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It is true that sleeping more and being relaxed while on summer vacation helps the skin and being tanned hides tired skin and pronounced dark circles under the eyes. But it is also true that the sun and constant contact with water dry out skin and help cause wrinkles and spots to appear. Therefore, once summer is over it is a good idea to check the condition of your face and help its delicate skin rebuild.

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There are myriad treatments on the market with all kinds of formulas and specific effects. They don't work miracles, but they do help you look better. Without ruling out the use of these products, there is a series of basic-care techniques that also do their bit toward giving you clear and pretty skin and holding wrinkles at bay.�

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The first step is to keep in mind that a lack of sleep and nervousness show up quickly in the face. So once summer is over it is important to do physical exercise and practice relaxation techniques to fight stress. Another treatment is to feed the skin properly by drinking at least two liters of water per day and following a healthy diet. It should be rich in vegetables containing beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, which helps regenerate tissues and mucous membranes and is found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

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Free radicals are one of the agents responsible for skin's aging. To fight them there is nothing better than vitamins C (which acts against collagen) and E, which are present in citrus fruits and vegetable oils, respectively. Oils are also rich in oleic acid, as are nuts and blue-meat fish, and help moisturize the skin. But the skin cannot fully utilize the vitamins we ingest. In other words, the vitamins are not accessible enough for the body to enjoy all their benefits. So these days there are cosmetics taken orally and designed to reach specific cells where the skin can in fact benefit.

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Another way to renew skin after summer is with natural treatments prepared at home. You can make a facial pack with banana and a spoonful of honey, leaving it on your face for 20 minutes and removing it with warm water. The formula has nutritive and moisturizing qualities and is good for skin damaged by the sun. For a deep cleaning of the skin there is nothing better than a mix of yogurt and oats, applied with soft strokes, while to tone up the skin, camomile tea is good. Olive oil with a dash of lemon gives the face brightness and shine. Lemon juice works against spots, but once they are present they are hard to get rid of altogether. Mud packs help clean the skin and wipe away impurities.�

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Every now and then it is necessary to exfoliate the skin in order to remove dead cells and let it oxygenate better. But be careful. Overdoing it with these treatments only helps destroy the layer that protects the skin, leaving it more exposed to damaging external agents. A good steam bath will help open the pores and allow treatment products to penetrate the epidermis better. It is essential to never sleep with a pack on your face because night is the time when the skin oxygenates and it needs to be clean and nourished. For this reason, night is the best time to use intensive-action creams such as those which fight wrinkles. �

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The lips and neck need separate care. The former lack sebaceous glands, melanin and queratin, and are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. So lips need specific products with wax and lipstick that provide water, especially after the summer. Long-duration lipstick tends to dehydrate lips, especially when combined with the effects of wind and cold in autumn and winter. In the same way, the neck area tends to reflect the passage of the years like none other because it is very sensitive. It has hardly any sebaceous glands and gravity exerts a relentless effect on it. Any facial product should also be applied to the neck, always in an upward direction. Alternating baths of cold and hot water stengthen the neck's connective tissue, while proper posture helps avoid premature wrinkles.�

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Finally, don't forget about facial gymnastics. There are exercises which help strengthen the muscles that support the face. The eye area can be improved by pointing the eyes up and down, doing 15 repetitions daily. For the cheek bones, there is nothing better than closing your mouth and blowing out on your cheeks. And to get rid of a double chin, gently stretch back the skin of the neck using your index finger and thumb.