Around the House: What's Irritating Your Skin?

Common Culprits That Irritate Skin

The causes of dry, itchy skin run the gamut of your environment. In your home, they may include:

• Clothes. If wearing a sweater makes you itch, you’re not alone. Wool and polyester both commonly irritate skin, especially in people with sensitive skin.
• Dry air. Air conditioning and heat both reduce humidity in your home, causing dry air to suck moisture out of your skin. If your thermostat has a humidity control function, set the level a bit higher. If not, you can keep a humidifier in your bedroom to add moisture to the air while you sleep.
• Fabric softener. It can make your laundry smell and feel great, but for some people, fabric softener can irritate skin, causing dryness, itching, or a rash.
• Harsh soaps. Soaps can strip away the lipid layer that protects your skin and keeps it moist, resulting in irritation and dryness. Added fragrance and dyes can further irritate your skin.
• Hot water. Love a hot shower or a soak in the tub? Consider toning it down to warm. Hot water is hard on your skin and actually dries it out.
• Pets. An allergy to cats or dogs can cause dry, itchy skin, among other symptoms.
• Scented products. The fragrance in fabric softener may be an obvious irritant, but scents that aren’t as strong can also cause dry skin. Assess other products you regularly use, such as body washes and perfumes.

How to Beat Causes of Dry Skin

The best way to pamper skin is to treat it gently. Once you rid your house of known irritants, follow these additional tips:

• Break the itch-scratch-dryness cycle. Dry skin is often also itchy skin, and not scratching it is a must. “Work to manage itching and stop the cycle of itching and scratching,” advises Maria Tsoukas, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center. “Scratching causes the skin to be irritated because the skin’s barrier is disrupted.” Your dermatologist may recommend an antihistamine or a prescription medication to stop your itching.
• Switch to a gentle body cleanser. Pick a formula made for sensitive skin. Avoid foaming, scented, or dyed products, as those ingredients can be drying.
• Avoid antibacterial products. Antibacterial soaps and lotions can dry out your skin and “are not indicated for use by a person with good immunity on a daily basis,” says Dr. Tsoukas.
• Watch your bath time. Keep your bath or shower under 10 minutes to limit your exposure to water. And of course, bathe in warm, not hot, water.
• Use moisturizer. Put it on immediately after you gently towel off to hold the moisture in your skin.
• Wear gloves. Protect the skin of your hands when washing dishes, cleaning, or gardening.
• Use your dishwasher. Don’t feel you have to hand wash every dish. Hot water and dish soap may irritate your hands.
• Launder smarter. Use liquid hypoallergenic laundry detergents if regular detergents bother you.
• Control temperatures. Keep a constant temperature in your home and try to avoid frequent changes from hot to cold, as this is drying to skin.

Being able to identify what causes dry skin in your everyday environment can help you keep your skin healthy. But if the suggestions above don’t alleviate your symptoms, it’s time to see a professional. “If you’re still itchy, see a dermatologist to evaluate and treat your dry skin,” says Dr. Boh. You don’t have to live with dry, itchy skin, and working with a dermatologist can help.

Blow-drying Tips From a Celebrity Hairstylist

Here are her secrets to getting a beautiful blow-dry at home:

• Use the right brush. For a smooth, straight blowout, use a flat brush. Danielle likes the ones from Mason Pearson (Conair also makes flat brushes, available at drugstores). For bouncy hair with volume, use a round brush.
• Start with damp hair for the best results. Your hair will look fuller and healthier.
• To avoid frizzing, take your time. Dry your hair in sections, and make sure each section is completely dry before moving to the next. If you have coarse hair, make sure the ends are smoothed out.
• If your hair is thin, dry the roots first for volume. Turn your head upside down and lift the roots with your brush or fingers. Once the roots are almost dry, flip your hair back over and blow-dry from midway down the hair shafts to the ends. Avoid going over the roots again with the hair dryer or brush, because this will flatten them.
• If you have curly hair, leave-in conditioner is a must. Apply it to the hair (starting at ends and working your way up), then blow-dry.

A quick underarm shave

"Don't have time to shower/bath? Just rub a generous amount of conditioner and shave off. Clean area with some cotton wool to dry it and apply some roll on as this does not sting and there you go - takes only a few minutes!"

