Real Beauty 101

Beauty(ful) Sleep

OK, I thought I had heard of everything related to skin care.  Magic creams and potions, injections, and even skin care drinks.  Now, linen manufacturers are introducing....beauty bedding??

That's right several bedding manufacturers have developed pillows, sheets, blankets, and mattresses infused with skin care ingredients such as aloe, seaweed, and even copper.  Mattress manufacturers are infusing the ingredients into the mattress ticking (the material that covers the mattress).  Some others are enclosing the ingredients into small micro-capsules (woven into the fabric) which break open when pressure is applied. 

There are proponents and opponents on both sides.  One dermatologist stated that copper bedding may be beneficial for those with acne and others are more cautious since not many in-depth studies have been conducted. 

The products are priced anywhere from $70 for pillow cases to $1499 for mattress sets.

Copper bedding by Cupron Copper Technology is sold exclusively by Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Prices range from $20-$150, depending on the item.

Here's the skinny - its unlikely that these items will produce lasting results on the skin due to the delivery method.  In order for ingredients to be most effective, they must be able to penetrate the dermis.  As with  most products, topical treatments often produce only temporary results. Further, the ingredients being delivered - aloe, copper, and seaweed - can be found in many products that have undergone in-depth testing. 

Bottom line - save your money.  If you want to buy great sheets, invest in high thread-counts!

Ojon is introducing a new bath and body line

Ok, so anyone that REALLY knows me, knows that I have a pretty bad QVC addiction.  Thankfully, due to the economy, my QVC habit has been placed in check.  But I have to thank QVC for introducing me to the Ojon® Restorative Hair Treatment back in 2003.  

Let me take you back.  I'm watching QVC  and this georgeous couple appears touting the effects of the rare oil of the tropical Ojon® tree known only to the Tawira indians who are referred to as "the people of beautiful hair (TM).  Its a husband and wife team and the wife's hair looked like shiny, black silk.  What sold me, of course, was when they showed the effects of the hair treatment on African American hair (after one use).  I couldn't dial fast enough.

Since then, I have been a faithful devotee, scooping the rare concotion into my hand, emulsifying it into an oil and then rubbing it onto my hair.  Its a fantastic pre-shampoo treatment and sometimes I apply it to tame flyaways.

Now the beautiful folks over at Ojon are moving into the bath and body category with their new line Tribal Indulgences Batana. Tribal Indulgences Batana.  According to WWD, Tribal Indulgences Batana Shower Gel, a paraben-free, sulfate-free body cleanser, includes a blend of Ojon, Swa+, Buriti, Acai and copaiba oils, and retails for $28 for 10.1 oz. Tribal Indulgences Batana Body Cream, $40 for 5.9 oz., combines Ojon and Buriti oils and Brazilian Murumuru and shea butter to moisturize skin, and copaiba and Acai oils to provide antioxidant protection. Buriti oil, extracted from the nut of the Buriti palm, is highly concentrated in beta-carotene; copaiba, Acai and Swa+ oils are naturally rich in essential fatty acids omega-3, -6 and -9, and are said to moisturize skin and infuse it with essential lipids.

You can find the line at Sephora in April or you can get it now at (where else) QVC.com!

Will the new administration crack down on harmful ingrediants?

According to www.carefair.com, the Obama administration may bring about changes to what manufacturers put in skin care.

Carefair.com says:

With any new administration there are bound to be changes which affect various industries. According to online reports, at present there is concern in the beauty industry that Obama’s administration will seek to impose greater regulation on some chemicals used in manufacturing.

Obama’s pick for EPA director, Lisa Jackson is said to have the same intent to restore the EPS’s role in safeguarding the environment. There are fears that any new regulation will lead to increased costs for the cosmetics industry especially in regards to testing chemicals for their possible environmental impact.

 

I say "Amen" to that!  Its about time that  manufacturers are held accountable for the toxic ingrediants that plague skin care products.  It appears that there is more regulation over dog food than there is for skin care.

CVS - Your New Beauty Destination?

CVS recently announced that it is opening standalone beauty stores, similar to Ulta and Sephora.  The stores - named Beauty 360 will carry 32 skincare and cosmetic lines and perfumes. The store will be staffed by trained beauty consultants that will analyse and recommend specific skin care products based on skin type.

The new stores will be sized at around 3000 sq ft, about the size of Sephora. They are expected to compete with other skincare and cosmetic stores such as Bath & Body Works, Sephora, and Ulta.  The boutiques, which will debut on the East and West coasts but which are expected to expand nationwide.

I don't know about you, but these stores will really have to offer something special and unique if it intends to compete with Sephora and Ulta fr my beauty dollars.  CVS has started carrying certain brands exclusively such as Cristophe's hair styling, Lumene skin care and Physicians Formula, but these brands pale in comparison to the offerings at other high end beauty stores.

Chasing Perfection

A new study titled "Beauty at Any Cost" is set to expose the ugly side of the beauty/fashion industry - its unrealistic standards.   Here are some stats that I found particularly shocking:

• Eighty percent of women say they're unhappy with their appearance, and 67 percent of women ages 25 to 45 are trying to shed pounds — though 53 percent of them are already at a healthy weight. The report also cited a study in which 69 percent of the respondents (18 and older) said they were in favor of plastic surgery, a 7 percent increase from 2006.                                 
• Forty percent of newly diagnosed cases of eating disorders are in girls 15 to 19 years old, but symptoms can occur as early as kindergarten. Girls who spent the most time and effort on their appearance suffered "the greatest loss of confidence."
• Americans spend over nearly $7 billion a year on cosmetics, beauty supplies and fragrance, and nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in 2007, an almost 500 percent increase in such procedures from 1997.
  
• If women put the average amount of money they spent on monthly manicure-pedicures ($50) into an interest-bearing retirement account every year for 10 years, they would have almost $10,000.

Lead, carcinogens, irritants - oh my!

According to the Manchester Evening News, recent reports suggest that women ingest about 5lb of chemicals in their lifetime just from their beauty regime, with lipstick being the primary culprit.  Outside of ingestion due to licking and biting, lipstick is found to be absorbed right through our lips, directly into our bloodstream. More importantly, some lipsticks has been shown to contain trace amount of lead. 

Kinda makes you wonder just what we're eating!!  If you want more information on the toxicity levels of your favroite cosmetics and skin care product, check out Skin Deep.