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Q Please, please tell me whether there is an EFFICIENT eye shadow primer on the market? My eyeshadow always creases and I have tried several of the best-known eyeshadow primers on the market (M.A.C., YSL, Urban Decay etc.) By the way I am 64, so not young skin any more - but love my make-up!
A If you're having trouble ensuring eyeshadow stays put, we suggest switching the shadow - not necessarily the primer, as these obviously don't work well for you. The most durable eyeshadow range we know is by Revlon ColorStay, who offer 12 Hour Eyeshadows, £5.29 each, and also Eyeshadow Quads, priced £5.99 - we like the Neutral Khakis and In The Buff, both very wearable combinations of this long-lasting powder shadow. You can find them in Boots or on-line at www.boots.com, if you click here. Sarah, though, swears by BeneFit Lemon Aid, £15.50, a yellow, creamy shadow base which glides on and - she swears - turbo-charges the staying power of her shadows. You can find it at www.HQhair.com, where you'll of course enjoy your 10% 'insider' discount.
Q I have very dry, sometimes sore patches fanning out from the inner corner of my eye underneath my bottom eyelashes. When I touch the areas they feel rough and have a few tiny lines, as well. I have tried a couple of eye creams but they don't seem to help at all. I have also just purchased the mini eye kit from Liz Earle Naturally Active but don't want to use it until I have received some advice from you. Any suggestions, please?
A We wonder if you use eye make up remover, or possibly toner, which is triggering this reaction. If you do, we suggest stopping now to see if it makes a difference. To treat the problem, we suggest trying Dry Skin Eye Gel, £8.99/30ml, by Skin Shop, a very light moisturising gel, which is especially formulated with cardiospermum (an excellent anti-inflammatory herb) to relieve dry itchy skin round the eyes. Find it on-line at www.skinshop.co.uk by clicking here.
Q I have been having regular blonde highlights on my medium length, fine, dark blonde hair for around ten years. I have become increasingly concerned about the effect of chemical hair dyes on my hair, my health, the colourist and the environment. I am now wondering if there are any salons which specialise in non-chemical highlighting and/or products which can be applied at home to good effect.
A If you're having highlights with hydrogen peroxide - which is usually how highlights are achieved - you don't need to fret too much about the chemical effects; hydrogen peroxide actually breaks down into oxygen. It is the darker dyes that have bigger question marks over them, because to achieve the coverage, they rely on chemicals called PPDs - short for para-phenylediamines, which are derived from coal tar, a known carcinogen). We suggest that you ask your colourist to check on the box. To be honest, there aren't any non-chemical treatments which lighten hair, although using a chamomile rinse may slightly 'lift' blonde hair, but nothing to rival your salon highlights. You might be relieved to know that Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton, author of Stop The 21st Century Killing You (available second-hand through www.amazon.co.uk if you click here), who has spent years researching environmental chemicals, still has her hair highlighted! Although she takes a supplement cocktail to help her body eliminate any nasties: for her recipe, see The 21st Century Beauty Bible.
Q Can a gal who doesn't live in the UK order from Liz Earle? The website said 'worldwide' but the sub headings were Germany, UK and Australia. I live in the States, BUT if it would help get my foot in the door, my great-grandmother did live in Kent!
A The good news (and we feel rather proud about this, having known Lizzie since long, long before she started her beauty range) is that there is now a US website for Liz Earle Naturally Active, if you log on to www.lizearle.com, and look again under 'Worldwide' - or click here, and you'll be whisked straight to the US site.
Q Where is the best place to buy carrier oils?
A 'Carrier oils' are the base oils to which you add essential oils for skincare treatments, massages etc. It is important, we feel, to buy good quality oils and not always to choose the cheapest oils on the market: our experience is you get what you pay for. We recommend the range by Neal's Yard Remedies, which includes a wide selection of organic oils - such as sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed and almond - many of which are organic; find them at www.nealsyardremedies.com; you can also find almond, grapeseed, wheatgerm, avocado and jojoba oils at www.victoriahealth.com, if you click here.
Q I was diagnosed with MS in 1999. By now, I've had so many drugs my skin looks flat and blotchy. I'm looking for a good tinted moisturizer for daily use. I use Liz Earle cleansing products which do help, but apart from peels - and maybe a face lift - make-up will have to do!
A We're so sorry to hear about your illness but tinted moisturiser is a good idea. There is actually a whole Tinted Moisturiser Tried & Tested section in our book The Handbag Beauty Bible, which you might want to look at. Our personal recommendations are - from Jo - Estée Lauder Daywear Plus Multi Protection Antioxidant SPF15, £28, a light grey cream which transforms into a sheer, flattering sun-kissed tint; find it at Lauder's site by clicking here. Sarah likes organic Lavera Laveré Tinted Balance, £22.50. (You enjoy a 10% discount if you buy this on-line at www.soorganic.com; just click here.) Her new fave is another organic product called Santé Bronzing Fluid, a concentrated tint with lotus and white tea, which is designed to be mixed with your favourite moisturiser. That's £14.40 from www.avea.co.uk
Q When taking AgeLoss capsules, would you recommend also taking vitamin pills, evening primrose etc. or is it better to use them on their own?
