As a teenager, I suffered the physical and emotional pains of acne.
Allergies and Acne, a lethal combination for a teenager to live through.
I've seen most ceilings in the clinics of the top dermatologists in the Philippines and learned to recite the Hail Mary faster than the group of old ladies at our parish church (this dermatologist cauterizing my skin promised me it would all be over after five Hail Mary's).
The good news is I survived the teen years.
Oh but wait - as an adult, I had adult acne until after the birth of my first son.
So you see, I went from skin scare to skin care :-) Our skin reflects how we're feeling Our skin is the largest organ of our body (around two square meters) and it announces to everyone how we are:

• If we slept late, we have the eyebags to prove it.
  
• If we lack water or exercise, our skin is dull.
  
• If we've had a good day or eat healthy, we glow.
  

The skin care secrets here will give you more of those glowing moments! Here are the Four S's to avoid if you want to stay clear of pimples and wrinkles:

• Smoking.
  There are thousands of toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke and these toxins starve the skin of oxygen.
  A good supply of oxygen keeps the skin supple, so stay away from smoking.
  
• Stress.
  Worry leads to stress.
  It is easy to advice others to stop worrying but do you follow your own advice? If you feel stress creeping up inside you, go for a walk or do some exercise.
  It really helps! Maybe even go on vacation! No time? Then relax in a bath.
  
• Sugar.
  Sugar may taste heavenly but will leave the skin looking like hell if you're not careful.
  Too much sugar leads to glycation or to be more descriptive, gives your skin that leathery look and feel.
  
• Sun.
  I'm talking here of too much sun.
  Enough sunlight is very helpful because our bodies absorb the much needed vitamin D.
  Too much sun is harmful and will wrinkle the skin in due time.
  

What goes on your face goes in your face Remember this every time you apply something on your face - skin care products, cosmetics or face paint - these things just don't stay on our skin.
Our pores take it deep into the dermis and epidermis and ends up in our bloodstream.
So be very selective.
So what's the best nourishment for the skin? Nature's purest source of cell-regenerating nutrients and a great ingredient in skin care secrets - ocean vegetables! The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes present in sea vegetables or seaweeds, are potent antioxidants with a lot of skin healing and rejuvenating properties.
Vitamin A (beta carotene/retinol) and Vitamin C work together in maintaining collagen, a protein necessary for the formation of connective tissue in the skin.
The phytonutrients present in ocean vegetables also help increase blood flow at the surface of the skin, hence making it supple, smooth and radiant.
Seaweed does wonders to our skin.
When applied topically, seaweeds draw out toxins from our body and releases its nutrients into us through our pores.
There are skin care products containing microalgae or seaweeds in their facial cleansers, toners, moisturizers and facial masks, to name a few, and they vary in ingredients and price.
The best way is to test it on yourself and see how your skin reacts.
If you are more experimental, you can also use your kitchen counter as your very own lab :-) Experiment with whipping up natural ingredients together, and instead of putting them in your mouth, apply it on your face.
Shoulders, knees to toes So we've taken care of our face.
What about the rest of our body? Some seaweed soaps are excellent for exfoliating the skin, leaving it silky smooth.
Others lessen the cellulite build up in the thighs.
The best way is to try a bar of soap and find out what it does for you.
For more info on seaweed, click here.