Simple at-home Facial =)

If you feel that your skin badly needs some deep cleansing and a little bit of reinvigorating, you can always have a facial. Actually, in order to maintain a supple, soft and youthful-looking face and neck, you need to undergo this treatment at least once a month, especially if you are over 30.

However, not many could afford a monthly trip to a salon, spa or dermatology clinic just to have their face prepped and cleaned. If you are one of these people who would want to have fabulous skin but do not want to pay a large sum for a facial treatment in a salon, spa or clinic, do not despair. You can actually have your treatment in the comforts of your own home.

Here is a step-by-step guide to an easy and effective home facial:

Step One: Cleanse

Any treatment that concerns the skin usually begins with getting off the grime, dirt and makeup on your skin. Thus, the first step to an effective facial is by applying a cleansing cream all over your face and neck. You must leave the product on your skin for at least two minutes to give it time to dissolve dirt, make up and oils. Then, just wipe your face with a clean cloth, cotton wool, or facial tissue.

Step Two: Exfoliate

To remove deep-seated dirt and dry skin cells, you need to moisten your skin with warm water and put on a facial scrub, particularly the ones with micro beads. Gently massage the product on your face. Just make sure that you avoid the delicate area surrounding your eyes. After a while, rinse off with tepid water.

Step Three: Steam

Place a basin of boiling water, preferably one kettleful, in front of you. Then, lean over the basin and cover your head with a towel so that the steam will directly reach your face. But do not lean too low because you do not want to burn your face in the process. Make sure that you stay in this position for about five minutes.

Hot steam will open up your pores. If you have problems with blackheads and whiteheads, you can actually try removing them by pressing affected areas with your fingers. Just make sure that your hands are clean and the areas to be squeezed are covered with strong tissue paper.

Step Four: Mask

Place a facial mask all over your face. Just follow the instructions on the back of the product that you are using. If you have oily face, it is advisable to choose an exfoliating or clay-based mask. If your skin is dry, what you need is a moisturizing mask; this will help your skin retain much-needed moisture on your face.

Step Five: Close Your Pores

When the mask feels taut and dry, you can now rinse it off completely. It is best to remove the product with warm water. Your pores tend to open up after being in contact with steam or warm water; to prevent dirt from entering your pores, you need to close them. To do this, splash your face with cool water, concentrating on the areas where your pores are quite large. Dry your skin with a soft towel.

Step Six: Tone

In order to refresh your skin and get rid of excess oil, apply a facial toner on areas that are prone to acne and other blemishes; put special attention to your nose, forehead and chin. If you have extremely dry skin, you can skip this step.

Step Seven: Treat Your Eyes

Apply a generous amount of eye cream or gel on the areas surrounding your eyes. Your eyes also need some attention whenever you are having a facial.

Step Eight: Moisturize

After the cleansing, rinsing, steaming and toning, your face is now ready to get moisturized. Thus, apply a good amount of moisturizer all over your face and neck. This is important in keeping your skin soft and supple and your complexion even. One moisturizer you can use, during your monthly facials or even during your daily beauty regimen, is Dermaxin. If you want to know more about this cream, just visit http://www.dermaxin.com/.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Martin

Want to look more Radiant?

Facial masks often have a complexion boosting effect, and who doesn't want to be more radiant and pampered?  I do this at home when I feel I need to relax and the winter weather is dulling the appearance of my skin.  During the summer I purchased a natural deep sea facial mask by the company Alba.  I got mine from Target, but I have also seen this brand at drugstores.  In addition to brightening skin, mud masks also tend to firm the skin and draw out impurities.  I noticed through using the Alba deep sea facial mask that my blackheads were COMPLETELY removed from my nose, where I had many.  This occurred after about two months of using the product once each week.  Not bad, right?!  And the best part is that this mask is under $10.  A dime size amount of product is all that is needed for each use, so this bottle I have has lasted about six months so far.  Alba Botanica products are also completely organic.  How could you not feel great using this brand!?  This is the only product I have actually purchased from Alba, but I am looking into several of the other products in their line.

Just for a little more information, this mask includes sea enzymes as well as aloe vera, which help to tone and revitalize skin for a healthy and RADIANT complexion.  Let me know if you have tried this product and what you think!  =)

Love Alyssa  

Need A Boost?

Self-esteem is relatively important for one to be successful at anything, including such things as careers, sports, maintaining health and happiness, and to have fun in life!  Now, I do not mean be "cocky" or overly-confident, but realize that each and every one of you is important and worthy of good things.  Realize that you deserve anything that you want, and you will earn it.

As an example, when you love someone you will speak fondly about/to them and you will become happy. The complete opposite occurs when you speak of someone whom you dislike.  This is exactly what happens to your self-esteem when you love or talk negatively about yourself.  Throughout the past few years, I have had several times when my self-esteem was significantly lowered. It helped me to make a list of things that I have accomplished throughout college and high school, and look upon the relationships I have in my life.  When I get upset about roommates or friends, I know that I have one BEST friend and she irreplaceable.  This makes me realize that I am very lucky since many people do not have that.

Try replacing negative words with positive in order to solve self-esteem issues.  It is important to always try and be positive because life is too short to see only the negative in everything.

Love Alyssa

Hair Change!!!!

Most of you don't know me personally, therefore, you may not know that my natural haircolor is a light brown/dark dirty blonde color.  I have an angled bob styled cut that has grown out a few inches, just above my shoulders.  I love my natural haircolor, but I have been toying with the idea of lightening it up a bit.  It has never crossed my mind to go blonde before, until I was playing with the virtual makeover tool on the clairol website.  Before this incident, I had been fond of dying my hair darker colors.  I want the blonde in my hair to look natural, not like platinum blonde.  I saw this picture of Jessica Simpson and I think her hair color looks beautiful in it!  

Changing your haircolor or hairstyle can have an effect on your confidence, and I think it helps to mix it up a bit when you get bored with your look.  It not something permanent since it will eventually grow out.