ALLERGIES and beauty products
THE BEAUTY SPOT: ALLERGIES DIFFICULT
Can you please help me obtain ingredient information on a popular perfume I am allergic to? When I wear this perfume, or even come in contact with someone who is wearing it, I have a severe allergic reaction.
When I wrote the manufacturer, all I learned was that the perfume does not contain any of the things I know I am allergic to. My doctor gave me some medication to take in an emergency, but I would still like to find out which ingredients I am allergic to so I can be sure to avoid them in the future.
Because perfumes are complex mixtures of essences and fixatives – a fact that makes allergy testing difficult – obtaining a list of ingredients would be of little value to you. Furthermore, an allergic response can result from the combination of two or more ingredients, and since the number of possible ingredient combinations is infinite, testing them would not be practical. You already know you must avoid one specific perfume, but it is impossible to advise you how to stay clear of the offending ingredient in other products. Unfortunately, you will have to determine for yourself – by trial and error – which perfumes and cosmetics you can use.
Can you tell me how much of a tip is considered appropriate to give one’s hair stylist? I usually pay $30 to have my hair cut and styled. Also, am I expected to tip the other people who work on my hair – the colorist and shampoo person? Fifteen per cent of the bill is considered the standard tip, although clients in large cities often tip 20 per cent, those in towns and rural areas 10 per cent. If more than one person works on your hair – a colorist, for instance – tip them 15 per cent and give other staff such as the shampoo person a dollar or two.
I look quite good for my age, but I do have some small, vertical, crack-like lines around my mouth. Is there anything I can do to firm these, or, better still, eliminate them? There is really nothing you can do – short of chemical abrasion – to eliminate wrinkles around your mouth, sincere heredity, past over-exposure to sun, wind and perhaps cigaret smoking are the main causes of the problem. To peel away excess surface skin which makes these lines even more visible, use a gentle, do-it-yourself skin peel: mix one tablespoon of sea salt (available at most health food stores) with one cup of hot water. When the mixture has cooled a little, rub it gently over the area, then rinse with tepid water.
I have recently taken up swimming and am concerned that the necessarily tight goggles worn to swim will make the sagging and lines around my eyes worse. I know that the lightest pressure is advised on skin around the eyes.
The fact that your goggles are tight has little or no bearing on whether they will worsen the sagging and lines around your eyes. As long as they remain firmly in place and do not pull or tug your skin, only an infinitesimal amount of damage could possibly be done during the brief time you wear your goggles.
My complexion has a tendency to be very ruddy and flushed. I have tried all kinds of regular makeups but none seems to help. If I put enough on to conceal the redness, I look heavily made-up. Can you suggest anything that might help.? First, try to avoid anything that might exaggerate your ruddy complexion: overexposure to the sun and factors that cause flushing such as steam baths, saunas, spicy foods and alcohol. If regular cosmetics have proven ineffective, try using a light film of green underbase before applying your foundation. Any red areas – including broken capillaries – can be camouflaged with a little green underbase.
I am beginning to get smile lines that go from the sides of my nose to the corners of my mouth. Is there any way I can camouflage these with makeup? Creases such as smile lines can be concealed using a cream concealer a shade or two lighter than your skin tone. With a fine sable brush, lightly stroke concealer along creases, blending evenly. Finish by gently patting the area with a damp cosmetic sponge and applying a light dusting of loose powder. This technique reflects light away from the creases, making them appear shallower.
