Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

Let’s talk about some common concerns we occasionally deal with and what to do about them. Beginning with circles under the eyes. A good rule of thumb is to select a concealer that is a shade lighter than your foundation. Concealer tends to enhance wrinkles around the eyes, so, if you have fine lines and wrinkles, apply a primer first to fill in the wrinkles before applying the concealer.

Use a small, flat brush to apply concealer to the circles under the eyes. Don’t use too much and be very careful to blend well. Add a light dusting of translucent powder before applying your foundation. You could also think about buying yellow concealer which will help correct the blue color of under eye circles.

Blemishes are always a pain, no matter when they show up. Don’t freak out when you wake up with a big pimple. Don’t squeeze or pick at it. Wash your face as normal and apply a topical acne treatment. Some ice will help reduce inflammation. Use a green concealer before applying makeup to help combat the redness. If you are getting more pimples than normal, be sure to consistently drink lots of water and get 8 hours sleep per night.

If you feel a cold sore coming on, look for a topical treatment (drugstores, retailers.) It pays to buy the more expensive brand. This will help heal cold sores and reduce swelling quickly. You can also apply ice to the cold sore to reduce swelling. Probably after all of this, no one will notice the inflammation but you.

If you are emotional or teary-eyed, rather than deal with raccoon eyes on a regular basis, use waterproof mascara. And, it’s good to rely on waterproof mascara on hot, humid summer days. There is nothing worse than sweating and having mascara run in your eyes and burn. Better yet, perhaps you want to think about having eyelash extensions or wearing false eyelashes, then you don’t have to worry about mascara!

If you wake up with a headache or puffy eyes, apply cold in the form of a mask or towel and rest for about 10 minutes. I have this wonderful mask thing filled with lavender which I keep in my freezer. If I am dealing with either of the above issues, I take it out of the freezer, head for a comfy chair, and sit with my feet up for about 10 minutes. It always does the trick!

So, there you have it. Don’t panic, just try some of the common sense approaches listed above! And remember, this too shall pass!

Have you ever heard of contact acne? I hadn’t and neither had the esthetician I checked with. What is it and what causes it?

Contact acne, unlike other acne, is not an indicator of poor health, bad diet or hormonal problems. But it can certainly cramp one’s style. Contact acne, according to Dr. David Eisen of the Acne Treatment Clinic, “is inflammation of the oil gland and hair follicle which results from irritation from sweating that occurs in areas of the body where there is poor ventilation. Bra straps, belts or helmets can cause pimples on the back, tops of arms, forehead and chin as a result of clothing in close contact with the skin.” Dr. Eisen goes on to explain that “although dirt and oil can be washed off the face and body, acne cannot be washed off. If the drain in the sink is clogged, I could scrub the sink all day long and still not unclog the drain.”

According to this same doctor, there is a false notion out there that tanning helps heal summer acne flare ups. I always bought into this one growing up in the Southwest and spent every spare minute in the sun because of it. Dr. Eisen says all you do is darken the skin color to match the color of the pimples, and, as a result, inflammation is less obvious because of the illusion tanning gives.

So, contact acne is a seasonal skin problem, unrelated to regular acne which is a chronic, genetic, hormonal disease. Contact acne is easy and affordable to clear up quickly. Usually it will clear up in 4 weeks to 8 months depending on the severity.

Here are some do’s and don’ts that will help:

DO

• Wash with a gentle soap or cleanser, but limit cleansing to twice daily.
• Keep skin dry, steering clear of tight fitting clothing and sports equipment where possible. Immediately remove sweaty garments after a workout.
• Seek a doctor to treat inflammation when the over -the- counter products don’t clear up the acne.

DON’T

• Pick at the pimples, that will only prolong the healing time of the blemishes.
• Scrub with loofahs or abrasive, harsh chemicals.
• Tan blemishes, it’s a prescription for skin cancer.

All of you bathers, cyclists and runners everywhere, enjoy the great outdoors and don’t sweat the summer breakouts!