A Day in the Life of a Face: Photo Diary

Our faces change during the day and this is an interesting experiment. The comments are Anna’s own. Harsh at times. My comments are in italics. What could Anna do to look better during the day? Please comment below!

7am

Morning face. According to a new study on how our faces change from hour to hour and day to day, by 3.30pm we look the worst. Morning faces are less wrinkled than in the afternoon because lying down means gravity lets up a little overnight.

Anna’s morning face at 7am (l) and looking rosy and glowing at 10.15am post run (r)

10.15am

Post morning run training for a marathon. People with skin type prone to redness should avoid strenuous exercise and extremes of temperature or risk broken capillaries. The increased blood flow has at least done something for those early morning under-eye bags. However, the lines around her mouth have deepened.

In my view, excessive running is not the best for sagging cheeks and jawline. 

 11.15am

Make-up - while the application of foundation has made her look less flustered, it has also highlighted the creases above the eyebrows.

Anna wears make-up at 11.15am (l) and feels the beauty nadir is approaching already at 12.30pm (r)

12.30am

She look ashen and exhausted. Her lipstick and foundation have long disappeared, while her eyeliner and mascara are fading. Adding caffeine makes her deep frown lines in the forehead and creases around her mouth appear.

3.30pm

Welcome to the beauty low spot – particularly on Wednesdays. Her face still looks oily – spotty, even – from the run but the make-up wore off long ago. Those eye bags have reappeared too. After a snack, the guilt and sugar rush are definitely showing in her face –  a shine on her forehead and the end of the nose, and her ageing- dimples deepen.

Anna’s beauty low spot at 3.30pm (l) as identified by research for St. Tropez Anti-Ageing, and her hair is rebelling by 7pm post-ballet class (r)

7pm

Although she is looking less greasy than in the previous picture, her face is starting to look pallid, her wrinkles around the chin and nose are deepening.

A day in the life of a face: Anna puts on make up to go out for the evening

8pm

Make-up applied, still a bit tired. The final look in the mirror – lots of laughter lines have appeared around her mouth and eyes, probably accentuated by her foundation, but her eyeliner and mascara and lipstick has given her face some warmth.

Looking human again but tired still at 8pm (l) and ready for bed once more at 11pm (r)

11pm

Make-up taken off. Staring at the mirror she feels she looks terrible without make-up. Greenish circles around her eyes and a deep line has emerged above the left eye, which wasn’t there this morning. Her double chin is now very noticeable. The overpowering tiredness she feels can clearly be seen on her face. Her face has had its own journey as she has gone about her day and has its own story to tell.

What could have Anna done to look better through the day?  Please write your comments – I will publish my recommendations shortly! 
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2274641/A-day-life-face-In-extraordinary-picture-diary-Anna-Pursglove-shows-faces-change-single-day.html#ixzz2KVOV19XC

Emotional Impact of Acne/Spots/Blemishes

My research at Hull University looks at emotional impact of skin disease, in particular, acne.  In my clinical practice I see all spectrum of acne – from a few spots on the chin to scarring and pigmentation after being treated for a year or so and discharged by a dermatologist. I understand the impact acne/spots/blemishes have on my clients’ private lives.

Skin – Stress – Emotions.

Already 20 years ago, it was suggested that skin could form a channel of communication for unexpressed feelings (Koblenzer, 1983) and nowadays research shows that skin disease and emotional lability may be connected. Arnetz, et al. (1991) lists the psychosocial stressors that are related to onset/relapse of acne – these include marriage, divorce, bereavement, excess of minor life-events and multiple daily hassles.

New line of dermatology research seeks to reduce stress in skin diseases. Already Hughes, et al. (1983) found that relaxation with cognitive imagery and physical treatment produced significantly greater reduction in facial acne (compared to a matched physical treatment alone). Furthermore, patients who failed to continue with the psychological therapies experienced a relapse.

Acceptance in the Society.

The desire to appear attractive goes beyond the sexual domain  – attractive people have advantages in the society (Etcoff, 1999). Attractiveness is related to social approval and we have evolved with strategies to attract others and elicit their approach behaviour. These strategies have become central in many domains of social life; sexual attraction, alliance formation, in-group acceptance and leadership.

 

In acne, feeling stigma and shame can be very acute, emotionally painful and socially debilitating. The psychosocial impact of acne lies in its ability to disrupt – at least in the eyes of the sufferer – signals of social acceptability to peers and potential sexual partners. The blemished skin “acts as a signal of disease” eliciting rejection and avoidance from others. Culturally, skin clarity is commonly enhanced in media-generated images of idealized, desirable people. People with acne may not be able to induce positive feelings about themselves in others. They fear inducing negative feelings – anxiety, anger, or disgust – that are likely to reduce the chances of being seen as desirable (Porter, et al., 1990) and prevent mutually rewarding relationships. Research suggests that believing that others think negatively of you leads to changes in behaviour that can result in self-fulfilling prophecies (Crocker & Major, 1989).

Evolutionary Links

There are evolutionary reasons explaining why those who “appear ill with acne” are avoided through natural aversion to avoid possible contamination. Skin clarity is perceived as a sign of “good genes” and often, unfairly, negative personal characteristics are attributed to people with acne – thinking of them as dirty, lazy – and making them appear doubly unattractive.

