Health and Beauty Tips Provide health and beauty tips to help you improve your appearance.

Once the weather has turned crisp and people start bundling up from the cold, most skin care regimes go out of the window. Skin takes a beating during the winter months and becomes tight, dry, dull and lacklustre from neglect and adverse weather conditions. Some people even develop skin conditions such as flaking, cracking and eczema. The secret to beautiful skin during the summer months is to keep up skincare regimes all year round and that includes during the frigid winter months.

One skincare routine that most people stop during winter is the religious application of sunscreen. Despite the lack of sunshine, skin can still be damaged during winter by harmful UV rays and glare from snow, causing wrinkles and aging especially in the fine skin around the eyes. Sunscreen should still be applied on a daily basis – use a broad spectrum sunscreen and apply it to all exposed areas, including the hands and face at least half an hour before going outside.

Skin also needs intensive moisturization during winter. Skin loses its natural oils because of the harsh weather conditions and indoor heating which saps the skin of its natural hydration, making it more fragile and prone to damage. The body and face should be moisturized on a daily basis, especially those areas that are covered up by winter woollies, as this will stop the skin from drying out and will maintain the natural oils.

Sometimes the facial moisturizer that worked well in the summer months will need to be changed in the harsher winter months. An oil based moisturizer should be considered as the oil will create a protective layer and will retain more moisture. However, care should be taken in choosing the type of oil because some clog the pores and cause even more skin problems.

Non-clogging oils such as avocado, mineral, sandalwood or primrose should be used and Shea oil should be avoided. Look for products containing humectants – these are substances such as glycerine, sorbitol and alpha-hydroxy acids which draw moisture into the skin and keep it hydrated. Apply a specialized eye area cream nightly to keep the eye contour area looking plumped up and fresh.

Hot showers and baths can also damage the skin by stripping it of its natural acid mantel, which leads to dry skin. Taking cooler baths and shorter showers will help to maintain the skin’s natural defences and lipid barriers and will help to prevent that winter crocodile skin. Oatmeal or baking soda in the bath can help relieve itchiness. Indoor heating dries out the air, so a humidifier might be useful in preventing the skin from drying out.

The skin on the hands and feet is also affected by winter cold because the cold and dry weather strips away what little moisture the hands hold. Hands and fingers can become dry, cracked and itchy so gloves should always be worn when outside. Don’t use wet gloves or socks as these also cause cracking. Moisturize the hands and feet every night before going to sleep with an intensive moisturizing butter that contains petroleum jelly or glycerine.

Skin should be nourished and nurtured year round and not just in summer. Taking care during the winter months ensures that skin looks radiant and beautiful when summer eventually comes. Use these winter skin care tips starting today!

Healthy hair is beautiful hair, but just conditioning is sometimes not enough. That is where protein treatments come into play, they can be very helpful. Can these treatments really help make you hair stronger and healthier, or are they just a myth? The answers is both yes and no, let us explain. For the right person a protein treatment can be very helpful, and make a huge difference in your hair.

If you use chemicals on your hair, extreme heat or color then a protein treatment should help you. It does this be replacing all of the moisture and proteins that were lost by these treatments. If you have natural untouched hair protein treatments can help you, but probably not as much.

Protein treatments are good for black hair and can quickly make a huge difference for the right person. Most women damage their hair by their everyday habits like using a flat iron or relaxer, these treatments can damage the hair. Treatments can help repair damaged areas helping the hair break less and grow longer, which makes hair healthy.

One good thing about protein treatments are that you can do them once a month or once every few weeks. They do not have to be done daily. Your hair will tell you when you need a protein treatment. If your hair is dull and breaks easily or feels rough and coarse then you need a treatment.

If it is falling out fast or breaking every time you touch it then you need a protein conditioner. In extreme cases your hair can actually thin due to lack of protein. Stick to essential proteins like silk or soy. These proteins are very beneficial to your hair and they do a good job at repairing breaks in the shaft.

You want a protein that will actually help rebuild your hair while fixing weak areas. If your hair is breaking off very badly think about using a protein conditioner with a vitamin and mineral shampoo. This will help supplement the protein and keep your hair healthy and strong.

Protein hair treatments can help all hair types and styles, but should not be used anymore than once every few weeks at the most. They help stop breakage and help your hair grow faster and stronger. A good protein conditioner will not only help strengthen the hair shaft but stop breakage and leave your hair soft and shiny.