Back acne: causes, care and prevention

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Acne is caused by an accumulation of dead skin cells, bacteria and sebum that clog the hair follicles causing inflammation that manifests itself in blackheads and pimples. Acne appears mainly on the face, but it can also be present on the back and chest.

Back acne can be unsightly, even embarrassing, and is present in both teenagers and adults. It has practically the same causes as facial acne, i.e. the development of the propionibacterium acnes bacteria due to the excess of sebum and dirt accumulated on the skin. It should be noted that this bacterium is what is called anaerobic, which means that it prefers to live in an environment deprived of air.

There are also other factors that can favour the appearance of back acne, here are some good gestures to prevent it:

  1. Do not break out your comedones or touch them.
  2.  Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight. Choose loose-fitting natural fiber clothing. Tight-fitting synthetic clothes encourage sweating and friction, which helps impurities and bacteria to penetrate the pores.
  3. Shower after every workout or when you’ve been sweating. Rinse with lukewarm water and make sure you rinse your back thoroughly. Greasy residue from soap, shampoo or conditioner can further clog the pores on your back.
  4.  Adopt back exfoliation as your shower routine. You can exfoliate up to 3 times a week, as the pores on the back are much larger than those on the face, so it is necessary to deep clean them regularly. It is best to use an exfoliating strip to remove all dead skin.
  5. Wash sheets and blankets regularly to reduce contact with bacteria. During sleep, dead body cells are deposited on sheets and blankets. Soft, unscented laundry detergent is preferred.
  6. Local use of AHAs can help reduce blackheads. For example, Matis Pure-Serum is a skin perfecting serum and with its trio of naturally derived exfoliating acids, it helps remove dead skin cells and prevent the formation of clogged pores and acne. As a result, your skin is brighter and healthier.

As you can see, there are no miracles with back acne, but healthy habits can be a valuable ally.

étirement dos

Turn your back on pain

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It is often the spine that absorbs the shocks of hectic living, daily activities and stress, causing many people to suffer from back pain.

Did you know that back pain, especially lower back pain, is one of the most common causes of body pain?

Today, we’re taking the time to talk about this very common pain. Here are some facts*:

  • 94% of people experience back pain.
  • 82% of people experience lower back pain.
  • Lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
  • Sharp pain, lasting less than three months, is the most common type of back pain.

There is a saying that “prevention is better than cure”, granted, this is not always true, but we still try to put the odds in our favor. Here are some good habits to adopt to prevent back pain:

  1. Sleep well: choose a firm mattress, and opt for a sleeping position on your back with a pillow under your knees or sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees.
  2. Stay upright: easier said than done. During the day, we tend to forget and bend forward more, but it is very important to maintain a good posture, shoulders up, back straight.
  3. Adjust your workstation: Whether you work from home or in the office, your workstation should be adapted to you. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice on how to set up your workstation in an ergonomic way.
  4. Stay active: it’s no surprise that physical activity is very important to maintain physical and psychological well-being. So make sure you exercise regularly within your limits. A short walk every day can do a lot of good, as can swimming, if you have the opportunity to do so.
  5. Stretch regularly: Stretching has many benefits. Here are the most important ones: they improve posture, muscle and joint flexibility, they reduce tension and stress… Try it and you will know how to draw your own conclusions.

Of course, if the pain is well established and has persisted for a few days or is too intense, we don’t try to play doctor and we go see a doctor quickly. Only he can examine our back, recommend the right specialists to determine the cause of the pain and suggest what to do to relieve the pain.

*Source : Voltaren

format voyage

The right steps to take for your skin during a plane trip

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Did you know that in the plane the relative humidity is much lower than in our daily environment, which makes the air very dry? A change that makes our skin react, whether it is dry or oily? Dry skin tends to lose more water, which dries it out even more, and oily skin becomes more oily than usual.

In order to keep your skin in optimal condition, we’ve come up with a few good tips to prevent skin dryness before and during your flight:

1- First of all, exfoliate from head to toe.

2- Apply a good moisturizing mask on your face the day before departure, and a moisturizing lotion on the rest of your body.

