Spa Wellness Guide Combination Skin

Natural Tips & Tricks to Balance and Beautify

Clear, glowing skin is an obvious reflection of clean living and good health. And while balancing combination skin may be a challenge, it can be done. These simple tips and home treatments will help your combination skin to look its best, naturally.

The skin is the body’s largest vital organ, and though it seems “inactive,” it’s constantly performing a host of functions and renewing itself by sloughing off dead cells. Just like any organ, the skin requires maintenance. Good skin is, in part, the result of a smart, consistent cleansing, toning and moisturizing regimen.

Diet also affects the health and appearance of the skin. Whole foods like fresh green vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, dairy products, fish and pure water provide necessary nutrients for good skin.

Spa treatments are great, but home remedies—when done effectively—are a terrific way to care for your skin. And the money saved makes them more than worth the time it takes to prepare them.

As its name suggests, combination skin is both oily and dry. For combo skin-types, the skin is especially oily in the T-zone—the forehead, nose and chin—and driest at the cheeks and jaw.

Combination skin is common, but requires special care due to its dual properties. For comprehensive combination skin care tips and treatments, read on.

Combination Skin 101

If you’ve got combination skin, it’s important to regularly deep-clean and tone oily areas with the application natural astringents. Regular moisturizing with a water-based (not oil-based) moisturizer is recommended for these areas.

Dry areas, on the other hand, should be cleaned with natural moisturizing cleansers.

The entire face should be washed with lukewarm water and mild soap, a maximum of twice per day.

When exfoliating, use a gel mask—the best face mask for combination skin. Alternately, a combination of two face mask products can be used: a clay mask for oily areas, a cream mask for dry areas.

When it comes to diet, regular intake of milk and dairy products, fresh fruits, legumes and foods that are high in beta-carotene are key. Also critical is adequate hydration. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep combination skin hydrated.

Advanced Care for Combination Skin

Combination skin needs special care all year. The following tips will help you balance combo skin and keep it beautiful year-round.

• The entire face should be cleansed twice daily with a natural deep-pore cleanser that eliminates oil, dust, dirt, and makeup.
• In summer, use antibacterial soap to help keep the natural oiliness of the T-zone in check.
• Regardless of season, moisturize the entire face. Using the right type of moisturizer for each area is key, both for hydration and to help prevent wrinkles. Use an oil-based moisturizer for dry areas and an oil-free moisturizer for the T-zone.
• Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and vitamin C rich moisturizers are especially good for combination skin because they help to balance it. AHA products are also excellent exfoliants.
• Oil-free and shine control make-up may be used.
• A sunscreen with a minimum 15 SPF is critical for combination skin health, and to prevent premature aging.

Easy Home Treatments for Combination Skin

The following home treatments are effective, easy to prepare and can be used on the entire face.

• For a cool, cleansing mask, mix 3 tablespoons of fuller’s earth (a readily available clay mask) with eight ground fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove mixture from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes. Apply to the face and leave in place for 15 minutes. Rinse off and dry gently.
• For a healthy glow, mash three tablespoons of fresh papaya and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Apply papaya paste to the face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and pat dry.
• To cleanse the pores, boil 10-12 lemon grass leaves in 4 cups of water until they release their fragrance. Allow liquid to cool, then pour into an ice tray and freeze. Gently rub frozen lemon grass cubes all over face to remove oil, dust and dirt.
• For a balancing, exfoliating treatment use sugar, kosher salt or sea salt. Wet hands and face, and apply the scrub in gentle circles. Use a drop or three of essential oil to add fragrance to the scrub.
• To refresh the skin after a hard day’s work, keep a bottle of rose water in the refrigerator. Dab rosewater on a clean cotton ball and apply to face and neck.

The Combo Skin Diet

A balanced diet of whole foods is a must for combination skin. The following diet recommendations will help you to achieve a balanced glow, from the inside out.

• Foods rich in beta-carotene—like carrots—are packed with vitamin A and great for overall skin health.
• Citrus fruit like oranges and grapefruits are terrific sources of vitamin C and are highly recommended for combination skin.
• Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and mackerel, moisturize the skin and fight aging. Ground flax seeds and flax oil are also an excellent source of essential fatty acids.
• Regular digestion is critical for healthy skin, so high-fiber foods are recommended.
• A monthly, one-day fresh fruit and vegetable detox is a great way to balance combination skin.

Vitamins E and B for Combination Skin

Though combination skin benefits from the full RDA of essential vitamins and minerals, vitamins E and B complex are the most crucial when it comes to maintaining combo skin health.

Vitamin E is a highly efficient, fat soluble antioxidant that plays a vital role in both healing the skin and preventing premature aging. Wrinkles are caused by the deterioration of collagen by harmful enzymes—something that dry areas are especially prone to. Vitamin E reduces the production of these enzymes, effectively slowing the aging process. It also protects the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Green vegetables, legumes and nuts are rich sources of vitamin E.

Vitamin B complex is a combination of B vitamins (B1-B6) each of which has a specific function when it comes to skin maintenance.

Vitamin B complex is instrumental to the proper functioning of the sebaceous glands, which keep the skin moisturized naturally. Vitamin B deficiencies may cause the skin to become excessively dry.

For oily skin, a moisturizing cream rich in vitamin B will hydrate the skin without making it too greasy.

The best food sources of B complex vitamins are fish, dairy products, eggs, bananas and brewer’s yeast.

A Rational Approach to Combination Skin

Though combination skin can be a challenge to maintain, it’s not impossible—it’s not even that difficult. Start with a couple easy changes to your skin care regimen and pay attention the results. Once these changes are in place, try some of the more advanced tips and techniques presented above. You’ll find it won’t take long to balance and beautify your skin, and to achieve a healthy, year-round glow.