Some women manage to dance blithely through menopause without missing a beat. Other women wallow in mid-life crises, race off, have an affair and write a raunchy book about it, and some women share the pitfalls they encountered along their mid life surgical enhancement journey with any publication willing to cough up the cash for their stories! The rest of us take the middle road and blunder our way through a theatre of hot flushes, mood swings, self doubt and assumed invisibility, wondering if and when it will ever end.
Well, it does stop, or at the very least it gets easier.
Hot and bothered!
For many women the most debilitating and irritating menopausal symptoms are the hot flushes that whoosh over the body without warning (and often without any obvious triggers), and depart as quickly as they arrived, leaving us drained and uncomfortable.
Doctors can prescribe medication to help the symptoms and effects of menopause, and you could also try self administering natural remedies. Interestingly, many of the after-sun products available from the cosmetics aisle in the supermarket are effective coolers and soothers of hot flushes.
Brown rice and herbal:
Some natural botanicals are known to help alleviate hot discomfort on a temporary basis. Do a skin patch test first to check sensitivity issues or possible allergic reactions.
Mint - the maestro of menopause.
The menthol component of mint has long been considered to be a skin soother and coolant. Mint is antibacterial and increases blood flow, relaxes the muscles, reduces inflammation and it smells great!
Refreshing teas and spritzes help revive wilting bodies and rejuvenate a sagging spirit.
- Make a brew of fresh mint tea by infusing a bunch of fresh mint (any mint will do - peppermint, spearmint, common garden mint, etc.) in boiling water for ten minutes. Remove the mint, strain the minty liquid into a wide necked bottle or jar and store it, covered, in the fridge.
- When a hot flush hits, drench a facecloth with the chilled tea, squeeze it out and dab the cold facecloth over your face, neck and chest to take the heat down.
- Carry a small spray bottle of mint tea in your handbag to spritz your face, neck and décolletage lightly. Blot with a tissue.
- Sit and soak:
- Make a refreshing footbath by placing a layer of smooth pebbles on the base of a basin. Fill the basin with cool mint tea and submerge tired hot feet. To give your soles a gentle massage rub them over the stones and pick a few up with your toes. Omit the stones if you like and just soak tired feet in mint tea for 10 minutes to refresh them!
- Mint thrives when it is planted in a shady spot and given lots of water. It can rampantly spread so you might prefer to contain it in a tub.
Green tea - a cup a day keeps ageing at bay!
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant that’s long been used by Japanese women to lift, soothe and firm the skin. It helps to protect the skin from free-radical damage and can help to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
- Use two green tea bags to make a two cup brew.
Steep the tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes then remove them, pop them into a small plastic container with a cover and chill in the refrigerator. To reduce puffiness from around the eyes squeeze the tea out of the chilled teabags and place them over your eyes for a few minutes. - Fill a spray bottle with the brewed tea and store in the refrigerator.
Use the chilled stored tea as a refreshing spritz on hot flushed skin or drink it garnished with slices of lemon and cucumber, crushed ice and a few sprigs of mint leaves.
Soothing aloe vera
Aloe gel is 99.5% water. The other 5% carries proteins, enzymes, vitamins, glycol-proteins and minerals making aloe an effective moisturizer and fabulous temporary facial mini mask to tighten the skin.
- Cut a spike from an aloe plant, slit it lengthways and rub the exposed gel-goo onto your décolletage and neck. Leave it on for 10 minutes, and then wash off with cool water.
- Aloe is an established treatment for sun burned skin. Cut a spike lengthways and rub the exposed gel onto the sun burned area.
- Aloe vera is available in bottles of almost pure gel (98%) from health food shops and some supermarkets.
- Aloe grows well in temperate to hot climates so you might consider planting a small tub with aloe so fresh spikes are available when you need them.
Chamomile
This daisy-like flower can be an effective anti-inflammatory solution.
- Crush several dried chamomile flowers and mix them with a little water to make a paste to rub onto dry, itchy mid life skin. Do a small patch test first to check for allergies.
