Pure BIOBLISS

Like, OMG! It's the "new anti-aging advancement in skin care!"

Hallelujah! Woot woot! Yeeeeeee-haw! Wheeeeeeee!

I mean, come on- every new anti-aging product/system/treatment/etc makes this claim. And as mentioned in previous posts, I am a, shall we say, maturing woman (what? 30 is no 19 people!) and therefore increasingly down with experimenting with the latest wrinkle preventing lotions and potions. But I am also increasingly realizing that most all include fantastic, fancy ingredients that will indeed improve the look and feel of skin long term. So when it comes down to it, you really just have to find something that you love and that you feel works for you. Perhaps that something will be BIOBLISS.

The BIOBLISS System offers a range of products in order to prepare skin and extend the anti-aging effectiveness of its treatments:

Clean: This mild and refreshing cleanser includes calming cucumber extract, Aloe Vera and skin protecting antioxidant Vitamin E. Plus, it smells awesome and left my face feeling super clean.

Srub: I had no idea this was even an exfoliating scrub until after I used it (labels?! who needs em'!?) because it was so extremely gentle. Once I read the packaging (those blasted labels again!), I discovered that it's derived from coconut, olive, macadamia nut, sunflower and avocado. Nothing abrasive about any of those!

Lock It In Serum: This was my least fave of the bunch. Personally, it smelled funny and had a weird texture. And it's specially matched to the Anti-Wrinkle Treatment Patch, of which I did not receive a sample. HARRUMPH! (But my skin did feel super soft after using it.)

Hydrate Lotion: My oh my did my face feel soft and supple after using this! La-la-la-loved! I did feel though that it is better suited to fall/winter months, as it was a bit thick for the current hot and humid Michigan climate. At $60 a pop it's an investment, but definitely a splurge-worthy pick!

To learn more about BIOBLISS, these and other products visit www.biobliss.com

Fancy French Fabulousness

Hooray! Another product to keep us ladies from looking like decrepit old hags!

Which, as I've mentioned before, I am all about these days! 

Eau Thermale Avene Innovation D-Pigment Riche is based on the principle of three active ingredients scientifically recognized by dermatologists to reduce excess pigmentation: Melanyde, Pre-tocopheryl and Retinaldehyde.

Ooooh, sounds fancy! Plus, it's French! 

Avene actually has a laboratory and hydrotherapy center in southern France where they treat patients with dermatological disorders with Avene Thermal Spring Water. Declared to be of "public interest" since 1874, the spring has a unique, anti-irritating composition that's been scientifically proven to improve skin quality and sensitivity. The skin care line is based on the water and developed with the most sensitive and intolerant skin types in mind.

The D-Pigment Riche should be applied in the evening to concerned localized or extensive areas. Optimal effectiveness of course means regular and prolonged use. 

I really love this product.  It sinks right in, leaving skin feeling soft and supple, and it's inclusion of three specific scientific complexion boosters leaves me confident for seeing fantastic long-term results. 

And who wouldn't say "Oui! Oui!" to that?!

Eau Thermale Avene D-Pigment Riche can be found at drugstore.com and dermstore.com and retails for $49.  

Carol is One Bad Mothah...

Calming Lavender + Sweet, Soothing Vanilla + soft, healthy skin = heaven

Carol's Daughter is a brand boasting products free of parabens, mineral oils, or artificial colors. I've recently started obsessing over CD's Shea Soufflé, Body Cleansing Scrub, and Dry Oil Mist in Lavender & Vanilla. My skin has never felt so nourished and smelled so fresh!

I'm not sure who Carol is, but her daughter sure knows body products!!

Check out Carol's Daughter at carolsdaughter.com

Wei? Yes, Wei!

The new Wei To Go Fresh Start kit provides 90 days of clean, clear skin..not a bad way to wake up, huh?

I could definitely feel Wei's Real Clean cleanser doing it's job of ridding skin of impurities and really appreciated the portably packaged 10ml tubes ( me AND the TSA, right!?).

Check out this gel oil cleanser at weitogobeauty.com

Maybe Melvita

Every time I try a new body butter, lotion or balm I am crossing my fingers that I have found The One. That perfect concoction that smells like heaven, sinks in like nobody's business and  finally ends my flaky Michigan winter legs.

Melvita's APICOSMA Body Ultra-Nourishing Body Balm almost meets this criteria. The organic, patented mixture of three honeys- Thyme, Acacia and Orange Blossom- has a nice thick, creamy texture that works in quickly and and leaves skin feeling soft.  After a few days of continued use I conducted my winter skin black tights test to see how much dry leg powder flakies were left on the tights once taking them off. Sure, it's a tad gross, but I have mad dry skin! The results were much improved from my usual lotion, but not jaw-droppingly better. Also, I'm not a fan of the Orange Blossom scent. Maybe because it's a bit too summery for the middle of winter? With it's three honey mix I was hoping for something more soothing and warm.

