A solution for dry skin and fine lines…

Q. Hi I'm 51 and my skin is getting dry especially round my eyes, with fine lines and crepiness around the throat area. I have sensitive skin and don't know what to use. The backs of my hands are very dry too.

A. The most important thing for you to do is to get moisture into your skin and every product that you use should have moisturising and hydrating properties.

If you already follow a skincare routine, then you can add a moisturising mask that can be used on all your areas of trouble, three nights a week.

I'd recommend the Gatineau Melatogenine Mask - it can be used all the way up to the orbital eye area and even the eyelids, all over the face, neck and backs of hands. Or you can try the Overnight Mask from Origins. These two recommendations are quite specific to your needs and work best when your skin is dry.

To tackle the dry skin, you should exfoliate. As you have sensitive skin I'd recommend the enzymatic formulas such as Papaya Enzyme Peel from Elemis.

If you don't have a skincare routine, I'd suggest Gatineau's sensitive cleanser and toner and their Aquamemory Moisturiser.

 

On soothing the skin after radiotherapy…

Q. Hi Alison, I have a friend who has just finished chemotherapy and is having a mastectomy in two weeks. She is not allowed to have a reconstruction straight away as the specialist said it would get in the way of radiotherapy. I believe that radiotherapy is like bad sunburn to your skin.

Can you please recommend products that I can buy for her to help reduce any pain or irritation she may experience after the radiotherapy? I look forward to hearing from you. Liz.

A. As the treated skin gets very dry and tends to crisp up during radiotherapy, I'd recommend L'Occitane Pure Shea Butter. It's pure and simple, but has an incredible moisturising and soothing quality - simply melt the cream in between you fingertips and smooth on the targeted areas in between treatments.

I'd also suggest the extra-rich formula of L'Occitane's Shea Butter Body Cream to smooth on to the whole of the body.

No sun exposure is allowed to the area (always my motto!) as any scarring will thicken and darken, but the more you keep the area moisturised the better the skin will heal.

On applying Decleor eye products...

Q. Hi Alison, I've recently purchased the Decleor Neroli Aromessence and night balm. Should I avoid the eye area when using these products? Many thanks, Jackie.

A. Normally you would avoid the eye area, as you may find that the oil and pure oil that's in the balms too rich for the delicate eye area. Unless you have very poorly or dry skin, I would only recommend taking it up to the orbital bone.

The area under the eye has a thinner texture and doesn't have any oil glands. This affects the area in two ways:

1) it doesn’t produce any oil

2) oily products are absorbed into the skin via channels such as follicles, but the under eye area doesn't have any so that's why oil or balm products can puff the eye up very quickly.

On a moisturiser for young, acne-prone skin…

Q.

Hi Alison, my 14-year-old daughter suffers from acne and has been given some cream from the doctor to apply twice daily. The problem is that the cream is making her skin very dry. Can you please advice what will be the best moisturiser for her to use at the moment. She is using some Liz Earle that I gave her. Thanks very much,

Pam

A. I would recommend the light option. Although, she must follow the doctor's advice. It sounds like the doctor has given her a retinol-based cream and they thin the skin and clean out the pores, so she will go through a period of extreme skin sensitivity and skin peeling. The skin then renews itself without, hopefully, any of the acne there. This is normal, but if you are at all worried consult your doctor.

For comfort reasons, Liz Earle's Light Moisturiser will relieve the dryness. She must also avoid the sun when using the prescribed cream, because the sun can cause pigmentation when using retinol-based creams.

On soothing a dry, red and sore neck…

Q: I'm on medication and have experienced some side affects. I was standing in the sunshine and now my neck has gone dry, red and sore. I put on skin cream with collagen and vitamin A but to no avail. Please help, Helli.

A: If you've experienced side effects from medication, then your first point of contact is your doctor. Secondly, sunscreen is not enough, you actually have to physically cover the area with a cotton cloth because you don't want any sun on it whatsoever.

If it's on the neck area I would suggest wearing a shirt or scarf, and if you are sunbathing (if the medication allows you to sunbathe) I'd recommend a wide brim hat and Ultrasun SPF 50, which is medically accepted and what doctors would recommend. 

The most important think now is to get the skin calm by keeping it covered and maybe try cooling gels like SBC's Aftersun Aloe Vera Gel or the Ultrasun Aftersun Gel.

For oily, dry and blemished skin...

Q: I'm Asian, age 26. Since the age of 15 I have had acne problems. When I came to this country 11 years ago I tried everything but nothing worked permanently. My skin has gone back to being oily, dry and blemished. Although my skin is not dark, it's not clear.

I don't have big spots which I used to when I was 18 but now I have acne on my chin, forehead and especially on my jaw line. They are very painful. Please can you recommend any good product which really works?

Alison: Firstly, this may be something worth mentioning to your doctor in case they can give you some medical advice to help.

