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Juara — Natural Indonesian Skin Care

Looking for a different type of skin care company? Juara skin care is a fusion active botanicals of Indonesian herbal recipes and Western science to create products that represent the best the east and west. They combine active botanicals such as rice, tamarind, turmeric, candlenut oil, healing teas and red sandalwood with modern technology and innovation to deliver quality treatments.

I recommend the following products from the line:

Rice Facial Cleanser ($25.00) — This gentle cleanser contains rice starch to remove make-up and also condition the skin. Rice starch also contains soothing and softening properties and is rich in amino acids and protein. I enjoy a good cleanser, I believe that it sets the stage for a good skin care regimen. I really love that my skin feels clean but not dry after this cleanser and is ready for my moisturizer!

Sweet Black Tea & Ginger Mattefying Moisturizer (oil-free) ($48.00) — My skin is combination and can get a little oily throughout the day. The website describes that, “this light gel-creme combines the age-defying benefits of fermented sweet black tea with the shine-reducing and purifying properties of ginger for a luminous matte finish. Completely oil-free and specially formulated for oily skin, it immediately reduces shine while at the same time helping delay and reverse signs of aging.” I have used other mattefying moisturizers that dry out my combination skin, but this lotion is so moisturizing — just not greasy! It is also paraben-free, alcohol-free, unfragranced and oil-free.

Candlenut Lip Balm SPF 20 ($18.00) — It’s lip balm season! At least for me it is — my lips can really feel the cold air and they are already becoming dry. This protective lip balm arrives in a very lovely mirror compact plus it relieves dry and chapped lips. With a great SPF 20, it will protect your lips from UVA and UVB rays of the sun with effective broad-spectrum sunscreens to help prevent aging and skin cancer. It contains candlenut, jojoba and olive oils and is scented with Indonesian citrus fruits. Very nice!

Visit juaraskincare.com to purchase these wonderful products. Enjoy!

TINte Cosmetics Match Book — A Full Face of Makeup in a Handy Palette

According to the website, “TINte Cosmetics was created from a feeling, a feeling of a simpler time, a time we all cherished, a memory of pure innocence, the essence of youth and freedom. The Creator of TINte Cosmetics is a modern day woman who remembers her first encounter with a lip gloss, a lip gloss with the color, aroma and flavor that launched her and a generation down the road to femininity.”

The TINte line includes lip glosses and pigment powders. Their latest addition is a the Match Book ($28.00) — a palette that includes two eye shadows, one eye liner, one blush, two lip glosses and two brushes in one cute little package. This gives you all you need (besides a killer mascara), to give you a complete look for day or night. The back of the palette includes illustrated steps. The shades are:

Blushed Beauty — A pink vanilla base eye color and a natural brownish plum contour shade, a deep plum cream eyeliner, medium pink blush, frosty rose and plum lip glosses and two brushes. They are quick and simple to use. Just follow the five instructional steps on the back to achieve a gorgeous new you!

Natural Beauty — A vanilla base eye shadow and a natural bronze contour shade, a deep chocolate brown cream eyeliner, peach blush, peach and cocoa lip glosses and two brushes.

Smoky Eyes — A light grey base shadow and a deep grey contour shade, a black cream eyeliner, sheer pinky-nude blush, nude and pink lip glosses and two brushes.

Visit www.tintecosmetics.com to purchase these great makeup kits!

Treat Dry Skin with DERMAdoctor KP Duty

Dr. Audrey Kunin is the dermatologist behind the great skin care brand DERMAdoctor. I was lucky enough to check out the DERMAdoctor flagship retail store that has recently opened in Kansas City, where doctor Kunin comes from and where I live. It is a very nice store and stocks all of DERMAdoctor’s amazing products!

I have recently tried a couple of items from the KP Duty line that was created to treat Keratosis Pilaris (KP). This is a common skin disorder, typified by “chicken skin” bumps on upper arms, thighs, torso, buttocks and occasionally the cheeks. Excess skin forms around individual hair follicles, creating the characteristic minute, rough, grater-like bumps.. The products I tried are:

KP Duty dermatologist body scrub with chemical + physical medi-exfoliation ($44.00) This scrub claims to help dry skin, flaky patches and chicken skin bumps. KP Duty Body Scrub acts as a chemical peel and microdermabrasion session in one, delivering serious medi-exfoliation. Some of the jobs it does is to allow dermatologist-recommended skin therapies to provide deeper, more thorough results and helps prepare skin for self tanning and post-bathing treatments (including body acne, keratosis pilaris, dry skin concerns, shaving bumps, ingrown hairs and bleaching).

