Tag Archives: Skin Care

Looking after your hands

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Mini-treat comes to the rescue

 

Known as a ’60 second Fix for Hands’, this Crabtree & Evelyn’s Citron gift box is available in two versions;  a big box costing £24, but is also available in a mini version costing £8.

I was mooching around Tescos trying to think of a present to cheer up a friend having chemo, when I suddenly saw a dinky little box.  It was just the right size for her to pop into her handbag, and take with her whilst she sits in the ‘chemo chair’.

Originally made for gardeners, but just right for anyone suffering from horrible skin with chemo, the 60 second fix consists of a hand scrub with pumice, ideal to get rid of nasty hang nails, ‘spare’ skin and rough bits;  and a lovely hand cream to smooth on and keep hands soft.

All set up in a little bag so you don’t have to wrap it!

Get this at major Tesco stores, or

http://www.woodlander.com/acatalog/Skincare.html?gclid=CPWRtsChjqwCFYULfAodFDc1oQ

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It's summer – just don't forget your skin

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swimmer

Flickr

The weather is warm -and

you still need to protect your skin

Just because it is summer, people often think they don’t need to moisturise their skin.

And they spend so much time in water they think they don’t need to have a shower.

But the drugs – and remnants of them – stay inside us for ages; they are still beavering away, drying out what little moisture we possess.

So don’t neglect to look after your body skin, even if you mostly stay covered up and out of the sun.  Apart from drugs working inside, the air temperature (without any rain to add moisture) will dry us up, and who wants to look like a shrivelled prune when they get older?

Recently there have been some horrendous celeb photos of actresses who used to tan all over as a way of looking more glamorous.  I won’t name any:  that would be cruel, but I am sure you have seen umpteen ones recently.  They are not a pretty sight but serve as a warning to be careful!

And make sure you skin isn’t short of moisturising!

Sanex has bathing covered!

Besides keeping your skin moisturised from within, it’s important that you also keep it supple from the outside, and Sanex now makes a range of bath and shower products for different skin types that help counter this problem.

Your skin normally holds 20% of all body water. Dry skin means that you have highly reduced levels of water, and that’s why it looks dull and lifeless. And although you can’t see it, dryness also weakens your skin’s protective layer and causes you to lose more internal water through evaporation.

Sanex has done a lot of research into this problem, and I was particularly impressed with their research which has come up with Dermo Active 3 Complex* which works with your skin to offer the 3 key benefits to keep skin healthy: protection, moisturizing and rebalance.

This complex delivers skin protection by helping to maintain its natural pH and the right skin flora and thus improving skin barrier. It also reinforces the effect of skin Natural Moisturising Factor for a well hydrated and soft skin. Rebalance is achieved by restoring skin’s natural balance. Besides, Dermo Active 3 Complex* has been approved by dermatologists.

Their product that worked best for me was New Sanex Dermo Intensive  bath gel,  a gentle bath formulation containing Vitamin E which helps leave you and your skin feeling moisturised and comfortable.

* Patent pending

The prices are as follows:

All 250ml RRP: £1.89
All 500ml RRP: £3.19
650ML bath RRP:£3.19

Re: bath products, all the products are available in a bath format except for the Pro Hydrate variant

Know your skin type?  Want 50p off next purchase?  Go to http://www.sanexdiscover.co.uk/VoucherRequest.aspx
That’s why to keep your skin balanced, it’s important to moisturise your skin every day with products that protect and enhance dry skin effectively.  And I have been trying out a bath oil, which not only smells gorgeous but is a multi-purpose product.

Neom Organic Bath Oils

A friend had told me about these oils, and when I poured some into a bath and sank back – it was pure bliss.  And got me thinking:

The oils tick all the boxes for kindness to skin;
if you are like me, and go for floral scents,they come
scented with roses, lavender, lemons and other
plants and flowers that were often used in medicine.

