Acne is often the bane of a pretty face. It is painful more emotionally than physically, for the scar that it leaves behind can last for a lifetime, adding to one's miserable look & feeling. No doubt many expensive skin care clinics have mushroomed in ever nook & corner, offering to clear all the scars & blemishes on the face, but they are very expensive & charge exorbitant price for each sitting; not everyone can afford them.
So why not try out this simple skin care regimen to minimize the damage caused by acne & as far as possible prevent its eruption.
1) Wash your face at least twice a day, once in the morning & once at bedtime with warm water and a pure mild soap or cleanser.
2) Use a clean towel for wiping your face, let others not use it.
3) If your skin is oily, avoid using face cream. Also go easy on make-up.
4) If your skin does break out, do not touch or squeeze the pimples. Pimples if squeezed, may leave permanent marks.
5) There are a number of effective pimple creams available in the market today. Glycolic acid creams have become very popular. Consult a dermatologist (skin-specialist) to know which one is best suited for you.
6) Keep a bowl of water in the fridge & splash this cold water on your face 3-4 times a day. Cold water will tighten the pores left by pimples.
7) Drink a glass of warm water to which lemon juice & a pinch of salt is added, the very first thing in the morning.
8) Make a paste by mixing honey and cinnamon powder. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. Repeat for two weeks.
9) Neem leaves and mint (pudina) leaves are excellent for pimples. Crush washed neem leaves or mint leaves to form a paste and apply on affected parts. Leave it for an hour.
10) Applying raw papaya paste to the face helps remove the scars left by pimples.
11) Apply a mixture of sandal wood (chandan) & turmeric (haldi) paste to the face. It dries pimples.
12) Grind nutmeg (jaiphal) with unboiled milk and apply on affected area. This works as a magic. Pimples should disappear without leaving a mark.
13) Drinking of wheat grass juice may remove acne.
14) Ground drumstick pods and leaves and mix mixed with fresh limejuice, and apply on pimples. This is also good for blackheads and dark spots.
15) Mix groundnut oil with an equal amount of fresh limejuice and apply on face. Leave for 10-15 minutes and wash. It may be applied daily to prevent formation of blackheads and pimples.
Multani mitti with pure chandan powder apply at night and leave this pack for 15 mints and have lots of water.better result do this process for 3 month at least.
apply cinnamon powder for 10 mints, after dries apply white toothpaste.leave again for 5 mints...wash with water.
Skin Cap spray has a high anti-bacterial action and relieves itching, scaly, inflamed skin and scalp rapidly. What is it used for? Skin Cap is indicated to treat the following illness: Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis, Seborrhea, Dandruff, Ringworm, Tine, Athletes Foot, Dry Chapped Skin.
* Apply a mixture of turmeric and neem on the face .
* A mixture of crushed mint leaves and oats will reduce pimples. Leave this for 20 minutes and wash it with warm water.
* Mix thick curd, turmeric and two drops of oil. Apply on the face.
get yourself a brand new antiperspirant roll on stick, at night before going to sleep wash the affected area well with facewash and water or soap and water, whatever suits u, towel dry and then put the roll on all over, go to sleep, in the morning wash your face thoroughly, before going out of the house or starting of your day you should again use the roll on stick, you should do that for three days and by then the acne will disappear.
Tomato and Avocado is the best to reduce pimples or acne very fast. Matter of fact, it helps pimples or acne disappears permanently. You can eat least two tomato or half avocado a day. Or, you can thin slice a tomato and rub on your pimples before you go to bed everyday. When you feel the skin is tight then wash off.
Also, you can buy ripe avocado and take half or quarter tea spoon, smash it and rub on your face/ on pimples. Keep for 10-15 minutes, then wash off your face. Do not use any moisturizer after using tomato or avocado that are not suitable or not adjustable with tomato or avocado. Keep your skin dry and avoid too much moisture on your face or skin that creates pimples.
Eat healthy. Don't use a lot of makeup. I have found The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil products work great for controlling pimples.
use CLINGARD its an anti acne gel.
apply only on the pimples.
itz a medical product so does not has any side effects!
it was given to me by my dermatologist!
some things that will help that are natural are silver, can be used both internally and externally ( it is a suspension of silver in distilled water, available at health food stores). Silver is a natural antibiotic and helps kill germs too. Another item that helps heal the skin already affected is sulphur, which is available in soap, also adult care Clearasil. The soap is available at health food stores too. As far as diet, you need to keep your hormone levels healthy, which means eating nutritious and healthy foods. Stay away from fried foods, sugary foods, white bread. Concentrate on whole grains, fiber-rich foods or fiber supplements, fruit, veggies. Some foods trigger breakouts and each person is different - too much chocolate does it for me - so moderation is key. And stay hydrated - think water, teas, etc. but stay away from soda and especially diet soda. Hope this helps.
cleanser is a must if u have pimples. cleanser is nothing but a face wash or a soap use to cleanse ur face.firslty cleanse ur face with a suitable cleanser. use clean and clear face wash or nutrogena face wash for acne skin.
nextly u have to tone ur skin. u can use nivea toner. or if u want natural toner then use rose water.
after using toner u will have to use moisturizer. firstly see if ur skin really needs moisturizer. if ur skin is too oily then choose a oil free moisturizer. i usually dont use a moisturizer cos i have oily skin. use for some two days and see if it is suiting u.
u should not steam ur skin every day. it will make ur skin very dry and u will get more pimples along with dry skin! u shouldn't use scrub daily either. it will make ur skin very dry. u should use scrub only one a week.
also use a pimple cream on ur pimples. and use mederma on ur marks.
Grind nutmeg with unboiled milk and apply on affected area. This works as a magic. Pimples should disappear without leaving a mark.
Make a paste by mixing 3 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. Repeat for two weeks, pimples will disappear forever.
Apply a mixture of 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder.
Make orange peel paste by grinding it in some water. Apply on and around pimples.
Rub fresh garlic on and around pimples. Pimples will disappear without a mark with regular applications.
Acute cases of acne may be accompanied by severe inflammation that turns red or purple. In such cases, do not try home remedies, but consult a dermatologist immediately. Do not mix treatments. If you are given a prescription medicine for your acne, do not combine it with any other over-the-counter cream without prior consultation with your dermatologist as it might lead to unwanted side-effects like rashes or itching.
I have terrible acne for YEARS. the only thing that works is roaccutane. Its a powerful drug that closes all sweat glands. You take for 3 months and ALL acne disappears permanently (for 2 years +). Its a dangerous drug and needs a specialist prescription, but if you are in hell, then it helps.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) applied topically, is beneficial for reducing Acne, Skin hyper-pigmentation (acne scars), increasing skin moisture and reducing fine wrinkles. Try "Niapads" (it contains Niacinamide) for controlling your acne. It's Simple for Pimple(C). One step process provides exfoliation, pore cleansing, prevention of Acne and Skin Lightening (acne scars).
The first step to treatment will be to determine which category you fit into. This will help you to know where to start. As a general rule there are three steps to treating this condition. First, you need to unclog the pores. You can do this with a skin care regiment designed for you personally. Washing with a mild cleanser and exfoliating can make a huge difference.
All you need to know about oily skin and acne: Source,Treatment, Product Ingredients / Side Effects: Skincare is important for any skin type and problems. There are various products for oily skin and acne on the market, but we must check their ingredients first to see if they meet the dermatologist's recommendations.
Wash your face twice a day (no more) with warm water and a mild soap made for people with acne. Gently massage your face with circular motions. Don't scrub. Over washing and scrubbing can cause skin to become irritated. After cleansing, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends applying an over-the-counter (no prescription needed) lotion containing benzoyl peroxide. This will decrease oil and bacteria.
If skin is affected by acne, always use mild soap or medicated soap such as Dove. It has PH balanced, so it removes excess oil from the skin and make skin soft and reduce acne.
Common home remedies for acne scars are: Eating a balanced and health diet devoid of excessive starch, sugar and fatty foods. Hot fomentation to open pores and rinsing the skin with cold water after squeezing waste is an effective remedy. Sun and air baths for the body are beneficial to the skin. Healing packs of grated cucumber, orange peels, lemon peels are effective remedies when applied on affected areas. A teaspoon of coriander juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder is also considered an effective remedy to treat acne scars naturally. Intake of garlic as well as rubbing garlic on affected areas can prove beneficial in treating acne scars.
Two vitamins, namely, niacin and vitamin A have been used successfully to treat acne. Vitamin therapy should comprise the intake of 100 mg niacin, three times daily, and 50,000 international units of vitamin A, three times daily. Vitamin E, 400 mg, should be taken once daily. Continue this therapy for a month.
Use non oily makeup and follow an appropriate skin cleansing regime. Avoid use of products containing isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, socetyl stearate & sodium chloride which may aggravate pimples.
The key factors influencing a teenager's development of acne are his or her "hormones and heredity,"
You can grate a cucumber and add some fuller's earth in it. The paste should be smeared in whole body before bath. Allow the mask to get dry and then take cold shower and wash off the coat properly. The natural effect of cucumber will keep the temperature cool and fuller's earth will keep the pores unclogged and will prevent formation of body acne or boils.
I have acne and its really getting me down. i want something that is fast and easy to used and can possibly work overnight. please tell me what you suggest. Ive tried everything from tablets to toothpaste and sudocrem and nothing seems to work. please help.
hi thank u so much.
one thing that has really worked for me is avocado. very easy, just take little bit of avocado and rub it on the face at night after washing your face and wash off the next morning. dont apply any moisturizer or any make up.
Wash face with the Luke-warm water; also dry with clean towel, and gently apply Acnovin Cream, rubbing evenly till it penetrates the skin or as directed by physician. Apply 2-3 times in a day.
