Beauty Q & A with John Gustafson

Our make-up, skincare and beauty guru solves all your beauty dilemmas

John,

I was reading in some magazine or paper that there was a sunscreen that was also an anti-cellulite product, but can't remember where or what it was. I have gone into a few places and asked, but nobody seems to know what I am talking about. Am I mad and misunderstood? I figured if I could find out anywhere, this is where it would be.
Can you help?
Rebecca

 

Rebecca,

The reason you may not have been able to find out any more information on this is that the brand is really niche and is not available in that many places. But you DID get it right! Celebrity fave Rodial has brought out a set of three products called Skinny Beach (...do you see the play on words there? Skinny B**ch?). LOL. Anyway, their two SPF15 products have an amazing anti-cellulite and firming complex in them that were tested to reduce cellulite by 32 per cent and to firm the skin by 60 per cent in 28 days! So you look svelte and trim and you turn into a bronzed goddess. One of the two is colourless and the other has a slight golden tint so you look sunkissed before you even hit the beach. The other product, just so you know, is another really cool innovation called Skinny Beach Sticks. They are an individually packaged boxed pack of drink mixes (one months supply that you mix into a bottle of water) that detoxes your body, melts fatty deposits, and prepares the skin for sun exposure. This has proven to be the most popular item and the celebrity user list would rival Hello magazine! The sunscreens are £39 and the Beach Sticks are £48. You can get them from better department stores and SpaceNK shops nationwide. Glad to be of service...

Enjoy the summer,

John

 

John,

I have a lot of trouble with choosing perfumes but would love to wear something that smelled pretty. I think it is all of the chemicals in the fragrances that set me off. When I do try to wear something, I start sneezing and my eyes start watering. Does a fragrance exist that is much more pure and maybe a little less mainstream than what I find in the cosmetics departments?

Thanks in advance,

Agnes

 

Agnes,

I have sort of the same problem in that all fragrances seem to smell like a litter tray on me after about a half and hour! I love them, but they evidently don't love me back. And I would agree with your comment on how chemical a lot of the newer scents seem. Not to mention they are all starting to smell alike. It may not have anything to do with chemicals in particular, but may be more to do with particular notes that create the scent. You could start by going to a place that sells natural oils that are single notes. Many of these can be worn by themselves, and you can find all sorts of beautiful smells like florals, woods, and various other fragrance components on their own. And then there are single note fragrance companies like Serge Lutens that have stunning fragrances that are far less complicated, but absolutely gorgeous such as A La Nuit (night blooming jasmine harvested at night), Sa Majeste La Rose (a very peppery single rose), or Cedre (cedar wood). These worn alone or in your own combinations seem to cause far fewer problems to fragrance allergy sufferers. Other traditional perfumers to look into are Annick Goutal, Creed, and Artisan Parfumers. By steering clear of mainstream scent houses and going to companies that practice old-fashioned perfumery, you may find just what you are looking for. Not only that, you will end up with something more individual and unique. Just make sure you don't spend a great deal of time in the shop. Being surrounded with that much olfactory stimulation can bring even the most avid fragrance lover to tears. And testing the scent prior to purchase is essential. Go in with some cotton wool and small Ziploc bags in case they don't supply samples to go away with. Explain the difficulties you have had and I think you will find them to be incredibly helpful. They all want to be the one that solves your problem!

Good luck and I hope you find the signature scent you are looking for,

John

 

Dear John,

I have sort of an embarrassing problem so I am just going to spit it out. I have really smelly feet. I bathe and shower, have tried shoe inserts and powders, wear socks or footies inside my shoes, or wear sandals in the summer, but no matter what I try my feet smell like...a guy! Have you heard of this before and can anything be done about it? It is really sapping my confidence and even prevents me from going out and meeting people.

I look forward to hearing from you,

T

 

T,

I thought I had an ideal answer for you and then decided to do a little trawling on the good old Internet. I found that the condition is actually called Bromidrosis. Most of the sites I looked at recommended the treatment of wiping your feet with surgical spirits and allowing them to air dry. I also know that you should try to alternate your shoes from day to day to allow the natural perspiration your feet produce to dry completely. But what I was going to add to that was a recommendation for a product I have suggested to several others who have found it to be incredibly effective. The product is Pitrok. This is a mineral deodorant and you can now get it in a spray form. Once you have bathed, showered, and possibly done the surgical spirit treatment, spray your feet with this completely fragrance free spray. Spray them until they are completely wet and allow it to dry naturally. Pitrok has no chemicals and doesn't block the skin, which can create all sorts of other problems. You can now get it at places like Sainsbury's so it is pretty easily available. The cost is under a fiver and you should see - and smell - the difference almost immediately. Don't let this common problem stop you from putting your best foot forward!

Best,

John

 

 

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