Health and Beauty - healthandbeauty.org.uk » Cosmetics

Bland make-up is back

Alan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:08:40 +0000

The 1990s revival that is taking place in the make-up industry has gone one step further and beyond the ‘almost gone’ look that has been quite trendy. Now people are looking at make up which whitens out their features. A lip balm which makes your lips look a rather bland colour has become popular and bleaching brows is also being seen on the catwalk.

Invisible brows have recently been seen on Rooney Mara, who starred in the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This is the sort of look that you will get if you choose to bleach your brows. Skin is conspicuously dull and understated and so it is a good idea to use a foundation that has excellent coverage. It is also wise to start with a primer as this can correct any errors you have on your skin and help reduce redness.

Hiding dark circles is also possible with something called the Halo Highlighting Wand which has recently been launched. You can also use finishing powder afterwards to make everything remain nicely in place.

A very popular product on the market right now are balms and creams which are an all round type of product that are able to highlight, tone, moisturised and illuminate your skin all in one process. The best thing about these as they only need to be applied once in the day and they will last throughout.

One of the best on the market is currently by Estee Lauder which also has a sun protection rating of 35. This particular product has an amazing ability to lighten even those with the most tired of complexions.

Brightening powder by Dust Laura Mercier can be added on top of this to prevent your skin looking shiny. If you want to continue with the natural look and it would be a good idea to just use a simple gloss on your lips. The idea if you are following this type of make up is not to look polished but to look healthy and natural. If you don’t want your lips to be particularly glossy then it can be a good idea to just go for a regular lip balm.

It is important to keep your skin fresh and muted to prevent you from appearing like a doll. Rosy pink blusher is a good idea as it doesn’t look overly intense and has a simple, but great looking, effect.

In regard to hair, dying the tips is still very popular and recently the catwalk has seen many different shades being used and it seems that nothing is currently too outrageous. It is also important to make sure that your hair is well taken care of, especially in the winter as your hair can become particularly weak.

Therefore it is a good idea to use damage repair hair shampoo and conditioner in order to make sure your hair always looks good. There are many different serums available for this as well which you can leave in.

Skincare products are full of dubious scientific claims

Alan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:53:55 +0000

Adverts for skincare products are full of dubious scientific claims and ingredients that sound like they have been made up by the manufacturers, and consumers are right to be concerned about the credentials of products that can often cost them huge amounts of money.

However, the latest anti-ageing cream from Yves Saint Laurent could just be the exception that proves the rule when it comes to beauty products and science. The Forever Youth Liberator products use glycobiology, also known as glycomics, to improve the look and feel of our skin.

Glycobiology is the study of glycans, the sugars that are found in every cell of the human body including those that make up the skin. Glycomics has some pretty impressive backers and was named in 2006 as one of the most important technologies for the future by the scientific journal, Technical Review.

Yves Saint Laurent even hired a respected German scientist, Professor Peter Seeberger, who has won numerous awards for his research into glycobiology, to work on their Forever Youth Liberator range. He was surprised that a cosmetics company would be interested in serious scientific research, especially as he had focused on the potential health benefits of glycans not their application in the beauty industry, but as a scientist he was happy to explore other unexpected opportunities.

Seeberger’s research found that glycans are a vital part of each cell’s ability to communicate with others in the body, affecting how they all do their job and, in the case of skin, how they look. Yves Saint Laurent also found that the amount of glycans in our skin cells decreases with age, meaning that they are unable to do their job effectively and therefore lose their firmness and healthy appearance.

Tests found that adding artificial glycans, created from plant sugars, to older skin can fool it into behaving like the skin of a much younger woman, smoothing out wrinkles and giving the face a healthy glow. Yves Saint Laurent have manufactured their own trademarked product containing their plant glycans, called Glycanactif, which is the active ingredient in every product available in the Forever Youth Liberator range.

Chris Flower of the Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association welcomed the decision to employ scientific research in the development of a new anti-ageing product, but added that Forever Youth Liberator will only be a success if women see results in their appearance, not just in a laboratory.

Seeberger himself also sounded a note of caution, warning that while the presence of glycans can create artificially young-looking skin, scientists and the beauty industry are a long way from understanding everything about the ageing process and how to fix all the superficial problems it can cause.

The Forever Youth Liberator products are already getting rave reviews from beauty editors, including Newby Hands of Harper’s Bazaar. In her own test of the products she reported getting the most impressive results she had ever seen from an anti-ageing cream. The Yves Saint Laurent range will be on sale soon, priced from £35 upwards.

Secret beauty products

Alan — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 06:03:39 +0000

One thing that many people wonder when they are considering purchasing health and beauty products is what celebrities are using. For the most part, those in Hollywood tend to look great most of the time and many people wonder what the secrets to their beauty is.

There is much speculation that they have beauty secrets that those outside of the celebrity world are not privy to. There are rumours that secret beauty products exist that are only open to those who are in contact with the right people and have a bank account with plenty of zeros.

In reality though, normally the secrets come out, and they come out pretty fast. In the celebrity world gossip spreads very quickly and when there is a new beauty product on the market, soon everyone knows about it. Before long, the information does trickle down to people involved in the beauty industry and they then make the product available to the people on the street.

Normally, news of a new beauty product is slow to come out. It will start with one celebrity claiming that they have found a new way to look good, or a new product that is working for them. Soon after this several of their friends, who are normally other celebrities, will start using the product as well and if it works its popularity will quickly gain momentum and very soon everyone will be shouting about a new beauty product.

For the people who create beauty products, they know that celebrities don’t want to compromise and they will be willing to pay more for a product that is more effective. It is seen as something of a holy grail for a company to have their product endorsed by the celebrity community and once it starts being used by them it is guaranteed that the sales of it are going to increase massively.

