Jo and Sarah answer real questions from readers: to put your query, go to beautybible.com
Q I have hormone-related red lumps – they’re deep not like acne spots, plus an oily T-zone and super sensitive skin. I’ve tried a variety of leading brands but nothing seems to help. Do you have any advice?
A We sent your longer email to cosmetic doctor Rabia Malik, a GP with a special interest and training in skin concerns (www.drrabiamalik.com). She says that the condition you describe sounds as if it may be rosacea. The main symptom of this chronic inflammatory skin condition is facial pustules, which are often associated with redness and flushing.
Rosacea is often mistaken for acne, eczema or a skin allergy. (Confusingly, the proper medical name is acne rosacea though it’s not acne as we know it.) It would be wise for you to talk to your doctor and, depending on the outcome, consider asking for a referral to a dermatologist.
Meanwhile, Dr Malik suggests simplifying your skincare routine so you avoid potentially irritating ingredients that could be a trigger for breakouts. At the same time, you need to ensure you are cleansing your skin effectively so that a build up of debris is not causing breakouts.
Dr Malik suggests that a good overall cleanser for your concerns is Cosmedix Benefit Clean Gentle Cleanser, £42.03 for 150ml, which is formulated for sensitive and reactive skins. A lower-priced alternative is Medik8 Clarifying Foam Oil-Free AHA/BHA Blemish Cleanser, with a 40ml size for just £7.
Dr Malik also recommends nourishing your skin with a serum such as Cosmedix Clarity Anti-Blemish Serum. ‘If your skin feels dry, I would recommend a moisturiser such as MV Organic Skincare Rose Soothing & Protective Moisturiser, which will hydrate your skin without overloading.’ From £27 for 15ml, cultbeauty.co.uk.
There is conflicting evidence on whether sunlight adversely affects rosacea sufferers. But in general it is wise to heed safe sun advice. Cancer Research UK has straightforward guidelines: see Ways to enjoy the sun safely at cancerresearchuk.org.
Dr Malik also says it is crucial to try to figure out the triggers for your breakouts. ‘A food diary is a good start. Other common triggers can be alcohol and/or exposure to environmental triggers such as temperature change, cigarette smoke, pet hair, urban pollutants and other allergens.’
She adds that many long term skin conditions benefit from improving gut health so a course of probiotics would be worth trying, in tandem with an anti-inflammatory diet, rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and oily fish, plus drinking plenty of still filtered water. (Three different colleagues have just finished a 12-week programme of Symprove probiotics and seen multiple improvements; for more information, symprove.com.)
Beauty Bible loves…
Pixi by Petra Rose Body Travel Kit, £22. At the recent unveiling of 80 – yes, EIGHTY! – new products joining the Pixi line-up of skincare, make-up and bodycare recently, we swooped upon these lovely, gentle (and really quite surprisingly natural) additions to the range.
This travel trio set offers a great introduction so that you don’t ONLY have to take our word for the fab-ness of these three. Delicately and prettily infused with rose scents (something we know that Beauty Bible readers and testers for our Awards just love, love, love), you’ll find these in the kit…
Pixi by Petra Rose Body Travel Kit. This travel trio set offers a great introduction so that you don’t ONLY have to take our word for the fab-ness of these three
• Rose Body Cleanser – gently cleansing, it leaves skin super-soft and not at all ‘stripped’, thanks to the blend of rose flower and rosehip oils.
• Rose Body Polish – the perfect prelude to a season in which we’re going to be peeling off clothing layers and revealing skin again, buffing skin with a rosepetal-infused sugar scrub, along with lactic acid and fruit acids, to exfoliate and brighten.
• Rose Body Balm – a lightweight but nourishing choice, packed with shea butter yet sinking in beautifully to leave skin velvety.
The sizes are pretty generous – 30ml each – and definitely travel-friendly.
(Though we’re pretty confident that you’ll want to trade up to the full sizes, after this rose-scented intro…)
£22 – buy here