Skincare – Page 58 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Cosmedicine Medi-Matte Oil Control Lotion

Cosmedicine blends cosmetics and medicine in the hopes of making skin healthier. They have created products to aide with such skin conditions as oily skin and aging skin.

Medi-Matte Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 ($42.00 1.35 oz) is a great way to keep your face from looking greasy in the hot summer sun. It claims to eliminate excess oil, control shine for 8 hours and provide the hydration that oily skin needs to become balanced over time. Instead of absorbing oil and sitting on the skin, it was created to work on a molecular level to flash oil off of the skin’s surface.

Ingredients include dimethicone to bolster skin’s natural defenses, Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) to regenerate skin cells, retinol to treat lines and wrinkles and to help skin tone, vitamin C which is an antioxidant to counteract skin damage, and pomegranate extract to fight free radicals.

My skin is combination, so I have been using this in my t-zone. It is a thick, white lotion that needs to be patted on for the white to disappear. Once the white disappears, my face is smooth and matte, and my pores appear smaller.

I really recommend this for anyone with oily or combination skin. It not only keeps skin matte, it smooths the skin and I find that I need less foundation when I am wearing it.

You can purchase this product at Nordstrom, Sephora or check out their website www.cosmedicine.com for more information.

Anokha Skin Care Rice and Bamboo Facial Scrub

If you are looking for a gentle but effective facial scrub, Anokha Rice & Bamboo Facial Scrub ($28.00 2.9 oz) could be just what you need.

Anokha’s Philosophy is ” Anokha, which means “unique” in Urdu, was created to address the individual needs of different skin types. Our key ingredients are derived from plants and active botanicals native to South Asia, including jasmine, rosewater, sandalwood, and neem.”

This twice-weekly scrub combines the exfoliating effects of rice and bamboo powder with the soothing properties of green tea. The claim is that the result from using this scrub is skin that is smoother and pores that are cleaner and less noticeable.

I really like this scrub. The consistency is small particles like microdermabrasion in a milky cream, and the scent is quite subtle and soothing. I love to really rub this on in the morning and my face feels very clean, but not dry at all. I have noticed that immediately after use, my pores do look smaller and my skin is tighter.

Visit the website at www.anokhaskincare.com to learn more about this wonderful scrub and their other products.

Soleo Organics

Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen ($19.99 2.8 oz and $13.99 1.4 oz) is a healthy alternative to the many sunscreens that rely on chemicals to sheild from the damaging rays of the sun.

The active ingredient is 22.3% Zinc Oxide and and also contains grape seed, sunflower, vegetable, macadamia and safflower oils, beeswax and green tea. These moisturizing ingredients condition while protecting your skin. What it doesn’t include is chemical UV absorbers, titanium dioxide or synthetic preservatives.

I really like that this is formulated for all skin types (including sensitive skin) and is safe enough for kids. It is water resistant and has an SPF of 30.

The trick to avoid the telltale white residue is by first squeezing the tube so that the ingredients mix. You then rub it on until the white disappears.

So if you are looking for an effective “green” sunscreen, try Soleo. Check out the website at www.soleousa.com

EnPointe Skin Solutions

I always enjoy bringing you, my discriminating readers, new ways to take care of your skin and maybe even help you look a little younger! I recently discovered EnPointe Skin Solutions, a line created by plastic surgeon, and former dancer, Dr. Cristine Rodgers. Dr. Rodgers has this to say on her website:

“As a plastic surgeon for over 20 years, I have had the pleasure of meeting inspirational women through my work and my love affair with dance. Many of these women have been my patients and colleagues. Others I befriended when I laced up my dancing shoes to help heal my body and spirit during my battle with breast cancer. These extraordinary women inspired me to develop EnPointe Skin Solutions, a luxurious skincare line that I formulated to address the skin concerns of women.”
~ Dr. Christine Rodgers

The website also states that the products “are formulated with natural botanicals, active extracts and a proprietary anti-aging complex to nurture and rejuvenate stressed skin. They help fight against environmental damage, hormonal effects and pre-mature aging of the skin. The result- beautiful balanced skin with a natural, healthy glow.”

