| Eyelashes to dye for?
If
you’ve read Heather Redmond’s
Diary of a Part-Time Pessimist this month, you
will know that she had her eyelashes dyed. Not a
complete success, she says, because her eyelashes are on the short side. And if lashes are sparse the effect won’t be so
great either. But still better than nothing, if
nothing is the norm when you’re in a hurry.
You can buy home kits for dying
lashes but follow directions for allergy testing first. If
you book at a beauty salon, expect to pay from about £10.
And remember, the effect is only as permanent as the staying power of your lashes. As they fall out and replace themselves, they revert to
pale again.
Eyebrow boost
Some
salons offer brow tinting too, if you want to save time and money on the eyebrow pencil. Don’t even think about dying your own with the
hair colouring mix if you tint your hair at home. Hair
dyes are not designed for brows and could cause skin irritation.
Now that eyebrows are considered a
fashion statement and no longer just redundant hairy bits that are supposed to provide
some kind of eye protection, look out for eyebrow shapers which give a more subtle effect
than a pencil. Elizabeth Arden make one for about £16. Their
brown shade looks a bit light in the pack, but it works better than black even on dark
brows.
Previous editions of Looking Good in laterlife
Edition 1 (including a visit
to Estee Lauder)
Edition 2 (including a visit to
Clarins)
Edition 3 (including a visit
to Medestea Internazionale
Edition 4 (including
a visit to Martha Hill Skincare)
Edition 5 (including
a visit to Harrods)
Edition 6 (Including a visit to
Belgravia Centre)
Edition 7 (Including a visit
to Vichy Laboratoire)
Edition 8 (Including a visit
to Avene Spa)
Edition 9 (Including fashion
tips)
Edition 10 eyebrows,
eyelashes, sun and skin
 
|
 |
Out of the sun
Vichy
is running its Sun Protection Centres again, introduced last year to help people protect
against melanoma, skin cancer. If you ring
Freephone 0800 169 6193, you can make a booking to see one of their healthcare
professionals at their nearest centre. You’ll learn your skin photo-type, be told about your UV
damage assessment and get to know how much time you can spend in the sun without incurring
further damage. A consultation lasts 10-15 minutes
and is free. But you will of course be encouraged
to buy Vichy products afterwards, selected to suit your personal requirements.
In Australia, it is illegal to sell
suncream with an SPF higher than 30, though some skin specialists say that a factor 60 may
be safer for very sensitive skins. There is
little real increase in protection between a factor 30 and a factor 60, say Delph, another
maker of suncreams. And the higher value may
give sun worshippers a false sense of safety. Delph
suncreams are good value with prices starting at £2.99, and they come with a free bottle
of after-sun lotion, available from Boots and other chemists.
For sensitive skins, look at the
Avene range. There are three new products this season. Eau Thermale Avene SPF 20 Gel Cream is designed for oily
skins and gives a matte finish. The SPF 20 Spray is
again non-greasy and recommended for anyone playing sports.
Their Extreme Sunblock cream with SPF 60, introduced last year, is designed for ’extreme conditions - sea,
mountains, for children and for hypersensitive skins suffering from sun-related allergies
or skin conditions’. And their new After Sun
Moisture Repair Lotion contains their unique thermal spring water, vitamins and soothing
moisturizer. Prices are from £8 -£10, available
from Boots and other chemists.
Essentials for the bath
Skin
dryness due to atopic dermatitis often gets worse with age, so a couple of new products to
make bathtime a pleasure are good news. Both
contain Omega 6, an essential fatty acid that interacts with key enzymes and helps
regulate inflammatory processes. The other big
ingredient is a specially formulated variety of oat chosen for its anti-inflammatory and
protective qualities.
A-Derma Exomega Treatment Bath is
non-foaming, soothing and calming, and replaces the need for soap, rinsing or scrubbing. A-Derma Exomega Shower and Bath Oil is a foaming
oil-based formulation that softens the skin and alleviates dryness. Both are priced at £9 available from chemists.
Previous Visits
laterlife.com
occasionally visits one of the great cosmetic houses, up-and-coming beauty collections or
other organisations of interest to the more mature visitor.
Edition 1 Estee Lauder
Edition 2 Clarins
Edition 3 Medestea Internazionale
Edition 4 Martha Hill
Skincare
Edition 5 Harrods
Edition 6 The Belgravia Centre
Edition 7 Vichy Laboratoire
Edition 8 Avene Spa
|
A vast industry is out there to help with all and every beauty concern. In
this column every month laterlife.com will report on ideas and products, old and
new. The practical results of everything from creamy cleansers to mud baths will be
brought to you. All with the focus on maturity of course.
