Summer skin woes

     The unbelievable has finally happened: it is June and hot. And sunny! We've been promised a week of this...!

     So it seems it's a good time to think about how best to support your skin through this slightly surreal experience. Usually, when we get warmth like this, we have to speak a foreign language, or try to...

     Some things to consider in hot weather are:

• dehydration
• sunburn
• dryness
• soreness
• allergies 

     That's enough to be going on with, I think. Let's start with dehydration.

     You've got to drink enough water, obviously. But don't knock it back like a drunken student on his first Yard of Ale. If you swig, your body can't absorb efficiently, all that precious fluid will pass straight through and your kidneys will be overworked.

     Sip like a lady with a martini. You could even stick out your little finger, if you feel it helps...

     That'll  help with the internal requirements, but the hotter air, sunshine, reflected or direct and the breeze will also take their toll, and this is where one of my desert Island Essentials comes in

     Facial Toner.

     This is the bee's knees. (If they have them.)

     When it's hot like this, I keep a bottle in the fridge and lightly mist it on my face, when I feel like it. This is great for all skin types. People with rosacea might find it gets worse or better in the summer, but this helps to keep the skin cool. 

     For us lucky souls without rosacea, it's just lovely to cool your face down knowing that you are also pampering it with soothing herbal extracts like anthyllis vulneria at the same time. 

     You can of course use a bottle of plain water, instead:here are plenty of brands selling facial mists. But, I slightly resent the idea of paying to mist my face with micro-droplets of H2O which is packaged in a pressurised container with an aerosol and is almost impossible to recycle!

     You can also get a tiny 10 ml one of these for your hand bag, which is a nice little treat for your face.

     If you want one on these to treat your face to a cooling spray as needed, get in touch. Just text the pamper line on 07961224560

Facial Toner usually costs £25.50 or £23 after discount, and I have five little minis (RRP £4) to give away free with the first five ordered. If you want one, text the Pamper-line on 07961224560 or reply to this email. 

GDP Aaarrgh!

     Four little* letters are driving the entire internet bonkers, and leading to many people tearing their hair out and racing round like the fly with proverbial azure posterior.

     But, this all ceases on Friday 25th May, thank Goodness! Back to normal, but with an empty inbox - YAY!

     It reminds me of the Millennium bug. The entire world - AKA the internet -

Image from Know Your Meme

was about to grind to a halt and we were going to find ourselves in the dark Ages with no central heating or running water. Or the online equivalent.

     Didn't happen though, did it? We all woke up with sore heads - those of us old enough to toast the new millennium, anyway - and things went on as normal.

     Quite possibly the whole GDPR fiasco will make no difference whatsoever.

     Anyway, in case you are concerned about what I do with any of your data, here is my privacy policy. (Interestingly, spellcheck suggested piracy policy. I prefer that.)

   

My Piracy Policy and why your data is safe in my hot little hands:

• I wait till the Witching Hour on a full moon
• Then I go out with a candle-lit lantern
• I dig a deep hole in an unmarked spot
• There I deposit all personal details and top up with nice organic soil

     This means, of course, that even if I wanted to, which I don't, I could not sell your details on to a second or third party. (Mainly because I can't find them myself.) 
     
     So, I do hope that's clearer now?

     Any questions, please ask. Email jane@theorganicbeautician.com or text 07961224560, and if I''m not digging for information, I'll answer ASAP.
 
      Have a radiant day!

   www.theorganicbeautican.com

*Okay, so they are Majuscules, not 'little' letters, but that lacked alliteration. 

Mayday! M'aidez!

Maypole Crown. Beltaine 2011. Photo by Sable Aradia

   Looking out of the window, it is clear why May is called May. 

   It's nothing to do with poles, ribbons and flowers really, it's more that...

     You may need an umbrella.
     You may need wellies.
     You may need to cancel your barbecue
     You may wear a summer dress, but you will freeze. (That's me, and I am freezing.)

     Take your pick. All a bit depressing really. Let's hope it clears up for the Royal Wedding!

    This is probably why Mayday is the signal of distress. It's actually nothing to do with the Anglicisation of the French "M'aidez!", but more of a fact that May will be a bit soggy and your boat may sink.

     That's enough of that. I'm going to find some woolly tights, as I'm freezing. The frock may have been a mistake.      

     Have a radiant day! (It might clear up!)