I tried samples of the following three products:

Encore Renewal Serum ($85.00 USD 1 oz) — This products includes natural brighteners, powerful anti-inflammatories and anti-oxidants to help decrease melanin production, reduce pigmentation and minimize the appearance of age spots. Formulated with Dr. Rodgers’ proprietary Bio-Energy Complex to smooth, hydrate, and promote radiant skin. This serum is safe for all skin types and ethnicities and is paraben-free.

Fouette Firming Moisturizer ($85.00 USD 1 oz) — This fragrant moisturizer delivers intense moisture, helps stimulate collagen production and helps create a barrier against cellular damage from environmental and free-radical damage. Formulated with Dr. Rodgers’ proprietary Bio-Energy Complex to rejuvenate, tone and diminish the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Paraben-free.

Pas de Trois Age Delay Eye Solution ($75.00 USD .5 oz) — This powerful blend of moisturizers, anti-inflammatories and antioxidants is a triple threat against the signs of aging. Shea Butter and Almond, Coconut and Olive oils provide maximum moisture. A combination of the latest peptides and botanicals helps deliver instant lift and diminish the appearance of fine lines. A trio of specialized ingredients works together to reduce puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles.

I used these products for a couple of days and have to say that the serum and moisturizer are very thick and concentrated and should only be used at night or on very dry skin. When I applied them it felt like I was coating my skin with product, and some was still on my face in the morning.

The product that I really like is the eye solution. It is creamy, not greasy and can be used day or night. It smoothed the skin under my eye and feels wonderful on.

Visit the website at http://empoweryourskin.com to learn more about and to purchase these products.

Nu Skin — Anti-Aging Specialists

Go ahead and hate me, I deserve it. For a woman of 40 (okay 41, I just had my b-day), I don’t have a lot of wrinkles. But I do have some on my forehead and the lines around my mouth (marionette lines) are starting to deepen. I also have big pores and a little redness. Aging is so much fun!

So, like many women of my age, I am searching for products that will make me look even a little younger. Nu Skin is a company that has a variety of products to help your skin be its best. Since 1984, Nu Skin has pursued creating quality products with premium, wholesome ingredients. This is luxury skincare, so it is not cheap. But I have found with the combination of the two products described below, Tru Face Line Corrector and Tru Face Essence Ultra, the lines I have look smoother and my skin is firmer and more even.

Below are the products with descriptions from the website.

Tru Face™ Line Corrector — ($48.00 USD) — Features revolutionary pro-collagen peptides that help soften moderate to deep lines around your mouth, eyes, and forehead. Medical science has recently discovered that peptides have the ability to send age-reversing signals to collagen-producing cells, promoting younger looking skin. Tru Face™ Line Corrector offers a targeted approach to help the most aggressive signs of aging in just four weeks. Gentle and safe for all skin types. Some of the benefits are: Reduces the appearance of moderate to deep lines and wrinkles, minimizes the appearance of dermal creases around the mouth and forehead, smooths the appearance of crow’s feet, delivers results in as early as four weeks. Clinical testing has shown continued improvement over six months.

Tru Face™Essence Ultra — ($180.00 USD) — Combined for the first time with the coenzyme Q10, TeGreen 97®, and a protective antioxidants network, the powerful science of Tru Face Essence Ultra helps restore facial firmness, promotes cellular energy production, and helps prevent future signs of aging. In clinical studies, this silky serum was proven to increase skin elastin content to youthful levels, enhancing skin firmness and elasticity. Tru Face Essence Ultra—leave sagging skin in the past and fight current signs of aging for firmer, younger looking skin now and in the future. Benefits are: promotes skin firmness and elasticity and fights current signs of aging with ethocyn®, an ingredient clinically proven to improve skin elastin, helps prevent degradation of elastin with elastase inhibitors, helps contour and firm the skin for a more youthful appearance and defines skin around the eyes, neck, chin, jaw line, décolleté, and hands.