Overall this is definitely a quality body balm that I would recommend to someone who enjoys a citrus scented beauty product. As for me, I'm still holding out for The One.

Eau Thermale Avene~Skin Care for oily, blemish prone skin

My typically pretty normal skin has recently taken a turn to combinationville, which has proven extremely difficult to take care of! I've tried products for combo skin, but each attemt tends to either dry me out or oil me up, never clearing up any blemishes I may have. Voila! Enter: Eau Thermale Avene skin care for oily, blemish prone skin!! Simply 3 weeks using this french, fancy pants brand's delightful Cleanance Gel,  and light, airy Emulsion-Lotion before bed (I found it a bit too strong for both day and night usage) has left my skin well balanced and clear! Oooh la la, indeed!

Holiday Hair and Skin Help

The holiday season is full of cheer – but unfortunately it can often bring unwanted stress! AVEENO® experts, Celebrity Hairstylist, Patrick Melville and dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman, share tips, tricks and advice to get you through the holiday season in stride.

Patrick Melville’s quick how-to for achieving polished party hair (low chignon):

1. Blow-dry hair with Mason Pearson Brush or round brush, when hair is dry, spray hair with the AVEENO® Dry Shampoo at the root to create texture

2. Take a small tail comb and tease very gently at the root throughout the head, flip hair upside down and break up hair with your finger

3. Grab hair at the nape and secure with hair tie, this should create a little texture and softness around your face

4. With the tailcomb, gently tease the ponytail to create more texture, spin ponytail around to create a chignon at nape of neck and secure with a straight pin or bobby pin

5. Break up with fingers on the bottom, use a lightweight hairspray to secure in place, finish with a sparkly headband or clip

Dr. Debra Jaliman’s go-to skincare secrets for skin glowing throughout the holidays:

·         After a night out, it's easy to go to sleep without wanting to stop and wash your face. Dr. Jaliman suggests the AVEENO® Ultra -Calming Makeup Removing Wipes to make it easy to clean your face post-party. Keep them by your bedside for quick, mild yet effective cleansing
· This time of year can be so stressful with holiday shopping and family commitments, what better way to relieve the stress then with a bath? Dr. Jaliman recommends the AVEENO® Stress Relief Foaming Bath, which is made with lavender for a calming effect and oatmeal for moisturizing and soothing the skin.
· To erase holiday stress that can leave skin dull, Dr. Jaliman recommends the AVEENO® Positively Radiant® Skin Brightening Scrub to combat clogged pores and overall facial dullness. This scrub will improve the skin's texture and brightness without irritation on even the most delicate skin

Recipes for Your Face

Erika Katz, beauty expert and author of Bonding ver Beauty, has created some fun & easy DIY recipes that will turn your holiday extras into an at-home spa day for you and your loved ones!

Pumpkin Facial Mask

This recipe is full of exfoliating enzymes that will brighten your skin, giving you a healthy, refreshed glow. Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin A, which can help heal skin and repair damaged tissue. The antioxidant properties of the vitamin A will also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

❑2 tsp canned pureed pumpkin

❑1/2 tsp honey

❑1/4 tsp heavy

whipping cream

To Make: Mix all ingredients together and apply to face. Leave on for 10

minutes then rinse thoroughly. You’ll love the results!

Clementine Hand Scrub

Skin often gets dry and brittle from the cold winter so I make a gentle orange hand scrub. Oranges are rich in vitamin C and Alpha Hydroxy acids and help to remove the dead skin. The honey and olive oil help moisturize the skin. The baking soda acts as a gentle exfoliant.

❑1 tbs clementine juice

❑1 tbs honey

❑1 tbs sugar

❑1 tbs olive oil

To make: Mix together all ingredients.

and then gently wash your hands with the

scrub. You won’t believe the difference!

Cranberry Mask

Cranberry juice helps detoxify the skin and is particularly useful for those who are acne-prone or suffer from psoriasis or have oily skin. In addition cranberries help reduce skin inflammation, redness, and itchy, irritated skin.

❑1 cup fresh cranberries

❑1 cup seedless red grapes

❑2 teaspoons grapefruit juice

❑1 envelope unflavored gelatin

To Make: Mix ingredients until it becomes a paste. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes to let the mixture thicken. Remove from the fridge and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Banana Cream Pie Mask

With all that leftover pie, why not use it to soften your skin? Fight against dry skin and cold winter air with this cool facial mask.