By the time I reluctantly had dragged myself out of the bath,    I was wondering if the oil would help my hair – which has gone back to ‘straw’ thanks to the latest drug I am taking.

Pouring a few drops into the palm of my hand, I wiped this over my hair – and instant shine!  It is not a deep treatment, but for a quick fix when you want to smooth down hair, it works marvels.

Next day it was boiling hot, and I didn’t fancy smoothing one of my usual thickish body lotions all over.  The oil was there, so again I put some into the palm of my hand and this time smoothed it all over my body.

This was an instant hit;  I smelt gorgeous with the lightest scent, my skin was very smooth and even during the evening the dry, itchy patches that can turn up had disappeared.  During the hot weather we have been having recently I have been using this all over, every day, and it makes a lovely light alternative.   £32 for a 100 ml bottle.

www.neomorganics.com

And finally ……

We all tend to forget our lips, but they can really suffer from sun, hot abrasive winds, and dry atmosphere.

I have been trying out a lovely product called Calm Balm.
It comes in two ‘flavours’, and I opted for the Peppermint one. It glides on, and each time I use it I can feel the balm doing good.
The interesting thing about this product is it is also good for nails, and cuticles, particularly for ridges and other nasties.    £5.50
www.peachykeenorganics.co.uk

Summertime skin and what's hot

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New products keep your skin moist and glowing

 

It looks like summer is really here, and skincare routines need updating!

Anyone who is on drugs (medicinal ones that is), can’t afford to relax for one moment.  Even in summer drugs are still churning up nasty rough patches, losing moisture and producing wrinkles, unless we continue to zap them.

So the cleanse, tone and moisturise routine is  still important – and here are some new products that will help lift your skincare and give you lots of new benefits, because good skincare is constantly evolving and being updated.

As so many of us shop online today, I have included current cheapest price on the net, but can’t guarantee they will stay – although they should.

If  ‘Googling’ a company or product, don’t forget that many are international, so UK addresses will usually end in co.uk, rather than .com – which can lead to US dollar prices and a hefty postage bill!

Cleansing

Anyone who watches the QVC Channel knows what a boon online shopping is when you are stuck at home.

The channel are now promoting ARK skincare, who have a brilliant cleanser which they call ‘skin clear cleanser’.  It definitely wakes up skin, and is so easy to use:  just one  drop smoothed over your face, then rinse off.

 

Toner

I love the Clarins products, and currently am using the Extra-Comfort Toning Lotion.

No nasties, it is alcohol-free so doesn’t sting, is very gentle, and lasts and last  -

at a gentle price online of £10.

 

Eye Care

Winter often leaves us with fine lines around the eyes, not helped by drug-induced dry, dry skin.  I have been trying out two new creams – one under the right and the other the left.  And I have to say that the one I am using on the left-hand side is streets better:  it’s Augen, a product that QVC are about to launch, so am waiting for price.  It’s way ahead of a Japanese product which sells at £80 – so if you have fine lines ask QVC for price and I bet it’s lower than the £80 product.

Serums

Serums are the success story of skincare today,

and I am using Elemis’s Visible Brilliance every morning.

Most serums are to be used at night, but this is light enough to be worn during the daytime, so helps give dried-out skins a double whammy of TLC.

When using, they should be smoothed or patted on after the toner, and before you use a moisturiser or cream.  Cheapest price online £35.

At night-time I prefer to use an oil, and Living Nature has a brilliant Radiance Night Oil.  Not only does one wake up with a gorgeous smooth skin, but there is no oily patch on the pillow.

This is a tiny little bottle, but a minuscule amount goes a long, long way and packs a real punch when it comes to moisturising one’s face .  £44.45

Moisturiser

Final layer should be a cream;  either a light day cream, possibly one with an SPF factor of at least 30 if you are going out in the sun, or a rich one for night-time.

Because drugs try their best to ruin my skin, I believe in the double-whammy principle:  a moisturiser AND a cream with an SPF factor just before I go out.