Contains active ingredients including 15% Buffered Glycolic Acid – Smoothes the appearance and improves the overall texture of the skin. Superior alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) chemically exfoliates the skin by breaking down the substance that binds epidermal cells together, Lactic Acid – Potent AHA that retexturizes the surface of the skin by diminishing the cohesion of surface skin cells and stimulating cell renewal, Azelaic Acid – Offers antibacterial, keratolytic and comedolytic properties: inhibits the growth of bacteria in the hair follicle while normalizing the disordered growth of skin cells and reducing pigment abnormalities in the skin, Green Tea, Willow Bark & Algae Extracts – Reduces inflammation, redness and irritation while providing antioxidant protection, and Polyethylene Buffing Beads – Delivers non-abrasive physical exfoliation by lifting away dead skin cells.

KP Duty dermatologist moisturizing therapy for dry skin ($36.00) – KP Duty is a concentrated moisturizingtreatment with: Glycolic Acid – Powerful skin smoothing AHA, Sodium Glycolate – Glycolic Acid salt, buffered to prevent irritation, Green Tea – Botanical antioxidant powerhouse contains EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) to soothe and calm the skin, Urea – Dermatologist recommended humectant, Sodium Hyaluronic – Potent hydrating agent Dimethicone – Barrier/occlusive agent – reduces moisture evaporation.

I don’t have KP, but these products really helped my skin which becomes dry and flaky when the weather turns cold. There is no scent to the products, which is nice. Some lotions have such strong fragrances that they irritate and compete with perfumes. The scrub is so luxurious plus I saw a difference in my skin’s texture after a few uses. The lotion is very thick and moisturizing, but non-greasy, too.

Both products are dermatologist tested & approved, non comedogenic, non irritating, allergy tested, fragrance free, dye free, and pH balanced with no animal testing.

Visit DERMAdoctor.com to learn more about these products.

Koh Gen Do Cosmetics — Luxury Beauty from Japan

Koh Gen Do’s mission is to bring out the beauty in every woman, no matter what her skin type or color. The website describes:

It all began with an actress and her sensitive skin. Long, grueling hours shooting movies and TV shows under the glare of stage lights aggravated her skin condition. She began her quest for makeup that protected her skin from dryness and exhaustion brought on by harsh conditions. Her search inspired the creation of Koh Gen Do. Koh Gen Do began developing makeup that didn’t contain petroleum-based products, synthetic fragrances and colors, but only natural ingredients derived from Japanese and Chinese herbs. The products caught on immediately among other actresses and the company’s reputation spread by word of mouth.

The company creates skin care and makeup. I tried 3 products from the makeup line:

Maifanshi Moisture Foundation ($55.00) — This is a mineral makeup cream foundation that turns into liquid foundation when applied as it has 60% water encapsulated into the formula to give you the superior coverage of a cream foundation and a smooth, sheer finish like a liquid foundation. It claims to create a poreless, smooth impression, yet is gentle to the skin. Along with 60% water, this foundation also contains 30% highly refined oils and 10% powder to keeps skin moist and from drying out — and it is supposed to wear for 10 hours. There are 12 shades available, I like 001, which is the lightest shade. I find that it does go on smoothly and is not two light or heavy — it feels great on. My face looks flawless all day long.

Chiffon Lip Balm ($37.00) — “Skin care and lipcolor – all in one clever lip balm.” This balm contains Japanese Cherry Extract, Apricot Extract, Yogurt Extract, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin E, to help dullness; Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Olive Squalane to fade creasing lines; Super Hyaluronic Acid, Royal Jelly Extract and Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil to stop peeling and a special light powder that uses natural light to neutralize bacteria and gently care for sensitive lips. The balm also contains a soft pink pigment that adds luster to the lips. This is a beautiful, soft balm that I like to wear out, because it makes my lips look as lovely as they feel!

