf lives, so you aren’t getting 100% of what you hoped to get.
5. Some organic skin care products don’t contain preservatives at all, but that means they are likely to cultivate bacteria once they are opened.

1. Because synthetic skin care products are carefully formulated with the right balance of active ingredients, they can be considered more reliable than their counterpart.
2. Synthetic skin care products are most likely able to bring results faster than natural skin care products.
3. Many skin conditions can only be treated using specially-formulated synthetic skin care ingredients.
4. Skin care products made from synthetic ingredients can be found almost anywhere. Also, they are almost always readily available in simple, no-fuss packaging.

Synthetic Skin Care: Cons

1. Synthetic skin care products contain preservatives that prevent them from going bad in just a matter of days. They also prevent the products from getting contaminated.
2. The chemicals used in manufacturing synthetic skin care products can be costly. Therefore, the product itself can also be expensive.
3. Some synthetic skin care products become ineffective because they are not formulated correctly. Some chemicals when used simultaneously become useless altogether.
4. Synthetic skin care products, because they contain a lot of chemicals, can cause side effects if not used properly or if used by someone who has incompatible skin.

Both natural and synthetic skin care have their share of pros and cons. It’s up to you to decide which you would like to try for your skin. If you plan to use natural skin care products, make sure they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  If you choose synthetic skin care products, read the label for chemical ingredients that might cause side effects.

More importantly, whatever choice you make, it’s always better to consult a dermatologist before trying out a product on your own. Also, make a conscious decision to live a healthier lifestyle – not just to have better looking skin, but to live a generally better life.

Antioxidants include Vitamin A, E, C, zinc, selenium, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene, among others.   Normally, we can get our dose of antioxidants from eating an antioxidant-rich diet.  While having a healthy diet is still important, it has been found that we can give our antioxidant supply a boost by using skin care products filled with the said nutrients.

But why do we need antioxidants?  Here are the top 7 benefits they give to our skin: 

1.       Antioxidants boost collagen production.

We now know that collagen is responsible for maintaining the elasticity of our skin. Collagen naturally deteriorates as we age, causing the skin to sag and wrinkles to form. However, no thanks to free radicals, these signs of aging can happen earlier.  Antioxidants can will neutralize these free radicals and stimulate the production of collagen.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Skin Revitalizer with vitamins A, C, and E

2.       Antioxidants reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Since collagen production naturally declines as we age, it’s also inevitable that we show the ultimate sign of aging – wrinkles. Free radicals, which come from exposure to the sun, can speed up the aging process and make us look older than we really do. While antioxidants cannot reverse the aging process, they can make the skin look plumper and appear more youthful.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Nourishing Crème with propylene glycol

3.       Antioxidants reduce acne.

Acne is caused when the pores of the skin are clogged. The best way to clear these out is with the help of vitamin A or retinoid, applied directly to the skin. This nutrient goes deep into the pores and removes clogging keratin plugs. Also, vitamin A regulates the amount of oil secreted by the skin, making the pores less prone to acne breakouts.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Vitamin A Beauty Bar with retinyl palmitate

4.       Antioxidants increase skin firmness.

Most skin care products that are meant to tone and firm up the skin contain the antioxidant Coenzyme Q-10 or CoQ-10. This antioxidant helps repair skin cell damage, stimulates the production of collagen, and increase cell activity in general. While CoQ-10 naturally occurs in our bodies, the production of this nutrient decreases as we age so we need to supplement with skin care products.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Her Facial Lotion with citric acid

5.       Antioxidants treat scars and blemishes.

Scars are a common problem among most of us. While some scars are barely noticeable, some are visible enough to affect an individual’s self-esteem. The good news is that some antioxidants are effective in reducing the appearance of these scars. They work by stimulating blood flow to the area of the scar, helping it blend in with the development of new skin cells.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Black Soap with arbutin

6.       Antioxidants repair sun damage.

Exposure to the sun is one of the leading causes of skin damage. Sun exposure dries out the skin and speeds up the aging process. If you are a victim of sun damage, powerful antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonols are your friends. They protect your skin from the sun by neutralizing the effects of free radicals, as well as reducing inflammation.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream with propyl paraben

7.       Antioxidants help prevent skin cancer.

As said earlier, free radicals can be brought upon by excessive sun exposure, and the worst damage it can cause to your skin is skin cancer. We may not be able to completely avoid the sun, but an antioxidant-rich diet, along with sunscreen, can help us avoid getting skin cancer. Researches show that antioxidants from green tea, berries, and tomatoes protect the cells from permanent damage.

