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Following on from my last update, I had the two BCCs removed from my face about a month ago. I decided to get them cut out rather than use Black Salve (otherwise known as Cansema). I would probably have tried the Cansema had the BCCs been on my body but I felt a bit precious about risking this on my face as this product does have a risk of keloid and non-surgical scarring. So to surgery I went. I must say the whole process was simple but unsettling. I felt very relieved the cancers were cut out but at the same time wondered why they formed in the first place particularly as I have spent my life being careful to minimise sun exposure. Even more unnerving was the thought that more may develop.

Well its now a month later and the scars have healed up. I am applying all the good things including TSB Skin Smoother at night and Minerelle Vitamin C in jojoba oil (this product is in testing at this stage but due online very soon). I really think it has made a significant difference but due to the face the scars are on my face, I was not prepared to leave one without treatment as a placebo. No, I am far to vain for that level of dedication! Now that they have healed I have stopped worrying about more developing – I do all that I can to prevent them – wear natural sunscreen (Devita Solar Body Block when out in the full sun and Devita Solar Protective Moisturiser during the day), wear a hat, eat good food (most of the time) and generally look after myself but if anyone has any other ideas I would love to hear them. PS I am also using my phone as a hands free just in case it had anything to do with the development of the BCCs.

The photos below show the healing process to date.

Day 1

After 1 week - stitches removed

After 2 weeks

After 3.5 weeks

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I have to admit I am a bit lackadaisical when it comes to using a toner every day. If it is in front of me, I use one under my moisturizer but if it isn’t I don’t go searching. This is in contrast to Mary and Caitlyn, our Vitale beauty therapists – they both swear by toners and use them religiously. May I also add they both have gorgeous skin! So when the Dr recently told me to keep the scars on my face moist, I added in the use of a toner first under the healing oils to deliver extra moisture, with might I add, excellent results! Since then I have been using a toner daily.

There are three categories of toner so it is important to make the distinction between them: traditional toners, astringents and fresheners.

Traditional toners are used to restore moisture to the skin. They are ideal for those with normal to dry or dehydrated skin as they contain moisturizing ingredients, herbal extracts and essential oils. They do not contain alcohol, which can reduce moisture and oil content in the skin and potential cause irritation. Examples of traditional toners are:

Remedica Hydra Mist – this amazing looking and smelling product is an active hydrator, moisture retainer and lipid-acid mantle restorer. The effectiveness of this product is due to a complex synergism between antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins and of the natural water binder Lecithin (humectant) which attracts water molecules from the atmosphere and helps bind these molecules to the skin. These actions are exactly what are needed for dry, dehydrated or damaged skin.

La Mav Refining Toner – again excellent for normal to dry or dehydrated skin this toner contains loads of slow ageing ingredients which when used under the La Mav Wrinkle Smoother, layer nutrients and enhance their effects.

Astiringent Toners contain alcohol based (or ethanol) in some form, which has the effect of tightening pores and removing oil. The natural & organic skin care industry moved away from this type of toner a long time ago however, you can still get the pore tightening, cleansing and refreshing effect from other ingredients used in toners that are suitable for normal to oily skin. I will also add that I think toners are excellent and often overlooked for very oil and acne-prone skin. They can deliver a light layer of healing and oil minimizing ingredients without the congestion issues that are sometimes found with moisturizers. Acne prone or oily skin is surprisingly often quite dehydrated. Yes you can have oily but dehydrated (low water) skin. So delivering moisture to oily skin is essential.

Examples of toners for oily or acne-prone skin include:

Third Stone Botanicals Cedarwood Toner – this product delivers concentrated hydration to skin after cleansing just when it needs it and before acid mantle returns which is the best opportunity to lock in extra moisture. The cedarwood essential oil helps to balance out oil production.

Devita Cool Cucumber Toner – well this just smells divine for a start but it also contains chamomile to soothe irritated skin and natural fruit acids to help clean out and tighten pores.

Fresheners are a category of toners that are used for…well exactly that, freshening up your face on a hot day or resetting your mineral makeup, cleansing off makeup at the end of the day or just adding that extra bit of moisture when you look and feel tired or your skin is dehydrated. Based on floral waters, they give much needed moisture but without the drying effects of water (ironic isn’t it but one of the most drying thing we do to our faces everyday is wash with water!).

