How To Repair Sun Damaged Skin

I have another guest post for you today. This one comes from Selina from Beautystorm. Beautystorm are proudly the cheapest stockists of Dermalogica products in Australia and provide online skin consultations with their in house Skincare Therapists. Selina will be giving us advice on how to repair sun damaged skin. Whilst we are blessed to be living in such a sun drenched country, here in Australia, as a consequence the majority of us will have sun damaged skin. Here are Selina's tips to repair some of the damage:

The severe, Australian suncauses a multitude of cases of serious skin damage every year. However, there are ways, to repair rough, dry, wrinkled skin that may also suffer from redness and brown spots.

The very first step to reverse some of that skin damage is some gentle cleansing. Never wash the face with an ordinary bar of soap. This will make the situation worse and cause severe dry skin.

In order to wash the sun-damaged skin effectively without causing further injury, use a gentle exfoliating facial cleanser. This will remove, not only dirt and oil, but also the top layer of dead skin cells, providing a nice glow. This will reveal fresh skin cells ready for treatment.

After cleansing the skin, follow with a mud mask or a facial mask made specifically for skin that’s been damaged by the sun. The purpose of a mask is to draw out impurities in the skin while adding key ingredients like moisturisers and minerals back into the skin.

After gently rinsing the purifying mask, a lotion, cream or serum containing key ingredients should be applied to the skin. The difference between the three is that a lotion is best for daytime use, worn under makeup or for those prone to breakouts. Creams are considered heavier and best used at night or for those with dry skin. Serums are usually highly concentrated formulas that can be used day or night, but a little goes a long way. Those with the most severe sun damaged skin should use them.

Any formulation, whether it is a lotion, cream or serum will work best if it contains a retinoid, CoQ10, vitamin C or collagen. Those with sensitive skin should stay away from high concentrations of both vitamin C or a retinoid. They may see better results with a collagen-based cream, serum or lotion.

What are all these formulations? A retinoid is actually a form of vitamin A. It prompts the skin cells to turn over rapidly, revealing fresh new cells. Vitamin C helps boost the production of something already in the body: collagen. Using synthetic collagen helps the body use more of what it needs for nice, firm, elastic skin. CoQ10 prevents oxidation of the cells, which leads to free radicals, which is toxic to our skin.

To supplement these steps to repair sun-damaged skin from the inside out should be a diet loaded with antioxidants from fruits and vegetables and full hydration with water to also help reverse the sun damage.

For more information on how to repair sun damaged skin and beauty products online, visit www.beautystorm.com.au.

Thanks Selina, the only thing that I would add to this article is to get your hands on either a serum or mask that contains hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid can attract 100 times it weight in water. It is a humectant - this means it draws and retains moisture. So, when it used in a mask or serum it draws moisture to your skin. Dermalogica actually have one of the best hyaluronic serums on the market in their Skin Hydration Booster. A product like this will produce instant hydration but needs to be used regularly to maintain this hydration.

The Acne Series: Guest Review 2 of Aphelia Cosmetology

The other day I brought you a guest review of the Oasis Acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology. I have mentioned before, but the journey to perfect skin for acne sufferers is often not clear cut and what works for one person many not work for another. Therefore, for the Aphelia Cosmetology acne range I have recruited three different acne sufferers to trial it.

The second reviewer I have is Jenny. Jenny is 20 and has bad acne on her forehead. Here is her review:

I spent the majority of my teenage years not appreciating that I had nice clear skin and I never felt the need to wear makeup since I had nothing to cover up anyway. I only ever got the odd spot or two and that was pretty rare as I can’t remember even one time when I might’ve freaked out over a breakout.

When I reached year 12 in high school, I started to get lots and lots of break outs and it was all concentrated on my forehead. I can even tell you how it started as it literally started overnight with little pimples on my forehead which grew and grew and I soon had a breakout on my forehead which has never cleared in the last 3 years.

My breakouts are consistent and never go away. I always have a small amount of pimples on my forehead and I get some pretty nasty big ones during that time of the month. They tend to stay around for about a week but the little ones pop up as the old ones go away. My acne has also spread to both my cheeks (although the left cheek is significantly clearer than the right) and occasionally I also get pimples under my bottom lip and above my top lip near my nose.

You’ll see in my photos later, that I scar very easily. Some of the pimples that I got during the trial turned into red dots that stay red for weeks. I still have the scars today! It had nothing to do with the products and everything to do with the way my skin is as it happens regardless of the products that I use.

