Message from Alison Young…
Find my answers to your skincare, haircare and cosmetics problems here. For those of you that don't know me, I'm a qualified beauty industry expert with over twenty years' salon experience. Beauty products (and horses) are my life! I've been answering QVC customer beauty questions since 1995 and my experience in the salon means I know what really works.
I am looking for hair products to thicken my hair. Whilst I was pregnant 8 years ago my hair was amazingly thick and long. Once I had the baby, my hair started to fall out in chunks for a year. I've since struggled with my hair, and eventually thanks to my sister giving me extensions helped me get my confidence back. However, my hair is not improving underneath. If I don't get extensions I look as if I have hardly any hair and I am very self conscious. At the moment I have been wearing clip ins which I would prefer to do and try and hope my hair gets better.
Alison: This is exactly what Philip Kinglsey specialises in and he's world-renowned. Philip Kingsley is not a fashion brand as such but he works particularly on scalp and hair-related problems.
Basically, I want to try to give you your own Tricotherapy London appointment at home. Use the Philip Kingsley Elasticiser on your hair and the Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask on your scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment once a week.
Then I recommend using the Philip Kingsley Body Building Kit for Fine & Limp Hair, which involves a shampoo and conditioner. Afterwards spray on Philip Kinglsey Maximiser before you blow dry. On a daily basis, even without washing, massage Philip Kingsley Scalp Tonic into the scalp area to give the hair root the very best chance of growing its best quality hair. This routine will also help to prevent breakages from hair extension clips.
What is good for deep scarring please? My chin is particularly bad with indents and thus my facial skin is uneven (a bit unsightly) and make-up (whichever brand used) sits in the crevices caused by acne scarring.
Alison: To stop make-up sitting in the crevices I would immediately recommend a silicone primer which will help make-up to float over the skin and be far more effective too. Try Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer for this.
On the top of the primer the Amazing Cosmetics Concealer would also help, finished with a powder make-up. You will get filling in, covering up and an even finish and no one will know what is underneath it all - it gives great coverage!
For long-term improvement on that scarring area, as long as the oil glands are no longer active, I'd recommend deep exfoliation - either through using liquid treatments, such as Alpha-H Liquid Gold to thin the thickness of the scar, or through dermabrasion on that area only and Decleor Prolagene Energising Gel morning and night on the skin. You should see an improvement in a month and feel confident that the skincare side of it is working. The scars won't, however, completely disappear in a month and it will take about six months to see the maximum results.
I'd also recommend avoiding sunbathing as that will thicken up the look of the scars.
Hi everyone,
Have you heard that Arran Aromatics is coming to QVC? I'm so excited about all their gorgeous products - perfect for pampering!
To find out more about this luxurious range and to get some top tips for the perfect pampering night in, you can read the interview in QGossip.
Enjoy!
Love Alison x
Hi everyone,
It's your last chance to post your questions to L'Occitane beauty expert Alexis. Whether you want a solution for winter skin or tips to keep hands silky smooth, send your question now for an expert solution!
Love Alison x
P.S. Plus you can check out the full L'Occitane range here.
What would you recommend for hair growth on the chin and neck?
Alison: This can be a sign of age and hormonal change but it's also worth mentioning to your doctor on your next appointment. From an external point of view, the best thing that we do is the laser hair removal kit. It does take patience and time - it won't give an overnight result - but it is a way of getting permanent hair removal in the privacy of your home without scarring and without making the hair growth worse.
When you do have excessive hair growth areas, if you remove that hair the wrong way you can make it much worse and you can also cause infections on the hair follicles too. Then you may get hair, spots, rashes, infections etc and it becomes even more difficult to tackle. This home removal system and laser hair removal in salons is far more pain-free as compared to electrolysis, which I have experienced myself. Investing in this system is also great value for money as you can use it again and again.
I have a few tips for looking after your skin before and after treatment. Be careful not to sunbathe before or after hair removal. Don't use highly perfumed products, use a gentle anti-septic or soothing skincare wash afterwards - ABC have a great selection. Basically, just treat the area as sensitive.
Hi beauty fans, Alison here,
Always on the look out for something new and different in the beauty world? Well, you'll be excited to hear that we're launching another new beauty range Psy Derma and this time it's from celebrity and huge beauty buff Linda Papadopoulos.
I am 67 yrs old and all my life my face has got very hot in the summer months and literally any make up I put on pours off. I use Liz Earle light moisturiser during the day and Clientele night cream at night. When I go out I put Bare Escentuals on but if I get anxious or hot, I can feel the perspiration rising and I have to get out as it is very embarrassing. Can you suggest what I should perhaps use - it does seem to have got worse the older I get.