3- Attention: if you want to wear makeup for the flight, choose organic makeup. Thanks to its organic oils, it will reduce water loss and keep your skin comfortable.

4- If you have oily skin, remember to bring sebum-absorbing sheets. Dehydrated skin tends to secrete even more sebum to compensate for the lack of water.

5- Prepare a small beauty kit, with the essentials such as your cleansing lotion, moisturizer, lip balm, disinfectant gel and of course your hand cream. In general, a maximum of 100 mL is allowed per product, but ask beforehand.

6- Have some spray on hand to pamper your face during the trip, thermal water is recommended.

7- If you have a long flight, think about applying eye patches during the flight, to avoid small wrinkles and dark circles being too visible upon arrival.

8- HYDRATION all the way! We advise you to drink as much water as you like, skin hydration starts from the inside. And of course apply your moisturizer and lip balm as soon as you feel the need.

9- We tend not to worry about the sun’s rays inside the plane, but logically we are closer to the sun, and unfortunately the windows of the planes can not protect us from UV rays. So, choose a moisturizer with a sun protection factor.

10- Once you arrive at your destination, head to the bathroom! What better way to wake up your face than to wash it with your cleanser and fresh water? This way, you can finally feel ready for a new adventure. So, have a good flight and a great vacation!

5 benefits of cold therapy

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If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, it seems the cold could do the same.

Although cold therapy has been around for centuries, cold water continues to make waves in today’s wellness culture.

Every morning, many people immerse themselves in a 14ºC ice bath and discover the myriad of benefits that cold therapy can have on your physical and mental well-being.

Read on to discover 5 reasons to reduce your shower temperature.

Improve your circulation and heart health

Exercise and a healthy diet are two well-known ways to improve circulation. But immersion in cold water can stimulate it as well. When you immerse your body in cold water, blood rushes to surround your vital organs. Your heart is then forced to pump more efficiently, pushing blood through all your vessels and supplying every part of your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. By doing this regularly, you help promote better heart health, improve your mental performance, strengthen your immune system and metabolism, and simply give you more stamina and energy.

Boost your mood

One study found that cold showers can help treat symptoms of depression. This is due to the stimulation of dopaminergic transmission which improves mood and makes you happy.

The next time you feel depressed or find it hard to manage your stress, think about the benefits that a simple cold shower can have on your body and mind.

Revive your lymphatic system

Unlike your blood, which is constantly pumped through your body by the heart, your lymphatic fluid has no central pump. Therefore, your lymphatic system relies instead on muscle contractions to pump lymphatic fluid through the vessels. So if you don’t exercise or if your lymphatic system itself becomes slow, the fluid stagnates and toxins build up, leading to colds, joint pain, infections and even illness.

Immersion in cold water causes the lymphatic vessels to contract, forcing the lymphatic system to pump lymphatic fluids throughout the body and remove waste products, bacteria and germs from your cells.

Strengthen hair and skin

According to experts, cold water helps reduce the size of your pores, tighten your skin and provide a vasoconstrictive effect to reduce puffiness. The effect is also good for hair, because the cold flattens cuticles and traps moisture to prevent hair breakage. Simply put, the booster effect is felt from one end to the other.

Reduce inflammation

Immersion in cold water has been scientifically proven to help counteract the side effects of inflammation and muscle pain after intensive training.

One of the main benefits of the cold shower is to lower the temperature of damaged muscle tissue and tighten blood vessels. This reduces swelling and inflammation, and even numbs nerve endings, which can provide immediate and natural pain relief and speed up your recovery.

So, will you dare to trade in your relaxing shower or for a shower at brrrr temperature?

Olive oil : great taste, even greater for you and your skin!

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Its virtues in the kitchen are already well known, but this extremely versatile oil seems to be more and more favoured for many other uses. So what does it really do for us, for our skin?

 

Its components and their benefits

When cold pressed, olive oil is bursting with essential fatty acids. Known as essential because they are not naturally produced by humans, these fats are provided by our diet and are very beneficial for the skin. Also rich in vitamins A, C and D, the oil provides an antioxidant, moisturizing and regenerating effect.

