Hi John,

I keep looking at all these models and stars with the whole 'smoky eyes' or 'luscious red lips' look and feeling very jealous! I would really like to achieve maybe one of these looks but I am very fair, with hair that's a shade darker than strawberry blonde, and have slight dark circles under my eyes. Every time I try to do the smoky eyes I look like I have been ten rounds in a boxing ring and the other times, when I try the red lips, it just looks all wrong against my colouring! I'm off to a big evening event later on in the year and would love to look just that little bit more glamorous than my usual mascara and lip-gloss... Any chance you could wave your magic advice wand?

Thanks!

Helen

Helen,

You are in luck Petal! Any moment now we will be putting up a step-by-step video clip on handbag TV on this very thing. It is a new version of last year's popular smoky eye video. But since you are poised in front of your computer this very moment, I would be delighted to impart a few quick tips. Choose the shades that you do your smokier eye with according to your skintone. If you are a classic English rose, you can do smoky easily with a graduated set of greys. If you have a warmer skin, grey will already look very dramatic. You would have an easier time with browns or brownish grey. Apply a light shade to the entire eye area. Then wash a second shade on the lid, but only up as high as the crease. Now use the darker one over that: right near the lashes. The graduation helps to prevent the "boxing ring" look. Team that with a ton of black mascara or some false lashes and a paler glossy lipstick. Very sexy and very glam. Alternately, you could pull a vintage 40's look with a fleshy contoured eye and a more matte reddish lip. Again, you need to choose the red according to skintone. Warm skins should avoid reds with any blue in the base. You can even tone your reds down with a little bit of black eye pencil. Honest...it really works. This look is in a clip on "Boudoir Beauty" in the TV archive - click here to watch. Think Dita Von Teese! And if all else fails - try to use a sheer, sparkly shadow (Barry M Dazzle Dust, Becca Jewel Dust) as a wash over the entire eye area, a smudge of dark shadow as an under eye line, and a lash of black mascara. Add some false lashes with a line of crystals of the lashline (RMK, Shu Uemura, Eylure), and a super sparkly gloss over your regular lipstick. That way you feel comfortable but look dazzlingly different. Voila!

Hi John,

I am 24 years old and a smoker, which I know causes premature aging. At the moment I use a selection of beauty creams for day and night, I would however like to have a regime made up of one brand that will keep my skin moisturised, protected from the sun, and help to start fighting of the wrinkles, also including a night cream. Do you have any products you could suggest, or know of anywhere I could go that would actually be interested in my skin rather than just trying to sell me their products without really knowing what they are talking about!

Thanks in advance,

Jae

Jae,

There are two very interesting ranges (both with only minimal products) that I would have a read about. The first is a range developed by the head of the British Food and Drugs Administration. The products are called ProFerm and they only have a small core of ingredients. All of which are in your skin and that your skin understands. That way you are using something protective and anti-aging without getting into products beyond your age. The other is a really simple product by a company called Bakel. This only has three ingredients and works like a trigger to make your skin function properly. Neither have a sunscreen so you will have to add that after, but they leave it out because it weakens the active ingredients. You can find both in major department stores and I know you would be happy with the results of either. Good luck and if I can suggest another anti-aging tip?... Never mind Jae, I am sure you know what I am about to say! LOL

Best,

John

Hi John

I really hope you can help me. I am 43 (!) and have always had good skin but recently I've noticed red broken veins on my cheeks. I have used Eve Lom's cleanser for about 4 years now but I wonder if it's a bit harsh for my skin and if so, can you please recommend something that may help. I think I follow a good skin cleansing and moisturising routine and I drink loads of water and very little alcohol. Any tips please to help the broken veins?

Thanks,

Alison

Alison,

Well, though I love Eve's cleanser, I would have to agree that it is not the best product for a skin that is getting red. It is not that it is necessarily harsh, but the hot water can make the skin very red after use. There is a similar product by Amanda Lacey that uses calendula (anti-redness, anti-inflammatory) as the base. You remove it with warm water and can use a regular face flannel. Another is Vaishaly Patel's Balm Cleanser. Again, this one can be removed with warm water and you can rinse it if you choose. To treat the redness, N.V. Perricone has a Thread Vein Cream that is really effective for easing the redness. Darphin also has a set of creams that are specific to treating high colouring. Try to avoid harsh chemical products and continue to keep an eye on the redness. If it seems to be getting much worse, you may have a condition called Rosacea, which can be treated with topical antibiotic creams. Don't get too worked up about it and stay on top of the problem.

Warmest regards,

John

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