Beauty Guide: S.O.S (Save Our Skin!)

Sunday, August 20, 2006

S.O.S (Save Our Skin!)

Nasty weather conditions and unexpected circumstances can wreak havoc on your skin. BOEY PING PING comes to the rescue with several beauty remedies to get your skin back on track.

WHEN I was in Australia recently, I experienced four weather changes in a day - chilly in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, windy in the evening and rainy at night.

Extreme climate changes can make your skin feel like it's been through four countries in a day. Worse still, your skin capillaries have to expand and contract to deal with the temperature changes.

If you want to survive the temperamental weather, arm yourself with the boy scouts motto and 'be prepared' with a box of quick fixes for any and every occasion.

Beauty survival kit

Racoon eyes

Cause: Sleepless nights and eye fatigue can leave you with dark eye circles and eyebags.

Effect: Micro-circulation around the eyes slows down encouraging toxins (that appear brown in colour) to congest. Because skin is thin near the eye contour area, it creates a 'panda eye' effect.

Skin relief: Light tapping movements helps to encourage better blood circulation around the eye area.

Try: SK-II treats all your three eye needs - dark circles, fine lines and sagging - with a single mask, Signs Eye Mask.

Cracked lips

Cause: As lips have no sebaceous (oil) glands, they need to be protected from dehydration with a lip balm. Instead of moisturising them, licking your lips will cause moisture to evaporate even faster. Not drinking enough water and using tissues to wipe lips harshly can also cause lips to dry up.

Effect: Lips become chapped and start to flake off.

Skin relief: Use a toothbrush or exfoliater to get rid of dry flakes and dead skin cells before applying a lip balm.

Jetlagged complexion

Cause: Time differences, lack of sleep and the toll of travelling stresses out skin. When skin is not in equilibrium, the cells don't function properly and skin's system of elimination and nourishment get out of sync.

Effect: Skin lacks suppleness, moisture and glow.

Skin relief: Julius Lim, general manager of Beaubelle says, "The remedy for jetlagged skin is to have the skin's cells energized. Oxygen is fuel for the skin cells to function properly."

Try: Beaubelle Future Oxygen Therapy empowers skin to breathe deeply and absorb more oxygen into the skin.

Red, blotchy spots

Cause: Sun exposure can cause red, blotchy spots to appear, especially if you don't have a sun block on. But if you wake up in the morning and see the same skin conditions, it's hormone-related.

Effect: Though red, the spots are painless and appear unevenly all over the face.

Skin relief: Try an anti-redness cream to neutralise redness. For a quick camouflage job, use yellow-based concealer. The spots usually disappear on their own.

Wind-beaten face

Cause: In summer, harsh weather conditions like chilly winds and blazing suns can exist together, causing skin to wear out.

Effect: Skin dries out and feels tight, irritated and sensitised.

Skin relief: Reinforce skin's natural barrier and lock in moisture to relieve the driest, most sensitised skin conditions. This restores strength to weak, damaged skin and defends it against future attacks.

Try: Dermalogica Super Rich Repair soothes, hydrates and regenerates damaged skin with a super-concentrated moisturiser.

Sunburnt skin

Cause: In temperate countries, the chilly weather can hide the fact that your skin is beginning to fry under the sun. In some cases, you'll only feel the full effects of a sunburn after 24 hours.

Effect: Burning, itching and sensitive skin. Skin becomes irritated and red.

Skin relief: Pacify fragile, burnt skin with something soothing and hydrating like cucumber slices, aloe vera gel or a sun repair mask.

Try: Thalgo Sun Repair Cream Mask comforts complexions with a fresh, hydrating formula that melts into the skin.

Stressed skin

Cause: According to Tom Mammone, executive director of Clinique Biological Research and Development, stress unleashes chemicals that make skin think it's under attack. Skin gets confused and starts attacking itself, ultimately damaging healthy skin cells and it's own defensive barrier.

Effect: Wrinkles and accelerated ageing. Periods of great stress can age people much more rapidly than normal wear and tear.

Skin relief: Since we can't escape stress, the best we can do is to build skin's natural immune system.

Try: Clinique Superdefense Triple Action Moisturiser helps skin defend itself while neutralising the effects of sun damage.

Pimples

Cause: Lim says, "The factors are inherited and hormonal. People with pimple problems are already predisposed to have this condition and eating the wrong foods, emotions and stress can exacerbate the condition."

Effect: When oil glands produce too much sebum, it clogs the pores causing pimples to form.

Skin relief: Find and maintain the right balance of oil. Overzealous cleansing can strip oil from your skin causing your skin to overcompensate and produce more oil. Liberate your pores by using products that aren't pore-clogging. Zap zits with tea tree oil, an antiseptic that's anti-inflammatory that will send your pimples packing.

Dehydrated skin

Cause: Josephine Lui, sales and marketing manager for Sisley says, "Using too many 'oil-free' products can cause skin to be temporarily dehydrated. When skin sweats too regularly, not only are minerals lost, but a great level of water, leaving skin dehydrated."

Effect: Skin feels taut, dry and patchy.

Skin relief: Use a cooling, hydrating mask to infuse moisture into thirsty skin cells.

Try: Used as a pick-me-up mask, Sisley Express Flower Gel offers an immediate solution to dry, parched skin.

Tired skin

Cause: According to Lui, tired skin can be rather 'stubborn' as tiredness is usually accumulated over days or weeks.

Effect: Worn-out skin lacks oxygen and circulation causing it to look dull and sallow.

Skin relief: Exfoliating dead skin helps it to 'breathe' and absorb subsequent treatments better. Use products with a cooling sensation like menthol or a refreshing smell like citrus to perk up weary skin.

[via The Star Online - Clove]