Social comparison is an old social cognition and salient in judging one’s own attractiveness to others (Gilbert, 1995). Negative social comparison and the negative emotional states are linked.  Women, and even more so older women, are particularly prone to acne-related embarrassment (Krowchuk, et al., 1991). It is because they have hightened levels of self-consciousness and also physical attractiveness is a more central part of female sexual strategies.

May 2012 FaceWorkshops Club: Facial Yoga for the Eyes

Are you exercising your eye area? 

Early research shows that facial zones age at different rates [Marrakchi 2007] and the eye area, in particular, is susceptible to premature ageing – due to squinting in the sun, computers, bad working conditions, lack of sleep, etc.

My clients quote the eye area to be their biggest concern. [FaceWorkshops Survey 2012]

We look people in the eye when forming a relationship. Our eyes are able to detect very slight changes in the eye area, we can distinquish a 20% change in skin surface topography eg. wrinkle depth. [Samson N, et al. 2010]

However, anti-wrinkle eye creams are used only by 22 % of people in the UK; 33 % in age group 45 – 54.

In order to deliver results, skincare has to team up with a smart application technique and facial exercise.

The FaceWorkshop Club members were encouraged to exercise their eye area,  doing 3 eye exercises, twice a day, for 7 days.

• First exercise was an eye movement (please note the video repeats the movement twice)

Exercise 1

• The second exercise was resistance training and the third exercise was an upper eyelid lift. Following the instructions, we did 20 repetitions twice for Exercise 2.

Exercise 2 and 3

• We did rest with palms on our eyes afterwards.

Please read the comments of the participants below, these are the subjectively assessed results.

East Yorkshire Skincare Survey

FaceWorkshops Skincare Surveys

 We carried a skincare survey on Beverley highstreet (2/3 of the group were women aged 40 – 70 years) to investigate the skincare choices of the local population. The results are worth publishing:

• 70 % said they were quite happy with their facial skin
• 60 % had dry skin type
• 80 % of participants were concerned about lines and wrinkles, followed by sagging (40 %), dry skin (25 %) and lack of radiance (20 %).
• 58 % used a single skincare brand; L’Oreal and Nivea were mentioned by 62 % of participants, followed by Boots and Olay (12 % each).
• 29 % were confused by the vast skincare choice on the market.
• magazine editorials and in-store promotions were the main factors persuading them to buy skincare (75 %)

Comparing these results to a shorter survey among the staff of a local blue chip company (2/3 of the group were women aged 40 – 60 years) shows interesting trends:

• only 30 % said they were quite happy with their facial skin – 70 % were not really happy!
• 60 % of participants were concerned with uneven or oily T-zone and enlarged pores.
• 40 % used a mass-market skincare brand (Nivea, Simple, Boots, Olay); 60 % used a premium brands (Clinique, Elemis, Estee Lauder, Clarins, etc.)
• magazine editorials and price were also the main factors persuading them to buy skincare (40 %)

1. These surveys indicate that women in the commercial environment are more concerned about - and less happy with – their skin simply because they are more in a spotlight. Appearance matters at work.
2. They are using more premium brands – and spending more money on skincare – but their purchasing decisions are also influenced by editorials and price.
3. The second group participants were slightly younger but also work-related stress might explain the T-zone related concerns as opposed to wrinkles and sagging mentioned in the highstreet survey.

Please comment on how these trends compare to your own approach to skincare.

Source: FaceWorkshops, MR 4/07 and MR 10/04.

Skincare Solutions for Hot Holiday Abroad

My clients frequently ask what to do if concerns occur when travelling abroad. Most often – apart from sunburn – they struggle with concerns related to a change in temperature, humidity and oiliness that result in weakened skin barrier and either breakouts or dry patches.  

Sunscreen Breakouts

Our facial skin can find hot and humid summer conditions a challenge,  due to a combination of factors: dirt and dust particles i.e. pollution increases due to travelling, sweating and higher sebum production (skin oiliness) and a protective layer of suncream – can result in summer breakouts. 

How to prevent the onset of spots on holiday:

• Use facial wipes frequently when travelling.
• If your skin is prone to comedone formation (blackheads), make an appointment for Deep Cleansing treatment a week before your travel.
• Apply a spot treatment with bacteria-eliminating actives at the first signs of inflammation (e.g. Dermalogica Special Clearing Booster (benzoyl peroxide), Aveda Outer Peace Blemish Relief (salicylic acid)) to reduce the spot size within hours.
• Use oil-free and non-comedogenic moisturiser that regulates oiliness in your facial T-zone.
• If your usual cleansing and moisturising products irritate you in summer, switch to products formulated for sensitive skin type (with a different emulsifying and preservative system) to soothe irritation and re-hydrate your facial skin. 
• Use mineral water or grape extract in a spray (e.g. Evian, Avene, Caudalie) to calm and cool your facial skin. 
• Keep your hair away from your face and rinse your sunglasses with soap frequently.

If prone to eczema-like dry patches due to the heat, try changing preservative system of your skincare (e.g. Ren, Caudalie) or apply light products capable to protect your skin barrier (e.g. http://www.it-evolve.com/whatisevolve.html) to ease itchiness and clear up dry patches.