Milia are small white (ish) looking bumps which form when a build up of dead cells and sebum build up and get trapped beneath the surface of the skin, in essence, forming a closed duct. Most commonly they are found around the eye area but can also form on other areas of the face.
Milia can be due to genetics. However there are other causes,including sun-damage and creamy product formulations. Using thick products and formulas can cause milia due to the clogging of pores. Cleansing and exfoliating properly can definitely help.
Opt for non- comedogenic eye products formulated with retinol and peptides, these won’t clog the skin and are great for stimulating collagen. If you are prone to milia, gel and lightweight products are best. It is a good idea to add a salicylic or glycolic toner into your skincare regime, these ingredients facilitate cell turnover and remove dead cells.
Unlike whiteheads or blackheads, milia won’t budge, no matter how hard you squeeze. You should not attempt to squeeze or try to extract them on your own as this can cause trauma to the skin and scarring.
The good news is there are ways to treat milia. Typically, an aesthetician will use a small micro-lance needle to safely and hygienically remove the milia.
Did you know that around one third of women in the entire population of the UK face challenges with menopause?
Menopause can throw your skin into a spin and means our skincare regime may need a shake-up. The skin changes in many ways including thinning skin, lower collagen levels and dryness. Healthy skin starts from within so understanding what nutrition is best for healthy skin can improve the challenges we face with menopausal skin.
What is the menopause?
Put simply, menopause is when a woman stops getting periods and can no longer get pregnant as part of the natural ageing process. The ovaries stop releasing eggs, and levels of reproductive hormones including oestrogen and progesterone fall. Usually menopause occurs between the ages of 45-55 although one in a hundred woman under 40 in the UK experience menopause
Common symptoms of the menopause include difficulty sleeping, hot flushes, lack of energy, brain fog, headaches, loss of confidence and low mood. Menopause can also impact the skin.
What happens to skin during the menopause?
Oestrogen is closely involved in many processes in the skin. This means that when oestrogen levels start to fluctuate during the peri menopause, and fall after the menopause, it often has a knock-on effect on skin. Skin changes include thinning skin, lower collagen levels, fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dryness, problem skin and sensitivity. There are many nutritional ingredients can help support your skin during this time.
Skin Conditions and Nutritional recommendations:
Dry, itchy and sensitive skin.
When there is less oestrogen in the body, less hyaluronic acid is produced. As a result, skin may appear dry, less plump and lacking in hydration. Hyaluronic acid plays a crucial role in ensuring the skin stays hydrated and vibrant.
The skin researchers at Advanced Nutrition Programme recommend ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vitamin A and omega fatty acids to support the skin barrier and to keep the skin moisturised and plump.
Skin Omegas+, Skin Vit A+ Delivering intensive moisture and hydration for a dry and dehydrated complexion.
Collagen is a protein that helps to provide the foundation for our skin – creating a structure that keeps it plump and resilient. Lower collagen and elastin levels cause the skin to become thinner, less firm and make fine lines and wrinkles appear more visible. In the first 5 years of Menopause we lose up to 30% of our collagen.
Advanced Nutrition Programme skin experts recommend taking collagen supporting ingredients including zinc, vitamin C, MSM, and phytonutrients.
Just when you think your teens are over and with it no more skin problems, skin can become a common complaint for menopausal women. Changes to the skin’s pH, and to the levels of oil produced by the skin are also thought to contribute to the increased likelihood of problem skin during the menopause causing many menopausal women to experience acne
When Oestrogen levels change during menopause the bacteria in the gut also changes. Maintaining a diverse, healthy microbiome is vital to overall wellbeing and skin health.
To support the gut-skin connection, ANP recommend taking their award-winning biome supplements.
Skin Youth Biome™ uses next generation microbiome technology featuring six skin-friendly bacteria to target the seven signs of ageing: fine lines, wrinkles, elasticity, uneven skin tone, dullness, dryness, and thinning skin. Happier gut = happier skin.
The countdown until summer vacation is on. Your bags are packed and you’ve managed to fit your full skin and hair regime into one case, not to mention the last month prepping your complexion for that all-important holiday glow.
Travelling and in particular flying can cause havoc upon our complexion due to the cabin’s recycled air which wastes no time in sucking the moisture out of your skin, resulting into dull and dehydrated skin.
Our tips for travel:
Cleanse: Ditch the cleansing wipes and give your skin the TLC it requires whilst travelling. Travel-friendly cleansers are easy to carry (smaller in size) and worth having handy for a DIY facial on the go.
Spritz: The Environ Focus Care Comfort+ Anti-Pollution mist is a lightweight, invisible, breathable shield that offers complete protection with a scientifically perfected blend of anti-pollution ingredients and high potency antioxidants to counteract the harmful effects of pollution.
