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Baaaahhh! This winter has been a shocker for me with regard to red skin. While mostly OK during the day, at night in heated rooms (it doesn’t help that I practically sit on the heater) my skin flares up and goes bright red across the cheeks and nose. When I say bright red, I am talking Rudolf here, it almost glows in the dark! Not an issue at all during summer, my tendency to Rosacea has come back with a vengeance. There are a few triggers I have worked out make the flare ups worse:

• red wine – yes in my case even one glass
• heating, particularly vented air
• high necked jumpers
• no air flow in a room
• hot drinks (weirdly coffee is ok but tea not so!)
• high stress

Giving it a big miss at the moment!

Even though it is annoying, I am not surprised by this recent flare up. I haven’t been looking after myself. Correction – I always look after my skin by using excellent quality organic skincare, so that’s not what I mean. Specifically I haven’t been looking after my internal and mental wellbeing.  There are things I know clear up my flushing and it is about time I gave myself a little TLC. So here is a list of things that I haven’t been doing but that I am going to do from now on:

• Go back on zinc, grapeseed and resveratrol supplements (Metagenics Oxidant Protection or Blackmore’s Grapeseed are good choices). These nutrients all support skin integrity and capillary health. I haven’t been taking any supplements recently and while my diet is good, during stressful times, it is good to boost up your nutrient levels. This is even more true with skin issues as the body channels nutrients go to the essential organs first (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, brain) and lastly the skin.
• 

  Yoga reduces my stress & helps with circulation

  Start yoga classes again. I have poor circulation generally and so while my face is burning my hands are freezing. I think it helps to improve circulation generally. For me yoga and walking help. I haven’t been going to yoga and as well as having cold hands, I have been quite stressed. One session of yoga a week was enough to keep me calm (well more calm anyway!).

• Have shorter, warm showers instead of long, hot showers. Whoops!
• Use mineral make up instead of liquid. I had been using a liquid makeup which makes it harder for my skin to breathe. I notice that my skin is less likely to flush when I wear mineral makeup. Mineral makeup also provides better cover.
• Leave the windows open. My Dad lives in Auckland (where it is very cold) and he laughs and asks me if the windows are still open when I complain about the cold. I like to have a bit of air flow as I tend to overheat in stuffy rooms.
  

  Stress worsens my rosacea flare ups

• Use Centella Gel. Centella (Gotu kola) is a herb that when used topically helps to strengthen the blood vessels and reduce vascular hypersensitivity.
• Throw out all my skivvies!
• Take some B vitamins to help support my nervous system
• And finally, get back onto the Lemon Detox Drink. I admit that I find it hard to drink in winter so my solution is to mix in a touch of hot water just before I drink it to take the edge off.

That’s my plan. Well actually I started on Monday and so far this week, no bad flushing incidents so I think I am onto a good thing! If you are prone to flushed or rosacea flare ups, tell us what works for you. I know I would love to know and I am sure others will benefit from the tips as well!

When it comes to makeup, I am a hoarder. My makeup bag is bulging to the seams. Of what you may ask and indeed that is the question I asked myself the other day. The answer is below:

• 1 old compact with a scrap of makeup left and 1 newish one
• 3 grey eyeliner pencils (clearly my favourite colour!)
• 2 mascaras – one almost empty and out of date
• 3 shades of red lipstick, one pink and one plum
• 2 x eyeshadows, one that I can’t open despite my best efforts but that I continue to hope that one day I will be able to…

The contents of my makeup bag this morning.

So it’s confirmed, I am a hoarder.  In all honesty, I only use a couple of these items on a daily basis but still feel the need to cart the rest around. Apparently however, I am not alone. A British study of 1000 women found that 2/3rds of participants are reluctant to throw out makeup that is past its prime.  So what’s the problem? The study’s author says that while “beauty is timeless, our makeup is not”.

