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What Causes Acne?
Research has shown that acne only occurs in individuals with a pore structure that does not allow easy flow of sebum (your skin's natural oil) to the surface of the skin, it is not related to diet, stress or hygiene as some may think. Our pore structure is something that we are born with, so when excess sebum combines with dead skin cells, a spot or blackhead will form.
How does acne affect the skin?
A severe form of acne is characterised by inflamed spots near the skin's surface called papules; deeper lesions are called pustules. If you are really suffering you should be referred to a doctor or dermatologist. They may prescribe you with antibiotics or hormone treatments to relieve the problem.
For mild non-inflammatory cases, you need to consider investing in a simple, but effective skin care routine. Cleansing twice daily and a gentle scrub, or exfoliating mask twice a week will gently but effectively rid your skin of pore blocking sebum, dead skin cells, dirt and grime.
What can you do to help your skin?
The best course of action is to keep your skin as clean as possible, without stripping the protective layer by using the correct products. To limit the spread of bacteria try not to touch your skin unnecessarily, resist the temptation to squeeze black heads and spots as this will lead to scarring and pitting of your skin. If you really have to, then make sure your efforts are after a bath or shower when your skin is softened and clean. Apply tea tree or something similar to the area afterwards to ensure you don’t get infections which lead to more spots. If there is no white head don’t even think about it! Angry lumps under the skin will only get worse if you squeeze.
Exfoliate up to 3 times a week using a gentle scrub or an exfoliating mask. This will help to control excess oil from building up and blocking the pores. Follow with an oil-free moisturiser and treat specific spots with a blemish stick to avoid drying out the rest of your skin.
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Cleansing
Exfoliate
Mask
Moisturisers
On the spot Treatments
Breakouts can occur when you least expect them, you can guarantee a big juicy spot will pop up before a big night out. You can target the offender directly overnight and throughout the day with our selection of on-the-spot treatments.
Resist the temptation to squeeze a spot and keep your skin clean by cleansing in the morning or evening, or both.
You could consider packing yourself off to a salon for professional extraction. This sounds worse than a dentist but trust us, it’s not nearly as traumatic! The therapist will steam your skin to open the pores to allow any nasty spots to be eased out gently and hygienically, simple as that!
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Hair loss is essentially a hereditary affliction and prevention is often better than cure as in many cases. There are a number of factors which lead to hair loss, it could be due to stress, illness, scalp infections or medication, all of these should be reversible, but the single most common reason is hereditary.
The hormone testosterone is the cause of genetically determined baldness, receptors in the hair follicles convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone which causes the follicles to produce thin, downy hair that are not thick or long enough to hide the scalp.
We have a great selection of products designed to treat and prevent thinning hair.
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If you suffer from unwanted body hair, you could consider a regular wax to keep it in check. If the very thought makes you climb the walls, maybe book a few sessions so you don't have it all done at once. You therapist will be understanding.
If you happen to have unwanted nasal or ear hair the best thing you can do is invest in a good quality facial hair trimmer to keep it at bay. Straggly hairs poking out from all angles is not something that goes hand in hand with being well groomed, so trim up or ship out!
Many of us suffer from dark circles under the eyes at some point, too many late nights, and staring at a computer screen all day doesn’t help! The most effective way to prevent dark circles under the eyes is to eat, drink and sleep well and reduce stress. Some factors are unavoidable like age and ill health, but many can be prevented and treated easily.
Remember that your eye area is very delicate; the skin is as thin as tissue paper! So you need to be extra careful when applying creams or serums. Your eye is like a sponge, it will draw creams in so you don’t need to apply right up to your eye or on your eyelid otherwise you’ll end up with watery eyes, and you could make the puffiness worse.
By applying a cream or serum in a light tapping motion around your eye area, (this means the eye socket bone including the brow) you will increase circulation, thus improving your dark circles. Use the finger next to your little finger as it gives the least pressure.
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It’s not just the girls who cover blemishes, why should you suffer with a big red spot for all the world to see? They're easy enough to cover up, so don't be scared to experiment. The most important secret to concealing nasty spots or redness is to abide by the 'less is more' approach! Match your skin tone as closely as possible or invest in a green pigment concealer which counteracts redness and won't, as the colour suggests, leave you resembling The Hulk.
