Secrets of the World Wide Sisterhood

Save Your Skin

I just read an article in Self magazine that said the ozone layer, which absorbs UVA and UVB rays before they hit the earth, has a hole that has grown nearly 250 percent in 20 yrs., due in part to man-made gases.  Doctors add that the larger ozone hole is one reason why melanoma rates have doubled over the past three decades.  It is more important than ever to wear sunscreen.  Even on days when the sun isn't that bright or it isn't that warm, you should wear sunscreen.  You should even wear it during winter months.  I am paying the price for years spent in the sun with little or no sunscreen at all.  I spend thousands a year on Botox, chemical peels, light treatments, and products.  All of this could have been minimized if I had just listened.  Luckily, I have become wise to the fact that sun can really damage your skin.  Especially now with the ozone layer increasing the size of the holes.  In the same issue of Self, I saw an add for Coppertone's new NutraShield that has Dual Defense.  It is a sunscreen with antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals to help skin repair itself and also has advanced UVA/UVB sun protection.  It has a 70 SPF and reduces visible signs of sun damage in just 2 weeks.  I love being in the sun and just can't avoid it.  But, I will definitely try this new product by Coppertone.  Not only is it a sunscreen, it is a beauty product.    

Crystal Light

I'm posting this article under Beauty Products because Crystal Light has a delicious new drink that can nourish your skin from within.  The Crystal Light Skin Essentials were developed with European dermatologists using natural plant extracts.  Plus powerful antioxidants, vitamins A,C, and E.  When I was grocery shopping this weekend I was shocked to see all the new flavors or Crystal Light.  Women who drink Crystal Light drink 20% more water than those who do not.  I believe this to be true.  Because I love to drink Crystal Light Lemonade during the summer.  And, I usually can't drink just one glass.  Also, I take it with me when I go to Atlantis every summer.  Those of you who have been to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas know how expensive everything is.  Soft drinks are very expensive and very small.  So, I found a healthy drink to take along.  I bought Crystal Light which comes in the little pots.  They're very light so you can pack several in your suitcase.  Then, when you get to the resort, go off the resort and buy some bottled water.  You can mix the Crystal Light and take it to the beach or out by the pool.  It is delicious and much healthier than soft drinks and not as boring as just water.  Crystal Light now has 22 flavors with only 5 calories per serving.  There are a variety of tea flavors.  The new ones are Red Tea Mandarin, Green Tea Raspberry, and White Tea Blueberry.  They all are packed with antioxidants and vitamins.  All of which benefit your skin.  There is also an Enhanced line for metabolism and immunity.  I was surprised to discover all the drinks Crystal Light has available.   

Glytone Lipid Recovery Cream

As you know, I'm a big fan of Glytone products.  Well, I've discovered a new one.  I just got a Vi Peel Sunday night.  It seems like it is going to be a good one.  My face is already peeling and is peeling pretty good.  Immediately after the peel it is not good to go back to your old products containing glycolic acid until your ph level has been restored.  Glytone's new Lipid Recovery Cream features camelina oil, rich in omega-3 and vitamin E, to help restore the skin's natural barrier after chemical peels, laser treatments, microdermabrasion, and injections.  You can purchase it at glytone.com for $38.   

Latisse

My friend Catherine just told me about a prescription product for longer lashes.  It is Allergan's new product called Latisse.  It received FDA approval at the beginning of the year.  It contains the prostaglandin analog bimatoprost (which was originally used as a glaucoma drug), and studies have show significant lash growth within 16 weeks when the product is applied along the lash line.  Latisse was approved for the treatment of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes-a condition where a person has inadequate amount of eyelashes.  I would love to have some comments of people who have used Latisse.  I will keep you posted as Catherine keeps me updated.  She began using the product a few days ago.  If you would like more information go to latisse.com.      

