Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog

Does Meredith Vieira include cosmetic surgery in her anti-aging regimen?

• Meredith Vieira
• Diane Sawyer
• Lauren Hutton
• Jane Seymour
• Sela Ward
• Diane Keaton
• Goldie Hawn
  
  

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You don't need a Ph.D in chemistry to benefit from Joey Specialty Instant Chemistry 101 ($35). The chemistry kit contains four anti-aging products formulated with Marine Collagen and Prozymex HBT (Bernz-O-Matic 2000 torch not included)

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• Quick Cleanser Toner Scrub Masque In 2 Minutes
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• The Quick Once Over
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• Quick Moisturizer
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• The Eye Compatibility Duo
  
  "Many little girls grow up playing with their mother’s makeup, but few turn the childhood pastime into a multi-million dollar business. Joey Chancis is one beauty addict that made it happen. Raised by a mother who “was born with makeup on”, Joey was exposed to color cosmetics and proper skincare from an early age. Joey’s “formal” education in the beauty industry came from product development positions with Chanel and Revlon, where she learned an insider’s view of the creation, marketing and promotion of numerous cosmetic products. She took this knowledge and opened Joey New York Day Spa in 1992 at Le Parker Meridien Hotel. The successful venture was a partnership with Joey’s mother, Arlyne Roer. Although the two beautyphiles attracted an impressive clientele, Joey and Arlyne were unimpressed with the treatment products available. "
  
  
  

You gotta love this: Despite Joey's extraordinary career, her beautiful little daughter Jade takes the spotlight in Joey’s life, extending a legacy of close mother – daughter relationships into a new generation. You know Girl-Woman loves mother-daughter relationships.

But back to the chemistry experiment at hand:

• The Quick Cleanser Toner Srub Masque is only a two-minute process. We love that! And the product leaves your face feeling cool and fresh.
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• The Quick Once Over is a must-have after a workout at the gym...or a workout at the office.
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• The anti-aging Quick Moisturizer for dry skin gives you subliminal hydration.
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• The Eye Compatibility Duo contains alpha amino acids to help hydrate the eye area, and we are always giddy over alpha amino acids.

For price and efficiency, we give Instant Chemistry 101 an A+. For anti-aging, Instant Chemistry 101 is a good discovery kit for the student of skincare benefits.

For other independent reviews, go to Total Beauty.

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Lying on the gurney with my naked, dimpled buttocks smiling at the doctor -- like this, ( ) -- as he was injecting an epidural in my L5, I thought, "Does this cellulite make my butt look big?" It doesn't matter how much you weigh, when you hit a certain age, your buttocks take on that cottage cheese appearance, a/k/a cellulite. Is there any way to rid your rear of cellulite?

What is cellulite:? In one word, fat. When you put on a few pounds, our fat cells swell while our connective tissue stays the same, hence, creating the dimples.

How to get rid of cellulite: In one word, exercise. Unfortunately, all the quick fix solutions -- herbal concoctions, body wraps, toning lotions, electrical muscle stimulation -- are not effective in ridding yourself of cellulite.

I called my personal trainer/daughter and had her weigh in on the cellulite issue. If you want to rid your buttocks of cellulite, she recommended starting with lunges. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand. Begin by taking a big step forward while lowering your body. Bring leg back to starting position and repeat with opposite leg. Keep your back straight and abs tight during this exercise. For more fitness tips, .

Brains on Beauty: Gentlemen, the answer to the does-my-butt-look-big question is always NO!

Has your significant other ever answered otherwise?

Have a great day, and as Jamie always says, "Keep moving."

Beckie

Luckily, I had an opportunity to test-drive Sun Sauce Moisturizing Sunless Lotion. It's a white girl's best friend. Believe me, without tanning, I'm sallow and ashen white. As a personal trainer, sallow and ashen white skin is not a good look for business. But I found a new best friend - Sun Sauce.

I have tried many self-tanning products, but I will endorse Sun Sauce as the very best sunless tanner EVER.

• No streaking.
• It doesn't come off on your clothes.
• You actually look tan, not orange.
• Pleasant smell.
• Doesn't stain hands.
• Contains anti-aging ingredients.
• Hydrates skin.
• Builds slowly.

Sun Sauce is formulated to deliver the highest levels of vitamins, minerals and rich botanicals to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. We have included the finest quality of the very best ingredients available such as shea butter, monoi oil, sweet almond oil, tea tree oil, unitrienol and healing vitamins that include A, B and E plus complex minerals to give your skin the best care possible.

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Beauty Product Review: Recently I had the opportunity to test La Mer, The Cleansing Lotion ($65). Sacré bleu! My interest has been piqued since many celebs swear by this uber expensive beauty product. J.Lo bathes in La Mer. Kimmora Lee Simmons allegedly slathers the cream all over her body. It's one of Madonna's anti-aging secrets. But for $65, it had better be manifique!

