Dream Dots for Spots

It's party season and I don't know about you but I love getting dressed up and feeling glam. But you know what happens, you've planned your outfit, hair and make-up, and a few days before the party you wake up with a MASSIVE spot.

Oh yes, we've all been there. So what do you do; leave it...squeeze it in the hope it goes away? No, there's no time. If only there was a way to speed up the healing process. Well, look no further than Dream Dots - and doesn't the name sound so cute? For those that don't know what they are, think a 'plaster for your spots', although not just any old plaster...here's what Dream Dots say...

"It targets spots and breakouts overnight using no harsh ingredients, yet gives dramatically effective results. With a 100% waterproof, breathable, satin-smooth, wafer-thin surface, it acts seamlessly as a second skin, conforming to any contour of the face. On contact with the spot, the patented core locks in and absorbs the spot exudate. A moist healing environment is formed, maintaining ideal pH balance, temperature and hydration levels while sealing in repair factors, which leads to faster healing. Pain is reduced as nerve endings are cushioned and protected in this moist condition. The patch swells and turns white overnight as it absorbs exudate giving a visible reduction in redness and inflammation when removed in the morning."

For more information, check them out here.

But the question is, do they actually work? In one word...YES, they're amazing.

I'd been having some angry little spots recently, so I decided to bust out the Dream Dots. It couldn't have been any more simple. After cleansing, I simply popped the little circle onto the offending spot, got myself all snuggled up and in the morning I peeled it off to reveal my spot had significantly reduced in size and redness.

But don't just take my word for it, here are some pictures.

 Are you ok? Sorry you had to see pics of my horrible spots. But there's nothing like cold hard proof that these things are the best thing since sliced bread.

What do you think? Will you be trying these for the party season?

L x

 
 

Skincare Sunday | How to get acne free skin

Unfortunately, I think there is a large degree of stigma attached to acne and people often associate it with an extremely poor diet. Now, I'm not saying that it will necessarily help matters if you avoid your greens, but did you know that everybody's acne can be triggered/exacerbated by different foods? My advice would be to try an 'elimination' diet with the following food groups, and each week cut out a food to see whether your symptoms improve.

Reduce your Candida
We often hear a lot of talk about 'good bacteria' in the gut, and it's really important to maintain a good balance. An over-production of yeast in the gut, 'Candida' can often lead to a whole host of symptoms, one of which is acne flare-up. To achieve a balance in your gut, you should avoid foods that contain yeast, these are: Marmite, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, stock cubes, cheese. Foods that are high in sugar 'feed' the bacteria, which admittedly is quite a disgusting thought; so ease up on the sugary foods too. There's no need to cut these out of your life forever, but certainly reduce them until your symptoms clear up.

Take a load off your Liver
Your liver may have become somewhat overloaded and your liver doesn't function as it should, your body can become very toxic. You can rectify this by staying hydrated and taking regular sauna’s or steams which help to flush these toxins out of the skin. Limit your intake of processed foods and, the ever-so- obvious, alcohol.

Balance your hormones
It's not really a secret that us women tend to get acne around 'that' time of the month. The reason for this is because of the increase in Testosterone, where the hormonal shift gives us those extra little 'gifts' - oh the joy! Limit caffeine and avoid caffeinated soft drinks. Don’t skip meals, start your day with a good breakfast containing protein and complex carbohydrate.

What foods irritate your skin?

L x

Skincare Sunday | What your spots say about you.

Solving a problem is generally a lot simpler when you understand it. I see a lot of advice about acne telling people just to 'eat clean'. Ok, whilst I cannot argue that it's pretty important to stay hydrated and make sensible food choices, life is there to be enjoyed: so I can't admit dedicating my life to salads. Besides, is your diet even to blame for those pesky pimples?

Originating from traditional Chinese medicine, face mapping has been around for a long time and provides a pretty solid insight into what your spots are telling you about your body.

I've broken it down into 8 simple points, explaining what the problem might be, remember this is only a rough guide.

1 & 2. Spots in this area are usually related to your bladder and the digestive system. Ever noticed you get a bumpy forehead after that weekend of excess, trips to the fast food restaurant, followed up with more chocolate than a small sweet shop? Personally, I get spots here when I've eaten too much bread. To combat spots here, drink more water and watch those fried foods.

Spots on the forehead can more simply be related to your hair, if you have a fringe, try keeping it off your face whenever possible.

