For Sophie Mathews, a 26-year old director of action model agency Shimma Studios fromSussex, even the thought of a new perfume or a lovely face cream for Christmas brings her out in a rash!
Research shows that over 90% of women will receive a beauty related gift at Christmas time. Perfumes, soaps, creams and cosmetics are typical gifts most women find under the Christmas tree. A new report this week revealed that shops can tell exactly when men have started their Christmas shopping because sales of Chanel’s perfume Coco No 5 suddenly rocket.
But for people with very sensitive skin like Sophie, Christmas beauty gifts bring very little festive cheer!
Sophie says:
All I was for Christmas is beauty products and make up. I leaf through the glossy magazines and read with envy the wish lists for Christmas presents because I know that most of them I can never have for Christmas. And its not because I can’t afford them, it’s because I am allergic to pretty much all beauty products and make up.
Every time I try and put a lovely expensive face cream on my skin, or a new type of make up, or even use a nice cleanser, my whole face breaks out in an allergic rash. I can’t even wear sun creams and I spend half my life out in the sun as I love water sports and like to surf and kite board a lot. My model agency specialises in models who do sports, they all wear sun block to protect their skin, while I am always the one with the burned nose!
It’s so unfair. I’m constantly hankering after the latest anti ageing luxury cream or a new time of foundation that promises flawless skin, but I can’t wear any of them.
I am allergic to both lanolin and glycerine, that I am certain of, and I suspect that I am allergic to several other chemicals in common beauty products too.
I have had reactions to creams where not only does my face go red, but my face swells and so do other parts of my body. My hands can sometimes swell up like balloons if I use a certain beauty product on my skin.
I also get spots, and I can’t use any form of anti-acne treatment on them nor can I use cover up sticks to hide them. I have to spend most of my time heading out into the world bare faced.
There are a few very specific types of foundation that my skin can tolerate, but they are hard to get hold of and if I run out then I have to wear nothing.
Until recently I was resorting to using water and olive oil on my skin as I seem to be reaction to just about everything. But no girl can look her best on a beauty regime consisting of oil and water.
I dread every Christmas because my stocking is never filled with the things I love. I get very non-girlie things like socks and CD’s because no one in my family can buy me anything that people normally buy women my age.
I sit there every year with my mother and my sister opening lovely new perfumes and make up palettes while I have to make do with a book.
And due to my business I seem to be constantly surrounded by gorgeous models all wearing tons of make up and talking about the latest beauty wonder and telling me that I really must try this and that for my skin.
It was a friend of mine who found out about Skin Shop’s product KALME Undercoat. She was at the doctors in the waiting room and there was an article about the product on the table. She noted down the website and emailed me that I should have a look as all my friends are painfully aware of my skin problems as I am always moaning about them when we go out.
I had a look and ordered some immediately as it seemed as if the product was invented literally for my skin. It was for skin prone to hyper sensitivity and was made to put on under other products to reduce skin reactions and sensitivity.
The minute I tried KALME Undercoat I knew it would work for me. Usually I always get stinging when I put on any sort of face cream, but in fact the second I put Undercoat on my skin felt calmer.
I tentatively put on more and then left it on for a few hours, waiting for my skin to react like it usually did. That evening my mum came round and told me how good my skin was looking. I put more on the next day and saw no reaction. On day four I tried, with some fear, putting a new very expensive foundation I’d been given at a press launch on my skin. I sat and waited and nothing happened. I looked at my flawless complexion and smiled.
Since that day I have not looked back. I still can’t use all beauty products and some very chemical or perfumed creams set my skin off, but I can now wear about 70% of all products and I can wear make up again for the first time in years. hen I go out now I feel incredible because I am so used to having to wear minimal make up with an oily base. It has changed my life.
I am so looking forward to this Christmas and being able to ask for beauty product for the first time in my adult life, but, more importantly, being able to get dressed up for parties like everyone else without either my face swelling up or having to go out looking drab and bare faced like I have had to most other years. Even my spots have cleared up, I’m completely delighted and if there isn’t a tube of KALME Undercoat in my Christmas sticking I am going to be very unhappy.
