“Beauty is a combination of qualities that gives pleasure to the senses and to the mind.” – American Heritage Dictionary
“Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” – An old proverb
When defining beauty, scientist and poets contradict each other. The concept of beauty remains mysterious and illusive to us. Can there be a universal standard of beauty or does it lie in the eye of beholder? Ask any mother whether she treats her children equally; a face value “Yes!” will be the answer. However, research and scientific observation has shown otherwise: children more facially attractive are cared for better than their less attractive siblings.
Is the media feeding us with prototypes of beauty, making mothers victims of media-fed beauty standards? Research and studies tell us this isn’t entirely true. Even infants as young as three to six months show more interest in an attractive then in a less pretty face.
In a study involving three-to-six-months-old infants, eight photographs of people from different parts of the wold were chosen. Adults judged persons in four of these photographs as facially attractive and four as ordinary-looking. When these photographs were shown to the infants, their gazes lingered longer on the more attractive faces and they averted their glances when shown less attractive faces. So it seems as if we have an innate sense of beauty and attraction.
Attractive people are known to excel in all professions with more ease than their less attractive counterparts. They have an important asset – The Face Value. All of us have a unique face which can be perceived by others as more or less attractive, but with loving care, a balanced diet and by maintaining good health, everyone can enhance his/her facial beauty and grace.
I am not talking about a beauty contest here. The point is to feel good, confident and relaxed about appearance and I have some tips and delightful treats for your face.
The first step in taking care of your facial skin is to understand the type of skin you have. There are four skin types:
Normal skin is healthy and balanced, with enough oil to prevent water loss but not excessive to clog pores. Caring for it is simple: keep it normal. Never slather it with lotions and creams with synthetic chemicals which could irritate it, nurture it with herbal skin care products.
Mature skin is dry; the complexion is dull and yellow. The growth rate of cells slows down as one grows older, resulting in decreased production of collagen, a protein substance which gives firmness to skin, and a loss of elasticity beneath the skin. This creates wrinkles and lines on the face and makes the skin more prone to problems. Mature skin should be protected from rough weather and too much exposure to sun. A rich moisturizer and a cell-renewing herbal skin lotion should be applied on a regular basis.
Dry skin is very sensitive to sun. It is often thin, fine and tends to tighten a few hours after washing. A dry skin does not necessarily lack oil; dryness can be caused by the loss of water by evaporation from the skin cells. Water levels in the dry skin should be maintained. Non-drying cleansers should be used to cleanse the face to exfoliate the dehydrated cells. Use moisturizers which encourage the skin to hold water.
Oily skin is recognized by the oily film on the face and it feels sticky. Some people have sensitive oil glands that react to hormonal changes, food and a change in weather. Oily skin should be cleansed and toned daily to rid it of excess oil. While cleansing, use an astringent with no moisturizer in it.
