Skin Care | Which skin type do you belong?

When you are choosing skin care products, have you ever wonder which cleanser or moisturezer you should pick?

If you know your skin type, choosing the right products will be a breeze for you, and not only that, applying the right effective products, will keep your skin looking radiant, healthier and younger looking!

There are 5 types of skin : Normal Skin, Dry Skin, Oily Skin, Combination Skin and Sensitive Skin.

Normal Skin:
The clear skin is soft, supple and smooth. with fine even texture. It has a nice glow and never feels oily or dry. It is moist with proper balance of oil and moisture. It has no spots and blemishes. Skin pores are barely visible and fine and reflects good health. Normal skin has no problem of acne but have occasional pimples, which occur before menstruation in women. No matter how wonderful the skin is, neglecting it can lead to early signs of aging and wrinkling.

Dry Skin:
This type of skin has a fine texture and is transparent looking. Dry skin is unable to retain moisture and even produces insufficient amount of sebum by its sebaceous glands. It requires constant protection as is prone to wrinkles and lines. It feels tight and drawn without moisturizer and tends to have fine lines around the eyes and mouth. It feels especially dry after washing and may have whiteheads around the eyes and dry patches. The skin looks dull mostly around eyes and on cheeks with expression lines around the corners of the mouth. Dry skin ages faster than normal and oily skin.

Oily Skin:
Oily skin is result of over secretion of sebum which makers skin surface oily. It is prone to white heads, black heads, pimples and spots. This skin attracts dirt and dust from the environment and is never clear. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly after every few hours. Oily skin has enlarged pores and looks thick and dull colored. The biggest advantage of oily skin is that it ages at much slower rate than other kind of skin type.

Combination Skin:
This type of skin is oily in the T zone and the rest of the face is dry. The T zone is the forehead, nose and chin.
This kind of skin needs different kinds of treatments for different zones, as dry zone needs high moisturizing and oily portion requires heavy cleaning.

Sensitive Skin:
Sensitive skin is usually oily and has a course texture and is subject to acne. It has large pores, blackheads, red blotches and may become more irritated under stress. With changes in climate, the skin sensitivity reacts differently and is prone to some of the major allergies.If the problem is serious it will require the assistance of a skin care dermatologist.

The most common irritants that affect the human skin are detergents, environmental facts like wind, rain, cold, heat and sun. The word atopic and eczema dermatitis are used for sensitive skin in medical language. Those with sensitive skin should avoid trying new skin products or cosmetics. Treat your skin gently and use hypoallergenic products.

Skin Care: Which Skin type do you belong?

Beauty Care | Twinkle Wrinkles

Twinkle Wrinkles little lines...Learn to beat those lines of wisdom with good Beauty Care.

I had such difficulty typing this entry now, cause I fell down while alighting the bus yesterday...

My whole body is aching like hell now, lots of blue black and when I type, I can’t even rest my elbow and palm (the wounds are all over) on the table and use the mouse properly. But still, I’m feeling lucky, coz it might have been more serious, with my head or chin hitting the curb... then you won’t even see this entry... hahaha... ;p

Life is a Gift, Is great to be Alive!!!

Ok, now let’s get to the topic of today! One of the greatest enemies of woman is ----- "Wrinkles"!!

Why do Wrinkles form?
Ageing is the most obvious cause of wrinkles. As we get older, our cells take longer to regenerate and so our dermis (the inner skin) starts to become thinner. With age, we also produce less collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, natural substances that give our skin the structure, stretch, volume and bounce it needs to remain youthful. But that's not all. The skin's ability to hold moisture diminishes. The skin becomes dry and scaly, loses its elasticity, sags and forms furrows and wrinkles.

How are Wrinkles forms?
Persistent small muscle contractions, which happen when our faces form expressions, cause wrinkles and expression lines to form. Of course, the older we get, the more deeply ingrained in our skin these lines are. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun (photoageing) is also a big cause of premature ageing! Cigarette smoke and pollution also hasten the ageing process by producing free radicals which attack the skin. Rapid weight loss is also a cause of wrinkles as the volume of fat cells that cushion the face is drastically reduced. This causes the skin to sag.

