Sunday, July 22, 2012

Help stop sun damage, save the kids skin!

Did you even know that Sunscreen is banned in schools???
Read up on the craziness & how you can help:


Suncare CEO Launches Project Backpack™: Concern for School Sunscreen Safety Incites Action from Supergoop! Founder and CEO, Holly Thaggard
NEW YORK, NY (May 14, 2012) –Kids aren’t getting the sunscreen message.  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, unprotected sun exposure during childhood and early adult years significantly increases a child’s chance of developing skin cancer; yet, in a survey conducted by The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, only 25% of students said they “often or always” use sunscreen when outside for at least six hours in the summer.

“The time to start incorporating SPF into your daily skincare regimen is during the school years.  This is a very important time to get these positive messages to children as it will influence health behaviors later in life,” says Holly Thaggard, Founder and CEO of Supergoop!.

However, sunscreens are prohibited from public schools in America as the FDA regulates them as over- the-counter drugs. Presently, California is the only state to allow the use of sunscreen during the school day without a physician’s note or prescription.

Launching nationwide May 2012, Project Backpack™ serves as a vehicle to influence a change in state policies, allowing the use of sunscreen on school campuses, while simultaneously providing sunscreen to schools across the United States. For every SPF 30 Everyday UV Lotion sold, Supergoop! will donate one backpack-sized sunscreen to one of its partner schools in the U.S.. This year, the goal is to provide sunscreen for 30,000 – 40,000 students (K – 12) in approved partner schools, starting in California.

The idea for Project Backpack™ arose when Holly’s daughter came home from her first grade class prior to an outdoor field trip with a note in her backpack stating that any sunscreen included in a child’s backpack would be discarded. Although aware the law prohibiting sunscreens in schools existed, the incident served as a catalyst to officially launchProject Backpack™.

“As a parent I was upset and as a suncare professional, I was discouraged that sun protection laws are so antiquated,” said Thaggard. “How does a law exist that prohibits the use of sunscreen at school? I decided that there needed to be an effective platform for concerned parents to contest such counterintuitive legislation.” Through this campaign, Supergoop! hopes to teach sun safety while also providing children with the necessary sun protection to encourage early adoption of healthy skincare habits.

Dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD, past president of American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and founder ofLovelySkin.com, states, “Safe sun exposure is essential at every age. It is imperative that we break habits such as going on the playground unprotected. Project Backpack has identified one area where sun exposure regrettably is nearly unavoidable due to current school rules. As a dermatologist, I feel this type of program is fantastic and will serve our most precious asset, our kids, well.”

Make a difference and supportProject Backpack™ by purchasing Supergoop’s SPF 30 Everyday UV Lotion at retailers nationwide, nominating and advocating the program in your child’s school, “liking” theProject Backpack™ campaign on Facebook, and/or signing a petition on Supergoop.com/projectbackpack.

About Supergoop!
As the first prestige skincare line solely dedicated to a healthy approach to UV protection, Supergoop! is committed to formulating skincare without controversial ingredient choices. Our goal is to provide an environment and body-friendly choice for daily UV protection. Each UV protection solution is infused with vitamins and antioxidants –free of parabens, oxybenzone, and fragrances- to deliver a healthy and effective SPF as our best defense against UV damage. Supergoop! is available at Nordstrom/Nordstrom.com, Sephora/Sephora.com, Barney’s/Barneys.com, Supergoop.com and independent retailers nationwide. For additional information on Project Backpack™ visit www.supergoop.com/projectbackpack.

Bath & Body Works Hand Cleaner & Soaps

BBW has new products for the summer season.

My very favorite: The Peach Cilantro sanitizer.

Big winners: The Fresh Picked Collection!

The Fresh Picked Pear is awesome!!!
There's a mix-&-match sale going on right now, so stock up!

Clark's Botanicals Lip Tint

Clark's Botanicals tinted lip balms ROCK!
Rich & lux.
Not Sticky.
Just a hint of color.
No weird taste or smell.
Love!!!