Avene are a French company noted for skincare.  They have an extremely rich compensating cream which I use every morning, and although it is rich, it sinks in and protects my skin all day.  In France Avene have a medical treatment spa which is noted for its skincare;  (I have been told that NHS patients have managed to have funded  treatments paid for there).  £16.50.

At night, I use Clinique Comfort on Call ‘relief cream’, which seems to repair my skin overnight and leaves it well moisturised.    You can use this all day, especially if drugs have played havoc with your skin, and you want to give it a boost.  £35.

 

 

 

 

Skin protection

Elsewhere I go in to SPFs etc., but you should be looking for a minimum SPF 30 to wear outdoors all summer long, even on days when the sky is overcast.

One of my favourite products is Clinique’s Super City Block.  It’s oil-free, which means it doesn’t slide off during the day, and not only protects my face from sun AND pollution, but also leaves my skin beautifully soft all day long.

It’s slightly tinted, and is SPF 40   £15.50.

 

Fake Tan that doesn’t look fake

The media is full of photos of the Middleton family, especially the females, and even more especially their legs.  Look carefully, and you will see that they are generally tanned, which makes them look even more gorgeous!  Having a light tan makes legs look slimmer, too.

I want to look tanned, without the dreadful leathery skin, so have been investigating the newest ‘fake’ tan, which will help slim down legs, and have been using a new product, St. Moriz (sic).

This is fake tanning mousse is brilliant on my skin.      No streaks, no hard lines, it glides on and gives me a very realistic tan effect without having to wait hours.

Only thing to watch is the mousse is very light, so make sure your hand is steady and you don’t flick it around.   And it doesn’t smell (for some reason my skin used to smell awful with other fake tans – probably aided by the drugs I am on).

I couldn’t believe how smoothly St. Moriz glided on, and the colour stays for several days. I use it about once a week now, unless I want a deeper tan, in which case I put it on two or three times a week.  Best to exfoliate and moisturise beforehand, then it looks even better, and of course wash your hands after applying.  £4.99 .

And now comes St.Moriz Instant Self-Tanning Lotion, for those of you who prefer this type of application.  I have been using both mousse and lotion;  they are equally brilliant, and give a really natural-looking tan.

WARNING – fake tans generally do NOT provide sun protection.    You will need to slap on an SPF product afterwards:  look under SKIN FACTS category on this site.

And to finish off the look, St. Moriz now makes Bronzing Powders.  You brush these onto your face (no need for foundation or powder) and these give you a healthy, ‘sunkissed’ look.  I tried this out for the first time at a press party, and other journos were coming up and saying “you do look well” – two even wanted me to email them withe name of the Bronzer.  So when journos actually ASK for info from another journo, you know you are on to something good.  I am using the Light Bronzer, but there is a darker one too for when you get browner.

Incidentally this is useful for shading, as well as giving a shimmer, so I shall use it in the winter to give me a glow, and to add as a blusher.

Living Nature has come up with a range of lipsticks;  I particularly like Summer Rain and Coral Sea.  It is far better to go for coral and deep pink tones,  which these are, and are much more flattering to our skins.  They last (even when licking an ice-cream) and friends say ‘you do look well’ .Beware though!

Beward fashionable dark shades;  they  can make you look really washed out.  Our skins suffer from drug side effects, and we often look paler than before.  Slap on vampire black, and you realy do look like you are ill!

N. B. These summer products are generally cheaper than the products I recommend for winter;  this is because our skins don’t need quite as much protection from the harsh winds during the cold season.

However, if you are going to go sailing then go back to using ‘winter’ creams at night, and slap on the day creams several times a day.  If you are out on the water, where sun’s rays are magnified, and wind is strong, then a once-a-day slather is NOT enough.  It needs to be every two-three hours.

 

 

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Little bottle that zaps itchy skin

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Sasy n Savy is new kid on the block

I have been trying out a new body lotion just arrived from Australia, and suddenly realise I have stopped itching.