- Chamomile tea calms stomach cramps, and is a known soother for a good night’s sleep. Dunk a chamomile teabag in boiled water to make a cup of tea and allow it to cool slightly before you drink it.
- Chamomile is a natural hair conditioner. Put a few dried chamomile flowers into the feet of a pair of old tights and swish through the rinsing water after conditioning your hair. It will brighten and enhance highlights in fair hair.
The kitchen pantry
While the following don’t particularly help us in our war against hot flushes, they are quite useful to know!
Coconut oil is a great hair conditioning treatment.
Massage a dab about the size of a teaspoon into damp hair. Leave it on for 10 minutes covered with a plastic shower cap which allows the heat from your scalp to warm the oil so it penetrates the hair shaft. Shampoo the oil out of the hair and condition as usual. Your hair will be soft, sleek and shiny.
Grapeseed oil is light, odourless and absorbent. It is a terrific skin moisturizer and an effective eye make-up remover.
Dab a little beneath the eyes to nourish the delicate skin and soften lines.
Use it around your lips to moisturize fine lines.
Sesame oil is an unbeatable moisturizer for dry skin and hair, cracked nails and flaked cuticles. It does have a strong and distinctive smell.
Massage a little oil into the place you want to moisturize, leave for ten minutes and shampoo/wash/rinse off.
Olive oil is a gentle, light textured oil suitable for dry and sensitive skin. It’s used as the base oil in some topical body treatments and has been a favourite hair and skin moisturizing staple for centuries in the Mediterranean climates.
A Spanish friend shares this skin treatment to cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize all at once.
Mix ¼ cup virgin olive oil with the finely grated skin of one orange. Massage gently into the face. Rinse with cool water. Your skin will glow.
Tea tree oil, while not particularly helpful for the symptoms of menopause, is an essential item in the botanical medicine cupboard as i contains anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities. Use tea tree oil to treat dandruff and some minor scalp conditions, its astringency enables it to unclog and exfoliate pores, treat adult acne and it is an unbeatable soother of mozzie bites. Tea tree oil will even suffocate a tick when a drop is directly applied to it!
It has a strong odour so use it sparingly – the tip of a cotton bud dipped into tea tree oil and applied to blemishes or bites usually conveys enough oil to do the trick!
Papaya (pawpaw)
Apart from tasting exotic, papaya contains antioxidant vitamins A and C that help repair damaged skin and fight free radicals. It also contains the papain enzyme that exfoliates rough, dull skin and smooths out the skin tone which is fantastic news for mature skin!
Papaya is often found among the list of ingredients in anti ageing products.
Try making your own mask when papaya is plentiful and inexpensive:
Chop half a papaya into pieces and put it into the blender with half a cup of plain yoghurt. Blend to a smooth paste then massage into your face. Leave on for 10 minutes (it tends to drip so lie down with a towel beneath your head) and then rinse off with warm water. This mask is also great for adult acne.
Rosewater
Roses have been used since ancient times to ease anxiety, enhance good feeling and of course to symbolize love.
Did you know the legal term ‘sub rosa’ comes from centuries ago when confidential and secret meetings were conducted beneath a bower of climbing roses?
Rosewater gently soothes hot flushed sensitive skin. Chill a mini spray bottle of rosewater mixed with a little water and spritz your face. Alternatively, dab a little pure rosewater onto a cotton ball and blot your face during or after a hot flush.
Some little menopausal things for you to know:
- Standing in front of an air conditioner turned up to full blast dries out your skin. Open the fridge door and poke around and tidy the inside for a few moments instead.
- Wear clothing in layers so you can disrobe and dress as body heat dictates. Keep garments loose and in good order.
- People understand menopause and the associated stresses. There’s no need to advertise your discomfort with long suffering sighs and glances, fanning yourself and wearing clothes that are old-looking and pilled!
- Anti inflammatory cream calms hot flush related splotches and marks on the face and neck. Test a tiny dab on your skin first to check your skin does not react to the cream.