Alison: To control perspiration on the skin, which is a common problem, you're best off using gel-textured or oil-free products. This is because sometimes when you put on luxurious rich cream-based products, they seem to go into the skin but then you perspire and sweat them back out, leaving yout skin feeling slimy. The best option for you then is to keep rich cream or oily products for a night time routine so that your skin can really benefit from them.
During the day, don't put anything heavy into the skin. What you should be applying are cooling, gel-based formulas such as Laura Geller Spackle Under Make Up Primer. Laura suffers from this problem herself and loves this product. This can be used as a moisturiser and a make-up base. If you feel perspiration coming up through any key areas you can apply Cosmetics A La Carte Matte Miracle under your make-up and over the top by patting it in. Or try Smashbox Anti-shine lotion. Both of these act like reservoirs on the skin and feel very matte when they are applied, absorbing all the surface oil. They also have hollow fibres inside that stay in between your skin and make-up to block any perspiration that comes through. So it will take longer for shine to come through when you use these products than it does other products.
Other things to help with the confidence factor are items like waterproof make-up - the easiest one of these being self-tan to give you some colour. We also do waterproof foundations and concealers from Covermark that cannot be sweated off, they have to be cleansed off with a waterproof cleanser remover. There's also Mario De Luigi waterproof lip stains and Smashbox waterproof eyeliners.
Another great thing to try is Rub-out Dry Cleanser from Ojon. When you suffer from hot sweats, this also can affect your hair as your scalp will also sweat, causing the hair to go lank. So spray this into the roots to help control this - you can even carry it with you in your bag so you can take it to the ladies and give it a quick spray to dry all of your roots out. It's normally used for greasy hair but it's great for perspiration too and is colourless. Follow these tips and guidelines and it should stop you worrying about it which plays a big part in making it worse.
I have a nail peeling problem with my thumbs and the next two fingers on both hands. The other 2 fingers on both hands are strong, good nails. I have used OPI nail envy nail and strengthening & peeling which seals the split end but does not stop the splitting and peeling. I've had this problem for two years now. Have also used OPI hand and nail care. Any ideas to solve this dry splitting peeling problem would be great.
Alison: You've missed out a vital thing - your cuticles! Drying out of the nail area and nail peeling as you've described requires a product like OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Oil on your cuticles three times a day. Once a week when you have removed your nail strengthener and varnish, I would advise leaving it off over night and soaking your nails in the Avoplex Oil so that it actually goes into the bare nail as well as the cuticle. Any peels or flakes can be buffed off with a nail file and you can then seal your nails with the OPI Nail Envy treatment you already have.
The one thing I would query is whether you do some sort of manual work or hobby that requires you using those two sets of fingers as maybe this is causing your nail peeling effect. Or maybe poor circulation could be causing it as those two fingers are fed by the same veins. It may be worth looking in to.
Hi everyone, Alison here,
Just to let you know that high-profile facialist Sarah Chapman is launching her new range of beauty products with QVC this Sunday.
She dropped in to share her beauty tips and tell us about some of the celebs who use her clinic - her facials sound fab! You can read the interview here.
I am 40 years old with combination skin which is dry on the cheeks and forehead. Can you please advise me on some appropriate skincare products and make-up for me?
Alison: Let's go for something really good, but really easy. Combine the Elemis Cleanser &Toner for dry skin with the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Use these all over morning and night on your face, neck and eyes. If you are using eye products, I'd advise using the Gatineau Melatogenine Futur Plus Eye Cream. If you are also using a moisturiser, I'd also recommend applying the Decleor Arommesence Iris oil underneath it.
At this age, you should also introduce into your routine more exfoliation than when you were younger as this helps to thin the look of wrinkles. A dermabrasion kit is good for this - a light option that would work well is Lulu's Time Bomb Dermabrasion Cream.
From a make-up point of view, be careful that the products you use that touch your skin are more treatment based. Laura Geller foundation, if you prefer a powder, or Sue Devitt foundation, if you like creams, are both good. These aren't completely matte and contain skincare benefits - so do not emphasise lines or dry out the skin. On the lips go for Gale Hayman Lip Lift as this is good for mature skin that can dry out.
These products would be a good start though you are welcome to come back for more advice in the future. Any make-up that you put on top is completely up to you and your personal style. If you protect your skin with the right foundation then you can pretty much get away with any brand of make-up.
