Q: Any advice for cleansing oily skin prone to breakouts?

A: This is not an uncommon problem seeing even celebrities with all their money and experts on hand falling pray to the dreaded spot!  Adult acne is also on the rise and continues to do so year after year.  Janette Ryan gives us her tips on how to combat the problem.

1. Always cleanse your skin twice a day. Choose a facial wash that is oil-free and has an anti-bacterial effect to fight the bacteria and prevent imperfections from reoccurring. After cleansing your skin do use a toner to tighten pores and remove residue of the cleansing products.

2. Avoid using hot water when washing your face as it can aggravate the skin. Use tepid water which will open your pores and allow the cleansing active ingredients to travel into your skin and dissolve impurities.

3. Oily skin types should avoid rough scrubbing and massage as this can stimulate oil glands.

4. Don’t keep touching your face as this can spread bacteria and cause spots and don’t pick or squeeze pimples as this can spread infection and cause scarring.

5. Always use a daily moisturiser. For norm/comb skin choose a light texture and look for key words such as hydrating. If you are prone to high shine on your T-zone choose a product which mattifies your skin while keeping it hydrated.

6. Oily skin should not be exfoliated every day as the skin can be stripped of its natural protective barrier and become more prone to developing bacteria. Exfoliate oily skin once a week and use moisturisers with ingredients known to unclog pores. Check out Normaderm Exfoliating Cleansing Gel which unblocks & purifies pores while refining skin texture.

7. Beware: Sun does not cure oily skin. Sun triggers only temporary improvement in oily skin. UVB rays cause a thickening of the upper layer of your skin and although the light does kill bacteria, and during the summer months your skin looks clear, below the surface of your skin sebum is building. Following sun exposure oily skin can flare up again. Always use suitable sun protection for oily to acne prone skin. Check out Vichy’s Capital Soleil Micro-fluid Matte.

If you have oily skin choose products carefully, pharmacy is a great place to go for advice and there are lots of different products available to treat the different types of oily skin and suit individual preferences.

Today’s Ask the Expert was answered by La Roche-Posay’s Training Manager, Janette Ryan.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Q: I am a forty three year old woman and apart from the premature wrinkles I have sun damage and pigmentation. Are there any creams or treatments you can recommend?

A: Anyone who exposes their face to the sun over long periods of time without the use of an S.P.F is at risk of premature ageing, slack muscle tone, pigmentation and worst of all, skin cancer.

Everyone should wear an S.P.F of at least 15 every day, rain or shine.  It should be applied 20 mins before sun exposure for maximum effect.  Even if you have already damaged your skin, it’s not too late to start with an S.P.F to avoid further damage.

I would recommend you use a regime which contains a.h.a’s, such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid.  These exfoliate the top layers of your skin, and will also produce new skin growth from deep down in your skin.  This new skin will eventually push its way to the surface, while pushing out any imperfections such as wrinkles, pigmentation and blemishes.  These home use products do however take time, so if you are looking for a more immediate result, there are skin peels or microdermabrasion.

There are two types of skin peel.  The first is a light to medium peel, using a high concentration of a.h.a’s, left on the skin for about 15 mins.  These peels work on the uppermost layers of the skin, and usually a course of 6 over a period of a few months is required.  After this treatment, your skin will look plumper and pigmentation marks will drastically be reduced.

The second type of peel is done using a chemical called phenol.  It goes much deeper than the first type of peel, and your skin will be left pink and slightly inflamed for a few days afterwards.  But, the result is fantastic.  It completely takes away all the damaged and dead skin and replaces it with new, plumper, non pigmented, non wrinkled skin.  A lot of aftercare and gentle homecare is required – it’s not for the faint hearted.

For more in depth information and advice, I would pop in to your local skin care clinic or dermatologist.  Going forward wear an S.P.F. daily.

Ask the Expert was answered today by our skin care therapist Thomasina.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Not the ones I have.  The dreaded cellulite.  90% of women suffer from it and would do anything to get rid of it.  Bad news ladies, you can never completely get rid of that orange peel skin, but there are a few things you can do to dramatically reduce its appearance.