Called Silk Shimmer Body Lotion, I have been using it every morning after my bath.

Itches and rough patches are something we all put up with;  just remember to cream our skins twice a day instead of once when they break out.  But this natural skincare from Australia has made a big difference – I don’t keep on scratching when it’s getting late and some time away from the daily skincare routine.  Usually when we have very cold winds, I can be itching like mad – but horrid weather we had during March/April hasn’t bothered me this time

Ingredients

Reason I am not a big fan of companies that trumpet they are only made from ‘natural’ ingredients.  There are some pretty hairy natural products out there – and conversely not all chemicals are bad – and even if we add to the chemicals in our bodies, nothing the skincare boys could include in their pretty bottles would come near the lethal cocktails the medics shove into our bodies.

But ….. if a product contains lovely-sounding ingredients such as extracts from Kakadu plums, Bearberry leaf , Wild rosella flowers, Grass Lillies and lots of Australian essential oil – I’ll give it a try!

And this past month I have smoothed on the pink lotion, albeit a bit reluctantly because it disappeared immediately into my skin – but after a day or two I suddenly realised ‘no itches!’ – they’d stopped.

For a small bottle, it packs a massive punch well above its weight – and as I travel a lot this will make packing easier.  But I won’t be taking it because of that – but because itches have disappeared.

Cost:  £28   buy from Harrods or www.sasynsavy.co.uk

And don’t forget, Australia as a country has some pretty impressive cancer care – they are in the forefront of much of the research, and practical products being produced.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sun care on the NHS!

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Anthelios 50+Melt In Cream to be listed on NHS

.La Roche Posay’s anti-sun cream, Anthelios 50+, is listed on NHS lists.

If your doctor doesn’t know about this, Prescription should say 3957713 Anthelios SPF50+ Cream 50ml.

Boots tell me this line is in about 510 stores, but if not available in your local one, they can order if from central distribution, and it should be with you in about 25-48 hours.

So you can stay protected on a winter sports or winter sun holiday

This now means that if you are going on a winter sports or winter sun holiday, your doctor should be able to prescribe Anthelios cream for you, if you have had cancer.

Cancer patients are warned they must protect their skins, but up until now this has been expensive.  But parent company La Roche Posay has bit on the bullet, submitted their products to NICE’s testing – and in February are going to submit more products.

I have been using Anthelios creams for over two years, and haven’t had one burn mark – or even heated skin – even though I have been holidaying in more that 40°.  I love this cream, because it is absorbed immediately into the skin, and doesn’t leave white marks.  Being made by La Roche Posay it does my skin good – in fact I have never used a sunscreen that makes my  skin feel so soft.

The cream is water-resistant, but you must keep re-appying.  It is made in a clear formula, and also slightly tinted, for the face.  And if you have to buy it, it costs from £14 – £16 for a tube.

At last the NHS has seen sense;  it has always seemed crazy to me that our Government runs campaigns saying that we should protect our skin – then slaps VAT on to suncare products.

You are probably going to have to convince your GP that you should be protected – but you can ask the British Association of Dermatology for back-up information on how important it is for those who have had cancer to be fully protected.

www.bad.org.uk

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How to look after your face in Winter

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Two cute Tibetan girls, friends, one wearing t...
Tibetan girl   Flickr

How to protect your face from wind, rain and other winter pitfalls


Michael Winner, food critic and film director, was moaning in his column that he always loses his glasses – so being very rich (as he keeps on reminding us), he bought 35 pairs to scatter all over his house.

Now that winter is here, I am going to follow his example and buy a lip balm for every room (not quite as many as he has).  I am determined to zap all rough skin and red patches  – and if I follow my own advice I hope to sail through winter with a dewy skin (well, that’s the idea!)

First, I need to Cleanse – Tone – Protect – Moisturise – and Guard against wind and sun.  Sounds a lot to do, but if you get it down to a routine it won’t take long – promise!