Certain types of makeup are more susceptible to bacterial infection or mould growth including liquid foundation, concealers and the worst is mascara. So tips for keeping your make up fresh and up to date:

• If your makeup is past its used by date, toss it particularly if it contains water as an ingredient. Water can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
• If you have an eye infection or cold sore avoid wearing makeup on the affected area. If you do wear it consider changing your mascara, lipstick and lipgloss as they may continue to carry the microorganisms that caused the initial infection.
• Don’t share mascara – eyes are very sensitive and cross contamination may occur.
• If the product smells or looks bad, throw it out. Best not to take the risk.
• If you are in your 30′s and were wearing the same makeup at highschool, it’s time for a change!

There are exceptions to these guidelines. Dry powdered products such as mineral make up generally don’t go off and they don’t contain water so not prone to microbial overgrowth.

So if like me, you are a hoarder, check out your make up bag and see if you have any products that are way overdue being replaced. And if you dare, tell us what gems you find!

• Firstly, application technique is important when it comes to mineral make up. Mineral makeup that contains pure minerals doesn’t need to be buffed into the skin. Only those that contain bismuth oxychloride (a potentially irritating ingredient that should be avoided) require buffing to bring up the shine in the individual particles. Pure and pressed mineral powders only need to be brushed on. For more application techniques, view this video or read more here.
• Secondly, skin hydration is essential. Dry skin cannot be camouflaged by mineral powder so it is absolutely necessary to apply a good moisturiser prior to application.
• Thirdly, you can’t test mineral makeup on the back of your hand. You need to try it on your face. This is important so you see the cover it provides as well as colour matching to the underlying skin tone of the face (not the hand).
• Lastly, when it comes to mineral makeup, you get what you pay for! Cheaper brands tend to be bulked out with talc which doesn’t provide as good cover and is not ideal if you suffer from congestion or acne-prone skin. Look for a mineral foundation that contains no talc and no bismuth oxychloride.

Liquid Foundation

So for many mineral makeup is an ideal choice. However, there are some that still love liquid foundations and so for them this will be the only choice. While liquids don’t cover as well as mineral foundations, they do contain moisture, which may be better if you have dry or dehydrated skin. Liquid foundation also tends to give a dewy, glowing look rather than a matte appearance.

Do you stock organic makeup?
Well yes…and no. We only sell natural and organic skincare at Vitale and so “yes” is the simple answer, but I would like to clear up some confusion about the difference between organic and inorganic materials. Only living plant material can be classed as organic. Minerals by their very nature are inorganic materials. This doesn’t mean they contain any nasty chemicals or are petrochemical based, it means that the minerals in mineral makeup are natural, but not organic (i.e. not plant based).

To potentially confuse this issue further, mineral makeup may contain ingredients that are organic such as vitamin E or herbal extracts and so are labeled as containing organic ingredients but really the majority of the product is made up from inorganic minerals. This almost boarders on greenwashing for me but then I am probably just being pedantic!

The concept of products that make an “instant” difference is I think for many women the Holy Grail…and yes, I would love to find it. Maybe I am impatient but I want to see a difference in my skin particularly when I wake up in the morning looking like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards (ok it doesn’t happen often but when it does, I want to put on a product that makes it all go away). Seriously though, skin cells take between 90-120 days to turn over (be replaced by new skin cells)  so most skin care takes that amount of time to see a visible ongoing difference – this is how long it takes for real skin change/improvement to happen. I am not saying you won’t see changes sooner but anything less is usually temporary.  However, as I have discovered there are some exceptions, products that give your skin a quick lift, often short-lived but enough so that I can walk out of the house without serious luggage under my eyes. So dear readers, here is my list of instant saviors and pick me ups:

La Mav Line Perfector

This product has an immediate tightening effect on skin

I discovered the benefits of this cream one morning after a very late night. Despite reading the ingredients I hadn’t quite realised that it has a rapid effect on fine lines and wrinkles. The natural active Rhizobian gum, which is a hydrolysed biopolymer naturally produced by microorganisms living in plant roots has an immediate tightening effect on skin…it has been described as a Botox-like effect. The tightening effect lasts about 4 hours. The other ingredients in the product have ongoing skin nourishing effects so this product isn’t just about the short term effects….but it is a definite benefit!

