make up looks for Spring /Summer 2014

 
 
 
The make up artist in me likes to keep up with all looks and trends.

Spring/Summer 2014 Dior

Chanel S/S 2014

 

 

Other colours to look out for this summer are pinks lilacs and dusky purple on eyes

and / or coral lips

loving Chanels s/s collection

                                                                                     

 

 

Glutens for punishment

Glutens for punishment.

I am writing this as I am researching Gluten intolerance as I suspect my son may be a sufferer.

Having ruled out all the more obvious conditions via a series of blood test, I am now questioning

Diet. As a normal teenager his diet is and has been for many years wheat heavy. It is suggested by

The Celiac website to get tested by you’re Dr. , but you need to do this before you become wheat-free. However, Allergies and intolerances can be hard to detect and Dr’s can be slow to help.

A true allergy to wheat is known as Celiac disease, also known as gluten sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disease that affects the small intestine causing it to become inflamed when gluten is digested. The immune system then generates an abnormal response to gluten and attacks its own intestinal tissue.  This leads to the wasting away of the villi that line the small intestine, malabsorption of nutrients and thus malnutrition. Symptoms may include Anemia, osteopenia, lactase deficiency, diarrhea, constipation, delayed growth, and weight loss due to malabsorption of nutrients. Other symptoms that may present are arthritis, dermatitis, infertility, muscle weakness, and constant fatigue. A series of tests and evaluations are performed including an examination of one’s family history as genetic predisposition is common, blood tests, and the final confirmation of an intestinal biopsy. Once confirmed a strict adherence to a gluten free diet is necessary.

A Gluten intolerance or sensitivity not as severe as Celiac Disease but can cause some very difficult symptoms to tolerate. A Gluten- free diet will eliminate the symptoms.

 

Gluten is found in Wheat, Rye, Barley but can also be found in some preservatives so you need to read your food labels carefully.

 

Symptons that can be associated with Gluten intolerance are:

      (1)    Obviously, there are gastrointestinal (GI), stomach, and digestive problems. These can include one or some of the following: Gas, bloating, queasiness, abdominal cramping, constipation, diarrhea, or an alternating combination of both - IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
(2) Headaches and/or migraines.
(3) Fibromyalgia is not a disease, it's a syndrome. Getting a medical diagnosis is bogus. You don't need to be told you have muscular and connecting tissue aches and pains. That's what fibromyalgia means. Fibro= Connective Tissue; Myo= Muscle; Algia= Pain. Thus fibromyalgia.
(4) Emotional issues involving chronic irritability and sudden, irrational mood shifts.
(5) Neurological issues, including dizziness, difficulty balancing, and peripheral neuropathy affecting nerves outside the central nervous system and resulting in pain, weakness, tingling or numbness in the extremities.
(6) Fatigue, whether chronic or almost after every meal. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is, like fibromyalgia, a syndrome, not a disease. If that's what you're diagnosed with, it means your doctor can't locate the cause of your fatigue.

Yes, all of these symptoms are common to other health issues and diseases. That's why symptoms alone as a diagnosis is perplexing.

http://www.naturalnews.com/038170_gluten_sensitivity_symptoms_intolerance.html#ixzz2rhMFv56C www.celiac.com  

If anyone can give advice please comment.

 

 

 

 

What are we putting on our skin

 

As a beauty professional I have a great interest in skin, the marvellous organ that won’t let us get away with anything and shows us very quickly when we get things wrong. Late night, too much to drink, long flight will all show up on our skin. It may be less obvious in a youthful skin, but believe me the signs are there.

Our immediate reaction is to reach for a product that will sooth away the hurt or cover the bags.

Should we however look closer at what we put on our skin and why is it so many products can affect each one of us differently and sometimes not at all. In my experience there doesn’t seem To have any one answer, but allergies and irritations can be inherited from parents. Fair skins tend to be more prone to reactions, but not always as many dark and olive skin tones react too. When you look at the amount of chemicals that go into our make up and hair and beauty products it is not surprising that skin irritations are rife.

 

The main culprits are

 

 

PARABENS: They are the darlings of preservatives among mass manufacturers since they're cheap and stable. It can be downright difficult to find products that don't contain parabens like methyl, propyl, and benzyl hydroxybenzoate. Those who experience redness or a rash can avoid them entirely by using natural products such as Burt's Bees, Dr. Hauschka, and Weleda, whose formulations are all paraben-free.
ACIDS: While the majority of acids — azelaic, alpha hydroxy, benzoic, lactic, sorbic — are tolerable in modest doses, cinnamic can pose a problem. A tartar-fighting agent in toothpaste, it can be the reason for itchy eruptions on the lips and around the mouth. Look for toothpaste without cinnamic
PPD: Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is found in most permanent hair dyes. Those who are allergic will likely develop a rash not on the scalp but around the hairline on the forehead and neck and behind the ears. Avoid contact by requesting PPD-free dyes or opting fo henna and color rinses that don't contain the irritant.  In some very tragic cases a reaction has been so bad death has occurred

