Help your Manicure last longer!

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme .6 oz (17 g) (See all Vitamins & Supplements)

How many times have you gotten a manicure only to have dry cuticles or a hang nail a few days later? Even though manicures make our nails look gorgeous, nail polish removers can be harsh and drying.  An insider at My Beauty Match came across Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and says it does the trick.  Apply it to your cuticles to help your manicure last longer. Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream contains some delicious ingredients such as lemon oil, sweet almond oil, cacoa seed butter and of course beeswax!

Buy/More Info (See all Vitamins & Supplements)

Murad Resurgence Renewing Eye Cream, 2: Treat/Repair, 0.5 fl oz (15 ml) (See all Facial Skin Care)

Throw that Makeup Away!

Keeping and using makeup for too long can cause numerous eye and skin infections. Yuck! My Beauty Match Insider tips for when to discard: Mascara should be thrown out after 3months, eye shadow if powder can last up to 2 years, but cream based about 4 months. Using eye products for too long or sharing with a friend can cause irritation and eye infections both bacterial and viral. Lipstick/gloss can last up to 1 year unless it has an applicator brush and then maybe 4 months. Foundations can last up to 2 years but make sure to wash brushes every week and change sponges ever week as to not get bacteria on your face!

>>>Check out this My Beauty Match Insider Eye product favorite:

Buy/More Info (See all Facial Skin Care)

I would never be caught dead without topical moisturizer, but lately, I’ve started to take internal skin rejuvenation pills to help me fight the signs of aging from the inside out.

I had been using Genuine Health’s Omega Glow for a while now, but they have just put out a new product that is incredible!

It’s a fact that winter months do such a number on our skin and dryness becomes one of the main issues most of us have to contend with.

Using moisturizer is quite common and it comes as no surprise that according to the largest consumer skin care survey conducted in North America, BrandSpark International, 85% of adult women use an external moisturizer. That said, depending on the type of topical moisturizer you use, you can end up with a cream or lotion that sits on top of skin without ever penetrating the skin to deeper layers.

That’s where an internal anti-aging pill becomes so important. If you’ve not yet tried an oral anti-aging pill, you might want to take a look at all the benefits you get from using Dermalipid by Genuine Health.

This oral anti-aging pill is a combination of plant ceramides, phospholipids, squalene and fatty Acids/GLA that nourish, protect and rebuild skin, moisturizing it from the inside out.

In fact, Japanese researchers showed in that oral plant ceramides improved hydration in the stratum corneum by 253% after 3 weeks (vs. placebo) in human volunteers! And a recent report from the Satou Hospital in Osaka, Japan, suggests that oral administration of plant ceramides can turn down the dial on inflammatory chemicals in young children with chronic skin inflammation.

If it’s still unclear to you who ceramides can help keep your skin well moisturized during the colder months of the year, I think Dr. Alan Logan’s, author of “Your Skin Younger”, explanation will hit the mark:

“Since oral ceramides can both lower inflammation and keep the skin well hydrated, they are one of the most exciting advances in the maintenance of youthful skin in recent years”.

>>> Here are a few more facts about ceramides:

–The ceramides are the main component of the skin’s mortar – they represent some 40% of the intercellular “cement” that binds cells together.

–Levels of ceramides in your skin decline with age.

–Levels are lower during the winter months.

–Low levels of skin ceramides are, in turn, associated with dry and inflamed skin – low ceramide levels send signals to turn up skin inflammation!

–A reduction in skin ceramide levels is closely associated with the development of visible signs of aging through the aging process.

–UV exposure also releases ceramides from their home in the mortar of the stratum-corneum wall.

–Loss of ceramides = deeper penetration of UV, pollution, toxins to deeper dermal structures (e.g. collagen) involved in skin aging.

- Synthetic ceramides have been a mainstay of mass-marketed topical formulas for years.

- Only recently have natural ceramides become available – derived from wheat grain and rice bran.

-Japanese researchers showed that oral plant ceramides improved hydration in the stratum corneum by 253% after 3 weeks (vs. placebo) in human volunteers!

- Oral administration of plant ceramides can turn down the dial on inflammatory chemicals in those with chronic skin inflammation.

