Eventually (sob) our lovely, once-pert, boobs are going to drop or start to sag.

Whether it’s down to ageing, menopause, weight loss, or because you’ve had a baby, there will come a time when you’ll face the so-called “boob drop.”

If it’s any consolation, breast sagging is completely natural and experienced by nearly all women.

It’s also not something to be ashamed of.

At mamabella we’re never critical of women’s bodies – we have sagging boobs, stretch marks, dark circles, and all the other wonderful things that come with age too – but we do understand the need to want to ‘fix’ them.

Or at least delay their onset.

If it’s something you’re worried about, or it’s impacting your self-esteem, we’ve put together a list of the best boob-lifting creams, serums, and lotions below.

We’ve previously spoken to Dr Ross, Medical Director of Cosmedics to get his expert advice on how to get rid of the boob drop, and you can read that here. We also have a list of firming creams that will do the job and have handpicked the best neck and chest creams. 

Best products for saggy boobs

The most important ingredient to look for when it comes to firming your skin is B3 or niacinamide, which will help to improve the elasticity of your skin and reduce wrinkles.

Here are the best products we’ve found for helping to tick these boxes.

• Editor’s Pick: Bloom and Blossom Lovely Jubbly Bust Firming Gel 
• Budget Buy: The Ordinary 100% Niacinamide Powder 
• Luxury Buy: B-Perky Firming Mask by Maelys 
• Best boob mask: Juicy Pair Nourishing Boob and Bum Mask Duo 
• Best neck cream: Prai Neck Cream 
• Best boob spray: Beauty Pie Uber Youth Neck and Chest Serum 
• Best boob pads: Booby Tape Anti-Wrinkle Silicone Chest Pad 

1. Editor’s Pick: Bloom and Blossom Lovely Jubbly Gel

£30 | Buy now

Bloom and Blossom

This Bloom and Blossom gel will help to shape, tone, and firm your neck, making your skin look plumper. If you have crepiness on your chest, this gel will help to smooth out your skin and make it look firmer and less saggy.

Although to get the best results, you’re going to want to use this product daily.

This bust-firming gel contains co-enzyme Q10, which helps support collagen production in the skin, making your skin appear firmer.

There’s also Quince-hydrogel, which helps support your skin’s natural lipid production (the bit that keeps your skin feeling firm and toned).

Finally, it has Angelica Root Oil which helps boost the radiance of the skin on your chest.

The only downside we found with this boob-firming gel is the smell of the product isn’t the best. It’s a little flowery, which suits the name of the brand of course, but this makes it a bit overpowering.

BUY NOW

2. Budget Buy: The Ordinary 100% Niacinamide Powder

£5 | Buy now

The Ordinary

This isn’t a cream in its own right. Instead, The Ordinary 100% Niacinamide is a powder you mix with your current moisturiser.

Niacinamide is an ingredient that has been shown to be fantastic for the skin on your chest and boobs.

It helps improve your complexion by smoothing textural irregularities, as well as helping to minimise your skin being oily.

You can personalise how much you mix in with your water-soluble moisturiser or face cream. All you need to do is to mix about a quarter scoop in the palm of your hand into the moisturiser you already own.

This can also be a much more affordable way to introduce boob-lifting cream to your routine.

FURTHER READING: The best The Ordinary products for all your skincare concerns

Buy now

3. Luxury Buy: B-Perky Firming Mask by Maelys

£49 | Buy now

Maelys

The clues are in the title for the B-Perky Firming Mask from Maelys and while it’s expensive, you most certainly get what you pay for.

Not only does this boob-lifting cream help revive your skin’s natural elasticity and improve the overall appearance of your bust area, but it will also cleanse your skin, reduce redness and give the area a lovely glow.

This chest-firming mask has gone through clinical trials and consumer testing, which has shown that after 28 days of use your skin should look firmer and smoother.

The Palmitoyl Isoleucine works to firm up your skin and the Kigelia Africana will help give a tighter look to your loose skin. Finally, the Jojoba Oil will leave your skin feeling smooth and looking more radiant.

Please note, though, that this mask is specifically designed for your boobs, so don’t go using it on your face!

It’s also not possible, or certainly not easy to get this product in the UK so you’ll need to ship it over from the US. This will potentially add customs charges and shipping fees to the overall cost.

FURTHER READING: The best body firming creams, lotions and oils that *actually* work

Buy now

4. Best boob mask: Juicy Pair Boob and Bum Duo

£15 | Buy now

Inc.Redible

Packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, and a slice of watermelon extract – plus a pinch of pure peach for the bum cream – this double-use mask will help make the skin on both your bum and your boobs more hydrated and moisturised, making it less likely to sag.

This is a great product if you want to make the fine lines on your boobs less noticeable.

All you need to do with this product is cleanse your boobs with warm water, let them dry, and then lay the mask taught over each boob. With the arch of the watermelon under each of your nipples.

Unlike most boob-firming products this one targets the boobs, rather than the chest area.

We love the cheeky design of this product, with its watermelon and peach-shaped sheets. Who said getting rid of boob and bum sag can’t be fun!

Buy now

5. Best neck cream: Prai Neck Cream

£25 | Buy now

Prai

As well as toning your skin and improving elasticity, this neck cream from Prai gives your skin a lovely glow.

It uses so-called Sepilift technology, as well as hyaluronic acid to lift and tighten sagging skin, reduce fine lines and help improve any crepiness.

This cream feels really luxurious and is really easy to apply.

The Shea Butter and squalane ingredients help to trap in the moisture, leaving your skin feeling hydrated long after you’ve applied it.

There’s also the added benefit of reducing the appearance of age spots thanks to the addition of mulberry, saxifrage, and grapeseed extracts. 

Buy now from Boots

6. Best boob spray: Beauty Pie Uber Youth Neck and Chest Serum

£17.50 | Buy now

Beauty Pie

If you’re anything like us and you often forget to apply neck and chest creams, this serum spray is a fantastic, on-the-go alternative.

Simply spray this serum on your skin and let it sink in.

It contains 5% niacinamide with 4% Idealift Peptides to fight the visible effects of sagging. To boost the impact, lock the hydration in with a cream or lotion on top.

You do need to be a Beauty Pie member to get the cheaper price of this boob-lifting and hydrating spray, but in our experience, it’s more than worth signing up because the brand sells a range of great makeup and skincare.

If you don’t want to become a member, you’ll have to pay £75 for this spray.

FURTHER READING: Beauty Pie reviews: We put the best Beauty Pie products to the test to see if a membership is actually worth it

BUY NOW

6. Best boob pads: Booby Tape Silicone Chest Pad 

£23 | Buy now

Booby Tape

The Booby Tape Anti-Wrinkle Silicone Chest Pad does exactly what it says on the tin.

It’s a sticky pad that you put on your chest, in between your boobs. It’s made from silicone, which has lots of benefits for the skin around your boobs because it prevents wrinkles by increasing collagen formation.

It also increases your skin’s elasticity and helps to restore its natural glow.

We prefer to wear this pad at night because that’s when our chest area is most creased. You can instead wear this pad for 30 minutes in the daytime, making it quick and easy to get in your daily boob-lifting fix.

To get the best results, you’ll want to use a silicone chest pad about 3-4 times per week. You can read more about the benefits of these pads in our science of silicone patches.

We also recommend the Oia Skin patches. They’re more expensive but we have a unique MAMABELLA discount code should you want to use it, to get 10% off. This depends on your budget and needs.

Buy now

What causes “boob drop”?

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Although there are many causes for your breasts changing shape, in all instances it’s gravity you can blame for your boob drop.

“As we age, it’s only natural for skin to lose its elasticity and moisture levels,” Dr Ross Perry, Medical Director of Cosmedics told mamabella.

“This includes our breasts because the skin is very sensitive and thin; it contains fewer sebaceous glands and limited melanocytes meaning it’s more easily damaged.” But you can prevent your breast ligaments from stretching as much, or at least make it look less obvious.

Firstly a good-fitting bra is an absolute must. This will help support your breasts and prevent your ligaments from stretching over time. Make sure (as we always recommend at mamabella) to not skimp on the SPF. Damage from the sun will make your chest look much older prematurely.

Smoking is also something to be avoided, for all the obvious health reasons, but also because it will damage the skin on and around your boobs.

Another natural way to boost your pectoral muscles (which your boobs rest on) is by doing push-ups or using a bench press to give them a boost.

What is a boob mask and do I need one?

You’re likely familiar with using a face mask to help the skin of your face and a boob mask is no different.

Unlike the skin on your face, the skin on your chest and around your boobs has fewer hair follicles and oil glands. This makes the skin more sensitive.

Women’s chest areas and saggy boobs have been largely overlooked when it comes to keeping our skin looking younger for longer, probably because they’re under our clothes. But a boob mask is a really easy option to help make your boobs perkier, supple, and hydrated.

