I suffer with Blepharitis, which is basically red, itchy, dry skin on my eyelids.  I have been using Almay under eye concealer and mascara as they are non-irritant but Boots have stopped selling them! I have seen various websites, which still sell them, but I'm a bit wary of buying from an unknown place in case of out of dates etc. Are there any alternative brands you can recommend? I've just managed to get my eyes settled and don't want to risk irritating them again! Thanks.

I know quite a few clients that suffer from Blepharitis and understand what a pain it is. I know all of them swear by a calming and cleaning product called Lid Care, which can be found at any chemist. As for your Almay concealer, from what I can deduce from their press department, the products have simply been stopped by Boots and but not discontinued. That means the ones you have sourced on the Internet should not give you any major problems. I would order a couple of each and when they arrive, look at the expiry date that must be printed on the packaging by law. If the dates look good, store one of each in the fridge for safekeeping. When you start the second - place another order for perhaps...three of each...to save on the postage.

 
I recommend this before testing out other product because I have had Blepharitis sufferers react to things others find fine and vice versa. You have found one you like that is not too expensive. I would give this a go and if you have no luck, write to me again and I will recommend another that I have had reasonably good luck with in the past. Deal?

All the best, John

I am new to Handbag and I already love it. I am what you call a product junkie as I love hair and skin products and I have two questions.

First, how do I contour my nose? I forget where to use the dark and where to use the light concealer. Second, I am 30 in April and my pores are getting larger by the minute. What are the best products and best masks to use? I think I see the best difference with the peel-off masks. Am I right? Please help!

Welcome - what took you so long? Just to make sure you keep coming back, I am going to answer both your questions. For the nose contouring use a radiance pen or a slightly lighter foundation/concealer in a straight line down the centre of your nose from the bridge to the tip. Gently blend that into the surrounding foundation. Next take either a darker stick concealer/foundation or a powder and shade away from the sides. You will have to decide whether you like to use creamy or powdery products depending on the results you get and the sort of skin you have. It is really quite easy once you practice a few times.

On the pore and mask question: it is a personal preference. I usually see a bigger result with the tightening clay mask myself. But that is me. If you get better results from peel-off masks then that is what you should use. At least you are staying on top of the issue. Make sure you keep pores clean and properly moisturised so they don't continue to enlarge. You can also try a great filling product to hide them such as Becca Line and Pore Corrector or Clinique Pore Minimiser. Both are excellent and will help you prevent pores you can drive a truck through by age 35! Hope you continue to enjoy and explore the site...Best, John

 
I have a scar on the upper part of my lip, which has faded slightly with the help of aloe vera gel. However, I have heard that vitamin E oil is good also. What would you recommend to help reduce the redness?   Many thanks

Both oils are good, but I have seen better results with both Rosa Mosquetta (Rosehip) Oil and Bio Oil. You can get a good organic Rosa Mosquetta oil at a health shop (try Barefoot Botanicals or Trilogy) or if you want to spend a bit more, Nature Bisse has a beautiful one that is a bit dearer. But the Bio Oil is available from most chemists and is really inexpensive. Plus you can use it for so many other things, such as bath and body oil, itchy patches, and tons of other basic "first aid" type stuff. I love it!

If you are really bothered, you can get a scar gel by Dermatrix at better chemists for around £30, which is what doctors recommend to medically reduce scarring. That should get you sorted. Good luck, John

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