I’ve tried everything at least once from not using cleanser at all (just water), not wearing makeup, using natural products and using different brands like Nivea, Garnier, Biotherm, Khiels, Estée Lauder and Clinique. Nothing has even come close to clearing up my skin, let alone reducing the amount of pimples. I put my hand up for trying out these products when Sarah gave out a call for people to trial the products as I thought that it couldn’t hurt to change up my skincare regime again, especially since it wasn’t working anyway.

I admit that I didn’t really look too much into the brand that was offering the products for trial so when I first opened the package that Sarah sent me, I noticed that there was Chinese writing on the side of the boxes. Immediately, my boyfriend and I got a bit freaked out as we know that Chinese products can often smell quite bad. As children, our parents forced us to eat really smelly black medicine and we’re both familiar with Chinese traditional medicines and the awful smell that some of them can have. Luckily, the smell of the Aphelia products wasn’t too bad.

There were 3 products that I was sent to try.

Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid:

This was the cleanser that I used in the morning and at night. It looks like liquid soap and it also smells like it. To use the cleanser, I put a small amount (literally one or two small pumps) in my hand and then added water to it. When you rub the cleanser and the water together, it foams up and turns white. While I felt like it cleaned my face, I also felt like I was just using plain soap on my face as it really stripped it of the oils. My hands would also feel really dry afterwards. I think that the cleanser would be better suited for people with really oily skin unlike mine which is mostly dry.

Acne treatment 12+5 essence:

This was an essence that I had to use twice a day (morning and night). It’s a clear runny liquid with a strong herbal smell that I put on my face after I washed it. The instructions told me to focus on the blemishes but that the essence needed to be put on the whole face. I wasn’t a fan of it as the smell lingers even when the essence has been absorbed. I found it hard to spread it on my face as it’s so runny that it kind of dripped off my face unless I worked fast. However, I felt that this step was important as the cleanser dried my face out so much.

Classic skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil:

The instructions said that it was good at removing makeup so I used it as a makeup remover each night. It didn’t make sense to use it as a cleanser since I already used the Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid as my cleanser.

This didn’t have a strong smell but it smelled faintly like the cleanser. It had a light oil consistency to it and I used it by putting it onto cotton wool pads and wiping it over my face. Interestingly, the instructions said that you didn’t have to wash your face afterwards but you could if you felt like it was “merited”. Because I did this step before cleansing, I obviously washed it off each night.

It was good as a makeup remover and I definitely rate it higher than some of the makeup remover wipes that I’ve been using. It did a good job removing everything but I should probably point out that I normally only wear some concealer and eyeliner so I don’t wear heavy makeup.

Overall, I didn’t see a huge change in my breakouts. It did reduce the large ones as I only saw 2-3 in a month. I think that no products will clear my skin and that my acne may be due to my diet or hormones. I think that people who get breakouts because they have oily or congested skin will benefit from this range. I’ve seen other reviews where people have noticed a huge difference and I’m so jealous!

I think that the Classic Skin Purifier Beauty Oil is the stand out product and will suit any one. The cleanser is a bit harsh but good if you’re targeting really oily or congested areas on your face. I think that the smell of the essence really lets it down as I got pretty sick of the unpleasant smell. I’m sure that some people wouldn’t mind as “no pain, no gain” but I personally wouldn’t buy it for myself.

Before forehead photo

After forehead photo

Before (left) and after (right) pictures of the cheek

What are your thoughts on the scent of a product? Does the way a product smells ever stop you from using it?

Just a heads up, after I post the third review of these products I will be giving away a set so keep your eyes out!

All opinions are mine or Jenny's own and we received no remuneration for this post. These products were provided to Jenny for consideration.

The Acne Series: Guest review of the Aphelia Cosmetology Oasis Acne Solution

The next guest review in my acne series that I am going to bring to you is from Andrea and is of the Aphelia Cosmetology skincare range. Andrea is 33 years of age but still suffers from bad acne especially on her forehead and cheeks.

The Aphelia Cosmetology herbal skincare range is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (a little aside - Traditional Chinese Medicine is actually the degree that I wanted to study at uni but I was worried it might limit my job prospects if I didn't like the field so I went for a more broad science degree - Biomedical Science, with the plans on specialising in Tradition Chinese Medicine once I finished. Instead, I fell in love with pathology and went on to do a PhD in wound healing but I still find the field absolutely fascinating). Rather than rely on one 'hero herb' in an otherwise basic formulation, Aphelia Cosmetology uses a precise prescription of herbs to create a formulation that heals and nurtures your skin.

The acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology is truly unique - it is the world’s only acne solution with no Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid that has been proven with independent in vitro (this means in a petri dish or in a test tube) tests to inhibit acne bacterium for 6 hours at 99.96% (I have a copy of these studies which I will go through in more detail in another post). This means that the acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology won't produce the side effects that Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid may cause such as drying and irritating you skin.