The stick-on ones are particularly great to wear at night because when you sleep, particularly if you sleep on your front or on your side, the skin on your chest area will fold or crease. This means fine lines or wrinkles are more likely to appear and deepen in this area. However, by wearing a boob mask you can help stretch out your skin, helping to keep it smoother.

The benefit of using a boob mask, in a cream form, is the ingredients can help draw moisture into your skin. They can also increase elasticity, help to smooth out your wrinkles and repair any damaged skin.

What’s not to love? You apply the product to your skin, wait for it to dry and once it starts cracking, remove it with warm water and a flannel. Much like you would do if applying a face mask.

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Katherine O'Shea

Kat is a freelance journalist, photographer, and the founder of Simply Gender Free – a company dedicated to smashing gender stereotypes in kids’ products. As a mum of two, Kat is passionate about making the world a better place for the next generation

The post The best creams, lotions and masks to help lift and firm your boobs appeared first on mamabella.

You might have noticed many skin and hair care products are advertised as “paraben-free”, or come across online influencers warning parabens are terrible for your health.

It’s so prolific that going “paraben-free” has become a very effective marketing tool. If people want paraben-free products and will pay more for them, why not give them paraben-free products?

But paraben-free does not mean preservative-free, nor does it mean the products are safer, even if that’s what is implied.

To get to the bottom of all this, below we explain what a paraben is, how they work and whether parabens are as bad for us as reports would suggest.

What are parabens?

Chemically speaking, paraben is the collective name for a group of closely related compounds called the parahydroxybenzoates.

The “para” refers to the positions of certain parts of the molecule – it’s also where the “para” in “paracetamol” comes from – and parabens are a group of related molecules added in small amounts (less than 1%, usually lower) to food, drugs and cosmetics as preservatives.

There are several different types of paraben, so you might see the following in a product’s ingredients list.

• Methylparaben – also known as 4-hydroxy methyl ester benzoic acid or methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate.
• Ethylparaben propylparaben
• Butylparaben

How do parabens work?

Shutterstock

Parabens have been in use for decades and they work by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi in order to improve product shelf life and safety.

More than one paraben may be found in a product, and they can be combined with other preservatives to protect against a broad range of microorganisms.

Parabens can be absorbed through the skin or ingested but are generally excreted quickly, usually via urine.

Are parabens bad?

Some studies on cell cultures or animals have suggested parabens can affect the endocrine system (which controls our hormones) but it’s not clear how or even if this is relevant to humans.

The amounts used in some of those animal studies are much, much higher than you would find in makeup, for example.

A lot of these studies also involved feeding the chemicals to the animals or injecting them, rather than putting them on the skin, which results in much lower absorption into the body.

You might also have heard parabens are “oestrogenic”, meaning they can mimic or affect oestrogen in the body. In fact, parabens are far less oestrogenic than natural oestrogen. They are also less oestrogenic than phytoestrogens, compounds produced naturally by many plants.

So, even though there have been studies raising concern, the overall risk in humans using parabens in normal doses is low.

Why are people worried about paraben damage?

This goes back to an often misinterpreted 2004 study that found parabens in breast tissue and breast cancers. This doesn’t mean much by itself and doesn’t justify claims parabens cause cancer though because correlation is not causation.

The presence of parabens in a tumour does not mean parabens caused the tumour.

In fact, the researchers in the 2004 study only looked at breast cancer tissue and didn’t compare it with healthy tissue. They even found parabens in their blank samples, with no tissue in them at all.

So, as others have noted, it’s hard to draw any real conclusion from it about the role parabens may or may not play in cancer risk.

A lot of the endocrine disruptor stuff you hear on social media about parabens is usually from someone trying to spruik a “natural” or “clean” alternative, so you might not be seeing the full picture.

Shutterstock

And remember: the presence of something does not automatically mean it is harmful. Toxicology 101 is “the dose makes the poison”. Everything is toxic in the right amount, even water. We should not ask whether a chemical causes cancer or acts as an endocrine disruptor, but whether it does so at the levels to which we are exposed.

The scientific consensus from the US Food and Drug Administration, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme, the European Medicines Agency and others is that for parabens at normal dosages, the health risk is very low.

Ultimately, the choice to use products containing parabens is a personal one.

Parabens are well-researched, safe and necessary, but if you are worried, you can opt for paraben-free products.

Just be aware they will probably have a shorter shelf life, contain other (less effective) preservatives, and could well have other problems. I’d take a small amount of a well-studied, and well-regulated, chemical in my skincare products over mould any day.

Oliver A.H. Jones is a Professor at RMIT University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original.

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Oliver A.H Jones

The post Parabens: What are they, how do they work and are they as bad as people claim? appeared first on mamabella.

That doesn’t mean that you should go all-in on a brand new hair colour without doing a little bit of due diligence. The important thing, according to hairstylist Paul Edmonds, is that you colour your hair according to the natural base rule.

Paul has styled the likes of Julie Walters, Christina Hendricks and Sam Smith and he was the colourist behind Margot Robbie’s red hairdo for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots.

Jump to: 

• What hair colour suits me? quiz
• Hair colour change apps

READ NEXT: How to make your hair grow faster

What hair colour suits me?

According to Paul Edmonds, the hair colour that suits you the most is determined by your natural base hair colour and eye colour. The general rule of thumb is:

• If you have brown eyes, your natural base is dark
• If you have hazel eyes, your natural base is medium
• If you have blue eyes, your natural base is light

Beyond that, standard hair colours levels are then defined on a scale of 1 to 10. If you’ve ever bought a box of hair dye – and you can read more about how to find the best hair dye in our Best Buys guide – you’ll be familiar with the numbers that appear on the packaging. The first number tells you what natural base level the hair dye is.

Hair colour base levels

• Level 1: Black
• Level 2: Darkest brown (almost black)
• Level 3: Very dark brown
• Level 4: Dark brown
• Level 5: Brown
• Level 6: Light brown
• Level 7: Dark blonde
• Level 8: Medium blonde
• Level 9: Blonde
• Level 10: Light blonde

Platinum-blonde tends to be referred to as level 11 and higher.

Mamabella

Hair colour tone 

The second number refers to the tone.

Hair tone, like skin tone, is divided into three main categories – warm, cool or neutral. Typically, if you have warm skin undertones, it’s best to opt for cool hair tones and vice versa. If you have neutral skin tones, you can get away with having warm or cool hair tones. If you’re unsure what your skin tone is, check out our How to find your perfect foundation match article.

On a hair dye box, the tone number comes after the decimal point and each tone is given a number from .1 to .9. These range from neutral tones up to blue.

• 0 – Neutral (all skin tones)
• 1 – Ash (cool skin tones)
• 2 – Matte (cool)
• 3 – Gold (warm)
• 4 – Red (warm)
• 5 – Mahogany (cool)
• 6 – Violet (cool)
• 7 – Brown (all)
• 8 – Blue (cool)

On a box, such as Garnier’s Light Chocolate Brown hair dye, the number is shown as 6.35.

The 6 refers to the fact it’s a brown on the natural hair base level scale, the 3 represents the major tone, which is Gold/golden, and the 5 represents the minor tone, which is mahogany. This means that the hair colour will particularly suit people with warm skin tones whose hair is already dark brown to medium blonde. The mahogany minor tone also suits cool skin, so this hair colour may also be good for neutral tones which sit somewhere in between.

By determining your base hair level, and then the tone, you can find the best hair dye to suit you.

It also comes down to colour theory. On the colour wheel – as you can read in our colour theory makeup guide – colours that sit opposite each other are what’s known as complementary colours. Red and green are complementary colours, for instance, as are orange and blue.

iStock

When two complementary colours are placed side-by-side they create contrast and accentuate your features. This is the reason why Charlotte Tilbury recently released her Eye Colour Magic palettes, each one aimed at enhancing our different eye colours.

The Copper Charge palette, which is full of warm orange hues, bring out the blue in blue eyes. Meanwhile, the Mesmerising Maroon palette is perfect for green eyes.

Alternatively, when two complementary colours are mixed, they cancel each other out or at least help to neutralise the strength of the other. When it comes to hair, the latter is particularly important. As you can read in our What is hair toner? guide, putting purple shampoo on blonde hair helps reduce the yellow tones. While blue hair toning products work better for brunettes, as the blue balances the orange tones in the hair.

READ NEXT: Discover which colours suit your hair and eyes with our guide to colour theory

Changing your hair colour style

For those looking to make an extreme colour change, the impact will be stronger if the natural base and eye colour don’t follow this rule.

For example, people with blue eyes going for a hair dye with a dark natural base. Put simply, the further you move away from your natural hair colour, the more dramatic the results, but also the more work that goes into moving you from one base to another.

If you want a more natural look, but one that still makes a strong impact, Paul Edmonds recommends you expose the natural base at the root and around the face.