Pores: The Basics

If you don’t spend much time poring over your pores, chances are they’re small and don’t get clogged too often. But if your pores are on the larger side, you might be dealing with one or more acne-related conditions including blackheads, whiteheads and cysts. Typically, people with oily skin tend to have enlarged pores that secrete excess oil, or sebum. Larger pores are also more likely to get clogged with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria. Dermatologists generally treat acne-related conditions with topical antimicrobials that help disinfect the skin, and topical retinoids to help unclog pores and prevent white- and blackheads from forming. For more moderate or severe cases of acne, an oral antibiotic like erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, or minocycline may be prescribed.

The fact is you can’t get rid of your pores, or even shrink them, but you can cleanse and care for your skin in ways that make pores less visible. And that includes staying out of the sun -- too much sun exposure (as well as the aging process) reduces the amount of collagen in our skin, and that also causes pores to expand.

Do-It-Yourself Tactics
Try these at-home strategies and you might be able to avoid expensive dermatological procedures and spa treatments.

• Use a pore-refining cleanser to help break up excess oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria that can clog enlarged pores.
• Give yourself a weekly pore-purifying facial treatment.
• Make your own deep-cleansing mask using ingredients such as honey, yogurt, or basic Fuller’s earth clay (find it at a health food store) and adding citrus, strawberries, banana, apple cider vinegar, or rosewater.
• Exfoliate a few times a week with a store-bought or homemade scrub, or go for an exfoliating cleansing cloth. More options to try: products that contain chemical or fruit-enzyme exfoliants such as lipohydroxy acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and alpha and beta hydroxy acids, all of which work to dissolve build-up in your pores.
• Try store-bought microdermabrasion cleansing cloths and/or polishers, which work similarly but more gently than a professional microdermabrasion treatment.
• Put your makeup to work. Products such as primers, concealers, foundation, loose mineral powder, and blotting sheets can help you maintain coverage and make large pores less visible. Just be sure to thoroughly cleanse your face at day’s end to keep pores from getting clogged with makeup residue.

If your issues are more significant, talk to your dermatologist about professional treatments such as:

• Dermatological Facials: Many dermatologists and licensed aestheticians offer professional facials that include deep cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, extractions, massage, mask, and moisturizing.
• Chemical Peels: A professional peel performed by a dermatologist or licensed aesthetician can remove dead skin cells, clear plugged pores, eliminate white- and blackheads, correct discoloration, and generate new skin growth.
• Microdermabrasion: During this deep-cleansing procedure, your practitioner “sands” your skin with a handheld device that shoots a spray of fine crystals onto your face and simultaneously vacuums them up. This non-invasive procedure produces instant pore-perfecting results. (Microdermabrasion is also effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, creases, sun damage, and minor scars.)

A final word: Even though people with normal and dry skin tend to have smaller pores than those with an oily or combination complexion, they may still be susceptible to certain pore problems. Plus, skin type can change with age, or as a result of environmental factors, genetics, nutrition, or complications related to other health conditions. If you’re concerned about any skin changes, talk to your dermatologist.

Fly Away Fluff

With winter upon us we are back to wearing woollen fabrics and often darker colours. The static in the air encourages fluff, pollen, hairs, etc. to stick to our clothing and look unsightly. Keep a roll of sellotape with you. To remove those beastly little flecks, wrap the tape, sticky side up, around two or three fingers and blot the offending areas. Voila! 

Rings and Things

Beads, bangles and baubles are very big this spring. According to the accessory scrutineers, everything from flowers and feathers in your hair, to dangly gaudy earrings, large jangly bracelets, rings on all your fingers and toes and brightly coloured necklaces are acceptable.

Add a brightly coloured big handbag and go out there and take the world by storm. You may have to tone it down a tad for work in case your bosses get tetchy! 

Source your shades

While there are many fancy looking cheap sunglasses confronting us from every angle - bear in mind that they should provide you with safe UV protection.

When you try on glasses, tie or hold back your hair so you get a better picture of how they suit your face.