Wrinkle Prevention
- Researchers have found that many dietary factors can play a role in aging of the skin. It is highly recommended that you include antioxidants in your diet, such as vitamin C, A, D, E, and beta carotene.
- It is advisable to use sunscreen creams with SPF 15 or higher when you are out in the sun.
- Drink 2 litres of water a day; this water intake is also helpful in eliminating toxins through urine, rather than through skin pores.
- Do not smoke and moderate your alcohol intake
- Avoid stress and learn to relax- Eat a healthy diet

Beauty Care: Twinkle Wrinkles

Health Care | Fruitalicious

Health Care start from what you eat, so be particular of what you put inside your mouth.

Watermelon, Orange, Lemon, Papaya, Rockmelon Juice etc, these are some of the standard juices that we grew up drinking.

When everyone is starting to become more and more health conscious.. Many different variety of fruit juice combination are also being studied. That adds on to the Booming Juices Business!

I’ve received an email from a friend on the different Combination of Healthy Juices and their Health Benefits, so here goes :

Papaya + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism





Carrot + Ginger + Apple - Boost and cleanse our system





Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache





Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad breath





Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk - Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat





Orange + Ginger + Cucumber - Improve Skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat





Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon - To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney





Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - To improve skin complexion





Pear & Banana - Regulates sugar content





Banana + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation





Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango - Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization





Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk - Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and strengthen body immunity


Health Care: Fruitalicious

Spider Veins & Telangiectasia

I came across an article about Spider Veins and Telangiectasia, which is a common problem among women.

I used to think that spider veins are caused only by prolong standing or tends to happens more to pregnant women, but it seems that there are more factors then i thought.

Spider Veins
They are small unsightly clusters of pink and purple thread like veins that lie near the surface of the skin. It is caused by blood pooling from excess pressure. They are commonly found in the leg but can also appear in the face and other parts of the body.

Causes of Spider Veins
* Heriditary , Some people are born with a weaker set of veins and this can be inherited in the family. These weak veins will enlarge to form spider veins when subjected to pressure.

* Pregnancy, Due to surging hormones, larger blood volume and pressure from an enlarging uterus all contribute to enlargement of leg veins. Usually within three months after pregnancy these veins will start to dissappear.

* Prolonged standing and sitting exert pressure on the leg veins as gravitational forces encourage blood to stay in the leg.

* Tight clothing can cause constriction around the waist and leg and impede blood circulation. High heel shoes restrict calf muscle function and circulation.

Telangiectasia
They are mainly found on the nose and cheeks, these vessels can be reddish if they are short and close to the surface or bluish for the deeper ones. These facial "broken" capillaries are the result of damage to the vessel walls caused by sun exposure, excessive heat and chronic inflammation such as rosacea. Genes are play a part.

How to prevent it
* Alcohol may weaken the capillaries, so drink less.

* Lack of Vitamins C & E cause capillaries to deteriorate.
Make sure your diet includes lots of bio-flavonoids found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables like citrus peels, peppers, blackcurrant and cherries. Bio-flavonoids work with vitamin C to protect and preserve capillaries.

Health Care | 10 Tips to Stay Young

First of all, i would like to salute the founder of Internet. With this marvelous technology, people like me, is able to access and receive information easily. ^,^

Today, I’ve received an email from my friend on 10 Tips on How to Stay Young:

1) Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them -- that is why you pay them.

2) Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3) Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4) Enjoy the simple things.

5) Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6) The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7) Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8) Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9) Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county. Travel to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10) Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

And Always Bear in mind...
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away...

Life – Live it, Embrace it and rejoice in it.

Health Care: 10 Tips to Stay Young

A brief view of Life by the frog in the well

In this hectic and stress world we live in, we are always so busy working and caught up in our own problems, sometimes we do not see the more important things that is right in front of us – Our Family, Health and Yes, Our Life – our purpose in living...


Family :
If we were to die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives! And come to think of it, some of us even treat colleagues with more politeness then with their own family and we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family,.. An unwise investment indeed, don't you think?

Health :
Currently the world is consuming antibiotics at a rate faster then scientist can invent. There will come a time where all existing antibiotics will no longer work for us. Thus, Your immune system is your own’s best doctor. They can produce their own antibiotics, to fight and conquer the disease, so take good care of them and they will reward you immensely. As the old saying goes “it is cheaper to die then to fall sick in this advance world”.. It may sound pathetic, but is true..