Green Tea Spritz

Green Tea has a potent antioxidant effect as well as reducing inflammation on burnt or reddened skin. When stored in the fridge, the low temperature of the tea will also have a cooling effect on hot skin. For this reason it is ideal for those with rosacea or any skin redness, sunburn or irritation.

Make your own spritz at home by brewing quality organic green tea. Leave it for 5 minutes to steep then let cool. Once cool pour it into a spritz bottle and refrigerate. Use liberally as required. Each brew lasts about 3 days. Alternatively you can freeze the tea into ice cubes. Don’t apply a frozen cube directly to the skin. Wrap in a cloth and gently apply to the affected area. The cube will melt onto the skin having the same effect as the spritz.

Chamomile Tea Bags

This is another fantastic home remedy that is useful for sore, tired or puffy eyes. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial effects which help soothe sore eyes. You need to steep the bag for 3 minutes in hot water. You can either drink the tea or once cool, use it to bathe your eyes. Put the tea bags in the fridge and when you are ready, lie down and place one over each eye. Relax.

Remedica Sensitive Visage

Soothing to red, inflamed skin

This oil and hydrosol based serum is a gentle nutritive for sensitive or inflamed/irritated skin. It contains a potent combination of anti-inflammatories (St John’s Wort, Chamomile) and antioxidants (Green Tea) which will help quickly reduce patchiness and redness and soothe irritation. Used long term, it will help strengthen damaged and chronically inflamed skin.

Lemon Detox Drink

Now I know I bang on and on about the usefulness of the Lemon Detox Drink but it really is just so effective for increasing skin moisture – both oil and water content. The healthier the fatty membrane of the skin cell is, the more moisture it contains. One recent example of the success of this drink is a lady who came into to the store with chronic skin dryness. Her skin had been dry for years. Interestingly she wasn’t coming for skin care but for massage and it was the massage therapist who asked me what her client could do about it. I gave her client the recipe for this drink and a jar of Remedica Vanilla & Shea Body Butter and thought no more about it. The next week, the massage therapist had noticed a significant improvement in her clients skin since her visit the week before. The client, as you can imagine, was delighted and continues with her “skin hydration” program.

Mineral Make Up - my savior

Minerelle Make Up

One of my fallback saviors for red, patchy or just tired skin is my mineral makeup. Usually I just brush on a light layer but if my skin is not looking its best, I know I can apply several layers of  makeup without looking like I have spac-filled my face. To do this, I use a small multi brush and put a layer of Minerelle over any red, patchy or dark areas on my face e.g. under my eyes, over breakouts or broken capillaries. I then apply a light layer of makeup over the top using the powder brush and gently blend the colour in. Personally I cannot go past Minerelle as my favorite make up for both everyday use and the days I would rather not leave the house!

Remedica Vanilla & Shea Body Butter

Great for dry skin

I know I mentioned this product above but it deserves its own segment. In Winter the skin on my body tends to dry out. I drink lots of water and have my good fats but the humidity in Brisbane is so low in contrast to the Summer months, that it really plays havoc with my skin. Remedica Vanilla & Shea Body Butter is my answer. Based on pure Shea butter it is so nourishing but without the greasy feel. And it smells great. I have done a video blog about this product which discusses the benefits of Shea butter in general. View the video here.

So they are my pick of instant skin pick-me-ups. I would LOVE to hear about yours. What home remedies or products do you use?

I am a huge fan of Mineral Make Up in general, particularly an Australian brand called Minerelle. Mineral make up suits most skin types however, application styles can vary from product to product and certainly, the pressed mineral powders require less work on the skin than loose powders. Here I show how I apply Minerelle Make Up, a pressed mineral powder as well as discus the benefits of mineral make up in general.