When cleaning them wash them in cold water with no soap because you will get a streaky residue (it you use soap)

Little white number

It's official - you CAN wear white at night, preferably shiny, not matte! (Our mothers used to say never wear white at night!) Make sure your trim is a darker colour than the fabric of the dress - black is good. Have the hemline just on, or below your knees. Shiny accessories are great and festive.

Bag beater

Dark circles can be hereditary and are the result of the skin thinning around your eyes and thus showing up the capillaries. Buy a concealer that is a few shades lighter than your skin and has a yellowish tinge.   To help prevent bags, sleep with a few more pillows and cut down on the salt that you take with your food. Both factors help drain the water retention. To repeat a well told tip, iced cucumber slices soaked in milk are soothing and help reduce the bags.

Brightening Dull Hair

Do you spend a lot of time, money, and effort on your hair, only to find it still looks dull and drab? It could be all that coloring, straightening, curling, and styling that’s causing the problem. To prevent dull hair, it’s best to take a hands-off approach when it comes to your natural color and texture. Too much coloring and bleaching can cause dull hair. The high heat from blow-dryers and curling irons can leave hair brittle. And constant wearing of braids, ponytails, or hair extensions, all of which pull on hair, can lead to hair breakage.

Too much sun is also a bad thing: Overexposure to ultraviolet light can fade your hair color and make hair dry and brittle, leading to breakage and split ends. And, contrary to what you may think, brushing your hair 100 times a day doesn’t give your hair a healthy shine — it causes split ends.

Eliminating Dull Hair
If your hair could use a little help in the shine department, you’ll find everything you need at your local drugstore or beauty supply store. Try the following tips:

• De-gunk your hair. Use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of shampoo, conditioner, and styling products that may have built up on your hair. Be sure to rinse extra carefully — that helps ensure that all the old products are washed out of your hair.
• Moisturize. Sometimes dry hair is the culprit. If your hair looks and feels like straw, wash it with a moisturizing shampoo and use a conditioner after every time you shampoo. If you’re worried about conditioner weighing down your hair, apply it only from the bottom half of your hair down to the ends. For hair that’s colored or bleached, using a deep conditioner once a week is a good idea.
• Add shine. Hair that looks dull and flat can be perked up with a shine spray, mist, or serum. These products contain silicone, and they can make your hair look shiny and silky. Just go easy on them, so that they don’t contribute to a beauty-product buildup.
• Switch brands of hair-care products periodically. Over time, the products you use to wash and style your hair can make it look dull. Try rotating the brand you use every few months.
• Use the right brush. A brush with tightly packed bristles smoothes hair, leaving a glossy finish.
• Blow-dry your hair on cool or warm. Using the hot setting can damage your hair.
• Protect your hair from the sun. Before a day at the beach or by the pool, put on a hat. You can also spray your locks with a sun block designed for hair.
• Choose warm tones if you color or highlight your hair. Because warm tones reflect light, they can brighten the hair.
• Ask your stylist about a salon gloss treatment. These add shine to your hair for a few weeks without changing its color.

In most cases, the strategic (and proper) use of a few hair-care products is all it takes to turn dull hair to dazzling.

Removing Unwanted Hair

You may have seen it in the mirror: facial hair that sprouts from your chin, upper lip, or the bridge of your nose. Or you may have unwanted hair on your legs or fingers and toes, not to mention your lower abdomen and bikini line. Why does this happen?

Too much hair in the wrong places is often related to your genes: If Aunt Martha has a unibrow, chances are that you do, too. Excess hair can also be a side effect of certain medications. And in some women, it can be a sign of an endocrine system disorder.

Removing Unwanted Hair 
In many cases, unwanted hair can be removed at home. Try the following do-it-yourself techniques:

• Bleach it. Bleaching lightens hair to make it less noticeable.
• Shave it off. Shaving works best for body hair, such as that on your legs and underarms. Don’t try this on your bikini line, though, because shaving there can lead to ingrown hairs.
• Pluck it out. This may hurt a little, but if you’re shaping your eyebrows or you want to eliminate a few hairs from your face, using a tweezer is probably the best method.
• Use a depilatory cream. Choose the product for the type of hair you want to remove, and try it on a small area before using to make sure you’re not allergic to it.
• Wax it away. Many women prefer waxing for the eyebrows, the upper lip, and the bikini area. You can do it yourself or have it done at a salon. Warm wax is first applied to areas of unwanted hair. After the wax hardens, it’s pulled away — taking the hair with it. Waxing can cause temporary stinging.