Treasured Earth Gardenia & Honeysuckle Rehydrating Mist uses rose and lemon myrtle floral water to refresh and rehydrated skin. It also includes the purifying qualities of Iceland Moss so is excellent to help cleanse skin after makeup removal.

For best results use toners twice a day, morning and night after washing your face. One or two sprays is usually enough.

No matter what type of skin you have choosing the right cleanser is key to maintaining the protective layer and nutrition of your skin. When choosing cleansers for skin types, I break them into different categories ranging from the most gentle and nourishing to the strongest cleansers:

Cream Cleansers – have the consistency of thick cream. Cream cleansers generally don’t contain any surfactants (foaming agents). They are ideal for dry, dehydrated, mature or sensitive skin as they work by using the oil component to bind with and remove makeup and daily pollution. Cream cleansers only minimally disrupt the acid mantle of the skin, if at all and maintain skin hydration. They are also the best for removing makeup.

For best results, moisten your face with tepid water, apply the cream cleanser and gently massage your face. Remove by wiping with a soft moist cloth or rinse with tepid water. Examples include Haven Scent Coconut Cream Cleanser and AUM Brightening Milk Cleanser.

Milk Cleansers – have the consistency of milk. Milk cleansers may or may not contain surfactants and if they do, they are generally only very mild surfactants. They are lighter than cream cleansers and therefore are ideal for normal to sometimes dry, mildly dehydrated and mature skin. Examples include Treasured Earth Cleansing Milk and Third Stone Botanicals Palmarosa Cleansing Milk.

Gel Cleansers – typically used for normal to combination skin they can be minimally drying but less so than a foaming cleanser. Gel cleansers are ideal for skin that is sometimes dry and sometimes a bit oily and certainly for congestion. They aren’t as good as milk or cream cleansers at removing makeup but will certainly give the skin a “clean” feeling. Generally they are gentler on the skin than Foaming Cleansers and less disruptive to the acid mantle. Mukti Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Treasured Earth Lemon & Mango Cleansing Gel

Foaming Cleansers – often leave you with a “squeaky-clean” feel and so are great for acne-prone, congested or oily skin. Most natural foaming cleansers only create tight bubbles rather than lots of foam like cleanser based on synthetic foaming agents. The smaller foaming action means less disruption to the acid mantle and a quicker recovery. Foaming cleanser can be slightly drying for non-oily skin types or in winter when there is less humidity in the air. Examples include: Remedica Black Soap, Devita Aloe Cleanser and Third Stone Botanicals Rose Geranium Cleanser.

If you use a cleanser that is too “strong” for your skin it will have an impact on the protective layer and you may find your skin feeling overly tight. Using a richer moisturizer is a common way of combating the use of the wrong cleanser for your skin type and ultimately it will lead to either dehydrated skin or dehydrated skin with congestion, which is something no-one wants.

On the other hand choosing a cleanser that is too rich for your skin can lead to congestion and/or superficially oily skin. Again not a great outcome! You may find that you need to try a few cleansers to get the best one for your skin. And indeed it may change with the seasons. Myself, I use a cleaning gel in summer and a milk in winter which I have found suits my skin perfectly. As a general rule of thumb, if your skin feels squeaky clean, the cleanser is probably to “strong” for your skin. Your skin should feel clean but not tight after cleansing.

View our range of natural & organic cleanser

This Summer has been great for me from the perspective of minimal sun exposure…we have had so much rain that it has only been in the last month that the sun has really had a chance to make an impact. I do sun myself in the early morning and late afternoon – I need the vitamin D and the emotional “shine” that comes from sunshine. But really, I am mostly freckle and sun-damage free. Good news for me however, I have had so many people ask me about skin brightening and preventing pigmentation – what works, is there anything natural, how long it takes and what to do to prevent dark spots and sun damage next Summer?

I have written an article about the individual ingredients that assist with skin brightening before. You can read that here: My Skin Lightening Experiment

Skin Pigmentation

In this blog I am going to review 3 skin-brightening products and discuss how they are best used. I will just note that I use the terms “lightening” or “brightening” with reference to pigmentation only as opposed to lightening the natural skin tone.

Prevention/Sun Damage: La Mav Brightening Complex – this product is more effective for evening out skin tone rather than lightening specific pigmentation areas. It is effective for helping to prevent sun damage and inhibiting melanin formation. Use this to prevent damage or for evening skin tone.

