Ok, you’ve just about gotten your skin to start looking better but one thing still plagues you.

Dark circles!

Here’s what is really going on and how to make it go away.

Dark circles are primarily caused by one (or sometimes two) intrinsic factors:

1. Slow blood flow.

A hereditary cause of under-eye darkness.  Slow blood flow results in accumulation of hemosiderin (a pigment that contains iron oxide) in the skin. Diffcult to eliminate, but the clients that we put on a combination of vitamin K and retinol helps. Vitamin K alone may help. There is vitamin K in mineral makeup lines like Jane Iredale, which heals your dark circles when it hides them.

2. Melanin.

When exposed to sun, that melanin in your skin causes skin to darken,  especially skin under the eyes.

Daily sunscreen is a big must, and so is reapplying if you’re in and out of the sun.

Go for physical sunscreens,  ditch the chemical ones. These will contain titanium dioxide and won’t sting your skin or eye area.

3. Lack of Sleep.

Sleep-deprivation increases under-eye darkness by restricting blood flow, creating puffiness in that delicate area. Prioritize your shut-eye!

We’re seeing a lot of enquiries and skin issues directly related to makeup so I thought of sharing some do’s and don’ts that will help prevent your favourite-holy-grail-can’t-leave-the-house-without makeup from giving you problems.

Past its prime, the makeup that you love can actually cause acne and skin irritation. We’ve found that the dye used in certain makeup is also a major culprit in pigmentation on the cheekbones.

How and where you keep it is half the battle won.

A cool area that is exposed to minimal sunlight would mean your makeup does not break down so quickly into its chemcial derivatives (which are always a non no for skin). Keep your bottles and jars closed after use, exposure to air often causes oxidation (darking of the makeup) and possible contamination.

Next, consider the next couple of tips:

• If you use makeup with retinol, the retinol will “expire” and stop being effective in about 4 weeks. The good news is that you can still use it and there will not be side effects, the bad news is that you won’t be able to derive the benefits of the retinol ingredient.

• Interestingly, mascara is the item on your counter (or in the handbag)  with the shortest lifespan and the highest susceptibility to bacterial contamination. A good rule of thumb would be to replace it every three months. Never share, no good ever comes out of that.

• As a rule of thumb, you should replace creamy products sooner than powders. Your cream blush, foundation and concealer should last about a year.  Oil-based foundation, however, lasts longer than water-based - up to 18 months.

• Facial powder, eye shadow, and powder blush, and powders in general – are among the longest-lasting items in your medicine cabinet, and should last for two to three years. Another reason why mineral makeup is all the rage.

• Eyeliners and lipliners are good for up to three years, sharpen before using.

• Last but not least, the world’s greatest invention. Lipstick! This should stay with you for a good three years, until another shade becomes the in thing!

Also, if you notice a change in colour, odour or texture of the makeup, it usually means its time to replace. Not doing so may cause a lot of unnecessary skin issues as time goes by, we’ve seen clients with acne, pigmentation and uneven skin tone issues that could be traced back to unknowingly using expired makeup.

Lastly, the tools that you use. Wash your makeup brushes and sponges and replace sponges regularly. Lay brushes flat to dry as standing them upright may cause rust on the metal portions and decay in the wooden handles. Brushes are a hotbead for microbacterial activity and that itself, is an acne causing possibility.

Special: Pure Minerals, Pure Results.

First ten readers of this entry get a free colour match with our Skin Iredale Mineral Makeup. We’re having special promo sets up to 20% off the usual price, call now and give mineral makeup a go. We have a full testing counter and free makeup gifts for all who make a mineral makeup purchase in the months of Jan and Feb.