Continuous Results by Elayda Skin Care System

Elayda offers the Continuous Results System as a subscription-- each set is a 60-day supply, and the new shipments increase product strength.
The starter kit includes the Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, the Transforming Complex, and the Nourishing Hydrator SPF 29.
So, you have face wash, retinol night cream, and a day cream with SPF.
The face wash is gentle, yet effective.
The retinol cream is the first retinol product I have been able to use! No skin-burning pain!
The Hydrator was a nice moisturizer.
My problem-- the fragrance.
Scented products can be kryptonite for my skin, and this was the case here...
My cousin, who is more fragrance-resistant, tried the products & loves.
Very good products, but know your scent-sitivity before ordering!

Face Cream Ingredients Decoded


Wonder what all that stuff in your face cream is? YouBeauty Cosmetic Chemistry Expert, Ni’Kita Wilson, breaks down the hows and whys of that long, confusing ingredient list.

Humectants: Ingredients that draw in water from their surroundings. Humectants promote hydration because they create a moisture barrier on the surface of the skin. In high humidity areas, humectants draw water from the atmosphere but when the humidity is low, the humectant can pull water from within the skin increasing water loss leading to drier skin.

Common humectants: glycerin, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, butylene glycol

Occlusives: A term for ingredients that form a barrier (like a shield) on the surface of the skin to prevent moisture from escaping (the technical phrase is reducing transepidermal water loss, or TEWL). Essentially they trap water in the skin and work in tandem with humectants to increase improve skin moisturization.

Common occlusives: petrolatum, dimethicone, cocoa butter, beeswax, mineral oil, lanolin, squalene

Antioxidants: A group of ingredients that reduce free radicals and their damage on the skin. These ingredients can be natural or synthetic and work well when used in combination. There are also antioxidants that help protect the ingredients in the product from degrading. These offer no true skin benefits.

Common antioxidants for skin benefits: superoxide dismustase, tocopherol, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, resveratrol, grapeseed extract, coenzyme Q10, green tea

Anti-inflammatory: Ingredients that reduce inflammation and mitigate the inflammatory responses (redness, swelling, pain, itching).

Common anti-inflammatories: bisabolol, allantoin, sea whip extract, aloe, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, Beta glucan, calendula

Peptides: Chains of amino acids (less than 50) that help regulate many biological functions by interacting with cells. Synthetic peptides can mimic those naturally occurring in the body to assist with various functions like cell communications and hormone activity.

Common peptides: palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, hexapeptide-8, acteyl octapeptide-3

Click here to view the full article.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Radical Skincare

No, really, that's the name: Radical Skincare.
I have been using the Eye Revive Creme, Youth Infusion Serum, and Restorative Moisturizer.
It is a costly system, no bones about it.
But, in this case, you are getting your money's worth!!!
All three smell light and fruity, go on smoothly, and work very well.
Since I have been using the system, I have been told that I am "all glowy," and that I have "perfect skin." No joke, and not just the once!
Oh, and the packaging for the eye cream and the serum are awesome, the pumps twist back into the bottle--easy traveling!
A very aptly named line.

P.S.: Check out the scientific explanations on their website. So good, sooo good.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Rimmel London: Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer

Shade (1825) Noir

This is some serious, kick-ass eyeliner.
Goes on without tugging, has smudger (& sharpener-thing) attached.
Smudge quickly, though, because once this sets it is NOT moving.

I put this on at 7 am. I had to use remover to take it off (2 goes swiping) at 11 pm. In that time, I worked in the extreme heat of my office (no ac, no windows), used a face wipe, reapplied sunblock, took a nap, took a shower...

Love!!!

Rimmel London: Lasting Finish Lipstick

Shade (2962) 12

Yes, this is a lasting finish by Kate Moss color.
While I am not fond of Kate Moss (I just don't get the appeal, never have), the lipstick is awesome, and I do love having my name on the tube...

The 12 is a perfect nude, or, in my case, the perfect color I wish my lips were naturally.

Lasts without drying or feeling like I'm wearing wax lips.

Balsamo Argan Oil Lip Balm

I tried the Honeysuckle Balsamo Argan Oil Lip Balm.
Um, yes.

Smoothes & soothes lips.
Gives a serious glow.

It comes in a pot, so I use any left on my fingers as the ultimate cuticle moisturizer.

Fantastic & light honey scent/taste.

Added to the wonderful product is the great work of the company: Balsamo balms help support the Argan Oil Women's Cooperative of Morocco. Berber women gather the argan kernels, gently roast them and extract the oil.
Will be perfect for gifting as well!