Life :
When we were young, we had Great dreams, to be doctor, teacher, designer, adventurer, to make an impact in this world etc.. but how many of us manage to get what we wanted?? Life was never meant to be fair..
we graduated from school, enter the working society, secure a 9-5 job, sold our precious time to the company, and before long, 30yrs have pass by. By then, we might have gain some achievements in the working society, and start to wait for retirement.. but how about our own life?? What have we achieve??

Sometimes, it makes me wonder the actual meaning of Life...

Are we born to enjoy life or born to run against time daily til our own time is up...
what do you think??

Fruit Vinegar, anyone?

I bought this Sun Vinegar grape (made in Japan) at Isetan supermarket over the weekend for my family and my bf’s mum. What attracted me to the booth, (other then the fact that it was located near to the tidbits booth, where i was buying my tidbits at that moment ;p) was the sign that says daily consumption will improve blood circulation, boost energy level and prevents constipation...

It just simply sounds like my cup of tea, oops! In this case, my cup of vinegar drink!

The Discovery of Vinegar
I have simplified and shorten their history for your easy reading... Dated all the way back to ancient times, where they discovered that grape juice left undisturbed will turn into wine, and when the wine left undisturbed, will turn into vinegar!

Throughout the many centuries, vinegar has been used for many purposes, such as beverage, preservative (as it slows or stops action of bacteria that spoils food), as medicine to treat minor ailments, as an ingredient in food and baking and even as an all purpose household cleaner.

Sun Vinegar from Japan (Info extracted from their leaflet)
It contains the following comprehensive ingredients :

Ø Citric Acid – Helps to purify your blood, stimulates its circulation and burn the neutral fats and cholesterol.

Ø Lactobacillus (when being used with yogurt) – Maybe a great help to get rid of your constipation for your dieting.

Ø Vitamin – Maintains your skin being just like a silk

Ø Calcium – Greatly improves your health

Different ways to enjoy Sun vinegar drink can also be found in the leaflet, if you are interested, you may drop down to Isetan Scotts this week, to get more information from the sales auntie.
I have not start on this new regime of daily vinegar drink yet. I shall start tonight for two weeks, and will update on the goodness if any, again!

Anti-Aging

At this new era, where men & women are getting more and more concern about their outlooks and tend to look at least 10 years younger then their actual age, the word “Anti-Aging” can be found in almost all products ranging from skincare to consume food..

If you think it is too costly to invest in skincare products... Fret Not~~
Below is a list of affordable Top 10 daily food that has anti-wrinkles properties as well :

Spinach
Rich with lutein which helps in hydration and elasticity. It also contains Iron, Vitamin A, C & E that helps to keep skin bright and firm and protect against sun and free radical damage.

Beetroot
Full of anti-oxidants, it contains pigments known as anthocyanins which enhance collagen production to reduce wrinkling.
My suggestion : as beetroot has a strong aftertaste, to lessen the taste, you may try drinking apple or carrot + beetroot fruit juice (one of my all time favorite mix of fruit juice)

Olives
Scientists have found that Olives and virgin olive oil are very high in polyphenols. They help make the skin less prone to wrinkle and slow the aging process by fighting free radicals.
My suggestion: At all time must have in salads and sandwich.

Avocado
This nutrient rich fruit is naturally high in the monounsaturated fat essential for plump youthful skin. They help stimulate collagen production.

Kale (also known as Kai Lan)
It is a great source of nutrient especially in vitamin A which naturally counteracts wrinkles. It also gives you healthy blood circulation for gorgeous glowing skin.

Chillies
Full of vitamins A & E and bioflavonoids, they help skin to heal and remain hydrated. Research also shows the antioxidants in yellow and orange foods build under skin to create extra UV protection.

Tomatoes
They have lots of lycopene, a free radical warrior, and other antioxidants that help prevent wrinkling, maintain moisture and reduce dullness.

Flaxseed Oil
Rich with protein and Omegas 6 and 3 fatty acids, it helps to plump skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and lines.

