Blackness Around the Neck (How Do I Get Rid of It!!!)

Have you ever seen anyone with really good looking face but when you look at their neck, there's a ring around it or blackness?  You probably think to yourself, "Well sheesh, they need to scrub their neck harder in the shower or do something!" Part of the problem as to why people have dark rings around the neck is failure to properly cleanse the neck along with the face when washing. Your face is the center of attention when you speak to people but as people talk to you they're also looking around the rest of your face, including your neck.

It is really important to cleanse and exfoliate the neck along with the rest of your face on a day to day basis. Not doing this will cause the blackness and dark regions around the neck.  

If you do have blackness or darkness around your neck here are some home remedies that will help you to get rid of it.

• Take milk and rub your neck with it. Milk is an excellent cleanser and a toner too.
• After cleansing, use a scrub, preferably natural one, to exfoliate the skin around your neck.
• You may mix olive oil with sugar and rub gently to scrub your neck.
• Sometimes use another scrub having bleaching agent such as lemon juice. You will find many scrubs here in this article that you can use for daily exfoliation.
• After exfoliating, wash off with water and apply some moisturizer.
• Whenever you go out, apply sunscreen to your neck along with your face. This will avoid pigmentation.
• Never step out in sun when you apply lemon juice on your skin. This will make your neck darker than before.

If you follow the above neck care regime daily, you will begin seeing result in a two week’s time. However, do not stop and continue cleansing, scrubbing and moisturizing your skin (rapidhomeremedies.com).

As for an exfoliant, I recommend Lemon Burst  face and body scrub by Body Scrubs by Rebeca.  Lemon burst exfoliates the skin. It is made with sugar, fresh lemon peel to help polish the skin, lemon juice that acts as the bleaching agent to fade blackness or dark spots and natural oils are great for moisturizing the skin.  Visit bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com to view more information. 

Lemon Burst $19.99 

Lemon burst face and neck scrub $19.99

Hope this information helps. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email! And also, let me know how this worked for you!

Spa Experience: Peppermint Facial Treatment

So every year, around or on my birthday I make a trip to the spa to treat myself and my skin! So this past Tuesday, on my birthday I headed to the Dorit Baxter Day Spa where I received a Classic European Facial!

Me at the Dorit Baxter Spa in NYC on my birthday.

As far as facials go, it was very relaxing. As usual, the specialist asked me about my skin type. I explained to her that I have combination skin-oily/dry. She did some further assessments on my face and began the facial. 

She cleansed  my face and used the steamer to open my pores. Then, during the facial she treated me with a special unclogging peppermint/ menthol face mask and warm towel.  It felt amazing! I could feel my pores opening and unclogging right there and then!

After the facial, my face felt so clean and radiant! My pores looked smaller and my face glowing. 

I thought about my usual skin care regimen and will now add peppermint and a warm towel to my face to unclog and open my pores. 

Here's What You Can Do:

1. Cleanse face with face wash/cleanser.

2. Apply hot towel over face 2x ( let it sit until the towel is no longer warm).

3. In a plastic bowl, add 10 drops of peppermint oil, 1 tbsp of seed oil with 2 cups clean hot water.

4. Dip towel in the hot peppermint, seed oil mixture and apply to your face.

5. Leave the towel on your face until the towel is no longer warm. (Repeat 2x)

6. Get a new clean towel and run cool water over it and apply this to your face to close your pores.

7. Moisturize!

Voila!

Pores unclogged and your face is now clean!

Hope this helps! 

Note: If you have sensitive skin use less drops of peppermint oil.

Xo,

Rebeca 

6 Tips to Reduce the Size of Your Pores

On my Instagram page (@body_scrubs_by_rebeca) I questioned my followers as to what some of their skincare concerns or issues are.  I received a few replies, both via Instagram as well as my personal email.  And so, while working, I got an alert that someone wanted to know how they can reduce the size of their pores.  I thought to myself, "hmm that's a really good question!"  Then, while at my desk, I started looking at my face, examining my skin and taking a closer look at my pores.

Me, au naturale - Owner of Body Scrubs by Rebeca
bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com 

(Pores are tiny little openings (holes) in the skin that help to produce natural oils, sebum is produced.)