Toothpaste, u can use any brand with fluoride and jus plop it on the spot don't rub it in. then after in a few mins if ur going to take a shower rinse it out You can use bking soda, put some in a bowl, and pour some water. not too much and then rub it on ur face, when is starts 2 get dry and dusty rinse it out.
quick fix for a pimple : dab a suitable concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin color before putting on foundation.
one really good home remedy to cure your pimples and remove dark spots and whiten face would be to mix corn flour and water, leave it on till it dries. do this a couple of times a week, its an oldy but still a goldy.
Application of fresh mint juice over face every night cures pimples and prevents dryness of the skin.Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and rose water. Apply on face and keep for 1/2 an hour. 15-20 days of this application helps cure pimples and also removes blemishes and scars.
According to dermatologist Bethanee J. Schlosser, M.D., Ph.D., FAAD, assistant professor of dermatology and director of the Women's Skin Health Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, "Women over the age of 20 may experience worsening of their acne or a change in the nature of their acne. This can include increased lesions on the lower one-third of the face (including the jaw line and upper neck), pre-menstrual flares, and resistance to oral antibiotics and other traditional acne therapies, For these women, hormonal therapy in the form of combination oral contraceptives and/or anti-androgen medications, such as spironolactone, flutamide and dutasteride that work by reducing the activity of the male hormone testosterone, may provide significant benefit."
Raw garlic is a very effective acne blemish treatment.
Chemical peels are one method to get rid of old acne scars that uses chemicals that are applied onto the skins surface. This causes the top layer of skin to blister and peel off in after a couple of days leaving a new layer of skin underneath. Chemical peels are most effective for shallow depressed scars and it usually takes several sessions to get the desired results. Chemical peels can also get rid of any current acne problems.
Since appearance issues rank as one of the top three stressors among teenagers, and stress itself is a well-documented factor for worsening acne symptoms, teenagers are faced with a hard-to-break cycle of stress and appearance where the concern regarding acne can actually worsen the condition of the skin.
pimples form from clogged pores(from dirt and oil) putting salt on your face dries out your pores-it doesn't clean them. SO. drying them out does prevent oil build up, but on the other hand i think you're opening up a door to possibilities of messing up your skin i.e scarring and messing up your PH balance. Olay moisture balancing foaming face wash with vitamin E works really well to keep the PH balanced and Biore Blemish Fighting Ice cleanser works very well in cleaning out your pores because it uses Salicylic acid which works as an anti-inflammatory to help prevent new pimples from forming. but if you seem to have a serious case of acne the only treatment or advice you should really be getting is from a licensed dermatologist. other than the obvious, hormones also have a great affect in causing acne. if you seem to be going though hormonal changes then there's not much you can do, except maybe slow it down a bit by staying away from sweets and such because your body DOES react hormonally to spikes in glucose(sugar) levels. so stay away from sugars and drink lots of water, get some exercise and wash your face 2-3 times a day and you should see a difference.
If you have dark spots or scars on your face from a breakout or suffered from any unwanted darkening of the skin. Try ZENMED Scar Treatment Kit, after using 8 to 10 times acne scars appear lighter and less visible. Another quality skin care product from Zenmed. Try it once and see the difference.
Have had the same problem. Been there done that. lol. I guess you have to keep searching for the products that suit your skin. Go to a pharmacist and get them to check your face and they will give you something suitable. I found Olay to be really useful and it helped. I was fortunate not to have oily skin but as i mentioned earlier go to a pharmacist and get them to look at your face. At the olay official site there is this quiz that you can take and it asks questions about your face and what you usually do to it etc... then it suggests what products to get from olay and what time you can use them for example: in the morning use foaming wash them in the afternoon use facial mask then at night moisturise. It is very helpful but can be a little pricey but i mean we only have one face so take care of it!!! By the way drinking water is a good thing and green tea is good for your health but i doubt it does anything for your pimples.
Do you have acne? All you need to do is wash your pillowcase.That's right, your pillowcase. The amount of oil that accumulates there night after night is hard to overstate, which is disgusting all by itself. But without a good, full run in the laundry, there's no way to get rid of it. You can't just wipe oil away. Water alone has no effect. So it's critical to get the pillowcase in a sudsy spin cycle, which will cut right through the oil and leave your face happy in the morning.
Lemon Juice-A simple remedy at home for acne: Apply lemon juice regularly to reduce pimples and acne. This has proven beneficial results.
I heard that if you squeeze lemon on it, than it will go away.
The milky juice of unripe papaya applied locally removes pimples.
Keep your hair off your face: Your hair contains oils and you don't want that oil getting on your face and causing more acne.
If you're undergoing treatment for your acne, you should know that it won't improve overnight and by examining it continuously, you just magnify any flaws — real or imagined. Finding those flaws can cause stress to both you and your face.
Do not touch your face. Your hands are the dirtiest parts of your body, and you don't want that junk on your face, especially if you have acne. That being said, in my experience anyway, people tend to be their own worst critics about their appearance. You probably are more bothered by your acne than anyone else.
Cucumber is one of the easiest and refreshing treatments used for the treatment of acne and to refreshes up the skin. It makes our skin feel looking young. Blend the cucumber into a paste and apply it on the affected area. Leave it for 30 to 45 minutes and then wash it off.
Make a paste of nutmeg with unboiled milk and apply on affected area. This works as a wonderful ointment. Pimples disappear without leaving a mark.
Thanks a lot .. I'm going to try these to see how they work!
Some pimples really have no respect.. They always appear when I have really something important to go out to! Grrrrrr!! Loll.
I ADORE the Neutrogena grapefruit acne wash! It's terrific!
When you have dirty hair you will get a lot of acne around the ears and forehead.(true, I just never wear bangs, bumps will come!
Try not to look at your face.
Many acne causes come from hormonal change or imbalance. Hormone changes due to stress, menstruation, pregnancy, starting or stopping birth control pills. Acne and toxin-blocked-pore aggravate the skin and causes inflammation and redness.
Improper skin care products can cause irritation to your skin. These include any products that can block oil pores. Besides, avoid applying herbal medication that has not been proven or approved. It might give you toxic reactions.
Acne is a stubborn problem, the more you look at it the more you get disappointed and get worried, and this feeds fear and this does not help your situation. In ayurveda acne is a disorder of Pitta or heat moving under the skin and breaking out in pimples and it's cause could be specially for you as you described , be premenstrual hormonal changes. It could also be emotional stress or bacterial infection and or exposure to chemicals or sunlight. So it should be avoided. Use a Pitta reducing diet where you should be avoiding spicy, fermented , fried and citrus fruits. You could drink Aloe vera juice 1 cup a day. Keep your colon clean which do by taking triphala at night. apply melon at bedtime and wash in the morning would cool your skin. Also you can use a hebal product -- kaya kalp vati. Pranayama.. do a modified version of anulom vilom.. by just do a left nostril breathing for 15 minutes twice daily. If you do have a bacterial infection you would need to take the antibiotic for some time and can start doing these other things to help you long term.
Homeopathy treatment is the best for the pimples.
Avoid heavy make up: Heavy make-up clogs the pores and oily make-ups add more oil, which only adds to the problem if oily skin already exists. Cosmetics, especially certain moisturizers, foundations and pomades contain lanolin, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid.
Many skin problems, such as acne, contact dermatitis, irritations and allergies may disappear once petroleum or synthetic ingredients are removed from your skin care regime. Using natural skin care products can contribute to healthy skin and a healthy body in the long run.
1) smash up some aspirin, and make a paste with lemon juice. leave on for at least an hour.
2) shaving cream. yeah, it's weird, but it dries up your zits, and not the rest of your face. I've been doing this for 3 days, and my (very bad) acne is almost gone!
3) wash every day. it's the best advice I can give you. wash twice a day, no more, no less. you can use just a normal soap, or something from neutrogena, that's my favorite.
1) your period. hormones rise when you have your period, so you break out more.
2) stress. when people stress, even adults, they break out. see if there's a stressor in your life, and try to deal with it.
3) improper hygiene. make sure you take a shower, and try to use hair products that don't irritate your skin. head and shoulders is good for back acne, i suggest it. also, try to keep you hair off your face/back/chest, wherever you get acne.
For acme problems one must keep his or her face always clean and wash it with cold water .
why don't you apply slices to cucumber on the dark spots, it works at times. another thing you can do before going to bed you can apply sandalwood paste to the dark spots and go to sleep.
fruits are also great natural substances to counter the occurrence of acne. Fruits such as mango, papaya, apple, grapefruit and even raisins can be used by applying them directly and making masks by mashing them. You can even make your toner using parts of cucumber juice, apple cider vinegar and tea tree and distilling them in mineral water.
Best and fastest treatment for any disease in todays era is by Allopathy. The Most effective and best treatment for acne in allpathy is- At night apply ointment adapelene on affected area at night only. And apply gel clindamycin on affected area at day time. Both of these medicines are safe without any side effect. I have treated thousands of cases of acne till date. Drink lots of water. Avoid using oily cream on face.
1. Wash your face frequently and keep it clean always.
2. Don't eat oily foods.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Apply a mixture of neem leaves and turmeric powder, leave it for half an hour and wash it.
5. Don't break or rub the pimples because if the liquid from it spreads on other part of your face then you will get pimples there too.
Thanks soo much for the tips.
Wash your face one time a day. Don't over-wash , because that will cause only more production of oil on your skin. Or use very gentle cleansers for normal skin that don't dehydrate the skin and wash twice a day. Consult your dermatologist, he can help you get rid of the problem better than you can do it yourself. Good luck!
