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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on 23 December 2011 13:37
 Caring for your skin over the festive period. The holiday festivities are well under way and we have
another week or more to go. While it’s all great fun, usually we are left with
the tell tale signs on our skin – not to mention our waistlines and wallets.
While I can’t help to control your bank balance or calorie intake, I can offer
some tips to surviving the party season with your skin intact(ish)!
1. Prevention is better than cure. If you anticipate a
late night, drink plenty of water between drinks to help keep skin hydrated.
(It will help with hangovers too). Leave your cleanser and a clean cloth out
where you can quickly pick them up on your way to bed, reducing the likelihood of
sleeping with your makeup on.
2. If you do sleep in your makeup, I recommend an enzyme
exfoliation next morning followed by a deep oil treatment such as my Nourishing
Oil. Apply 6 drops over a freshly exfoliated face, then go back to bed for
twenty minutes with a cup of tea while it does its work.
3. Give your skin extra nourishment daily as a protection
against dehydration. A couple of drops of rosehip seed oil, or other
non-fragrant facial oil, under your moisturiser every day will ensure that your
skin retains water and is supplied with essential fatty acids.
4. Try to relax. I know it’s hard when you have a million
things to do, but stress will exacerbate breakouts in people prone to acne or
can cause rosacea flare ups in others.
5. If you are prone to spots, go easy on the dairy
products and salty foods.
6. If you are prone to facial redness avoid spicy foods,
shellfish, fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine. (Ok, that’s hard, but at least
be aware that they are potential triggers).
7. If your Christmas is more walks on the beach than drinks by the fire then remember you still need an SPF 30 every day and in cold or windy weather I recommend using a barrier cream on top, such as my Winter Skin Balm to give you an extra layer of protection.
8. Remember that sugar is an ageing agent on the skin, so think twice before you have that extra piece of chocolate.
9. Eat lots of fruit and veg. We all tend to ignore the fruit bowl at Christmas when there's much more 'interesting' fare on offer but be nice to your skin and feed it lots of anti-oxidants from the inside too.
10. A smile is a great facial treatment! A good laugh
takes years off you and is the best form of relaxation. Enjoy the time off
work, catch up with friends and try not to fight with your family!
Have a very Happy Christmas. Mariga x |
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on 17 December 2011 11:33
 What age should you start using anti-ageing products?
When thinking about anti-ageing products the rule is prevention is better that cure so anti-ageing should be the first skincare we use. Taking care of your skin’s health and protecting it from the sun are the best anti-ageing weapons so simply using an SPF30 every day, drinking water, eating well and getting enough sleep are your first anti-ageing steps that you should be using right from childhood!
As you get older, presuming you don’t have to deal with acne or rosacea or other skin condition, you should add a serum which will give your skin all it needs to keep healthy such as my Daily Nutrient Serum. I would recommend a multi-vitamin product like this from your twenties to be used at night on normal skin after cleansing. If your skin is dry you will need a facial oil.
In your thirties to forties, depending on past sun exposure and other skin damage, you can replace this with a serum designed to boost your natural collagen production. This gives your skin cells all the ingredients necessary for it to stay functioning as younger skin does, replacing dwindling natural supplies of essential ingredients.
In your forties to fifties and beyond, repeated sun exposure and other lifestyle damage can show on your skin. It is then time to use a repair treatment to reduce lines, dark spots and old acne marks. My Overnight Repair Cream is designed for treating all the signs of ageing that have already shown on your face.
These are general guidelines, it is always best to have your skin professionally analysed if possible to determine your personal needs.
Thanks for your question, I hope this gives you the information you were looking for. If anyone else has a question they would like featured, please leave it in a comment.
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on 08 December 2011 17:32
 I was sent a tweet today asking me about propylene glycol in
cosmetics. The question specifically was whether there are any skincare
products on the market which don’t contain propylene glycol.
Reading between the lines on this I imagine that the
questioner has read the scare stories that abound on the internet. These
usually relate to the fact that propylene glycol can be found in anti-freeze
products such as airplane de-icers. While this may sound alarming, it is like
saying that there is also water in both anti freeze and cleanser thereby
concluding that water in skincare products must be bad for you! Remember, anyone can post anything on the
net, when you come across something like this, always consider the source.
Peer-reviewed scientific studies are the only reliable source of information on
topics such as these.
If you are not familiar with propylene glycol, it is a
clear, odourless liquid which is often used in cosmetic formulations,
foodstuffs, fragrances and, yes, anti-freeze. (Of course the concentrations vary widely between applications). It functions as a solvent for other
ingredients, an emollient to add ‘slip’ and helps other ingredients penetrate
the skin barrier. It also acts as a humectant, absorbing water from the air. It
has been approved as safe to use by all the relevant government bodies here and
in the US. (See links below ). A quick
check on wiki will give you links to other reliable sources, all agreeing that
PG is non-irritant to skin even in higher concentrations than are commonly used
in cosmetic preparations. It usually appears in concentrations of less than 5%
in skincare.
So, are there any skincare products on the market which don’t
contain PG? There are, if that is what is important to you just check the label;
it is required by law to list all ingredients. Sorry, I don’t know specifically
which ranges, I don’t carry that much info around in my head! In my Skin Essentials by Mariga range propylene glycol is present in the
Daily Nutrient Serum at a concentration of less than 1%. I hope this answers your question, please keep sending them
in, I love to hear from skincare fans. What other internet scares have you worried? Discuss in a
comment!
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Mariga Sheedy: Posted on 01 December 2011 16:45
 Bad acne? Good news!
Acne comes in many forms and while you may feel hard done by
if your particular type is red, inflamed and angry while your friend has a few
blackheads and occasional spots, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. You will be pleased to know that the worst
acne is actually the easiest to treat and control! This is because these types
of acne eruptions are closer to the surface and so respond much better to
treatment. Of course, you must be on the correct treatment to begin with. Most acne cases will fall into one of the four grades below:
Grade I: Blackheads
Grade II: Blackheads and whiteheads
Grade III: Above plus papules (red, raised spots) and
pustules (infected spots)
Grade IV: Above plus deep, hard nodules. This is known as
cystic acne.
Grades III and IV are actually the easiest to bring under
control but also the most likely to scar so it is important that you take advice
from a skincare professional as soon as possible to reduce the instance of
post-acne scarring and other marking. With your personalised Skin Essentials by Mariga acne treatment
programme you can expect to see major improvement within 3 months with
compliance. Book your assessment now on 053 9145981 and take back control of
your skin.
Photos:
A.D.A.M. acne.about.com |
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