Makeup & Hay Fever

When the Wattle blooms Spring is just around the corner.

Spring has Sprung and Hay fever Season is upon us!  Three out of Five members of my family 

suffer from hay fever including Miserable Me.  Hay fever is caused by an allergic reaction to 

pollen released seasonally from trees, grass, weeds, flowers, fungi and mold spores.  

Common symptoms include, sneezing, itchy watering eyes, blocked/running nose, 

itchy throat and sinus pressure/headaches.

A few tips I would like to pass on to you all to help minimise your symptoms are;

-  speak to your doctor or chemist about treatment, a combination of medication 
   tailored to your symptoms works best ie, anti-histamine tablets, nasal spray 
   and eye drops.
-  start taking hayfever remedies two weeks before the season starts to 
   lessen symptoms.
-  a spoonful of locally produced honey every day helps build immunity 
   (all year round).
-  keep windows and doors closed, switch to recycle on your air-conditioning in 
   the house and car.
-  protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses, keep your hair tied up and wear a hat 
   outside, hair is a great pollen catcher!
-  whilst outside, coat the inside of your nose with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, 
   it helps prevent pollen entering the nasal passages.
-  eliminate fermented foods ie:  alcohol, yeast, cheese, yoghurt, mushrooms, 
   pickles, olives, dried and processed foods.
-  eliminate Histimine releasing food 
   (they release histimine when you eat them causing reactions) ie;
   Chocolate, Bananas, Strawberries, Pineapple, Eggs, Milk, Fish, Shellfish 
   and Alcohol.

Unfortunately for me makeup isn't an option when I am having a really bad day.  Less is best on days like this so I don't end up looking like a Hung-Over Panda.   My red itchy eyes drive me crazy and I just have to rub them making it impossible to wear any kind of mascara.

Clinique all about eyes rich - Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer
matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Here are a few tips that work for me, during hayfever season and less is definitely best especially round the eyes.

-  regularly apply cold eye packs to calm red puffy eyes, cold soaked chamomile or 
   green tea bags kept in the fridge work great.
-  apply a good eye cream like Clinique's All About The Eyes to reduce puffiness 
   and dark circles
-  have your lashes dyed so you don't need to wear mascara.
-  reduce exposure to irritations from your skincare and makeup routine by going 
   hypo-allergenic ie;  Almay, Clinique, Covergirl, Maybelline, Neutrogena, Revlon, 
   Clarins, Physician's Formula all have hypo-allergenic lines.
-  apply a good face primer like Clarins Smooth Perfecting Touch, so you can wear 
   less makeup (I use this on my eyelids with no irritation before I apply eye shadow).

Almay intense i-color trio for browns - Almay get up & grow mascara - Almay for green eyes
matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

-  wear waterproof mascara to lessen chances of it smudging, flaking and 
   falling into your eyes.
-  wear cream eyeshadow, less chance of it falling into your eyes and 
   causing irritation
-  stay clear of loose powders, I prefer to stick to liquid foundation and 
   cream blush, NO face powder!
-  wear less on your eyes while accentuating your lips with a bright lipstick.
-  ALWAYS remember to completely remove ALL your makeup at night.

Dr. Lewinn's Skin Perfect - Revlon Nearly Naked ~ IVORY
VIVO Lipstick ~ TANGTASTIC - VIVO Colour Lip Crayon ~ SWEET DREAMS
VIVO Cheeky Cream Blusher ~ BLOOM
matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Well these are little things that help me get through the hay fever season, I would love to hear what tips you have so please leave a comment below I would love to hear from you.

Jac x0x

The Importance of Exfoliating Mature Skin

All skin types can benefit from exfoliation but more so as we get older.

As we mature our metabolic cell renewal process slows down, dead skin cells build up leading to dull, lifeless, sagging  skin.  Just to give you an idea, young skin regenerates approx. every 14 days, mature skin approx. every 30-40 days.

Regular exfoliation tricks your skin into renewing cells more often, which leads to smoother, brighter, firmer skin with less wrinkles.

There are two ways you can exfoliate, chemical exfoliators which help dissolve dead skin cells and manual exfoliators which removes the top layer.

