NATURAL BEAUTY
Skin guru LIZ EARLE on banishing bags and how to mix your own face oil
LIZ EARLE is the author of 30 best-selling books, and heads a multi-million-pound business. As she prepares to launch a new make-up range, she has taken the time to suggest solutions to your skincare concerns:
QWhat can I do about brown marks on my face? Does anything get rid of them? PROBLEMS with variable skin tone are primarily caused by overexposure to the sun and, to a lesser extent, cigarettes and environmental pollution.
The best way to protect against hyper-pigmentation is to always use sun protection — I swear by mineral sunscreens that contain particles such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which reflect the sun’s harmful rays.
To address discolouration, use skincare packed with vitamin E —I would recommend Superskin Concentrate, £38.75 ( lizearle.com). Our potent botanical cream contains rosehip seed oil, which has great revitalising properties.
Gently massage it into the affected area a couple of times a day for three to 12 months to really notice visible results. Alternatively, I recommend applying the contents of a vitamin E capsule mixed with a small amount of rosehip oil to any areas of pigmentation. It’s not a miracle cure, but regular use seems to help fade brown marks.
VITAMIN E capsules, £27.85 for 250 capsules (hollandandbarrett.com); Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, £16.50 (Boots).
QWhat is the best advice I can give to my teenage son about skincare? He is 15 and at an age where he is getting spots, so I’d like to suggest some products? AS the mother of a teenage lad I’ve first-hand experience of tricky teen skin. The most important starting point is a good cleanser.
Using a plant-oil based creamy cleanser and muslin cloth is the best choice as it gently exfoliates and deeply cleanses pores without stripping or irritating hormonally upset skin.
Creamy cleansers can help to unblock pores when removed with a hot muslin cloth.
Avoid foaming cleansers as these actually overly strip the skin and can disrupt its delicate ph balance, making the problems worse.
A dab of purifying essential oils, such as tea tree and lavender, can also help dry up and heal spots and breakouts.
QI am 37 and am getting married in June. I have normal skin which can be dry. What can I do to avoid this on my special day? FOR radiant, naturally beautiful skin, I recommend you top up your twice-daily cleanse, tone and moisturise routine with regular skin- plumping facials. These boost your skincare routine, especially when using pure plant oils for intensive facial massage.
They help to improve circulation and restore the skin, as well as giving you a chance to de-stress, switch- off and recharge your batteries for the Big Day.
QWhat’s the best way to get really natural make-up? I don’t like a heavy look, but I do need some colour and coverage (I am 49). FOR me, great natural-looking make-up starts with great skin so I always cleanse, tone and moisturise before adding any make up. I then apply our tinted moisturiser with my fingertips — it blends seamlessly and gives coverage for naturally dewy, even and radiant-looking skin. Just apply an extra layer over any areas of uneven pigmentation.
I follow this with a slick of mascara and a pop of creamy blush colour on my cheeks.
QWhat can I do about the fine sides of my eyes? SWITCHING to a richer moisturiser at night will help to keep fine lines at bay.
Opt for skincare packed with skin-friendly ingredients such as omega-3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants which visibly plump the skin to help more mature skin look and feel smooth, firm and rejuvenated. Take a few seconds to massage a specialist treatment into the upper lip area and around the eyes at night.
QWhat’s the best thing to reduce eyebags? PUFFINESS and eyebags can sometimes indicate a sluggish system and our eyes can often lose their sparkle. The best way to pep them up again is to fill a basin with cold water, and splash over closed eyes between 15 and 20 times.
This action helps to boosts the under-eye lymphatics and will visibly brighten and refresh the eyes, making them sparkle again.