Touching, squeezing popping, scratching, ect. does not necessarily make pimples worse. If your hands are unclean, you are pushing bacteria into the already irritated pore. If you have clean, germ-free hands it is okay to touch it to put medicine on it, I use Rapid Results from Clean-and-Clear, or you can try to pop it. If you want to pop it, only do so if you can clearly see the white part of it, otherwise it may not be ready. Do so after you have showered, because you pores are more open and it should be easier. I would also suggest buying a little pimple "popper." You can find it at Wal-Mart in the section that has nail clippers. It's a little metal tool, about the length of your finger, that has a loop on each end, one for white heads, one for black heads. The benefit is that you fingers won't slip and you are pushing oil into the surrounding pores.
*Remember: Before any contact with your acne, clean your hands and your skin!
Acne or pimples are caused by hormonal changes, wrong food habits and improper skin care.
Honey is antibacterial and because of it's smooth consistency it is not irritating to the skin therefore it is excellent for acne. You need to use raw honey and smear it over your face paying special attention to the acne prone areas. Leave the honey on for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse with warm water, pat your face dry and your skin will feel smooth and oil free. Raw honey is safe to use on your skin every day, it cleans, moisturizes and kills bacteria all at once.
Cleanse your face morning and night-use a washcloth--it only takes a few mins. Warn water is fine but to open pores slash with cold after. There is no use using any products on it unless it is clean to begin with. Use a gentle cleaner like cleaners like Cetaphil or Neutogrena extra gentle, affordable cleaners that have heard raves everywhere.. Than moisturize. With an SPF of 30 or higher and don't forget your neck and chest. Find one like Oil of Olay's daytime cream with sunscreen, smell fresh and sinks right it. Feel for that whatever you use.
Once a month give yourself a home facial with a quickie steam (even in tub will do) and mask.
Stress: can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne. Stress brings upon different hormone levels. With hormone changes the body prompts the skins oil glands to enlarge, secreting more oil. Which causes white heads, black heads and pimples.
I have VERY oily skin and have acne problem since I was a teenager. I've been using Neutrogena's facial bar for acne-prone skin and it has worked really well for me so far. It gets my skin very dry sometimes but it's nothing I can't control with an oil-free moisturizer.
When you wake up in the morning rinse your face with warm water it opens your pours, then use a gentle facial cleanser,and exfoliate with a beaded gel or cream.. .then rinse your face with cool water because it will tighten your pours. Then you should moisturize your face(I would suggest clean and clear morning glow)....after that you can put on make-up..don't cake it on and use a light bronzer..at night before bed remove all of your make-up with make-up removing cloths and then rinse you face with warm water and cool water again..Moisturizer again...remember to get 8-10 hours of sleep a night and drink plenty of water...if you smoke or drink it can make your skin rough and aged looking. Eating Healthy and exercise can improve your skins look too...also don't touch your face with your hand because they are loaded with bacteria unless you wash them first!!!
Mix baking soda with water and form a paste and than lightly scrub your face with it. It works pretty good for me.
@Unknown (comment 102): You have said that one should wash the face with lukewarrm water and that's alright but splashing cold water later on is a strict no-no because it leads to clogging and larger pores. Read this post.
2. Say a big NO to pizzas, burgers and replace them with vege sandwiches.
3. Dont wash your face more than twice a day.
4. Do not use any moisturizer or any Day or night cream unless its anti bacterial. otherwise it will spread the bacteria allover the face when you will rub it in skin.
5. Dont not look at yourself in mirror more than once.
6. And again... No Cheese, mayonise, frech fries, junk food etc etc. everything that contains Fats.
6. Only fruits and juices in breakfast.
7. No Tea, No Coffee, No chocolate!
Zinc is another popular home remedy for pimple. A couple of research studies have found that zinc is somewhat effective.
Acne does tend to get worse just before a period. It's because there is a surge in hormone levels at this time. But boys don't get away lightly either. Being hot and sweaty (particularly after sports like football) makes acne worse. And for everyone, stress - particularly at exam times - is a cue for a mega breakout. This is normal - and of course, even more reason for feeling stressed. Go chill. They'll get better - promise.
I use to have trouble with that all the time, and then found out it was because of a hormone imbalance in my body, and I was eating too much starchy foods & sugar. You might want to eat more veggies & fish, and start taking Omega-3 fatty acids (look for ones with "tested for heavy metals" or "filtered free of environmental pollutants". Also, a B-complex is good & vit. E helps heal skin problems. You can rub the oil directly on the spots.
You should never pop pimples: refrain from this behavior constantly, due to the fact this can throw numerous injury on your pores and skin as well as make the particular issue rather more serious with some bacterial infections. In this case your aim needs to obtain the particular clear skin, hence do not fit your self prepared wherever you may be enticed to get rid of all those horrible appearing acne straightaway. Apply astringents if necessary, yet do not over use these on the greasy pores and skin.
i was reading all the comments for a long time abt treatment of pimples, as i too hav some.it is interesting to know all these tips.but too much of tips hav made me blank out..nothing is remembered nw.....anyway lot of thanks for all comments posted by readers.i'l try som of it out and comment later.
Avoid touching your face. Stop putting your hands by your face! I am often guilty of this resting my hand on the side of my head while reading. Also rubbing or bracing your chin is another common problem when thinking. Avoid rubbing, touching, or itching your skin with your hands. Your hands contain a lot of bacteria that can cause acne flare-ups. It is probably one of the most difficult things to avoid since much of the hand to face contact throughout the day we are unconscious of. Make it a habit to avoid hand contact and be conscious of it during the day to avoid bacteria.
Exercise. It leads to a healthy body, which mean healthy skin.
NEVER ever pop them. If you pop them, you will only get MORE. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, they help shed off dead skin faster and reduce acne and scars. Do more mask, and cleanse 2 times a day. If you want, you should do a facial. You can also wear concealer and foundation for the time being, but remember to always take off what you put on. Never sleep with it, and do not over wear it. Also, make sure you get enough rest. (8-10 hours) Never over sleep too.
Most importantly, drink a lot of water. Like 6-8 glasses a day. Do not eat junk food. But if this doesn't work, it might have something to do with your hormones and stuff. It takes a while. You should notice a change in a month. But if you want to keep it this way, you must stick with the routine. It's a also a good diet too.
Use a gel, cream, or soap containing benzoyl peroxide twice a day. Benzoyl peroxide is a "bactericide" that's particularly effective against Propionibacterium acnes. The drawback is that it often irritates your skin, resulting in dryness and redness, so you should supplement this treatment with a non-comedogenic moisturizer. If your skin still gets irritated, use a product with a lower concentration.
Wash your face one time a day. Don't over-wash , because that will cause only more production of oil on your skin. Or use very gentle cleansers for normal skin that don't dehydrate the skin and wash twice a day. Consult your dermatologist, he can help you get rid of the problem better than you can do it yourself.
a. drink a lot of water through out the day, and only water, no soda, gatorade, lemondae, ect.
5. once or twicce a week, boil hot water, put it in a bowl, and put a towel over my head and let the steam open my pores, clean them and splash it with cold water, to close them and remove dirt.
open your pores first by placing a hot damp cloth over your face for a couple minutes, then spread the honey on. it works because the natural sugars kill bacteria. it also softens your skin. leave it on for about 10-15 minutes then just rinse off with warm water.
drink water and eat well - Water is by far the best thing for your skin. Going through your system, fluids and food release toxins that are transmitted into your blood stream and are sent all over your body. One of these places is the oil glands on your face. When the toxins enter you glands, your oil balance is effected and large amounts of harmful, oily toxins are released through your skin. Because of increasingly bad eating habits, larger quantities of oils get clogged in your pores. This creates puffy, red, itchy, acne, blackheads, whiteheads, etc... Water cleans out these toxins to the oil glands are clean and release clean oils.
If you eat a lot of junk, processed and animal foods, you can get acne from that diet.
ALSO, using lotions that are not oil-free can clog your pores, causing acne. Try using oil free lotions specifically for your face.
i recommend to get rid of acne crack an egg and some honey then mix it real well then put it on your face for half an hour then wash it of then the next day your acne should be gone your face should be smooth!
Use an organic facial scrub. Then what I do is either I get a cotton wool and dip it in rubbing alcohol, then put it in the freezer for 10 mins. Then apply it to the pimple. This reduces the redness, and it eases the size of the pimple. That's one thing I do.
The other option I do is after I use a facial scrub, I grab ice from the freezer and apply it to the pimple for 10 - 15 mins. Then apply rubbing alcohol to the pimple.
Change your pillow cases every other night.
Here are a few tips that will help you know how to treat acne at home.
1. If you have red angry looking acne, don't touch it. If you squeeze now, all you'll do is force the contents deeper into the skin that will make matters worst. And all you'll end up with is redder, angrier acne than you had before. Don't do it.
2. If you have a yellow custard top? Go for it. These beauties CAN be squeezed but there's an art to it. Here's how. Wash your hands thoroughly to avoid trouble and infection. Put a tissue over your finger. Why? Because you want the contents of the spot on the tissue, not splattered all over the mirror. Using the side of your thumb and the end of your finger, very gently start to squeeze. Don't whatever you do, use your nails as this will damage your skin. Stop when you're applying a lot of pressure and nothing is happening and you see clear fluid, rather than yellow grotty stuff and the spot begins to bleed. When you've finished dab it with antiseptic. Once the custard bit is out, the spot will heal more quickly than an unsqueezed yellow top would, providing that you now leave it well alone. Now wash your hands again.
3. Whiteheads and blackheads. If acne is left untreated they may cause this problem. Here the rule is if they're black, squeeze but if they're small, white raised lumps leave them alone. All that stuff about clean hands, tissues and stopping if nothing is happening or you see blood, apply here too.
* Washing your faces more frequently with oil-free solutions to remove excess oil, make-up and and impurities.
* To keep bacteria at bay, don't touch your face with your fingers or lean your face on objects that collect sebum and skin residue like the telephone receiver.
* If you wear glasses or sunglasses, make sure you clean them frequently to keep oil from clogging the pores around your eyes and nose.
