Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic

Welcome to our new weekly column on the YOU magazine website, www.you.co.uk  Below you will find the current question and our advice, with a list of where to source the products mentioned.  To look at past columns, click here. And for lots more solutions to your beauty dilemmas, visit Q&A, just click here.

May 17th, 2009:  Rosacea

Q Since I started experiencing symptoms of the menopause - including hot flushes and night sweats - I have also noticed that the skin on my forehead is red and itchy, with raised bumps, sometimes even spotty. Can you tell what's happening - and what I might do about it?

A  We think you may be suffering from rosacea, a bothersome inflammatory skin condition which, in some women, makes it first appearance leading up to the menopause.

Rosacea causes facial redness and swelling, sometimes developing into pimples and visible blood vessels. It may also affect the scalp, neck and other areas of the upper body. It is very common, especially in women and people with lighter skin, blonde hair and blue eyes (although all skin types can have it).

The precise cause is a mystery but one explanation is that something – eg, heredity, environment, drugs or possibly hormonal factors – cause the blood vessels to swell, leading to the characteristic flushing and redness. Other culprits may be bacteria, or mites in hair follicles. In some cases, the immune system may be involved.

A friend who suffers from this and has tried a range of products (in all price brackets) and highly recommends the Cowshed range of plant-based skincare, which is designed to be therapeutic. (Although not totally natural, they are free from parabens, sulphates, petrochemical and artificial colours, and contain an average of 80% organic ingredients.) She uses: 

Lavender Gentle Cleanser, £16 for a generous 250ml pump dispenser (‘gives instant relief’)

Chamomile Refreshing Toner, £16 for 250ml  (‘calming and refreshing without any trace of drying’

Neroli Nourishing Daily Moisturiser, £30 for 50ml (‘heaven!’)

Weleda Iris Refreshing Gel Masque, £7.95 for 30ml: ‘I was desperate to cool the itching, so one day I tried this – result! It had an instant cooling and soothing effect and the bumps and redness went right down. Now I apply it each morning for five to ten minutes, then wash it off with cool water.’

We do suggest you discuss your condition with your GP, however, who may refer you to a dermatologist.

We . . .

Another hit of lavender with Lulu’s Time Bomb Hand to Hand Combat Hand Cream, £13.50 for 75 ml (luluspace.co.uk).  Lulu – yes, singing superstar Lulu – has been intimately involved in the creation of her skincare and body care range, and this is her latest: an anti-ageing hand cream that’s rich but sinks in really fast. (Which has to be any busy woman’s hand cream priority.) The lightweight flip-top tube is slim enough for a handbag, and we’re also keen on the straight-from-Provençe lavender scent.  

(An essential oil fanatic, lavender’s one of Lulu’s favourites…)

Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic - Archive

May 10th, 2009 - Manky Feet
May 3rd, 2009 - Makeup Makeover
April 26th, 2009 - Facial Hair Removal
April 19th, 2009 - Teen Skin
April 12th, 2009 - Swimmers Hair
April 5th, 2009 - Make-up For Damaged Skin
March 29th, 2009 - Are Sunbeds Safe?
March 22nd, 2009 - Weak, Flaking Nails
March 15th, 2009 - Puffy Eyes
March 8th, 2009 - Camouflaging Red Cheeks
March 1st, 2009 - Hair Colouring in Pregnancy
February 22nd, 2009 - Thinning Eyebrows
February 15th, 2009 - Acne