Here are some things that contribute to the formation of cellulite:

Diet: Particularly food high in toxins such as fried foods (that’s K.F.C out the window), caffeine (no more diet coke breaks), salt (the nasty stuff retains water) and sugar (only at the weekends girlies).

Genes: Some of us girls are predisposed to having the lumps and bumps from the day we are born. Thanks mum!

Lifestyle: Poor circulation, a sluggish lymphatic system, lack of exercise, excess stress and not enough water all contribute to the development of cellulite.

Age: The older we get, the thinner our skin becomes, and the more muscle tone we lose, resulting in cellulite becoming more visible.

Hormones: Particularly oestrogen, contribute to the formation of cellulite, which is why hardly any men get it.  Also, the pill and pregnancy can exacerbate the condition. Why do men have it so easy?

And here are a few tips on how to keep this condition under control:

Drink at least 2litres of water per day to flush out any toxins.

Eat a varied, healthy diet with plenty of fruit and veg high in antioxidants such as tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, the more colour on your plate, the better!

Plenty of exercise with a mixture of cardio to burn off fat cells that store cellulite, and weight and resistance training, to build muscle and reduce the appearance of the lumps. Lunges and squats are great for toning those problem areas such as the thighs and bum.

Regular massage increases blood and lymph flow, which will help remove the toxins that cause cellulite. Try massaging the area for 5 mins twice a day. Why not treat yourself to a professional salon or spa massage.  Much more relaxing than doing it yourself!

Try brushing the area for 5 mins after a hot shower or bath twice a week with a firm body brush.  Then, switch the water to cold for as long as you can bare it. This will help break down the fat cells.

Why not pop in to your local salon for a mud contour wrap.  You are guaranteed a minimum loss of 6” all over your body with the ‘Universal Contour Wrap‘. Woo hoo!  It costs about €190 for a course of three.  It will also tighten your skin and leave those wobbly bits feeling a lot firmer.

Hot pants here I come!

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Q: I always get little spots on my upper lip after my monthly lip wax.  Have you any tips on how to prevent these nasty little lumps?

A: Firstly, I would recommend that you have no makeup or cream on the area before you head in for your treatment. Your therapist will sanitise the area anyway, but the less rubbing she has to do on your lip, then the less sensitive the area will be.  Never attend for a lip wax after sunbathing, sun beds or if you have been in a sauna or steam room. These treatments heat up the skin and heat on heat does not mix. The same goes for after your lip wax.

After your treatment, avoid touching the area as little germs and bugs on your hands can invade the open pores and cause unsightly spots.  Avoid make up, creams, lotions, potions and also avoid washing your face and going swimming.  Try to relax for the day as excessive sweating on the area can also cause these dreaded spots.  If you had make up on the rest of your face, just use some gentle facial cleanser on all areas except the lip.  All of this aftercare has to be followed for at least 24hrs.  After this you can commence your usual skin care routine, and don’t forget to gently exfoliate the lip area to get rid of any dead skin cells which can block the pores and cause little blemishes.

If all of this fails, I would highly recommend that you try threading.  It is great for the more sensitive skin type, gentle on the skin, doesn’t pull the skin, thus preventing sagging and wrinkles, and is just as effective at removing every hair, even the fine downy type if not more affective.  The great thing about threading is that you can apply makeup straight away if needed, but if your skin is super sensitive and highly prone to spots, I would recommend that you leave the make up for at least 12 hours.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Do I even have to elaborate?  Yes, you guessed it, the dreaded in growing hair.  It is the bane of our otherwise perfectly groomed bikini lines.  But, I have discovered a solution!  Avon solutions plus Total Radiance Skin Refining Clay Mask.  Yes, it was originally intended for use on oily, spotty skin.  But as I was sitting one evening, face thickly packed with this fabulous mask, I saw in the ingredients list that this product contains salicylic and glycolic acid.

