Beauty Q & A with John Gustafson

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

I have just started waxing my upper lip and having my eyebrows threaded but I always come up with unsightly little spots that stay for a few days afterwards. Is there a product I should use before or after waxing/threading that will prevent this?
Thanks, Susan

One of the best things I have found is a Decleor product called Baume Essential. It is a purifying balm that works to draw and detox. Back in the olden days when I shaved, it is one of the few things that helped to prevent me getting bumpy and infected after shaving my delicate and fragile skin. A little bit will be more than enough. It is also fantastic if you have been out pubbing or clubbing for the night to make skin look great by morning. Well worth the money.
Warm regards, John

Do you have any experience of facial exercises as I'm thinking of starting some, such as the Carole Maggio Facerise? Do you think they work? I'm only 35 and quite slim but already have quite down turned lips and saggy jowls!
Thanks, Julie

I actually think facial exercises are a fantastic idea. They work to keep the muscles strong and firm in exactly the same way that exercising your body does. By keeping the muscles toned, they support the skin and lift problem areas. But you need to make sure you are doing them correctly. Buy a video or book, or better still, go to a place like Eva Fraser and have them teach you which ones are best suited to deal with your needs and to teach you how to do the exercises properly.

There are quite a lot of different systems and all work pretty much the same way, but it is a commitment. If you don't do them regularly and keep them up, they are not going to work. But the areas you are concerned with are usually the most effectively treated using facial exercises, so good luck!

Best, John

Can you give me some hints/tips on how not to look so tired all the time? My skin is dull, and I get dark circles under my eyes and even when I get a full eight hours sleep I always look tired. I cleanse, exfoliate, etc but to no avail!
Thanks, Anita

Well, there are so many brightening products on the market and choosing a moisturiser with a high concentration of vitamin C will add a glow to your tired skin. Most every company will have one on offer so I won't waste a lot of your time listing them out. You could also go to a dermatologist range like Dr. Sebagh and get a set of Vitamin C Powder to add to whatever moisturiser you are currently using - it makes a huge difference to the radiance of the skin. They also have an answer to your dark circle problem with a product called For Your Eyes Only. It is the best thing I have yet to find for banishing the dark rings I am perpetually left with.

Then, once you have covered the circles with a concealer, you can brighten the area with any of the light diffusing products like YSL Touche Eclat, Dior Skin Flash, Guerlain Precious Light, Lauder Ideal Light, Body Shop Lightening Touch, etc. All of them will help keep the cover from looking dull and caked.

If you really feel your skin needs a major overhaul, then a home micro-dermabrasion kit or glycolic peel might be the answer. They would remove the dull, dry top layer and help reveal the fresh new skin underneath. Again, you can find these from the mass market through to the luxury so I will leave it to you to find something that is within your budget.
Hope you have a bright spring...  John

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