Skincare and Anti-Aging: Best Skin Care Alternatives to Botox

Botox® is considered a “hot topic” these days. Some people swear by it, while others cite recent safety controversies. Still others might want to avoid needles or a visit to a professional facility. Whatever the reason, Skincare-News.com’s latest article, “Best Alternatives to Botox®” compares five topical alternatives to Botox® that are currently on the market.

There are a myriad of factors responsible for causing lines and wrinkles: facial expressions, environmental damage, UV rays and cigarette smoking. Additionally, skin naturally loses collagen and moisture as we age, making it appear drier and more fragile. Look for some of the following effective ingredients: Alpha hydroxy acids, ceramides, peptides, retinol and antioxidants. Products that contain these ingredients can help to both correct wrinkles and fine lines, as well as prevent future damage from happening.

Skincare-News.com product ratings**

StriVectin SD
Rating: 5

Originally designed as a stretch mark cream, StriVectin SD actually does much more — in fact, this topical cream is now hailed as a non-invasive alternative to Botox® and other fillers. What’s more, StriVectin SD smoothes wrinkles and fine lines that Botox® treatments often leave behind, providing longer-lasting results that continue to improve over time.

CosMD-3
Rating: 4

Created by the Cosmedical Aesthetics of Beverly Hills, CosMD-3 works on wrinkles, scars and stretch marks to firm and soften skin. A great choice for delicate skin that’s beginning to show signs of aging, this product is especially effective in preventing new wrinkles by reducing musclecontractions — particularly those around the eyes, mouth and forehead.

Bellaplex
Rating: 3

Unlike your everyday moisturizer, Bellaplex restructures the skin and repairs damage in deep tissues, leaving you with a youthful and vibrant complexion. You can also use Bellaplex on just about any place where wrinkles are a concern.

Alterna 7 Minute Lift
Rating: 2

This dermatologist-tested product is natural and hypoallergenic and treats all skin types — even sensitive skin. It works to smooth frown lines, laugh lines, crow’s feet and other signs of aging –without the use of toxins, muscle relaxers or harsh chemicals.

Hydroderm Age-Defying Wrinkle Serum
Rating: 1

This product works on deep wrinkles, helping to refresh and rejuvenate aging skin. Helping to tone the skin and improve texture, Hydroderm Age-Defying Wrinkle Serum is formulated with proteins and peptides that treat wrinkles and fine lines for vibrant looking skin.

Sunburn: Skin Cancer and Aging of the Skin

The experience of sunburn can be a very efficient (i.e. painful) reminder to heed adequate protection on future occasions. However more importantly, it should be a reminder of the long-term effects of sun exposure on our bodies and health – which can include aging of the skin and skin cancer.

In order to more fully understand these consequences, let’s take a look at exactly what sunburn is, its symptoms and its effect on the body.

Sunburn results when the amount of exposure to the sun, or other ultraviolet light source (e.g. tanning lamps and welding arcs etc.), exceeds the ability of the body’s protective pigment, melanin, to protect the skin. Melanin content varies greatly, but in general darker skinned people have more melanin than lighter skinned. (Although fairer skinned people are generally more prone to getting sunburn than darker skinned people, this certainly does not exclude the latter from risk.)

Sunburn destroys cells in the outer layer of the skin, damaging tiny blood vessels underneath. Burns deeper into the skin’s layers also damage elastic fibers in the skin, which over time and with repeated sun overexposure, can result in the appearance of yellowish, wrinkled skin.

The damage to skin cells from UV exposure (either sunlight or tanning lamps etc.) can also include damage to their DNA. It’s this repeated DNA damage, which can lead to a cell becoming cancerous. With the incidence of skin cancer rising dangerously in many parts of the world, and with its ability to develop and establish itself in the body ‘long’ before external signs are detected, — paying attention to this aspect of sun exposure and sunburn should certainly not be ignored if we are serious about preserving our health.

Now while it may be easier to ignore the effects of sunburn occurring at a cellular level, ignoring the external symptoms of sunburn in the days immediately following such exposure is entirely another matter.

While sunburn is usually not immediately obvious, skin discoloration (ranging from slightly pink to severely red or even purplish) will initially appear from 1 – 24 hours after exposure. Although pain is usually worst 6 – 48 hours afterward, the burn can continue to develop for 24 – 72 hours after the incident. Where there is skin peeling, this generally occurs 3 – 8 days after the burn occurs.

While minor sunburns typically cause nothing more than warm/hot skin, slight redness, and tenderness to the affected area, — in more serious cases, extreme redness, swelling and blistering can occur. These blisters filled with fluid may itch and eventually break. This can then cause peeling of the skin, exposing an even tenderer layer of skin underneath.

Severe sunburn can cause very red, blistered skin but can also be accompanied by fever, chills, nausea (in some cases vomiting), and dehydration. In instances of extreme sunburn where the pain is debilitating, medical treatment may be required.

While the immediate effects of sunburn can certainly be painful and cause discomfort, the real deterrent to UV overexposure should be the potential damage to your long-term health – including the risk of premature aging of the skin along with skin cancer.

Don’t let sunburn and sun overexposure kill your chances of enjoying youthful skin, and a healthy body. Remember, the easiest way to treat sunburn will always be to avoid it in the first place!

CHAPPED LIPS - DRY LIPS

A beautiful smile lights up a day. It makes your face more beautiful and lively. Your lips are the most important and exquisitely sensitive part of your body. And therefore you have to take special care of your lips. Soft and smooth lips figure among the foremost indicators of physical beauty. The skin on lips lack oil glands; hence they tend to get dry and cracked easily. You have to take special care of your lips to maintain its requisite moisture level. Your lips need special attention during winter.

