Health – Page 2 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Ban Clinical Defense — Strong Deodorant for Hot Summer Days

Last Spring was a great time for me, because I discovered clinical strength deodorant. I had always used regular deodorant, which would help at first, but over the course of the day it stopped working for me. Clinical deodorant keeps me dry ALL DAY which is huge for me. Yes everyone — I sweat. A lot.

The main ingredient in these antiperspirants is Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex at a level of 20%, which used to be only available in prescription form. How does this keep us dry? Well, aluminium and zirconium ions form a gel that clogs large numbers of pores in the skin which prevents the pores from releasing sweat, plus it absorbs the sweat that didn’t get clogged.

I have tried other clinical strength deodorants that are solids, and they have worked well. But I really love that Ban Clinical Strength (approx. $7.99 USD) is a roll on. It is smooth going on and dries very quickly.

Besides drying quickly, Ban also claims that it targets odor 4 ways for prescription strength odor protection, contains the highest antiperspirant strength possible without a prescription, and it contains a smooth, non-irritating alcohol-free formula.

To learn more about this product, visit Ban’s website at www.feelbanfresh.com

Yu-be Moisturizing Skin Cream

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream ($15.00 1.25 oz tube, $24.00 2.75 oz jar and $34.00 4.25 oz jar)is the #1 selling medicated, vitamin-enriched skin care cream in Japan. it is a Glycerin-based moisturizing cream enriched with Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 and Camphor.

This is a great product for anyone with dry skin. It goes on thick, and is absorbed in the skin quite quickly. Amazingly enough, the skin is so soft after application and not at all greasy.

Yu-be Moisturizing Skin Cream was formulated in 1957 in Japan by a young pharmacist named Yoshikiyo Nowatari. It has been used in very extreme weather, such as on climbing expeditions of Mt. Everest!

I have found it great for dry patches, rough cuticles and my cracked heels. The best thing it has done for me is clear up my daugther’s eczema. My poor 13-year old gets eczema under her eyes and it is really tough on her when she goes to school. But this has really helped her. She doesn’t even mind the strong Camphor scent. And it is very strong, but only for a few minutes, then fades away.

You can purchase Yu-be on their website www.yu-be .com and also find retailers that sell this unique cream.

Whiten Up with Supersmile

I drink a lot of coffee. And I also love red wine. So my teeth need constant whitening. That’s why Supersmile is so great. It was created by a dentist, Dr. Irwin Smigel, to whiten conveniently at home and on the go.

The Professional Whitening System ($36.00 USD sm. $75.00 USD lg) – is made up of two items; the Supersmile Professional Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste with CALPROX® and the Supersmile Whitening Accelerator (with carbamide peroxide). The Website touts, “The Supersmile Whitening System is the perfect bleaching solution for everyone interested in safely and gently whitening teeth at home without messy trays. Just brush and whiten! Supersmile not only enhances professionally bleached teeth – but – most importantly, causes no sensitivity – and the Supersmile Professional Whitening System is the only system that will restore bonding, porcelain veneers, crowns and even dentures to their original color.”

To Use the Professional Whitening System, combine both products on a dry toothbrush and brush for two minutes, then rinse. I have been using the system for a couple of weeks and my teeth are at least a couple of shades whiter. This is so much easier than whitening trays and don’t bother my sensitive teeth as much.

Supersmile also sells fun, on the go products. Supersmile Quikee ($16.00 USD)- “Just a drop of our new pocket-sized Supersmile Quikee Whitening Tooth Polish with CALPROX® smoothed over your teeth with the tip of the tongue after eating or drinking, freshens breath while fighting cavities and plaque–anytime, anywhere. Quikee conveniently and effectively removes stains caused by coffee, tea or red wine while it helps maintain whiteness.” This tastes really sweet and minty and is easy to use. I like to concentrate it at the base of my teeth.

Also convenient is the Supersmile Single Dose Powdered Mouthrinse (60 Packets$29.00 USD –24 Packets $16.00) “Supersmile Single Dose Powdered Mouthrinse is a quick and convenient solution when there’s no time to brush. Just tear off the top of an individual-use foil packet, add water, swirl and rinse. CALPROX® attacks plaque and stains, and baking soda assures fresher breath and assists in cavity prevention.” This is not my favorite of the products. It was gritty, but did leave my mouth minty and clean.

One of my favorite Supersmile products is the all natural Sugar-free Supersmile Professional Whitening Gum with CALPROX® (Gum Box – 12pcs – $4.00 USD-Gum Jar – 100pcs – $24.00 USD). It, “quickly and effectively whitens teeth, freshens breath, promotes healthier gums and removes superficial surface stains with every use. And Supersmile Professional Whitening Gum is sweetened with XYLITOL – the natural cavity inhibitor preferred by dental professionals.” Plus it tastes yummy and makes my breath very fresh!

Visit the website at www.supersmile.com to learn more about Dr. Smigel and his fabulous products. They just might make your smile a little whiter!