- Control moisture caused by hot flushes or humid weather by applying antiperspirant deodorant between and under your breasts and at the top of the inner thighs. Use a sports deodorant formulated to give 24 hour protection against perspiration, with an active absorbent to soak up any extra wetness. Look for a deodorant that has an anti-whitening agent to minimize those powdery white whiskers on your dark coloured clothes.
- Cut off the legs of a pair of old pantyhose below the knee and wear them under skirts and dresses to combat issues with chaffing. The pantyhose should be cut longer rather than shorter because they ride up.
Are you what you eat?
Bloating is usually caused by water retention. A bloated stomach makes us grumpy. Symptoms of bloating can be relieved by eating more salt-reducing (diuretic) foods such as cucumber, asparagus, parsley, celery and leafy green vegetables. Curiously, drinking water helps relieve water retention.
- Chocolate, avocado, soy sauce and vintage cheese are high in tyramine, a substance that raises blood pressure.
- To ease constipation increase your fibre intake and eat more whole grains, raw fruit and both raw and cooked vegetables.
- Mood swings can be helped by taking vitamin B6, vitamin E and calcium supplements. Caffeine won’t help, more than two cups of coffee a day can make us edgy.
The menopausal make-up slide!
- To prevent the downward slither of make-up from your face during the heat of a hot flush try using an oil-free mineral make-up.
- Foundation Primer helps keep foundation in place during hot flushes. Apply a thin coat over moisturizer before applying your foundation.
- Switch to a tinted moisturizer with SP15 that offers light, natural looking coverage and do away with foundation all together.
- A drop of perspiration-proof sunscreen mixed into foundation can help foundation stay on your face. Keep it away from your eyes.
- Wear water resistant or smudge-proof mascara instead of normal mascara. Waterproof mascara is the obvious answer to really hot flushes but it’s very strong and prolonged use can make your natural eyelashes brittle and prone to snap. Remove waterproof mascara with a creamy or foam cleanser and follow with toner to ensure every trace of mascara and make-up is wiped away.
Hair loss
Thinning hair can be one of the most distressing issues associated with menopause. It is such a devastating attack on self esteem. We expect men to lose their hair, but we don’t expect it to happen to women. It is of little consolation to know that 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from some hair loss. However, there are things that can help.
The first and most obvious step is to talk to your doctor as soon as you notice your scalp is becoming visible. A blood test may determine why it is happening to you. It could be a hormonal shift or it may be occurring for other reasons that are not hormone related.
Hair loss is called ‘Alopecia’. If the cause is hormonal it is unlikely to correct itself without help.
Discuss the use of hair loss treatments containing minioxidil that stimulate hair growth with your doctor. Usually a 2 percent solution is advised for women, while a 5 percent solution is recommended for men. It has to be applied morning and night onto the scalp in the hair loss area and if you stop applying the product the hair will stop growing. It does help prevent further hair loss so treatment is better started sooner rather than later.
Encase your hair in a light plastic shower cap at night so the solution doesn’t transfer from your head to your face via your pillow .The last thing you want is werewolf cheeks!
Auckland hairdresser Kelsey Smith says that layer cutting the hair in an attempt to make it look full or spiky actually makes it look thinner because you can see right through the hair to the scalp. “To make your hair look thicker have it blunt cut or cut in a choppy style that lies against the scalp.” Kelsey says. “To introduce volume into the hair rough it up with your fingers after you’ve brushed it. Texture can be created by lifting the hair up and directing hairspray underneath the layers onto the roots.”
If the cause of alopecia is non-hormonal it is likely to be caused by reasons such as intense stress, a reaction to certain medications, over-processing the hair with chemicals or a too tight hairstyle such as dreadlocks. In the cases of stress and medication, the hair will probably grow back when life returns to a more even keel. In the meantime use over-the-counter hair thickening and volumizing products to give your hair some oomph.
Rosacea
This is a skin condition that tends to materialize in our middle years when painful red blotches unaccountably appear on the face, distorting the jolly name that means “rosy face”. The blotches often erupt, much to the distress and embarrassment of the sufferer.