- Since oral ceramides can both lower inflammation and keep the skin well hydrated, they are one of the most exciting advances in the maintenance of youthful skin in recent years.

>>> Regular consumption of Dermalipid softgels by Genuine Health will:

* Improve hydration of the skin = moist/dewy skin, regardless of season or age!

* Reduced roughness, scaling, redness, itching.

* Limit inflammation = reduced risk of skin conditions (e.g. psoriasis/acne) and aging process

* Results should be noticed within 21-28 days, the time it takes for the epidermis to turn over and renew itself.

>>> You can find more information on how you can keep your skin fully moisturized in the coming months: Dermalipid softgels by Genuine Health

Be a hot momma with Trilastin-SR

Here’s your guide to be one Hot Momma – Keep reading!

You may be shaking your head now in surrender, placing your stretch marks problem as something inevitable, just a small price to pay in having such a wonderful baby.

True, most women develop pregnancy stretch marks, particularly during the later stages of gestation, where the rapid increase in the growing baby bump and the additional weight gain stretch the skin to its limits, but it does not mean you have to live with them even after delivery!

They are common during pregnancy because the skin tissues break, apart from that, these skin changes may also occur because of hormonal changes and scratching. Usually these marks would pepper your abdomen but it can also appear in other areas where weight gain may be more noticeable than others such as the upper arms, breasts, hips, buttocks, thighs, and legs.

>>>> Remove Stretch Marks with TriLASTIN. As seen on Tyra Banks Show. Guaranteed Proven Results! View Clinical Photos and Read Testimonials.

Here are some factors that will make you more prone to pregnancy stretch marks compared to others:

• If you are dehydrated,
• Had a history of developing them during puberty, such as those on the breasts,
• When you gained more weight than what is expected, and
• If you developed them during a previous pregnancy.

I guess we should also add to that the exact fact of being pregnant too!

But kidding aside now, after giving birth, it is important that you get yourself back. You should bounce back perfectly healthy and even more beautiful than ever because you now have a little bundle of joy to inspire you and give you that amazing glow.

>>>> Remove Stretch Marks with TriLASTIN. As seen on Tyra Banks Show. Guaranteed Proven Results! View Clinical Photos and Read Testimonials.

You don’t want to hide and lose your self-confidence because of the pregnancy stretch marks that you’ve developed. You want to be a Hot Momma definitely, and here are five ways to make sure you do so:

1. Make sure you hydrate well. In the first place, being dehydrated is the number one enemy of beautiful skin, plus it causes dryness that may contribute to the easy breaking of your skin and increase your risk to developing stretch marks. Water is the best moisturizer. This pregnancy stretch marks prevention move is so easy it can be a crime not to follow it!
2. Eat right. There is something about the natural rejuvenating and regenerating effects of fruits, vegetables, and fiber for your skin – it’s the best! Also, while you’re at it, make sure that you wash down what you eat not with tea, or caffeine. They have a bad effect on your skin. You don’t want the appearance of your pregnancy stretch marks to get worse do you?
3. Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins! Indulge in food and supplements that contain vitamins E and C. You can even go as far as finding lotions that contain them. Trust me, your skin will be very, very happy.
4. Move your butt! By exercising that is. Having regular exercise can boost your circulation in aid of your efforts to prevent pregnancy stretch marks. It increases your metabolism and the collagen production of your body, repairing the skin that you actually broke!
5. Take advantage of pregnancy stretch mark creams. Try Trilastin-SR. It addresses your pregnancy stretch marks permanently regardless of the time elapse you got them, producing visible results in just three weeks, or your money back. If you want to have Tyra Banks skin… this is the way to go – she even plugged this on her show! Now that is a guarantee I want to have!

>>>> Remove Stretch Marks with TriLASTIN. As seen on Tyra Banks Show. Guaranteed Proven Results! View Clinical Photos and Read Testimonials.

Trilastin

I guess if you are a celebrity and you are offered a large sum of money to endorse, partner up with a skincare line, why not?

It might be that you’ve been using a specific skincare line for a while now and love it soooooooo much that you approach the manufacturer and suggest a potential partnership (a bit like Cindy Crawford who partnered up with her long-time cosmetic doctor).

Either way, more and more celebrities seem to be popping up as skincare gurus.