Changing your eyebrow colour also helps. For low-maintenance hair colour changes, it’s advised that you stick within two levels of your natural hair colour.

They key point is, don’t expect a miracle; changing your hair colour is going to take time and things like colour removal, hair being pre-pigmented and colour application means it can be a long-winded process, if you want to get it right.

Your hairdresser, when they open again, will most likely want to carry out a strand and elasticity test. This is to determine how suitable your hair is for an extreme colour alteration; if the strand of hair breaks with little to no stretching when wet, your hair is not getting enough moisture.

Home hair care treatments are not to be underestimated either: the best hair masks, specifically designed for coloured hair, work wonders.

What hair colour suits me? quiz

Madison Reed

If you’ve read all of this and are still none-the-wiser about what hair colour suits you, there is a number of online quizzes that can guide you through. The most accurate and useful one we’ve found is from Madison Reed.

Madison Reed is an American beauty company that specialises in hair dyes. Its quiz ultimately guides you towards buying its own products, but it’s a great way to get a feel of the types of tones and colours that will suit you if you do want to buy elsewhere.

It starts by asking for your hair type – curly, wave, straight, and coily – before asking you for your hair goals. This is because Madison Reed sells a range of dyes designed to boost shine, protect against damage and so on.

The quiz then asks you what eye colour you have, your skin tone (on a scale of light to dark), what colour you usually choose and if you want to go lighter or darker. At the end of the quiz, which takes around three minutes, you’ll be shown your “perfect match.”

Take the quiz

Hair colour change apps

Our favourite hair colour changing app online is the Redken Virtual Hair Colour Try On (see screenshot below). It seems to present the widest number of options, and make the transition look more natural than some we’ve tried.

If you’re still struggling to know which hair colour suits you, try a hair colour change app. Available as apps for phones, or via your browser on a computer, you can upload photos and test out a variety of colour options to see which is best.

mamabella | mamabella

In terms of apps, L’Oreal and Garnier both produce AR-powered hair colour change apps. The L’Oreal StyleMyHair app gives you the option to apply colour changes to your photos or see what the colours look like superimposed onto your live image.

The Garnier Color Match app does the latter but doesn’t work with existing selfies, but the app does come with a questionnaire to help you find your perfect shade – from the Garnier product range, of course – and you can then see what that particular shade looks like on a live image.

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Amira Arasteh

Amira Arasteh is a freelance journalist and content creator. Find her making sense of beauty trends, tips and topics – when she’s not stuffing her face with the best food in London or travelling the globe

The post What hair colour suits me? Hollywood stylist Paul Edmonds reveals the key rule you need to know appeared first on mamabella.

In the same way we get fine lines and wrinkles on other parts of our face, and body, crow’s feet are caused when the collagen in our skin drops and it becomes less elastic.

This is a sign of ageing and happens to us all but when it comes to the skin around our eyes, it tends to happen sooner and more rapidly than anywhere else.

In fact, crow’s feet can appear at any age, even as early as your mid-20s.

While it’s not possible to prevent crow’s feet entirely, there are things you can do to delay their appearance and lessen their impact. To find out more, we spoke to FOREO’s Skincare Educator and Beauty Therapist, Chris Luckham.

Crow’s feet: What are they?

Avon

Before and after photos from Avon’s Anew Skin Reset Plumping Shots

While age and UV exposure are two of the main contributing factors for crow’s feet, the reason these laughter lines occur earlier in life is because of the layer of skin around our eyes is thinner than in most other places on our body.

There is also a lack of oil glands around the eye.

This means that not only is the skin more likely to get pulled and stretched, it’s more at risk from the damage caused by UV rays.

Plus, without any additional moisture coming from the oil glands found elsewhere on the face, the skin becomes dehydrated. If you think of your skin like a grape, without any moisture it eventually shrivels and wrinkles.

READ NEXT: What is SPF and why is it so important?

Then, when the elasticity of skin around this thin layer drops, the skin can’t bounce back to its original state and remains in a state of sagging. In more severe cases, it can even cause droopiness on the upper area of the eye, leading to the need for a ptosis eyelid surgery.

“Due to [the area where laughter lines appear] being a highly mobile area, it’s obvious that, with time, it will begin to lose elasticity and tightness” explained Chris. Highly mobile means an area of the skin that is almost constantly moving, and the area around your eyes is flexing and creasing all day as you smile, talk, squint and frown.

“Skin also eventually reduces the ability to create collagen, so we lose that pillow plumpness to specific areas,” Chris continued. “If we work towards either stimulating collagen, toning the surrounding muscles, or increasing the efficacy of our chosen eye cream then we can slightly slow these effects down and prevent more dramatic lines.”

FURTHER READING: How to prevent wrinkles, according to the experts – and why your phone may be making you look old

How to get rid of crow’s feet? 

So how do we do the things that Chris suggests – stimulating collagen, toning the muscles, and increasing the efficacy of our eye creams?

Invest in the best eye cream

Firstly you’ll need to introduce an eye cream to your skincare routine, if you don’t already use one.

We explain more about why creams formulated for the skin around your eyes are more beneficial than simply using your regular moisturiser in our guide to the best eye creams.  

“Use active ingredients around the eye area and make sure they are going as deep as possible,” added Chris. “This is why I would usually recommend clients use eye creams with ingredients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C or Copper Gluconate.”

Cerave

One of the best eye creams we’ve used is the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream  (£12) because it contains hyaluronic acid. This ingredient has the ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, making CeraVe’s budget-friendly eye cream extremely moisturising.

What’s more, it’s also great if you’re looking to get rid of dark circles and puffiness, too.

Our resident makeup artist, Victoria Howe, swears by it and that’s enough for us!

Buy now from Lookfantastic

Tropic

We also love Tropic Skincare‘s Eye Dream Age Defying eye cream (£38), particularly because we’re in our mid-30s so our skin is starting to age more.

With its almost Vaseline-type consistency, you warm it up on your fingers before using it to create a layer on the skin around your eyes as you sleep.

READ NEXT: Sleeping beauty: The best overnight hair masks, face creams and foot treatments

It then sits on the skin to provide it with a much-needed supply of moisture throughout the night and contains a mixture of plant ceramides, to plump and rejuvenate skin, improve elasticity and reduce the signs of ageing.

Elsewhere, it uses bio-retinol, to stimulate the production of collagen, and shea nilotica butter blended with pomegranate sterols and jojoba esters to moisturise deep into the skin.

Buy now from Tropic

Avon

Elsewhere, Avon recently released a seven-day, intense treatment designed to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles on the face, neck and hands.

Containing a breakthrough, clinically tested ingredient called Protinol, the Avon Plumping Shots (£15) have been proven to restore both types of collagen found in healthy skin, helping to “mimic the perfect collagen equilibrium found in baby skin.”

Avon is so bold with its claims, it markets the Plumping Shots as being able to restore “seven years of collagen in seven days.” You can read more in our Avon Plumping Shots review.

Buy now from Avon

︎ Tone the muscles

FOREO

If you want to boost the elasticity of the skin, it works to tighten the muscles around your eyes and on your face. You can either choose to do daily facial massages – this helps tone and tighten the skin – or you can invest in a facial toning device.

“For the fitness-focused clients or anyone wanting to tone and tighten, I’d always ask the question – are you exercising your face too?,” added Chris.

Unsurprisingly, Chris recommends the FOREO BEAR Mini and, having used it, we’re inclined to agree. It uses microcurrents to stimulate the muscles around your face, particularly those around your eyes and lips.

It comes with a conductive serum and an anti-shock system to both improve the toning ability of the device and make it easy for beginners to get started with. There is also a FOREO app that shows you how to use it.

READ NEXT: Hangover skin is a thing – here’s how to deal with it

FOREO also sells the UFO 2, and the FOREO IRIS. We’ve used both and have noticed a big difference in how our skin looks.

The UFO 2 uses thermotherapy to soften and prep the skin, before opening up your pores. You then move it in circles around your face and neck to massage the mask serum into your skin for around two minutes. Instead of waiting 10-20 minutes – and sometimes more – for masks to sink into the skin, the UFO 2 gives you all the benefits in just 2 minutes.

Depending on the mask serum you’re using, the UFO 2 will also combine this thermotherapy with LED light therapy to build collagen and banish dark circles.

Elsewhere, the IRIS is specifically designed for the delicate eye area to stimulate blood flow, whilst at the same time using T-Sonic Pulsations to tighten the skin.

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post Crow’s feet: What causes laughter lines and how to get rid of them appeared first on mamabella.

It doesn’t matter what hair type you have – naturally straight, wavy or curly hair – all of us will have experienced frizz at some point and it’s annoying AF. However, some people are more prone to frizz and it can depend on a number of variables. 

To get to the bottom of what causes frizz, and how to get rid of it, we spoke to Anabel Kingsley, Philip Kingsley Brand President and Consultant Trichologist, to learn more. 