We all more or less suffer from dry and chapped lips, especially during the winter months. Your lips are very sensitive to sun, dry indoor climate, wind and cold weather. Since our lips don't produce fat, they get dry and chapped. That's why you should apply fat during the day. Chapped lips can be a sign of fever or bronchitis, but may also be caused by lack of fluid. You should drink enough water during the day, up to two liters per day. Coffee is dehydrating, so don't count the coffee into the two liters.

BEAUTY TIPS: DIFFERENT NATURAL FACIAL MASKS TO CHOOSE FROM

The kind of the mask you want to use depends on your skin type.
For dry skin, try:
 an egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey
 sour cream
 plain olive oil
 avocado
For oily skin:
• dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);
• puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;
• cucumber (it will whiten your skin);
• beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);
• carrots (but don't use this one more than about every other week because it can overdry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.
General refreshing masks:
• grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)
• strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are allergic to strawberries used this way even though they can eat them just fine)
• honey and ricotta cheese
Many fruits and vegetables can also be used to good effect. Anything acidic (lemon, strawberries, etc) will tend to whiten and refresh your skin, but you need to be careful if your skin is dry.
In general, don't apply masks more often than about twice a week, and try to vary the ingredients.
It is a good idea to test the mask first. Apply a small amount behind your ear, wait 20 minutes, then wash off. Then wait 24 hours. If the skin behind your ear is normal, then go ahead and use the mask.

Safe Skin Lighteners - Safest Ingredients

Let’s take a look at some safer alternatives. The ingredients that you will see in the safest whitening creams include:
• Bearberry
• Mulberry
• White mulberry
• Paper mulberry
• Licorice extract
• Vitamin C
• Nut-grass root, which is also known as coco-grass, purple nut sedge and red nut sedge

Of these ingredients, clinical trials have shown that nut-grass root is the most effective. You see, skin lighteners work by inhibiting melanin production. Melanin is responsible for the darker pigmentation that you see.

Other extracts have been shown to inhibit melanin production by only 8.9% at a .5% concentration, which is generally considered a non-irritation concentration. A 0.5% concentration of nut-grass root inhibits melanin production by over 41%. It is obviously more effective than hydroquinone, because all of the companies that include that ingredient use a 2% concentration.

Remove freckles from sugar and lemon

The prominent dark brown spot is bothering you? Dark brown spots are called freckles which appear on faire skin. Mostly seen on faire complexion. They overshadow your entire face beauty and may be the reason to build inferiority complex. Most often they are related with your environment and hereditary. However, one can easily do away with them. Yes, you can reduce the visibility of freckles. Just turn your face towards your kitchen you will find the remedies to remove them.
Take a lemon juice and mix it with sugar. Apply on your face with your finger tips. Rub gently. Focus on affected area; this will definitely reduce the severity of freckles. Lemon and sugar are just the starting. If you are not happy with them you can opt for horseradish juice or oatmeal. Dab them on the affected areas and free from the freckles. You can also apply lemon mixed juice or orange mixed juice.
To get fast result try washing your face from sour milk. It is good for the skin and also restores the moisture with the removal agent of freckles. You may find sour cream and it is good for freckles. Don’t make a mistake to wash it off, just wipe off with soft cotton and dab with genuine moisturizer.
Your kitchen has so many things to apply. You can grind mustard seeds and apply on face over night and wash it off next morning. This reduces the appearance of freckles.
You can also go for mixed warm honey with a scanty amount of wheat germ and gently spread on your face. Rinse off with warm water after 15 minutes. This is the way to freckle free face.
Don’t just apply all your eatables on your face, eat them too. This will boost you from within your body too. Your skin is what makes you feel beautiful. Healthy and glowing skin really brings smile to one’s face. Follow the guidelines and carry that killing smile.

How to avoid dark lips and tips to remove it

Beautiful Lips will add to the beauty on any face, soft, smooth, rosy lips will catch anyones attention. We need to protect our lips. Coffee and tea play a part in darkening your lips However, one or two cups a day doesn't matter - it is only when you drink tea or coffee in excess that it can darken your lips. Smoking, general allergies, lipstick allergies, lip sucking can contribute to making lips dark.


After you brush your teeth every morning, try using your toothbrush to 'exfoliate' your lips too! It should brush off some dead cells and promote the growth of new ones. Avoid stepping out in the sun.


Lips can also turn dark due to pigmentation caused by sun exposure, or hormones.
Then you need to use Vaseline or your favorite lip balm and lemon juice on your lips every night before you go to bed. Make sure to pile it on at night . Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day, remember to wear a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher to protect them. After a few days you'll notice a dramatic difference. Keep this up, and make it an everyday habit.
Dark lips may be due to an unhealthy diet, try to eat more fruits. Another method that can help is to drink more red dates water. Put about 6 dates in a cup and pour hot water on it. Wait about 1/2 hr or 45 minutes before you drink it. It is convenient, easy to prepare and good for your blood circulation. Try it a few times a week.


Use Vaseline or your favorite lip balm and lemon juice on your lips every night before you go to bed. Make sure to pile it on at night. Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Remember to wear a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher to protect them. After a few days you'll notice a dramatic difference. Keep this up, and make it an everyday habit.
Try to apply concealer over your entire lip. Then use your favorite lipstick and you'll look prettier and healthier. For best results, use a lip liner before applying lipstick. Some lipstick contain materials which actually make your lips darker after regular use. So, use only mild varieties of lipstick, lip liner, pencils and glosses. Make sure you never wear lipstick that is old or that has expired. Wear good, reliable brands. Clean out the lipstick when you are at home.
Your lips will not undergo improvement until you stop smoking. The stains are caused by nicotine, and they will only keep getting darker and darker. Quit smoking and then start trying remedies, stains caused by smoking should decrease within a month.