A AgeLoss does well combined with Essential Oil Formula and All Natural
Perfectly Balanced MultiNutrient, both of which feature in our Feel Fab Forever Capsule Collection. We prefer Essential Oil Formula to evening primrose because the product contains the precursor for omega-3 fatty acids, rather than omega-6, which is found in evening primrose oil. According to experts, most people have far too much omega-6 in their diet anyway. The ratio of omega-3 to -6 should be about 1:4 (opinions vary, but it is currently about 1:16 for most of the population). We tend to take a course of AgeLoss for three months, then give it a rest for one month. We take the Essential Oil Formula and All Natural Perfectly Balanced MultiNutrient daily. You can find the whole collection on-line at www.victoriahealth.com, if you click here.
Q I'm a woman in my early thirties with a few dark hairs on my upper lip, chin, stomach and around the nipples. I don't suffer from hormone imbalance; it's just that I started to get rid of the hairs with tweezers and now they have grown very dark and thick. I've been told not to use the tweezers by a beauty therapist. What would you recommend as a long term solution and as a short term solution? Is laser to recommend or would something like the Nad's Facial Wand Kit be the preferred option?
A We don't think you need to go down the laser route (and would certainly never recommend having breast hairs lasered; nobody knows what the long-term effects of 'zapping' that area might be). Electrolysis is almost certainly your best bet (although do be prepared for some pain around the nipples.) Also known as epilation, it removes hair once and for all, zapping it with an electrical charge through a Biro-like disposable needle. There are different types of electrolysis available: short-wave diathermy (the 'basic' form of electrolysis), and the 'blend' method. In both 'basic' and 'blend' electrolysis, a very fine needle is inserted into the hair follicle and an electrical current is passed through it. In 'basic' electrolysis, this current creates heat, which dries up the blood supply and destroys the root. But if the hair isn't at the right stage of growth, or the needle misses, the hair comes out - but the root's still there to face another current, another time. 'Blend' electrolysis combines the 'basic' with a second current (called a galvanic current) which destroys the root through a chemical enzyme reaction. This can eliminate hairs at any stage of growth, so in theory you'll destroy more hairs at one go, although a course may still be needed. Electrolysis should always be carried out by a reputable, properly qualified electrolysist - in the wrong hands, it can lead to local infection or even scarring; contact the British Institute and Association of Electrolysists on www.electrolysis.co.uk, who can supply a list of qualified practitioners.
Q I have just bought The 21st Century Beauty Bible and Feel Fab Forever - both of which are good reading. However, I am now totally confused as to what I should be buying - I can choose the brand, but need a list of purchases, i.e. skin, body and supplements. I am almost 56 years old, overweight but working on this, and have my mum's good skin (although I know I neglect it). Please advise what I need - I can choose the brand but need a list of purchases i.e. skin, body and supplements etc.
A OK, your shopping list (and the good news is it's probably shorter than you expected): a great cleanser and a 'miracle' cream, as you're over 40. Add in an anti-ageing eye cream, if you're worried about the eye zone.
In addition, we would suggest one of the anti-ageing body creams featured in Feel Fab Forever, which can double as a hand cream. A favourite of ours - and our testers -is REN Wild Yam with Omega 7 Body Cream, which is £32.50, with 10% off to our www.beautybible.com insiders at www.HQhair.com if you click here. Truly, that's all you really need - any other cosmetics are entirely optional. But we would suggest that you take a 'beauty from within' approach, at the same time, and try both the Age-Loss and Meno-Herbs supplements which are part of our Feel Fab Forever Capsule Collection - the supplements we actually take ourselves, and which you can find on-line at www.victoriahealth.com, if you click here. They are available individually, or as a whole set.
Q With spring in the air and nice days around the corner I was wondering what product you could advise me on that I could use on my legs so that I can go bare-legged in the summer - something that would disguise blemishes, a few fine veins, 'plucked skin' from waxing etc. I have tried the tanning body lotions which add a lovely colour but I need some coverage.
A To be honest, the only product that will achieve all of that is - a pair of tights.! Not very helpful, but even leg tints and self-tanners can only achieve so much. Our favourites are Guerlain Teint Doré Moisturizing Bronzing Spray for the Body, £21 at Guerlain counters nationwide and Duwop Revolotion, £15.95, from www.HQhair.com (but remember you get your special 10% discount on that), just click here.