Recommended product: Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion with lactic acid and titanium dioxide

Antioxidants are naturally occurring in our bodies, and we can always get them from eating a nutritious diet. However, our production of antioxidants slows down as we grow older. In order to augment our antioxidant supply, it is helpful that we use skin care products that provide essential nutrients directly to our skin.

Imagine your frustration when you see no results after weeks of using them. Is the problem with the products themselves? Does it have something to do with how you use them? Here are the top 10 reasons why your skin care regimen just won’t give you results you expect:

1.  The product ingredients are incompatible with your skin.

Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to use a product just because you heard great reviews from the grapevine. While this product may actually be effective in giving someone else smaller pores or a lighter skin tone, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you, too. You may be allergic to some of the product’s ingredients, so make sure you consult your doctor first before trying it out.

2.  The products don’t penetrate well into your skin.

How a product penetrates into your skin dictates how well it would work. In other words, the most effective skin care product in the world won’t give you the results you want if the product only remains on the top of your skin. It should be able to penetrate deep down into your skin layers, not just above your dead skin cells – you need to break down this topmost layer by exfoliating.

3.  The products may already have expired.

Beauty products have a shelf life, too. It may seem obvious but a lot of us aren’t exactly checking the expiration date on the bottle before putting them on. Obviously, once a product has gone beyond its expiration date, it will no longer be effective. Worse, it may even cause irritations and allergic reactions, which are not the most flattering things to have on the skin.

4.  The products are not made for the current season.

The condition of our skin depends largely on the current season, and since the effectiveness of a skin care product depends on our skin’s state, it also means we have to choose the right products according to the season we are in. Cold weather, which can cause dry skin, calls for heavier moisturizer, while summer season requires you to use lighter products to avoid acne breakouts.

5.  You fail to notice how your skin type changes.

Just as how our skin type changes along with the weather, skin type also changes as we age. We may notice that in our teenage years and in our 20s, we produced more sebum, causing our skin to become oilier. However, that’s not the case when we grow older as then we tend to have drier skin. The products we used in our youth are not anymore applicable once our skin type has changed.

6.  You don’t practice proper cleansing.

You may have difficulty seeing the promised results because you weren’t doing your part on how to properly cleanse your skin. Skin care products won’t work if there are remaining product residues on your skin, which can cause clogged pores and promote the development of acne. You can only remove this residue by using a good cleanser like the Diana Stalder Facial Wash once or twice a day.

7.  You don’t exfoliate properly.

Remember that skin care productswon’t work if they don’t penetrate well into the skin. Your product may not work if it only remains on the topmost layer of your skin, which is basically made up of dead skin cells. You need to break down this layer by regular exfoliation using a good exfoliator such as the Diana Stalder Facial Scrub, around twice or thrice a week.

8.  You are not following instructions.

Beauty products come with a label for a reason. There’s a specific set of instructions you need to follow in order to get the most out of it. Next time you use a skin care product, read its label carefully. If it says you need to use it twice a day, that you should avoid placing it under direct sunlight, and that you should keep it tightly covered after use, remember that these are not mere suggestions but actual rules.

9.  You have too high expectations.

Most of our skin damages, such as wrinkles, acne, and blemishes, happened over a long period of time. Logically, it would also take a relatively long period of time to reverse the damages. Skin care products, even the most potent ones, don’t work like magic. You need to wait for some time before you actually see its effects on your skin, so be patient and don’t give up just yet.

10.  You are living an unhealthy lifestyle.

You can’t expect to have healthy skin if you’re not living a healthy lifestyle. Even if you use the best skin care products money could offer, it still narrows down to how you’re living your life. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming too much salt and sugar won’t get you anywhere near good skin. To attain that, you need to start eating a healthy diet, drink more water, and exercise regularly.

Not all skin care products are made for the type of skin you have – that’s a fact. To be sure, always consult your dermatologist on what would work best for you. However, ineffective skin care regimens are not always because of ineffective skin care products. You need to be more conscientious as to how you use your products to get the most out of them. Also, a change in lifestyle won’t hurt. Your entire body, not just your skin, will surely benefit from it.