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If you suffer from dry cracked lips, it’s probably due to the time of year, stress, and other factors beyond your control. Don’t despair, we have plenty of lip salves, balms and treats onsite to relieve your sore lips. Don’t be tempted to pick dry skin or you risk making it worse. Some balms simply create a barrier in between your lips and the air which is great for protection, but won’t solve your dry lip problem. You need to use a lip balm which penetrates and moisturises as well as protecting or you will be stuck in a vicious cycle.
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One side effect of growing old, other than the inevitable appearance of wrinkles and things annoyingly moving due South, is the often sudden appearance of grey hair. Embrace it or reject it, the fact is it’s there. Unfortunately for some, the onset of grey hair occurs earlier than expected, so in a bid to conceal it you may consider the use of colour treatments. Before deciding that colour is the right option for you however, read on for our guide to hiding those sly silvery follicles.
When grey hair finally creeps up on you, you really have two options: let it grow or colour over the grey. If you want to completely eradicate your greys, colouring with a permanent dye is probably the best option. However, you may also like to consider the following factors when deciding on a natural looking colour: coverage of your grey hair; desired colour; and coarseness of your grey hair (grey hair can be quite resistant to hair dye – this varies from individual to individual).
Once you have made the decision to colour your hair, the next step is to decide which shade will look most natural. These guidelines for covering your grey hair will help you to choose a suitable depth of colour.
<10% grey – Go for a colour that's at least three levels lighter than your natural shade or your desired colour.
10%-30% grey – Choose a colour that is two levels lighter than your natural shade or your desired colour.
30%-50% grey – Use equal parts of one level lighter and two levels lighter than your natural shade or your desired shade.
50%-70% grey – Go for a colour that is one level lighter than your natural shade or your desired shade.
70%-90% grey – Use equal parts of colour matching the natural shade (or desired level) and one level lighter.
90%-100% grey – Choose a colour that matches your natural shade or your desired colour.
Remember, by opting for a permanent colour you are committing yourself to the continual upkeep of re-colouring your roots; this could mean visiting a salon every 3 - 6 weeks or home-dying. If you have already started using permanent colour and now wish to let your silver hairs flourish, switch to a semi-permanent colour then once the permanent colour has grown out allow the semi-permanent colour fade. This will ensure a natural fade into grey rather than harsh grey roots.
If you are colouring for the first time you may like to visit a salon for your initial colour, where a colourist can talk you through the process and advise you on colour choice, application method, frequency of colour and a specific product suitable for your individual hair needs.
Whether you do decide to embrace or reject your stray greys, just remind yourself that following in the footsteps of Richard Gere and George Clooney might not be such a bad idea after all...
We live in a culture where social norms dictate the amount of hair considered 'normal' and it is commonplace that excessive bodily hair can be seen as unattractive. Be it due to your genetic make-up, ethnic heritage or simply because you have more body and facial hair than others, you may be prone to stronger hair growth. One area where unwanted hair tends to flourish is between the eyebrows; this is often referred to as a unibrow or monobrow. Essentially this is an abundance of hair lying between your eyebrows forming one single, continuous eyebrow. If you have decided that your furry friend is more of a foe, then read on to discover how to solve your unibrow.
1. Tweezing or Plucking – This method is often the easiest and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Depending on the amount of excess hair you have, this method is not advised for your first hair removal session, but it is definitely the best way to maintain your brow and keep it under control. It is a good idea to between other treatments.
2. Waxing or Sugaring – This is the most quick and effective way to remove hair, if not a tad on the painful side, and unless you are a glutton for pain you would be advised to visit a salon to have this treatment performed. The process involves applying hot wax or sugar paste to the desired region and laying a muslin strip over the wax or paste, patting the strip and ripping it off in one quick action. Waxing has become a popular option for many men as it is quick and inexpensive. It does not however offer permanent hair removal.