FURTHER READING: Best anti-frizz products: The shampoos, serums, sprays and creams that keep frizz at bay

The science of frizzy hair

Regardless of what type of hair you have, frizziness is caused by a lack of moisture. Hair is covered by what can be described as scales on a fish and when the strands are healthy and hydrated, these scales lay flat. When such hair is viewed under a microscope, the surface appears smooth.

However, when hair becomes dry, damaged or lacks moisture, it swells.

In particular, “frizz can happen when temporary changes occur to the hydrogen bonds in the hair,” Anabel told mamabella. “These are weak bonds found in strands of hair that are easily broken by the addition of water and re-set by application of heat.”

Water gets absorbed and the hydrogen bonds break down, causing the “scales” rise up and this causes the strands to become rough and frizzy.

FURTHER READING: How to hair oil

What causes frizz?

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Frizz is often an indicator that our hair is damaged, dry, and porous. And the more porous it is, the frizzier it becomes. If you’re not sure about your hair’s porosity, take our hair porosity test. 

Although frizz happens to all of us, if your hair is naturally curly, it means it’s drier than straight and wavy hair. This makes it more prone to frizz.

If you’ve recently bleached your hair, or it’s damaged from being overstyled, this also causes it to become drier, which increases the chances of frizz.

During wet, humid weather, dry hair attempts to absorb the moisture out of the air. This causes each hair’s cuticle to swell, increasing frizz further.

And then anything that dries out hair can also make frizz worse. This includes shampoos that are alkaline and products that contain alcohol.

Heat stylers also dry out hair and while it might give the appearance of a smooth finish, as Anabel continues: “heat styling our hair is only temporary and as soon as moisture in the hair (humidity) touches it, frizz appears.”

Interestingly, Anabel told us that a rise in temperature alone doesn’t have much of an effect on frizz. What it does do, however, is cause our heads to sweat and this can cause frizz. 

FURTHER READING: Best hair oil: The best hair oils for thinning hair, boosting hair growth, frizz and more

How to get rid of frizz

Although frizz often appears when we least expect it – the most effective way to combat frizz is to remain in a cool environment – there are some steps we can take to prevent it from happening, or get rid of frizz when it hits.

You can read more about each of our recommendations below in our guide to the best anti-frizz products.

• Use a moisturising shampoo, free from alkaline and salts – we recommend Hairstory’s New Wash
• Make sure you’re applying a deep conditioner at least once a week to keep moisture levels high – we recommend the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Deep Conditioning Treatment (£35) or Olaplex No.3 (£26)
• Keep your hair protected from heat damage by using a heat protection spray – we recommend the GHD Bodyguard Heat Protection Spray (£12)
• You can also use a smoothing creme before styling, such as the Kérastase Discipline Keratin Thermique Creme (£18.50)
• After styling, finish your look with a hair serum. This will help create a barrier between the hair shaft and humidity – we recommend OGX Nourishing+ Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum (£7.99)
  
• It’s then worth creating a barrier with a weatherproof hair spray – we recommend the Umberto Giannini Weather Proof Finish Anti- Humidity Hairspray (£7.25)
• Throughout the day, particularly if you’re in humid conditions, apply a lightweight dry shampoo – like the One More Day Refreshing Dry Shampoo (£20.50) – to soak up excess moisture and keep the cuticle looking smooth
• When sleeping, cover hair with a silk or satin cap or a pillowcase. Hair that rubs against dry material can cause frizz. You can read more about this in: Sleeping beauty: The best overnight hair masks, face creams and foot treatments guide

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Jenny Tai

Jenny has always had a strong passion for beauty, health, skincare and wellbeing. After working in marketing in the corporate world she has stepped out to fulfil her passion for content writing and blogging. You can discover more on her Instagram page

The post The science of frizzy hair: What causes the dreaded frizz, and how to get rid of it appeared first on mamabella.

When it comes to ageing, nothing quite gives the game away as saggy boobs and crepey skin on our chest and neck. When we’re younger, we likely take for granted that we have perky boobs and the so-called “boob drop” can often creep up on us, almost by surprise.

Whether it’s weight gain, or loss, pregnancy, menopause or too much sun exposure, there are various reasons (in addition to the ticking of time) that explain why your boobs may not be as perky as they once were. This doesn’t mean, however, you can’t prevent it from happening or at least stem the flow for as long as possible.

To discuss all things saggy boobs, we’ve spoken to a number of experts to learn more about why it happens, what makes them worse and how to beat the boob drop.

But firstly, a disclaimer. All bodies are beautiful and at mamabella. We’re not, for one second, suggesting you should take on any of this advice, nor are we being critical about saggy boobs. We have them and we often feel conscious about it so wanted to learn more about the science of it all. If you’re like us, and this is helpful then great but please don’t think that your boobs, no matter how big, small or how low they hang, aren’t perfect just the way they are!

FURTHER READING: The best creams, lotions and masks to help lift and firm your boobs

Saggy boobs: What causes the boob drop?

The simple answer to what causes saggy boobs is gravity. The more complicated answer involves a number of factors including the type of skin found on your boobs, lifestyle factors, diet, weight and more.

“As we age, it’s only natural for skin to lose its elasticity and moisture levels,” Dr Ross Perry, Medical Director of Cosmedics told mamabella. “This includes our breasts because the skin is very sensitive and thin; it contains fewer sebaceous glands and limited melanocytes meaning it’s more easily damaged.”

During a woman’s lifetime, breasts will change in shape and content, particularly as following childbirth the mammary gland system kicks in for the production of milk. Alongside age as a contributing factor, pregnancy and menopause can also contribute to the appearance of the breasts which age far quicker than anywhere else.

“This is largely down to hormonal changes alongside the ageing process and loss of collagen,” continued Dr Ross.

“As estrogen levels dip, the skin and connective tissues of the breasts lose hydration and elasticity and this is all perfectly normal.”

As you can read in our guide to How your skin changes in each decade of your life – and what to do about it, by the time we reach our 30s, our metabolism starts to slow down. This means collagen and elastin production drops at a faster rate than in our 20s and is what causes our skin to look less plump and bouncy.

At the same time, cell turnover slows down. This can also cause the skin to become tired, dryer and more sensitive.

Plastic surgeon, Dr Paul Banwell added: “In addition to ageing and genetics, we are all guilty of habits that could be making boobs sag. There are certain things that you can do to help reduce the sagging such as wearing a bra, not smoking, wearing sunscreen and so on.”

How to prevent boob drop naturally

As with all signs of ageing, the only real way to counteract the boob drop is surgery. You can’t stop ageing entirely, whichever route you take, but there are things you can do to look younger, plumper and have perky boobs for a lot longer. We’ve summarised the advice on the list below. Click on each bullet point to read more about each step.

• Keep your boobs hydrated
• Don’t skimp on SPF
• Invest in a good bra
• Sleep on your back
• Quit smoking
• Cancel crash diets

Keep your boobs – and yourself – hydrated

As with anywhere on the body with thinner skin – another area is around your eyes – it’s important to keep the area well moisturised.

“If you’re looking for a firming moisturising cream for the boob and décolletage, then I’d advise looking for products containing B3 or niacinamide which aim to reduce wrinkles and improve the elasticity of the skin,” explained Dr Ross.

Kimberley Medd, Head of Clinic, Face The Future also said that keeping yourself hydrated can help improve the appearance and health of your skin around your face, neck and chest.

“Always take a glass of water to bed with you to help boost the skin’s natural hydration and functionality,” Medd told mamabella. “We lose around 1 litre of water every night when sleeping. Drinking more water will help boost your skin’s health on wakening.”

We’ve got a full list of boob-lifting creams and serums listed here. We also have a list of firming creams that will do the job and have handpicked the best neck and chest creams. Here are the top three.

Prai

Prai Neck Cream

Not only is Ageless by Prai fantastic at toning up your neck and décolleté skin, but it gives mature skin an incredible shine, and overall greatly improves skin elasticity. It uses so-called SEPILIFT DPHP technology, with mulberry, saxifrage and grape seed extracts, to brighten the skin while shea butter and hyaluronic acid nourish and lift. 

RRP: £25

Where to buy: Boots

Elemis

ESPA Tri-Active Lift & Firm Face, Neck and Décolleté Balm

This balm is pricey but worth the extra money. Wild olive, sea amber, shiitake mushroom and tree fern lift and tighten the skin around the neck and décolleté, while mango seed butter, safflower and Evening Primrose oils lock in moisture to make the area look plump and youthful.

RRP: £52

Where to buy: ESPA

FURTHER READING: The best products for saggy boobs

Beauty Pie

Beauty Pie Uber Youth Neck and Chest Serum

If you’re anything like us and you often forget to apply neck and chest creams, this serum spray is a fantastic, on-the-go alternative. Simply spray this serum on your skin and let it sink in. It contains 5% Niacinamide with 4% Idealift Peptides to fight the visible effects of sagging. To boost the impact, lock the hydration in with a cream or lotion on top. 

