Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Acne advice: my top 3 tips


In a previous post I shared my experience with a few topical medications for acne, today I will share a few things that helped improve my troubled skin. It is very difficult indeed to deal with the emotional effects of having acne, as I passed thru the same process. I know you might feel desperate, because I know I did in one point of my life due to my severe acne, that's why today I will share with you my top 3 acne tips that made a difference in my life. 

After reading in a health book that a daily intake of Zinc helps heal acne, I decided to give it a try. I bought a store brand supplement bottle of Zinc which came in the form of 50 mg capsules. I followed the instructions on the bottle which said to take one daily Zinc capsule after each meal. After a week and a half of taking the Zinc supplement, I had visibly less breakouts and some in the process of healing. After two weeks my breakouts had stopped emerging, I was incredibly pleased and happy. I continued taking the Zinc supplement. You might be asking yourself how can Zinc help heal acne? heres an explanation:

free image courtesy of: freedigitalphotos.net

Zinc is an element needed in order for the body to function properly, as it speeds up the healing process which I consider to be helpful in the healing of blemished skin. Zinc is also considered to help achieve clearer skin, for those suffering with acne or those who have rosacea. In a study conducted in 2006 rosacea patients were given 100 mg of Zinc sulfate to be taken three times a daily, the results patients showed were a 75% reduction in rosacea symptoms such as redness. It is considered that a combination of both topically applied Zinc and the antibiotic erythromycin can help reduce acne. The recommended daily dosage intake is 8-15 mg. (source:Skin benefits of Zinc )

 The weekly usage of Mint Julep mask. After endless trips to the drugstore, each time buying what I thought would heal my acne, I stumbled across Queen Helens Mint Julep Masque. I was intrigued by the Mint Julep Masque as it was one of the few products I had yet to try. The use of the Mint Julep Masque dried out my pimples, and made the healing process much shorter than usual. I noticed this masque also helped clean out my pores. I used this masque about twice a week and was amazed with the results.

One of the ingredients this Mint julep mask contains is Phenoxyethanol, which is an organic chemical compound found in various beauty products. Phenoxyethanol is considered a bactericide which means that it kills bacteria. I conclude that is a main reason why Mint julep mask is so beneficial for acne. (source:Wikipedia )

Changed my eating habits. I decided to change my diet when I noticed eating extremely oily foods such as cheese were causing more breakouts on my skin. My diet didn't change to extreme measures I only stopped eating cheese and right away noticed an improvement in my skin. Even though studies conducted have not proven there to be a relationship between eating oily foods and acne, In my case I did notice there to be a connection among these two. 

Although this has not been proved some evidence does suggest that the fat we eat is used in our body to make skin oil(sebum). An additional study suggests that fatty diets do lead to a higher content in sebum. (source:Diet and Acne

These are my top three tips for acne sufferers. Every little change in your lifestyle can have an effect on your skin for better or for worse as I know it did for me. Whether it's a diet change, taking supplements such as zinc or using a special facial mask it's up to you which one you want to try. I truly suggest that in the search for a clearer complexion you try out different products and methods you might just find something that truly works for you.

Photos: google

Thanks for stopping by have a great day :)




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Monday, February 6, 2012

Enhance your eye color with the right eyeshadow

We all have different eye color and shape, the main eye color groups are brown, green, blue, hazel. Even though there are just a few eye color groups there is an endless amount of varieties and mixes among these which is truly amazing, because I truly believe beauty relies in diversity. There are a few ways to enhance your beautiful and unique eye color one of these ways is using make up, the secret to this is knowing which eyeshadow color to use. Here's a quick mini guide with tips that I took from a spanish beauty magazine a while back.

For Brown eyes try the following eyeshadow colors:





For Green eyes try:



And 




For Blue eyes try the following eyeshadow colors:




For Hazel eyes try the following eyeshadow colors:



To complement your look you can use an eyeliner that contrasts with your eyeshadow color, black and gray go with any look as they are universal colors. Now you can really make your eye color pop with the right eyeshadow!! 

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day !



