The Beauty Sleuth

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. In 2007 alone, over 58,000 people were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin, with 8,000 people dying from melanomas of the skin.  Dr. Ariel Ostad, a New York City Dermatologist, says “as the summer season approaches, people are beginning to get the ‘itch’ to head into the sun.”, especially after such a long winter season. Dr. Ostad says three key actions can help make sun exposure safer: prevent, detect and treat skin cancer as early as possible. Education is key, as well as acceptance – many patients avoid having their skin screened or treated due to fear or embarrassment – Dr. Ostad notes that getting over any personal issues associated with sun exposure will help keep your skin healthy for your entire life.  Below, Dr. Ostad offers easy to understand tips and suggestions for those looking to enjoy the summer season safely:

Everything You Need to Know About Sun Protection
With virtually hundreds of sun protection options available at your local drugstore or department store, Dr. Ostad notes there are several important ingredients one should look for when seeking full spectrum coverage and protection:
Micronized Zinc Oxide: For broad spectrum UV protection (including UVA rays). This also has soothing effects for skin irritations, and antimicrobial properties
Titanium Dioxide: An excellent absorber of sun rays (both UVA and UVAB rays), it provides long-term UV-protection and is water resistant
Niacin: This ingredient is clinically shown to visibily improve skin tone, texture and hyperpigmentation
Vitamin E: Helps heal and protect the skin

Know Your SPF :: not all  are created equal : Dr. Ostad says it is important to use at least SPF 30 regardless of your skin type or color. According to Dr. Ostad, “sunscreens should be applied to exposed areas 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors.” When using sunscreen, Dr. Ostad also notes to pay special attention to your face, ears, hands and arms, which are sometimes forgotten or not properly covered. One ounce, about the amount in a shot glass, is considered the amount needed to cover the body properly – don’t skimp on your sunscreen! Dr. Ostad adds that it is also a known fact that any SPF over 30 is negligible in protection.

Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D: Many people tout the sun’s ability to help our body absorb vitamin D. According to Dr. Ostad, “it is important to get 20 minutes of direct sun per day, which will allow our bodies to absorb the normal level of vitamin D needed.” You should be careful to avoid the sun during the hours of 10am – 3pm, when the sun is strongest. » Read the rest of this entry …

What is a promise? For most people, it can be casual or binding, but it always represents a significant bond. Between friends, it is the glue that holds a friendship together. Between family, its the catalyst that nurtures this intimate and sometimes intense relationship. For two sisters, it marked the beginning of what has become one of the largest global movements to end breast cancer.

Nancy and Suzy Goodman were always more than just sisters and for three decades nothing separated them from the life adventures they shared. But In 1977, Suzy was diagnosed with breast cancer and a mere three years later, she died. Thirty -six years old. Way too young. A bond between two sisters was the link that brought about the promise: To end the silence and taboo of breast cancer, to bring about scientific research to find a cure, and to end breast cancer once and for all. One sister to another promising “even if it takes the rest of my life” — At that moment the Susan G Komen for the Cure was born. Today it is the most influential health charity in the world and The Pink Ribbon is the universal icon of hope. To date the foundation has contributed more than $1.5 billion for cutting edge research and community programs. And thanks to a sister’s love, a breast cancer diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. » Read the rest of this entry …

I just HAD to post this fun little video from Burt’s Bee. It’s an animated short drawn entirely using the new Burt’s Bees® Tinted Lip Balms. It’s cute and a very,very sweet. While this lip balm comes in a variety of colors, it also feels yummy, yummy, yummy on the lips!

Enjoy!
TBS

Smashbox has release Soft focus eye palette that takes the guess work out of your Spring beauty routine—Meaning less time on fussing with makeup and more time for other fun. The palette has a selection of Smashbox best-seller colors, both shimmer and velvet finishes, two cream liner colors (that are totally beautiful) and a mini lid primer. The shadows are a great texture, blend easily and are a nice collection of easy, breezy Spring/Summer colors. This palette allowed me to create so many makeup looks for a variety of skin tones that I never got bored using it.

Below I have outlined a four step makeup application that will add a little Spring to your look:

Step one: After applying a coat of lid primer, (which comes in the kit) layer Vanilla shadow over the entire eye area, lash to brow making sure to blend well. I like to feather the colour into the corner of the eye and wrap it slightly under the eye keeping the focus on the corners of the inner eye. This is an instant eye brightener, which is especially good on days when you feel less than exceptional!

Step two: Using the thin tapered end of the brush, apply a thin line of Bronze liner to the lash liner. Try to keep it as thin as possible, working the liner between the lashes, creating a boost of volume and definition at the lash line. The result should be soft and smudgy.

Step Three: With the fluff end of the brush, apply Nude eyeshadow to the natural crease-line extending out to lengthen the eyes, blending well as you go. I also like to wrap a little of the color under to out corner of the eye to further extend and accentuate the eyes.