 

Finally, the biggest star of olive oil is vitamin E, also known as the beauty vitamin. The most powerful antioxidant, it neutralizes the excess of free radicals that damage our healthy cells. Pollution, sunlight, tobacco and the fumes emitted from our computer screens are just a few examples of the sources of free radicals that are emitted in our bodies and lead to premature aging of the skin.

 

Fortunately, this vitamin cocktail combined with essential fatty acids provides your skin with a maximum of benefits that it would not be able to obtain on its own.

 

Why is it used in cosmetics?

Used alone or mixed with other active ingredients, it helps to nourish the skin. By adding it to a cosmetic, you ensure that it will have softening, toning and revitalizing properties on your skin. You will therefore see your epidermis or mane more moisturized and permanently softened.

 

Also, since its general composition is extremely similar to that of the sebum naturally present on our skin or hair, olive oil also plays a major role in protecting the skin and scalp in addition to being an excellent healing agent.

With such benefits, it is easy to conclude that the popularity of this precious natural nectar is entirely justifiable.

How to keep your hair healthy during the summer?

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There are many things to love about summer, but damage to your hair from the elements associated to hot weather like sun, sweat and chlorine is certainly not one of them. If you don’t want to worry about having to cut off 10 cm of damaged ends this fall, follow these tips.

Get Ready

You have to take care of your hair in advance. From May onwards, focus on hydration and infuse your hair with as many moisturizing products as possible. Once or twice a week, apply a mask or oil to the lengths and let your hair benefit from it all night long.

Protect Them

There are UV filters for hair. They are used before and after swimming. After swimming, also make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly with clear water to remove any salt or chlorine that attacks the hair fibre.

Dampen your hair before bathing

It may seem counterintuitive to you, but dampening your hair with clear water saturates the hair cuticle and so it absorbs fewer chemicals than dry, porous hair.

Take advantage of the sun to deeply revitalize your hair

Work with the sun rather than against it. The next time you sunbathe, coat your hair with your favourite mask or treatment oil and let the heat work its magic to give you a salon-style intensive treatment.

Care for Them Daily

In the summer, let your hair air-dry and avoid pulling them back into a ponytail or braid when wet. Take out your hats and bandanas to protect your scalp as well. Definitely avoid alcohol-based hair gel, which can cause burns.

Wash Them More Frequently

Wash your hair every day if you bathe, otherwise we can space it out a bit. Don’t overlook conditioner, which is essential for maximizing hydration.

Go for the Wet Look

If you want to abuse oils, go ahead. Apply some to your lengths and to avoid looking too greasy, tie your hair back or go for a nice summer hairstyle. Summer is the perfect time for simplicity and a wet beach look.

Handwashing: An Essential Part of Your Personal Hygiene

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Handwashing is essential, now more than ever. Our hands are the primary transmitters of infectious diseases, and yet relatively few of us wash our hands regularly.

In a Flash

Every time you touch an infected object, clothing or person, bacteria and viruses spread quickly to you. Even worse if you touch your face, especially your eyes, nostrils and mouth. Did you know that most people touch their face every 2 to 5 minutes? In addition, if you cough, droplets from the airways can travel up to 2 metres.

Even if they are invisible to the naked eye, these intruders can contaminate you and sometimes make your life difficult. The solution: washing your hands regularly.

The Science Behind the Soap

Soap is made of long molecules and when they end up in water, they gather into small clumps of fat called micelles. These micelles resemble the fatty envelope of viruses.

When soap is lathered, the ends of the molecules connect to the fatty envelope of the viruses and dissolve it, making the virus inactive and unable to infect other cells. The head of the micelle, on the other hand, envelops the microorganisms and breaks the chemical bonds that allow them to cling to the skin. They are then eliminated during rinsing.

Washing with soap and water is more effective than ethanol disinfectant gels against dirt and viruses. They should only be used when soap and water are not available.

Skin Health

Frequent handwashing is not exactly healthy for your skin. The skin is covered with a hydrolipidic film that protects it. This film is removed when washing and restores itself afterwards. However, the use of a milder, oil-filled soap and moisturizer is highly recommended. Hands that are well washed but have become chapped do not offer any protection for your health.