Believe it or not, wiggling the toes and waggling the feet makes radical improvements to the rosacea face!
It works like this: According to acupuncturists the body is hooked together by meridians carrying energies. Sometimes the energies get stuck in one place and the system needs to be balanced. In the case of rosacea the energy is concentrated in the head, making the face hot and the skin red. Wiggling the toes and waggling the feet draws the energy back down the body and balances it out.
This is one time we want things to slide downwards! It’s worth a try don’t you think?
Your doctor can prescribe medication for rosacea.
Use mineral make-up for a natural looking glow. Ordinary make-up has the tendency to catch in rosacea skin hollows, so start with a light tinted mineral moisturiser, use a mineral cream blusher and then dust mineral powder over the lot.
Facial and chin hair
As we know, hormone levels are in flux during menopause and many of us grow more hair than usual above the upper lips and around the chin area. Sometimes passive moles or freckles on the face suddenly sprout a long, coarse, irritating hair, or we might notice a tendril or two curling from our nostrils or decorating our ear lobes.
Immediate removal is vital. Tweezers are your new best friend! They are the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get rid of unwanted facial hair. Home waxes and depilatory creams are also effective, depending on the amount of hair requiring removal, how far you are prepared to go and your pain threshold!
If you have doubts about removing a sprouting hair cut it right back with a pair of scissors and keep it shorn until you have sought medical advice or spoken with a beautician.
Professional waxing, electrolysis and laser hair removal or reduction are more expensive alternatives attended to by trained technicians in accredited treatment salons.
Whatever you decide, make sure you take action. Long, disfiguring, ageing hairs have gotta go!
Incy-wincy spider veins
One sign of advancing years is the emergence of spider veins, or worse – painful protruding varicose veins. Unfortunately the unsightly varicose veins are genetic. As we grow older the valves inside our veins can weaken, over-fill with blood and swell up. It’s a problem that’s quite easily solved without costly overnight hospital charges, and when the treatment is done correctly by an accredited technician it is long lasting.
A few topical laser treatments (usually two or three) will zap spider veins, causing them to heat up, coagulate, close up and disappear forever. The laser path is the way to go in the treatment of mild to moderate leg vein issues. Lasers are most successful on light skin; they are liable to leave visible dark mark damage on darker skin.
A short term solution to temporarily eliminate spider vein clusters is to rub a topical bruise cream such as Hirudoid or Lasonil over them. The cream will help the purplish bruised colour diminish and the veins will disappear for several hours.
Sclerotherapy is the treatment for more serious varicose vein issues. A doctor micro-injects a solution into the vein causing it to collapse and disappear into the body. The procedure has been around for a long time, but it has vastly improved in recent years with the use of ultra-sound to guide the Sclerotherapy. Fewer visits to the doctor or specialist are needed and the legs no longer have to be wrapped. It can be done in the doctor’s office and you can go home straight afterwards.
Sydney physician Dr. Peter Kluger says there’s no certain way to prevent veins from showing up. “Keep a healthy body weight,” he advises, “And remember that high impact exercises such as aerobics and running acerbate varicose veins.”
It pays to shop around as costs can vary enormously between a doctor and a specialist clinic. Go online and Google ‘Varicose Veins’.
Menopausal colours!
Are your clothes shrieking “Mrs. Menopause”? When we see someone wearing clothes we associate with particular stereotypes we assume the person possesses the traits connected with that association. We particularly relate colours and clothing to age clusters.
When we estimate a woman to be over 45 years old, our brains go into overdrive. We immediately skim her all-over appearance to reassure ourselves that our assessment is correct. The style and colour of her hair give us clues, along with the clothes she is wearing and her make-up (or lack of it). We judge how her clothes fit; if thestyle is dated, if the garments are too long, too short or too tight, we assess the colour and pattern of the fabric, and finally we appraise the accessories.
We check all this out in a nano second while we mentally calculate the wearer's age. And we subconsciously do this all the time!