     You may find yourself in need of some Dr Hauschka goodies to cheer you up. 

     Text the Mayday helpline: 07961224560. 

Happy Birthday, Mr Shakespeare!

    Today, being St George's Day, is also generally celebrated as the birth-date (in 1564) of the world's greatest playwright and general Good Egg, one Wm. Shakespeare (or Shakspear - he never seems particularly wedded to one spelling, but ranged about a bit. And, why not? You can't tie genius down with spelling. Teachers might disagree...)  

Modern recreation by Vanny Sok

     As I've just been to a Dr Hauschka Makeup training day, it seemed apposite to link the two if possible, hence this wee look at what sort of makeup was worn during the time of the Bard of Avon, both on- and off-stage.

     Back in the day, there was no such thing as 'safe' cosmetics and H&S legislation. Most people put really dodgy stuff on their faces to gain the requisite shade of white. Including Her Maj - Elizabeth I, who probably started the trend.

     The ideal beauty was a very fair woman, with blonde or red hair (like Liz), an exceptionally pale complexion and red lips. As well as being tall and slim, Queen Elizabeth had pale skin and light red-gold hair. She made the most of this, and all the noblewomen tried to emulate her style and looks. (The poor probably didn't bother, being more concerned with scratching a living and not getting arrested for poaching.)

    Probably the point of showing of an alabaster complexion was that it signified wealth - you couldn't be pale and interesting if you'd been labouring in the field 24/7, could you?

      This degree of pallidity wasn't always that easy to achieve, and like modern women, some help was required. Unlike us, though, they used seriously dodgy ingredients. Now, I am often heard making 'eugh' noises, when I peruse the ingredients lists on tubes of (non-Hauschka) cosmetics, but the stuff they painted themselves with was seriously gross. 

     " 'Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
     Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on"

     So said Will. Except it wasn't: it was mostly fake. Let's start with ceruse: a tasty mix of white lead and vinegar, which gave you a white complexion, initially at least. However, it also gave you blemishes, which you then had to cover up with more ceruse, until your face was ruined, your hair fell out and you died of lead poisoning. (Like Maria the Countess of Coventry, aged 27.) 

     If you wanted to lose your freckles, you had the delicious choice of sulphur, turpentine and mercury. On top of this, was painted a nice glaze of egg white. At least that wouldn't do any harm, although it might smell after a bit, but as hardly anyone bathed much, perhaps it was unnoticeable...

     Lipstick was very popular of course, and vermilion was the shade du jour. That, of course, is also known as mercuric sulphide. Nice! 

     To get that 'high brow' look, the hairline and the eyebrows were plucked to oblivion, proving that "il faut souffrir pour être belle" is not a modern invention,

     Let's not forget the eyes, those windows of the soul: to keep them bright, a tincture of belladonna was used. Hence the name presumably. Once the pupils were dilated, a nice line of antimony was painted along them. Antimony poisoning is very similar to lead poisoning, apparently. though I doubt that makes much of a difference, except to anyone doing an autopsy. 

     Actors often used prop paint for their faces, after painting the stage. There was also a pleasing mixture of powdered hogs bones mixed with poppy oil, which was used, especially by the young men who were playing the petticoat parts. All the actors wore face paint of some sort, though, to accentuate the character they were playing. Like Duncan with his "silver skin (laced with his golden blood)". Although, by most accounts, the real King Duncan was not the pleasant chap he seems. ("Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems...) A popular recipe was ceruse mixed with sublimate of mercury and ground orris. Sprinkle in some ground hogs’ bones, a pinch of borax, and beat in egg whites and lemon juice. Nice! 

     One of the few harmless ingredients used, and this is still used today, to create red lipstick, was cochineal. It was expensive, though, hence the vermilion being in more common use.  

     Thinking about that lot, I'm pretty relieved that we can paint our faces with Dr Hauschka. I'm not sure that lead and mercury have a great deal to recommend them, although you could of course say that they are 'natural'. Like cyanide and arsenic. Which just goes to show that you can't rely on the claims on packets of cosmetics to be 'natural' and assume that they are therefore beneficial. 

Death of a Star - RIP Stephen Hawking

 Whether or not you are interested in physics, Stephen Hawking is still an interesting and astonishing chap.

    Given only a few years to live at only 22, and then finally popping off at 79 is enough of an achievement for anyone, but he was so phenomenal in so many other ways, not least overcoming his physical symptoms to explore so much knowledge and expound upon it. 