RRP: £16.45 for Beauty Pie members, £75 for non-members

Where to buy: Beauty Pie

Inc.redible

Juicy Pair Boob And Bum Duo

You can’t only buy masks for your face, you can also buy them for your boobs to help with boob drop. These masks contain Vitamin C, antioxidants, and watermelon extract to help the skin on both your bum and your boobs become more hydrated and moisturised. Unlike most boob drop products this one targets the breasts themselves, rather than just the chest area.

RRP: £15

Where to buy: Amazon

Cleanse daily

Dr Ross also suggests cleansing your area daily, as you (hopefully) do with your face. “The chest area and neck are often forgotten when it comes to our skincare routine but can equally get clogged up with dirt and grime. Hot showers can also make it feel dry and dehydrated with lines more prominent. I’d also advise regularly exfoliating the skin and following with a moisture-retaining cream.”

“You may want to begin to incorporate a weekly mask in that area, too,” added cosmetic doctor, Dr Rekha Tailor of Health & Aesthetics. “Key ingredients to help fight this loss of elasticity and premature ageing would be things like Retin-A, which increases the collagen production in the skin and helps to rebuild the skin, hyaluronic acid, and Vitamin E which are antioxidants that will tone the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.”

Once elasticity and collagen are reduced it’s very hard to get these back so it’s best to work on prevention more than anything else. It’s also important to remember that because genes and lifestyle play a part in the appearance of sagging breasts and premature ageing, there’s no such thing as a miracle cream. No matter what the price tag is.

Boob masks and firming creams will help with hydration, which in addition will reduce the appearance of fine lines, but won’t get rid of them altogether. You should also keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water, eating a well-balanced diet, keeping out of the sun and engaging in a skin routine as you would with your face.

FURTHER READING: Best neck cream: Stop sagging necks, décolletage and cleavage with firming creams from Prai, IMIM and more

Don’t skimp on SPF

Getty Images/iStockphoto

As the boobs and décolletage area are one of the areas that show the first signs of premature ageing, due to the thinning of the skin, it’s important to wear SPF 30 all year round. Especially if you’re exposing this area to UV rays

Dr Tailor recommends looking for SPF that contains antioxidants contains Vitamin D to help fight environmental damage.

“Sunscreen prevents the delicate breast tissue and décolletage from being exposed to harmful UV and HEV rays,” continued Dr Paul. “Not only does this reduce the risk of sunburn and skin cancer, but it can also help to protect against premature wrinkles around the breast area and the reduced skin cell renewal caused by sun damage.

“Sun damage can also destroy the collagen and elastin in your skin. Collagen is a protein that retains firmness hence if this is reduced your boobs can become saggier as the skin loses elasticity, which is why it’s vital to protect against it.”

You can read more about UV rays in our What is SPF and why is it so important? guide, and learn about the impact of HEV rays in our Could your phone be prematurely ageing you? Blue light can make wrinkles and fine lines worse article.

Invest in a good bra

A good bra doesn’t just give the appearance of more perky boobs, it can also help counteract the boob drop and prevent saggy boobs in the longer term, too.

“As most women’s weight fluctuates with breast shape-changing, it’s important to get a well-fitted bra which supports but allows room to breathe,” said Dr Ross.

“Many women have decided to stop wearing a bra during lockdown,” added Dr Paul. “However, I would urge people not to do this long-term. Wearing a bra can help stop premature sagging of the skin and tissue around the breast area because of the fact that they will be supported more.

“This, therefore, makes them less likely to be moving around and stretching the delicate connective tissue. Wearing the wrong-sized bra can change the appearance of your breasts and if your bra isn’t supportive enough, it may cause them to sag or droop, so a correctly fitting bra is key.”

Sleep on your back

Oia Skin

According to research, around 7% of us sleep on our stomachs. Whilst this can help to prevent snoring and sleep apnoea (in adults) it can be terrible for the breasts. “Having them pressed against a mattress for hours doesn’t help with their perkiness and can increase the onset of wrinkles,” explained Dr Paul.

mamabella | mamabella

“Sleeping on your side is not advised either as this can, over time, cause breast ligaments to stretch.”

Medd added: “Studies have shown that your sleeping position can have an adverse effect on your skin.

“Side or stomach sleeping may lead to facial sagging, distortion, and wrinkles over time. This is because our skin experiences friction and force against our pillow, making our face ‘scrunch up’ overnight.

This can lead to the development of vertical sleep wrinkles over time, as well as other signs of premature ageing such as skin laxity.”

Back sleeping is best advised as it helps to keep your skincare products on your face and off of your bedsheets, and it prevents your skin from gathering and creasing.

If you just can’t get used to sleeping on your back, you can either place a pillow under them for support.

Alternatively you can buy silicone patches specifically for your chest area.

We’ve previously used the Oia Skin silicone anti-wrinkle patches (pictured left) which can be worn overnight and help prevent the skin on your breasts from being squashed as you sleep. They’re not perfect and if you have big boobs then you may find they move in the night, but it can help. Read more in our Oia Skin review.

Quit smoking

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Chances are preventing saggy boobs is long down the list of reasons why you think you should quit smoking, but it’s one of many positive benefits.

“In addition to all the obvious health risks associated with smoking it also affects the elasticity of the skin,” Dr Paul told us. “There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which trigger the destruction of collagen and elastin. These are the fibres that give your skin its strength and elasticity. Smoking or even being around people who are smoking can degrade the skin and cause premature ageing and sagging in the breast area.”

How to prevent the boob drop with surgery

If the above treatments don’t go far enough for you, or you’ve left it a little late and want something a little more effective, you can opt for surgery.

Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the UK and, according to Dr Paul, there seems to be a huge rise in the desire for a shapely but natural result with the ‘fake’ look becoming less popular.

Figures released in 2020 by The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons revealed the UK’s most popular plastic surgery procedures. Among women, breast augmentation (enlargement) was carried out the most often, with 7,727 people going ahead with the surgery. The second most common for women is the opposite – breast reduction, with 4,014 operations.

These figures alone emphasise what a widespread concern breast augmentation surgery is, and the importance of awareness when seeking a surgeon and clinic to carry out the procedure. So what do each of the different surgeries do? Dr Paul gave us the lowdown.

Breast augmentation

Paul Banwell

Breast augmentation in the form of enlargement or enhancement is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures in the world. It aims to increase the size of the breasts but can also be suitable to correct asymmetry through enlarging.

The surgery involves placing a breast implant either behind the breast tissue or partially under the pectoralis muscle. The insertion of the implant will make the breast look larger and fuller, and can reduce the appearance of sagging.

Exchanging implants

Many patients will need implants exchanged in the first ten to fifteen years for various reasons, such as the desire to change size or volume, ruptured implant, capsular contracture (scar tissue), issues with rippling, wanting new innovations, and so on.

Breast uplift

A breast lift attempts to naturally redrape the breast skin envelope to raise the position of the nipple and create a lift. The main reasons for choosing this procedure is to reshape sagging breasts and improve contour, increase firmness, raise the position of downward pointing nipples, reduce the size of the areola and of course, improve self-esteem.

The breast can be lifted using a number of surgical techniques including the Wise pattern technique, possibly using a periareolar incision, as well as minimal scar techniques, such as Lejour method and Benelli method. You can read more about the specifics of these on Dr Paul’s website.

Augmentation Mastopexy (breast enlargement with uplift)

Mastopexy is a technique designed to improve the shape and position of the female breasts without reducing their size. It’s a term used for breasts that sag, but are not necessarily too large. Sagging of the breasts may have many causes and could occur with normal development for some women or as a natural part of ageing.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, hormones, diet and weight loss are other conditions that increase breast ptosis (sagging).

“If your breasts are very empty then some patients will obtain a better shape by enlarging. If an implant is used at the time of mastopexy this is called an augmentation mastopexy. Mastopexy surgery is safe but can’t be performed without some degree of scarring.”

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post Worried about saggy boobs? Experts reveal how to beat the “boob drop” – or at least delay it appeared first on mamabella.

Knowing how to put on false eyelashes is very different from actually being able to do it. You can watch various YouTube videos or clips of Instagram influencers applying them with ease but, if you’re like us, trying to copy their technique seems impossible.

Thankfully, in the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe has revealed her top tips for how to put on false eyelashes quickly and (relatively) easily. It still takes a fair bit of practice but Victoria’s advice shows us how the pros do it, so you’ll know which technique to learn and master.

There is also the option of “cheating” and buying magnetic lashes. These use magnetic eyeliner, rather than glue, and are much easier to apply but aren’t great if you have sensitive skin or eyes.  You can read more in our Cheat’s guide to makeup.