I noticed that the size of them varied depending on certain situations.  A while back I noticed my pores were looking rather large and some days they looked pretty small. I payed attention to my habits to see when my pores looked their smallest. Here's what I found -

On days where I drank lots of water my skin looked very radiant. My pores also appeared to be smaller.

On days that I exfoliated (2x per week) using my natural body scrubs my pores were also smaller...

And on days I treated myself to a face mask my pores were looking fab!


I researched some more information about pores and found some really useful tips for those to reduce the size of their pores.

Here are 6 Tips to Reduce the Size of Your Pores

1.Hydrate - (drink water) all of our organs flourish with water. The same goes for your skin, so drink up!

2.Exfoliating - try a gentle sugar or walnut scrub to gently remove dead skin cells from your pores.
Exfoliating leaves your skin smooth and radiant and of course, makes your pores smaller.

3.Using a face mask- try a pharmacy brand face mask to cleanse and remove oils and dirt from your face. You should use a face mask once a week. This too will help reduce the size of your pores.

4. Cleanse - wash your face daily to unclog pores. When your face is dirty the pores expand as they are filled with dirt.

5. Tone - use a toner. It helps to close the pores.  That cool tingle you feel when you rub on the toner is helping to cool your skin so that your pores close. (Remember, warm opens pores and cold closes them).

6. Moisturize - Some people think lotion clogs the pores but its actually not true.  Moisturizing actually helps produce less natural oils that can help clog the pores, ultimately making them bigger.

So, there you have it! Six easy steps to reduce the size of your pores!

Xo,

Rebeca


*Here are some products I like - 

Dickinson's Witch Hazel

Body Scrubs by Rebeca all natural coffee scrub

Clinique cleansing bar soap

Hyper-pigmentation and Dark Spots on Legs

This is a very personal post for me and was debating as to whether or not to share it. But I'm sure people can relate to this.  So here it goes...


After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Figure 1.0 -(web image)

After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Follow these tips -

Correcting the Dark Spots

If you couldn’t resist the urge to scratch or had an inflammatory reaction that caused hyperpigmentation spots you can try using lightening ingredients. Some recommend using hydroquinone for fading dark marks, but it can be problematic for skin of color. You can also use treatments specifically created to heal scars like Bio Oil, Mederma, and Scar Zone.

When using fade creams or ingredients to fade marks, only apply the lightening agents to the dark spots. Don’t apply to the unaffected skin.Visiting a dermatologist for a chemical peel is also a great way to remove the layer of skin affected by the dark spots. 

Natural ingredients for Fading Dark Marks

• Vitamin E applied to bite marks helps reduce redness and helps the skin heal.
• Rosehip seed oil helps reduce the discoloration and even out skin tone.
• Licorice is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that also has skin lightening properties.
• Coconut oil can lighten dark marks.
• Tomato exfoliates and lightens the skin.
• Lemons and limes are natural skin lighteners. (Try a Lemon Burst body scurb)
• Papaya helps fade dark spots and even out skin tone. Green papaya can be mixed with lemon or lime juice to help lighten spots.

Precautions

• When applying a substance for lightening spots, leave on for about 10 minutes and then rinse. It could take two to three months for spots to fade.
• Make sure that the topical ointment used is hypoallergenic and won’t cause an allergic reaction and cause further inflammation.
• When using any ingredient, be sure to do a patch test in a small area like the inner elbow to make sure you will not have an allergic reaction, which will only exacerbate the problem.
• Whatever treatment you decide to use, always protect the treated area with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen whenever the area will be exposed to the sun. Sun exposure can make the dark marks worse. In addition some people find that sun exposure also causes a bite to itch again (Source: multiculturalbeauty.about.com).

10 Winter Skincare Tips To Keep Your Skin Healthy

For many people, including myself the cold clear days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. They also bring uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. For some people, the problem is worse than just a general tight, dry feeling: They get skin so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed).

As soon as you turn the heat on indoors, the skin starts to dry out, it doesn't matter if you heat your home using oil, wood, or electricity. The skin gets dry.

Check out these 10 tips to keep your skin healthy during the winter months:

1. See a Dermatologist

If you go to your local drugstore, you'll be hard put to find a salesperson who can give you good advice. That's why going to an esthetician or dermatologist even once is a good investment. 