I have personally never bought any celebrity skincare products … it’s true that I have featured Cheryl Tiegs and Lauren Hutton’s lines recently, but it was more in the context of their age and the fact they were the “face” of beauty for these companies well after they had left the modelling industry.

http://www.mybeautymatch.com/cheryl-tiegs-looks-unbelievable-at-58/

http://www.mybeautymatch.com/lauren-huttons-good-stuff-makeup/

It’s obvious that someone is buying these celebrity lines because let’s face it, a lot of people do believe somewhere that if they use the same skincare line as let’s say Cindy Crawford, they might have a chance of look a little bit like the ex-supermodel.

Just in case you were not aware of which celebrity skincare lines were out there, I’ve compiled the following list:

Leeza Gibson: ET’s ex-presenter could not resist the temptation to share her newfound love for Sheer Cover mineral makeup. Leeza has enlisted the help of Melissa Gilbert, Carrie Ann Inaba (judge on Dancing with the Stars) and Alyssa Milano who are all Sheer Cover users.

Cindy Crawford: The ex-supermodel from the 1980s has partnered up with her French cosmetic doctor, Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh to promote “Meaningful”. The promotion for Cindy’s line is backed-up by Guthy-Renker who are masters at selling products via infomercials.

Susan Lucci: Susan Lucci might have had to wait many years (and many nominations) before being awarded a Daytime Emmy Award, but consumers quickly gave her high marks for her “Youthful Essence” skincare line. This is another skincare line that falls under the umbrella of direct marketing giant Guthy-Renker.

Victoria Principal: I think Victoria has made way more money from her “Principal Secret” skincare line than from the royalties of “Dallas”. It’s true that she used to be married to Hollywood plastic surgeon Dr. Harry Glassman so the jump from actress to head of her skincare company was almost natural.

Vanessa Williams: Vanessa Williams is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women on the planet and she makes evil look really good on “Ugly Betty”. As the spokesperson for Proactiv, Vanessa lends her name and her face to help promote this acne product, which is one of the most popular and lucrative infomercials on TV today.

Ivana Trump: “Don’t get mad, get everything” – that is my FAVOURITE line from Ivana’s cameo appearance in the “First Wives Club” movie. From where I stand Ivana did get everything … every bit of business savvy from ex-hubby Donald Trump that is. Her skincare (and jewelry) line have made her very-very rich (I would not be surprised if her earnings from her skincare products have surpassed her mega-million dollar divorce settlement).

Heidi Klum: Heidi Klum is everywhere these days, which is why I was surprised when the mother of three found time to launch a new skincare line. This Victoria Secret supermodel is also the co-creator of her own skincare line called ‘In an Instant’.

Joan River: Joan Rivers has never tried to hide the fact that she’s had many cosmetic surgeries and that surely has not stopped a flock of women from buying her skincare and her makeup line.

Jane Seymour: She might have been eliminated fairly early on “Dancing with the Stars”, but Jane Seymour was a sure winner when she partnered up with Dr. Farris to launch “Natural Advantage”. This is another skincare line that falls under the umbrella of direct marketing giant Guthy-Renker.

Rachel Hunter: After gracing the cover of countelss magazine covers, Rachel Hunter is now the new face of Dermacia skincare, which I caught wind of in 2007 during a business trip to California and some late night surfing. Dermacia offers a “breathable foundation” that won’t leave you feeling trapped under a makeup mask.

Cheryl Tieg: This supermodel from the 1970s has been busy promoting her new “Unbelievable” anti-aging skincare line.

Lauren Hutton: Lauren Hutton has created a line of skincare products for women over 40 called “Good Stuff”.

What’s my point-of-view on celebrity skincare products?

I’ll be honest, I’ve not yet bought any of these products. I have combination skin and sensitive skin. I have to try out a lot of the products because committing to them, because I never know if my skin will react.

I don’t think a celebrity face would mean that I would automatically buy the product. I would take notice and might try to get a sample, but it’s not a “shoo in” simply because a Hollywood celebrity has partnered up with a skincare company or celebrity plastic surgeon.

Now it’s a bit different when a Cate Blanchett becomes the new face of a skincare company that I already knew well before they inked a multi-million dollar deal with the actress.

http://www.mybeautymatch.com/cate-blanchett-is-sk-ii-ew-face/

I guess, what I’m saying is that as consumers, you need to make sure the product does work and that you are not lured by the celebrity.