Victoria is founder and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up and you can follow her stunning looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

READ NEXT: Cheat your way to false eyelashes 

How to put on false eyelashes

There’s a little confusion over whether or not you should put on false eyelashes before doing the rest of your eye makeup. Some people may find that they don’t need to use eyeshadow with false eyelashes so for them this point is moot, but if you want a striking eyeshadow look to match your striking lashes, it’s better to do it all *before* you apply them.

This is because it can be tricky to get the same kind of precision and access to your eyelid once the lashes are in place, plus you run the risk of covering your lashes with eyeshadow powder as it falls. This can turn a fierce, slick look into a mess really quickly.

• Step 1: Apply mascara
• Step 2: Trim the lash
• Step 3: Apply lash glue and wait at least 30 seconds
• Step 4: Place the centre of the lashes in the centre of your eye
• Step 5: Separate and squeeze
• Step 6: Tightline

︎ Apply mascara 

Start by curling your lashes and applying mascara. This means you can pinch your own lashes together with the false lashes and they will not only look more natural but also will set well and be less prone to lifting.

If you’re looking for best mascara recommendations, we’ve tried and tested a bunch for our best mascara for short lashes, and best mascara for Asian lashes guides. 

︎ Trim the lash

Before you apply any glue to the lashes, place each one against your own eye to measure the lash.

Lashes are deliberately long in an attempt to cater to most eye shapes and sizes but most of us will need to trim the strip lash down to get it to fit our own eye better and to follow our natural lash line.

Using a pair of nail scissors, always trim the outer end of the lashes, not the inner lashes. The inner lashes are typically shorter so that they sit better on our natural lashes.

︎ Apply lash glue and WAIT

Licensed from Marco Verch/Flickr under Creative Commons

Apply a thin layer of lash glue on the back of your hand and then run the strip part of the lashes across it. This makes it easier to control how much glue you use and make sure the edges are well covered.

Some people also like to brush the glue onto the lash band but we find that unnecessarily fiddly and less accurate than using the back-of-the-hand method.

Wait around 30 seconds for the glue to go tacky. This is the most important step! If you try to put the lashes on too early, before the glue has become sticky, you run the risk of getting glue all over (and even inside) your eye.

If you also find that the glue that ships with most false eyelashes isn’t good enough, we rate the Duo Quick-Set Strip lash adhesive in clear. You only need a small amount, so a little goes a long way, and this pen shape applicator means you don’t have to use those fiddly plastic applicators in the tiny sample pots.

While you’re waiting for the glue to become tacky, manipulate the strip lash slightly to give it a more natural curve by folding the lash so that the two ends meet, which has the added benefit of helping to distribute glue to those pesky ends that tend to lift.

︎ Apply the lashes

Apply the strip lash as close to the lash line as possible, it should almost be balanced on the natural lashes but close enough to the lash line to stick well. Most people struggle with this part and it’s the part that takes the most practice.

The video below is one of the most helpful and simple “how to put on false eyelashes” video we’ve found.

Some tips to help when applying lashes to your own eyes are:

• Keep your eyes open, closing your eye changes its shape
• Use a mirror underneath your face and look down into it rather than straight ahead
• Place the centre of the lashes down first and then manipulate the edges into place.

Both of these steps will improve your placement. Some of the editors at mamabella have found using tweezers to put on false eyelashes also makes this process easier and we recommend the Eylure Lash Applicator Tweezer.

Eyelash tweezers aren’t for everyone, though, so if you find using your fingers is more accurate, then that’s fine as well.

︎ Separate and squeeze

Once you’re happy with the placement, use a clean spoolie – the small, firm brush that is usually found on the opposite end of an eyebrows pencil – to brush out the lashes.

Then either using tweezers or your fingers, squeeze your natural lashes and the strip lashes together so that they blend in with your natural lashes rather than sit on top.

︎ Line the lash

One final step, which can help conceal any spaces and gaps between the false lashes and disguise the strip on the lash line, is to apply an eyeliner of your choice.

To boost the impact, we recommend tight lining your eye. This involves putting a dark pencil liner below your lashes, on the underside of your upper lid.

How to remove false eyelashes

If you’re reading this and thinking, “surely you just pull them off”, you could be damaging both the false eyelashes and your own natural lashes in doing so. We recommend you follow these steps to preserve the life of both lash types.

Step 1: Soak cotton bud or pad in an oil-based eye makeup remover. We recommend Clinique’s Take The Day Off cleansing oil but you can also use coconut oil.

Step 2: Close your eye and run the bud over your lash line. This will help loosen the eyelash glue.

Step 3: Peel away the eyelash, starting from the outer corners of the eye and working inwards, gently lifting the false eyelash up in the direction of the lash line.

Step 4: Remove excess makeup and glue by soaking another pad in eye makeup remover and wiping over your eyes to get rid of the rest of your eye makeup and any glue residue.

If you’re careful enough, you’ll be able to reuse most false eyelashes. If any glue or makeup remains on the lashes themselves, you can peel it off gently or apply a small amount of makeup remover to a cotton bud and rub it along the strip line.

If you find that clumps of mascara are left on the lashes, soak two cotton pads with eye makeup remover and sandwich the lash in between them. Leave for a couple of minutes and then gently wipe the lashes to remove all traces of the mascara.

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Victoria Howe

Victoria is Chief Makeup Artist and founder of Victoria Howe Make Up. After graduating from The Academy of Freelance Makeup in Soho two years ago, Victoria now owns and runs her own studio called The Beauty Barn in Havant specialising in helping women of all ages feel beautiful

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to put on false eyelashes for beginners: Apply fake eyelashes like a pro with these MUA tips appeared first on mamabella.

Adaptogens and adaptogenic skincare is the latest must-have skincare trend. There is an increasing number of sprays, creams, lotions, and supplements that use the plant-based ingredients in various ways and each one works to help our bodies deal with stress.

While adaptogens themselves aren’t new – they’ve been used in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for centuries – their use in consumer skincare has seen searches for the ingredients rise over the past 12 months.

Adaptogens

One of the forerunners of the consumer adaptogen skincare trend is Plantopia.

We spoke to Plantopia’s Brand Manager Grace Hearn, as well as Jennifer Hirsch, known as The Beauty Botanist, to discover more about what adaptogens are, what benefits they bring, and how they work.

What are adaptogens?

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The term ‘adaptogen’ was coined by Russian toxicologist Nikolay Lazarev in 1957 to refer to ‘substances that increase the state of non-specific resistance’ in stress. “Today,” said Hirsch, “the term is used to identify plants and mushrooms that have unique properties related to helping the body adapt to fight physical or mental stress and restore balance.”

According to Hearn, adaptogens work to reduce the negative reactions during our bodies’ “alarm” phase – the reaction our bodies initially have in response to stress – and eliminate, or at least decrease, the onset of the so-called “exhaustion phase”. By the exhaustion phase, our bodies can no longer cope with stress and this can cause high blood pressure, problems with the immune system, and more.

It should be noted that while all adaptogens come from plants and mushrooms, not all plants and mushrooms are adaptogens.

To be classed as an adaptogen, Hirsch explains that each one has to meet the Four N criteria. They must be:

• Nourishing: For a component of a plant or mushroom to be called an adaptogen, they have to provide “nutritive strength” and be edible
• Normalising: This means they must be able to help the body return to homeostasis or balance i.e they must raise what is low (such as energy) and lower what is high (such as stress)
• Non-specific: They must be able to act on multiple parts of the body at the same time
• Non-toxic: They must also be completely safe when used in normal doses over extended periods of time.

What do adaptogens do?

The impact that adaptogens have in supplements is relatively clear – you ingest the adaptogens and they get to work bringing your body back into a state of balance or homeostasis. But how does applying a cream to your face reduce stress and unlock the benefits of adaptogens?

Firstly when you experience redness or irritation, for instance, it’s a sign that your skin is out of balance. Typically because your skin barrier has been damaged by oxidative stress.

When your body, and skin, are exposed to air pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides, X-rays, and other external sources it causes your cells to metabolise, which creates what’s known as free radicals.

Free radicals are made up of an uneven number of electrons. Because electrons prefer to be in pairs, the rogue “free” electrons – i.e the electrons that don’t have a pair – try to balance the equation. To do this, they steal electrons from healthy molecules.

When an electron is taken from a pair, it turns the leftover electron into a free radical. This free radical then goes in search of a partner and the chain continues.

When our body and skin are in a state of balance, we have natural ways of keeping free radicals in check in the form of antioxidants.

Our cells naturally produce some antioxidants. We get other antioxidants from our diet, particularly from foods containing vitamins C and E, and plants are full of compounds known as phytochemicals, many of which have antioxidant properties.