Salicylic acid works from the outside dissolving dead cells that block pores and hair follicles.  Glycolic acid penetrates deep into the dermal layer of the skin, encouraging new cells to grow, thus pushing blockages and dead cells out of blocked pores.

So I applied some of this mask to my bikini area, as I do suffer with pretty bad ingrown hairs.  The next day my bikini line was as good as new!  So now, every time I have a bikini wax I wait the obligatory 24hrs, then apply my wonder mask, leave it on for 20 mins, and viola – no more pesky lumps and bumps.  Trust me girls, it works a treat!

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

I always dreaded putting makeup on my early teenage skin, knowing that the terrifying Oily Complexion would bite back and cause it to glow in a very unstylish manner. The years have passed (not that many of them!) and I find myself on the opposite end of the scale. Dry skin has become the bane of my life, and I would happily trade it for my old oily variant without hesitation.

The thing about having oily skin is that many products can dehydrate skin to make it look smoother. Lots of foundations offer a matte finish that’s a dream for oily skin. But finding a product that re-hydrates without clogging pores is another story entirely. I have spent a small fortune in trying to find one. I’ve done the very expensive and the relatively cheap- and while many moisturisers and cleansers have failed to pass my tests, the makeup has finally, thankfully, been found!

By chance one day about three months ago, I ventured into Brown Thomas and emerged with a starter kit for Bare Minerals. I had always had my doubts about mineral-based powder foundations, and so this lay unused for quite some time. When my previous foundation (L’Oreal True Match) began to irritate my skin, despite a long period of it working to perfection, I knew that I had to try something new. The Bare Minerals box was lying around so I learned how to use it, and I came away surprised at the result. It doesn’t make my skin flake, the colour is perfectly summery and suits my natural skin tone, and it honestly feels as though I’m not wearing any makeup at all. Excellent.

To that end I have decided to stick with it; as it stands the foundation (Bare Minerals Original SPF 15) retails at €25 a pot from Brown Thomas, but it’s a large pot and the cost, while a little more than I usually spend on a whim, is definitely worth it. I’ve now been using it for about a month and it hasn’t bored me yet. People have complimented me on how natural it is. I use Bare Minerals Mineral Veil over it, which really evens out the texture and gives it as professional an effect as I have ever managed to achieve. These people don’t let you work it out for yourself either- the starter kit provided good brushes and a How To DVD, as well as a primer that I now rely on every day.

If you fancy trying it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough, the entire Bare Minerals line can be purchased online at a lesser cost. Their range has grown massively, and in all of the makeup I have tried over the past 10 years or so, it ranks among the best without a doubt- dry skin and all.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Q: I keep getting spots on my cheeks, why is this and how can I prevent them?

A: One of the possibilities is your blusher!  Blushers may be the cause of the problem – the brush or the product itself.  This is especially true if they are underlying spots i.e. under the skin which would mean the pores are blocked from the product.  To begin with make sure you keep your brush clean so bacteria doesn’t build up, rinse it with warm water, then wrap it in a towel and leave it overnight in the hot press.  If this doesn’t help you may need to change your blusher as it may just disagree with your skin type, as cheeks are a very sensitive area.

To help eleviate the spots, cleanse and exfoliate daily (with a light non-granular) exfoliator.  I recommend using the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant as it’s nice and gentle on the skin for everyday use.

If you are looking for a good blusher try Benefit or MAC, both great brands.   When applying your blusher, wipe the brush into the blusher gently, then tap the excess product off the brush and “pull a smile” and lightly sweep from the cheekbone to the apple of the cheek… aka the fat bits of cheek and back up.

See our previous posts on Professional Make-up Tips or Beauty on a Budget.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

I’ve been testing the La Roche-Posay – Physiological Ultra-Fine Scrub for the last few weeks and here is how it went.

I have very sensitive skin and have always found it near to impossible to get a facial exfoliator that doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight and quite red and aggravated.  I therefore gave up on trying to find one as I felt I was doing more harm to my skin than good by “assaulting” it with these products.