If you remember, a few months ago, we highlighted the fact that most women keep buying products that don’t work: Are you using the right skin care cream or are you wasting your time and money?

http://www.mybeautymatch.com/are-you-using-the-right-skin-care-cream/

So my question to you is: Have you bought any of these celebrity skincare lines and if so how did they work for you?

Do drop us a line via our comments below to let us know!

September was Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. A weeks days ago, Katie Couric (from NBC), Brian Williams (from NBC) and Charles Gibson (from ABC) hosted the “Stand Up to Cancer” evening that brought out loads of Hollywood celebrities lending their voice and star power to a worthy cause.

If you missed the incredibly powerful promotional advert for the cause you can watch it below:

The reality is that very few of us will go through our lives without being affected by cancer in one way or another.

Many women who have been battling cancer for years and who have been subject to hormone pills, radiation therapy, surgery, lack of appetite and physical and emotional woes have seen the effects on their skin.

If you take hormone therapy for instance, designed to slow down the growth of tumours, it will often leave patients with blotchy red patches on their faces and dry patches along the jaw line.

The reality is that so much medical intervention when battling cancer will have a huge impact on the skin. Although most cancer survivors are internally grateful to be able to live … a number of them are also concerned about the beating their skin has taken.

Companies like Lindi Skin and Jean Cream are part of a growing market … currently there are five other brands of skincare sold at drugstores and hospital gift shops in America dedicated to cancer patients.

The “mission” of these cancer specific skincare lines is to “help individuals feel better, both physically and emotionally and gain a greater degree of control over the side effects they experience during radiation therapy and chemotherapy.”  Given that the regulations are different in Canada, I’ve not yet heard of these lines being available here.

Some dermatologists in America are skeptical about these brands targeting cancer patients and feel that their patients can get the same benefits by buying conventional skincare products sold at beauty counters, dermatology offices or drugstores.

One reason why there is such a debate around these new skincare lines for cancer survivor is price. Many of the products sold by these targeted skincare lines are more expensive than brands sold at drugstore and are comparable to many expensive skincare products sold at beauty counters of major department stores. Since Americans don’t have access to free health care and medical assistance … this means that it’s an added cost to the already monstrous cost of their cancer treatments or visits to doctors.

If you are a cancer survivor … you might want to try one product at a time from these lines designed for cancer survivors and see if you are happier with the results than you have been with your other skincare products. Perhaps, the most cautious thing to do is not buy the entire line and really go at it more carefully by trying one product at a time.

Many oncologists (doctors specializing in cancer) and dermatologists are giving greater consideration to skin issues because many new cancer drugs (called targeted therapies) are known to cause rashes so severe that some patients threaten to drop out if they are left untreated … simply because they cannot deal with seeing themselves covered with rashes.

If you are not being followed by a dermatologist … this might be a good time to find someone you feel comfortable working with and a professional who can better guide you when it comes to skincare for cancer survivors.

Photo by Tanakawho

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/

injection_lips

Most people are fully aware that if they get surgery and they feel post-surgical pain or discomfort they should run (not walk) to their doctor’s office. Well, this also applies to non-cosmetic rejuvenation.

Since when you undergo non-cosmetic rejuvenation treatments, you are usually awake, you know fairly quickly if something is burning and feeling particularly painful.

You really don’t have (and should not) wait until you leave your cosmetic doctor’s office to raise the issue.

Since I’ve had a terrible experience with laser, I know more than anyone else of the importance of letting your voice be heard if things just don’t feel right. So if you are undergoing any laser treatments or facial peels and you experience a burning sensation that is painful, tell your cosmetic nurse or your cosmetic doctor immediately.

The heat emitted to perform laser hair removal produces is normal and you will feel a warming sensation, but the heat should not be unbearable, nor should it linger beyond a few seconds. If you still feel heat around the area that was treated after the procedure, you really need to report the situation so your cosmetic professionals can do what’s necessary to ease your discomfort.

The same goes for facial peels. You should report any feelings of discomfort or burning sensations. You will experience some redness after a facial peel, but there is “normal” redness and “abnormal” redness.