RETINOIDS: Most dermatologists will agree that despite a long list of antiaging and acne-fighting benefits, retinoids are also a classic irritant. "They can make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the summer and more prone to dryness in the winter. What really matters is the net concentration that you apply to your skin. Using something weaker more often is better than something stronger that can only be tolerated a few times per week.
PHTHALATES: A plasticizing ingredient commonly listed as DBP or di-n-butyl phthalate, it is used most often in the beauty world to give nail polishes increased pliability. Considered to be a potential carcinogen and possible cause of birth defects, allergic rashes and eczema, they are already banned in Europe. When shopping for lacquers, look for phthalate-free formulas. Neither Zoya nor Spa Ritual has ever used the ingredient in its lines, while Essie, OPI, and Sally Hansen altered their formulations in recent years to get rid of it.
TRICLOSAN: Flu season and the ongoing swine flu epidemic have made hand-washing a frequent ritual, and in some cases, it's the soap that causes the itchy rashes creeping up on palms and fingertips. If your hands are inflamed, steer clear of any soaps or sanitizers with this antibacterial agent.
BALSAM OF PERU: Fragrance is the number-one cause of allergic contact dermatitis, and Balsam of Peru, a resin that is actually a conglomeration of scents, is often responsible. Because of its phototoxic ingredients, when the skin is exposed to sunlight, brown or reddish streaks called berloque dermatitis may occur wherever the scented product or perfume was applied—dermatologists report many incidents of berloque behind the ears. The key is to look for products that are totally fragrance-free — which is not the same as unscented. "Unscented means that a product can contain a masking fragrance to camouflage its pungent, unpleasant odor.Fragrance-free means truly no fragrances.
FORMALDEHYDE: While most beauty products won't include this ultra-common makeup, skin, and haircare preservative on the ingredient list, many will have a formaldehyde-releasing agent like imidazolidinyl urea or quaternium 15, which can be equally reactive. Therefore, those who experience an allergy or irritation to formaldehyde actually have a list of names to be on the lookout for. Nowadays, two of the most frequent places where contact may occur are the nail and hair salon. The most common cause of eyelid dermatitis is the formaldehyde in nail polish After you polish your nails, there is a day or two when the finish is not rock hard, and that's when formaldehyde may be released. Your hands may not show redness because that skin is tough, but when you touch your eyes while washing or moisturizing, you can end up with dermatitis there.
We can of course be allergic to anything and many natural products can also set us itching or with hives. Shea butter, coco butter and any nut oils can be a problem with nut allergy sufferers and as many are used as base oils for many lotions and potions we have to be careful to read the label.
Remember that cosmetic labelling is not as strict as food labelling and a tiny organic ingredient can render the product organic.
Any part of the body touched by product is open to allergy .A condition called Cheilitis or Swollen sore lips to us, can be caused by products found in lipsticks,mainly form perfumes and preservatives, but also nickel allergy form the lipstick caseing.

http://dermnetnz.org/reactions/lipstick-reaction.html

 

More alarmingly there are ingredients deemed as cancer causing and I have included then top offenders from the breast cancer fund website.

Avoid These Top Offenders

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/reduce-your-risk/tips/choose-safe-cosmetics/Individual brands aside, some products are just bad news. Things to avoid:

• Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA and BHA acids
• Hair dyes, especially dark permanent dyes
• Liquid hand soaps with triclosan/triclocarban
• Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde, DBP or toluene (which can be contaminated with benzene)
• Skin lighteners with hydroquinone
• Heavily scented products
• Moisturizers, ointments and skin creams with petrolatum (which can be contaminated with PAHs)
• Fungicides, shaving creams, hair gels and hair coloring containing nonylphenol
• Hair spray, gel, mousse or shaving cream that contains isobutane, a propellant that can be contaminated with 1,3-butadiene
• Sunscreens with UV filters that mimic estrogen

I am not looking to be alarmist, just sensible and although I have worked in beauty and well being  all my Working life I have always maintained simple is best. The beauty industry has changed unrecognizably since I started out, with so many cosmetic procedures and anti-ageing products.

It is better to be informed before you make the correct product choice for you, whatever that may be.

 

 

 

Food for great Skin

Some Simple foods to healthy skin

 

 

 

Well Being Message

                      Giving brief advice for healthy lifestyles

Use scaling questions 1-10:  how keen are you feeling about having a healthier lifestyle?

The facts: how healthy are our lifestyles?   In England:

 23% of men & 19% of women smoke

 36% of adults participate in 30+ minutes of moderately intense activity every week

 66% of men & 61% of women overweight/obese in 2011 (10% of 5 year olds obese)

 22% of men & 13% of women drank twice the recommended level of alcohol in the last week                              

 In Plymouth the average consumption of fruit/veg is c3 portions a day 

What are the main killers?

Chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes)  Eg: 1/3 of people in England have high blood pressure. Nearly 12k people in Plymouth have diabetes.

‘Lifestyle factors’ account for 80% of long term health conditions in the UK.

Smoking, obesity, physical inactivity – each factor contributes to c9% of global premature deaths

Inactivity is an important risk factor for many chronic health conditions such as hypertension and depression  - it can be an even greater risk factor than obesity.  Regarding heart disease, inactivity causes the same risk as smoking 20 a day. 

