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Dark circles are the bane of some people existence and to others a temporary change in appearance often associated with lack of sleep. While sleep deprivation may be one cause another often overlooked cause may actually be lack of water. Dehydration can show up around the eye area as dark circles and possibly even a slight temporary increase in the appearance of wrinkles.

To help improve the appearance of tired eyes try these tips:

1. Drink at least 6-8 x 300ml glasses of pure, filtered water per day. Water is essential for all cellular process including the movement of toxins out and nutrients into the cell. In mid winter it can be hard to drink water so consider adding a little water from the kettle to make it warm. Or drink a few herbal teas during the day to boost your water intake. Coffee and black tea don’t count as water intake as they actually have a diuretic effect which may make dehydration worse.
2. Include good fats in your diet as they help to improve hydration from the inside. Everyday food sources include fish, avocado, nuts & seeds and olive oil. Alternatively consider a Omega 3 fatty acid supplement.
3. Hydrate your skin from the outside. Use an eye cream or gel that contains Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid or Ginseng extract to help reduce the appearance of under eye dark circles. Gels tend to be better if eyes are puffy and creams where dryness or an anti-aging effect is required.
4. Hide it! To reduce the effect of dark circles use a cream concealer. Mineral or finishing powders tend to highlight any dryness or creases where as cream/fluid concealers will add moisture as well as coving up darkness. Choose a shade lighter than your natural skin tone.
5. Get some sleep. Don’t rule out good sleep and generally one night won’t cut it. If you are sleep deprived, think about why and if you can change your patterns. Head to bed earlier to give yourself the chance to fall into deeper sleep for longer. The bonus is that your energy levels should also increase.
6. Consume foods that contain vitamin C and antioxidants to improve the microvasculature around the eyes. This will help to clear the blue/purple undertone of dark circles. Studies show that foods rich in carotenoids improve skin tone and colour. Carotenoid rich foods include berries, capsicum, spinach, pumpkin, carrot, green leafies and tomatoes (yellow, orange, red and green veg)
7. Give yourself an eye treatment. Take 15 minutes and make yourself a cup of chamomile or green tea. Pop the used bags in the fridge to cool down then place over closed eyes for 15 minutes. This will help reduce puffiness and is calming to the eye area. Cucumber slices will also help.

If you have come across a treatment that works for dark circles we would love to hear – please comment.

Now I know the title of this may be a little dramatic because I do actually like Jojoba oil…a lot BUT I am also a little circumspect about any product that is posed as the new “wunderkind”. And so I am going to have a minor rant. This the contents of this article are motivated by two factors:

1. A Current Affair did a piece about Jojoba Oil being the answer to all your skin woes
2. I read an article posted on sarahwilson.com by Maria Hannaford which promotes simplicity when it comes to skin care. Really, really simple – obviously too simple for me!

Both of these were actually positive representations about natural skin care and great for the industry but it sparked in me a week-long discontent that I just had to discuss…in public. My first issue is that we are all different. If there is one thing after working with hundreds of people with skin care issues that I know, it is that what works for some doesn’t always work for all.

So is Jojoba oil the answer to all of your skin care woes…maybe for some but not for all. Is Jojoba oil or any single oil going to be the only skin care product you need from now on? Well that depends on your skin type, your age, your personality, if you have any skin issues and even perhaps your budget.

Now while I love Jojoba oil – I use it as a cleanser in winter and it is one of the base oils in the night serum I use – I would not:

1. Choose to use it during the day – I prefer to use a moisturising cream as it helps to hold in moisture and is better for mineral makeup application.
2. Choose to use it as a night serum – I am much closer to 40 than 30 and quite frankly I want more than Jojoba oil or any single oil can offer. I want a serum that is going to deliver plant and vitamin antioxidants to the deeper cells to really help maintain the health of my skin. Basically I want something that packs a punch.
3. Choose a single oil – the natural plant oils available to us now have so many amazing benefits so why stick with one? There are some really impressive serums available that blend base oils with plant antioxidants and essential oils offering a range of benefits and a synergy far beyond any single oil. Some examples include Remedica Regenerate Visage, Pure & Green Organic Age Defence Serum or Sophyto Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate

Obviously this post is about my personal choices not about what others should do however, I use my choices to illustrate the point above that we all have different skin care needs. Having said all of the above, Jojoba oil does have some marvelous qualities and I often recommend it for those with very sensitive skin as it provides light moisturising qualities without the likelihood of irritation: see Golden Goodness Jojoba Oil here for more.