* Keep pillowcases, sheets, and blankets clean by washing them often. This gets rid of the dirt, dead skin, and oil that build up on them at night.
* Keep hair clean and out of your face to prevent additional dirt and oil from clogging your pores.
Some common acne types are listed below.
Here are some things that you can do about your acne.
Yes, good hygiene must be observed to prevent acne. But scrubbing the face too hard using harsh cleansers will just cause the skin to be oilier. Thus, it will just be more prone to acne.
This is quite irresistibly tempting. But I guess you would resist looking in the mirror if you see the scars that will develop because of squeezing pimples.
Your skin needs to be kept lubricated to remain healthy, so it produces a number of oils. These prevent the skin from getting too dry & flaky, & stops the skin getting infected or damaged. However, these oils can build up & end up clogging your pores, creating spots.
Your facewash will help to keep the oils produced in your skin from clogging your pores. However, by doing so, it will leave your skin stripped bare to the elements - therefore open to infection, damage & drying-out.
Best thing to do would be to use a facial moisturizer to replace these oils, without clogging pores, to keep the skin nourished. With regular use, it could also help to reduce the production of the oils in your skin, therefore making you less likely to break out in spots.
1)Wash your face twice a day in warm salty water.
2)Apply undiluted lemon juice, two to three times a day, on the affected areas.
3)Use green tea as a face scrub to loose blackheads.
4)try don't to eat to much junk food like chips chocolate ect.because you can get more by that.
5)Try to stay away from fatty foods. Eating correctly is very important in terms of keeping acne away.
I use a mixture of rubbed sage, aloe, hydrogen peroxide, and face lotion.i keep it on my face for 5-10 minutes. it gets rid of acne really fast.
Put a small dab of honey on your pimple and cover it with a band-aid. This should bring it to a head overnight.
Also try mixing together oatmeal and honey and wear it as a mask.
Pure Cocca butter is a huge help.
I had the exact same problem!
What I did was buy a bottle of 'Bio Oil' and applied it religiously everyday for 3 weeks.
Be aware, though, that results may vary. Like they say on TV.
You can try using clay masks as they help remove dirt from deep inside and clear your skin of impurities.
while the spot is getting bigger but an ice cube on it and it take the spelling down.
Make sure you cleanse before you go to bed and exfoliate from time to time. Exfoliation helps to remove the dirt and sebum which causes acne. Use hot water as it kills spot causing bacteria.
Invest in some sodocream, I found this really worked for me. Just dab some on before you go to bed and the redness should clear up for morning, but sodocream soothes the skin more than treating it.
If the spot is really bad put some tooth paste on it before you go to bed, this will dry the spot out. However be aware that it will also dry the skin around out to so remember to use a good moisturiser afterwards.
If they are on your forehead you have a problem with digestion, eat more fruit and veg.
If they are on the T zone (chin nose bottom of forehead) these are caused by a hormone imbalance, it might just be your time of the month so just ride it out.
Elsewhere, like the neck and cheeks are caused by dirt and seburn as there are lots of pores around these areas, make sure you cleanse and exfoliate!
Also I would say drink 2l of water to help flush toxins out of your system..
If it's on your face, try to clean it 3 times a day with soap and apply Sea Breeze Astringent. It will go away a couple of days.
Try not to eat oily fried foods and chili pepper.
Combine a dash of nutmeg powder and milk to form a paste. Apply to face before bed and leave overnight. Wash off overnight. This will reduce the appearance of scars, but does not work to clear acne.
Use a microfiber wash cloth, but since your skin is dry you may want to moisturize before and after. But the washcloth takes all germs out of your skin and anything that may be clogging your pours, and its a natural way. I`ve been using it for a few months and my acne problem is getting waaaay better.
You must use only a chemical free skin cleansing solution, and this is what you must clean your skin with every day.
Do everything that you can to avoid either your hands touching or your hair falling onto any acne affected areas of our skin.
Do not scratch or pick at your acne!
Change your bedding, especially the pillow covers, every day.
Avoid using make-up while suffering from acne.
Try to eat three healthy meals a day and avoid snacking, as this is inevitably when you will turn to fatty or sugary foods.
2. Use an anti-bacterial soap with warm water and a wash cloth to get rid of oil and make up, and the warm water will open up your pores so you can clean deeper.
3. Use an exfoliant and scrub your face, concentrating on problem areas, and leave it on for about 45 second to a minute.
4. Wash it off with warm water, and pat your face dry.
5. Use a toner all over your face to help dry out pimples.
6. And last but not least MOISTURIZE!! I know most people avoid moisturizing oily skin because they think it will cause more break outs, but it's actually keep your face in a dry state that causes more break outs, because your body is trying to produce extra oil to compensate for the lack of moisture.
-Make sure to use products with salicylic acid in their ingredients, this is a powerful, natural skin clearing agent, and is used in most skin products.
- Try natural homemade skin clearing agents, lemon juice helps clear up acne, rubbing a raw tomato with help smooth and tighten the skin, and a brown sugar and honey scrub can help get rid of dead skin cells. You can find tons of recipes online for homemade facial masks and scrubs.
1. avoid chocolate. Its really bad for your skin.That doesnt mean never eat it. Just limit your chocolate intake.
5. If you have a bad stomach, your acne will flare up. Eat healthy and make sure you avoid upsetting your stomach too much.
I tried everything on the market and even ordered Proactive, and Murad. My face got destroyed. It got so bad by using that kind of products and putting trust into those companies that I wouldn't even walk out my door anymore. I lost my mind just about. I finally went to a dermatologist that was accepting patients, everyone I was searching for wasn't exepting new ones , so I got an appointment and it's been 4 months now and my face is finally showing improvement.!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE from my personal experience with each product on and off the market don't trust not 1 of them, go to a Dermatologist even if you have to wait on a waiting list, it's well worth it.
Aloe Vera is great for new scars and I would suggest using that on any new ones or scars that are not that old. Vitamin E has worked great for me over the years as I have a ridiculous amount of scars on my hands from accidents, it takes some time but it has helped mine fade after a good month and a half of regular use.
If the scars that you have are just discolorations, you can try some chemical peels. If you have pitting scars, the only way to smooth out the skin is with a laser. I don't know of any other way.
How to fade my acne scars?
Wow, first I'd like to say congratulations on finally conquering a very large problem that so many of us face today. I have the exact same problem, I have conquered a lot of my acne now and I have still a few scars to get rid of. Remember, you don't want to do anything that is going to irritate your skin enough to bring back your acne, so I would always try to be gentle, because it can always come back. Now, here are 3 steps you should do, to gradually fade some of your scars, though eventually, they will pretty much be gone within the course of a few months, around 4 months if they are light scars.
1. You want to exfoliate, about once or twice a week. This will help the top layer of your skin along with the layers of scars to come off bit by bit, lightening the scars. I personally use St. Ives- Naturally Clear, Apricot scrub. It works pretty good. Though you can also make your own, which I've also tried and it has worked pretty well for me, I combine: Nutmeg, Salt and Honey- enough to form a sticky paste that sticks to your face for a while. You can use it for a mask for like 10 minutes and then when you wash it off, scrub gently. Though be very careful if you have sensitive skin. Keep out of your eyes as well.
2. You want to keep your skin clean to prevent more blemishes in the future, and you want to have it lightly moisturized with a non-comedogenic facial moisturizer.
3. Lasly, you also want to eat healthy to promote overall body health, including skin health and regeneration of the skin.
Find a doctors office that will prescribe you acne meds. That is the best solution, as I used to have it myself.
You can try those ridiculous creams, but I'd talk to a dermatologist about dermabrasion or laser scar removal if it's bad enough.
"Darker scars can be thoroughly removed with lemon juice. Apply lemon juice on the scars and leave for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Continue this procedure for some time to see the difference. However, avoid going to the sun after application, as it could make the skin photosensitive."
HANDS, HAIR, STUFF: Keep dirt & bacteria at bay to prevent more breakouts: Don't touch face with hands, keep hair clean, don't let dirty oily hair touch face, clean phone often or don't let phone touch face, don't lean face on objects, clean glasses often, wash pillowcase/sheets/blankets often.
Acne isn't caused by dirt. In fact people with oily skin have cleaner skin than average because they wash it more often. But it's a fact that washing too much can make acne worse because it makes the skin dry and sore. So, wash no more than twice a day, using mild soap and water. If you have patches of dry skin, don't worry about putting moisturizer on. It won't make your acne worse. If you're still concerned, use an oil free moisturizer.
If you have red angry looking acne, don't touch it. If you squeeze now, all you'll do is force the contents deeper into the skin that will make matters worst. And all you'll end up with is redder, angrier acne than you had before. Don't do it.
Do skin toner and moisturizer cure acne?
One thing that you need to know is acne is not caused by dirt, so no amount of cleaning and toning is going to get rid of them. So for treating acne you must consult your doctor and eat lots of healthy food and drink lots of water. That is the natural way to keep you face spot free.
Acne scars usually develop as a result of severe acne. There are various types of acne scarring such as deep pits, box car scars and rolling scars. Deep pits are the most common and a classic symptom of acne scarring. Box car scars are angular scars that develop on the cheeks and temple. They resemble chickenpox scars and may be superficial or deep. Rolling scars give the skin a wave-like appearance.
Natural treatments such as herbal remedies are less invasive and gentle to use on the skin. Herbs such as Galium aperine (Cleavers) and Trifolium pratense (red clover) have a wide range of therapeutic benefits that act as a cleansing tonic, blood purifier and lymphatic cleanser. Homeopathic ingredients such as Natrium muriaticum, Kalium muriaticum and Kalium sulphate help to maintain skin health and support the regenerative processes of the skin.
Well I use proactive and other cream they work best!