The Cleansing Lotion derives its remarkable cleansing power from magnetized tourmaline and La Mer's exclusive Deconstructed Waters™. These positively charged waters enable this cleanser to thoroughly, yet tranquilly draw dirt, debris, makeup and pollutants out and away from the skin without harsh rubbing. Formulated with non-detergent ingredients essential to maintaining skin's delicate moisture barrier, the cleansers are so gentle, they will not upset the complexion, even with frequent use. The Cleansing Lotion is ideal for normal to dry skins and gentle enough to remove eye makeup. This versatile formula may be rinsed or tissued off.

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• La Mer Cleansing Lotion doesn't contain any strong soaps, which can strip oil from skin, leaving skin dry.
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• La Mer Cleansing Lotion doesn't contain any additives, like perfumes or dyes, that can irritate skin.
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• La Mer Cleansing Lotion has a lovely floral fragrance.
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• La Mer’s Cleansing Lotion does not require harsh scrubbing or rubbing.

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I repeat, sacré bleu! Outrageous price!

Brains on Beauty: Without breaking the bank, good cleansing choices include anti-aging Dove Pro-Age, Cetaphil, and Purpose. Although they might not feel as luxurious as La Mer Cleansing Lotion, all three cleanse your face as well as this product. A better return on your investment would be to purchase a quality moisturizer.

Bonne journée!

Beckie

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Travertine Spa, a leading lifestyle brand of spa products and yoga apparel, sent me their anti-aging, age-defying Protein Shampoo to test. Now you girls know that I have a cache of beauty products, but until being contacted by Travertine, I hadn't heard of an age-defying shampoo,

First I opened the bottle to smell the shampoo. Lovely. Clean. Fresh. Organic.

Then I read the ingredient list of the paraben-free eco-friendly shampoo:

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• Tea-Tree essential oil to gently cleanse and repair dry, damaged hair.
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• Indian Gooseberry extract, known to prevent premature graying, is added to enrich hair growth and pigmentation.
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• Soy protein, Shikakai Nut and Neem extract are added for moisture and lustre.

Based on the Phyllanthus emblica, manufacturers Natreon, Inc., say its patented Capros extract has an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) value of 1770 - twice that of acai and about 17 times that of pomegranate, Natreon said. Antioxidants have the ability to neutralise free radicals that can damage the body's cells. Free radicals can build up in the body and cause oxidative stress, which is thought to contribute to the aging process and several diseases.

We originally created Protein Shampoo and Protein Conditioner because a high-end gym in Los Angeles wanted natural botanical products for clients in the showers "Our new Hair Therapy is like a natural homeopathic tonic in a bottle," said Terry Carter, Travertine Spa founder and CEO. "It's wonderful to have natural products that exceed the texture and quality of those with synthetic ingredients." The Hair Therapy line, designed for the boutique market, is priced at $25-$30 for 16 ounce bottles.

Finally, I gave it a test-drive and came to the following conclusions:

• Great suds appeal.
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• Although it's a protein shampoo, "wheat protein" is listed about two-thirds the way down in the ingredient list. Protein is normally added to shampoo to treat damaged hair. I would like to have seen "protein" as one of the first ingredients on the list, indicating that protein was a main ingredient.
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• Compared to other boutique shampoos, the price is average for a boutique hair product.
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• Pure, natural, and refreshing scent.
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• Love-love that it's paraben-free.

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The following is an interview with Charla Krupp, author of How Not To Look Old -- Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better. "Aging Sucks" according to Charla. Her book covers a college semester in Baby Boomer Beauty 101 -- educating women over 40 on wardrobe tweaks, beauty secrets, makeup tips, and even shopping lists.

Free Giveaway: Charla was kind enough to provide three How Not To Look Old books to give to my readers. To enter to win, leave a comment after the post. If you are under 40, this would be make a great Mother's Day Gift, too. Comments will be accepted until March 31, 2008.

Beckie: Charla, thank you for your time. I know women will be very interested in your answers, as you are the poster child for the boomer who has reinvented aging. Even though you admit in your book -- How Not To Look Old -- that you are high maintenance, your high-maintenance routine obviously works for you. You look fabulous. Your book should be a must-read for every woman 40 or older.

I know you are a fan of injectables. Is there anything new on the dermatological horizon?

Charla: As far as injectables, it seems that there is something new every month. It's best if you talk to your derm about what is best for you. As I said in HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD, permanent fillers can leave permanent problems so don't just go for the long-term solution unless you are
assured that you are in the right hands. You can't be too careful about this.

Beckie: You didn't put a chapter on plastic surgery in you book, and you even quote Isaac Mizrahi as saying, "Do you want to look 70? Get a face lift." Would you ever consider a surgical face lift or an acupuncture face lift?

Charla: I'm hoping that by the time I need a face lift, there is a non-surgical solution. I don't look forward to going through that procedure! It's not pretty. And I've seen some very bad face lifts.

Beckie: Your resume reads like a good book. You have been a former beauty editor at Glamour, Senior Editor at InStyle, Beauty Editor at People Watch, currently writing a column for More magazine, as well as your countless appearances on television. Even though you are an expert in
the field, you must have made one or two beauty mistakes. Would you care to share your biggest beauty mistake?