Melasma/Sun Spots/Small Area Sun Damage: Devita Skin Brightening Serum – this product is specifically designed to help fight the appearance of Hyperpigmentation that is primarily caused by hormones, birth control pill use, chemical peels, waxes etc. SBS works using the natural skin lighteners Kojic acid and Arbutin which work synergistically to help break-up hyperpigmentation, along with Emblica fruit extract, a proven skin lightener, all which help give the look of a balanced skin tone. SBS is applied to small areas or for spot application. One bottle will last up to 6 months.

Chemical Peel Discolouration/Large Facial Area Sun Damage: Devita Complex KBA – this is from the Devita professional Rx range. It has been formulated to lighten the appearance of skin, which has been discoloured from chemical peels, age spots, sun-spots and freckles. A cream rather than a serum, it spreads over the entire face rather than being used for spot or area application.

Remember any skin lightening treatment takes up to 8-10 weeks to see significant effects.

See Related Articles:

• My Skin Lightening Experiment
• Slow Ageing & Pigmentation Information Page

Apart from the myriad of other symptoms, the onset of menopause can cause considerable skin changes in women. Symptoms range from dry, itchy skin to increased oil, thinning skin and acne breakouts.

Changes in hormones, particularly estrogen are responsible for many of the body changes during menopause including skin issues. The role of estrogen in the skin is to stimulate the formation of collagen and oil production. As menopause approaches the levels of estrogen drop and dry skin becomes very common. Increased oiliness and acne-breakouts are less common but also may occur initially as the hormonal profile begins to change. In this case estrogen may drop relative to testosterone which then drives oilier skin. Then as all hormones lower, the body’s oil production decreases as does the oiliness. Due to the reduction in oil production, the oil’s skin-protective effect decreases as does the body’s ability to hold onto moisture.

While dry skin may occur anywhere on the body, from elbows to face to legs, even the nail bed, itchiness tends to be limited to hands.

While these changes are an inevitable result of menopause, there are many ways to manage the skin effects and slow permanent changes.

Manage Dry Skin

1. Consume good fats – essential fatty acids promote the skin’s protective oil barrier and help keep skin from losing moisture. Western diets tend to be low in omega 3 fatty acids and most of us could use a top up. Foods rich in omega 3 include salmon, sardines, anchovies, flax oil, fish oil and green leafy vegetables.
2. Drink water – it makes sense to help maintain hydration.
3. Protect your skin from sun damage – too much sun exposure can dry out your skin and cause long term damage. Use a natural micronised zinc oxide sunscreen. Hats and protective clothing are also important during the middle of the day.
4. Choose a good moisturiser – if your skin is dry or dehydrated, choose a moisturiser that is rich in shea or cocoa butter (stop moisture evaporation) or plant oils (support skin cell health and moisture retention). Other ingredients to look for include hyaluronic acid (helps the skin attract and hold moisture) and antioxidants (maintain the health of the skin cells so they hold onto more moisture)
5. Use oil-based serums at night – oils carry antioxidants and nutrients into the skin ensuring the health of the skin cells. The healthier they are, the more moisture they hold onto and the slower they age.
6. Only wash the areas you need to with soap – I know this is getting personal but your underarms, feet and groin are the key areas that really need soap. If you don’t get dirty on your arms, legs and torso, just let water rinse over you. Washing with soap strips away the layer of natural body oil which means you have to add it back. I am not suggesting you never wash or scrub your body again but maybe less often if your skin is feeling dehydrated.
7. Check out our Dry Skin Info Page for more detailed information

Manage Oily Skin

1. Use a light moisturiser – or even a serum. This will help balance oil production and reduce the potential for breakouts. Have a look at our Oily/Congested Skin Info page for more detail
2. Light exfoliation – this will help keep congestion down and allow moisturisers to penetrate the skin more effectively. Choose a gentle exfoliant with even exfoliant beads e.g. Mukti Exfoliant or Devita Gentle Exfoliation.
3. Monitor your skin closely as this phase is unlikely to last. As soon as you notice your skin become less oily, change to more appropriate products. Don’t assume it will stay oily.

Maintain Skin Collagen Levels

1. Exercise – this is important for all aspects of health during and after menopause including bone density and heart healthy. It can also help to keep skin healthy by increasing the nutrients and oxygen that are circulated to your skin.
2. Use cosmeceutical ingredients to slow collagen breakdown and support new growth. Vitamin C is one of the most significant collagen supporting nutrients.
3. Read our Slow Aging Info Page for more detail about supporting collagen health