Q I'm looking for an eye cream to smoothen fine lines. I'm 32 but the skin under my eyes is quite lined. There are so many creams I'm overwhelmed!
A The two highest-scoring products in our Tried & Tested Anti-Ageing category for The Handbag Beauty Bible are really beauty 'splurges' from Crème de la Mer and Guerlain - and we're not sure that at 32, it's worth swinging for them. We can, though, recommend Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair for Eyes, £32.00 (which scored 7.77 marks out of 10) - find it here on Lauder's website. Comments included: 'Fine lines definitely blurred; touch of crêpiness disappeared - I've found my miracle eye cream and will be buying this forever', and 'I noticed a difference within a week and so did other people; fine lines definitely went in under six weeks, and whole eye area was brighter and "lifted". Only slightly less high-scoring was L'Oréal Wrinkle De-Crease Eyes, at just £8.69, which elicited comments like 'within days, there was a noticeable improvement in lines', and 'put this on husband's deep lines and wrinkles, too - we have a baby and our eyes show how exhausted we are; this was a miracle worker.' Jo's own recommendation, meanwhile - great for younger eyes - is Champneys All In One Complete Eye Treatment, which also conceals dark circles and soothes tired eyes; it's now available on-line at Champneys' website, if you click here.
Q Chanel have recently discontinued my favourite foundation! I like coverage but a lightweight feel - not a Polyfilla type! I was considering trying one of the mineral powder types. Any suggestions?
A We like the sheer but flaw-disguising coverage given by Susan Posnick's Colorflo, which goes on as a powder (from a special smart pump dispenser with a fab brush at the end) and then morphs into a foundation finish as it warms on your skin. £44.95, refills £21.95, in 13 shades (including for Asian skins), for details of suppliers, visit www.susanposnick.com and then go to the button marked 'locations'. Daniel Sandler Mineral Sheer Tint SPF20, £20, is an oil-free, slightly thicker cream, which gives a flawless finish and will conceal slight blemishes.
Q I wonder if you can help? My friend's daughter is severely nut allergic and desperate to use make-up. All the make-up brands (natural, organic etc) all use palm oils or some such product which makes them dangerous for her. Do you know of any products or companies that might be able to help us?
A We talked to Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, editor of Foods Matter magazine for allergy sufferers (www.foodsmatter.com), who says that since palm oil is from coconut trees and coconuts are not 'tree nuts', palm oil does not fall under the usual allergic hat. Although, she says, it is possible to have a quite separate allergy to coconut and therefore to palm oil, it is very rare. If your friend's daughter is worried about other nut ingredients in makeup, there's a useful site called www.nutallergies.com , which lists the Latin names of allergenic ingredients in soaps, cosmetics and personal care products. Another useful US site is www.thriftyfun.com , where the message board says that The Body Shop has an allergy-free line, and also recommends making your own skincare. Jo's book - The Ultimate Natural Beauty Book (click here to find it on Amazon) - has many nut-free recipes for at-home cosmetics.
Q You used to have a click-thru to Ariane Poole's cosmetics, but I can't find anywhere on-line to buy her products. Can you help?
A Happy to help! The entire range by this fab make-up artist is available at www.askariane.com. Enjoy rediscovering her!
Q I have no sense of smell whatsoever and need to know what to buy in terms of candles, room fragrances, bath oils. I want something light and floral. I've read info on Jo Malone's Lime Blossom and Liz Earle Harmony; would these work and can you recommend anything else? I am a 'young-ish' 53.
A Oh, gosh, a tough one - we're very taken with the new Floracologie range, available at larger Sainsbury's stores, with fragrances created by talented aromatherapist Glenda Taylor; the range is Lie Back in Lavender and Bed of Roses, and the products also incorporate Bach Flower Remedies, which work on an 'energetic' level, so may have some therapeutic effect even if you can't smell the delightful bath treats themselves; Bed of Roses Bath Soak and Lie Back in Lavender Bath Milk are each £5. On the candle front, without exception we love all the creations by Natural Magic, which are all-natural and scented with divine aromatherapy blends - can't go wrong, really; they're at www.naturalmagicuk.com. (But as you don't have a sense of smell, do be extra-cautious about leaving lit candles in an unattended room, as you may not be alerted in the unlikely event that they catch anything alight.)
Q Hi, I am looking for one product that moisturises, protects and gives the skin on my face a healthy glow. I would also like it to be organic (i.e. without all the chemicals!).
A We can think of just one product that truly meets this challenge: Juice Beauty SPF30 Tinted Moisturiser, which combines full-spectrum sun protection with antioxidant ingredients like white grape and pomegranate juices, and is lightly tinted to minimise flaws. Find it on-line at www.skinstore.co.uk, if you click here, price £22.20.