Maifanshi Lipstick ($35.00) — Does not contain artificial colors, fragrance, petroleum-based mineral oil or parabens. This is available in 8 soft colors. I have been wearing Coral Pink, which is a soft peachy-pink color. It is very sheer, and adds a soft gleam to the lips. It feels like a lip balm once applied and is VERY moisturizing.

I highly recommend this Japanese luxury brand when you are in the mood for a splurge — especially the lip balm and lipstick. It’s always nice to have something that makes you feel special.

Visit www.kohgendocosmetics.com to purchase these fabulous products!

Give Your Hair Beachy Waves this Fall with Beach Blow Texturizing Mist

Even though it is too cool out to go to the beach, you can still get beachy waves with Beach Blow Texturizing Mist ($21.00) from Blow, the New York Blow Dry Bar.

This matte spray contains sea salt, almond protein, milk protein and hydrolyzed rice protein to give hair sexy waves while conditioning it. The scent is fresh and clean, too.

It is very easy to use. I spray it on my wet hair and blow dry it while scrunching sections into waves.

Visit www.blowNY.com to learn more about this mist and other Blow products.

LaNatura Natural and Organic Skin Care

It’s wonderful how the beauty industry is evolving and that there are more and more choices for women who want to use natural and organic ingredients.

LaNatura is a body, skin and hair care company that pride themselves on using ingredients that are good for us. LaNatura’s mission is “to use only the finest and purest ingredients in their products, combining healing, mood-enhancing, and relaxing essential oils with highly active certified organic botanicals, vitamins and minerals to balance the skin’s functions, reduce stress, and promote an overall feeling of well-being.”

Matcha Green Tea 100% Vegan Pure Body Butter ($30.00) Matcha Green Tea Leaf Powder is a powerful anti-oxidant This product claims to be anti-aging, fighting free radicals that damage and age the skin. Contains vitamins, Minerals and Amino Acids. This is a very rich body butter that smells very fresh. My skin is very smooth after use, but resist the urge to use it as a hand cream as it can be a bit greasy.

Anti-Stress Therapy roll-on ($12.00) claims to, “calm the senses while it gently restores circulation. This exceptionally soothing formula glides onto neck, temples, and pulse points to help relieve tension and everyday stresses. Infused with essential oils of basil, rosemary, eucalyptus, menthol, and peppermint, Anti-Stress Therapy is the ultimate solution for replenishing precious energy.” This smells and feels wonderful on! And I do feel calmer after using it. I recommend getting a few of these; one for the home, one for your purse, and most important — one for work! This has helped me through a few stressful work days.

My favorite of the products I have tried is the Shea Butter Lip Balm ($8.00). This extremely moisturizing balm is available in 21 flavors — there is something for everyone. I really like the Cocovanilla flavor. It is so yummy!

Visit www.lanatura.com to learn more and to purchase these products.

SLEEKskin Anti-Aging Skin Kit

I know that sometimes it is hard finding the perfect combination of products to keep your skins looking smooth and youthful. A good system that is easy to follow is what everyone needs. SLEEKskin Anti-Aging Skin Kit ($215.95) is a daily facial regime for women who want professional skincare that are easy to do at home, and gives a spa quality result. It is “designed to turn back the visual signs of aging and prevent further damage.”

The kit comes with the following products, with descriptions from the website (I have also added prices to buy the products separately). Also, the order that you see them in is the order that you use them day and night:

Glow ($38.95) is an exfoliating cleansing gel formulated to promote skin rejuvenation, even skin tone and to repair and defend against sun damage with an effective cocktail of Vitamin C, Lactic Acid and Green Tea antioxidant nutrients. Since Lactic Acid is less intense and less drying than Glycolic Acid, Glow makes an excellent cleansing choice for those with hyperpigmentation, dry, and combination skin types. Glow is also ideal for use as a daily brightening antiaging cleanser.

Boost ($38.95) a toner that improves skin tone and conditions skin with anti-oxidant Vitamin C and natural solvents and astringents that dissolve residue and restore pH balance. Vitamin C and Lactic Acid combine to promote cell turnover, repair sun damage, reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and encourage skin lightening.