Grapes
Fresh grapes and its juice contain proanthocyanidins, which help keep skin elastic, smooth and wrinkle-free.

Green Tea
Research shows that its potent antioxidants will make you look younger by boosting collagen and elastin.

Fart ty Business

Someone farted in our office right after lunch break!!
I was on the brink of being stink to death!!!!!! As I look around, holding my breath, I notice it seems that the rest of my colleagues appear nonchalant..
I couldn't really tell who is the culprit..

Suddenly, the phrase being “stink to death” makes me wonder whether will we really be “stink to death by farts”? hmmm...

Lets see :
Fart
A Fart is created when the food enters the intestine, microbes and bacteria feed on the food. If the food can't be digested by the microbes, it is released as gas into the intestine. Swallowed air also contributes to this gas. The main gases of a fart are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, some oxygen and a lot of methane. Carbon dioxide enters the intestine from swallowed air or from the blood. Carbon dioxide creates the bubbles while farting in a bathtub or pool. Nitrogen just adds more pressure and comes from swallowed air as well. Hydrogen is very flammable and light. The light weight causes the fart to float. Methane is another flammable gas that burns with a blue flame.

So why do the Fart stink so much!!
That’s because some of the microbes create sulfurous gasses such as Indole, Skatole, Hydrogen sulfide, Dimethyl Sulfide, Methyl Mercaptan and Methanethiol. Hydrogen Sulfide gives the legendary rotten eggs smell. Indole and Skatole give the other legendary poop smell. Dimethyl Sulfide gives a steamed vegetable type smell. Methyl Mercaptan gives a more musky smell. Different people have different quantities and mixtures of these gasses causing out smell.

Thus, in a nutshell, Fart basically will not kill a person by stinking them to kingdom come.

Hmmm, this part is interesting, do you know Man fart an average of 14 times a day releasing as little as one cup to one half gallon! Omigosh!! That’s horrible right! No wonder they are call 臭男人 (aka smelly man), for centuries.. hahah.. Quick all the gals out there, please show this article to the guys around us and tell them to stop silently “poisoning” us.. ;p
Just for info, Women fart an average of 7 times per day.

p/s : I've found this funny website that has names for all kinds of farts
http://www.fartnames.com/
the fart that i smelled could be under the category :
The S.B.D. Fart - S.B.D. stands for Silent But Deadly. This is no doubt one
of the most common farts that exists. No problem of identification with this one.

Health Care | Omega 3

Health Care Review : Omega 3 is part of Health Food

Today is another Lazy Blue Tuesday.. *yawnz*
I’ve already lost counts on the numbers of yawns throughout the day... My colleague was suggesting that i can consider to get energy booster supplement, as i’m always feeling lethargic, though the only booster that is on my mind lately is “Butt Booster (body shaping girdle)”.. hehehee

What to do, as i grow closer and closer to the BIG THIRTY, even my butt also can’t resist the pull of centre of gravity.. ;p
Currently i’m still scouting around, once i buy and tested, i will update and let you know ya..

Back to our topic about supplements, frankly speaking, i’m not a fan of supplements, i don’t believe in popping pills. I would rather eat my fair share of white meat, fruits and vegetables and build up my immune system through appropriate diet.

But, lately i’ve heard a lot of rave about Omega 3, other then anti-oxidants, which now can also be widely found in skincare and consume food. Omega 3 is a category of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Meaning that the it is something which the body must have, but also which it can neither manufacture nor store, other then consuming the food rich in EFAs.

EFAs are split into 2 groups, Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 9 was often considered an EFA but in fact the body can make omega 9 from unsaturated fats in the diet. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in cold water Fish like Salmon, Mackerel, Lake Trout, Herring, Sardines, Tuna and Plants like Canola, Soybean, Flaxseed, Walnut, as well as dark green leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens. You can also get omega-3s from fish-oil capsules. I was also recommended by GP to get “Evening Primrose Oil” capsules for my Eczema as it is rich in Omega 3. As omega 3 was seen as being good for the skin and the immune system. It helps to make the cell membrane flexible and therefore makes cells work better.