The Technique

  • Take off your rings.
  • Wet your hands and lather soap.
  • Rub your hands, between your fingers, your nails for 15 to 30 seconds.
  • Rinse thoroughly.
  • Dry your hands. Wet hands contain up to 1000 times more germs than dry hands.

8 Beauty Resolutions for 2019

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2019 is here, bringing its eternal resolutions. So here are our beauty tips to start the year healthy glowing.

1/8 I use my sleep to become more beautiful

At night, when you think everything comes to a stop, it’s actually quite the contrary for your skin. It is while you sleep that many processes work to rejuvenate your skin. Targeted night care products are specifically formulated to revive all the potential of the skin’s natural defences.

2/8 I protect myself from blue light

Blue light coming from electronic devices is harmful to the skin. Its free radicals make skin duller, more fragile and prone to premature ageing. Protect your skin from it by integrating specific anti-pollution care into your routine.

3/8 I clean my face with products suited for me

Cleaning your face and removing make-up with a special product is the first step to beautiful skin. It removes impurities and pollutants on the surface of the skin that put it at risk of irritation and speed up the creation of fine lines.

4/8 I take care of my brows

Eyebrows bring character to the face. We know it, but we don’t necessarily bother when putting on make-up. A tweezer, an eyebrow pencil or shadow are essential to give yourself a whole new look.

5/8 I take care of my hair the same way I take care of my skin

The scalp is the first to benefit from this trend. Aside from shampoo and conditioner, choose moisturizing oils with which you can massage and treat your hair to make it as shiny as ever.

6/7 I go back to basics

Natural cosmetics is becoming more and more popular: simplicity, authenticity, smart consumption. Taking care for the planet can start with taking care
of your skin differently.

7/8 I move

Exercising leads to a myriad of benefits for you health and your skin. Increased blood circulation delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells, replenishing them with all they need to stay healthy and strong.

8/8 I am cleaning up my cosmetic bag

You have to know that all make-up or care products do not have an infinite life span. You can throw away the ones that are outdated and the ones that were opened more than 6 months ago and also give away what you do not wish to use.

5 tips to keep your skin healthy and glowing in summertime

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During the summer months your skin needs special care. As the mercury rises, the heat, along with pollution, takes a serious toll on your skin.

Not only is your skin prone to tanning and peeling, sunrays can also cause premature ageing.

However, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure that your skin stays healthy this hot, dusty and dry season too. This is why we wanted to share theses tips from Deccan Chronicle:

Water is your best friend: Water helps you maintain the moisture balance of your body and skin, and assists in detoxification. Make sure that you drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. This will not only maintain the moisture, but also prevent you from dehydration.

Exfoliation gives you smoother skin: The heat and dust make pimples a very common problem in summers and a lot of people encounter breakouts. Exfoliation removes dull and old skin. Have a regular exfoliation and cleansing routine. Clean your face with water daily, and use a scrub once or twice a week. You can do this at home or visit your institute and get it down on a regular basis.

Moisturisers make the skin merry: With the winters gone, most people think the need for moisturisers and lotions is over. The reality is that the extreme heat of summers makes our skin dry and prone to damage, and you need to make up for the moisture loss. But your oily winter lotions won’t help. Pack those away and opt for a non-greasy moisturizer to keep your skin moisturised and supple without making it look oily.

Sunscreen keeps the sun away: Stepping out in the sun without sunscreen is an open invitation to the sun to invade your unprotected skin. UV rays can be quite harmful for your skin especially in summers, while we are out for work or on a vacation to the hills or a beach. Keep your skin protected with a sunscreen and apply it generously every couple of hours. If you are going swimming, then you will need to apply it again and again as it gets washed off.

Lip-balms give your lips a lovely lift: An unwelcome gift of summers is chapped and dry lips, which can even bleed at times. As the lips are thinner than the normal skin on your body, they need special care in summers. Keep your lips moisturized and protected, and give them a perky look with a lip balm having an SPF.

Sometimes it is the simple things that we do that make us look as radiant as the sun. So, use the above tips this summer to not only protect your skin and face but also look your stunning best.

Source: Deccan Chronicle