Beauty Q & A with John Gustafson

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

John,

My skin is really suffering with this cold. I usually have a pretty normal skin, but the minute I walk outside, the cold actually makes my skin feel like it is shrinking: and it hurts. When I come back indoors, I go really red for about 15 minutes but still feel really dry. I don't wear heavy makeup, and was wondering if I could reapply moisturiser on top when I got to work? Or bad idea? Help!

Jen

 

Hey Jen,

This sort of weather is absolute hell on the skin. What I would do is up the ante with your moisturiser and go for a product that is not necessarily more rich in oils, but is more hydrating. I have even used a moisturiser-sized portion of a hydrating mask under my moisturiser on really cold days to give it an extra drink of water. If you still feel tight and uncomfortable, then you might need to go to a richer product. But I wouldn't spend a ton of wedge on it. Chances are that this is not going to be a long-term problem and it doesn't make sense to spend on a product that will only be used for a month or so. Mind you, you can always move it to be your nightcream until the product has finished. There is a product by Strixaderm call Aquascoop that really intensely hydrates for 24 hours. Or a mask like Nuxe Hydrating mask for Face and Eyes or Sisley HydraFlash Intense can be used as a mask or as a moisturiser - or as a booster. If you have to spend a great deal of time out in the elements, a thin film of Arden 8 Hour Cream makes an excellent barrier to keep out the wind and the cold. And you are correct in thinking that reapplication is not the best idea. If you DO put moisture back over makeup, the moisturiser will drag the makeup in as well and you could end up with bumpy and congested skin. Could you wait to apply makeup until you get into work and THEN load up on moisture again? Might be a better solution.

Stay warm,

John

 

Hi John

I hope you can help, I am getting married in August next year and I would like to make a massive impact on my wedding day.  I would like to know when the best time is to have all of my treatments.  I plan to have my eyelashes dyed, a spray tan, facials, manicure, pedicures, eyebrows shaped and waxing and I want to book them all in soon so I have less to worry about closer to the time.  Can you help me out with how far in advance and what order these treatments should be taken?

Many thanks

Freya

 

Freya,

Congratulations! Well, some of your treatments you want to test out first to make sure you will not have any nasty surprises - like lash perms that turn your lashes into pubic hair. Don't laugh...I know a girl that happened to! So in the order you have listed them:

• Lash Dye - try this out first. They will tell you that it last 6-8 weeks. I am not sure which alternate reality they live in, but maybe 3-4 if you are very lucky! LOL. Still, try it out as soon as you want and see how long it lasts for you. Then have the final treatment about a week before the wedding. You may find that your nails, feet, and lashes could all be done the day before as long as there is no problem with the lash tint.

• Spray Tan- You must try this first. Maybe even try a few to see who gives you the best and most natural colour. Then have it done two days before...just in case you go radioactive.

• Facials - Again, no time like the present. Go see someone that does a prescription facial so they can fine-tune it to your needs. You may start with cleansing facials and end up with radiance ones just before the wedding. You shouldn't need to do them more often than once every 6 weeks for now, and then you can increase in the build-up to the wedding. Mostly as it will give you some relaxing "me" time. Your final one should be a facial you have had before and the beginning of the week to the middle of the week is the cut-off.

• Mani and Pedicure - The day before. Maybe even the morning of, whilst they are putting your hair up? And make sure you buy a bottle of whatever goes on in case of chipping!

• Brow Shaping - Now. Find someone you like and let them get started in case there is any change that needs to be made. Your final shaping should be the middle of the week of the wedding. That way if you get any little bumps, they have time to clear. But you will know that before if you plan ahead...

• Waxing - Depends on whether you are prone to redness and bumps. Try it and see. Everyone is different. But you don't want to celebrate your wedding night with stubble or burns. LOL.

 

I wish you all the best with your plans and make sure you take the time to enjoy your day!

Regards,

John

 

Dear John,

I don't know whether this is a ridiculous question, but I'm going to give it a try anyway. I have a blushing problem that is so irritating, and the thing is that I started blushing whenever I felt uncomfortable just a couple of years ago. I'm 27 now and didn't have this problem when I was a teenager so was wondering why it started now? Do you know if there is any kind of treatment that would make it go away? It is really irritating...

Thank you very much for your time.

Best,

Nika

 

Nika,

Who knows why it is starting now. I am sure it is a real pain in the patoot. There are anti-redness skincare products from companies like N.V. Perricone, Darphin, Decleor, and Clinique (to name but a few), but they will really only (hopefully) ease the problem. If you are going really red and you are very bothered by it, the best treatment may be Botox. This is one of the original uses for Botox and you would have to do some research into someone near you and that has treated this problem before. It is not without risks, but it is a permanent solution. In the meantime, you can tone it down with correctors like Shu Uemura Base Control in Green. This is a fab product that doesn't look green and uses lighting technology to cancel the way we see red. Benefit also has a range called Just Bluffing that counteracts the redness with pale yellow. But I will leave you with the thought that this is probably not as bad as you think it is. I could be wrong, but usually we are much more aware of this sort of thing than we need to be.

I hope I am right,

John

 

   

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