Andrea was provided with the Acne Solution Set (RRP $49.95) which contains the Oasis Acne Solution and the Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil as well as the Master Cleanse.

Here is Andrea's review:

Aphelia Oasis Acne Solution

For the first time in months, more like years! I had just 1 pimple for the first month, so the product did work for sure in reducing pimples forming. However the one pimple I did get was pretty bad and did take ages to go away even with using it religiously twice a day. Have been using the cleanser and makeup remover in the range too. Don't mind the fragrance of the oil and cleanser but don't care for the fragrance of the acne treatment essence so much. It has a very strong herbal medicinal smell which I do not like much at all. The second month I used it I got a few more pimples. So pretty average at stopping pimples from forming which is good. Wish it actually treated the ones that did occur too. The product itself is like a pale yellow liquid which you apply all over the face. It dries quickly and is a bit drying on the skin. Does not leave it looking oily though and can apply makeup over it without any problems.

Aphelia Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid

Have been using this a face wash for up to 2 months now. My skin has much less breakouts than normal. Does not lather up too much. My face feels really fresh and clean. It removes all traces of makeup, even eye makeup completely. My skin feels soft, clean and fresh. Does not dry out my skin or leave me with a "tight" feeling. . It has a very faint almost no fragrance and a nice white shimmery colour. Like the white and gold lettering clean classic lines of the bottle. You only need one press of the pump for washing your face so it lasts for a long time too. For all 3 products found a sharp contrast in the very bright green and gold outer pack and the inner actual look of the bottles.

Aphelia Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil

I used this for removing makeup with a cotton pad. Like the look of the bottle and the easy dispense pump pack. SO no wastage or mess. Has a delightful light oriental/floral fragrance. Its useful when I have worn heavy eye makeup to get the makeup off as gently as possible. I do use it for cleansing my skin too. It does not lather up, it emulsifies with a few drops of water to cleanse your face. Again left my skin feeling incredibly soft and clean. Perfect for dry skin types and for use in winter. I thought it would be hard to remove as it was an oil based product, but it washed off very easily after cleansing.

Thanks Andrea.

The Aphelia Cosmetology range can be bought online.

I actually have two more guest reviews coming up for this range so it will be great to hear how it works on a variety of skin types.


What have you found to be your solution to your acne woes? Does your current acne range dry out your skin?


I received no remuneration for this post and all opinions are my (or Andrea's) own. The Aphelia range was provided to Andrea for consideration. 

How to Apply Kohl/ Kajal – 3 Simple Steps

Today I bring you a guest post is from Chetana from StyleCraze. Over the years, through practice, experimenting and getting tips from blogs, my makeup skills have really improved. However, there is still one area that has me stumped - how to apply eyeliner, or, more specifically how to apply Kohl rimmed eyes. I decided to go to the expert for advice and Chetena has delivered! Here is her step by step guide to applying Kohl/Kajal.

Kohl or kajal is one of the most basic items in any woman’s vanity. In ancient times, Kohl was used as a medicinal preparation to avoid eye infections. Today it is a makeup item used by women across the globe to highlight their eyes. Traditionally kohl was prepared as a creamy substance using ingredients like sandalwood, castor oil, and muslin cloth. Today, Kohl comes in different formats and forms.  The new age cosmetic brands have made it easier to apply by manufacturing Kajal in the pencil form.

Here is a step by step guide for applying Kajal:

Before you start, you need to clean the eye area so that the kajal stays for a long time. Usually the most important problem with kohl is that it does not stay for long and it creases and spreads easily. But you can avoid this by opting for a waterproof Kajal.

Also those with oily skin and lids have to take extra precautions in order to get the maximum effect of the kohl.

Step 1:

Make sure to clear the eye area of any leftover eye makeup. Apply the foundation or tinted moisturizer and do the face makeup.

Step 2:

Conceal the under eye area if you have any dark circles. After applying concealer, use a primer on the lids for better staying power. 

Step 3:

Now use the kohl pencil to line from the inner corner of the eyes and extend it towards the outer corners. Use a thicker line near the outer corners.

Also line the upper lids with kohl or eye liner. If you want to make your eyes look bigger, then use a nude kohl pencil to line just the inner rim of the lower lash line.

Also to make the kohl stay longer, apply a bit of pressed powder or translucent powder. This way, it will stay in place for a really long time. You can apply a bit of black eye shadow over it for the same results. Use compact right under the lower lash line to help the kohl stay in its place. Apply mascara and you are done. 

Thanks Chetana for this easy to follow tutorial. Do visit StyleCraze.com for more eye makeup tips and tutorials.

 

Is there any area of makeup that you constantly struggle with?

