Product Watch: Post-holiday beauty buzzkills
Whether you intentionally skip sun protection or just forget to reapply, burns happen. After the initial reddening it can continue to develop for up to 24 hours. Cool the skin as soon as possible by applying cold, damp compresses or towel-wrapped bags of ice (don’t put ice directly on the skin). Keep using these comforters on and off for several hours. Apply a lightweight, soothing moisturiser like The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum, €17.95. Thick or scented after-sun creams can trap the heat, exacerbating the damage. Avoid swimming or immersing yourself in a bath for a long period of time as too much water can inhibit the skin’s healing response.
Tanning once a year might not seem risky but it harms skin every time. Unprotected sun exposure inflicts DNA damage that triggers skin cells mutations that can result in skin cancer. Sun exposure also causes up to 90% of skin aging, generating brown spots, uneven skin tone, dryness, wrinkles, white spots and sagging. A seasonal tan is just not worth it.
Treat existent UV damage by cleansing gently, exfoliating with a fragrance-free alpha hydroxy acid lotion and treating skin to antioxidant and vitamin-packed serums and moisturisers. Mary Kay TimeWise Even Complexion Essence, €37.50, and TimeWise Night Restore Complex, €39, contain such nutrients, supporting healthy collagen growth and working to repair skin’s natural moisture barrier. The Essence also contains niacinamide, vitamin C and undecylenoyl phenylalanine, all of which help to lighten discolorations. Damage control is useless, however, if you do not apply broad-spectrum sun protection daily.
A racer-back dress over your bikini was a good look but white stripes latticed across your shoulders are not. Do not be tempted to use a sunbed to “even them out” (there is really no good reason to climb into those pro-ageing machines). Gently buff the surrounding skin with a hydrating scrub every few days. Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Honey and Soy Milk Body Polish, €26, is a great choice. An aerosol foundation or instant tan a shade darker than your normal choice does a credible cover job while the stripes fade. I love DiorSkin Airflash Foundation, €50, for its long-wearing, silk-matte finish. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, €13.95, is great on a budget. Extend the product outward over the tan lines with a makeup sponge and blend well.
Kiehl’s new Damage Repairing & Hydrating haircare collection offers fast relief for dull, damaged strands. The shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment are rich in moringa oil (one of the few natural oils capable of penetrating the hair shaft), ceramides and hyaluronic acid, all of which leave hair soft and lustrous. Kiehl’s Damage Repairing & Hydrating Shampoo, €18.50, Conditioner, €23, and Leave-in Treatment, €19 will be available from September at Kiehl’s 35 Wicklow Street. Call 01-6706667 to place a telephone order with complimentary shipping.
Cassis-coloured polish looked gorgeous with your tan but stained your nails an unsightly shade of yellow. Buffing does scuff away stains but nails are left thin and vulnerable. Essie Brilliant Service!, €10.99, is an aptly-named treatment with peroxide and citrus extracts. The clear lotion restores nails to a glossy, pink and white state after a fortnight of regular application. Three weeks of use safeguards against future discolouration. Available September 1.
You were there for a good time and if that meant late nights, fast food and plenty of cocktails, well, your complexion shows it. Apply a good hyaluronic acid product such as Environ Ionzyme Focus Hydrating Serum, €78, under your regular serum and moisturiser to get plumper, more hydrated skin in days, whatever your skin type. I also love Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Revitalizing Mask, €40.50, for dry skin. Use it as a night cream for a deeply moisturising hit of antioxidants and skin soothers.
Realine Beauty Frown Line Patches, €36.40 at www.feelunique.com
Botox is an extremely effective, non-invasive way to prevent those dreaded centre-forehead expression lines (otherwise known as “elevens”), but if you are determined to resist that needle Realine Beauty Frown Line Patches can help. These are a more elegant; less irritating version of Frownies gummy paper patches. Fix Realine’s hypoallergenic polyethylene strips to the centre of your forehead after your night cream has absorbed and expect to see a difference within two weeks.
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