Charla: My biggest beauty mistake...I am very cautious about what I do to my face so I haven't had a disaster. But sometimes I don't plan ahead...and my hairdresser Brad Johns is away on vacation and I have to walk around with dark roots longer than I prefer to!

Beckie: As we all know, beauty is skin deep. What is your health and exercise regimen? How do you deal with stress?

Charla: I'm a big Weight Watchers fan. I weigh myself daily and when my weight is heading upwards, I jump back onto Weight Watchers and get back down. I am also a fan of spinning and do it as much as I can when I am not traveling. In New York, I go to Soul-Cycle on the Upper West side and in the Hamptons, I spin at Zone Hampton.

Beckie: You say that you know that New York and LA fashion will not always translate in other areas of the country. For a cash-stretched woman who lives in a small Midwest town, what is your No. 1 piece of fashion advice to make someone look tens years younger?

Charla: Buy a great pair of jeans that fit you perfectly. Look at the brands that I recommend in HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD and start with those. They look great on an over-40 body. For me, Habitual, Citizens of Humanity and Paige are the winners.

Beckie: Some of my readers have been fighting the age spot war, particularly with reference with their hands. Would you care to weigh in on this issue?

Charla: We need to pay attention to our hands as they will give us away. You can use the same products on your hands as you do on your face. For an affordable solution, go with the Olay Definity line because it fights both age spots and wrinkles and costs less than $30. Age spots can age you up to 20 years...you want clear, even skintone.

Beckie: What beauty and fashion advice do you give your husband and other male boomers?

Charla: To men who are going white, color your hair. Also, get non-wire frames--and stay away from those aging rimless frames....go plastic! Get a cool pair of rectangles. My husband, Richard Zoglin, is also promoting his book, Comedy at the Edge...for his tour, he bought new glasses...very cool black rectangles from Robert Marc!

Beckie: Again, thanks so much for taking time out of your busy, busy schedule to answer my questions and help us baby boomers traverse through the next decades with grace, beauty, style and looking ten years younger.

In past posts, I have chatted up Charla. Here are the other posts in reference to her or How Not To Look Old:
4 Magazines That Aren't Your Granny's Magazines
My Concealer Obsession
Aging Sucks

Have a great day,

Beckie

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I don't know if you remember my before and after at the Clinique cosmetic counter a few weeks ago where my free makeover left me looking like Mimi Bobek from the Drew Carey Show, but I finally got up enough courage to return to said counter to get a few samples of Clinique's new Supermoisture Makeup. Clinique Girl color-matched my skin, and I raced out of the department store so that Makeover Girl would not be offended by my previous escape, and I took my sample home for the real test drive.

Clinique advertises this new product as, "Ultra-creamy yet refreshingly lightweight formula goes beyond flaw-fixing, acting as skin’s undercover moisture agent for a dewy look. Disguises unevenness with sheer-to-moderate coverage. Instantly puts drier skins at ease. Skin looks soft and radiant all day."

As advertised, Supermoisture Makeup is creamy, lightweight, and dewy. It is a good choice for women with dry skin like mine. I have been using Bobbi Brown's Moisture Rich Foundation, but found it to have too much coverage for daywear. I will keep Bobbi's foundation in my makeup arsenal, but I am going to add Clinique's Supermoisture Makeup for day. I am sold on this product.

You can find more reviews of this product at Bella Sugar.

In reference to the previous post, the jury is still out on the concealer. I need to have a few friends give me their honest opinions. I will report the results to you.

Cheers.

(Image from Clinique.com.)

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I try to strive for ten fruits and veggies on a daily basis, and a handful of nuts to keep my skin healthy, but the cold weather has left my skin drier than last night's boneless skinless chicken prepared by my darling hubby. (Sorry, hon.) (Okay, I didn't mention, aging could be a factor, too. I just don't want to go there today. ) Among all the nutrients, vitamin E is one of the most important for ensuring that your skin is healthy. Of course, there are a myriad of face creams on the market containing an alphabet of vitamins, but naturalists, "homeopaths," and even some plastic surgeons maintain that topical vitamin E, directly from the capsule, is a first-rate moisturizer, especially for the price.

Last night I applied my usual slew of creams, and then I pierced a vitamin E capsule and spread the oil from the capsule directly onto my face, hands, and feet. Although the odor of the vitamin E dissipated quickly, I then applied Boots Wonderbalm on my lips, which contains olive oil and almond oil. After my oil immersion was complete and I slithered in bed, my husband jested that I looked more slippery than a few current politicians, who will remain nameless to protect the innocent. By morning, my skin was softer than the recent Hilary/Obama debate in Las Vegas. All politcal jokes aside, my skin was baby soft.

A cooking blog this isn't, but another natural moisturizer accidentally discovered by Almost Pretty is 100% Pure Shea Butter. Maybe the naturalists have the right recipe after all.

Sources: Doctoryourself.com, The New York Times, Almost Pretty

Images: Boots

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