2. Moisturize 

You may have found a moisturizer that works just fine in spring and summer.  But as weather conditions change, so, too, should your skin care routine.  Find an "ointment" moisturizer that's oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion.

3. Use Sunscreen

No, sunscreen isn't just for summertime. Winter sun -- combined with snow glare -- can still damage your skin. Try applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face and your hands (if they're exposed) about 30 minutes before going outside.

4. Protect Your Hands

The skin on your hands is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it's harder to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather. This can lead to itchiness and cracking. 

5. Exfoliate

During the cold months skin is very dry. With dry skin your skin needs to be exfoliated more. Try a good exfoliant. Exfoliating helps to remove the dead skin cells that you collect over time leaving your skin smooth and soft during the winter months. Try exfoliating with Body Scrubs by Rebeca.

6. Hook Up the Humidifier

Central heating systems (as well as space heaters) blast hot dry air throughout our homes and offices. Humidifiers get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. 

7. Hydrate for Your Health, Not for Your Skin

If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Drinking water helps your skin stay young looking. In fact, it's a myth. Water is good for your overall health and "the skin of someone who is severely dehydrated will benefit from fluids.

8. Grease Up Your Feet

Yes, those minty foot lotions are lovely in the hot summer months, but during the winter, your feet need stronger stuff. Try finding lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine instead.

9. Pace the Peels

If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin.

10. Easy On the Hot Showers and Baths

Sure, soaking in a burning-hot bath feels great after frolicking out in the cold. But the intense heat of a hot shower or bath actually breaks down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture. "You're better off with just warm water," LaPlante advises, "and staying in the water a shorter amount of time." A lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda, can help relieve skin that is so dry it has become itchy.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Thanks for reading!

Source: www.webmd.com 

Why You Should Take Off Your Make-up Before Bed

Now at some point or another we've all forgot to take off our make-up before we get under the covers and go to bed. What harm can it be right?  Well, maybe one time or so is not so bad but constantly going to bed without taking off your make-up can be doing your skin some harm.

In a recent survey, a third of women questioned confessed to sleeping with their slap on at least twice a week. 

Yet those very same women did so despite believing that skipping their skincare routine before bedtime would give them spots, dry their skin and make their eyelashes brittle.

An English woman decided to go a whole month without taking her make up off before bed and the results are staggering!

See below:

Not removing make-up regularly for a whole month.

Removing make-up regularly.

Over the period of a month the woman's skin experience the following:

PAINFULLY DRY

The camera showed that the surface texture of her skin was around ten per cent worse (i.e. more uneven) on her forehead and on the right hand side.

On the left hand side, it was around 20 per cent worse.  This meant that even less oxygen would get to the skin here, which would magnify any problems that the lingering make-up might have caused.

WRINKLES

Although the wrinkles on her forehead hadn't worsened significantly, they had become deeper on both the right and left hand sides of my face.

Dr Williams said that it's no coincidence these were also the driest parts of her face.

'When skin is dry, it's less elastic so wrinkles are more prominent,' she told me.

SKIN IRRITATION

The woman's skin is sensitive and prone to redness anyway. This meant that even before the experiment she scored in the bottom six per cent of women my age.

A month in and it had become two percentage points worse. Any more of a downward slide and she would be an off-the-scale mass of angry, dilated facial capillaries. Dr Williams, her doctor  told her this redness was a sign of irritation in the skin.

'Sleeping in make-up,' she warned, 'has an occlusive effect (it forms a barrier over the surface of the skin).

'This means any irritants are locked in, exacerbating any allergic reactions, and moisturisers are locked out.'

DAMAGED PORES

The pictures showed that her pores were about five per cent larger than they had been at the start. Dr Williams said this was partly due to physical clogging.

'Dirt in pores not only makes them more noticeable and thus appear larger but, over time, we think it can actually stretch them.'

However, she also believed that it was a sign that my skin had aged over the month.

CONCLUSION?

The woman's skin had aged greatly in a month. She aged her skin by about ten years by not removing her make up. It is highly important to remove your make up at night time before going to sleep, especially if you want to be forever young!