Well I did. I took just a high dose supplement of vitamin B complex and it didn't do anything at all for my acne but it did give me more energy. But then I started using Proactive, clyndamycin, and took B complex, vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Omega 3's and my acne completely cleared up. I discovered that you need all the vitamins because they work better only when taken with other stuff. For example, when you take vitamin B complex, you're supposed to also take Vitamin C because it helps your body absorb it better, and you are also supposed to take it with something that has protein, like soy, peanut butter, meat, fish, or eggs. Talk to a nutritionist, or even sometimes the GNC people know their stuff. They can tell you what needs to be taken with what to be the most effective.
Oh and I take Zinc too. Zinc is also good at clearing acne apparently.
If your skin is inflamed dab a wet paracetomol on the area this helps relieve pain and redness.
You will need PURE honey as it will dehydrate your skin and clear your blemishes and about half of a banana; the banana will moisturize your skin. Mix both together in a small bowl and put it on your face for 10 minutes, make sure you get it everywhere on your face especially the areas where you have the blemishes/acne.
After 10 minutes, rinse it off with a gentle cleanser (I recommend cetaphil or st. ives apricot cleanser because it washes away the dirt and oil on your face and cleans your face); also while you are rinsing your face, use Luke warm water and then cold water to open and close your open to prevent acne.
After that, take some clean and clear persa gel 10 (works awesome!) and put that on before going to bed, next morning, rinse off and I swear your skin will feel sooo smooth and soft, also it will feel much more fresher and it will look radiant and clear your acne!
Also don't touch your skin because your hands contain natural oils on it which causes acne and oily skin, so avoid touching it!
The best ways to get rid of acne are: eat healthy, drink lots of water and NO soda, wear sunscreen, and be practically religious with your facial cleansers. I use proactiv, but I used to use this neutrogena stuff which worked pretty well for me. AcneFree is good too. But just because you are using facial cleansers doesnt mean your acne will get better; you need to be commited. Seriously cut soda and junk food out of your diet and drink several bottles of water a day - you'll feel so much healthier too!
scars are a natural part of the healing process after injury. They are actually growths of collagen (protein) that form beneath the skin as a result of acne, wound, cut, burn, injury or surgery to the skin. Collagen consists of fibers that strengthen the layer of skin beneath the surface. When the skin is injured, the collagen that is produced becomes thicker.
Acne medication could worsen what ever allergies you have, so instead of trying out one product after another, you're actually spreading it around. Example: ProActiv contains a known carcinogen, at a percentage known to promote skin cancer.
Smoking has been shown to make acne worse since it diminishes the delivery of oxygen to the skin and robs it of nutrients, thereby inhibiting cars from healing. Not enough reason to quit? Smoke depletes moisture, making skin lose its luster and look wrinkly.
The beauty industry is a billion dollar business, they know acne is everyone's problem, but instead of saying soap is drying for you, they have to invent an acne product that can worsen the skin as MANY TEENAGERS have experienced during hormonal change, but as you get older those are completely a waste of time & money!
The FDA has called for more safety studies on benzoyl peroxide because of concern about what happens when skin treated with it is exposed to the sun. Until research can establish or disprove a possible skin cancer link to the use of benzoyl peroxide products, the agency plans to require an extra warning and directions on the labeling: "When using this product, avoid unnecessary sun exposure and use sunscreen." and "If going outside, use a sunscreen. Allow [product name] to dry, then follow directions in the sunscreen labeling. If irritation or sensitivity develops, discontinue use of both products and consult a doctor."
The less products you use, the better for your skin. Use a bath wash like Suave Bath & Body Gel, use a washcloth. Treat your face like the rest of your body, take a shower everyday or wash your face everyday.
The secret is keeping your face clean and oil-free. I also don't use liquid on my face for anything, and very little moisturizer, not even a dime size. Since my face is not dry. Good skin also comes from your good genes. Increase your fresh fruits & vegetables 3-5 servings per day. And programmed your mind to do this day after day, for the rest of your life.
Women need to avoid oil-based makeup as it will only increase acne flare-ups. Make sure to wash all makeup off thoroughly every night.
Take fish oil supplements on a regular basis. This will keep the production of excessively oily skin in check.
It is also important that you get your "beauty rest." While you may have thought that this was only a joke, it is not. You really do need at least 8 hours of sleep each night in order for your body to be able to fight off any bacteria that may be developing under your skin. Sleep is also able to combat any stress that is placed upon your body is well. This is important because stress can also lead to acne.
Make sure that you wash your hair whenever it is oily and only use a light application of hair styling products. This is because they can leave a greasy residue on your skin.
Don't rub alcohol on your face! That's why there's such things as astringents and toners. Use products with Benzoyl Peroxide listed as the active ingredient. It'll help treat acne and dry it out faster.
AEROBIC EXERCISE increases circulation & delivery of nutrients to skin cells, encourages good blood supply, helps remove toxins, controls acne breakouts! To see results, do 20 to 30 min of exercise, EVERYDAY or every other day! Drink Water! Immediately take a shower to remove sweat & dirt!
Research has shown that there is a connection between certain kinds of food & acne!what to eat and not to eat to help reduce/prevent acne! Always eat healthy food - fruit, vegetables, lean meat, fiber, beans, wholegrain, foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A & C. Limit intake of dairy, milk, fat, oil, butter, greasy/fried foods, sugar, candy, sodium, salt, dessert, caffeine, coffee, pop, alcohol. Always avoid cigarettes, tobacco, illegal drugs! Its hard to get all vitamins minerals skin needs, so take supplement everyday! Overdosing on vitamins minerals from food or supplements is dangerous! Drinking about 64 oz of pure water everyday improves skin quality, flushes out toxins, delivers nutrients to skin! You can also include 100% Fruit Juice as part of your daily total. Acne can be caused or aggravated by constipation, make sure bow movements are regular! Getting enough sleep helps skin repair itself!
Buy a decent size Aloe Vera plant and cut a piece off and slice it open and rub the inside gel all over your face and let it dry naturally (should only take a few minutes). If you do this a few times a day, morning, nighttime, etc, there's a good chance your skin will clear up within a couple weeks. Once it's clear you only have to apply it once a day.
FYI it needs to be a live plant, if you just buy a jar of aloe gel at the store it will not work.
You could try African black soap or Lemon Myrtle soap.I have normal-to-dry skin and no pimples and i tried these soaps and find them not for me.Thats why i think its worth trying for you cause pimply skin can often be oily too so these soaps might be more suitable for you.Especially the African Black Soap really strips the oil from the skin.
I think Indians use clay masks.Salicylic Acid is another option.All this is cheap.
Ask Dermatologist first in case you get any reactions.
Use Neosporin on stubborn whiteheads, pimples, and/or scars overnight to help clear and heal skin.
Just use the clarasonic face brush. I used to have tons but now I only have like five really small ones.
* Apply orange peel paste on and around the pimples.
* Apply garlic on and around the pimples to remove it without a mark.
* Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B and Vitamin E are the best nutrients to cure the acne. So take a balanced diet full of nutrients and vitamins.
* Mix lime juice and rose water in equal proportion. Apply it on affected areas and allow it to dry for 10 minutes.
Even after the treatment, acne leaves scars. Excellent home remedies to remove acne scars are listed here. Follow these tips to get rid of the acne scars.
* Rub ice cubes on face for 10 minutes to tighten the pores.
Fenugreek leaves paste when applied on acne affected area every night and washed away the following morning with warm water prevents fresh breakouts of acne.
This topic has some useful information to me ! Thanks so much for providing some great information.
This is a very safe, natural, minimal cost treatment that has worked wonders for me and many others on Answers in getting rid of acne and all kinds of scars. It also rid my face of a mass of freckles.
Use any natural oil - almond, grape seed, olive are good. They are non comedogenic - so do not clog, cause pimples, acne and they lessen skin's oil production. In 2 days`will normalize enlarged pores. Nose responds more slowly but this will rid it of all pimples and reduce pores.
First, tighten skin by opening mouth 3/4" and pulling lips firmly back against teeth. Vigorously massage daily. If build up to 15 to 30 minutes (can be in 2 or more sessions) you will get rapid results.
Depending on how vigorous/how frequently you do, see clear diminishing in roughly 1 to 2 weeks then progress quickens. It WILL rid skin of acne and all scars. Has worked for many on answers - see testimonials in some of my answers. It's a permanent cure. You can have a totally clear, healthy skin.
Try it – you will be happy that you did!
my weekly beauty routine involves turmeric, sandlewood paste, milk and honey - it prevents acne and keeps the skin glowing - being olive skinned means i tan very quickly and turmeric maintains my complexion - its a wonder product !!
The normal balance of hormones also play a key role in preventing acne attacks. For this, there are standard treatments which also include vitamins and vitamin supplements that can restore the right level of hormones in your body. Many women suffering from breakouts usually coincides the occurrence with their regular menstrual cycle.
Sandalwood power has antimicrobial properties and hence, it is the best cure for acne and blemishes. Sandalwood powder for acne is very popularly used. A sandalwood powder face pack, used regularly will help you get rid of acne. Let us know how to make a sandalwood powder and rose water face pack. You will need 2 tbsp of sandalwood powder. Add rose water to it to form a paste. Clean you face and apply a thick layer of this pack over your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Now, wash off with cold water and apply a toner. This paste used regularly will diminish the acne. This mask is best for combination skin.
Green tea is one of the best home remedy for acne, and it does leave your skin dry like many of the prescription and over-the-counter creams and ointments. To use the green tea for your acne - boil the tea bag, let cool, and apply to the face.
nice tips… also take a clean ice cube and rub it over the pimple. it will stop it from growing any further.
And please dont try toothpaste on them as it is the worst thing you can do to urself.
Also mix a little turmeric powder with rose water and apply it on your pimples only for 15 mins or so and wash it off with cold water. Turmeric powder is good as it has anti-inflammatory characteristics.