❑1 mashed banana

❑flour

❑3 tbs. heavy cream

❑1.5 tbs. dark honey

❑1.5 tbs. white flour

To make: Mix all the ingredients and put

into a pretty jar. Apply to face and love the results!

 

 

Travel-proof Your Skin

Eau Thermale Avène invites you to take the Cleanance Clear Skin Challenge

The fight against acne in pursuit of clear, blemish-free skin can take you on a long, frustrating journey. The Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance Blemish Control Solution Kit for blemish-prone skin steers you in the right direction by helping to eliminate clogged pores, blackheads and blemishes—without irritation. And now the road to clearer skin could also lead you to Avène, France!

From October 2012 through February 2013, Eau Thermale Avène invites you to take the Cleanance Clear Skin Challenge. To participate, contestants are asked to post their “Before” photos to the Avène Facebook page, and then use the Cleanance Blemish Control Solution Kit, as directed, for six weeks. Contestants will then be prompted to share their “After” photo. The person whose photos show the most improvement using the Cleanance Skin Care Regimen after six weeks will win a five-day trip for 2 to Avène, France.

Avène, a quaint town located in the southwest of France, is the home of the Saint-Odile spring, the source of Thermal Spring Water. Originating as rain, the water filters through the Cévennes Mountains absorbing precious minerals and trace elements for 40 years until it reaches the mouth of the ancient Sainte-Odile spring. While in Avène you will have the opportunity to visit the renowned Avène Hydrotherapy Center, a state-of-the-art medical facility which treats skin conditions in adults and children and is recognized by the French Government for its therapeutic benefits. The Winner will be invited to experience Avène’s signature hydrotherapy treatments in addition to SensiCure specialized facial treatments.

To send you on your way to clear skin, the kit includes Eau Thermale Avène Thermal Spring Water, Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser, Cleanance Toner, and Cleanance K Cream-gel. At the core of every Avène skin care product is Avène Thermal Spring Water, the only thermal spring water bottled directly from the source and packaged in a sterile environment to guarantee purity and maximum benefits to soothe and soften skin. Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser removes impurities and excess oil without stripping the skin while maintaining the skin’s natural pH balance. Cleanance Toner, a paraben-free, oil-absorbing toner, helps to tighten and minimize the appearance of pores, leaving skin with a fresh, shine-free finish thanks to mattifying Silica powders. Both the cleanser and toner are formulated with patent-pending Glyceryl laurate, clinically proven to prevent blemishes by limiting sebum production. Rounding out the kit is Cleanance K Cream-gel. Formulated with AHAs Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid and BHA Salicylic Acid, the cream-gel deep cleans to help eliminate clogged pores, blackheads and blemishes and contains mattifying powders for instant shine control. Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin seed oil) helps to regulate sebum production.

To help support your transformation, throughout the course of the contest Avène will send you weekly tips to support and guide you. Take the first step to clearer skin with Avène!

Here’s how you can enter:

· Purchase the Cleanance Blemish Control Solution Kit, found at participating retailers and online at Dermstore.com (To find retail locations visit www.aveneusa.com.)
· “Like” Eau Thermale Avène on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aveneusa
· Register for the Cleanance Clear Skin Challenge and upload your “Before” photo.
· Use the Cleanance product range for exactly six (6) weeks as directed. Best results will be achieved when accompanied with a healthy diet and lifestyle.
· After six weeks upload your “After” photo on the Avène Facebook page.
· A winner will be chosen by judges by comparing the “Before“ and “After” pictures of each contestant to determine which entrant had the best evolution of blemishes and lesions after six weeks.

Please visit www.facebook.com/aveneusa for complete rules and regulations.

Black Friday Deals

SMASHBOX COSMETICS

Skip the long lines at department stores and still save with Smashbox’s Black Friday Friends & Family deal! Enjoy 20% off orders on Smashbox.com for purchases of $50 or more. To receive the discount, enter the code FRIENDS2012 when checking out. (Discount Dates: November 21^st – November 26^th)

LUMENE

In honor of Black Friday, Walgreens is offering 40% off all Lumene products! All good things must come to an end, though. Be sure to head to your Walgreens (or Walgreens.com) by 11:59pm as promotion ends after November 23^rd.

Dr. Brandt Time Arrest Face Fluid

Think of visible signs of aging as a werewolf-- this is the silver bullet.

Light serum that spreads on easily, perfect first step. Absorbs quickly so you can put your sunblock on next.
Slight lavender scent, not at all overwhelming (as lavender can be).
Makes your skin feel wonderful!

Beauty Rx Skincare by Dr. Schultz Exfoliating Pads

Advanced Exfoliating Therapy Pads

Like Stridex pads, but for grown-ups!

Resurfaces with glycolic acid for refined complexion.