Long-term avoidance of washing while continuing to wear make-up is detrimental to skin in the long run.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2380419/What-sleeping-make-does-skin-Our-shocking-experiment-exposes-happens.html#ixzz3HpmYslHj

Healthy Living and Great Skin

Having a healthy diet and regularly exercising are key to having great skin. Certain foods can cause acne and make the skin look dull. Here are some healthy tips to keep your face and skin flawless -



Drink up. Aim to get 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. The water will clear your skin and make it glow because it makes it easier for your body to flush out toxins quickly.

• Carry a water bottle with you all day to make sure you always have water on hand.
• Drink herbal tea or other decaffeinated beverages to hydrate when you're tired of water.

Healthy eats. Healthy proteins and nutritious fruits and vegetables go a long way toward making skin glow. Add these elements to your diet to see quick results:

• Omega 3 fatty acids. These are found in fish and walnuts, and are especially beneficial to your skin.
• Vitamin C. This will help existing pimples heal faster, so eating a few servings of citrus fruits and spinach will help.
• Fiber-rich foods. Fresh vegetables, nuts, and unprocessed fruit helps keep a fine balance and to be regular, not sluggish, in the gastrointestinal area. You may look and feel tired and sickly (headache and abdominal complaints), if you do not have regularity of elimination/movements once or more every day.

Taking Care of Your Skin in Your 30's

So, it's no secret that I've reached the rightful age of 30 earlier this year. Being 30 is something 
that I have embraced and am very proud of.  Being 30 isn't "old" as I once thought as a child, but the fact of the matter is, I'm not going to be getting any younger, BUT I sure can LOOK younger than my biological age.

As we get older our skin begins to change- we lose firmness, get fine lines, the parenthesis around our mouth and for some, early signs of wrinkles. Well, Rebeca doesn't have time for that! So here are some of the things I do to make sure my skin stays youthful for years to come.


Anti- Aging Skin Care Remedies

1. Water, Water, Water (Hydration)!!

If your skin is not getting the sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration will present itself by turning your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling.

As water is lost in large quantities every day, you need to replace it somehow. The unfortunate truth about drinking water and skin is that water will reach all the other organs before it reaches the skin. So, it's important to apply water to our skin and keep it there - this will not only show a visible difference in hydration, but it can prevent wrinkles, as well.

So what is the best way to add water to the skin?

• Apply a hydrating moisturizer within 2 minutes of leaving the bath or shower. The skin is still porous and is vulnerable to products that are applied following the bath or shower, allowing better absorption.

• Drink more water. Drinking at least 8 glasses a day will help rid the body and skin of toxins. Everyone will not agree that water consumption will improve skin… but it certainly can't hurt. Many people often report that by increasing their water intake, their skin has a more radiant glow. Those who suffer from acne have reported the same results. Nothing will happen overnight, but even a good couple of weeks of increasing water intake should be enough for you to see how hydration affects your own skin.

2. Sunscreen

Studies have shown that sunscreen doesn't only protect one from sunburns and skin cancer, sunscreen also has excellent anti-aging effects for the skin.  A 2013 research study by Australian scientists stated "regular sunscreen use protects against photoaging: the wrinkling, spotting and loss of elasticity caused by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation."

Apply that sunscreen guys (yes, even black people)!

3. Exfoliate!

Exfoliation is the removal of the oldest dead skin cells that cling to the skin's outermost surface, or the epidermis.  Exfoliation is an important part of both facials and body treatments.  When done correctly, exfoliation leaves the skin feeling smoother and fresher looking.

There are two types of exfoliating processes - mechanical and chemical.  The mechanical method of exfoliation is my preference because I rather not use chemicals with all of those funny spelling ingredients.

I mechanically exfoliate by using Body Scrubs by Rebeca hand-made, natural body scrubs.

Body Scrubs by Rebeca gently exfoliates the skin leaving it soft, smooth and refreshing!

Well guys, I hope you find these anti-aging tips helpful as I practice them myself, daily to maintain my skin. 

Remember, getting older is truly a milestone and a blessing but we can choose the way we wish to age. Water, sunscreen and exfoliating will all help with that!

Xo,

Rebeca