It helps to rebalance the skin microbiome, provides defence from blue light from screens, strengthens the skin’s resistance and supports a healthy-looking skin barrier. This product can be used throughout the day and over makeup to hydrate the skin.
Did you know ?……..
There is around 20% humidity in cabin air (compared to the 40-60% found on the ground) it’s therefore important to quench your skin’s thirst when flying. Sheet masks are amazing (again easy to carry) and will relieve tired eyes and dehydrated skin. Follow with a light serum to lock in the moisture making you feel tangibly firmer, refreshed, and radiant.
PROTECT: Boost your defences with the ultimate skin care saviour. Yes, we’re talking about SPF. As you’re closer to the ozone layer mid-flight, the UV rays can be potent (especially when sitting in the window seat). Apply your SPF on your face and neck all to give your skin the protection it deserves.
Retinol is a topical derivative of vitamin A that exfoliates the skin, regenerates cell production, and boosts collagen production over a matter of hours. This multitasking saviour will also help your skin better absorb any other products you apply afterwards such as serums, night creams and overnight masks.
Why should I use it?
Retinol is known to:
Promote a healthy dermis and epidermis.
Assist with collagen and elastin production.
Help strengthen the skin barrier.
Minimise the appearance of dark spots and pigmentation.
Improve the appearance of breakout-prone skin.
If improving acne scarring is high on your skincare agenda, using retinol will speed up cell turnover to help heal the skin, whilst exfoliating the outer layers, preventing pores from clogging, and reducing breakouts. If you are concerned about skin ageing, Retinol helps with that, too – it stimulates collagen and blood vessel production, helping to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation spots.
How do I use it?
Environ’s philosophy is to ‘start low and go slow’. If the skin is prepared with low doses of Vitamin A its less likely to react to a higher dose because the vitamin A receptors are restored and over time, can absorb very high levels of Vitamin A safely. Once the skin is comfortable on medium to high levels of Vitamin A Retinol 1 can be introduced, moving on over time to Retinol 2 and then Retinol 3.
Retinol should only be used during your night-time routine, a couple of times a week (increasing to every other day, if needed, once acclimatised). Start by applying a pea-size amount all over the face, followed by your moisturiser.
Remember to apply an SPF each morning as retinol can cause photosensitivity and harshen the impact of UV on your skin. The effects of retinol build over time and take roughly three months to start working, (keep the faith if you don’t notice results straight away).
Vitamin D is essential for the formation and maintenance of strong bones, teeth and muscles as it assists the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. Vitamin D is produced under the skin, it is a fatty substance called ergosterol and occurs when we are exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is our sunshine vitamin because Vitamin D production is stimulated by the ultraviolet light our skin receives from the sun. Almost a quarter of the UK population will have low levels of Vitamin D during the months between October and March.
Therefore it is vitally important during these months to top on our food rich in Vitamin D.
Eat up on your Vitamin D foods.
Oily Fish, salmon, sardines, pilchards, kippers, herring and trout
Cod liver Oil (check first with doctor if you are pregnant)
Some breakfast cereals, infant formula milk and some yoghurts have added or are fortified with Vitamin D
Egg yolk, meat, offal and milk
Kelp or seaweed
However you may not get enough Vitamin D from the sun if you use too much sunscreen or sit in the shade. We need to expose our bare skin to the sun for short periods of time. I like to walk my dog in the early morning sun for 30 mins only, for me that is my daily sunshine vitamin.
The amount of Vitamin D made in the skin depends on how strong the sun is. You will make more during the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest. But saying that, strong sun does burn the skin, therefore ir is very important to find the balance between making Vitamin D and staying dafe in the sun. Take care not to let the skin go red or burn. Either cover up or use a screen.
What are the true benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps the immune system to fight infections.
Vitamin D encourages cell differentiation and slows down the rate at which cells multiply, or proliferate.
Vitamin D is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, which may also contribute to its effectiveness in reducing some types of muscular pain.
Optimum levels of vitamin D protect against diabetes (both type 1 and type 2), insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Diabetes is usually associated with very low levels of vitamin D.
The pancreas also needs sufficient vitamin D in order to make and secrete insulin.
Getting enough vitamin D helps blood sugar control. It may also help prevent serious diabetic complications.
Deficiency
A lack of vitamin D, known as vitamin D deficiency causes the bones to become soft and weak, which can lead to bone deformities. Vitamin D is essential in bone growth. Its main role in the body is to increase the flow of calcium into the bloodstream. It does this by promoting absorption of calcium from food. Without vitamin D, calcium would not be absorbed into the body.