Of course, you could get your mother to smother your face in lanolin, butter or some other fat, as they do to children in mountain communities all over the world,.  There are still some communties that coat their kids’ faces and bodies with butter or something similar,  sew them  into clothes in the autumn and don’t cut these off until the summer sun re-appears.  Phew!  But apparently the skin underneath is lovely and soft.

But for less drastic measures, this is the way to go!

I mention different products made by different companies.  Being female I like to mix and match, and change my products – but every company I mention makes good products for all our basic needs.

Cleanse

Never, ever use face wipes.  Yes, I know nurses give them to you in hospital, but if you could see your face in one of those camera screens used by dermatologists, you would find they leave behind a fine, dry powder, so it’s no wonder      you come out  with dreadful skin, as they dry out your skin.

Always use a good quality cleanser, the best you can buy.  Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser is doing a marvellous job on my face, and easily gets rid of dirt, grime etc.  leaving my skin soft.  Currently they have a sample size in their Pink pack for October, and the small bottle has lasted me over a month.

Tone

It’s always best to use a toner made by the same company that makes your cleanser, so I am using Elemis’s Soothing Apricot Toner.  I like the fact it has a spray pump so I don’t have to keep on taking the top on and off.

Protect

This is where Serums come in very handy.   I have been trying out iS Clinical’s Hydra-Cool Serum, and using just a few drops at night, in between Toning and Moisturising.  They have other serums, but for my skin this is the best one.

Moisturise -

Most companies make a different one to use in the morning, and a different one at night.  No, it doesn’t save money to use the same cream at both times, as each carries out a different function.  So always use a Day AND a Night Moisturiser.

Day:  I am trying out Chanel’s Hydramax + Active Cream, and it really softens and protects my skin.    Also, about twice a week, I use their Hydramax + Active Moisture Mask when I have a bath or shower, so that the steamy heat helps it to be absorbed into my skin.  Then I don’t wipe it off, but leave it on whilst I potter around the house, before putting on the Day skin cream when I go out.

It’s ironic that it was Coco Chanel who first made tanning fashionable, but recently the skincare company she founded has been making amends by producing lovely products that pamper and sooth our skin – so when you go past their elegant counters in stores, check out what is their latest product for helping our drug-dried skins.

Night:  I am using Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, not only because their products really do my skin good, but because they are tremendous supporters of breast cancer causes.  Thanks guys.  This cream not only works well, but it is very light so you don’t end up with greasy pillow cases.

Body care

Even in winter, winds and damp can penetrate beneath our clothers, and wreak havoc with out skin;  so you must still slap on the body lotion every day.  I am a real fan of Living Nature‘s clever packaging, and can write about the products as they are so good.  They make a lovely Lavender Hand and Body Lotion, which I use all over.  My skin likes the creaming, and I like the smell!  After all, Lavender is used as an antiseptic, so is very appropriate.

Your feet still need daily care with a good cream;  my favourite is Flexitol Foot Balm, which has the added joy of being prescribed by the NHS, so we get it for free (I hope you aren’t one of the thousands of cancer patients who are still paying for prescriptions?)

And every day, guard against wind and sun when you go outdoors.  I reckon this is the secret known to all good Skincare Consultants.  Recently, every time I have talked to one, whilst having a consultation or a facial, they all tell me  they don’t go outdoors without slapping on a 30+ sunscreen.  They should know, as their faces genuinely are their fortune;  what’s the first thing we do when we go for a consulation?  Yes, take a good look at THEIR skin!

If you don’t want to have horried dry, flaking lips, you will need a good lip balm;  around the house, as well as outdoors.  So I use a good Lip Balm like Rock Face’s Sheer Clear.  I went off and               bought half a dozen sticks, and there is one in every room, by my bed, next to my lap top, in the kitchen – and I use it constantly.  When I go out I have one  in the pocket of my ‘dog walking coat’ , and I always carry a Sheer Clear in my handbag, and use this as an undercoat whenever I use my lipstick.