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Collection

I love organic and natural skincare; plus I love anti-aging products (a little help doesn’t hurt anyone!). Jurlique’s Purely Age-Defying Collection (Formerly the Biodynamic Beauty Collection) is both! It is comprised of herbs and flowers from certified organic and biodynamic farms in South Australia. These unique blends are as follows:

Serum ($75.00 USD) and Night Lotion ($55.00 USD): This blend includes Rose Gallica, Licorice Root, Black Elder, Chamomile, Pansy and Violet extracts, which work together to combat the appearance of redness and fade discolorations to brighten the skin. The Serum renews the skin while the Night Lotion restores.

Refining Treatment ($35.00 USD) :This blend includes Calendula, Witch Hazel, Echinacea, Spilanthes, Horse Chestnut, Pansy, Sweet Violet, Daisy, Dandelion, Chickweed, Self Heal and Soapbark Tree extracts, which work together to soothe, cleanse and refine the skin to reveal a glowing complexion. This is a natural skin polisher that exfoliates the skin.

Eye Cream ($45.00 USD) : This blend includes Arnica, Euphrasia, Daisy and Spilanthes, which work together to help combat puffiness and help fade discolorations to brighten the skin.

These products have a light, herbal scent and are very gentle on the skin. I have been using them for a few weeks and my skin is very smooth. I have broken out just a little bit, but my skin looks good!

My favorite products from the line are the Refining Treatment and the Eye Cream. The Refining treatment is a really great scrub that gets rid of all of the dead skin and impurities. And the Eye Cream! Wow, my eyes look smooth and very young right now! I definitely recommend the Eye Cream because its a really effective natural product!

To purchase these items, visit the Jurlique website at www.jurlique.com. Enjoy!

CoverGirl Simply Ageless Foundation

I love the new influx of anti-aging foundations that have recently been introduced. It’s like an added insurance from those pesky wrinkles that are starting to appear.

CoverGirl has partnered with Olay, by infusing their Simply Ageless Foundation ($15.99 USD), with Olay Regenerist Serum for a double skin treat. This cream foundation comes in 15 shades to choose from, for all skin tones.

The CoverGirl website claims, “This breakthrough formula with Olay Regenerist Serum and SPF 22 stays suspended over fine lines and wrinkles, unlike the leading anti-aging department store foundation that can gather in wrinkles and make skin look older. Clinically shown to provide significant improvement in skin condition in just four weeks.”

This foundation is very creamy and gives great coverage. It is definitely not a sheer foundation. It also drys fairly quickly, giving an flawless matte finish. I also love the SPF 22 because you can never have enough sun protection!

www.covergirl.com is a great place to purchase products or find the location of a retailer near you. It also has a really cool tool called the CG Makeup Mirror where you can upload a photo of yourself and try on CoverGirl products. Have Fun!

Hey All! Enter my 100th Blog Post Giveaways! I will be giving away products from It Cosmetics, Yes to Carrots and EcoTools! To enter, just leave a comment on ANY of my posts between 4/26 – 5/2. I will draw 3 names on Sunday 5/3/09 and notify the winners! To see exactly what I am giving away, check out my post http://tinyurl.com/dgnxda. Good Luck!

Kerastase Hair Products Helps Hair Look Younger

Kerastase is a luxury hair care company that is known to create products to target specific hair needs. I have tried two items from different lines; the Bain Age Recharge from the Resistance Age Recharge Collection, a lipo-replenishing Shampoo for dry, tight scalps and hair losing vitality and the Lotion Densitive GL from the Specifique Thinning Hair Collection, a texturizing and thickening after-shampoo spray.

Bain Age Recharge (250 ml $32.00 USD) – This is a oil-based shampoo that you message into your scalp and hair. The active ingredients include, Vita-Refil Complex, morphofill and glycerol. It leaves my hair soft and shiny and doesn’t strip down the color. It is supposed to bring back the youth to your hair, and my hair does look a lot bouncier and more vital since I have been using it.

Lotion Densitive GL (125 ml $45.00 USD) – I apply this spray to damp hair by starting at my roots and working my way down to the ends. It contains Complexe Gluco Impulsion, which includes vitamin PP, mineral molecules and a cooling agent.The website claims that it, “helps soothe and calm the scalp. Texturizes the fiber. Creates a volume effect.” It does give my hair more body, but my hair gets a little greasy so I only use a few sprays.

These products are a nice treat for my hair! You can check out Kerastase’s other lines such as Nutritive and Reflection at their website www.kerastase-usa.com. The products will give your hair a boost!

Tarte ReCreate™ Foundation

I love liquid foundation. I know that mineral powder foundations are all the rage these days, but I for me nothing beats the perfect smoothing foundation that is a perfect match to my skin color. It hides my pores and makes the rest of my makeup look flawless.

Tarte’s ReCreate™ Foundation ($37.00 USD) is a natural anti-aging foundation with Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology. What’s that, you ask? Tarte’s website explains it as, “proprietary re-hydrating complex restores moisture, tone, and elasticity to the skin, effectively reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles”. They also claim the micronized minerals in the formula help brighten the skin and provide an SPF 15.