5.Keep hair clean and out of face. [hair gets oily and causes breakouts when touching the skin] also make sure you have hair products that arent irritating your skin at all.
My daughter has proven this as a fact.
5) Use a good skin-care program . I was raised on Mary Kay Cosmetics Skin Care Program.
6)For treating breakouts quickly,TRY THIS: treat pimples with witch hazel, and cover with 3-in-1 antiseptic ointment, and a band-aid at night.
Daughter also has proven this works too.
7) Drink lots of water to flush out your system.
8) After starting good skin-care program, you will notice some breakouts in the beginning. This is only due to the purging process when you first start purifying your pores. Everything comes up to the surface.. It will improve if you stick to it.
9)Reduce stress in your life.


It's Friday! I'm super in love with this dress I've been sporting today. And of course I had to pair it with my brand new Jeffrey Campbell Mariah wedges. LOVE!
So let's be honest for a moment. I moved to Chicago about five months ago and somehow (SOMEHOW) managed to gain twenty-five pounds. Whoa. It wasn't so much due to a change of diet but a change of activity. Sure, I've been walking almost everywhere, but when I get home from work I either chill out infront of the laptop or go out with some friends. The winter had me off my bike and in my apartment. I gained the weight rather quickly. SO. Fast forward to today, about two weeks after realizing exactly how much I had put on. I've been jogging and biking and keeping track of all the food I'm putting in my body. At the beginning of the year I officially stopped eating meat — which has been unsurprisingly easy. I've already cut off a third of the pounds I put on and I'm finally feeling myself again. Positive vibes and healthy body!
I want to give a shout out to my new sponsor Rings & Tings. Featured here are the Double Finger Heart Ring, Triangle Necklace, and Skull Earrings. There are lots of great pieces on their website and I recommend checking it out!
And of course, these. Say hello to my fourth pair of Jeffrey Campbells! I wore the Mariahs for a nine hour work shift and my feet are amazingly not destroyed. I suppose that's not a stretch since I always wear heels at work, but these are just wonderful. It took me a moment to get used to the height (6" to be exact), but once I was comfortable, I was good to go.
This weekend is going to be excited. A beautiful man I know from Boston is moving to Chicago tomorrow, I have lots of packages to mail out, and I'm looking forward to having a couple of days off of work. What do you have planned?
Butter Fingers and New Etsy Shop Items.


text:
Q: Magento 2: Display price from and to next to product listing Can anyone tell me how to make it so when you have a product with multiple prices inside such as configurable products it shows the price range on the product listings rather than just the lowest price?
I noticed that it does it on this Magento 2 demo right at the bottom for the Yoga kit. Yet when I have a product with different size options and hence different prices it only ever shows the lowest price in the listings and you don't see the different prices until you click through to the product... I am using Magento 2.0.2 presume this is a setting somewhere?

A:
I think the issue is that the yoga kit is not a configurable product. It is a bundle product which has the limitation of allowing only simple products to be bundled.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Set for release on August 12, 2016, HOUSEFIRES III perpetuates the organic root and sound of the unique worship community, perhaps best known now as the birthplace of "Good, Good Father," a modern classic anthem popularized by Chris Tomlin that has spread like wildfire worldwide.
From the passionate call to worship of "Filled With Your Glory" to the benediction of "This Is Where I Belong" this is as much an invitation as it is a collection of songs created to celebrate, commemorate, and ultimately to be present in the God-moment.
Theologically astute, lyrically refined, intimate and joyful… but at all times fully 'in the moment,' HOUSEFIRES III reflects the near-intangible warmth of live worship unencumbered by any agenda other than to create space for the Spirit of God to move.
A perfect example of the collaborative, communally expressive nature of HOUSEFIRES III is the pensive ballad "Build My Life," one of 12 contagious tracks on the album. Grace Midtown worship pastor Pat Barrett's spontaneous expression found its legs while the group was on tour in Scotland and was finished in Colorado with co-writer Matt Redman.
"On and On," one of the band's favorites, sprang from a conversation the community had about what Scripture says about God's love and whether it's even possible, humanly speaking, to take it at face value.
"Yes and Amen" is an impassioned anthem that declares the character of God, demonstrated through his faithfulness in our lives… to heal, to restore, to deliver.
"The heart of that is that He's the fulfillment of every dream in our hearts," says Nate, who leads the song on the recording. "The beginning and end of every day, we rest in His faithfulness that He does fulfill his promises, everything He says is true. This is our confidence that He is who He says He is." The energy and excitement in the room explodes in the chorus, a fitting response to the truth of the lyric.
And time and time again, as momentum has built from HOUSEFIRES' 2014 debut, it's this raw transparency—stripped down, under-produced and Spirit-led—that draws worshipers and yet-to-be worshipers alike into the sacred space.
HOUSEFIRES III releases globally amidst acclaim this Friday (Aug. 12) through The Fuel Music and is available to preorder now on iTunes. Additionally, they will also be taking their new songs and worship favorites on the major market Outcry Tour beginning today (Aug. 10) in Jacksonville, FL.
For more information on HOUSEFIRES III, go to www.housefires.org, Facebook.com, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.


As Europe's second largest airline, Air France-KLM wanted to harness the latest technology innovations to help enhance the user-experience of its many passengers, as well as support new aircraft as they were added to the company's expanding fleet. Tata Communications' global network was able to help.
Air France-KLM's business desired up-to-date organisation-wide digital transformation. While its current customers wanted to fly on next-generation aircraft, Air France-KLM knew it also needed to expand into emerging markets and make the most of global travel opportunities opening up to it.
The challenge was that Air France-KLM's technology infrastructure needed to be improved to enhance the passenger experience, and also needed to integrate cloud services and new applications to support huge amounts of data coming from next-generation aircraft.
Tata Communications implemented a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) service that had the flexibility and reach to connectivity to 170 sites in Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
To help Air France-KLM meets the needs of its growing global business, Tata Communications implemented a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) service that had the flexibility and reach to connectivity to 170 sites in Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
The advantage of the Tata Communications solution was that the business has a large network that is capable of rolling out a superfast intelligent network that is more than able to power Air France-KLM's mission-critical systems, including passenger check-in, flight operations and departure control applications, while also offering sufficient future-proofing to allow the business to expand into emerging markets with ease.
By taking advantage of Tata Communications' global network and putting in place MPLS connectivity on a global basis, Air France-KLM was able to capitalise on the huge growth opportunities that its current markets, as well as emerging markets, had to offer.
Air France-KLM is now able to offer a superior travel experience for passengers in the industry's fastest growing geographies and is also able to take customer service to the next level.


Create the VIP ponytail: Place band around hair, grab leather & twist around hair 2-3 times. Holding & pulling the leather assures the leather covers & hides the elastic band.
CINCH top knot: gather hair on top of head, place band around hair & pull the elastic knots from either side. It's a cinch to do!


Victoria & Freddie's lovely wedding at Saints Church Boughton Aluph near Ashford in Kent. A first for me as Vic and Freddie had permission to use the church AGAIn for the reception itself!!! A wonderful interior, whitewashed pulpit and white columns too, idyllic.
Hall Place Bexley wedding of Sarah and Lee.


And 500+ other props from the movies.
If you were looking for the perfect way to celebrate Twilight's 10th anniversary, look no further: You can now become the proud owner of Bella and Edward's original wedding announcement.
In honor of the decade-iversary of the release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (the third book in the series), Propstore.com is auctioning hundreds of items from the saga's four films. In addition to the wedding announcement, other things up for grabs include dozens of costumes (including Bella's blue "transformation dress"), Bella's copy of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, the set of bases that were used during the Cullen family baseball game in the first movie, and lots of Cullen-crested jewelry. And for anyone who's on #TeamJacob, there are also multiple shirts up for grabs that were once worn (and probably taken off at a questionable moment) by Taylor Lautner, just saying.
As you may remember, Propstore.com put on a similar auction around this time last year, in which Bella's original diamond engagement ring was sold for a whopping $17,000—a lot more than the $3,000–$5,000 it was expected to fetch. Meanwhile, the character's bloody wedding dress sold for $2,500, and her wedding hair clip sold for $4,000, which means hopefully somewhere, someone is planning to recreate the iconic Twilight wedding dream sequence in its entirety.
For anyone who is still hoping for an Edward and Bella Kirsten Stewart and Robert Pattinson reunion IRL, an auctioned off wedding announcement is sadly probably the best we're going to get. The couple broke up for good in 2013. These days, it seems that both parties have moved on. K.Stew is adorably involved with Victoria's Secret model Stella Maxwell, and R.Patz may or may not be engaged to FKA Twigs.
The auction is live now through November 17, so get those fangs ready; it's sure to be a digital bloodbath.


I found this excellent article on the history and evolution of upper atmosphere research and weapons of mass destruction. The article was text only with no links, so for your viewing pleasure, I have animated this history with pictures and links. Enjoy the hidden history of tearing holes in heaven.
Military interest in space became intense during and after World War II because of the introduction of rocket science, the companion to nuclear technology. The early versions include the buzz bomb and guided missiles. They were thought of as potential carriers of both nuclear and conventional bombs. Rocket technology and nuclear weapon technology developed simultaneously between 1945 and 1963. During this time of intensive atmospheric nuclear testing, explosions at various levels above and below the surface of the earth were tried. Some of the now familiar descriptions of the earth's protective atmosphere, such as the existence of the Van Allen belts, were based on information gained through stratospheric and ionospheric experimentation.