That is until recently I tried the La Roche-Posay Ultra-Fine Scrub and to my utter surprise and delight I found it absolutely brilliant.  It has tiny little granules that you can really feel cleaning your skin whilst you rub it in, it foams slightly but is easy to spread around your face.  After washing it off, my skin was honestly “glowing” and felt really fresh and soft.  I had no hint of any redness… which I swear is a first for me and finished off by applying my moisturiser.

I now use my scrub about 2/3 times a week and find it has really helped to get rid of the blackheads on my nose.  I’m just happy I can stop torturing my poor face now and let it get old in the more than capable hands of the La Roche-Posay ultra-fine scrub!  5 out 5 from me…. give it a go ladies and let me know what you think!  You will find La Roche-Posay products in most chemists or on-line and this scrub is a steal at only €14.00.  Pour moi, a small price to pay for not looking like the victim of a terrible accident, as I usually did from other scrubs!

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Q: I have been out walking a lot lately and have started getting big brown patches on my face!  It seems to be worse on my forehead and especially over my upper lip which looks awful.  How can I get rid of these marks?

A: You don’t mention if you are pregnant or on the pill.  It sounds like you have Chloasma or Melasma, also known as ‘mask of pregnancy’.  When you are pregnant you release more melanin which is what gives us a tan.  This is common during pregnancy hence ‘mask of pregnancy’ and also quite common if you are on the pill.  Unfortunately there is no way of preventing Chloasma.  The best thing you can do to help keep it at bay is apply SUN BLOCK to your face.  Chloasma does not appear any where else on your body apart from your face so wear a sun block at all times and don’t expose your face to direct sun light.

Kirstie Allsop had Chloasma when she was pregnant.  If you are a fan of Location, Location, Location you will have noticed her face was heavily pigmented around her mouth and forehead.  This condition effects the forehead, cheeks and upper lip mostly.

There are various methods of treating Chloasma which is a form of hyper-pigmentation.  Firstly go and see your doctor to confirm what it is and your doctor can recommend a good dermatologist if it really is bad and bothering you.

If it’s not that bad you could try various different products on the market one of which I would recommend is Dermalogica‘s Skin Brightening System which some of my clients have used over the years and were happy with the results.  You can buy their various skin brightening products individually if you don’t want to invest in the kit.  The night bright would be the one I would most recommend.  Anything rice based can also have a whitening effect on the skin (great for removing fake tan too!).  Talk to a therapist at your local salon and ask what they would recommend, DO NOT buy everything they suggest – have a whitening facial using the products they recommend and ask for samples to do you a couple of days, that way you can be sure that the product is suited to your skin before investing in expensive ranges that you’ll end up leaving on the bathroom window sill!

Other treatments can include topical bleaching creams, laser (a lot of dermatologists don’t recommend laser for Melasma), chemical peels or oral supplements – all of these can be discussed with your doctor.  If the problem isn’t that bad pick up a whitening skin care routine (one that has been recommended to you) and try some camouflage make-up.  There are great heavy coverage foundations or concealers available now so start by looking for one to suit your skin.  Jane Iredal Enlighten Concealer is specifically for covering Melasma.

One to note – if you are fake tanning you should probably avoid your face as fake tans tend to exaggerate hyper-pigmentation.  Use a bronzing powder to tan your face instead.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend

Q: Do you have any lifestyle tips for improving the condition of skin?

A: By looking after our bodies on the inside and protecting our skin on the outside, we can help to slow down the onset of skin ageing.

Diet plays a major role in preserving our skins youthful appearance, by eating the right foods rich in antioxidants they can minimize the damage caused to our skin cells by free radicals.

Regular exercise such as cycling or brisk walking stimulates blood flow in the whole body and re-oxygenates your organs giving you a fresh and healthy complexion. Always protect your skin from UV rays.

See our previous posts on Effects On The Skin From Mineral Deficiency and How Vitamin Deficiency Can Effect Your Skin for more information.

Our ask the expert question has been answered today by La Roche-Posay’s Training Manager, Janette Ryan.

• Recommend on Facebook
• Tweet about it
• Tell a friend