ASK THE EXPERT
Terri Vinson from SYNERGIE SKIN
Cosmetic chemist and founder of Synergie Skin, Terri Vinson, answers your beauty concerns.
My skin looks red and bumpy when I use an exfoliator – both physical and chemical ones – should I stop using them?
You are probably prone to inflammation and redness. Sensitive skin types should avoid acidic exfoliants such as AHAs (glycolic and lactic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid) and physical exfoliant scrubs with rough irritation particles.
Instead of acidic exfoliants, there is currently a new soy and yeast derived ingredient that is able to gently exfoliate the skin surface without using acidic or abrasive ingredients. This is the best option for exfoliating sensitive skin.
Even though I drink a lot of water and get plenty of sleep, the area under my eye is still dark. What can I do?
Even with plenty of water and a good night’s sleep, dark circles can be difficult to treat as they can be due to ageing, allergy, sinusitis or a genetic condition. However, they can be alleviated by using a series of the right ingredients that target the blood vessels surrounding the eyes.
Two essential ingredients you can include in your skincare regimen are vitamin A (as retinol) and vitamin C (as L-ascorbic acid or ethyl ascorbic acid).
Both work to strengthen the walls of the blood vessels, preventing them from becoming ‘leaky’, wide and dilated, which is the basis of dark circles.
Add to this, a relatively new peptide ingredient called acetyl tetrapeptide-5, which simultaneously reduces the appearance of dark circles and eye bags by inhibiting loss of elasticity and cross-linking of collagen, is another way to address this condition. Look for products that blend these ingredients and will penetrate the skin cells from within and choose wisely. Allergy and sinus-related dark circles are due to the vessels becoming enlarged and blood vessels are unable to drain efficiently. Short-term treatment with antihistamines may help alleviate this and a medical consultation is advisable.
You can also give yourself a gentle eye massage by tapping under your eyes for a couple of minutes, working from the outer corners to the nose.
Lastly, ensuring you are consuming adequate amounts of vitamin C, B12 and iron in your diet, or through supplements, will also help to reduce dark circles. Dark circles can indicate an iron or vitamin B12 deficiency.
What are you thoughts on electrolysis? Can it damage the skin?
Electrolysis, when performed by a qualified skin therapist, is a relatively safe procedure. There are some risks, including temporary redness and irritation, brown pigmentation spots in the treated area and temporary breakouts from the hair follicle becoming blocked. Infection is rare if you ensure the treated area is cleaned during healing. Whilst IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and laser are the simplest options for dark hair removal, electrolysis is currently the best solution to permanent removal of light and grey hairs.
The downside is the treatment discomfort: the number of treatments required as each hair follicle is treated individually. Send your beauty questions to donna@mindfood.com