Not going to lie, bit of a burn involved at first. I was not red after, but had to build up to the instructed 15 minutes.

Works, though!

Even cleared up the little white bumps on my chin!

Just be sure to wash your hands really well after applying.

Cures by Avance Anti-Acne To Go

This three piece kit has 1 & 2 oz. products, so you are TSA-Approved.
Kit contains:

• Foaming Face Cleansing Gel (2 oz.)- so, this totally wasn't foaming for me. I like, it cleans well without sucking the life out of your skin, even smells clean; I just could not get it to lather up--not a huge issue, my face was clean. Works very well with my Clarisonic brush.
• Algae Deep Pore Cleanser (1 oz.)- smells like dirt, looks like mud, cleans like no body's business! Lightly exfoliating, sucks the gunk out of your pores.
• Anti-Acne Moisturizer (1 oz.)- Smooths on easily, no weird residue. Actually moisturizes while zapping zits! My skin is smoother, clearer, happier.

Whether on the road or at home, this kit's a keeper.

Lavanilla Laboratories The Healthy Body Wash 2-in-1 Shower & Shave

As of lately, I've forgone the foaming shaving cream and moved towards conditioner because I think the former doesn't last very long, dries out my skin and doesn't offer a very close shave. This stuff solves all of my issues. I've had the bottle for weeks now, it leaves my skin soft and no prickles! Not to mention it's a great hydrating body wash for my dry skin. The cherry on the top? It smells like heaven. The combination of the vanilla warmth and clean grapefruit is such a pleasing scent. I'm ordering the perfume right now!

L'Occitane Sun Verbena Protective Body Lotion SPF 15 (Verveine Soleil)

A great body lotion plus sun protection?!? Yes, please!

Lightly scented--herbally lemon.

Moisturizes well, absorbs quickly, not greasy.
I now put this on everyday after my morning shower.

The only drawback I have: the bottle can be weak around the corners, so try to shake instead of squeeze. I am, apparently, a vigorous squeezer--had to put tape to cover split on corner of bottle.

Added incentive: L'Occitane, as a brand, ROCKS! They have braille on their products &/or packaging; so if you happen to be blind, you still know what you are using. The L'Occitane Foundation works to Support the Visually Impaired, Advance the Economic Emancipation of Women, and Preserve the Knowledge of Nature. How cool is that?!?!

Clientele Elastology Peptide Hydration Cream

A lotion light enough for summer that works well enough for winter!
Smooths skin, refines.
Serious anti-oxidants, even has Pumpkin!
You can put it on over a serum for added punch--it plays well with others.
I use at night-- not that you can't use for day, I just want to stretch out bottle :)
Makes my skin all radiant and glowy.
Doesn't cause breakouts or any skin weirdness.
I ADORE!!!

Glytone Acne Treatment Kit (Anti-Irritating)

This 3-piece kit includes:

• Self Foaming Cleanser
• 3P Gel
• Acne Lotion

Truly an acne-fighting system for people who don't want to hurt their skin! Not just for adults, my 14 year old nephew uses (& loves, as much as 14 year old boys can love skin care).

The self-foaming cleaner is AWESOME.
You can totally feel it working.
Eats all the nasty stuff, leaves your face clean but not overly-dry.

The 3P gel has benzoyl peroxide-- it will bleach your sheets and shirts. Use just a touch on zits, and ALWAYS use sun block (especially when using benzoyl peroxide).

The Acne lotion has Salicylic Acid, which is good for treating & preventing zits.

I recommend this--especially the cleanser!!!

Boscia Restorative Eye Treatment for Under-eye Bags

Crazy-good cream that de-puffs and lightens circles.
It's got peptides & anti-oxidants and all sorts of good stuff.

The missing ingredients? Preservatives, parabens...

Love the pump, don't have to stick my fingers into a pot of cream over & over again.

Doesn't sting or make my eyes water, just works!
I also use it on my upper eye lids, which tend to get dark and swollen.

Vitamin D: How? How much? Dr. Graf sets the record straight.

We want to hear more and more about the importance of Vitamin D3, the “sunshine vitamin.” It does things like improving bone strength and helping your skin repair itself after injury. Vitamin D3 is essential to overall good health.

But we have questions: Is it better to expose your skin to sunlight to get your daily dose of Vitamin D3?Or should you take supplements, and if so, how much? What are the best food sources of Vitamin D3?

Although there are not a lot of studies directed at how the skin benefits from taking Vitamin D3, we do know that nutritional deficiencies have profound effects on the skin. In this segment of Ask Dr. Graf, we’ll look at Vitamin D3, why you need it and easy ways to make sure you’re getting enough. Check out the video on YouTube, and check Dr. Graf's YouTube channel often!