Other ingredients also include goji berry extract, peat extract, and wheat extract and its paraben, sulfate, and phthalate free. To find out all of the ingredients, visit Tarte’s website at www.tartecosmetics.com.

I think that the price of this foundation is good for the great coverage and glow it gives you. I have noticed that it doesn’t settle in my fine lines and makes my pores (a big problem) less noticeable. I am yet to get a lot of lines (yay sunscreen!), but it seems to make the ones I have less noticeable. All in all, a great liquid foundation!

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics — Truly Unique Products

Looking for a way to spice up bath time? Try LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics bath products. These aromatic products are made with organic fruits and vegetables as well as essential oils and safe synthetics. These planet friendly items are made fresh with little or no preservatives or packaging. They even tell you when they were made, so you know just how fresh they are!

Here are some fun and fragrant bath products that I recommend:

Sex Bomb Bath Bomb ($6.25 USD), “is the perfect bath bomb for a romantic evening for two, or an indulgent evening for one. Romantic pink water and an incredibly sexy jasmine fragrance set the mood… and once the rice paper rose petals fill your tub, there’s no holding back” states the website. Some of the ingredients are Jasmine Absolute, Clary Sage Oil, and Ylang Ylang. This fizzes up then gives you very pink and fragrant bath water. It’s so nice! But if this isn’t the scent for you LUSH makes lots of Bath Bombs in various scents.

Karma Bubble Bar ($7.85 USD), “has a spicy Far Eastern influence, with traditional European lavender and a splash of light orange dancing around in there somewhere. Once struck, you’ll want it in every form that exists. Here it is as a bubble bar.” This also contains Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil and Gardenia Extract. To use, break off a piece of the bar and crumble it under running water. It then gives you lots of bubbles.

Lemslip Buttercream ($8.75 USD for a 1/4 lb, sold by weight), “This delightful conditioning body cleanser makes your skin feel clean and silky. Astringent and toning lemon and lime rouse you for a new day. Softening cocoa and coconut butters make you smooth and soft for a night in a cocoon of satin sheets. With Lemslip, your bath or shower becomes an extravagant pleasure. What a lovely way to start or end the day”! This is a jell-like soap that is very lemony and feels very nice while washing you up! I used it before I shaved my legs and it help the razor glide right across!

To purchase these products as well as others for face cleansing and moisturizing, hair products and perfumes, check out their website at www.lushusa.com. Happy shopping!

The Wonders of Nude Skincare

In my quest for healthy, youthful skin, I have recently found Nude Skincare. Nude formulas are biocompatible, meaning that they work with the body’s own biology to naturally moisturize and balance the skin.

Nude’s products contain peptides, phytoactives and bioactives to target aging by firming and smoothing the skin. They keep out parabens, sulphates, silicones and many more ingredients that could be harmful to the skin. For more information, check out the website at www.nudeskincare.com.

The Cleansing Facial Oil ($52.00 USD) has won an Allure Editor’s Award and it is very easy to see why. This effective cleanser is blended with Omega-3 and Vitamin E-rich oils and easily removes makeup and dirt. Just massage the oil on your face and add water, rub and rinse. The face is left feeling soft, not greasy.

The Replenishing Night Oil ($78.00 USD) is a pure blend of omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9 and nourishes and protects for silky, soft skin. It contains the antioxidants cranberry and avellana that defend against free radicals and is fragranced with Tahitian vanilla oil and rose absolute. I recommend this oil only for night since it is a bit greasy. But by morning the oil is gone and you are left with incredibly soft skin.

I have been using these products for a couple of weeks now and my skin looks clearer and much smoother. You can find these products at their website or Sephora, and probably other department stores. I think that with Nude skincare you definitely get what you pay for, high-quality skincare!

Moisturize Your Winter Skin With H2O Plus

Being that it is so dry in Missouri in the Winter, I am always looking for good moisturizer to quench my parched skin.

H2O Plus has a wide range of spa-quality products that have natural ingredients and are great for your skin. One of my favorites is the Spa Hand and Nail Cream (6oz $15.00 USD). The H2O Plus website, www.h2oplus.com, states these benefits of the cream, “Specially formulated for hands and cuticles. Vitamins, marine extracts, aloe vera and panthenol help restore moisture leaving hands soft, smooth and conditioned”.

This product more than delivers. It instantly smooths my hand and cuticles and has the most addictive scent. The ingredients include sea fennel, wakame, sea lettuce, spirulina, nori, aloe vera gel, apricot kernel oil, seaweed extract, allantoin, provitamin B and vitamin E. I don’t know what half of those ingredients are, but together they smell fantastic!

Another great H2O Plus moisturizer is the Hydrating Body Butter ($19.50 USD). This thick and creamy moisturizer is very effective on flaky, dry winter skin. H2O Plus touts, “Natural coconut and vegetable oils penetrate deeply while green tea and Paraguay Tea combine with vitamin C and E for nourishing protection. Leaves skin conditioned and restored.”

The scent in the body butter is good, but not the same as the Hand and Nail cream. It has a very soft, creamy scent.

I have been using both products for a couple of weeks and my skin is much smoother and softer. H2O Plus is definately a line worth checking out!