by Judi McMahon
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Meet our expert skin care columnist Judi McMahon,
author of 8 books on beauty and a well-known skin care expert. Send questions
to: JMcM1998@AOL.COM.
My skin is always itchy, especially in the hot weather. I live in Arizona and it is dry here. But I don't know if I have an allergy reaction to something or if there is anything you can suggest to alleviate the itchiness? An allergy is basically any reaction of the body to a specific substance, or allergen, and in those individuals who are not sensitive there will be no reaction. You might know if there is a family connection -- a father with hay fever, a mother with hives, that would give you a clue to whether or not this is genetic. You might also be allergic to specific plants or animals and then should consult an allergy expert to run tests to determine what the causes may be. For instance, dander from dogs or cats can cause itchy reactions. However, if the cause isn't external, like very dry weather as Arizona may have, and a topical good quality lotion (without mineral oil, animal fat or chemicals, please)! doesn't help, you could have a weakened immune system which means that the defensive energy within your body isn't in balance. There are many good holistic doctors and nutritional experts who may also be helpful. I keep getting blackheads and my skin isn't even oily. What do you suggest? First, make certain you are washing your face well, and with an 100% vegetable oil soap. You can look for a tea tree oil soap, which is a natural antiseptic, or purchase a bar of soap that has aloe/oatmeal in it, which can also help deep clean the pores. You'll find a plentiful assortment in a real health food store. There are also excellent scrubs on the market, like the "Soft Grain Scrub" in my own REBORN Skin Care System, which help eliminate blackheads. In this case, the product contains both glycolic acid as well as papaya enzymes, both good and safe deep pore cleansers. And if you're on a budget and want to make up your own scrub, try the following recipe: Mix a half a cup of oatmeal (the steel cut type) with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt; make into a paste, then scrub your face every day with this mixture; you should make enough to last 2-3 days at a time and refrigerate the balance. Good luck!
Judi McMahon is the author of 8 books on beauty, is also a well-known skin care expert who introduced alpha hydroxy acids in 1990. Today, she runs a successful beauty products business, featuring her own creation, REBORN, a 100% active essential oil moisturizer developed by Judi and packaged fresh each week for her growing national clientele. Ms. McMahon also has a website, awabi.com/reborn, where you may learn about her skin care philosophy and the rest of her REBORN Skin Care System, as well as send her your own questions on matters of beauty and health to JMcM1998@AOL.COM.
Beauty Books: Bobbi Brown Beauty: The Ultimate Beauty Resource by Bobbi Brown. To order click here. Andre Talks Hair by Andre Walker. To order click here. 1001 Beauty Solutions: The Ultimate One-Step Adviser for Your Everyday Beauty Problems by Beth Barrick-Hickey. To order click here.
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