However, when our body and skin are in a state of stress, or when we don’t get enough antioxidants from our diet or supplements, the free radicals can take over and break down cellular structures, including DNA and cell membranes. This causes oxidative stress and leads to redness, irritation, skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, and premature ageing.

How do adaptogens work?

Shutterstock/mamabella

Adaptogens help handle stress by “simulating stress,” continued Hirsch, because with “the right training and with support, repeat exposure to stress makes us stronger and more resilient.”

In this way, you can think of adaptogens as personal trainers. Adaptogens train your body to increase its non-specific resistance to stress and decrease its sensitivity to it. This helps protect the body against stress by prolonging the resistance and thus the amount of stress a body can take before it’s exhausted. Helping us return our bodies to a state of balance.

“However, the balance achieved is not at the same level as the body started at,” added Hirsch. “Adaptogens help the body achieve a higher level of equilibrium or homeostasis. The higher the level of homeostasis, the better the body’s adaptation to stress, expressed as a stimulating and anti-fatigue effect.”

In this way, adaptogens help us handle stress without side effects by reducing anxiety, encouraging better sleep, improving immune resistance, boosting focus and concentration, supporting faster recovery, and promoting a feeling of well-being and better moods. “Basically, adaptogens improve our body’s fitness for resisting stress of all kinds,” said Hirsch.

What’s more, when applied topically “adaptogens can help the skin adapt better to stress symptoms such as redness and inflammation and support in the skin’s antioxidative systems, increase skin cells energy level and offer and promote skin tone and appearance,” added Hearn.

Adaptogenic skincare and supplements

Plantopia

As specialists in this field, Plantopia sells a range of adaptogenic skincare and supplements. It pairs the adaptogens with essential oils and scents to create different benefits.

For example, its Detox and Purify range includes the adaptogen schisandra, known to help boost mental performance and fight stress, and elemi which helps increase focus and counter anxiety and negative thoughts.  negativity.

The Rest & Sleep range combines the adaptogen ashwagandha with sandalwood to reduce anxiety and aid better sleep; Relax & Calm uses turmeric and geranium to relax the mind and body; and Energise & Uplift helps lift your mood and re-energise your skin, mind, and body with the use of ginseng and lemongrass.

NEOM

We’ve used (and subsequently run out of) the Relax & Calm face mist and can vouch for its relaxing properties, while the Energise & Uplift serum is great for providing a natural glow.

Neom Organics recently launched its new adaptogen face mist, called Big Day Energy. It contains adaptogenic ginseng root and elf dock flower alongside ribose from corn seeds, and essential oils including rosemary, eucalyptus, patchouli, and lavender.

The brand promises that this formula – which can be spread over or under makeup – calms the mind and refreshes the skin.

Elsewhere, a newcomer on the adaptogenic skincare scene is SABI. The plant-based range combines adaptogens and prebiotics to help restore the skin’s natural microbiome and support hormonal balance. It sells face mist, serum, body moisturiser, and herbal infusions.

The brand was founded by Hilary Metcalfe and Anna Cave-Bigley who wanted to create a collection of products designed to help with female hormonal issues, from migraines and painful periods to infertility and postpartum depression.

We’re yet to try these products for ourselves, but the idea behind the brand sounds promising.

And on the subject of hormones, Adaptogenic Apothecary recently launched its range of Harmony elixirs. Described as the “world’s first four-phase menstrual cycle supplement”, the herbal adaptogenic elixirs are taken throughout the 28 days of your menstrual cycle to restore the balance needed at the different stages.

Not related to adaptogens, but relevant to women’s hormones, we recently started taking a supplement called Aegle’s Acne Clear Now. It’s designed to target the hormonal causes of acne and breakouts in women and it’s made a huge difference. You can read more in our Aegle’s Acne Clear Now review. 

Adaptogens list

It’s difficult to create a definitive adaptogens list because, as Hirsch told us: “As this area has exploded into the public consciousness, so the number of actives with personal care applications grows.

“Also, what we in the West are using in supplements and what is being used in China and India, where Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda are practiced, is quite different. These systems have used and recognised the value of adaptogens long before they were given that classification.”

However, the following adaptogens list includes some of the most common adaptogens, plus those which are probably/possibly adaptogens, but further clarification is needed:

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
• American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
• Cistanche sp. (probable adaptogen)
• Codonopsis pilosula (possible adaptogen)
• Cordyceps
• Cynomorium coccineum (probable adaptogen)
• Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
• Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) (probable adaptogen)
• Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuflorum)
• Horny goat weed (Epimedium sp.) (possible adaptogen)
• Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) (possible adaptogen)
• Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) (possible adaptogen)
• Maca (lepidium meyeniiand) (possible adaptogen)
• Manchurian aralia (Aralia elate v. mandshurica) (possible adaptogen)
• Morinda officinalis (probable adaptogen)
• Prince seng (Pseudostellaria heterophylla) (possible adaptogen)
• Reishi (Ganoderma sp.) (possible adaptogen)
• Rhaponticum carthamoides
• Rhodiola rosea
• Russian devil’s club (Oplopanax elatus) (possible adaptogen)
• Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
• Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus probable adaptogen)
• Shilajit (Asphaltum)
• Turmeric
• White bryony (Bryonia alba) (possible adaptogen)

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget

The post Adaptogenic skincare: What are adaptogens and how do they work? appeared first on mamabella.

An estimated 90% of women, and 10% of men, have cellulite. It’s much more common than you might think, and it doesn’t just affect people who are overweight – far from it.

The cellulite treatment and cream market has been growing steadily in recent years and is set to soar in the next five years, which just goes to show that we’ve been waging war on the dreaded orange peel for years!

But what is cellulite, and why is it so hard to get rid of? To help get to the bottom of this, we’ve spoken to experts to reveal what causes cellulite and the science of cellulite removal.

You can also see our tried-and-tested recommended cellulite treatments here.

FURTHER READING: Best cellulite cream: Say goodbye to cellulite on your bum and thighs with these anti-cellulite treatments

Cellulite

Unfortunately, we are not about to reveal any magic remedies or cellulite cures because there aren’t any. There isn’t a quick fix to get rid of cellulite but there are products that can reduce or minimise its appearance.

There is also a number of common myths that our experts are on hand to debunk. But first, let’s explain what cellulite is and what causes it.

What is cellulite?

Underneath the skin lies a layer of fibrous connective tissue that is responsible for holding the skin to the muscle beneath it.

In women particularly, this connective tissue runs perpendicular to the skin and tethers the skin to the underlying tissue causing fat cells to push up on the skin while the bands pull the skin downward.

Over time, this connective tissue becomes less supple and elastic. This can create an increased pull on the skin whilst increasing fat stores push outward. This results in the dimples and ‘orange peel skin’ many of us recognise as cellulite.

What causes cellulite?

Keegan Hurd

Some women are more predisposed to cellulite than others, according to a number of studies, and cellulite is more commonly found on the buttocks and thighs as a result of fat cells pushing up against the skin over the fibrous connective tissue bands.

According to Shabir Daya, MRPharmS, co-founder at Victoria Health, “this may be related to the female hormone, oestrogen, which plays a key role in the breakdown of collagen, the substance that gives skin its elasticity and structure.

“Current thinking is that it is the destruction of collagen, which would normally keep fat tissue contained in well-organised structures, which results in the release of fats and toxins giving cellulite its characteristic appearance.”

FURTHER READING: The science of wrinkles and collagen

Does this mean men can’t get cellulite?

Suggesting men don’t get cellulite is fallacious – “both men and women have a layer of fat under the skin and although women develop cellulite more often than men, it can affect both sexes and tends to get worse as we age and lose collagen/muscle mass,” Lucy Dawe, Senior Consultant at Pulse Light Clinic told mamabella.

Additionally, in most men, this connective tissue is arranged in a cross-hatched or diagonal manner and their skin is thicker, making cellulite less noticeable.

Does it only affect overweight people?

People of all body types and weights can get cellulite – it is not the reserve of overweight people or people carrying excess fat.

While fat deposits do exacerbate the condition, fat itself is not the primary cause.

“Cellulite is subcutaneous fat (fat that is under the layers of skin). If someone is leaner, there is less fat, but they can still have cellulite,” added Lucy.

The amount of cellulite you have, and how noticeable it is, can be down to genes, body fat percentage, age, and even the thickness of your skin.

READ NEXT: The best body firming lotions that actually work

How to get rid of cellulite

The bottom line is that there is no cellulite treatment that will rid you completely of your dimply skin. There’s no simple solution or miracle product, but there are ways you can look to minimise its appearance and boost your body confidence.

Diet, exercise, and increased water intake can help boost collagen and get rid of cellulite – or at least a significant amount of it. There are also numerous surgical and clinical procedures that can help.

However, below we’ve focused on the non-invasive options and recommended products that have proven results in getting rid of cellulite, or at least a lot of it.