3. Electrolysis – Electrolysis is likely to offer you permanent hair removal, so in the case of the unibrow it is considered to be the most effective. The process involves a sterilized needle which is inserted into each hair follicle. The hair growth cells are then destroyed as a small electrical current is passed to the base of the hair follicle. This process is carried out by a professional and should render the hair unable to re-grow, however there is no guarantee and effectiveness varies from man to man. For optimal results the treatment will require weekly appointments which can be costly and timely. As electrolysis weakens hairs from the root, growth should eventually be eliminated.
4. Laser Treatment – This involves a laser beam that essentially kills the hair follicles. The results of laser treatment depend on your skin pigmentation and the colour of your hair, i.e. dark hair absorbs the laser energy, so it is easier to treat. This means that you will need to find out if you’re hair type is suitable for this treatment. Laser Treatment is the most costly of hair removal procedures and the number of treatments required will depend on the desired body part, hair density, skin tone, and even sun tan. Consulting with your practitioner or dermatologist first will help you decide if it’s the right course of treatment for you.
Once you have decided on your removal method you will still be required to carry out routine maintenance on your brows. If carried out regularly, this should be a manageable procedure, but if your brows grow out of control again, it is recommended you have them reshaped. The following list will help you prepare for the maintenance tweeze.
1. Plan your route – It is recommended that you decide which hair you want to get rid of before you start hacking away, as you may come to the realisation halfway through that a) you’ve completely destroyed your eyebrows, or b) they are in no way equal proportion. Either situation is not a desirable one to be in, so make sure you plan your pluck!
2. Use an expensive pair of tweezers – Don’t underestimate the importance of using a decent pair of tweezers, take our advice and invest in a good pair. A good set should cost no more than £20 max – an investment that is guaranteed to pay dividends. If your eyebrows grow horizontally outwards then trimming them as well as tweezing would be advised.
3. Get a decent magnifying mirror – Again, this is of the utmost importance. A good magnifying mirror could mean the difference between a wonky brow (which will do no favours for your face) and a perfectly shaped defined brow line. In addition a good magnifying mirror will ensure that you catch every stray hair thus reducing the frequency of when you pluck.
4. Pluck after showering – By plucking after showering you will cause yourself less pain as when skin is hot, it is softer and thus less resilient to the removal of hair.
5. Do NOT over-pluck – This is really a warning more than a tip, either way take note. It just takes one pluck of a clump of hair and boom; you’ll have a zig-zag brow for a week. So remember, pluck one hair at a time, and under no circumstances should you over-pluck. If you do find yourself with the odd bald patch then the best thing to do would be to lightly pencil in the bald patch with an eyebrow pencil (available at your local chemist) of a colour that resembles your eyebrows.
6. Clean up – A quick sweep around the face with an antiseptic wipe will leave the area clean and help to close pores while helping to ensure any stray hairs have been removed from your face. Once you have given your face a little wipe you should (fingers crossed) reveal some furry little beauts!
Good luck!
Pick the type which best describes your skin and click to see what products we recommend to suit your skin type.
Oily
Your skin feels slicker than a Saudi oil reserve, especially around the T-zone. (your chin, forehead and nose) Your pores might be enlarged and you could possibly suffer with blackheads and spots as well as looking shinier than your nan\'s antique silver.
You need products which don\'t block your pores, ideally water based, perhaps a mat moisturiser to put a stop to that shiny forehead?
Click here to see what products we recommend for oily skin.
Here is a selection of our recommendations:
Dry
Your skin feels tight, sometimes itchy and flakey, or you might find you’re more prone to irritations and an uncomfortable feeling after washing. You need to hydrate your thirsty skin.
Look for products that contain moisturising ingredients like aloe, urea, allantoin, sodium PCA and hyaluronic acid.
Click here to see what products we recommend for dry skin.
Here is a selection of our recommendations:
Sensitive
You might feel like everything you put near your skin causes irritation, including skincare, shaving products or extreme weather conditions. You might have a ruddy complexion and develop red patches and dryness after using grooming products.
Look for products that do not contain parabens, dyes or unnecessary fragrances and are specially formulated for sensitive skin.
Click here to see what products we recommend for sensitive skin.
Here is a selection of our recommendations for sensitive souls:
