Cosmopolitan Australia September 2017

PROBLEM

SKIN

Is your skin

behaving badly?

Here are seven

common skin

offences, why they

happen, and what

to do about them

SKIN OFFENCE #1:

PIGMENTATION

THE CHARGE: Sun spots have

cropped up on your skin.

THE EVIDENCE: UVA stimulates

your pigment cells, melanocytes,

to create melanin – aka freckles

and pigmentation. Sun spots can

take between 10 to 20 years to

appear, so your spots could have

been caused ages ago.

THE VERDICT: ‘Sunscreen during

winter and summer is necessary

for keeping pigmentation at bay,’

says Dr Joseph Hkeik, founder

of All Saints Skin Clinic. ‘Try

a mineral powder you can apply

over the top of your makeup to

boost your SPF factor.’ Also use

antioxidants and AHAs to help

boost your complexion. ‘Kojic

acid, arbutin, vitamin C, vitamin

A, niacinamide and liquorice

work well in combination with

AHAs to brighten skin,’ he says.

SKIN OFFENCE #2:

REDNESS AND

SENSITIVITY

THE CHARGE: Your skin feels

uncomfortably dry, tingling

and itchy. Sometimes it even

feels hot and burning – and

it’s been going on for days or

even weeks.

THE EVIDENCE: Pollution, air-

conditioning, UV rays and

poor water can cause skin

sensitivity. But a skin f lare-

up could also be caused by

fatigue, hormones, a poor diet

and stress. ‘This is known as

chrono-sensitivity,’ says Lucy

Bradshaw, Lancôme marketing

manager. ‘It refers to temporary

outbreaks of sensitivity, which

can f lare up over the year.’

THE VERDICT: Look for calming

ingredients to soothe reactive

skin. Probiotics, maqui berry

oil and potassium have been

found to soothe sensitised skin.

IT COSMETICS CC+

Airbrush Perfecting

Powder SPF 50+

from Sephora, $58

RATIONALE Catalyst

Serum, $154

TRILOGY Ve r y

Gentle

Hydra-Mask,

$37.95

LANCÔME Advanced

Génefique

Sensitive, $109

SCOUT COSMETICS

Vitamin C Brightening

Serum, $49.95

TRUNK ARCHIVE

COSMOPOLITAN SEPTEMBER 2017 65

beauty