Dear Heloise: I read each of your columns and thank you for many helpful hints. In a recent column that appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, I once again read that no one should sleep through the night in makeup. I have slept with makeup on for many years.
At almost 76, I have been told many times that I look much younger than my age. I wonder if the moisturizer I use under my makeup actually keeps my complexion looking younger by leaving it on overnight.
— Shirley H., Maumelle, Arkansas
Shirley, I consulted with two major manufacturers of cosmetics, and both said to remove all makeup before going to bed. Here are some of their reasons:
During the day, your makeup and skin attracts dirt that’s in the air. Also, we all touch our faces more than we realize, and in doing so, we transfer more dirt and oil from our hands to other items. Washing your face at night removes so much of this bacteria.
Your skin is a breathing organ, and it needs a clean surface and a moisturizing cream at night. While you are asleep, mites that live on your eyelashes and eyebrows can come out of your hair follicles and die on your skin. So, it’s also vital to wash your skin in the morning.
When sleeping with makeup on your skin, you grind the makeup into your pores and all over your pillowcases and sheets. After a week of this, you’ll have a serious buildup of bacteria on your linens.
Your skin needs moisture, and washing it provides this moisture, especially when you follow up with a moisturizer. (Don’t forget your neck!)
Use a mild soap and water, and with the soft pads of your fingers, gently wash your face in a circular motion. Never use a washcloth on your face, and get as close to the hairline as you can. Some eye makeup may require oil and a soft cotton pad.
— Heloise
DEER REPELLENT
Dear Heloise: Instead of buying expensive deer spray to keep deer from eating your flowers, shave some deodorant soap into a spray bottle, shake it up with some water, and apply it every few days. It works like a charm!
— Kaynor H., via email
Kaynor, I’ve heard this before, so I decided to try it myself. It does work! I usually shave strips off of a bar of soap around my roses to keep the deer from eating them.
— Heloise
KILLING WEEDS
Dear Heloise: For years, my neighbor and I have been fighting the weeds that grow in the little cracks in our driveways. We discovered that we can kill all the weeds without herbicides by simply placing a black mat over each spot with weeds. By moving the mat around during hot days, we have been able to control the weeds during the summer season.
— Keith Larsen, Lincoln, Nebraska
Keith, for years, I’ve used either vinegar or bleach. The bleach worked well by killing the weed’s roots. After a couple of years, weeds just stopped growing there, and there were no more fire ants either.
— Heloise
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