And when you go outdoors, even when there are only grey skies, take a tip from the the best facial therapists and always wear sun protection.  Even on the dullest day there can still be sun rays breaking through the clouds, and they always wear it, “even on Christmas Day”, as one told me.  So I am a big fan of La Roche Posay, the company whose products are clinically trialled for cancer patients, and I am using their Anthelios XL 50+, which I reckon is strong enough to protect from any sun, especially if I go off on a winter holiday either in the sun or snow.  And an added bonus:  it is tinted so I don’t need a foundatio

Enjoy the winter, and hopefully you won’t have to dread the effects of wind and rain!


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Trying out skincare for the future

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It pays to be brave!

I love Elemis products, and when they offered me a Complexion Analysis I jumped at the chance  – then half way to Oxford Street realised that maybe I didn’t really want to know what I had done to my skin during all the years!

I was booked into one of their new SpaPod centres, and thinking that these were probably small and tucked away in a number of major department stores, I didn’t have much in expectations.  Boy – I soon realised these are seriously useful centres in the fight against ageing.

Elemis has a special camera in these SpaPods that takes photos of your face, then prints out scary looking photos with the exact number of wrinkles, spots, open pores and UV spots I had on my face.  I know, I know – I should take better care of my skin – but this really bought it home to me, and I could actually see what condition my skin was in.

First – the good news was that I only had three wrinkles;  this was thanks to using good skin creams such as Elemis on a regular basis.  I am doing something right!  But – I have lots of pores, and Sarah, the knowledgeable and very helpful Consultant, said I must exfoliate my facial skin twice a week.

I scored high on cleansing – Sarah congratulated me on NOT using facial wipes, and said she could always tell when customers used these as they left whitish powder marks on the skin, and were very bad for it.  So the Elemis Cream Cleanser and Soothing Apricot Toner I am using were doing their work well.

The wrinkles were kept at bay using their brilliant Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal cream, and my favourite Cream Moisturising  Mask;  Sarah gave me a tip – if I used it at night I didn’t have to wipe it off – just leave it to soak in.  Now that’s a helpful time-saving tip!  Another tip was just put a small dab of Eye Renewal cream on one finger-tip, rub opposite finger together, then that is all you need to spread on the lines under your eyes – much less than one would think.

If you have ever wondered what those pretty pink and green capsules were on the Elemis counters, Sarah showed me how to use these, and said they were excellent to counter the effects of drugs on our skin.  Use a course of them 3 – 4 times a year, she recommended, and kindly gave me a sample jar, before taking me next door to give me a blissful facial.

All in all, if you want to give yourself a treat, boost your skin when it is ‘drug laden’, and learn a lot about looking after your skin, book yourself in to the nearest Elemis counter for a Skin Consultation, Facial Mapping and Facial – this is skincare of the future, and jolly well should be prescribed on the NHS.  I am sure my facial and skin analysis did me far more good than any of the drugs that were draining away my moisture from my face.  www.elemis.com

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Weleda up for awards

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Weleda creams and lotions on shelves
Image by paz.ca via Flickr

New Products from this ethical company

Weleda has been nominated for  Ethical Living Health and Beauty Awards 2010.  This is an awards scheme that has an ethical/green perspective, so just right for this company!

I have just been trying out their Weleda Pomegranate Body Wash, which is up for one of the awards, so feel very smug.  The Body Wash is creamy, does what it says on the label – but very gently – and has an attractive hint of scent – but not too flowery.  What I also like is the packaging is an easy-to-grip re-cyclable plastic, so I don’t feel bad when I throw it away when empty.

I am also pleased that Weleda have also been nominated in the BEST OVERALL BRAND category, as quietly but effectively, they work very hard to give us products that are ethical but also do the job – so many have lots of ‘green’ credentials, but when you go to try them out they are useless, or don’t last.