Enriched with a combination of active peptides and proteins to supplement skin, Renew (98.95) is a serum that supports natural collagen levels to restore skin’s elasticity and promote healthy, youthful skin. This triple action collagen renewal serum restores the body’s own collagen, while stimulating new collagen production. With continuous use, Renew will deliver a more luminous complexion, re-contour epidermal cells and decrease visible lines.

A light-weight cream that relaxes facial muscles, nourishes skin cells and moisturizes, Transform (78.95) helps to achieve the appearance of youthful, healthier skin. Daily application can dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles thanks to the presence of muscle-relaxing Hibiscus Extract, as well as increase collagen production, improve elastin and skin firmness.

I like this kit, but I caution that these products are professional quality and are quite potent. My skin was a bit red the first few days I tried them. Now, I am used to the products and like the smoothness I am seeing. I especially love the Transform cream that you apply after the Renew. It is moisturizing and soothing.

You may purchase the kit or the products separately at www.sleekmedspa.com/boutique

New Products From Lipstick Queen

My favorite lipstick maven, Poppy King, has come out with some bright lip colors for fall. I love wearing light shear lip glosses in the summer, but when the temperature dips, I like to wear brighter colors for the fun of it!

I love the 15 Minutes of Fame lip gloss ($16.50USD) which is inspired by Andy Warhol’s Pop Art movement. He predicted in 1968 that, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes”. Kind of evokes todays reality stars, huh? This shiny, not shimmery gloss is available in 15 shades ranging in very light pink, bright orange and dark red. A color for everyone! These glosses are fantastically glossy and full colored, which is great for the fall. I have shade 14 Minutes — Gorgeous Grape. It is dramatic and fun, great with a little neutral shadow, black liner and lots of mascara.

Chinatown Glossy Pencils ($20.00 USD) This jumbo sized pencil (that comes with a jumbo-sized sharpener) comes in 5 bright colors that glide on so smoothly. Don’t be afraid of the shades because they are super sheer and moisturizing. My favorite color is Thriller, a sheer scarlet red. I do not wear reds because they make me look like a kid wearing mom’s lipstick; but this one is fabulous. If I keep the rest of my face in neutral colors, I actually look cool and sophisticated.

I highly recommend that you visit www.lipstickqueen.com and purchase any of the fab products. They are all great!

Pink Venus Embrace — Get Closer to the Cause

Gillette has released a new pink Venus Embrace ($9.99 – $11.99) to help women “Get Closer to the Cause” of eradicating the spread of breast cancer. Every three minutes in the U.S., a woman is diagnosed with this devastating disease, so together with eight other Procter & Gamble^® (P&G) brands, Venus has joined the fight to find the cure.

I have tried — and I love — the Venus Embrace. I love that Procter & Gamble is donating to this extremely important cause. The Pink Venus Embrace comes with a breast self-exam “how-to” booklet. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, self-exams should be performed monthly (around the same time the average woman changes her razor blade). So, it’s a good idea to work them into your shaving routine; conveniently before or after shaving your underarms.

The shaver itself comes with these great features:

— A shaving surface that adjusts to the natural contours and curves of a woman’s body. This allows the blade cartridge to sit flatter on the skin for a closer shave.

— A Protective Ribbon of Moisture fully surrounds the shaving surface for a smooth glide.

— A Soft Grip handle that feels great in the hand and improves control, even when wet.

Read more about this great shaver at www.gillettevenus.com.

Clean up with FURTHER SOAP

Want clean hands and a clean conscious? FURTHER SOAP($18.50 8 oz) is made from the glycerin derived from the distillation of biofuel.

I really like using this hand soap. I love how it is basically a recycled product and is biodegradable. The scent is an infusion of essential oils of bergamot, olive and exotic grasses. It smells bright and fresh and cleans without stripping the skin. My husband likes it too, which is a plus!

They have recently created a candle made from purified waste grease from Mario Batali’s restaurant Mozza. It is the same scent as the soap, so I’m sure it makes the house smell heavenly!

Visit www.furthersoap.com to learn more and purchase the soap and the candle.