Perricone, from Dr Nicholas Perricone, is a fantastic skincare brand and is what I would call a true doctor brand.
Dr Nick is a working dermatologist and nutritionist, and specialises in making his own worldwide patented ingredients. You can use any of his products as part of your usual routine.
At the cheaper end of the scale, I would recommend the Perricone Nutritive Cleanser. This gel cleanser is a bit of an unsung hero for this price range.
Q: I work outside in the elements all year round. I'm 38, have enlarged pores on my nose and I get breakouts on my chin, forehead, including hairline, and sometimes on my cheeks.
The majority of the time I'm left with scarring/pigmentation, which is making me very self-conscious. Please help as this is really getting me down.
Alison: I have helped someone recently who suffered from the same skin complaints as you, and found Prai to be the answer. She also told me to recommend it to anyone with the same dilemmas as her, because she found it instantly improved the look of her skin - it was a real wow result!
So, I think you will get a quick and flattering result with this range, making it look and feel younger. Try this Prai four-piece collection and let me know how you get on.
Q: My sister is getting married in August and I'm a bridesmaid for her and a bit worried about my skin. I'm 31 years old and have oily skin. I currently use Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish, followed by the skin tonic and the skin repair light moisturiser.
My problem is that during this hot humid weather my pores appear to be more visibly open. I'm dreading having a make-up trial as I'm worried that my make-up will be awful. Is there anything that I could incorporate into my daily routine that would help to reduce the appearance of my pores?
Alison: A simple solution would be to add Decleor Prolagene Gel to your routine and use it morning and night, all over the face, neck and eyes. Apply it after your Cleanse and Polish and before your Skin Repair Moisturiser. It will help to tighten and firm up the look of the pores, as well as acting to hydrate and reduce the appearance of any fine lines around the eye area.
Our brands offer lots of make-up trials, so if you like any of them they could be a good start for you. Whichever brand you choose, order a make-up primer from them, such as Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer or Laura Geller Spackle. This should help to create a smooth canvas for make-up application.
With make-up trials, it's important to go to a full time make-up artist. Some salons offer make-up lessons but unless they have a full time make-up artist there I wouldn't recommend it - they often aren't up-to-date in make-up techniques and trends.
Department stores often offer fantastic make-up trials and you can find some of our brands, such as Bobbi Brown and Prescriptives, there. It's worth trying out a couple of different ones as well to find the right one for you.
Q: I need help with large open pores between my breasts and down the centre of my back. Is there any way to reduce the appearance of very large open pores in this area? When the skin is pushed together, it looks crepey which I don't think should be happening as I'm in my early 30s. I had an allergic reaction to the Alpha H range so would prefer to stay clear.
Alison: You should definitely try using the ABC Skinwash in case the pores are caused by a skin infection - this is an anti-septic wash that can help to neutralise any bacteria in this area.
You can also get open pores in these areas if you naturally perspire more than others. So, I'd suggest making sure that you aren't using too strong an anti-perspirant underneath your arms. What can happen is that if the perspiration cannot get out under your arms, it may find somewhere else to come out - so spotty chests and backs are often a symptom of this.
Even though you have open pores, remember that a body moisturiser is still essential. The one I'd recommend that would help to reduce the look of these pores is SBC Collagen Gel. Apply this two-three times a day or just a thick mask-type layer once a day (that you can leave to sink in when you're brushing your teeth or getting ready etc) to help plump up the skin in this area. Plumping up this area will help to close the pores up as they tend to widen when the skin is dehydrated or infected.
Q: I'm a 25 year old guy and have slightly oily skin. I've been using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but I'm finding the Skin Repair Light is just a little too heavy. I have slightly enlarged pores on my nose, the occasional breakout, and I find that whenever I put my moisturiser on, within a few hours I start to look a little shiny.
I tend to find that products that are too gentle don't clean my skin properly, and products that are too strong dry my skin so I was wondering what you would recommend?
Alison: If you're happy to continue using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish then please do. A very easy solution for you to help with your enlarged pores and to use as a moisturiser would be the Decleor Prolagene Gel. It's a light gel, has firming anti-ageing properties and helps to tighten pores too. You shouldn't sweat this out or feel shiny a few hours later either.
I'd recommend using it morning and night and then at night put a moisturiser or night cream on top to help balance your skin out. This can be really light too, if you prefer - Liz Earle Skin Repair perhaps or the hydrating, water-based Decleor Hydrafloral Light.
In terms of exfoliants, use one a maximum of once a week to help to clean out any enlarged pores. I'd suggest Liz Earle, if you want to stay with this brand. I understand when you say that strong products are too drying - it's all about doing a little tweak to your routine to see a big result. This should then get your skin doing what you want it to, then you can stick to a more set routine in the future.
One product I'd love to recommend for you is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, however at the moment I'm not sure you'd want to use it as it's a bit more expensive and not as light in texture. It's thicker in texture but you wouldn't sweat it out as it's easily absorbed. I'd suggest considering it at some point as it would be great for your skin and it's been a big hit with men in particular as it doesn't leave a residue.
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