The earth's atmosphere consists of the troposphere, from sea level to about 16 km above the earth's surface; the stratosphere (which contains the ozone level) which extends from about the 16 to 48 km above the earth; and the ionosphere which extends from 48 km to over 50,000 km above the surface of the earth. The earth's protective atmosphere or "skin" extends beyond 3,200 km above sea level to the large magnetic fields, called the Van Allen Belts, which can capture the charged particles sprayed through the cosmos by the solar and galactic winds. These belts were discovered in 1958 during the first weeks of the operation of America's first satellite, Explorer I. They appear to contain charged particles trapped in the earth's gravity and magnetic fields. Primary galactic cosmic rays enter the solar system from interstellar space, and are made up of protons with energies above 100 MeV, extending up to astronomically high energies. They make up about 10% of the high energy rays. Solar rays are generally of lower energy, below 20 MeV (which is still high energy in earth terms). These high energy particles are affected by the earth's magnetic field and by geomagnetic latitude (distance above or below the geomagnetic equator). The flux density of low energy protons at the top of the atmosphere is normally greater at the poles than at the equator. The density also varies with solar activity, a minimum when solar flares are at a maximum. The Van Allen belts capture charged particles (protons, electrons and alpha particles) and these spiral along the magnetic force lines toward the polar regions where the force lines converge. They are reflected back and forth between the magnetic force lines near the poles. The lower Van Allen Belt is about 7700 km above the earth's surface, and the outer Van Allen Belt is about 51,500 km above the surface. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Van Allen belts are most intense along the equator, and effectively absent over the poles. They dip to 400 km over the South Atlantic Ocean, and are about 1,000 km high over the Central Pacific Ocean. In the lower Van Allen Belt, the proton intensity is about 20,000 particles with energy above 30 MeV per second per square centimetre. Electrons reach a maximum energy of 1 MeV, and their intensity has a maximum of 100 million per second per square centimetre. In the outer Belt, proton energy averages only 1 MeV. For comparison, most charged particles discharged in a nuclear explosion are range between 0.3 and 3 MeV, while diagnostic medical X-ray has peak voltage around 0.5 MeV.
Between August and September 1958, the US Navy exploded three fission type nuclear bombs 480 km above the South Atlantic Ocean, in the part of the lower Van Allen Belt closest to the earth's surface. In addition, two hydrogen bombs were detonated 160 km over Johnston Island in the Pacific. This was called, by the military, "the biggest scientific experiment ever undertaken". It was designed by the US Department of Defence and the US Atomic Energy Commission, under the code name Project Argus. The purpose appears to be to assess the impact of high altitude nuclear explosions on radio transmission and radar operations because of the electro-magnetic pulse (EMP), and to increase understanding of the geomagnetic field and the behaviour of the charged particles in it.  This gigantic experiment created new (inner) magnetic radiation belts encompassing almost the whole earth, and injected sufficient electrons and other energetic particles into the ionosphere to cause world wide effects. The electrons travelled back and forth along magnetic force lines, causing an artificial "aurora" when striking the atmosphere near the North Pole. US Military planed to create a "telecommunications shield" in the ionosphere, reported in 13-20 August 1961, Keesings Historisch Archief (K.H.A.). This shield would be created "in the ionosphere at 3,000 km height, by bringing into orbit 350,000 million copper needles, each 2-4 cm long (total weight 16 kg), forming a belt 10 km thick and 40 km wide, the needles spaced about 100 m apart." This was designed to replace the ionosphere "because telecommunications are impaired by magnetic storms and solar flares". The US planned to add to the number of copper needles if the experiment proved to be successful. This plan was strongly opposed by the International Union of Astronomers.
In 1968 the US military proposed Solar Powered Satellites in geostationary orbit some 40,000 km above the earth, which would intercept solar radiation using solar cells on satellites and transmit it via a microwave beam to receiving antennas, called rectennas,  on earth. The US Congress mandated the Department of Energy and NASA to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment on this project, to be completed by June 1980, and costing $25 Million. This project was designed to construct 60 Solar Powered Satellites  over a thirty year period at a cost between $500 and $800 thousand million (in 1968 dollars), providing 10% of the US energy needs in the year 2025 at a cost of $3000 per kW. At that time, the project cost was two to three times larger than the whole Department of Energy budget, and the projected cost of the electricity was well above the cost of most conventional energy sources. The rectenna sites on earth were expected to take up to 145 square kilometres of land, and would preclude habitation by any humans, animals or even vegetation. Each Satellite was to be the size of Manhattan Island.
Source: DeathRaytheorp  The SPS was also described as a psychological and anti-personnel weapon, which could be directed toward an enemy. If the main microwave beam was redirected away from its rectenna, toward enemy personnel, it could use an infrared radiation wavelength (invisible) as an anti-personnel weapon. It might also be possible to transmit high enough energy to ignite combustible materials. Laser beam power relays could be made from the SPS satellite to other satellites or platforms, for example aircraft, for military purposes. One application might be a laser powered turbofan engine which would receive the laser beam directly in its combustion chamber, producing the required high temperature gas for its cruising operation. This would allow unlimited on-station cruise time. As a psychological weapon, the SPS was capable of causing general panic. The SPS would be able to transmit power to remote military operations anywhere needed on earth. The manned platform of the SPS would provide surveillance and early warning capability, and ELF linkage to submarines. It would also provide the capability of jamming enemy communications. The potential for jamming and creating communications is significant. The SPS was also capable of causing physical changes in the ionosphere.
Climatological and heating effects of the microwave power transmission system in the lower atmosphere.
President Carter approved the SPS Project and gave it a go-ahead, in spite of the reservation which many reviewers, myself included, expressed. Fortunately, it was so expensive, exceeding the entire Department of Energy budget, that funding was denied by the Congress. I approached the United Nations Committee on Disarmament on this project, but was told that as long as the program was called Solar Energy by the United States, it could not be considered a weapons project. The same project resurfaced in the US under President Reagan, moved to the much larger budget of the Department of Defence, and called Star Wars.  Since this is more recent history, I will not discuss the debate which raged over this phase of the plan. By 1978, it was apparent to the US Military that communications in a nuclear hostile environment would not be possible using traditional methods of radio and television technology (Jane's Military Communications 1978). By 1982, GTE Sylvania (Needham Heights, Massachusetts), had developed a command control electronic sub-system for the US Air Force's Ground Launch Cruise Missiles (GLCM) that would enable military commanders to monitor and control the missile prior to launch both in hostile and non-hostile environments. The system contains six radio subsystems, created with visible light using a dark beam (not visible), resistant to the disruptions experienced by radio and television.  Dark beams contribute to the formation of energetic plasma in the atmosphere. This plasma can become visible as smog or fog. Some has a different charge than the sun's energy, and accumulates in places where the sun's energy is absent, like the polar regions in the winter. When the polar spring occurs, the sun appears and repels this plasma, contributing to holes in the ozone layer. This military system is called: Ground Wave Emergency Network (GWEN). (See The SECOM II Communication System, by Wayne Olsen, SAND 78-0391, Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 1978). This innovative emergency radio system was apparently never implimented in Europe, and exists only in North America.
An innovative use of the Space Shuttle to preform space physics experiments in earth orbit was launched, using the OMS injections of gases to "cause a sudden depletion in the local plasma concentration, the creation of a so-called ionospheric hole".  This artificially induced plasma depletion can then be used to investigate other space phenomena, such as the growth of the plasma instabilities or the modification of radio propagation paths. The 47 second OMS burn of July 29,1985, produced the largest and most long-lived ionospheric hole to date, dumping some 830 kg of exhaust into the ionosphere at sunset.  A 6 second, 68 km OMS release above Connecticut in August 1985, produced an airglow which covered over 400,000 square km.  During the 1980's rocket launches globally numbered about 500 to 600 a year, peaking at 1500 in 1989. There were many more during the Gulf War. The Shuttle is the largest of the solid fuel rockets, with twin 45 meter boosters. All solid fuel rockets release large amounts of hydrochloric acid in their exhaust, each Shuttle flight injecting about 75 tonnes of ozone destroying chlorine into the stratosphere. Those launched since 1992 inject even more ozone destroying chlorine, about 187 tonnes, into the stratosphere (which contains the ozone layer).
According to Defence News, April 13 - 19, 1992, the US deployed an electromagnetic pulse weapon (EMP) in Desert Storm, designed to mimic the flash of electricity from a nuclear bomb. The Sandia National Laboratory had built a 23,000 square metre laboratory on the Kirkland Air Force Base, 1989, to house the Hermes III electron beam generator capable of producing 20 Trillion Watt pulses lasting 20 billionths to 25 billionths of a second. This X-ray simulator is called a Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator.  A stream of electrons hitting a metal plate can produce a pulsed X-ray or gamma ray. Hermes II had produced electron beams since 1974. These devises were apparently tested during the Gulf War, although detailed information on them is sparse.
On SPUR and the ACRR: "Odd facility 1 is a 2-reactor facility; I spent a week there while I worked for the lab. The inner facility is the SPUR, Sandia Pulse reactor. Plates of enriched uranium, basically, with a negative temperature coefficient. It´s used to irradiate military stuff (or used to be, I have no idea when it was last used) as a simulation of an atomic explosion. According to the people who had been there a while, when SPUR fired you could be in the parking lot on the left with your eyes closed, and the blue flashes you´d see were fast neutrons zipping through your eyeballs. Nice, eh? Anyway, SPUR uses ´weapons grade´ material, thus the safeguards. None of this was classified when I was there, by the way. The other area inside the main fence is ACRR, (Annular core research reactor), a 2MW toy reactor used for various tests. We used it to play with diffractive optics; fun project. There´s also GIF, the gamma irradiation facility, inside the same building. Amusingly, the office building on the left was a minor scandal at the time; major cost overruns."  Last November, the pulsed-power Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator Z-pinch configuration (PBFA-Z) produced 1.8 megajoules (mj) of energy -- the same energy level that NIF theoretically would produce. The PBFA-Z's X-ray power peaked at more than 160 trillion watts, prompting a Sandia newsletter to report that the powerful "shots" could "provide data for computer simulations used to predict the physics within, and effect of, a nuclear blast."