Not only are sales of the product going to increase but the fame of the person, or company, responsible for manufacturing it is also going to skyrocket. A recent product that has cracked the celebrity market and become the latest craze is Aloeride.

Aloe Vera is a plant that has been used in beauty products for a very long time and the reason this new product has been so successful is that it is the clearest Aloe vera pill that is currently available on the market. The fact that the pill is small and makes use of powdered Aloe Vera also makes it very popular in the market.

Research has shown that when Aloe Vera is exposed to air its valuable properties rapidly begin to decline. This means that in its liquid form it is less valuable, but in this powdered, encapsulated, method of delivery there is no exposure to air so the pill retains all of the value that Aloe Vera has naturally. Inside each pill are nutrients that are valuable not just your beauty that your overall health. One of the greatest benefits that is known about Aloe Vera is its assistance in digestion.

Winter Skincare Tips from Dr Tracy Mountford

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:08:02 +0000

• Bathing with a bath moisturiser especially designed to soothe and protect the skin is one of the most effective ways to hydrate the skin, keeping it soft and glowing. Try E45 Junior Foaming Bath Milk (RRP £4.85) – Denise Van Outen is a big fan and says, “I noticed it made my hands really soft when I was bathing Betsy, now I use it myself!”

• Protect your skin from the harsh elements by regularly applying a cream that contains glycerin to help lock in moisture, such as E45 Endless Moisture Derma-Restore (RRP £4.85). It has been specially formulated to nourish mature skin so that in just 3 weeks, skin feels softer and more supple

• Resist the temptation to take a hot water bath in winter; lukewarm water is better to prevent dryness

• After bathing or showering pat skin dry – Don’t rub because this can irritate the skin

• Regularly exfoliate your skin to get rid of dead skin cells – This will keep skin looking and feeling healthy

• The skin on your hands is very soft and has less oil glands. It’s a good idea to wear gloves to protect them and stop them from drying out. Wear cotton gloves and hand cream to soften them overnight and keep them looking healthy

• Sun block is still so important in the winter for maintaining the health of the skin on your face, neck, backs of hands and chest if they are exposed to the elements

• Avoid Smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption because they both increase the risk of premature ageing

Ensure Skin GLOWS in the winter…

Ensure your skin is smooth and supple this winter with E45 Endless Moisture Derma Restore. This wonder product has been specially formulated to nourish skin so that in just 3 weeks, skin feels softer, with a noticeable, healthy glow.

It contains a special combination of anti-ageing ingredients including:

1. Glycerine – the natural moisture magnet
2. Poly Hydroxy Acid (PHA) – delivers all the skin-smoothing and anti-ageing benefits of AHAs, without any of the irritation
3. Nicotinamide – a form of B3 – proven to boost collagen production, while also imparting a wonderful, soothing sensation to skin

Stockist: £4.59 for 200ml | Available from Boots and major retail stores nationwide.

Topman launches new fragrances

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:07:41 +0000

September 22nd 2011 was a very exciting day in the world of men’s toiletries, as it was on this day that Topman launched their first fragrances and grooming range at their flagship store in Oxford Circus and in Selfridges. They have been a long time in coming, 5 years in fact, but it has been time well spent and the quality and amazing scent of this range will ensure that Topman will become a serious player in the world of men’s toiletries, and in a very short time.

They have also taken the unusual step of snubbing a liaison with the major corporate licensing agencies, preferring instead to work in house alongside an expert in the fragrance industry. This is the man whose name is synonymous with the classy Agent Provocateur perfumes – Azzi Glasser. This partnership has resulted in two perfumes and a range of grooming products that include body spray, deodorant, hair putty and body wash.

The fragrances have been named no 16 and no 27, which comes from the numbers of their formulas when they were in development. They are two completely contrasting fragrances, yet both have that wow factor which ensures that whatever you are wearing, one of them will complete your ensemble to perfection.

How often have you taken a walk in the crisp freshness of the outdoors and wished that it could be bottled; well now it has. No 16 captures the very essence of the cool outdoors thanks to the blend of Bergemot and Poivre and underlying keynotes of Amber, Labdunum and essential Musks. It feels and smells clean, and will adapt to the temperature of your body to give you several scents throughout the day.

No 27 is an altogether more seductive scent, and also gives its fragrance to the grooming products. Neroli, Anise, Clarysage, undertones of Cedar and Oakwood, Frankincense and musk make this less of a perfume, and more of an experience. You know when you are wearing no 27 that you smell as good as you look, and it doesn’t get much better than that.

Superdrug launches doctor brand skincare range to rival top names in the business, but at high street prices

Many women still make use of very old beauty regimes

Alan — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:02:57 +0000

The results of a study done by Modern Milk, the sophisticated drink; have been revealed and British women’s beauty habits are getting no less bizarre. Habits such a sleeping on the bag to avoid wrinkles and spraying the face with hairspray to avoid make-up smudging are still popular, as are spraying perfume onto a hairbrush so your hair carries an alluring fragrance.

2000 women took part in the study, and the research revealed that when it comes to beauty habits, rituals and routines 4 in 10 women used household items or products. These included cold teaspoons to reduce puffiness round the eyes and using toothpaste for spots. For some women hard skin and cracked heels on the feet isn’t an option as they sleep in thick socks that are filled with moisturiser.

A spokeswoman for Modern Milk has said that whilst some of the beauty regimes were much more extreme than others, it was clear that some women were still going to great lengths to look good. She also said that whilst handy little tips and hints were all well and good, spraying hairspray into your face and sleeping on your back were rather extreme, and that the poll was intended to find out the alternative beauty treatments that came from the kitchen cupboards.