Body & beauty

Natural beauty: how to combat eczema, rosacea, wrinkles and pigmentation

Complexion a tad jaded? Worried about wrinkles? Don’t panic! We’ve come to your rescue with the best prevention tips, treatments and products to nip skin complaints in the bud

Rosacea

This common skin complaint is characterised by redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead,visible blood vessels and bumps or pimples. Possible causes include factors related to blood flow, skin bacteria, microscopic skin mites (Demodex), irritation of follicles, sun damage of the connective tissue under the skin,an abnormal immune or inflammatory response, or psychological factors.

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According to skin guru Liz Earle,it often responds well to traditional Chinese medicine,herbalism and homeopathy, but make sure you choose a reputable, well-qualified practitioner. Avoiding common lifestyle and environmental triggers such as sun exposure, emotional stress, hot or cold weather, wind,alcohol, spicy foods, heavy exercise,hot baths and heated beverages.Also try not to use skincare products containing alcohol, witch hazel,fragrance, menthol, peppermint,eucalyptus oil, clove oil and salicylic acid along with harsh astringents and exfoliating agents.

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Ole Henriksen Black Currant Complexion Oil, £41 repairs environmental damage with vitamin E while Aromatherapy Associates Soothing Daily Repair Moisturiser, £49,contains safflower ceramides and omega oils, combined with cotton thistle extract and camomile for sensitive skins with a tendency towards redness.

Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation usually occurs as you get older and is caused by your body producing too much melanin which results in blemishes, age spots and freckles. It can be caused by various factors but the number one cause of pigmentation is sun damage.

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Protect your skin from damaging ultraviolet rays and avoid getting sunburn. Never sunbathe without wearing a sunscreen with SPF 30 on your face and make sure your daily moisturiser contains sunscreen SPF 15.

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Dermalogica’s C-12 Concentrate, £72.50,contains a blend of peptides, mineral amino acids and botanical extracts help treat and prevent cellular discolouration and melanin synthesis. Antipodes ApostleSkin Tone Correcting Serum £41.99,targets pigmentation with antioxidant-rich Vinanza Performance Plus and kiwienzyme for healthy cell renewal. Priori’sBrightening Facial Complex, £45, contains Coffee berry extract to even out skin tone.

Ageing eyes

The delicate eye area is subject to regular blinking, rubbing, and squinting and because it only contains a very small amount amount of subcutaneous fat and no oil glands at all it is one of the first places to show skin damage.

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Treat your eyes with care at all times. When applying creams remember to gently ‘tap’ the product into the skin to avoid stretching and pulling the fragile tissues.

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Oskia Eye Wonder Nutri Active Serum, £58, contains nutrients and peptides to help rebuild cell health plus plant bio-actives to brighten dark circles.Living Nature’s certified natural Firming Eye Cream, £24, contains nutrient-rich active manuka honey to flood the eye area with vital hydration and much-needed nourishment.

Acne

We’re all prone to the odd spot or two and acne affects over 50 per cent of women at some stage in their lives. It is caused by overactivity of the sebaceous glands which can then become infected with bacteria and can be triggered by stress,hormones, diet and vitamin deficiency.

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Make sure you stick to a healthy, balanced diet which is rich in foods containing skin-strengthening zinc such as shellfish. Also avoid harsh, detergent-based cleansers and consider using a gentle skin cleanser from Dr Hauschka or Weleda.

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Nelsons Pure & Clear Purifying Daily Wash, £7.15,has a natural seaweed base that contains an anti-blemish and blackhead formula of plant extracts such as tea tree, arnica, hypericum and calendula or try organic Acnaphase Cream, £10.50 from beautynaturals.com that contains propylis, anti-bacterial tea tree, rosewood and lavender.

Wrinkles

As we get older our skin stops producing cells called fibroblastswhich are responsible for the production of collagen and elastin thatkeeps the skin plump and firm. This, teamed with adecline in the production of hydrating hyaluronic acidcan result in a breakdown of the skin’s structure

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Look for creams and serums which contain skin-boosting peptides and ensure your diet is rich red, yellow and orange fruit and veg which are a rich source of antioxidants that help to strengthen your skin.