The Pocker Flat Research Range is located about 50 km North of Fairbanks, Alaska, and it was established in 1968.  It is operated by the Geophysical Institute with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, under NASA contract. About 250 major rocket launches have taken place from this site, and in 1994, a 16 metre long rocket was launched to help NASA "understand chemical reactions in the atmosphere associated with global climate change". Similar experiments, but using Chemical Release Modules (CRM) have been launched from Churchill, Manitoba. In 1980, Brian Whelan's "Project Waterhole", disrupted an aurora borealis, bringing it to a temporary halt.  In February 1983, the chemical released into the ionosphere caused an aurora borealis over Churchill. In March 1989, two Black Brant X's and two Nike Orions rockets were launched over Canada, releasing barium at high altitudes and creating artificial clouds. These Churchill artificial clouds were observed from as far away as Los Alamos, New Mexico. The US Navy has also been carrying on High Power Auroral Stimulation (HIPAS) research in Alaska.  Through a series of wires and a 15 meter antenna, they have beamed high intensity signals into the upper atmosphere, generating a controlled disturbance in the ionosphere. As early as 1992, the Navy talked of creating 10 kilometer long antennas in the sky to generate extremely low frequency (ELF) waves needed for communicating with submarines.  Another purpose of these experiments is to study the Aurora Borealis, called by some an outdoor plasma lab for studying the principles of fusion. Shuttle flights are now able to generate auroras with an electron beam. On November 10, 1991, and aurora borealis appeared in the Texas sky for the first time ever recorded, and it was seen by people as far away as Ohio and Utah, Nebraska and Missouri. The sky was "Christmas colours", and various scientists were quick to blame it on solar activity. However, when pressed most would admit that the ionosphere must have been weakened at the time, so that the electrically charged particle hitting the earth's atmosphere created the highly visible light called airglow. These charged particles are normally pulled northwards by the earths magnetic forces, to the magnetic north pole. The Northern Lights, as the aurora borealis is called, normally occurs in the vortex at the pole where the energetic particles, directed by the magnetic force lines, are directed.
Poker Flats shoots sounding rockets that cut a hole in the ionosphere. This creates a tornado (cyclotron) in the ionosphere. HIPAS helps focus HAARP's transmissions inside this hole, creating an artificial plasma lens inside the vortex. This lens can be rotated, providing signal steering, sending transmissions out into space, riding the van allen belts, and landing on the "conjugate location" on the opposite hemisphere of the world.
The History of HAARP Heating and Holes in Heaven by Jim Lee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on a work at climateviewer.com/. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at climateviewer.com/terms.


text:
Heritage Talks
Pub Nights
Exhibits and Displays
Rooms of Lambton House
memberships and donations
From our Archive
city of york online exhibition
VirtualDoorsOpen
Virtual Canada Day
HurricaneHazel
Howland Poster 2021
Howland Lecture Poster 2021
The Howland Room
The Howland Room was the former men's beverage room, from when the hotel opened in 1848 until it was closed in 1988. It had the longest continuing licence in the Province of Ontario at that time. The north fireplace is original with minor restoration, while the south fireplace was a major restoration. The 1869 portrait of Sir William Pearce Howland as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, hangs over the north fireplace.
The plasterwork is largely the original gypsum over horsehair grey coat and lath. The ceiling had false box beams added in the 1930's and bits of plaster to lend a Tudor atmosphere. The walls were panelled over. Heritage York has brought this room back as close to its original state as finances have permitted.
Find in the Howland Room our Special Exhibitions and other Events.
The Humber Room
The ladies sitting room was used as a resting place and waiting room for the dining room. Although the mullions and the six-over-six nineteenth century glass have ben restored, the remaining window millwork is original. The fireplace is original with some restoration. The walls and windows on either side have been restored. They had been opened to flow into a 1930's addition, which was removed as a part of the 1993 restoration project. The Servery is approximately where the front of the dining room was located. All of this, including the 1930's addition, became the ladies and escorts room. The kitchens were originally in the basement.
The Upstairs Verandah
From the verandah you can see Baby Point in the distance. It was a sunken island in ice age Lake Iroquois. The north shore was in Lambton Park and the continual gradient from there on the south was the slope of lake bottom established by sand, silt and wave action.
The Dundas highway came to the steps, sloping down to the bridge over the river, the first of which was built circa 1814. The balcony was originally level with the doorstep. You can see the wooden ties for the balcony floor in the wall. When the restoration was done in 1993, the architect, Edwin Rowse, recommended dropping the floor a foot to accommodate the fact that people are taller now.
On the balcony you can see the saw-tooth brickwork that was a signature of architect William Tyrell, who was the Howland architect and engineer of record. The wooden railings are original height with modern metal safety railings added to meet current codes.
Hallways and Stairs
The centre hall and staircase are original. The wallpaper is 20th century easy care, but similar in pattern to that which might have been used.
Don't forget to sign our guestbook when you visit us!
Historic Room
The northeast corner room, at the end of the upper floor hallway, is almost entirely original fabric. It is an example of a traveller's room in the nineteenth century. The room would have accommodated two to four wayfarers for the night. Today, it holds some of our artifacts in display cases.
Traveller's Room
This room is very much as it would have been a hundred and seventy years ago. Again, it would have provided beds for the night for up to four wayfarers. Original lighting would have been coal-oil lamps, followed by gas, with electricity arriving in the 20th century.
Accommodations would have included a simple bed with straw mattress, a wash stand with a large water pitcher and bowl, or a table and chair.
admin@lambtonhouse.org
Copyright 2019 Lambton House

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Can't hear Shogun's theme tune?
Although it didn't get a great deal of enjoyment out of playing Shogun, I kept going back to it. Maybe it was morbid fascination, or just me being perverse, I'm not sure. Ian Mathias has created some very nice backgrounds and sprites, but I'm not overly keen on the way that the characters 'float' from screen to screen. The title screen music is OK, but the spot FX are great -- quite atmospheric. By no means a bad game, certainly above average, but I do like a little more action and excitement for my money.
In the great tradition of software titles having their origins based in film and literature, Virgin now have on offer their version of James Clavell's Shogun.
The scene is set in Japan in the year 1600. The central character is Captain John Blackthorne who has been shipwrecked off the coast of Japan and flung straight into the midst of a terrible and alien feudal system. He is irrevocably caught up in the race to become Shogun, master of the warlords and second only in power to the emperor.
It's possible to play the game as one of forty characters, each with varying amounts of ambition, intelligence, strength and attitude. At the beginning of the game, the figure of Captain Blackthorne appears in a window to the bottom right of the screen. Moving the joystick causes his image to be replaced by that of another character. In this fashion, all of the playable characters in the game can be cycled through.
The characters have names, but can also be identified by their 'class', such as Nobles, Samurai, Peasants and Servants, Bandits and Priests. The instruction booklet lists their advantages and disadvantages as usable characters.
Once a character has been selected, there is a choice of whether or not a demo game is to be chosen. Once the game is selected, the screen display changes to the start location for the chosen character. Play then proceeds as a mixture of direct character control with the joystick and a series of icons in the lower half of the screen.
To become Shogun the player must collect twenty followers before he can be considered important enough to be given the final quest to assure his position. A player may fight another character until that person yields to his authority, or perhaps bribery or a sign of affection will suffice. Once a character is under your control, he or she may be ordered to take some form of action (up to two orders may be given at any time to an individual character). Money is often a useful incentive to actually carry out the deeds required. Attitudes and abilities affect any outcome.
Moving from screen to screen is handled by joystick control. The screens flick, changing as new locations are reached. Pressing the fire button has one of several results. If your character is standing over some food or money, it is instantly picked up to increase your strength and yen respectively. Otherwise, the key press changes control over to the icon line. Moving the joystick left or right highlights a different icon for use. Pressing the button invokes the function of the highlighted icon. The icons are: Take, Give, Examine, Order, Pause, Befriend, Attack, Yield and Save/Load.
Most of these are self explanatory, but where an action could apply to more than one other character on the screen, the character window is used in conjunction with the icons to specify the recipient of the desired action. When a person is examined, a message appears in the section separating the top and bottom parts of the screen. Further uses of the icon brings about more detail. However, this can be over-used to bad effect.
The screens themselves consist of detailed and slightly surreal Japanese backdrops. They usually have foreground and background features such as trees, pagodas, clouds and sky. The characters are animated and do not simply glide around the play area. One of the surreal aspects of the game is that characters can mysteriously float or fly without any difficulty. There are normally some sound effects or music to accompany a screen.
Whilst playing, the message area keeps you informed as to who has become an ally to whom. If somebody should become Shogun before you, one of two things can happen: you may offer your loyalty to that character, in which case the game will end. Or, alternatively, you may continue the struggle. This presents many immediate problems as you are likely to have far more enemies than friends. However, given time it is possible to reverse the situation and steal power for yourself.
The graphics are superb, if a little crowded-looking at first, and go a long way to adding atmosphere to the whole affair. The sound effects are delicate and pleasing, despite their simplicity. The game itself is a different matter. It appears to be well programmed and is undeniably attractive on screen. But where it seems to fall flat on its face is in the all-important area of playability -- there isn't any. The way in which control transfers from icons to the main character is not always as well handled as it could be, thus making life difficult for the budding megalomaniac. Doubtless this will appeal to some. It can be the kind of game that grows on you after a while. I still found it monotonous.
Lovely packaging and interesting screen layout.
Surreal imagery, clean animation and atmospheric scenery.
Oriental octaves abound -- average music, but good, atmospheric FX.
Quite tricky to get into . . .
A good game but overpriced.
The only way to Samurai bashing -- slightly flawed and 'quiet' at times, but interesting all the same.