3. This area is related to congestion in the liver so you'll probably notice spots here after a weekend of drinking. However, if you're not a big drinker, spots here may be related to a possible food intolerance.

4 & 5. This area is related more to your lungs, if you're a smoker or live in a large city you may experience spots here. Try to cleanse your face when you come in from outside, whenever possible to keep those spots at bay.

6, 7 & 8. Hormones, need I say any more?! You may find spots around this area when its 'that' time of the month - don't we just get all of the fun! If you're finding that these are particularly bad, you may be suffering with a hormone imbalance. Try boosting your intake of Omega 3, 6 and 9, these are foods such as fish, seeds, avocado, which luckily all happen to taste delicious!

Can you relate to any of these?

L x

Problem skin on a budget - Acne.

This has turned into an exceptionally long post, but I really want to share my experiences with you on Acne prone skin.

I've suffered from acne type spots for around 6 years now, typically I had perfect skin as a teenager, then rolling into my 20's I started developing acne spots. Fortunately there wasn't always a lot of spots, but the spots that I did have were always sore, unsightly and lasted for weeks.
 
Like most people with skin problems, I've tried almost every product out there that promises to get rid of acne and give 'perfect skin'. Suffice to say...none of these worked for me.
This is the two-pronged approach that worked for me;

First up - products.

(1) Its an oldie but a goodie...Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser. You can purchase this at Boots for £3.49!

                                   

Now, you may think I've confused this post with a snippet from a 1950's housewives beauty manual?! But Cold Cream has been used by women for hundreds of years and it is AMAZING.

I use it daily and it's a gentle way to remove all traces of make-up - even waterproof mascara! It looks like a thick moisturiser; just apply to skin as you would a normal cleanser. To remove it I use a muslin cloth - which is more gentle than a flannel.

(2) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser - £8.99 - from 'the pharmacy' section of drug store.

This stuff is fabulous! It's non-comodegenic (doesn't block pores) fragrance-free and PH balanced, specifically designed for acne-prone skin and it doesn't strip the skin either. Just apply and wash off with water - simple!

                                    

(3) Cetraben - again from the 'pharmacy' section of the drug store for only a couple of £'s.
I have to thank my other-half for this one, where as a life-long eczema sufferer he has a stash of creams for all occasions. He handed this to me on one of my bad days...and this is just something you'll have to try.

Cetraben is available at any Pharmacy - but you'll have to ask for it over the counter. It is primarily designed for people with Eczema as a hydrator. But, I use it as a face mask 2-3 times a week, cake it on and leave for 10-15 mins. Most of it will absorb (how much it absorbs will tell you how dry your skin was/is)...but the excess I wipe off with a cotton pad.

If you're wondering why I would use an Eczema cream as a face mask...ok?! Cetraben is an Emollient: and why are Emollients important? Emollients reduce water loss from skin, creating a barrier that protects your skin from various things that will irritate it; e.g. shampoos, shower gel etc. It also helps to reduce itching thereby allowing you to keep your hands off and therefore keep those pesky spots from erupting and leaving those that have already started from getting worse or being more prolonged. 

                              

(4) Simple kind to skin vital vitamin day cream.
Its important to choose a day cream specifically designed for sensitive skin and with a good SPF as excessive exposure to UV rays can sometimes make acne worse.

I like this product, its super hydrating, SPF 15, free of harsh chemicals and irritants and a bargain at only £5.60.

 

                     

Next...tips and lifestyle advice to ban those blemishes.
● Don't pick! They say "practise what you preach" and on this point even I MUST follow my own advice. It is super hard at times to keep your hands off your face. You DO NOT want to introduce germs and bacteria to give you more spots. REMEMBER there is more bacteria under your fingernails at any one time than on ANY other part of your body. Go figure-stop picking!

● If you use a muslin cloth as part of your routine, DO NOT re-use it as you'll just spread bacteria. Worse, you'll encourage more spots! Keep a stash of muslin cloths and use them once; you can buy them quite cheaply from places like Amazon.

● If you're having a particularly bad break-out...DO NOT use make up - unless you ABSOLUTELY have to. hmmm..."absolutely have to"...I'm talking you
have an interview, an important work  presentation or something similar. Be as make-up free as you can.

● Use a pillowcase made from natural material; i.e. Cotton or silk. Anything 'man made'  an encourage spots to burst in the night, then through natural movement in your sleep you could spread the bacteria all over your face - yuk!

I really hope this has been at least some help to you!

L x