And I am always a sucker for a wild rose scent, so was delighted to see when buying a new deodorant, that Weleda have a Wild Rose Deodorant.  This is very gentle, and suits my poor ‘drugged’ skin beautifully.

Their deoderant kept me smelling sweet during that lovely summer we have just had – and sadly lost.  I am beginning to wonder if all the things we are doing to save the planet are a con – ever since our Borough has gone overboard to be green and recycle just about anything you can think of, along comes the coldest winter for years, and now we are back to ‘normal’ summer and I have just turned the central heating back on!

Anyway, if you want to vote for them go to www.ethical-living.org/awards.html

(Incidentally it doesn’t involve parting with your personal details or giving further comment, and you don’t have to vote in every category so it takes less than a minute. It’s as simple as that).

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Twenty years on, and Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream still gathers fans all over the world

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Hero Product that help our skin

The people who founded Elemis twenty years ago are still there:

Sean Harrington, Noella Gabriel and Oriele Frank.

In the beauty business, it’s not often that people stick together for so long, but this proves that they make good products that the public love, and come back to time and time again.

One of their staples is their  Pro-Collagen Marine Cream;  launched in a new super-size, but otherwise giving the same benefits as it has for the past two decades.

Not surprisingly, this is now known and loved all over the world, and Noella, who is the Director of Product Development, says  “this really is the best product I have ever created and I am still so proud of it.”   And proving it works,  she hasn’t aged since the first time I met her.

The cream has been clinically trialled, and there is loads of data and tests to back up Elemis’ claims, but for me, the proof came when recently I bent down to kiss the cheek of a health journalist friend.  “Oh!  Your skin is so soft – what are you using?”  She commented.  This is music to anyone’s ears, particularly coming from a rival colleague!

Elemis make a wide range of products, and also have the flagship Spa in the middle of Mayfair – my ‘secret weapon’ when I need to zap the latest side effects from drugs – either for my body or facial skin, or when fatigue rears its ugly head.  Really, if the NHS prescribed Elemis – we wouldn’t need so many anti-depressants!

And, what is really pleasing, this is a British company yet a world-beater!

www.elemis.com

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Gwyneth Paltrow's facial comes to Britain

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Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2000 Toronto Internatio...
Gwyneth Paltrow  Wikipedia

FACIALS ARE GOOD FOR YOU

iS Clinical is an excellent skincare range that was developed for cancer patients at Washington Cancer Center. Now they have produced products to use for salon facials, under the brand name Fire and Ice.

Buzz in recent beauty columns has highlighted this new kid on the block, Fire and Ice Facial, and says this very special facial  has been  ‘discovered’ by the ‘A’ list.  This is now in demand at The Four Seasons in Hollywood by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Evangeline Lilly (of Lost fame).  It works for ‘normal’ skins, but is particularly good for those that are very dehydrated, such as anyone suffering from after-effects of drugs and antibiotics.

Fire and Ice has now come to Britain, to selected beauty salons, and I went to the M.B.N.S. Clinic in Thame, near Oxford, to try it out.  Many of the treatments are administered by therapists who were nurses before, as they see the benefits to using products that were developed at a world-famous hospital.

In Britain we tend to regard facials as ‘pampering’, not realising that keeping one’s skin clean, exfoliated and
hydrated is important for overall health.  Abroad, looking after your facial skin is regarded as important – in
Germany I discovered the renowned Klinic Bad Sulza has a ‘beauty treatment’ section, constantly working with
the medical department of the University of Jena, to provide medically-approved facials and other treatments.

The same happens in France and Italy, but in Britain, our mis-trust of ‘beauty salons’ might possibly be because so many of them employ staff who have had no medical training whatsoever.  Ask if they offer treatments for cancer patients, and they often shy away and say no.  So it was reassuring to visit M.B.N.S. (Medico Beauty Nurse Services) and find that as it was my first visit, I was interviewed by Stephanie Green, who had been a nurse in the Bone Marrow Transplant unit at Oxford’s noted John Radcliffe Hospital.