I find a mixture of both yields the best results.

Chemical exfoliators which include ingredients such as Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Fruit Enzymes and Retinols etc.....can be found in any number of skincare products which can be incorporated into your daily routine.   They gently boost the skins natural ability to replace old skin cells at a faster rate.

Manual Exfoliators include facial and body scrubs, micro-cloths, sponges, loofahs etc...anything that you can physically use to slough off the old surface layer of skin.   DON'T use buffing grains with sharp broken edges like crushed nut shell, sand or pumice stone as they can tear and damage your skin.

I think your skin tells you when it needs manual exfoliation.  It starts to look dull, feels rough, you may notice flaky skin around your nose.  With my dry skin I find I only need to exfoliate once a fortnight, your skin needs may be different depending on your skin type.

Next are some products which have worked well for me and I now include in my routine.  I think everyone is different and skin care needs change over time but this is working for me so far.

As part of my daily skincare routine, I like to use Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream during the day and ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum at night.  Both these products contain Retinol a pure form of Vitamin A which helps stimulate collagen production, forms a protective barrier and reduces irritation.

www.neutrogenacom.au

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream contains Retinol, Vitamins B5, C & E.  SPF 15 for UV protection.  This is a great daily moisturiser,  a pea sized amount covers your whole face and neck, super moisturising, absorbs well and is a great base for foundation.

www.rocskincare.com

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum can be used morning and night before moisturiser.  Contains Retinol, Magnesium, Zinc and Copper.  I am on my third bottle of this serum, I have noticed a big improvement in my skin's appearance.


Once a fortnight I like to manually exfoliate my face, two products that I am really enjoying at the moment are Dr LeWinn's Facial Polishing Gel and Kosmea Daily Facial Exfoliant.  I like to swap them around depending on my skin's needs.

www.drlewinns.com.au

Dr LeWinn's Facial Polishing Gel contains Jojoba wax micro-spheres, naturally polishes your skin without any harmful abrasive action.  I like to use this when I feel my skin needs more exfoliation, my skin looks brighter and feels smoother after using this gel.

www.kosmea.com.au

Kosmea's daily facial exfoliant is very gentle, contains crushed Chamomile leaves and ground Rose Hips to gently exfoliate, you can also use this as a soothing facial mask.  Contains Ground Rice flour and Kaolin Clay to help absorb impurities.

I like to use a Loofah once a week on my body.  Growing up, Mum always had one in the bathroom, reaches all those hard to get to places on your back.  Follow with a good all over body lotion.  One I reach for all the time is Urban Rituelle Mango Milk Body Balm, smells of Summer, just divine.

www.urbanrituelle.com.au

I have always looked after my skin and now in my 40's I appreciate anything that helps me retain healthier younger looking skin.

Please don't forget to comment, I would love to hear what works for you.

Dr LeWinn's Private Formula Facial Polishing Gel

I suffer from dry peeling skin on my face due to Lupus and need to exfoliate regularly to keep this under control so I can wear foundation.

I have very dry skin and find most exfoliants to be very drying and they end up making my condition worse.

I am forever on the look out for products that are gently enough that they don't dry my skin out further but strong enough to remove all that scaly skin especially around my nose.

Dr LeWinn's Facial Polishing Gel is a fantastic product and I am really enjoying using it right now.

Contains microscopic jojoba wax beads which gently exfoliates and polishes without damaging the face's fragile skin. 

My experience with this product is that it does exfoliate extremely well, removes all the peeling skin from around my nose and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry and tight.

Cleanses and tightens my pores,  I have not suffered any breakouts using this product and creates a perfect base for my foundation.

Contains natural ingredients such as Aloe, Chamomile and Rosemary, with lots of jojoba beads so you can actually feel it working.  Has a lovely subtle fresh scent and washes off easily with no irritation to the eye area.

Can be used by all skin types, with my skin type (dry, mature),  I exfoliate once a week followed by a hydrating masque.

You only need a small amount applied to dampened skin, exfoliate applying gentle pressure with your fingertips for about 30 seconds concentrating on your forehead, nose and chin. 

Works a treat, I love it!!