Q How can you claim to be the world's largest sampling programme? Are you telling me there is nowhere in the US with testing groups larger than yours?
A It is just possible - although we seriously doubt it - that some skincare companies have larger groups of panellists to test their own skincare creations, but we can absolutely assure you that there is nobody in the world working completely independently, testing products from such a wide variety of brands (over 250 brands, in all). It is a mammoth operation, only made possible with the kind co-operation of a huge number of beauty companies around the world. Every single product we test goes to 10 women, and the scores are amazingly consistent: either a product works, or it doesn't. There's very little middle ground. Most Tried & Testeds you read in magazines and in books are carried out on one tester - or two, max, whereas in all we have recruited over 3,500 testers. If there's anyone out there who's done this on a bigger scale, they're very welcome to challenge us!
Q After reading all the great comments in your Beauty Bible books for facial oils, I wanted to try them myself. But would you recommend facial oils even for combination skin? I have never used these before so can you recommend a good regime to follow after a facial oil - is it still necessary to use a moisturiser, for instance?
A According to one of our very favourite facialists, Amanda Lacey: 'The biggest misconception about using a facial oil is that it gives you spots or makes skin greasy. On the contrary, many creams are complicated formulations and can plug pores. Plant oils have a finer molecular structure. The body has its own oil-producing sebaceous glands, so oil is something your skin recognises and absorbs more effectively.' We especially recommend Vaishaly Patel Night Nourisher Normal/Combination, which is £65 (Freephone Product Order Line 0808 144 6700), and Dr. Hauschka Normalising Day Oil - their website www.drhauschka.co.uk offers a trial size for just £3, so you can check it out (full-size is £18 for 30 ml.) You don't need moisturiser as well as facial oil - but in summer, you may want to use a sun-protective cream by day, and facial oil for night. (In fact in most cases, we recommend facial oils for night-time use. No need to wear anything else, then - except a nightie, of course!)
Q I suffer from keratosis pilaris and have unfortunately passed it on to my two children. can you suggest any products that will help with the redness and rough skin. I heard that Neutrogena and the DermaDoctor had some products? If so have you any feedback on them? PLEASE can you help?
A Consultant dermatologist Dr Nicholas Lowe of the Cranley Clinic in London doesn't advise using either of those two brands. As an over-the-counter measure, he suggests Dermol 500 for bathing and also Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion to moisturise afterwards. But he emphasises that you should really consult a dermatologist. If this is difficult, or you are having to wait a long time, discuss with your GP the possibility of having a prescription for Zorac (tazarotene) gel. But you must be very careful with this: you leave it one for just five minutes, no longer, then wash off in the bath or shower with Dermol 500. Some laser therapy and peels may help, but again this must be explored with an experienced dermatologist.
Q Can you please tell me is Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Shower & Bath Oil available in Australia.
A Aromatherapy Associates' Australia office can either put you in touch with a local distributor or mail order direct to you; just e-mail info@aromatherapyassociates.com.au, and we're sure they'll help.
Q Please help! I feel that my skin is very loose, with folds near my mouth giving me a droopy look. I have been told the CACI facial is quite good for firming but I find this expensive - can facial exercises really work? How much improvement can there really be in lifting and defining the cheekbones (mine are non-existent). Also, does weight gain play an important part? I am trying to lose about 14 lbs. (I am 34 years old.)
A We do know women who have had extremely good results from facial exercises, and usually point people who want to try this in the direction of Eva Fraser's DVDs, available at www.evafraser.com. But - big but - you've got to be completely devoted, and do the exercises religiously (and it takes up a lot of time.) Instead, we suggest you try yoga, which has a wonderful toning effect on the face - and the rest of the body. (We know several 70-something women with fabulous facial contours, and they put it down to yoga.) But yes, losing weight will have an effect - if you're overweight, you might find that cheekbones magically appear, when you slim down, and that your jaw-line sharpens, too. Above all? Don't obsess about this. We all have plus points and flaws, and you almost certainly have other features which people notice, rather than the loose skin/lack of cheekbones which you fixate on, when you look in the mirror. It's the overall picture - the sparkle in your eyes, your smile - which other people see.
Q Would you have the contact number or e-mail address for Joan Price's Face Place?
A Sadly, Joan Price's Face Place has long since closed - and today, there's nothing really like her wonderful 'playground' of make-up... So these days, we recommend Jenny Jordan Eyebrow & Make-Up Clinic, at 22 Englands Lane, Belsize Park, London NW3; Jenny has expert knowledge across a huge selection of brands and gives totally unbiased advice, and will help teach you many new make-up skills during a lesson with her, which is well worth the investment of £155 for an hour-and-a-quarter. (You need to book, of course, on 020-7483 2222; visit www.jennyjordan.co.uk for more info.)
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