You are undergoing these treatments to look better. The last thing you want is to end up with wounds and bruises on your face.

Even though there are no cuts in non-cosmetic surgery, you still want to play it safe because you can end up with scars that you’ll have to undergo more treatments to remove.

Photo by Ximenatapia

Bazaar was the first one to break down style and beauty tips for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and YES – 70s! I know for me it was very inspiring to see that such a prestigious magazine would recognize that women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and YES 70s do still want to look attractive and they are still very much open to tips and tricks.

A few editions ago, Bazaar featured some products they considered to be essentials for women in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

I think the great thing about this list is that you’ll find products in different price points to deal with some of the common skincare issues facing us as we age: brown spots, discolouration, deeper wrinkles, loss of firmness, enlarged pores, sagging neck, increased dryness and loss of radiance (you know, that youthful glow). This is really only a short list of things women over 35 will start facing at different stages of their lives.

Now, I should preface this list by saying that some of these will work wonders for you and others … simply won’t. I would recommend that you read a post we featured a few months ago to encourage you not to keep continuing to use anything that doesn’t work: Are you using the right skin care cream or are you wasting your time and money?

Are you using the right skin care cream or are you wasting your time and money?

Bazaar’s Best Buys in your 40s

olay_regenerist_14-day_skin_intervention

l_oreal_paris_collagen_remodeler_countouring_moisturizer

ole_henriksen_sheer_transformation_cream_sheer_transformation

Bazaar’s Best Buys in your 50s

* Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel (US$45/$58Cdn)

* SkinMedica TNS LipPlump System (US$50/$57Cdn). This product is available in Canada via cosmetic doctors and dermatologists. You can contact the Canadian distributor, VivierPharma.com, for further details on finding a doctor that carries the product in your area. Canadian readers can also contact VivierPharma’s customer service department at 1-888-458-8673. American readers can also go directly to the SkinMedica Web site for more details)

* N.V. Perricone MD Firming Neck Therapy (US$95/ this product is not sold in Canada stores, Canadians will have to purchase it the in the U.S. via Sephora.com)

Bazaar’s Best Buys in your 60s

revive_intensite_volumizing_serum

We had reviewed the RéVive line not long ago at part of our: Most expensive skin care products on the market

You’ll find more details on the RéVive Intensité Volumizing at their web site

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3. Clarins HydraQuench Cream (US$48/$47Cdn) – You might also want to consider the HydraQuench serum.

Sephora always likes to make things as easy as possible for their clients and they’ve come up with a seven-step formula to flawless skin. If you don’t like to figure out which steps you need to take in order to have the best skin and makeup and if you like to leave these types of decisions to beauty experts, then you are in luck because Sephora has taken all the guesswork out of it.

Step #1: Skincare regimen to keep your skin glowing at any age

This is where it all starts. If you don’t have a proper skincare regime, you’ll never have radiant and youthful skin. If you don’t know where to start, Sephora offers a few simply solutions:

1) Kinerase Brightening Anti-Aging System (containing a brightening face serum and a concentrated spot treatment) 2) Philosophy Makeup Optional Set that cleanses, exfoliates and hydrates your skin.

Step #2: Conceal spots and imperfections

According to Sephora’s beauty experts you might want to consider 1) CARGO OneBase™ 02™ or 2) Sephora Concealer Palette to hide those little imperfection all women have … regardless of their age.
Remember ladies, when you see those glossy magazine photos that pretty face did NOT wake up looking like that!

Step #3: Contour by accentuating your best features

For this Sephora recommends two products: 1) Laura Geller Laura Geller Shade N’ Sculpt Baked Contouring Powder With Brush and 2) Stila Face Contouring Trio

Step #4: Apply the finishing touch to seal the perfect makeup

For this Sephora recommends Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Get Started Complexion Enhancers ($136 Value) Get Started Complexion Enhancers.

I was watching Marilyn Denis’ CityLine show on City TV (on Wednesday, Mars 19) when I noticed Paula Begoun as the guest expert promoting the newest edition of her book “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me”.

One thing that I quite like about Paula Begoun is the fact that she features lower priced products that are comparable to higher priced skincare or makeup products. Not everyone can afford higher priced products and let’s face … we all have months where our beauty budget is smaller than others.