Step Four: Curl lashes ( Love my Shu Eumura lash curler, but Tweezerman and Kevin Aucoin also make steller lash curlers) Apply mascara ( I like Bionic Mascara from Smashbox because it builds the volume I want without looking clumpy ) as close to the lash line as possible, building voluminous lashes. If you want super volume, repeat this stage for a second coat. Sweep the wand through the ends of the lashes to add some length and as a final touch, to keep your lashes looking feathery and lush, brush through with a lash separator. » Read the rest of this entry …

While Royal Wedding Fever has definitely hit the U.K. (and the rest of the globe for that matter) leave it to one of Britain’s most sumptuous brands to join the fray with style. The iconic British beauty brand, Jo Malone will be celebrating the upcoming Royal Wedding with specially designed windows in their London store on Sloane Square . Jo Malone, one of the world’s favorite perfumiers, has elegantly draped and adorned the windows for the upcoming nuptuals of Prince William to Catherine Middleton . I think they look rather splendid and are no doubt, a sign of good things we’ll be seeing down the aisle come friday the 29th April, 2011.

Nicely done, Ms. Malone!

Christopher Bailey’s Burberry Beauty collection has the same cool Brit style as the personified fashion label. Pared down, and with direct roots to the Classic Burberry Trench, Burberry Beauty is expensive looking and exudes an oh-so-luxurious appeal. Two years in the making, the line pays homage to Mr. Bailey’s vision of a modern English rose. “The Burberry girl wears just a trace of makeup — no crazy eyes or crazy lips,” he says. “Makeup should enhance women, not just cover up what they perceive as flaws.”
All of the product are housed in super sexy, platinum checked packaging, which Mr. Bailey says “The idea was for the products to look and feel like things you really want to have in your bag.”
Stellar packaging aside, I took the product out for a spin on several of my photo shoots and was thrilled with the results. I absolutely adore the liquid foundation, which has a beautiful, velvety finish. For those who prefer a powder foundation, you won’t feel left out as the foundation powder is a fantastic alternative. It is perfect for a quick touch up on set ( or on the go) and my models loved the way it felt on their skin. Both formulations provided great coverage where needed without looking overly made up and best of all, after a long shoot day, the finish still looked fresh and dewy, not caky. For the color in the collection, it’s all is subtle and low-key with a soft-glaze appeal. The pigments are quite good, which for me meant that I could replicate the color seen in the compact, onto the skin. Oftentimes, when a color product looks great in the pan of the compact, it won’t have enough pigment to create that same color on skin. These buttery shadows didn’t have a whisper of that problem at all. The eyeshadow and blush all had a comparable velvety finish of the pressed powders and foundations. It was hard for me to select just one favorite from the collection— it could have been the lip glosses which are rich and creamy without being even a little gooey on the lip, with colors that were perfect compliments to the rest of the collection. Or maybe the perfect blush shades. I don’t know, I think I’ll just have to settle for all of it. I only have one negative: I wish they offered richer shades for women of color because its clear that the entire collection was definitely designed for the lighter shades of pale. Hopefully, Mr. Bailey will consider releasing those much needed additions in the near future.
I just had to include the Autumn 2010 advertising campaign video because its so beautiful…The girls look flawless and you really get a sense of the luxury of the product… Enjoy! TBS

In honor of Earth Day 2011, eco-gorgeous brand Lavanila Laboratories wants you to help them plant a forest! For each new “LIKE” received on their Facebook page (Lavanila Laboratories) on April 21st and April 22nd (Earth Day), Lavanila will plant one tree through their long-time partnership with The Nature Conservancy. These new saplings will be a welcome addition to their ongoing, evergreen (pun intended) initiative of planting a tree for each purchase made on www.lavanila.com.

So, please: spread the word and help build a forest!

I have been using many Redken styling products for photo shoots for several years now and overall have been very satisfied with the results. My key go-to items like Waxblast 10, fabricate 03 heat-active texturizer and workforce 09 flexible volumizing spray make coaxing the hair to top shape pretty easy. These products help me create voluminous, shiny, beautiful looking hair every time. So when the Redken people asked me to test drive one of their newer sprays; Fashion Work 12 versatile working spray, I didn’t hesitate.