Fatgirlslim

The weather is finally starting to warm up and it's time to start spending time outdoors and wearing shorts.  Of course, there isn't anything as effective as exercise for toning up and firming the body, but to give yourself a little extra boost, try Bliss's Fatgirlslim.  Using this twice a day for just 28 days, 87% of testers saw a firming effect, 85% felt a slimming effect, 72% saw a sculpting effect, and 73% noticed a reduction in the appearance of cellulite.  You can get this from Bliss for just $29 or supersized for $54.  Use this with the Slimulator for just $22.  It gives dimples the rub-around.  It has nubs that help stimulate micorcirculation, enhances effectiveness of products applied after its use, and helps remove trapped toxins and fluids associated with cellulite.  Bliss also sells pills that help dislodge excess fat and stimulate microcirculation, smoothing the look of those unwanted puckers from within, right where they form.  The supplements are called Equave Cellulite Supplements. ($48)  Using the above products, teamed up with a healthy diet and exercise you will definitely be ready to start off the summer season wearing shorts with confidence.  Now is the time to start. Don't wait until it's too late!

Didn't Get Your Beauty Sleep?

I have found that the most important beauty product or procedure isn't a product or a procedure at all;it is sleep.  We've all had those sleepless nights.  In fact, I've had three this week.  I've been taking a cake decorating class.  It is so much fun, but it is really time consuming.  Since I work all day, I only have evenings to get my cakes baked decorated.  It has been midnight before I've gotten into bed three nights this week.  I'm a person who needs at least seven hours of sleep.....not only to feel better during the day, but to look halfway decent.  As you get older, lack of sleep can really make you look like an old hag.  It's funny how you can look good one day and then all it takes, is one sleepless night to look like a completely different person the next day.  I hate it when I go to bed early and just cannot sleep.  I lie there thinking, "I'm going to look awful tomorrow.  I've got to get some sleep!" And I think that makes it worse.  Because the fragile skin under the eye is thinner than the rest of the face, dark circles and puffiness appear more prominent when there is a lack of sleep or an overabundance of stress.  What do you do when you've only gotten a couple hours of sleep?  One product you might try is Freeze 24/7 Eyecing Fatigue-Fighting Eye Cream. You can get it on amazon.com.  It is quite expensive at $115.  But I like their products. They also have a good lip plump.  The eye cream has anti-aging ingredients like ginseng and black tea-derived kombuchka to improve puffiness and dark circles.  What if your lack of sleep was due to staying out late at a party?  There is a product called The Alchemist's Mask from Mod.Skin Labs that detoxes post-party skin.  It is a unique powder formula that features organic wheat grass to oxygenate, along with revitalizing white birch and purifying white clay.  Simply add water to the fresh-scented powder to form a thin paste that brightens a drab complexion in as little as 15 minutes.  However, your best bet it to try to get enough sleep!!   

Skin Essentials

Regardless of your skin type, there are a few essentials you need to keep in mind.  You should always use a soap-free cleanser every night to rinse off dirt, oil and makeup.  This also allows your skin care products to penetrate deeper into the skin.  Never use soap.  It is too drying.  Use a creamy no-soap liquid to add extra moisture.  For oily complexions, use a foaming gel or an alpha hydroxy acid wash to degrease.  Spend about 30 seconds massaging your cleanser into your skin.  In needs that long to completely break down makeup and sebum sitting on the surface.  Next, you need to use antioxidants to stop free radicals from sun, pollution, and stress.  Vitamins E and C are good, but according to David H. McDaniel, M.D., director of the Anti-Aging Research Institute in Virginia Beach, VA, look for wrinkle-fighting CoffeeBerry extract.  And last,  but not least, always use an SPF moisturizer.  Many dermatologists consider everyday sunscreen the most important antiaging weapon.     