You've mentioned using skincare designed to target spots that give great results at first and then later on these seem to worsen. This may be because you've stopped using these products or aren't using them as much, perhaps. Plus, they can dry the skin out or be too harsh after a while. So instead you need to make sure you're using some hydrating formulas to help prevent your skin from drying out.

If you haven't got a routine at home, try Alpha-H Liquid Harmony and the Alpha-H Liquid Gold. Liquid Gold will help to clean out the pores and the blackheads - you only need to use it three nights a week and then you can lessen off to once a week once you start seeing results.

The Liquid Harmony can be used on a daily basis when you feel the spots are coming back - so you can stop using Liquid Gold and switch to this instead. I'd also suggest using the Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser under a cleanser from the Alpha-H range.

On a new beauty routine post pregnancy...

Q: I have recently had a baby and since the birth I have noticed a difference in my skin. I previously had oily skin, which has now turned dry in places and can be very sensitive (sometimes itchy with red patches).

I'm currently using Decleor products for oily/combination skin, which isn't working as effectively as it used to. I would be extremely grateful if you could suggest products from the Decleor range that would be more suitable for my present skin type.

Alison: I can quite understand what has happened and this is very normal after pregnancy. What you must bear in mind, is that after having a baby it takes a little while for your skin to re-adjust.

If you care for your skin for how it appears to be now, then you are probably using products that are too harsh. So instead you should treat it as a sensitive skin type and allow it to balance back out, which it should do in time.

In terms of your Aromessence, you should either be on the Rose D'Orient for sensitive skin if your skin is feeling really irritated, or the Neroli if it's more unbalanced. Then for a moisturiser I would recommend the Decleor Hydra Floral and I would also suggest the Soothing Emulsion for a speedy routine, or the Hydrating Cleanser & Toner if you have more time.

Keep to this simple routine and your skin should feel much more comfortable within about a week's time.

For sensitive skin and breakouts...

Q: I'm 40 and have always suffered from dry skin. I've only ever had breakouts once a month but lately my chin looks like an active pin cushion. I'm also getting spots on my forehead (hairline) and a few around my nose. One side of my chin looks like it has a chemical burn and I'm worried about scarring. Please could you recommend something for this area and help to clear my face up.

Alison: If it’s flared up that badly, I am a little concerned about the possibility of rosacea and so I would see your doctor for some advice.

From a beauty point of view, there are two options. The first is to use calming products for sensitive skin. So, you could try Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash with the Elemis SOS Cream (which comes in a handy duo collection) to help balance and calm the skin down.

The second option is if the oil glands have been over stimulated and so have flared up, then I would try the Alpha-H Clean and Clear Collection, which contains the Triple Action Cleanser, Balancing Cleanser, Micro Cleanse Exfoliant and the Clearing Gel.

These two sets are opposites of each other so you need to try to work out which would be best. With our 30-day money-back guarantee, it is possible to try one and see how it goes. If it's a sensitivity issue, go for the first option, and if it's not not sensitive and is oil gland stimulation, then go for the second option.

For spots, whiteheads and sensitive skin...

Q: My 12 year old son has been getting spots and white heads on his face, particularly his nose, for a few months now. I've read your advice to others and decided to try him on the Australian skinwash twice a day.

After 3 days his skin was completely clear and looking great. However, after a week he started to get very dry, sore red patches on his cheeks so stopped using it. Is it worth trying him on my cleanse and polish or should I steer clear?

Alison: He seems to be suffering from the result of washing his face twice a day with an anti-bacterial formula without following with a moisturiser. So if he still wants to continue with the ABC, he just needs to follow with a moisturiser and hopefully he should continue to get great results.

He could try a gel moisturiser, such as SBC Collagen Gel, or the liquid gel texture of Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser.

If he wants to swap his cleanser, he could try the Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser followed by the Balancing Moisturiser. He could also slot in Cleanse & Polish if he wants to, maybe in the evening if he has time, and he could still use the ABC Skinwash in the morning. The bottom line is that he definitely needs to follow with some kind of skin-softening agent, whether he borrows something you already use or experiments with something else.

On an alternative to Prescriptives Super Line Preventor...

Q: I started using Super Line Preventor Xtreme after you recommended it for solving make-up flaking. I've been using it for a few months and it has really worked at stopping my make-up from flaking but it has also really plumped up and hydrated my skin.

I have just found out that they have ceased making Prescriptives, do you have any ideas as to if there are any similar products out there?

Alison: There are a few different options for you and what is most important in the Prescriptives Super Line Preventor is the hyaluronic acid. You can use the Philosophy When Hope is Not Enough Serum which contains this ingredient in an aloe vera-based gel and can give great results.

Or try the Pure Prai Intensive Serum which combines Prai extract with the hyaluronic acid and is also a great alternative. These are our two best liquid alternatives.