That said, when Paula touched on the subject of eye cream being a big waste of money … that’s when I stopped agreeing with her. I beg to differ because not all eye creams or gels are created equal and from interviewing a number of doctors, I do know that the skin around your eyes is more fragile and more delicate. It’s often times the first place to show the tell tale signs of aging.

I’ve been a hardcore eye cream and eye gel user since I was 17. I’ve bought good brands and I’ve bought brands that did nothing at all for me. There are certain key ingredients that are excellent at reducing puffiness and reducing dark circles … so when Ms. Begoun says it’s a waste of time … I dare her to find one wrinkle around my eyes.

I’ve reviewed a number of eye creams and creams and I’ll continue to do so … especially when women over are great results from them. In fact, I just discovered a full home spa-treatment for your eyes that I’ll be reviewing soon.

Photo by Star Dust

Seriously, have you noticed how many products are under the eBay beauty category?

A few weeks ago, I was doing a search for an anti-aging product and I noticed that eBay pages kept popping up everywhere. At first, I discounted them because I really couldn’t figure out why eBay was coming up so often, but then I started clicking on the links and noticed that these were actual beauty and anti-aging products.

In fact, you’ll find beauty products in almost any category you might think of on eBay: acne, blemish control, anti-aging products, blotting paper, cleansers, exfoliators, scrubs, eye masks, lightening creams, makeup remove, face masks, face peels, men’s skincare, microdermabrasion, moisturizers, night creams, sun protection (SPF) creams, toners and astringents

As you know, I’ve been featuring more and more anti-aging products that offer free beauty samples that I find on the Internet, and you’ll find a fairly long list of them under eBay’s “Samples & Trial Size” category.

Once you start clicking around ebay’s beauty section, it won’t take you long to discover that the brands of skincare products available are pretty much the ones you would find at your favourite beauty counter: Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Christian Dior, Shisheido, Proactive, Clarisonic, Obagi, La Mer, Clinique, Bare Escentuals, Boots #7 (from London), Perricone (aka skincare line created by Dr. Nicholas Perricone), Nivea, Borghese and Dermalogica.

I’ve even seen a few lines for men like Anthony Logistics for men and Lancôme for men.

When it comes to makeup, there was a whopping 47,587 of them listed the day I checked that category.

These are brands that you’ll recognize and that you’ve most likely bought at beauty counters in the past: MAC Cosmetics, Artistic Pro 88, Sephora, Stila, Lancome, Smashbox, Tru Minerals Sheer Bare, Laura Mercier, Cover Girl, Revlon, LipFusion, Sebastian Trucco Cosmetics and Bobby Brown (one of my favourites).

You’ll also want to check out the perfume category that features also all the major brands that you would find at large department stores (I spotted 47,186 of them when I checked).

The great thing about buying products on eBay is the fact that you can find brands that might not be sold in your area. How often do you read about a great product in a fashion magazine or you get an email from a friend who lives abroad who’s going on and on about a great new anti-aging product that you cannot find in your city … just head to ebay and do a search … you just might be able to get your hands on many hard to find beauty products.

Of course, the obvious reasons for shopping on eBay are the ease, convenience and the chance of getting a great deal on beauty products (I’ve seen prices that were half the regular retail price)!

When it comes to buying beauty, skincare, anti-aging, perfume or makeup on eBay, the same rule applies as with any other product … you’ll want to make sure you are buying from a buyer who has a good score/profile and you’ll want to look out for words like:

* This item is NEW
* Untested
* Unused
* Product comes in its original bottle and box
* Product comes without a box but comes with its factory sealed
* Money Back Guarantee
* Our products are Brand New
* Shipped to you as manufactured

Since I live in Canada, I checked the ebay.ca pages, but I did peek quickly at the American site and American readers will be pleased to find out that just like Canadian readers, they can also buy loads of great beauty products on the American site of eBay!

It’s officially winter (and most likely it’s going to be a very long one)!

Alas, we undoubtedly deal with dry and even severely dry skin in the winter. If you’ve not been able to find a cream that helps you through the year’s harshest months, you might want to consider Atopalm. This concentrated formula has been specifically formulated for sensitive and dry skin. A scientific combination of ingredients including pseudo-ceramide, fatty acids and cholesterol relieves the discomfort of dry skin and strengthen the skin’s own barrier function while providing essential moisture.