As we mature the bright energetic colours we’ve always worn may suddenly seem a little too strong or a little too deep. This is usually because our skin colour and hair colouring has lightened and we are unaccustomed to the contrast created by the bright colours against our paler skin and hair. Rather than find toned down versions of our favourite bright colours, many of us panic and grab colours from the opposite end of the spectrum, colours that are pale in hue and dusty, muted or grey in intensity. Rose pink, lavender and eau de nil are just three of the colours traditionally associated with older women and menopause!
Follow your instincts when trying to determine if a colour is a menopausal colour. Ask yourself does it look dusty, bland, musty, mature, elderly or boring? Ask if a young person would wear it?
When intense, dark colours such as black, burgundy, navy etc. are worn near the face our lines and wrinkles are intensified. Dark colours near the face tend to make the woman in her summer years look tired, drained and washed out.
Youthful light is reflected onto the skin by light, clear colours worn close to the face.
Colours in the bone/cream/taupe range can also be linked with menopause. Inject a modern or quirky accent colour such as melon into your outfit to distract and update.
If you have to wear a menopausal colour (maybe it’s a navy coloured uniform) divert attention from the menopausal colour by wearing fashion-forward accessories such as emerald coloured jewellery.
Fabulous Fragrance
“A woman who doesn’t wear fragrance has no future” Coco Chanel
While fragrance isn’t exactly a menopausal topic, many of us drench ourselves in so much perfume that it heralds our arrival long before we enter a room - the ultimate red flag of menopause!
Fragrance, like all good things, is best when it is used in moderation.
Did you know:
- The newer way to rejuvenate the fragrance you are wearing is with regular spritzes rather than one heavy dousing? The ph. chemicals in your skin alter the scent (which is why perfumes smell different on everybody). To keep the fragrance true spray it onto your hair or underwear, but never your clothes - you know that the one time you do it’ll stain!
- There’s not enough alcohol in fragrance to damage your hair, but with prolonged use there is enough alcohol to damage your skin. This can be one of the reasons brownish stains develop around the neck and décolletage areas.
- The way fragrance is worn communicates the age of the wearer. A strong floral perfume worn with twin set and pearls indicates the wearer is behind-the-times whereas the same floral scent worn with a crisp linen jacket and a modern scarf implies freshness and youth.
- Owning a selection of fragrances is equivalent to possessing a wardrobe of clothes. Choose one to suit the occasion, just as you’d choose your clothes.
- Although some fragrances have been around for many, many years and are now considered ‘classics’, there is no such thing as an old fashioned fragrance. Some perfumes fall off the radar simply because the supplier has stopped advertising or if they’ve been superseded by a trendier (and often short-lived) brand. Plus, stores only have so much shelf space on which to display their wares. All space is selling space: if a range is slow it generally has to go.
- If you like to wear a classic perfume then you should do so. Classics are classics because they are so fabulous.
- Classic Fragrances:
· Chanel No. 5
· Shalimar
· L’Air du Temps
· Dior Dior
· Rive Gauche
Alternatives:
· White Linen,
· Must be Cartier
· Red Door
· Bulgari Pour Femme
· Anna Sui
· Perfume lasts in the bottle for two to three years. Exposure to heat and sunlight cause it to become cactus more quickly, so keep it in a cool dark cupboard or drawer and purchase it in small quantities. - Use fragrance every day; don’t keep it “for best”!
- Citrus fragrances are perceived as youthful and sexy. Most citrus fragrances contain bergamot which is a small bitter inedible citrus fruit grown in the Mediterranean, and particularly in the Calabrian region of southern Italy. Oil is extracted from the foliage and the peel, and scent is taken from the flowers. A lovely citrus perfume is Escale à Portofino by Christian Dior.
- Spicier fragrances, evocative of warm trade winds and steamy jungles, make up the oriental group of perfumes. Oriental perfumes contain patchouli, sandalwood and other ingredients derived from bark, resin, flowers and leaves of trees indigenous to Indonesia. The most classic of these fragrances is Yves St Laurent’s Opium and Clinique Aromatics Elixir.
- Every fragrance should transport you somewhere; perfumes capture exotic lands in a bottle.