This lightweight spray offers flexibility during styling and frequent style changes, incredible shine and humidity resistance. I tested it on location in Miami and Los Angeles and noticed the hair was incredibly luminous in both shade and direct sunlight. All of this sounds pretty good, right? I would agree. However, the most noticeable improvement over other Redken aerosol sprays is undoubtably, the scent. At first, I noticed a more-than-usual amount of positive comments praising the perfume, but as the test drive went on, it became apparent that this was no ordinary array of olfactory sparkle. All of the women I’d used it on seemed to experience a sensation that was almost sensual. I had one model exclaim ” It smells like the best Man-smell, ever!!” and proceeded to douse herself with the stuff every chance she could! Now, I know what your thinking, but as my test drives are generally 4-6 weeks long, I am not talking about a one-off occurrence. I am talking about consistent dialogue, always from women, EVERY SINGLE TIME I used the product. Somewhere along the way, the collective We began referring to Fashion work as ” Man in a Can ” and for all intense and purposes, it did make those session days go a lot easier somehow.
I was so curious about the new scent that I contacted the company to inquire whether they had employed the use of Pheromones in the formula. It just seemed so strange to me. I was assured that there were none, however they did give me a breakdown of the perfume : Top: lemon, apple, peach, Mid: jasmine, rose, muguet, Bottom: amber and musk. So as a product reviewer and artist, does it work? Absolutely. But that’s not going to be the only reason you’ll be running to buy a can of your own. Redken’s hit the sweet spot with this spray, no doubt the ladies will agree. All I know is that I cannot keep enough of it in my kit. Redken Fashion Work 12 versatile working spray is available at www.redken.com

White Sands has created a Spring Marcel Curling Iron that almost anyone can use to create flawless Marcel waves. The barrel has a swivel component that allows the hair to be to twirled onto the barrel without having to twist or contort the wrists. While using a traditional Marcel iron can be quite easy when using on a client, it can be much harder to handle it using on yourself. ( No doubt you know what I mean if you’ve tried this yourself and have suffered a few scorched ear tips and skin mishaps!)
That’s what defines White Sands Marcel Iron from the rest. While there are a few competitors who offer the swivel barrel, (KQC, the Canadian version, for example) these other irons don’t have the cool touch tip to ensure no accidental burns to the skin. I found this iron super easy to use on my models and really simple to use on myself. Once the hair is rolled onto the iron, you can continue to twirl the barrel until all the hair is released. Let the hair “drop” ( I give each section a gentle tug at the ends to relax the curl and make it more natural looking ) and you will see right away that this is not any old curling iron curl. The wave pattern will be a gentle S shape from root to tip and can be left in sections or gently broken up to create the volume and loose textures seen in top magazines.
White Sands Spring Marcel Irons are available in three sizes, 1 inch, 1.25 inches, and 1.33 inches.  I test drove the 1.25, and it was perfect for creating waves for shoulder-length to long hair.   The temperature control is digital and it goes as high as 410°, and what I really like about the iron was that the controls were accessible but not in the way of handling the iron during use. ( This happens quite often with one of my other marcel irons as the switching mechanism is placed where your fingers would naturally be while turning the iron ) The White Sands iron is a lightweight, professional grade, easy to control titanium iron. I have no negative comments for this iron, but unfortunately I did get a lemon as the tip came off after the second use. Thankfully for them, I love the iron so much that I have been gluing the tip back on whenever it decides to pop off. Performance simply outshines this minor inconvenience.
This iron retails for $110 and is available for purchase on www.whitesandproducts.com

Caudelie Paris has long been known for their luxurious spas and home products. This line is infused with a variety of organic plant extracts and oils, with Grape seed and Vine oils being the key ingredient to all the Caudelie product line up. Grape seed oil has the same antioxidants as green tea, black tea, berries and red wine and therefore can do wonders for your skin and health. It is known for its ability to lock in moisture, leaving skin feeling more supple and smooth, without a greasy feeling, which makes it ideal to use on all skin types.

I for one have been a fan for years. One of my favorite go-to products is Beauté Elixir, which I use on my skin every chance I get—As a pre-makeup skin prep, a mid day hydration booster, during air travel and as an evening skin soother— It’s been the best way to give my skin a little pampering and hydration, whether at home or on the go. The heady scent and tingling sensation (from the Rosemary and organic mint balm) really wake up and hydrate my skin. Another amazing item comes from the VINOTHÉRAPIE bodycare collection. Vine Body Butter is a luxurious and soothing body cream that hydrates the skin without any sticky residue. Its citrus-y scent is fresh and vibrant and creamy texture glides onto the skin and penetrates easily. I use it everywhere, especially on hands, knees, elbows and anywhere I feel really parched. Loaded with grapeseed, shea butter and Caudelie’s proprietory blend Vinolevure, which are grape and grapevine polyphenols, this butter restores lost moisture and maintains softness to the skin. I recommend using it right after a shower or bath to lock in moisture for all-day-long supple skin.

I recently, test drove a new eye cream from the Global Anti-Aging program called Premier Cru, The Eye Cream. Right away I noticed a difference after using this cream. The lightweight formula has subtle iridescent pearlizers that brighten dark circles and smooth the area for immediate results. After a three week test run, I noticed a smoothness around my eyes and they definitely had a brighter, more awake appearance. I also used it around my mouth area and experienced equally good results.

Overall, the performance of all Caudelie products was top drawer and while a bit pricey, the products do what they are expected to and more. Caudelie has been manufacturing great skincare that performs with consistency, is really targeted and effectively and easily integrates to any beauty regimen. When it comes to your skin, who can put a price on that?