I use these products twice a day. I first smooth the essence, which comes in single use capsules, over my face concentrating on the fine wrinkles around my eyes and my chin and neck. I then gently pat the line corrector in the lines around my mouth and forehead. The essence is a bit oily, so I don’t put it where I break out, my cheeks and forehead. I have been using these products for over a month, and have noticed my forehead “frown” lines almost disappearing and my chin and neck are is more firm. I am looking younger!

These items are a splurge, but one that may be perfect for your skin. Learn more at www.nuskin.com

Comodynes — an Easy Way to a Safe Tan

Do you love being tan in the summer, but with the need to wear sunscreen, do not want to brave tanning in the sun? Do you love self-tanners but find them a little messy? Same here!

Comodynes has created not only a sunless tanning towelettes, they also have exfoliating towelettes to prepare your skin for tanning and after tanning towelettes to hydrate the skin. Their line also include skincare items and a great variety of makeup remover wipes. Just wipe and go with these products, no mess here!

To gain an even, golden tan with Comodynes, I like to start with the Easy Peeling Towelettes ($8 pack 12.99 USD). The website touts they, “eliminate dead cells, deeply clean pores and leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and renewed. Purify your skin and boost the action of your treatment cream and self-tanning products.” I use one all over my body before tanning and it dries really quickly, leaving me ready for the tanning towelettes.

I really like the individually wrapped Self Tanning Towlettes (8 pack $13.99 USD). The benefits stated on their website include, photoprotection, moisturizing, emollient and they contain 100% natural viscose. To use, I rub this in circles all over my body, making sure I cover all of the surface of my skin to prevent streaking. Don’t forget to wash hands after tanning!

The website at www.comodynes.net is a great place to learn more about these innovative products. You can purchase them online or find a store nearest you.

Luxury Skincare by Kate Somerville

Kate Somerville is the creator and director of Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts which is a renowned medi-skin clinic in Los Angeles. She has partnered with top dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons to promote the integration of skincare and medicine. This has resulted in fantastic products that not only make your skin look great, it is very healthy too!

HydraKate Gentle ($65.00 1.7 oz) — This is a facial scrub that contains the naturally occurring enzymes, Papain and Bromelain, to help to digest dead skin cells and unveil luminous skin. The gentle scrubbing beads help to lift dry and damaged cells from the surface allowing the enzymes to penetrate pores. The claim is that “this unique blend helps to gently stimulate circulation, detoxify skin, refine texture and improve elasticity. It’s a must-have for clean, clear and radiant skin.”

I love this scrub! You are supposed to use it twice a week by applying a small amount to entire face. You then leave it on for 2 minutes only and rinse with tepid water. They say that redness may appear for up to 20 minutes due to the increase in circulation to the under layers of the skin, but my face only looks glowy and soft after I use it. It really gets rid of all of the dead skin and impurities in my skin and I have been known to use it more than twice a week!

HydraKate Line Release ($150.00 1 oz-) — This is sold exclusively through QVC and will be available at the Kate Somerville website in fall 2009. This is a very lovely serum (I call it my skin crack, because it is SO addictive)! Line Release contains a blend of peptides and collagen builders to help to improve skin texture and tone.

When I apply Line Release, there is an immediate tightening of my skin, and it looks so smooth. It can be applied either in the morning or night once a day. It includes “HSC Complex – Counters loss of lipids from skin due to washing, stress, environment or excessive UV exposure, Hyaluronic Acid – Aids in holding water in the skin’s surface to increase softness and suppleness and Leuphasyl® – Reduces the depth of expression wrinkles and is a safer alternative to Botulinum Toxin A.” I have never tried botox, but this gives me great results on my forehead wrinkles. Awesome! I know it is very spendy, but if you have the money go for it!

Check out these and other fantastic Kate Somerville products at www.katesomerville.com. Enjoy!

Intelligent Nutrients Creates Fab Natural and Organic Products

Looking for a natural and organic way to groom? These days there are many brands and lines to choose from. Intelligent Nutrients is a health and beauty product company, utilizing 100% food-based and organic certified ingredients. They have a wide range of products including skin care, hair care, aromatics and supplements.