Related Articles:

• Myth Busting Facial Oils

The big news in brows is that bushy brows are back! Think Brook Shields in the 80′s – well maybe not that untamed, but rather shapely bold brows. So the quicker you can get your brows growing in, the better! Here is where I come to a grinding halt! Growing back? About 4 years ago I wrote a series of articles about my brow growing journey from thin over-plucked 90′s brows back to their natural thicker form. The series of articles spanned 18 months in which time you would imagine that I had cultivated a full set of bushy brows. The bad news is that it just didn’t happen…at all. Over 18 the month regrowth period I think about 4 brow hairs regrew and all in the wrong places. So I literally haven’t plucked my brows in 4 years and despite the current popularity of bold brows, I won’t be following this trend.

The Scouse Brow

However, I don’t have to lie down and live with the dissatisfaction of over-plucked brows. Nor do I have to slavishly follow brow fashion. This latest trend for bold brows has tipped too far cultivating an offshoot known as the Scouse Brow. Obviously fake, Scouse Brows are heavily filled in a much darker shade than your hair colour and very straight with little natural curve. This look has quite a dramatic (OTT) effect and makes the brow the central feature of your face. My personal opinion is that this look is not for everyday wear and preferably not at all!

As you can tell from my personal tale of brow woe, finding a brow style that is fashion-proof and suits your face is not always easy. Drawing from professional brow groomers (!) the ultimate aim is to create a brow that is fuller with a natural look either by using subtle makeup techniques or if you tend to thicker brows anyway by maintaining a regular waxing or plucking schedule.

Filling in your brow

If you want to fill in your brow but are unsure how to, this youtube video shows a basic fail-safe technique using an angled brush and eyeshadow. A good neutral choice for brow colour is Minerelle Serene. As well as being a mid brown shade with no red tones, it is also matte (glitter brows are a look for parties but not everyday). Alternatively you can use a specific eyebrow pencil. Brow pencils are harder than eye pencils to ensure you don’t apply colour too heavily. The pencil I use is the Lavera Brow Pencil which has a brow brush on the other end for grooming once you have completed filling in colour.

Brow Shaping

If you have naturally gorgeous brows, then you may just want to keep them in shape. A brow gel can help stop wayward brows from point in all directions. If you think you need a little help with your brows, go to a professional, even if only once, to have your brows properly shaped to your face. You can then maintain the look with plucking or regular waxing if needed.

Brow shapes come in and go out of fashion and even the famous among us can get it wrong every so often. Micheline Pitt from Pinup Girl took a look at some of the more famous brows in their time and how they might have looked with the benefit of a brow “artiste”

Our skin has a low permeability, which blocks foreign substances such as toxins from penetrating through the skin and coming into contact with our internal organs. On the surface of the skin is a very fine, slightly acidic film that is secreted by the sweat glands. This layer is called the acid mantle because it has a pH of between 4.5 and 6.2 (any measure less than 7 is considered acidic. Above 7 is alkaline). The acid mantle acts as a barrier protecting your skin from the elements (wind and pollution) and from bacteria, viruses and other contaminants that might penetrate the skin or cause irritation. Apart from acting as a physical barrier the acid mantle helps to neutralize the chemical effects of contaminants, which are generally alkaline.

The daily barrage of pollution in the form of chemicals from the atmosphere, bacteria,  and commercial skin care such as sodium laurel sulphate based cleansers can cause the acid mantle to be disrupted or lose its acidity.  When this occurs, skin is more prone to damage, sensitivity responses (allergy like symptoms), irritation, infection and redness. Stress also plays a large role in the health of the skin pH.

Maintaining a healthy acid mantle and therefore pH is not only vital for skin protection but it also helps maintain healthier skin for longer. Other skin issues associated with a disrupted skin barrier include:

• A greater risk of acne – the bacteria associated with acne (Propionibacterium acnes) are naturally found on the surface of the skin however, when the pH is disturbed and becomes more alkaline, the numbers of p. acne thrive. It is important to maintain a natural pH of no greater than 5.5 if prone to acne or skin problems. All cleansers are alkaline which changes the acid mantle and it can take up to 2 hours for the pH to return to normal. Over time daily cleansing with a harsh cleanser will leave the skin dry and sensitive. Ideally a cleanser pH for acne should be 4.5 – 5.5. Aiming for a squeaky clean feeling may actually be doing more harm than good in the long term.
• Faster ageing – in our 40’s the skin responses are slower and natural skin processes such as oil and moisture renewal decrease. After cleansing, a return to normal pH can take up to 8 hours.

Once the acid mantle is damaged there are definitely ways of encouraging repair:

1. Choose your cleanser carefully. The cleansers from Sophyto work to support the mildly acidic pH of the skin thereby protecting against the gradual decline over time. For more on cleansers click here
2. Use oils to help create a protective layer and support the skin cell nutrition – for more information about what oil will suit your skin click here
3. Try stress reduction – click here to read how stress impacts your skin
4. Incorporate antioxidants and good fats into your diet- click here to read more

Find out about the new range to Vitale – Sophyto Organic Skin Care