Naturally: ‘You have cancer, but you’re still a woman’

Beauty concerns may seem trivial when talking about cancer, but for many women who are undergoing treatment, looking well is integral to feeling well.

"You want the security of looking in the mirror and looking halfway like yourself. You have cancer, but you're still a woman," says Anne Roche, a skin cancer survivor who has worked with cancer patients for 12 years through her hair and beauty business, Roches Positive Appearance Centre in Dublin.

For the past three years, she has run workshops at Roches centres in Kimmage and Merrion Gates Medical Centre, ARC Cancer Support Centre and a couple of Dublin hospitals to educate women on the "appearance-specific side effects of treatment and how to manage and camouflage them".

Here Roche shares some of her feel-better beauty tips.

Skincare

Skin can become very dry and sensitive during treatment, so gently cleansing and moisturising your face and body is essential. Roche recommends using “chemical-free, natural products” with sun protection that do not contain fragrance or alcohol (avoid face wipes).

To exfoliate, opt for an extremely gentle product, a sponge or a simple homemade facial: combine half a cup of oatmeal with half a cup of organic natural yogurt, let it break down for five minutes, gently rub it onto your skin in a circular motion, then rinse it off with tepid water and a cotton sponge.

If you’d like to keep it simple, natural oils such as organic coconut, sweet almond and argan will remove make-up, and organic rosewater can be used as a toner.

Skincare lines to check out include Phyt's, Lindi Skin, Flourish Organics, Jennifer Young and EO.

Make-up

There are a number of ways to camouflage lost eyebrows. To draw on natural-looking eyebrows, use an angled brush and a mineral-based eyebrow powder applied with feathery strokes. Roche, who loves Jane Iredale mineral make-up, recommends choosing a soft colour: "you don't want two slugs – less is more". If you need a little help with the shape, use an eyebrow stencil. Alternatively, cut a heavy fringe into your wig so that it sits on top of the brow line or buy a pair of non-prescription glasses with frames that cover the brow line.

For eyelashes, Roche recommends foregoing fakes that require adhesive. Instead, simply outline your upper and lower eyelids, again using an angled brush and a soft-coloured eyebrow powder.

To prevent infection, regularly clean make-up brushes and buy a new mascara when you begin treatment; replace it regularly and don’t pump it or share it. Hair ‘Post-chemo hair’ can be frizzy or curly. Moisturise your scalp before, during and after treatment to encourage hair to grow back with a smooth texture. Use a gentle, fragrance-free shampoo and conditioner, or a natural oil such as sweet almond or coconut oil.

For hair care and colour, Roche recommends Organic Colour Systems.

Nails

During treatment, nails can become brittle, discoloured and may even separate from the nail bed.

Start keeping them healthy before your treatment begins: moisturise daily with nail oil, keep your nails short to avoid breakage, wear gloves when cleaning and don’t bite or cut your cuticles. Stick to filing your nails and gently pushing the cuticles back, taking care not to break the skin. Use nail polish sparingly. Make sure it’s ‘three-free’, meaning it does not contain formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate, and use acetone-free polish remover.

Of course, every person is different, and while a product might work perfectly for some, others might find it irritates their skin. Find out what works for you, and talking to your doctor is always the best place to start.

For more information on beauty workshops, salons, wellness services and cancer support, visit roches.ie and arccancersupport.ie.