Hi John

Best wishes

Jaye

Jaye,

Hello...long time no see! There are quite a few of those lasting lippies now: L'Oreal Infallible, Max Factor Lipfinity, and Lancôme Juicy Duo. You will have to have a look to see the colour ranges, but with all of them, you can control the amount of the glossing shine you use. And as a little bit of additional good tidings for the new year, Clinique has brought their version of Kanebo 38 Degree from Asia, and it is not only cheaper - but it is AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE! Yay!!! It is called Lash Power so give it a try when you need your mascara the next time.

Best back at you,

John

PS) And I agree on the Bobbi Brown Gels too. We just awarded it Best Gel/Liquid Liner in the In Style Beauty Awards for the third year running.

Hi

I am a 31 year-old mum of two girls. I have fair skin and also suffer from scalp psoriasis. I can't seem to find the right products for my dry/sensitive skin prone to redness and breakouts.  I have recently tried a calendula balm cleanser by earthbound organics but it made my skin itch and gave me little red spots especially by my nose/cheeks and therefore I switched to a Eucerin sensitive skin cleanser and it seemed quite promising but my skin feels strange afterwards in that it doesn't feel hydrated enough and skin feels 'flushed' after using it.  Please please can you steer me in the right direction with the right cleanser and a moisturiser with SPF in it?

Thanks; I am at my wits end!

Helen

Helen,

There is a range that I have found that I have both of my boys using called Barefoot Botanicals. The sub-range you want to look at is S.O.S. Rescue Me. They are homeopathic products and are certified by the British Societies for Eczema And Psoriasis. Very soothing and very effective. Shampoo, conditioner, face products, body, and bath. And better yet, they are inexpensive. They have an excellent website at www.barefoot-botanicals.com where you can find out everything about the range, mail order, and even ask the founders questions. These are beautiful products to use, instead of the neutral yuck normally available, and they work. As for an SPF? I would try to get the rest sorted out and then add a sunscreen over the top. Don't try to get this sort of product to do too much. Once you find some basic skincare, you can test out a few excellent sunscreens like Becca Mineral Primer SPF30 (chemical free), Shu Uemura Defender SPF50, and Clarins Ultra SPF40 to name a few. Do go and look at the Barefoot site though - and I would be delighted if you came back to me and let me know how you got on.

Warmest regards,

John

Dear John,

After searching the Internet trying to get some good advice on a particular product, I've not found much information.  I wonder if you could advise on whether it is worth me purchasing CosMedix products? I've been going to the Renew Medica clinic.  I have very strange skin (!) which is very dry, but spotty, despite me being 29.  I have lots of red marks left by spots and many broken veins and redness around my nose and on my upper cheeks.  The therapists there have recommended IPL for the redness, and a retinol peel, which I hope to have soon.  However, they have also recommended the Cosmedix home care products, which will cost me £200.  Money is quite tight, and I can't afford to make a £200 mistake unless these products will really help. Please, please advise, as my skin is making me really unhappy, and I'm really desperate to find something that will address all these problems! 

Thanks so much.

Helen

Helen,

I have done some checking into both the clinic and the CosMedix products. It sounds to me like they have your best interests in mind. I am a bit worried about the peel, but then I haven't seen your skin. The IPL should really help with the red and the marks though. I went on several sites for the skincare products and still didn't feel that satisfied by what I read. I have not personally tried them, so that always makes it tricky for me. I always like to have experience with a product before asking someone to part with his or her hard-earned cash! If they really think these are going to help sort your skin out, why don't you ask them to provide you with a two week set of samples? This seem fair to me for asking you to spend £200. And after all, they know you and that you are serious about getting your skin sorted out. That would be MY solution if I were in your shoes. If they say that that is not enough to see a result, agree with them, but at least you will know how your skin reacts to the products first. Or ask them if they products don't deliver on the promises they are making to you, will they refund them? Again - that seems fair if they really believe in what they are selling. I hope that helps you out with a few suggestions as to how to go forward. I wish you all the best with this and would love to hear back from you.

Tara for now,

John

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