Beauty Q & A with John Gustafson

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

John,

Am I best to allow my skin to go without foundation on the weekends to let it breathe? I always feel like I shouldn't wear makeup if I don't have to. I don't have the greatest skin in the world but don't feel like I need to hide without makeup.

Thanks for your reply,
Roxanne

Roxanne,

In my opinion, makeup creates a barrier to protect your skin. There was a time when cosmetics were not the best quality so if you didn't absolutely need it, then leaving it off could be beneficial. But now foundations are so skincare oriented that wearing them is often better than not. They are a physical barrier from pollution, carry SPF's, provide anti-oxidant protection, hydrate, mattify, and all a host of other things. If you have a decent skin and want to allow the skin the "breathe"; by all means do so. But then you need to make absolutely certain that you are protecting you skin with whatever moisturiser and skincare products you are wearing for the day. Minimum SPF is essential. So you can decide - makeup or makeup - as long as you keep your skin safe.
Enjoy the summer,

John

Dear John

I suffer from sweat marks under my arms when I get nervous or hot. It makes my choice of clothes very difficult as shirts and tight T-shirts are a big no-no. Can you recommend any products to help this? The usual anti-perspirants just do not cut it.

Thanks,
Jo

Jo,

Have you tried a product called Pit Rok? Amazing. It is a mineral anti-perspirant and doesn't contain the nasty aluminium that is proving to be so dangerous. Works a treat. You can look it up I on the trusty Internet to order from loads of beauty sites, as it is not the easiest product to locate in shops. And if you find that you have a real medical condition that is causing profuse perspiration, see your GP. One of the original uses for Botox was to prevent excessive sweating that is caused by problem medical conditions.

Keep cool!
John

Hello John

Firstly, thanks for your beauty Q&A, I've been reading them for years and they're really interesting. I'm in my late thirties but I still get loads of spots and now my skin is marked too, especially on my jaw line and forehead (where I never got that many spots before, strangely). The scars are round splodges discoloured in brown and pink, and show through even quite thick makeup and concealer. They make me look weirdly sunburnt all year round even though I've used SPF since I was a teenager. Is there anything I can do to fade the marks? They make me feel quite self-conscious. I've tried using anti-aging creams, which promise to fade brown marks, but those creams tend to be creamy and trigger yet more spots, so it seems a bit self-defeating. I'm using Liz Earle cleanser at the moment, which seems really to soothe my skin, but do you know any fading creams that aren't too heavy and greasy? Or could you recommend anything else?

Thanks very much,
Sheenagh

Sheenagh,

The truthful answer is that I have never come across a product that really fades the sort of marks that are troubling you to the extent that you will be truly happy. Glycolic peels and other acidic products will give the best result from home. I myself have a dramatic pigmentation problem that has appeared over the last year and I stay out of the sun completely and have done so for about 20 years. Plus I wear a sunblock every day of the year. Yet still...I have pigmentation. I have tried all and sundry to lighten it and have come to the conclusion that I need to have it dealt with professionally. This is going to involve some sort of dermabrasion or peel. Strangely a few weeks ago I had a Q&A asking me about Green Peels for acne scarring. I researched this for the reader and found (like she did), mixed information and results. I spoke with a couple of people that had had it done and came up with the same mixed result. I would honestly suggest you go and have a consultation with a laser specialist or a cosmetic dermatologist and see what treatment of course of treatments they suggest and an estimated cost. I think you will find it not as expensive as you think and the results will be what both of us are after. I - with access to all the products available - have come up disappointed and am going to follow this advice myself. I plan to use it on the site in the near future to show and explain what is involved...so watch this space.

I wish you well,
John

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