Just because weekly facials are out of the question for your pocketbook there is no reason why you still can't have beautiful skin. All it takes is a home skin care regimen and a few minutes morning and evening daily. Add a little extra pampering over the weekend and you will have no trouble maintaining healthy, glowing, fresh-looking skin all by yourself.



You certainly don't have to spend a fortune for products either. Nowadays it is possible to buy top-quality, rigorously tested, skin care products in your local drugstore or gigantic mega-store. Beautiful skin is no longer only for the wealthy. High price no longer means best quality anymore and budget-conscious folks can look their best without spending hundreds of dollars per ounce for pretty packaging and a famous name.

The basics for an at home skin care regimen must include cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliation, and sunblock. You can add wrinkle-removing products if you need them.

Cleanse

How you clean your skin has everything to do with your skin type. If you have oily skin you can use a gel cleanser or mild soap and follow up with a light moisturizer and be done. For normal to dry skin more care must be taken. If your face feels taut or stretched after washing with soap and water, you will need a richer cleanser. Try some of the cleansing creams that leave a light coating of moisturizer behind and don't strip out your natural oils with the dirt.

Use a circular motion with fingertips, washcloth or other cleansing aid and enough product to feel right. Pay special attention to the T-zone, across the nose and cheeks, if you have oily skin. Daily dirt can accumulate around your nostrils and settle into the pores. You want to remove this before it clogs your pores and causes blackheads.

Rinse carefully with warm water and pat dry. While your face is still damp apply the correct moisturizer for your skin type and for the time of day.

Moisturize

If all you do is clean and moisturize, you can keep your skin looking pretty good. But it is important to select the correct moisturizer for you and your skin type. Oily skin still needs a little something to lock in natural skin moisture but normal to dry skin needs more help. Select a product that is designed for your skin type and don't be afraid to change products if you find it either too heavy or too light.

There are moisturizers designed for use during the day and others made for night use. The chief difference is that day moisturizers can contain sunblocks. There is no point is using these at night, although no harm is done.

Exfoliation

You actually do this every time you clean your face and body with a wash cloth or lather puff. However, at least once a week you should be using a special exfoliant product. This can be a body scrub or polish containing sugar, sea salt, finely ground coffee, or finely ground nut shells. Some exfoliants contain fruit acids and should be not used all the time.

A good exfoliating product will leave your skin feeling new and smooth and leave a light coating of moisturizer behind. These are best used in the shower and applied after cleansing the body. Start with a small amount of product and add more as you go over your entire body. Pay special attention to heels, knees, and elbows and any other rough spots. Rinse off all the granules and pat dry gently.

Sunblocks

If you regularly go outside and crisp in the sun you will soon come to resemble a well worn leather purse, with lots of fine lines and deep crevices. If you can't stand the idea of not playing in the sun, then always use a sunblock on all your exposed skin. Select one that is compatible with your skin type and level of activity and reapply often.

Those with very fair skin should choose high SPF sunblocks and also cover up and wear a wide brimmed hat. We need the sun to be healthy but too much can cause serious damage, premature wrinkling, and skin cancer.

Anti-Wrinkling Products

The good news is that lots of these really work! Retinol is available over the counter in many fine products at a reasonable price and it will remove fine lines around your mouth and eyes. When looking for an anti-wrinkle product for your home skin care regimen, look for this ingredient.

Give It Time to Work!

Remember, like hair and nails, skin has a set rate of growth. Don't expect to look dramatically different after just a week of your at home skin care regimen. It takes two months to see major results. But you will gradually notice that you are looking fresher and your skin will feel a bit better every week. Once you get to your optimum, just keep up the regimen, make at home skin care a good habit that you cultivate and keep for the rest of your life. Copyright ? 2008, Juliette Samuel