Detoxing Your Hair And Beauty Regime

Today I have a guest post for you from Evelyn Barnard. Evelyn is a freelance writer and is going to share with you her wisdom on toxins in your beauty routine.

Detoxing Your Hair And Beauty Regime

There’s much talk within the beauty world about the safety of many products. It seems that hardly a month goes by without some kind of worry about a certain ingredient that’s within every day cosmetics, hair care and skin preparations that we use all the time and without a second thought.

Some people want to look for natural or organic alternatives in many of the different things they use in their beauty routines to not only help their skin and hair and stop them from absorbing potential “unknowns” but also to help the environment too.

The SLS Debate

One of the hottest topics for debate is on the issue of SLS in shampoos and bathing products. SLS, or to give it its full name Sodium Laureth Sulphate, is a foaming agent that is put into many skincare preparations (including toothpaste) to make them lather up quickly and efficiently. Many people believe that the more lather they can put onto their hair and skin, the cleaner of impurities it will be. This isn’t always the case at all and there are many people who report skin and scalp sensitivities due to harsh cleansing agents.

In fact, SLS is an ingredient that has been widely in use since the 1930s when it was first introduced into places like car garages to clean engine parts, or used on roads to clean up oil spills! Therefore, this gives you an idea of how strong an ingredient it is and puts forward the question “Do we really want to be putting that onto our skin?”

It’s something that divides many people and many companies have raced forward to try and discover alternatives to SLS that provide foaming qualities without the harshness. Alternatives to SLS are:

Ammonium Laureth Sulphate: A slightly more costly ingredient to use in cosmetics, but one that, depending on where it is derived from can be gentler. Some brands with use Ammonium Laureth Sulphate that is derived from coconut. The ingredient label should state this.

Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate: A gentler cleanser that is derived from coconut and produces lighter, yet still thoroughly cleansing foam.

Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isothionate: Again, another ingredient derived from coconut that is seen to be probably one of the safest bets for the gentlest cleanse. It is recognised as so because it cannot be detected or traced in human tissue or urine even after repeated use.

Natural branding myths

Besides the issues of SLS, within the beauty industry there is a lot of controversy over what does actually constitute “natural”. As consumers we have to be really savvy and carefully check the ingredient labels to make sure that what we’re buying is indeed what it says it is.

Many products may say they are organic or natural, but if you turn to read the labels you will see they contain only minute traces of natural extracts or essential oils that are used perhaps more for fragrance than any real cosmetic benefit.

When trying to choose natural beauty products look to see when and where things like essential oils appear on the ingredient label. The higher up they appear, the more concentrated they may be and likely to have an effect.

Probably one of the better brands to make leaps forward into organic cosmetics is the Australian company A’kin, who have been in business for around fifteen years now. They have a whole product range that encompasses skin care, hair care and male grooming cosmetics that are genuinely mineral oil, SLS, DEA and Paraben free. Alongside this is a distinct lack of artificial colors and perfumes.

The products are by no means cheap, for instance, a litre of their Ylang Ylang Colour Care Shampoo comes in at just under $27, but they are richly concentrated, meaning you can halve the amount you would use with a standard shampoo or conditioner to get the same effect.

The products offer a sounds alternative to anyone who wants to try and dip their toe into the world of natural cosmetics but know they’re getting the right thing. The ingredient lists on the back of the packaging certainly make for interesting reading as most of what goes into them is recognisable as a natural extract, essential oil or gentle cleansing agent.

Detoxing

It really is that time of year when we’re probably all thinking about trying to eat well and sort our diets out, to get fitter and to take control of our health just that little bit more. It’s just as important to consider what we put into our bodies as well as what we use topically and detoxing the skin and hair can also be just as good a tonic as detoxing the body can too, so thinking about updating your beauty routine alongside your diet can be a really good way to go.

When we switch from products that contain things like SLS to brands that don’t, one thing that consumers may notice is that their hair or skin initially feels a little drier or in the case of their hair becomes tangled. This is generally caused by the gentler cleansing agents removing the build up of silicones and SLS which have caused dulling over time. If you continue to use the products consistently you should begin to find that your hair and skin get more used and start to look and feel healthier.

However, as with many things, it is entirely personal. There are many women out there who can have reactions to natural and organic brands as there are ones who react to standard chemist products. Patch testing with any new beauty product is essential whether it be organic or not.


Thanks Evelyn!


So, what are your thoughts on natural beauty - is it the only way to go or do you not mind a few 'toxins' in your routine. I have to confess that I am not super concerned about toxins; though I don't have sensitive skin so that might be why. However, I am totally different when it comes to my kids skin, trying to use as natural products as possible.