Now, scientists are confirming that the anti-inflammatory properties of omega 3 help reduce your chances of developing inflammatory chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory. It provides us with prostaglandins, which help us maintain a functioning blood clotting system, regulate the kidneys and keep our brains healthy.

All of these are critical to our health, but we need the omega 6 in just the right amounts. If the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is too high it can make our bodies more prone to inflammation. Inflammation is at the base of many chronic diseases and disorders, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, eczema, asthma and behavioural disorders.

So everyone let’s start our fishy business today!

Health Care: Omega 3

Skin Care | Eczema Treatment 3

Thus post is a follow up on my previous on Eczema Treatment.

Today is the 7th day of medicine free, and tiny rashes start to develop on my hands n legs, is like an army of ants crawling all over, i can only apply medicine and lots of moisturezer to stop the itchyness...

On my 5th day, i was so worried as i woke up with lots of tiny little pimples all over my nose and forehead area, i couldn't tell whether is it Eczema or pimples outbreak due to poor removal of makeup (currently i can't use my makeup oil remover).. .

Ok, now you must be wondering how come i apply makeup when doc ask me to keep a "clean face". I must confess aside from the ICM aqueous cream (a kind of emoillent cream for the face)dat doc told me to apply religiously day and night, i've been secretly applying skincare for my eye area every night and eye makeup and light loose powder on my nose and cheek during the day to work. ;p

Ok... Ok... i know i don't deserve any pity for the outbreak, but my eye area was starting to feel tight after a few days of no skincare, the tightness was uncomfortable 18hrs a day, to a point that i can feel my skin stretch when i smile, it was very uncomfortable, and i can't possible go out "naked face".

Anyway, now i'm using my mildest skincare for the eye area, so i dun cause too much irritation.
These past 2 days i'm also using "Avene Extremly gentle cleanser makeup removal", it is paraben and fragrance free so is suitable for atopic skin condition like mine,
(You may view this link on their list of products. http://www.avene.com.au/products/)
and i've been applying the cream medicine from National Skin Centre, so now the little pimples are all gone.

I came across and article on line by Dr Sundardas DA Natural Therapies Centre (Singapore)
about Causes of Weight Gain According to Mainstream Medicine : (i think the steriod medicine they mention, could be the one i'm taking for my Eczema. = ( )

Hypothyroidism: Affects mostly women where the thyroid gland, found at the bottom of the neck, isn't making enough thyroid hormone. "Hypothyroidism slows the metabolic rate. It can also cause fatigue, and sometimes when people are tired, they think if they have something to eat, they might feel better," says Lorraine Watson, associate professor in the faculty of nursing at the University of Calgary and a weight management expert.

Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance that is associated with cysts, or sacs filled with fluid, in the ovaries, affecting women mostly during their childbearing years. While it can complicate ovulation; it is also associated with weight gain and associated with insulin resistance and thus Type 2 diabetes.

Cushing's syndrome
Also known as hypercortisolism, this rare condition means there is too much of the hormone cortisol in the adrenal glands. Cortisol normally helps regulate blood pressure and metabolism. While both children and adults can develop hypercortisolism, it's more common in women aged 25 to 45 years.

Oral contraceptives
This medication combine two hormones - progestin and estrogen - and together they prevent ovulation with an almost 99 per cent effectiveness rate. While they're generally used to prevent pregnancies, they are also prescribed for conditions such as severe acne or to regulate heavy or irregular periods that come with conditions such as endometriosis.

Steroids
Not to be confused with anabolic steroids (the kind weight lifters and athletes take), corticosteroids, the kind you inject or swallow, are used for conditions to generally lessen any painful inflammation. Steroids can make one very hungry, making one pack on the pounds. Catabolic steroids, such as prednisone gives the impression the body is burning itself up and wants to replenish itself of more energy through food.

Anti depressants
Prescribed antidepressants alter the chemicals in our brain to relieve symptoms of depression (includes decreased energy, insomnia, irritability, etc). There are different generations of antidepressants, and the newest - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - reportedly are more effective at treating depression, but they come with side-effects such as weight gain.

If you have miss out on the previous post of this topic, here's the link for your reading pleasure.

Skin Care Eczema Treatment 1
Skin Care Eczema Treatment 2
Skin Care Eczema Treatment 3