Professional Hair Removal
More permanent hair removal requires the services of a professional. Techniques include laser hair removal, which uses a laser beam or light pulse to destroy the hair follicle. This is done by a doctor or health-care professional trained in the technique. Though lasers are only effective on dark hair, they can be used on many parts of the body. While the results of this method are long lasting, it’s expensive, requiring three or more treatment sessions. It can also cause temporary pain.

Electrolysis removes hair by inserting a tiny needle that transmits electric current into each hair follicle to destroy the follicle so it doesn’t grow back. This can cause a tingling sensation, though topical anesthetics can be applied to the skin first to reduce discomfort. Be sure to find a professional who’s highly trained with this method.

If these techniques don’t work for you, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor. He or she may prescribe an oral or topical prescription medication that can slow hair growth. Your doctor may also want to see if a medical issue is causing your unwanted hair. The most common culprit is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is the result of too much of the male hormone androgen. Excessive hair growth can also signal a more serious disorder — especially if masculine features such as bigger muscles are also present.

For most women, though, everything it takes to remove unwanted facial hair or body hair — at least temporarily — can be found on the shelves of their bathroom cabinet or at their local drugstore.

A Cuppa Green

A study done at a university in Japan established that taking at least one cup of green tea a day keeps your gums healthy as it inhibits the development of bacterias which cause infection. So, along with your regular brushing, flossing and rinsing, bolster your smile and self confidence knowing your gums won't let you down! 

Say "Cheese"

 In an ideal world we would clean our teeth after every meal. Not easy, but to help neutralise the acids in your mouth, especially when you have been eating sweet foodstuffs, eat a square of yellow cheese. This helps fight tooth decay and keeps you smiling! 

Aloe Aloe

According to General Dentistry aloe vera is excellent for protecting your pearly whites. Dental products with aloe vera reduce bacteria and are more gentle on the enamel of your teeth than flouride. 

Fizzy Fact

To keep your teeth and breath fresh and appealing, remember never to clean your teeth after you have just had a carbonated drink (e.g. Coke, Fanta).

The acid in the drink plus the abrasive cleaning agents in the toothpaste can damage your tooth enamel. Sip some water or chew gum to neutralise your saliva before brushing. 

Gum Sense

• People who take less than 60 mg a day of Vitamin C are more likely to get gum disease, such as gum boils and bleeding gums. Eat a few oranges every day if you can. Each orange contains +- 80mg of Vitamin C.
• Tea - the antioxidants in tea are also good for your gums, and help prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth. Black and green teas are best.
• Avoid carbohydrates between meals. They break down to simple sugars which are converted to plaque.

Smile happily, knowing you have healthy gums and a fresh breath

Teeth whitening tip

To help your teeth stay white or to remove stains - use a little bit of bicarbonate of soda to brush your teeth, rinse and then brush with your regular toothpaste. If used regularly as part of your routine, it will help you keep your teeth white and will remove coffee stains or stains from smoking

Gum tea

Healthy looking gums are a must for that perfect toothy smile. A cup of tea is good for gums. The antioxidant plant compounds and polyphenols found in green and black teas also prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth and help reduce bad breath because it slows the growth of bacteria and causes the odour to decrease.

Cracked Up

Dry, cold and windy weather is just around the corner. Our lips are often the frontline victims. Head for your nearest store and find a balm that contains hyaloronic acid and shea butter. Waxy balms cover the surface of your lips (like a raincoat!) and can make your chapped lips worse. 

Touch of the Lips

When you are trying out shades of lipstick, remember not to press your lips together. This creates a rush of blood to the lips that distorts their colour - thereby making them look unrealistically pink

Lipstick Tricks

Richard Hawkins of Guerlain says we shouldn't "labour" our lipstick application because it makes it start to look old fashioned. He says "It's best to apply darker lipstick with a brush. Apply to the centre of your bottom lip and brush out to the sides. Don't apply to the top lip - simply press your lips together and, in 99% of us, the lipstick will go exactly where you need it to go on the top lip. End result is fresh and modern - looks more like a stain

Lip lines

If you use a lipliner, try applying it OVER your lipstick instead of putting it on first. The waxy pencil prevents feathering becuse it is on top and doesn't leave that old fashioned ring around your mouth when the colour wears off. 