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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Beauty and Stress don't go well together

Stress can have a negative effect on the body. When you stress your body releases a hormone called cortisol, having large amounts of this hormone traveling thru the blood stream can be very toxic for the body. Some effects of stress on the skin are: thinning of skin, aging and wrinkling at a faster rate as well as prominence of blood vessels under the skin.(Source:http://www.dailyperricone.com/2009/05/the-10-sins-of-skin-aging/ )

Staying beautiful not only consists in taking care of your skin, leading a healthy lifestyle is important as well. Maintaining a low stress level is vital in order to achieve a vibrant, healthy and glowing complexion. Stress can make skin look lifeless and tired reason for which, daily relaxation should play an important role in your beauty routine. Here are a few examples on how to release stress in a healthy way, and help the body relax.


Pamper yourself ➤ Each day dedicate a few minutes, just for yourself, to relax and unwind from daily life stress. Close your eyes and lay down on your favorite sofa while you listen to your favorite music, you can try adding two slices of fresh cucumber to your eyes for a truly soothing experience. Another option to try is a bubble bath, it can work wonders, after a long day helping body muscles relax. While soaking in the bath tub you can enjoy a glass of your favorite wine.




Exercise ➤ Doing some type of regular workout can help the body release accumulated stress. A
daily 30 minute walk, a jog, playing tennis or volleyball, there are many options today.



Sleep ➤ Try to sleep at least 8 hrs each night. When the body is well rested it's better prepared to respond to daily stress. If you can't sleep 8 hrs each night then you can try a mid afternoon nap, of 15 or  20 minutes, It will help you feel refreshed and ready to continue your day.



Drink a tea ➤ There are a variety of herbal teas specialized in relaxing the senses, here's a list of a
few:

● Chamomile: Helps soothe anxiety, induce sleep.

●Valerian (herb): Has sedative properties.

● Lettuce: It is believed lettuce has sedative properties, enough to help sleep. Lactucarium (a substance similar to opiate) can be found in all types of lettuce. It is no wonder Romans and Egyptians had a bit of lettuce after each meal to induce sleep. source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettuce



Get a pet ➤ The company of an animal can help people feel loved and safe. Theres a form of treatment called animal assisted therapy in which animals help patients improve their social, emotional and cognitive functioning. In a study conducted in 1988 the phycological effects of talking and petting a dog were analyzed. The results of the study suggests patients blood pressure decreased while petting the dogs, was a bit higher when talking to them, and higher when talking to the experimenter. Therefor the companionship of an animal can have therapeutic effects on those suffering from severe stress.
source: wikipedia



Listen to music ➤ According to some research music can have a calming effect on the brain. I found it very interesting that in a research study, music was played at nursing homes during the meal time, this actually helped keep alzheimer patients calm, it was also noticed that there were less disagreements between residents of that particular nursing home. It has also been suggested that listening to music can help decrease blood pressure as well as heart rate. source:Livestrong.com



 These are just a few recommendations that can be of some help for those suffering from stress. And remember by reducing your stress level you will feel better, and have a healthy radiant complexion as well. The following link will take you to a useful chart showing the effects of stress on the body. Thanks for stopping by, have a great day.

infographic detailing the effects of stress on the body.


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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

♥ New Items at Luliku Creations ♥

Check out the new items at my etsy jewelry shop, here's a quick glimpse. The first pair of earrings are Kawaii inspired, very girly and cute.

↑ ↑
Kawaii Dream earrings
$14.00 USD


the next pair ...


↑↑
Princess Chandelier earrings
$20.00 USD

↑↑

Red Dangles
$12.00 USD

If you like my creations and wish to purchase any visit my little shop here is the link
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lulikucreations

 thanks for stopping by have a great day



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Friday, December 30, 2011

Aqua nail polish from Forever 21

I have never been a big fan of nail polish nor do I use them often, but when I saw this Aqua nail polish at Forever 21 I had to buy it. I love purples and blues mostly I'm not too crazy about pink hues. This color really caught my eye since I have been wanting to buy a blue nail polish for a while and this one was the perfect hue I was looking for.


Nail polish name: Aqua
Price: $2.80
Store: Forever 21



 My nails with one coat of Aqua nail polish just the right amount to give
my nails a subtle hint of color.

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And now my nails with two coats of Aqua nail polish
A bit to much for me I will stick to one coat. If you like 
this color you can purchase it at your local Forever 21 store.
Check out the website for more nail polish colors
Disclaimer : I do not get paid to review any beauty products
I just do it as a hobby ;) 

Thanks for stopping by have a great day



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