Since I had never heard of the effectiveness of pseudo-ceramides before, I asked one of the distributors of Atopalm to explain the benefits in further detail.

Here’s what he said: “ceramides are the main constituents of the epidermal permeability barrier. Research shows that the application of ceramide enriched creams such as Atopalm promote the skin’s barrier repair”.

During winter months you really want to pump up the moisture factor to avoid premature aging of your skin. Atopalm is effective at dealing with extremely dry and sensitive skin types, but you can also use it to deal with flaky skin and redness. Atopalm might be a good option to keep in mind if you suffer from patches of eczema during the winter because the formula treats symptoms associated with this skin condition.

You can use Atopalm as a day cream to protect your skin against the dryness of winter or you can use the formula at night as a treatment to soothe your skin while you sleep. You can use it only on your face or you can also use it over your entire body.

The suggested retail price for the Atopalm face lotion is $37 CDN/ $30 US for the 35 ml/4.05 az; $51 CDN/ $40 US for the 65 ml/10.14 oz concentrated rich (which is a richer formula of the lotion); $51/ $40 US for the 120 ml body lotion (which many clients use on their face). Atopalm is distributed in Canada by Young Pharma. You can contact them via email at l.daigle(at)youngpharm.com to locate the distributor in your area. Americans can find Atopalm via SkinStore.com

Christmas came early for me. Since October, I’ve been tracking down some really great beauty and skincare products that I cannot wait to share with you.

I’m not going to reveal it all … but I will give you a quick sneak peak of a few great stories to come:

1. New skincare products are still surfacing every single day and there are many new products to share with you.

2. A lot of acne suffers will be excited to find out that we might have found some really excellent products that can help control acne from the inside. This is the most common question I get. The minute people know that I’m a beauty editor, they immediately ask: What can I do about my blemishes? I’ve found a lot of new and exciting products.

3. We’ll be testing what is called “functional fast food” … this is an easy (if not the easiest) way of including powerful anti-oxidants in your diet.

4. Eyebrow shaping 101 for women over 35 … we’ll give you the details you need to know to ensure that you don’t allow your eyebrows to age you.

5. Detox, detox, detox! I’ve uncovered so many new products to help remove a lot of toxins from the body. Wonderful skin cannot happen in a body full of toxins.

6. Colours for makeup will be “berry” beautiful this coming spring and we’ll see how women in their mid-to-late 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s and beyond can wear these trends with style and panache.

I also have a list of experts that I’ll be interviewing during our Beauty Match Buzz podcast show:

* A doctor who will give us the 101 of laser resurfacing.

* A hairdresser from New York who has coiffed the tresses of Iman (and many other celebrity black beauties) and she will reveal the best hair care tips for black women.

* A personal trainer who will demystify many workout myths.

* Two models from a recent Dove ad campaign.

* Two women who were part of a special cosmetic rejuvenation test forum for Restylane injections.

* An expert who will talk about skincare for men.

* A doctor who will explain how a procedure can help with looser skin … without invasive surgery.

* The creator of a pill that protects your skin before you step out into the sun.

Photo by Parksy

*** Embrace the NEW year ***

I recently attended a medical spa conference to check out the new and upcoming trends in the cosmetic rejuvenation industry. It turns out that it was not so much new trends that were featured, but rather some of the skin conditions that this industry was focusing on.

It’s obvious the usual suspects were present: injections, light therapy, cellulite treatment, laser-resurfacing treatments and a range of cosmeceutical products (medical graded skincare products). That said, there were a number of things worth sharing.

Here are some of the skin conditions that seemed to be top of mind among skincare experts:

Adult acne: Acne products and treatments that help control adult acne without causing irritation and therefore reducing the risk of causing premature aging from highly drying agents.

Acne treatment with oxygen therapy: Bul’Mask treatment is a unique mask that contains essential oils that will purify the skin and eliminated blackheads, build-up and toxins.

