First impression is a lasting impression – I think this saying is apt for overall outlook and the face.
Face- is the asset for an individual, face determines or undermines your age. Good face care is vital.
A good face need not be fair looking( fairness is a misconception that is still prevalent in India even though we have gone into the new millennium).
I think mind-set does take time to change.
For me an Ideal face is one which is clean, blemish free.(Every one is not born with fair skin but it does not mean that a dark face cannot be beautiful looking) face care is essential not only to keep the aging lines off the face but also have a good healthy skin that stays healthy for years to come.
Good healthy skin care starts with good healthy eating habit.
Food should be more leafy and should contain more fiber. Oily food should be taken in the right quantity( any thing in excess is not right). Drink lot of water and eat lot of fruits. I think the saying of an apple a day keeps doctor at bay is quite rightly framed. Fiber in the food helps in avoiding constipation.
I get up early morning drink one to one and half litres of water on an empty stomach. It dilutes all the excess acidic secretion that could have happened during the night while sleeping.
I wash my face with soap free face wash, go for a walk, do deep breathing exercises and a bit of yoga. The sheer act of doing exercises makes you and the face feel fresh. Massaging of skin on the face with olive oil leads to good muscle toning and blood flow . Knock off the olive oil on the face while taking bath.
Post bath apply a good moisturizer/cream(non-sticky) so that post bath dryness does not affect the facial skin and does not have a stretched feeling.
Have a good filling breakfast and have salads for lunch(caution- do not let your stomach be empty it could lead to acidity and indigestion).
During the mid afternoon post lunch wash the face with a good face wash and be active for the 2nd half.
Back home after a hard days work wash the face thoroughly with a good anti bacterial soap to knock off the dirt and grime. Apply a good moisturizer on face or can keep the face clean without any cream.
Take a bowl of water add a bit of eu-de- cologne and dip a cloth in it and apply the cloth on your eyes to relax your tired eyes. By doing this, black circles under the eyes can also lessen.
Before going to bed apply olive oil on the face and wait for half an hour and after that make a paste of sandalwood powder, multani mitti( clay) rose water and glycerin( one can also add turmeric powder to it) apply the paste as a face mask and once it is dry, wash it off. The face mask helps in reducing blemishes if any and also helps in acne reduction.
Take a bowl of hot water and do steaming of the face, this steaming will open the pores. Keep the face free of any cream or moisturizer ( if you dont apply any thing to the face at night before going to bed it will help the skin breath better).
Have periodic oil baths preferably with olive oil or sesame oil and once a week applying gram flour mixed in milk instead of soap while taking bath is beneficial.
Face scrubs can be used when you come back from a long hard days work. It helps in removing dead skin and opens out the pores and cleans them. But face scrubs should be used sparingly because it can cause the pores in the skin to widen.
Use a good black head remover once a fortnight if you have blackheads on the nose. If you have a mole on the face and hair sticking out of it( remove the hair) because it does not look good.
Have a good sleep, keep tension at bay( are also two most important aspects of good face care)
Have a good younger looking healthy face and keep everyone guessing about your age.