Specs Face Up

Square face: Round or oval aviator styles that extend beyond the widest part of your face, to soften a strong jaw.

Heart shaped: Aviator or butterfly styles. Avoid clear or oversized frames that extend past the temples.

Oval: Versatile shape - you can wear just about any frame as long as the shades are in proportion to your face.

Round face: Avoid round lenses because they accentuate round cheeks. Sporty squared off retro styles are good.

Dry eyes

Beauty Tips reader Frances Crous tells us thatVaseline on eyelashes at night prevents dry eyes during the day. It also helps keep eyebrows neatly shaped. (Use sparingly).

Nail Artistry

Nail decoration is becoming very popular – especially for parties and special occasions. Use can be made of: 

• Nail polish 
• Specially designed paints 
• Transfers 
• Gems, foil, feathers, snake skin (really!) etc. 

BUT – watch for symptoms of an allergic reaction. At the first sign of redness, swelling, itching or raised blisters, have the decoration removed immediately. 

Nails - No More

Long finger talons are not in these days. Any nails longer then 3mm over your finger tips is not at all fashionable, so they say. Well nourished fingernails that have been conditioned and buffed before applying polish look great with natural creamy shades. Forget French manicures. They are out! 

Baby Balm

For very dry skin, especially lving in Johannesburg during the winter, I use Johnson's Baby Gel as a general body cream. It seems to be the only substance that really is absorbed

Cheap, Easy and Handy

Instead of buying pricey manicure creams and scrubs, try this:

• 1/2 Cup regular table salt
• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 Lemon (just the juice)
• 1 Tablespoon honey (runny)

Combine all in a bowl, mixing thoroughly. Can be used on your hands, legs, arms and feet. It breaks away dead skin, moisturises and soothes dry skin.

Nail hardeners

Kneading dough? Dont wash it off your fingers for a while. The dough has hardening properties.

Mix some milk and lemon juice and massage into your hands. Leave for five minutes.

Another hardening tip – mix a tablespoon of lemon juice and a tablespoon of sugar. Make a paste with a little water. Leave on your nails for about 15 minutes and rinse off.

Out with the old

To completely clear your nails of old nail polish, saturate the cotton pad with remover and after cleaning all the polish off, try this new trick to remove that yellowish outer layer: smooth a little lemon or lavender oil on each nail and the layer will be cleared away.

Nude nails

 In a hurry and your nails need urgent attention? Don't be tempted to do a quick brightly coloured patch up job. Slick on a flesh coloured nail polish. It is the most practical and professional way to do your nails in a hurry. It goes with everything, and because it is almost the same colour as your skin, it will make your nails appear longer.

Stay Alert

Tea Bags! Apart from their other endless uses, they are a great wake up for sleepy and tired eyes. Steep two bags in hot water for a few minutes and then, when cool enough, apply to your eyes. Lie down for a while and dream of better things to come, and when you take them off your eyes will feel and look a lot better. It's the caffeine in the tea that wakes them up. 

Brow Beater

If you have unruly eyebrows that refuse to lie flat - tame them with an old, well sterilised tooth brush onto which you have sprayed a little hairspray and brush the brows flat. The stickiness of the spray helps them stay in place. 

If you are going to pluck your eyebrows try applying a little tea tree oil first. It helps to ease the pain. Remember, too, that when plucking, don't over pluck between your eyebrows. Your eyes will appear smaller and your nose bigger! 

Sparkly Food

If you don't eat properly it will show in your eyes - they will be dull and lack sparkle. For bright and shiny eyes you need food that is rich in antioxidants like: 

Spinach - an excellent source of lutin which helps prevent eye diseases. For lutin also eat broccoli, kale, peas and sweetcorn. 

Carrots - Beta Carotene converts in the body to vitamin A which is needed for good vision (which lessens your squinting which equals fewer wrinkles!) Strangely, cooked carrots are better than raw because the heat releases more nutrients. 

Bilberries - They are so rich in antioxidants that pilots have been known to eat bilberry jam to improve their night sight.