Cellulite treatment: Vellashape

Pulse Light Clinic

The Vellashape cellulite treatment uses Vela technology,  which uses a combination of infrared light and radio-frequency energy with a vacuum . This technology causes deep heating of the fat cells, their surrounding connective tissue and the underlying dermal collagen fibres.

This type of efficient heating and vacuum stimulates the growth of new collagen and elastin which results in the reduction of skin laxity, body volume and an overall improvement in skin structure and texture.

Gradual improvement of the treated area can be seen following the first treatment – with the skin surface of the treated area feeling smoother and firmer. You can read more about this cellulite treatment here.

Get rid of cellulite with dry brushing

The Body Shop

Dry brushing, whilst not the most favourable exercise in our beauty regime, can have numerous benefits.

It is known to increase circulation, stimulate your lymph helping your body metabolise toxins more efficiently, and ultimately decrease cellulite.

Additionally, it clears pores, removes dry and dead skin, discourages fluid retention and softens and tones the skin.

We highly recommend the Cactus Long Handle brush from The Body Shop (£10) as well as the Elemis Detox Skin Brush (£21). They both use cactus bristles that kickstart the circulation and sweep away dead skin cells.

The Body Shop cactus brush can only be used with the long handle attached, but the extra you pay for the Elemis brush allows you to remove the brush head and get better access to your inner legs, as an example.

To get the best results of this quite painful and uncomfortable cellulite treatment, brush upwards towards the heart, from the soles of your feet, avoiding sensitive areas. This should be done every day before you shower.

Get rid of orange peel skin with Birch Oil

Weleda

Whist we’ve previously provided our pick of the best body firming creams, the Weleda Birch Oil (£25) is one to add to the list.

This is a genuinely natural product that visibly improves the smoothness of the skin after just one month of regular use, massaging into the skin with a circular motion.

Formulated to tone and firm skin, and tackle areas of cellulite, this natural body oil is made from organic silver birch, to encourage elimination processes, flush out toxins and restore skin radiance.

Combined with organic rosemary extract to stimulate circulation and metabolic processes, toning ruscus extract, and skin-smoothing oils of revitalising apricot, vitamin-rich wheat-germ and replenishing jojoba and a refreshing citrus fragrance.

Get more cellulite product recommendations in our guide to the best cellulite cream or read our Weleda Skin Food review here

Tighten your skin with smart anti-cellulite leggings

Assome!

That’s right, you can get rid of cellulite just by wearing clothes! The Assome! Smart Leggings are one of many on the market designed to effortlessly fight dimples.

Made with anti-cellulite fibres and Assome! Microcapsules, which lock in the anti-cellulite and anti-ageing plant extracts including kelp, gotu kola and ginkgo which make up the leggings fabric.

The leggings provide all-day cellulite reduction, improved skin hydration and moisture, revamped blood circulation and boosted collagen production.

The leggings are beyond comfortable, the fabric is soft, and they are high-waisted thus giving great shape. Additionally, there is an instant reduction in the visibility of cellulite through the fabric even before they start working their magic.

They’re not cheap though, coming in at £74.90!

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Alicia Broadest

Alicia is a PR consultant and freelance journalist with more than a decade specialising in all things tech. In her free time, when not juggling three children, she writes beauty articles and can be found wining and dining writing food and drink reviews

The post Cellulite: What is cellulite and how to get rid of the dreaded orange peel appeared first on mamabella.

We recently looked into the science of serums, and have previously explained what ingredients to look for when shopping for moisturiser but this is assuming you already know which of these products you need or want.

If you’re none the wiser, as are most of us are, we spoke to Nav Kaur, a member of the General Pharmaceutical Council and Society of Cosmetic Scientists and founder of Tamaar Skincare, to help explain the differences between serums, moisturisers and oils and, more importantly, how to know which one to pick for your skin type.

READ NEXT: The truth about the acids in your skincare

Moisturiser

The changing weather, pollution, air conditioning in offices and on trains, and more can cause our skin to feel dry, look dull, become clogged and suffer from stress. A great way to top up its hydration and bring it back to life is to use a moisturiser.

Pros: “Moisturising daily could hold back time when it comes to your skin health and ageing,” Kaur told mamabella. “You could be seriously letting your skin down and advancing signs of ageing if you don’t use a good moisturiser on your face. “Investing in the right type of moisturiser for your skin type is also crucial to preventing wrinkles, dehydration, enlarged pores and excess sebum which can cause acne.”

In our science of moisturiser article, we explained how moisturiser works with your skin, and which ingredients to look for, based on your skin type. For example, oily skin benefits from Glycolic acid, blemish-prone skin responds well to salicylic acid and mature skin goes hand-in-hand with Hyaluronic acid.

READ NEXT: The science of moisturiser

In terms of when to use moisturiser, Kaur recommends using a lighter product in the daytime, as it “sits better under makeup” and gives a smoother application for foundation. She also says that using such a product can provide a barrier against external irritants, such as dust and pollutants, and can rehydrate the skin as it contains water. You can then use a thicker product overnight to repair and replenish your skin as you rest.

Cons: Unfortunately, using a moisturiser does come with downsides. Choosing the wrong moisturiser for your skin type can actually make problem areas worse. According to Kaur, using this product is more likely to clog pores than oils and serums because it sits on the upper layers of your skin. Making sure you’re following a good cleansing and toning regime will help reduce these effects, but it’s worth considering when choosing a product.

Serum

iStock

As we explain in our What is serum? article, we’re increasingly seeing skincare brands launch serums but there’s a still a fair bit of confusion over whether or not these serums replace moisturisers – or other facial products. They focus on the lower layers of your skin, helping improve its texture from within.

Pros: “Serums are a great addition to any skincare routine and they help to repair and protect the skin addressing a variety of skin concerns such as aging, acne and hyperpigmentation,” continued Kaur. “They come in a vast array of different consistencies — these differences in viscosity and formula make specific serums more appropriate for a particular concern or skin types.” According to Kaur, traditional serums contain water, although there are more oil-based products launching.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? The science of serums

Cons: However, serums can often contain preservatives and unnecessary ingredients or fillers, which might do more harm to the skin than good. They are also much lighter in weight on the skin and you’ll more often than not need a moisturiser placed on top of it to create a protective barrier.

Facial Oil

Unsplac

More of a “direct competitor” to moisturiser than serum, facial oil products provide hydration and nutrition to the skin.

Pros: According to Kaur, facial oils provide the skin with lipids —an important component of living cells — and usually contain plant extracts.

“Facial oils offer the multifunctional ability to moisturise the skin and have the capacity to restore the skin’s barrier, leaving skin feeling firmer and looking more radiant,” said Kaur. “Oils also help to protect skin from environmental damage, which can lead to acne and premature ageing.”

READ NEXT: How to get rid of dark circles

Oils can be used on top of serums to lock in moisture, according to Kaur, and they leave skin feeling supple and plump. Due to them being waterless — waterless beauty is part of the rising clean beauty trend – facial oils have less impact on the environment as it helps preserves the planet’s vital resources.

Cons: As you can imagine, people with oily skin need to be careful about which facial oils they use. They’re not off-limits – and you most definitely still need to moisturise oily skin – but facial oils are the most likely to both benefit, and mess with, the delicate balance depending on which you choose. When using this product, there is no need to double up with a moisturiser like you have to when using a serum.

Which product do I need?

As Kaur explained, the choice about whether or not your face best suits moisturiser, serum or facial oils – or a combination of these – comes down to personal preference, affordability and what needs to be achieved.

“Oils seem to have fewer questionable ingredients and are great for the evening after cleansing, however, moisturisers may feel lighter in hot, humid climates,” Kaur added. “Moisturisers are also better for sensitive skin types as they have no synthetic ingredients.”

READ NEXT: What is acne and how to get rid of it

For breakouts and acne sufferers, Kaur said that while it might sound counterintuitive, facial oils can be a saviour. “Oil and water don’t mix, so ‘oil-free products’ are not necessarily the best option. When the oil is applied to the skin, it blends well with our own natural oils and this helps draw out impurities more efficiently. Prepare for blemish-free skin when using oils as part of your daily routine.”

When it comes between serums and oils, the main point of difference is that oils are more suitable as moisturers. “Facial oils can be used alone instead of a moisturiser whereas serums deliver a deeper dermis penetration and perform better when used in conjunction with a complementary moisturiser,” explained Kaur.

Which Skincare Product do I need for my skin? 

• Oily skin: Facial oil
• Normal skin: Serum, and potentially layer with oil
• Dull skin: Facial oil
• Problematic skin: Facial oil
• Sensitive skin: Moisturiser

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Phee Waterfield

Sophia is an international journalist covering technology, healthcare, culture and lifestyle. Her words appear in outlets such as Newsweek, Forbes, Metro UK, New Scientist and more

mamabella.uk

The post Skin serum, facial oil or moisturiser: What’s the difference and which one do you need? appeared first on mamabella.