Q. Hi Alison, I've just turned 40 and my skin is awful. I have blackheads on my T-zone but my skin can be dry and oily at the same time. Can you recommend anything? Thank you, Sam.
A. If your skin is out of control and out of balance, I would recommend NV Perricone or Alpha-H skincare ranges.
Alpha-H
You can try the Balancing Cleanser and Balancing Moisturiser to begin with and introduce their signature product Liquid Gold to your routine three times a week in the evening. Start off with these products, and then you can introduce the anti-ageing moisturiser which is enriched with glycolic acid - ideal for using as a night time treatment.
NV Perricone
With this high-end range, your key products will be the Nutritive Cleanser, Face Firming Activator and Face Finishing Moisturiser. These three products are incredible for helping to balance out your skin.
These are not complicated routines but you should see great results.
Q. Hi Alison, I've recently read that using anti-ageing creams too early can actually cause more damage to your skin than doing it good. This is in contradiction to other articles and beauty advisors out there that say it's a good idea to start using creams in your mid-20s.
For women between 25-30, what cream would you suggest to maintain your skin? I'm currently using the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Many thanks, Bibi.
A. There is no detriment to using anti-ageing products early; it's just a waste of money. If you start to use a very strong anti-ageing product in your 20s, that is usually recommend to a 40-50 year old, you will not see any result from it.
The type of ageing you'll be experiencing is dehydration, so you need to focus on that. So I would recommend using Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream and Night Cream or Decleor's Hydra Floral - the lighter textures of these creams will concentrate more on hydrating your skin.
Q. Hi Alison, I am 24 and recently noticed I have large puffy bags under my eyes. I'm a newly qualified nurse so do a lot of shift work so my sleeping pattern is not the best. My main problem is that I watch all the skincare shows - Elemis, Gatineau, Decleor - but as they are all promoting their own products they all sound so good and I'm confused as to what would suit me best.
These products are expensive for me so when I buy one for my problem area I want to know it's the most suitable. Can you advise me what you would consider the best range of skincare treatment out there or perhaps the best product for my problem? Many thanks, Louise.
A. If you're looking for something speedy and economical, yet effective, I'd recommend SBC Collagen Gel and SBC Arnica Gel. The Arnica gel can be used as an eye cream to help de-puff your eyes (avoid using any oil around the eye area).
The Collagen gel is fantastic as a moisturiser and helps to plump up your skin. Apply a thick mask of it to your face before you go to bed and it will sink in to leave you with beautifully moisturised skin.
Both of these products will cover your moisturising and anti-ageing concerns, will help de-puff your eyes and are great value too.
Q. Hi Alison, I am 50 years old and have always suffered from milia on my cheeks. How can I get rid of them or at least make them less noticeable? Please help.
A. Milia is a common concern for a lot of people - it's usually a sign of too many fatty acids in your diet or not enough water. You can't squeeze them out because it's trapped fatty deposits under the skin and they are not attached to a pore.
They are a couple of things you can do to get rid of them:
Q. Hi Alison, please help I am 62 years old have wrinkles around my mouth and chin and it's getting worse very quickly. Thanks you. Mary
A. You may want to take a look at the Age Benefit Moisturiser from Gatineau. It's featuring in a fab Today's Special Value on Sunday (14th November, 2010).
The wrinkles around the mouth and chin are getting worse because of the fall of the face. This is actually caused by slackening of the face from below the eyes and across the cheeks, which then pulls down the areas of the upper lip and chin so you get folds, creases and even shadow marks.
So if you want to look at an anti-ageing routine for the whole face, the Age Benefit is going to be your best friend because it addresses all the signs of ageing. You can also try the Genie Instant Line Smoother as it will tighten up the look of the affected areas instantaneously.
Q. Hi Alison, could you recommend a foundation to take on holiday? I need to wear foundation to cover slight imperfections but I sweat easily on a hot day and my face gets oily too in tropical climate. Please would you have any suggestions? Thank you.
A. Simple - you can use a layer of self-tan. If you put on self-tan, you will not need as much make-up because it'll help even the skin tone of any blotchiness. Don't think of self-tan as a just a tanning product - it can be mixed in with your everyday moisturiser and give you even coverage that cannot be sweated off.
From a make-up point of view, I'd recommend Mally compact foundation - it doesn't sweat or run because there are no waxes in it. Pipa Gordon is a fan of this as well.
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