Wrinkle correction: There are more and more skincare companies developing products that will help correct wrinkles. The (accidental) success of Strivectin-SD® has influenced a number of medical skincare companies. Just in case you didn’t know, Strivectin-SD® was originally formulated for stretch marks. During the test period the company didn’t specify to the women trying the products that it was for stretch marks so most participants tried Strivectin-SD® on their face and reported dramatic wrinkle-correction results.

Shorter laser resurfacing sessions: Companies are developing new laser technology that would require fewer treatments and less downtime, while still being very effective at correcting wrinkles, skin texture, age spots and sun damage.

Sea buckthorn: This bush which produces berries has been know for centuries in Tibet, Mongolia and Scandinavia for it’s regenerative properties is not making it’s way into cosmetic products. Because sea buckthorn berries are rich in vitamins and nutrients it is highly effective at combating dryness, wrinkles and signs of premature aging.

Safe alternatives to harsher anti-aging treatments: Marine Peel is a product that is an alternative for sensitive skin worried about wrinkles while still being concerned about the side effects of some more intensive treatments. All the products used in the composition of the Marine Peel are natural and therefore won’t cause irritation, but they will still provide excellent results.

Lymphatic drainage: There are more and more treatments available at spas and medical spas that target anti-aging via lymphatic drainage. These treatments are adapted for the eye area, the entire face, the neck and the body.

Skin-lightening treatments: Since it’s not secret that certain popular skin lightening products have been known to show serious increases in cancer … to the point where they have been banned in a number of European countries, it comes as no surprise that the cosmetic industry is focusing on finding solutions that are safe and effective to help deal with hyperpigmentation.

Read more on skin-lightening treatments.

Areola tattooing: This new use of a tattoo is helping countless women dealing with the aftermath of breast cancer and breast reconstruction. Areola tattooing is simply a tattoo that is creating on a woman’s breast to reproduce the illusion of the nipple area.

If winter is causing your combination or oily skin to be dryer than usual, you might have to switch from a clay mask to a hydrating mask. Along with their famous Korres Natural yogurt cream, Korres Natural Products has also created a soothing Korres Yogurt Mask that uses the power of active yogurt and watercress extract to instantly hydrate and comfort oily skin that feels dehydrated.

You might need to use the Korres Yogurt Mask twice a week to benefit fully from the reviving and hydrating affects.

If you don’t have a chance to visit the Korres store located at 110 Wooster St. in New York City, you can still find many spas across the US and Canada that sell the Korres Natural Products yogurt cream.

You can also buy Korres Yogurt Mask at Sephora stores or on Sephora’s Web site.

The 40ml/1.35 oz jar of Korres Yogurt Mask retails for C$41/US$27.

Yogurt is one of my all time favourite snacks. One of the major highlights of any European trip for me is to actually eat as many different types of yogurts as I can get my hands on.

I’ve definitely tried the occasional yogurt mask in the past after hearing of the hydrating benefits … but this is the first I hear of a yogurt face cream.

It’s true that most North Americans are unaware that yogurt is an ancient healing remedy that goes back centuries. In Greece, yogurt is known for its ability to instantly soothe the skin by delivering increased moisture to the upper levels of the epidermis.

After opening a homeopathic pharmacy in Athens with smashing success, Greek’s most international cosmetic company, Korres Natural Products, has made its way to North America.

They’ve been selling their revitalizing cream like crazy and they’ve recently opened a store in New York City, located at 110 Wooster St.

Why is Korres so popular?

Just in case you didn’t know, yogurt is a natural source of lactose, proteins, vitamins, and minerals … all of which will provide instant hydration and relief to dry and sensitive skin.

One of the reasons that might explain this huge success is the fact that it took Korres Natural Products over three years of meticulously formulating their skin care line in order to preserve the live cultures (naturally found in yogurt) as intact as possible. This ultra-soothing cream contains full-fat Greek yogurt and not a dehydrated or emulsified version of yogurt.

If you don’t have a chance to visit the Korres store located in New York City, you can still find many spas across the U.S. and Canada that sell the Korres Yogurt Cream 1.35 oz/36.26 g.

You can also buy Korres Yogurt Cream 1.35 oz/36.26 g at Sephora stores or on Sephora’s Web site.

The 40ml/1.35 oz jar of Korres Yogurt Cream 1.35 oz/36.26 g retails for C$36/US$29.50.