No-one is treated at M.B.N.S. without first filling out a detailed questionnaire, and then Stephanie or one of her nurse
colleagues asks more questions!  Stephanie apologised for this, but I found it 100% reassuring to know that
the salon was concerned that none of the drugs I was on would react with any of the treatment products, nor would they be doing anything that might cause further skin problems.

I had heard about Fire and Ice’s ‘glow’ effect from others who had had treatment (what the Hollywood stars
want before Oscar night), but Stephanie was very honest.  She told me the younger you are, the sooner the
‘glow’.  As you get older, it takes longer for the ingredients to penetrate and bring this out, especially if our skin
has been subjected to drugs – so it might take two or three days before we see an improvement.  And
Stephanie also warned me that I might find ‘rough’ skin appearing on the surface after my treatment, but this
would be normal as again this would be forced up to the surface.

Then I was handed over to Anne Devenport, one of the Clinic Profilers, who proceeded to work her magic on
me.  First came a very thorough cleanse, then the ‘Fire’ treatment – a mask.  Anne left this on my face for a
short time, warning me that I would probably experience tingling.  I did – but nothing to cause anxiety.
Then this was removed, another deep cleanse as she got rid of the first mask, and the ‘Ice’ mask was spread
over my face.  This was deeply soothing, and I wished I could have lain there longer!

After the facial
After the facial

Eventually this was also removed, and one of iS Clinical‘s moisturising products spread on my face.  And I
really did have a glow as I skipped (carefully) downstairs – the building is one of Thame’s old Tudor houses,
around 400 years old!

iS Clinical is a range of products developed and trialled at Washington Cancer Center over the past four
years.  Developed by Mentor (if you have a prosthethis more than likely it is one of theirs), results have been
so encouraging that they are now coming in to Britain.  These products have been taken up by the cosmetic
surgery industry, as apparently they are also excellent for ‘repairing’ faces after a face-lift!  So you are more
likely to find them recommended by a Harley Street clinic than our cancer hospitals.

After my treatment, the glow faded, but I still looked good.

Day 2 :  I started to feel a few tiny ‘rough’ patches, so did as I was told and spread my iS Clinical Youth
Complex Serum over them.

Youth complex
Youth complex

Day 3 :  my skin was starting to glow again.  Now I keep on having to feel it – all plump and soft!  (Sorry, don’t meant to sound like an advert!). But it was lovely to know the facial works.

Talking to Anne and Stephanie, they say they get people coming from all over Britain, and 10% of their clients are men.  Today, men realise they have to look after themselves, especially in ‘silicone valley’ near by, where youth or a youthful appearance is important when doing business.

They also deal with age spots, and next time I shall ask them to have a go at the ones that appeared on my left
hand after drug treatment – but not on the right!  They suggested this might be down to driving a car and
putting my arm out the window – but I don’t drive!

Both were adamant that we MUST use anti-sunburn products every day, such as iS Clinical’s SPF 25 Treatment
Sunscreen on the face every time you go out, even in the winter, as sun’s rays can attack our skin then.
Stephanie says she automatically uses sunscreen every day, (even Christmas Day when she doesn’t go out
the house), and her skin looked flawless.

The Fire and Ice Facial costs £80 – 130, depending on salon;  I paid £100.

The clinic also treats other skin conditions, including Rosacea.  They are experts at dealing with this condition,
and have a range of treatments and back-up products.

www. mbnsclinic.co.uk 01844-213007.

For more information, particularly about medical trials, see www.isclinical.com

Some other centres offering Fire and Ice:
Absolutely Skin, Chelmsford;
Spire Wellesley, Southend;
Spire Roding, Ilford.
Cosmex Cinic in Cambridge;
All Over Beauty, Bury St. Edmonds
The Medical Aesthetics Clinic in Winchester.

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