· Fidgi by Guy Larouche is described as “the scent of paradise found” (le parfum des paradis retrouvés!) and elicits recollections of balmy tropical nights.
Coco by Chanel is a sublime blend of citrus, floral, spice and wood that emanates buckets of class.
There are very few inexpensive perfumes (under $50) that don’t smell like toilet spray or talcum powder. Keeping in mind that perfume smells different on everybody, you might find one that smells great on you. Buy it in small quantities as inexpensive perfume is unlikely to have a long shelf life and you don’t know how long it sat on the shop shelf before you bought it. Some market stalls, perfumery shops and duty free stores offer up-market fragrances at reasonable prices; check the fragrance immediately to ensure it is exactly what you believe you’ve bought.
Next time we’re going to enter the realm of undergarments with a light hearted look at Day 8, Love Your Lingerie.
Until then, kisses.
Retail details and magic products
Tinted Moisturizers
These are all available from Priceline or mass retailers such as K-Mart and Target
Australis Tinted moisturizer contains SPF15, $14
Cancer Council Tinted Moisturizer SPF30, $12
Face of Australia Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25, $12, light, medium and dark shades
Nivea Visage, Young, Be Beautiful Tinted moisturizer, no SPF, $10
Dove Essential nutrients contains SPF15, $9
Make-up Preparation and Primer
Australis Primer $14, from mass retailers
Revlon Smoothing Primer $28, 1800 025488, from mass retailers
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer 50mls $65 (lasts a long time) 02-9663 4277from Myer and David Jones
Products to help cool down hot flushes
Le Tan Iced Green Tea After Sun Mist with aloe vera. 250ml $11, Cools, soothes and moisturizes. Priceline and mass retailers.
Le Tan Coconut Mist SPF30 with vitamin E. $17 Priceline and mass retailers
Hair Removal
Nads Facial Wand, $14, from Priceline. Hair removal gel for eyebrows, chin, upper lip, etc.
Veet Hair Removal Cream with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E 100g $8.50 from supermarkets
Gillette Venus Breeze razor $19. Spare blades impregnated with gel $16 for a pack of 4, from supermarkets
Hair Volumizing Products
Fudge Salt Spray $18, Priceline, gives a raw textured look and extra body to dull hair,
Samy Fat Hair $15, Priceline, puts a coating on each hair shaft for a thicker look
John Frieda Luxurious Volume, $16 Priceline
Marc Anthony Instantly Thick, $16, Priceline
Mark Daniels Big Hair sample bottles $3 Priceline
Natural over the counter products for relief from menopausal symptoms - available from supermarkets, health food stores, pharmacies or mass retailers
Nature’s Way Day and Night Menopause tablets $31
Remifemin tablets $30
Pro Mensil tablets $49
Naturopathica MenoEze forte tablets pack of 90, $30 Ph.1800 225522
30 Plus tablets $36 all from supermarkets and mass retailers
Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Oil 50ml $16, 10ml $8, from Coles, Woolworths and other supermarkets.
Eureka Tea Tree oil 100ml $6 from Coles etc.
Eureka Lavender oil 100ml $8
Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil 100ml $5 from Coles, Woolworths and supermarkets
Deodorants:
Adidas Intensive 3 action 24hr+ Antiperspirant, anti-odour active absorbent complex 200ml, $7 from Coles, Woolworths and supermarkets
Lasonil Bruise Cream $11, from pharmacies
Hirudoid Bruise Cream around $12 from supermarkets and pharmacies
Mineral Make-up
Try the BareMinerals range of make-up. Call 1800 808993 for stockists
Perfumes
Citrus:
Escale à Portofino, by Christian Dior, 75mls $110 – Dior stockists
Jean-Marie Farina, by Roget&Gallet 100mls $64 – David Jones
Orientals:
Opium by Yves St. Lauren, 15mls $335
Clinique Aromatics Elixir by Clinique, 45mls $108
Tropicals:
Kai by Gaye Straza 50mls $130
Fidgi by Guy Larouche
Coco by Chanel 50mls $159
No comments:
Post a Comment