The main symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency are aching bones, weak muscles, high blood pressure, tiredness and depression.
Interesting facts! Did you know the amount of Vitamin D your body requires is different for certain groups of people, meaning some require more Vitamin D than others?
For example:
Pregnancy
Darker skin – the darker the skin the more sun is needed to receive the same amount of Vitamin D as fair skin.
Elderly people have thinner skin and so the skin cannot produce enough Vitamin D
Housebound and people who work nights and sleep during the day will be deficient in Vitamin D.
Do we need Vitamin D supplements?
All babies under one should be given a daily supplement. Children over one and all adults should consider taking a daily supplement of 10 micrograms, especially during the Autumn and Winter months. During these months we receive Vitamin D from our bodies stores and from food sources but the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) report says these are insufficient to keep up Vitamin D levels and they recommend the only way to ensure a healthy Vitamin D status is to take supplements.
A Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day throughout the year, for everyone aged 4 years and above. Although further in the report from SACN they did not take into account any sunlight exposure whilst making recommendations due to the number and complexity of factors that affect skin synthesis of Vitamin D.
Hello lovely readers! What is in my makeup bag? I’m glad you asked. Of course I use a range of skin care products, that have been discussed in pervious blogs, but this post is focussing on makeup. Everyone has their favourite brands and types of makeup, liquid or powder foundation, cream or pressed powder blush, all I ask is that you won’t judge me too harshly if mine aren’t the same as yours. These are my staple pieces that I go to time and time again. Maybe you’ll even get some ideas to try news brands or styles yourself!
Let’s start with the base: foundation. It’s important to find what works best for you and your skin type. My personal preference for foundation is liquid- I find that powders don’t work for me at all! For my skin type- oily/combination- to find an oil free foundation is a big deal for me and my face. Do not worry, I have found THE foundation. Nars’ Velvet Matte Skin Tint Foundation has it all: it’s oil free, minimises the appearance of pores and imperfections and has shine controlling components! It glides on like a dream and feels so light on the skin. It’s the bees knees. This range is worth looking into if you want a soft to the touch, airy but long lasting foundation.
Next up, a reliable blush. Stay with me on this one, it may seem weird as I explain but trust me, you need this! The blush living in my makeup bag as I type this, is Lipstick Queen’s Frog Prince blush. Some of you may have heard of this, their Frog Prince lipstick took the internet by storm last year. The rest of you may be asking “why is it called Frog Prince?”, well allow me to tell you. Basically, it’s green. Remember when I said stay with me? Much like the Frog Prince in all of the stories, this blush transforms from its natural deep green into a custom pink especially for you! This creamy blush reacts to your skin’s pH and adapts to a shade of pink that suits you. Pretty cool, right? It feels great on as well and gives you a really natural, dewy finish. It’s actual fairy tale makeup- can it get better?!
Now for the eyes. I have Urban Decay’s Shadow Box in my makeup bag at the minute, it has such a great mix of shades. I really enjoy trying out different combinations with some of the more vibrant colours in this palette. For my everyday look I blend Sin, Baked Cowboy and Smog, to get a natural look with some shimmer to give it that extra oomf! There are great jewel tones in this palette, emerald greens and deep purples- some of the jewelled shades may need to be built up to get a really striking colour but it’s worth the effort. This is a great palette if you’re trying to dip your toe into Urban Decay’s makeup scene.
Mascara can make or break your look, if it’s done right then it accentuates all of the right things but if it goes wrong, it can look a little spidery and messy. Chatecaille’s Faux Cils mascara is saving me from spidery lashes! This mascara isn’t heavy or overbearing, it highlights the length of my lashes and makes me seem that 10% more awake than I usually am at 8am.
My makeup is usually pretty basic, I don’t get fancy with contouring, I don’t “bake”, but I am a sucker for a good highlighter. Benefit’s Dandelion Shy Beam is perfect for me. It isn’t a big flashy highlighter; with it’s nude pink sheen, it gives me that extra glow where I need it without being over the top for every day. It also has that amazing “Dandy Dandelion” scent from that benefit range: bonus!
I’ve saved my favourite until the end: eyeliner. I’m currently using Jane Iredale’s Jelly Jar Gel Eyeliner and I love it . Jane Iredale know their stuff, it’s amazing- so silky smooth and goes on like a dream! Once it’s on it stays where you put it, no smudging and it looks fabulous with a sparkly eye for a night out. Sometimes I use it on its own for a day to day look, if I want to feel a little more put together. Now if only I could get that perfect flick…
That’s all folks. The entire summary of my little makeup family living in my makeup bag. If you decide to try any of the makeup that I use, let us know in the comments! Happy shopping everyone!
