Hi John,
I love reading your Q&A section and you have helped me solve a lot of beauty problems in the past! Now I'm hoping you can help me with my own beauty dilemma. I'm 22 years old and as a teenager I used sunbeds to try and clear up acne on my chest and back (something I severely regret). It only aggravated the problem, causing more oil production in my skin so I started taking Spironolactone a couple of years ago, which has completely cleared my acne. My problem now results from the sunbed use; I have open pores on my chest, which are prone to becoming inflamed if I use a product such as fake tan for example. My question is if you know anything (either prescription or cosmetic), which would either help diminish my open pores or improve the appearance of them at least on my chest.
Thank you,
Alina
Alina,
I try to not even think of the damage I did to my skin when it was thought that sun and sunbeds were a great option for keeping skin clear! And I did several a day most days of the week. I am paying for it now with pigmentation and concealer! But open pores are another matter entirely. Once they are open, you can but keep them clean. Using masks with kaolin clay in them a couple of times a week may help, but I think this is a matter of "the barn door was already left open". And I am really sorry to have to tell you that. A lot of the pre make-up primers will fill in and diminish the look of larger pores, but with heat and sweat - they may not stay long. Bliss Spa has some pore refining pads called Steep Clean, which I find marvellous on facial pores, but have never had the call to test them on upper chest. Using one of those daily may give you a little bit of relief. My last recommendation would be to sign up for a course of "facials" to see if that could help to refine the look of the pores. Clinique's Anti-Blemish Solution Back and Chest Spray could also keep things from becoming inflamed and blocked with a slight percentage of salicylic acid. Keep the area well exfoliated, try to keep the pores refined with kaolin clay masks and/or the pore refining pads, and see about having some treatments to refine the appearance. I guess it is better that the problem is on an area that you can easily cover. Evenings? Try a primer to visually smooth it out, and most of all - remember that you are most likely far more aware of the problem that you need to be.
All the best,
John
Dear John,
You once recommended a blusher for me in a Q&A that I absolutely loved. I have very pale skin and always found blusher was the scariest product and tended to make me look like a doll. It was called Whisper by Chantecaille and it was perfect. I recently went to replace it and was devastated to hear they had discontinued it. The other ones they showed me were too bright and too "Aunt Sally" again. Do you have any other suggestions on a colour to replace Whisper?
Pale and uninteresting again,
Camilla
Camilla,
You can join the queue of women that thought this was the best blusher in the world. I didn't know it was going to be discontinued until it was gone either and didn't have a chance to stock up myself! The problem with it was that when people tested it on the back of their hand on the counter - it was a non-event. You couldn't see anything. So nobody really paid it much attention. But if you tried it on your face? A different matter altogether. It gave the most natural wash of colour and is exactly the colour lighter skins go when they blush. The nearest I found as a replacement is an eye shadow by Bobbi Brown called Baby Pink. And I have had really good luck with it. But the other day I got a personal message from Sylvie Chantecaille that they have made the decision to bring Whisper back! I am so happy - it is not very often that a company takes a decision to bring a product they had gotten rid of back...so evidently, the feedback has been overwhelming enough for them to sit up and give their customers what they want. I wish more of them would. I don't have a date for the re-appearance, but I would guess it won't be too long. You can always get the Bobbi Brown as a stopgap and then replace the Chantecaille Whisper when it comes in. Great news!
I am dancing alongside you in celebration,
John
Hi John
I want to invest in a good cream for my face. I suffer with some redness across my cheekbones and on my chin. It looks quite obvious, as the skin around my eye area isn't red so I can often look like I have been sunbathing with sunglasses on. I also have some thread veins on my face/nose and although I know creams can't get rid of these can any help with reducing the appearance? There are so many things out there I just want some expert advice as I do not want to spend a lot of money on something that is no good. I have been told about the medik8 red alert which says it can help with thread veins as well as skin redness. Also the Dr Lowe redness cream. Any advice would be wonderful.
Thanks,
Michelle
Michelle,
I am a big fan of the Medik8 products and I think Red Alert would most definitely be worth a go. But I have to tell you, the products I have recommending to clients recently - and to great results and feedback - are the Clinique Anti-Redness Solutions products. The range is very small: cleanser, Daily Relief Cream (the basic moisturiser), Urgent Relief (when skin is flared up), the day moisturiser with SPF15 (I am not as keen on this as the green corrector is hard to cover), and the amazingly fabulous Anti-Redness Solution Powder. All of them help to treat the cause of the redness and assist in teaching the skin to be less reactive. Prices are from only £16-£34. Invest in the Daily Relief Cream and the pre make-up powder and I think you will feel you have spent £60 of your hard earned pounds wisely. And in the winter cold, add the Urgent Relief as a "fire extinguisher". Clients who are prone to flaming redness tell me their skins feel cool to the touch, are less reactive, make-up sits without separating, and they are tending to add the other bits like the cleanser quite quickly. Let me know how YOU get on with them...I will be anxious to hear.
Regards,
John
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