Trying some of the companies products I fell in love with two cleansers; the Certified Organic Anti-Aging Cleanser for the face and the 70% Organic Hair Cleanser. Both of theses cleansers moisturize as they clean and feel and smell great! The descriptions on the website are:

Certified Organic Anti-Aging Cleanser ($45.00 USD) — Gently remove dirt, makeup and impurities while nurturing skin with this non-foaming cleanser. The USDA Certified Organic formula restores and protects with antioxidants, plant sterols, fatty acids and essential oils to help prevent aging and inflammation. A pure combination of the brand’s signature Intellimune Seed Oil Complex along with Argan and Acai help maintain a harmonious balance of moisture for radiant, healthy skin. Suitable for all skin types including mature, dry, sensitive and oily skin.

70% Organic Hair Cleanser ($29.00 USD) — Safe enough for the whole family, this delicate shampoo nourishes with a pure, plant-based formula. Certified organic by the UK’s Soil Association, the light suds rinse clean and leave a soft scent. Formulated with Apple water, Coffee Seed oil and 100% non-toxic plant-based cleansers the gentle blend also nourishes with the antioxidant-rich Intellimune Seed Oil Complex. Safe for color-treated hair.

Like many organic and natural products on the market today, these cleansers have a strong, earthy scent. If you do not like fragrance in your products these are not for you. I really enjoy them and recommend them as well as trying their other products.

Visit the website at www.intelligentnutrients.com to learn more about and purchase these great-for-you products.

Biore Skin Preservation Collection for In-Between Skin

Are you at that age (25-35) where you can see that your skin is beginning to grow up? You don’t quite have as many breakouts and you seem to need a little more moisture? Biore has created the perfect line for you! The Biore Skin Preservation Collection is for transitional skin and helps by improving dryness, texture and tone and preserves skin’s youth, strength and radiance.

Each product in the collection is oil-free, dermatologist tested, hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. The line contains Botanamide Technology which combines botanical antioxidants and ceramide based technology to preserve the youth of skin.

Here is a breakdown of the products included with descriptions from the website:

Clean Things Up Nourishing Gel Cleanser ($6.99 USD) – Collapsible vitamin E beads are part of the special formula that lifts and removes impurities, including the most stubborn make-up.

Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator ($14.99 USD) – features the same ultrafine alumina crystals that are used in microdermabrasion, a process aestheticians use to help skin look radiant and smooth. Skin-conditioning Shea Butter and calming White Tea Extract are on hand to help soothe skin, with the result that it feels beautiful – not irritated.

Dual Fusion Moisturizer + SPF 30 ($14.99 USD ) — By keeping the moisturizer separate from sunscreen, the unique Dual Fusion™ moisturizer dispenser preserves the power of each formula. That means maximum effectiveness and protection for you. The sunscreen has a powerful zinc oxide base – and yet isn’t heavy and white like traditional zinc oxide. The product feels light on your skin as it offers superb UVA and UVB protection.

Hard Day’s Night Overnight Moisturizer ($14.99 USD) — This super-hydrating moisturizer gets part of its power from tiny collapsible beads filled with Vitamin E. The formula helps to strengthen the skin’s surface and smooth fine lines.

See the Future Fortifying Eye Cream ($14.99 USD) – The unique pin point dispenser precisely delivers the benefits of Botanamide™ Technology to the delicate eye area. It’s the ideal formula for women who aren’t yet ready for heavy-duty eye products. Safe for contact lens wearers.

Even though I am forty, I really enjoyed theses products. They feel great on and smell very fresh and not overpowering. The cleanser feels cool on my skin and really cleans without drying my face. The eye cream is very soft and lovely, and feels great on my eyes.

My favorite product would have to be the Dual Fusion Moisturizer + SPF 30. The top is a wide pump that has moisturizer in one side and sunscreen on the other. It took a little bit to get both products to dispense. My trick was to set in a bowl of warm water. I really love this because even though it has an SPF 30 — which is pretty high for moisturizer — it goes on smooth and creamy, and doesn’t sit on my face in a white mess! Very good quality for the price.

You can visit the Biore website at www.biore.com to learn more about the line, and check your local drugstore to purchase.

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.