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Dr Murad’s Age Diffusing Firming Mask, £59.50, which hits the shelves later this month, contains golden seaweed which restores skin resilience and Brazilian fruit extracts to promote collagen production t oplump skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. NUDE’s new ProGenius,£58, is rich in vital omega oils 3, 6, 7 and 9 for long-lasting cell renewal and nourishment.

Broken veins

Thread veins are caused when the the blood vessels dilate and engorge with blood more frequently than is normal, and then ultimately stay that way leaving your skin looking flushed and patchy.

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Try to avoid triggers that cause flushing such as extremes of heat and caffeine and alcohol. Herbs such as butcher’s broom and horse chestnut,along with antioxidants such as grapeseed extract and bilberry can help to strengthen the walls of veins and prevent damage.

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Medic 8 Red Alert Serum, (£29) actively reduces skin redness and contains organic sage extract to sooth and calm redness and broken veins while Natio’s Ageless Organic Rosehip Oil, £16.95, is packed full of essential fatty acids and nutrients to strengthen the skin.

Dull and dehydrated skin

As we get older our skin stops producing ceramides which are one of the more important structural components of the lipid barrier –this can lead to dehydration and dullness.

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Make sure you keep your skin hydrated by drinking around eight glasses of water a day and support the lipid layer by including foods rich in skin-plumping essential fatty acids in your diet.These include oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds.

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Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Mask, £13.50,contains strengthening borage oil which is rich in the essential fatty acid GLA, while Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator, £75, is a vitamin and mineral-rich resurfacing serum that reinforces the skin’s barrier function to leave it glowing and radiant.

Saggy Skin

Like wrinkles, sagging skin is caused by the reduction in the structural elastin proteins as we get older. This, teamed with the deterioration of muscle fibre, results in a decrease in skin elasticity and the dreaded droopy jaw and an inability for skin to ‘spring back’ to its original position when extended or compressed.

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Environmental factors are a huge cause of skin ageing so one of the best things you can do is to avoid sun exposure and smoking. In addition, facial exercises can really help keep things firm so try to give your face a ‘mini workout’ for ten minutes every day.

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Caudalie’s brand new Vinexpert FirmingSerum, £45, is packed full of grape-derived resveratrol, peptides and argan nut protein to help plump out cheekbones and facial contours. Nourish Radiance Nutritious PeptideSerum, £16.95, contains natural tripeptides to boost collagen production while the pricey but effective Dr Duve Anti Ageing Boosting FaceFluid, £175, is rich in natural growth factors to firm the connective tissue.

Eczema

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition characterised by patches of hot ,itchy, scaly skin on the face and body. There is no specific single cause ofeczema, though in some cases it is thought to be hereditary. Common triggers are allergies, stress, food sensitivity, reactions to harsh soaps and detergents and environmental factors

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A combined internal and external approach can work well, so make sure you’re eating a healthy diet and getting the right nutrients (try Dermanova’s Active Care Food Supplements £24.95, which contain omega oils and collagen to boost skin health). Avoid potential triggers. Supplements including antioxidants and essential fatty acids (especially GLA found in evening primrose oil) have a beneficial effect in the relief of itching and inflammation.

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Try Nature by Nature’s Oils Face and Body Cream. It’s a 95 per cent organic cream that has been specially blended with calendula, argan and rosehip oils for extreme dry skin and is perfect for skin conditions such as psoriasis,dermatitis and eczema. Another great choice is Willow Argan,Rose and Rosehip Face Oil Serum, £42.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition where skin cells reproduce too quickly causing red, scaly, raised patches of dead skin known as plaques.It is often found on the knees, hands and elbows but can also occur on the scalp and face and can be hereditary or triggered by illness, infection,stress and hormone imbalance.

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As with eczema, psoriasis responds well to healthy dietary changes and nutritional supplements such as essential fatty acids (Udo’s Oil, £10.99, is a brilliant choice), antioxidants and herbs such as echinacea. Chinese herbs have also show positive results but make sure you choose a well-qualified practitioner registered with one of the governing organisations

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Try face oils that are rich in essential fatty acids such as Bodhi Dessert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil, £46, or Marks and Spencer’s new great value for money Superactive Overnight Face Oil, £6, with omega 3 and 6 or Balance Me Radiance Face Oil, £30, with Amazonian buruti, kukui nut,rosehip, chamomile and camellia oils.