 

Smoking:  the best thing you can do is quit.  4 times easier to quit with NHS services

After 20 minutes: blood pressure and pulse normal.  In 24 hours the lungs start to clear. After 2 days the body is nicotine-free, taste and smell improve. 3 days:  you breathe more easily, energy increases.

After 2-12 weeks your circulation improves.   3-9 months: coughs, wheezing and breathing improves; After 1 year: your heart attack risk is half of a smoker.

Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis     Check www.smokefreeplymouth.com . Very effective medications to ease cravings, block nicotine receptors etc:  cheaper to get medications via NHS – also the professional guidance.

 

Alcohol:   don’t regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day (woman) 3-4 units (man): have at least 2 consecutive non-drinking days:

A small glass (175ml) of  wine (12%) or 1 pint of weaker beer (3.6%) = 2 units.

 

Physical Activity:  you need 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, increasing your heart rate.  Minimise the time you sit for extended periods!   Get out of breath every day!

Build up exercise slowly.  Moderate intensity =body is warming up, breathing is quicker and deeper, can still talk.  Like walking briskly uphill or upstairs (= good medicine!)  Children=1 hour a day.  Over 65’s = 150 minutes too!

We should be active daily.  Spread the ‘moderate intensity’ as you wish but make sure you do it in at least 10 minute bursts:  the first 10 minutes have the best effects!   Also good to improve muscle strength via physical activity for 2 days a week (digging, gym, carrying heavy loads).   Minimise sitting by taking regular breaks from your desk at work.  Try a 3-minute walk ever hour! Reduce driving and screen watching!

Walking is the first treatment for almost any ‘long term condition’.  It has very few contraindications.  (Gyms, sports & classes may prove unsustainable for some people)

Physical activity is an anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing agent.  Prevents cancer & dementia & treats cancer, hypertension, depression, osteoarthritis & COPD.  Regular physical activity reduces the risk of depression by as much as 1/3.       Watch the video 23 and a half hours.

Food:   eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, plus reduce salt, sugar and fat

Eat fresh food.  The less processed food you eat the better.  Aim for 8 portions of fruit and veg a day.

Look up the Eatwell plate.  How big is a portion? (Roughly, a handful of food)  The daily maximum for salt should be 6g (a teaspoon).  Your full stomach is the size of your 2 fists!  .  Always check the labels when you buy processed food - do you know about the traffic light labelling?  (Green is good..)

Wellbeing & mental health:  It is estimated that 6.1 million people suffer from anxiety and depression disorders in England.  Physical activity, especially in green space, can help prevent depression.  We all tend to need:

a sense of control over our lives;  good relationships with other people and access to social networks;  a chance to participate and have a sense of purpose in life (eg via employment, education etc);  and to not experience discrimination or exclusion.

                        5 ways to wellbeing!

Connect - with people around you

Be active - do something you enjoy

Take notice - be aware of what is around you and appreciate it (eg - enjoy Nature!)

Keep learning - try something new

Give - do something nice for others

Naked Face

 

 

 

 

 

Would you be happy to go without make-up
I have just read an article about Phoebe Baker Hyde an American women who has turned her 
year without make-up into a book The beauty experiment. As a make up artist I don't advocate
not wearing make up, but as a natural make up artist and minimal wearer, I would say what's the big deal.
However on reading further and seeing Hyde's background in Anthropology it is an interesting concept of how make up can be used and perceived in the work place or socially.
So when we 'go put our face on' We really do. It can be used as a mask to hide behind or for confidence to push us forward. It can say hey, don't mess with me today or how healthy do I look.
Make up is clever don't let anyone tell you different.

Unique make over experience

Please watch this extraordinary make over experience

http://www.utrend.tv/v/one-second/


and smile with them.

Super Avocado

    Avocado the new super food:

High in Vitamins, potassium, fibre and Omega 3 this tasty fruit has so much to offer us.
Avocado 's originate from Central and South America and grow on tall trees .They have fantastic health benefits for inside and outside the body. The best source of nutrients is the dark green flesh found just under the skin. So you should peel like a banana with your fingers to get the best out of this fruit

The latest research shows us that Carotenoid Antioxidants absorption increases significantly
when avocado is added to a salad. Carotenoids, the colourful plant pigments some of which the body
can turn into vitamin A, are powerful antioxidants that can prevent some forms of Cancer, Heart
Disease and enhance your immune response to infections.


Health Benefits includes:

• Anti inflammatory
• Anti Cancer Benefits
• Promotes Low Blood Pressure
• Supports Cardiovascular Health

Avocado Amazing Beauty ingredient

Avocado oil is also used extensively as an ingredient for hair and beauty products as its
health properties work just as well on the outside. Natural beauty masks, moisturisers,
hand creams benefit from the Antioxidants and vitamins found in the oil promote anti ageing.
The Omega 3 is a natural defence for UV rays. The oil is known to be soothing for eczema. The
oil is a favourite ingredient for hair products as it nourishes and moisturises hair.
The oil can be used as a base oil for massage and its sweet nutty smell is used to scent products
and perfumes.
Who would of thought this regular little fruit from the supermarket shelf could do so much.