     Not much point in my writing much about his discoveries, because I only have an 'O' level in Physics, but I still find it utterly fascinating.

     Of course, it was a total gift to journalists with 'gems' such as 'brightest star dies' and 'his death leaves a vacuum'. which I do hope he would have found amusing. But one of his quotes I liked the most was about the future, making sure that we would like it when we got there and to be sure of that, we needed to consider our current actions in the present. Absolutely right Prof! If only enough of us did!

     However, I also like the rather naff saying about the 'present being called that because it is a gift'. Which is far too inane for Stephen Hawking but true nonetheless. 

     Perhaps that is something to consider; giving yourself a gift for being in the present and enjoying it?

    The perfect gift is a Dr Hauschka treatment - for relaxation, sweet scents and gentle massage which results in radiant skin. It also gives you time out from your hectic existence to recover your equilibrium. You might even come up with brilliant ideas of your own! Many artists swear by regular treatments to help them remain creative.

New Year, New You? Why?

It's that depressing time of year when we all start to think soberly about our waistlines, skin and livers and resolve never to drink/smoke/eat chocolate or carbs ever again.

We are constantly reading about new year and new you, but, really, what's wrong with the old you? You've got this far, so well done you! Pat on the back time. Okay, some things could be done better, in future, but is January really the best time to think about it?

Why we do this during the most miserable time of year beats me entirely 

It would make more sense to wait until the mornings are lighter and we feel keener to get out of bed and fancy eating salads, when it's warmer. 

But no. We exit the Festive Season of food, booze and not enough exercise and feel the primeval need to chastise ourselves. 


Don't do it, is my advice

Be like the Elephant's Child and be kind to yourself. 

He was kind to his poor pulled nose, and many of us also have red noses at this time of year. Not pulled by a crocodile probably (although who knows? I'm not judging), but sore and red all the same. The mulled wine and cocktails don't exactly raise your vitamin C levels, and colds and coughs are boringly rife. 

Steam and soothing unguents are what you need, not self flagellation

Why not treat your skin to some TLC instead of beating yourself up about what's already been and gone? Give your face a steam, followed by a cooling clay mask and then a soothing cream mask. 

I do literally use a Soothing Mask, the one from Dr Hauschka, on myself and clients, at this time of year. It's also really great for sore chapped lips. Just apply a little and watch, as your lips start to feel soft and moist.


As for the New Year's resolutions, why not leave those to February? 

Give yourself a little time and space to reflect on what you really want and need, rather than leaping into a new year with misplaced enthusiasm. 

About ten years ago I made my last ever resolution - the only one I ever kept, and it was not to make any more. Unusually, that one has been kept!

Happy New Year!

Do you need Gluten-free makeup?

     There are so many categories of makeup now, from organic, to vegan, to low allergen, and now we have added Gluten free to the already confusing and heady mix. Is this a step too far, or a necessary one?

Go to www.coeliac.org.uk for help

     If you are a coeliac, putting a product containing gluten on your skin shouldn't really be a problem, as wheat/grain sensitivities are generally located in the digestive tract, but if you've been advised to go gluten-free for health reasons, then you might want to consider using gluten free makeup, to avoid any possibility of accidentally ingesting something that might affect you adversely. 

     It makes sense to use a gluten-free lipstick, at the very minimum, as a certain amount will be absorbed. It's also a really good idea to make sure that you always wash your hands after applying makeup, so that you don't get anything allergenic in your mouth inadvertently.

     To be on the safe side, though, it is probably worth considering making the change, as it will be safer for you and your health, and there are some really great Gluten-free makeup ranges around nowadays, so you don't need to feel that you are missing out. I am an Organic Makeup artist, using Dr Hauschka makeup which is certified Gluten-free, so safe for anyone with wheat sensitivities.

Gluten-free Colour Correcting Powder
from Dr Hauschka

     If you are not a coeliac, or don't suffer from a wheat allergy or sensitivity, then you might think that there is no need for you to consider this subject, but if you live with a coeliac, then perhaps it might be as well to make the change, for their sake. 

     After all, lips are for kissing and you don't want to make anyone feel unwell after kissing them, do you? You want the people around you to feel comfortable, in which case, gluten free products are the way forward. 

Want a consultation? 

Contact The Organic Beautician 

Email: jane@theorganicbeautician.com

Text:   07961 224560