Paraben-Free Products

A paraben-free product means that the paraben preservatives have been replaced with alternate preservatives.  They may or may not contain organic ingredients.  Parabens are chemicals used to preserve longevity and prevent the growth of bacteria in cosmetics and foods.  According to an article in New Beauty parabens are used in very low levels in skin care and beauty products and most are considered fairly safe; however, the safety of others  (like the commonly used methylparaben, proopylparaben and butylparaben) is up for discussion.  Loading products with parabens allows for them to have an extended shelf life and be nearly resistant to extreme heat and cold.  But just because they may be able to live a longer shelf life doesn't necessarily mean they are better for your health. While no concrete evidence has proven a direct link between parabens and cancer, many Americans are taking a better-safe-than-sorry approach, stockpiling their beauty cabinets with paraben-free beauty products.  If you're looking for an all-natural moisture serum, Burt's Bees Radiance Serum is great.  It is packed with pure ingredients like royal jelly, licorice extract and glycerine to restore moisture levels and your skin's inner glow.  And it is only $18.  You can purchase it at www.burtsbees.com.  It is good to use all the anti-aging products that contain retinol, glycolic acid, peptides, etc.  But, sometimes it's good to give the skin a break and try an all natural product for a few days.   These products are also much more affordable. 

Younger-Looking Lips

It happens so gradually that you hardly notice it, but as you age collagen, oil and water diminish from the lips.  This causes the lips to shrink, wilt and droop. Eventually, you will notice that your lips appear smaller and are getting fine lines around them.  We tend to think that only smokers get the fine lines, but that isn't true.  Since lips don't have a moisture barrier, they don't retain moisture well which may cause constant dryness, fine lines, and wrinkles.  It is necessary to replace lost nutrients in your lips to plump them up and smooth them out.  The fuller your lips are, the more support they provide for the surrounding skin, which minimizes lip lines and wrinkles.  There are many good products out there to keep your lips looking their best.  Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Lip works to plump up the lips while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with eight different peptides. Vitamins C and E protect the lips against free radical damage for smoother softer lips.  I found this for $30 at amazon.com. Grapefruit Archipelago Botanicals Lip Butter contains powerful antioxidants, including nourishing grapeseed extract to restore lost moisture to the lips.  It instantly smoothes even the driest, most chapped lips and leaves them with just a hint of shine.  I found it for $11.67 on amazon.com.  To prevent your lips from aging, try Carita Intense Smooth Out Express Patch for Lip Contour.   These are individually packaged lip masks which fit the shape of the lips, and are intended to smooth, tone and plump them.  When worn five to ten minutes twice a week, this anti-aging treatment helps to moisture, soften and restore the vitality of aging, thinning lips.  I found these for $112 for (5) on amazon.com.  Or for a more drastic approach, you could have your dermatologist or plastic surgeon plump your lips with hyaluronic acid injectables like Restylane, Juvederm, or Perlane. OR You could have your own fat injected into your lips from another fatty area on your body.  Only you will know what is best for you. 

Artificial Light and Skin Damage

Since I turned forty, I've been very careful to use sunscreen on my face everyday.  I thought I was safe indoors at work all day.  However, I work in an office with fluorescent lights.  And according to an article in New Beauty, (as you can tell, I love this magazine), there are potential hazards involved with long-term exposure of indoor pollutants like artificial light, especially fluorescent and halogen sources.  Although the research behind artificial light as a pollutant is rather new, both fluorescent and halogen light sources emit high levels of blue light, which is thought to cause free-radical damage and skin aging.  Bioelements Lutein Indoor Protective Day Creme was created to ward off indoor agressors that cause dehydration surface wrinkles and a dull complexion.  This antioxidant-rich daily moisturizer is packed with lutein (extracted from marigold flower petals) to filter out the aging effects of blue light is emitted from artificial lighting.  It can be purchased on www.bioelements.com for $49.50 and I also found it on the amazon.com site for $44.50.  I'm going to order this from amazon because I have noticed that my skin seems to be aging more quickly since I took my current job almost 5 yrs. ago.  Perhaps it could be the lighting. (Or, maybe it could be that I'm getting older......Whatever, it's worth a try!)