Category: Cosmetics

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Valuable products from the honeybee hive

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Contributions of honeybees to mankind are so overwhelming that we often forget to recognize how valuable and important they actually are. We remember that hive products offer food and practical medical support but we may forget that the major contribution to the global ecology is the sustaining by pollination of most of the wild and cultivated flora. No other insect species furnishes any useful products as do the bees.

Let’s review the many products that we can harvest from the honeybee hive.

Honey — Concentrated from the sweet nectar collected from blossoms, composed of 82 percent sugars packed with minerals, vitamins and enzymes. It is prized for cooking, and a multitude of important medical properties such as antiseptic and burn treatment. We enjoy its sweet, natural floral essence but need to remember that it is not just for tea!

Propolis — Amorphous, resinous material gathered from plant buds and bark to strengthen the hive comb structure, varnish the inner surface of the hive, with its antiseptic, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. Widely used in topical and internal medications for its healing properties. Used in fine varnishes and in ancient embalming.

Royal Jelly — Special nutritious food produced by nurse bees to feed young larva, converting the ordinary worker larva to a fertile, female queen. Rich in lipids, amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, widely used as food supplement and in dermatological cosmetics.

Bees Wax — Secreted by young bees, molded into strong hexagonal shaped comb cells to furnish support for brood and honey storage. Honey sealed n wax comb provides long (3,000 years) shelf life. Unique properties provide wide usage for candles, waterproofing, dentistry, polishes, and many healthy products.

Compared to petroleum-based paraffin, beeswax candles burn longer, give less smoke, less dripping, and fill the room with fragrant floral essence.

Bee Venom — Toxic liquid injected during a bee sting. Several proteins and enzymes cause painful inflammation during defensive stinging. Used by dermatologists test for allergy sensitivity. Bee sting therapy treats the symptoms of arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other auto immune conditions. For more information, visit American Apitherapy Society at www.apitherapy.org.

credit by http://www.registerstar.com

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Cosmetics for Men

Since I have been writing this column, we have covered several topics to help men look and feel their best while keeping up with the newest trends. One area that has been overlooked however, not only by myself but by the whole industry catering to men, is the importance of keeping your face clean and healthy looking.

An area of rapid growth in the sales of beauty products has been in products designed specifically for men. Contrary to popular belief, men are in fact concerned with their appearance, albeit to a lesser extent than women. Although this market is relatively new, experts predict cosmetics for men will be the next big thing in beauty products.

My argument is that if men are willing to spend money on cologne that make them smell good, why wouldn’t they spend money on something that makes them look good as well? Furthermore, since many men spend hours every week working out and taking care of their bodies, they are sure to want to take care of their faces if the products are available. Another example is the explosion in sales of hair growth treatments for balding men.

cosmetics for men

Since this is a new area, cosmetics companies are still unfamiliar with which products men are willing to try and which ones they are avoiding. They are experimenting with various forms of lotions, skincare and hair products.

Many people find the thought of men wearing make-up odd at first, but after seeing some of the products available, it makes sense. We sell lots of hair products, lotions, scrubs, oils, massage creams, razor blades, shaving needs, environmental sound products, the whole bit, says Sandy Pukel’s. He is the president of the Oak Feed Market in Coconut Grove, Florida, which features a department devoted exclusively to men’s health and beauty care products. I’m personally amazed at all the choices we have now, that we never used to have.

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credit by: AskMen.com

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Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Gil Zamora is an FBI-trained forensics artist with over 3,000 criminal sketches under his belt. Dove (through Unilever’s U.K. office) and Ogilvy Brazil hired him to interview and draw seven different women—two sketches of each. The first sketch was based on each woman’s personal description of herself.The second was based on a description provided by a stranger the woman had just met. Of course, the differences are vast. Watching these women come face to face with the version of themselves in their mind and the version everyone else sees is extraordinary. It’s one of the most original and touching experiments to come from the Campaign for Real Beauty in ages, because instead of making faux protests or annoying graphic designers with bullshit filters, they’re actually empowering individual women to appreciate their inherent beauty, and in turn, allowing us all to wonder if we’ve been judging ourselves too harshly. Like all of the best work, the commercial elements are barely there. Beyond the logo, Dove doesn’t even attempt to sell soap. Watch the documentary below, and mini-videos of selected women on the web site. Then enjoy the rousing comments section, where people are already attacking Dove for choosing too many skinny, white chicks.

Dove Sketch 2 FInaldove_sketch_1_final

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Exfoliation 101

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Stay younger looking by exfoliating regularly! Exfoliation of the skin reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, rids skin of dead cells and keeps pores clean and clear so skin stays soft and

supple, fresh and radiant!

There are two types of exfoliants: chemical and mechanical. Most people use a combination of both types in their skin care routine.

Chemical exfoliants dissolve the “glue” that trap dead skin cells in pores and to the surface layers of the skin. By dissolving this glue the dead skin and cellular debris are shed revealing younger skin and a smoother, healthier complexion underneath. Some examples of Chemical exfoliants include salicylic acid, glycolic acid, fruit enzymes, citric acid or malic acid. These Chemical exfoliants may be applied in high concentrations by a medical professional, or in lower concentrations in over-the-counter products.

Mechanical exfoliants work by gently buffing away surface skin cells which encourages new skin cells to surface at a more rapid rate. Dead skin cells are swept away and fine lines are minimized, pores are cleared and newer skin is revealed. Mechanical exfoliants include sugar or salt crystals, micro-bead facial scrubs, crushed apricot kernel or almond shells, and cloths such as sponges, loofahs or brushes.

By exfoliating on a regular basis, you are encouraging your skin to regenerate at a faster rate, thereby increasing cellular turnover which will help improve firmness, texture, skin tone, and help support healthy collagen for a more youthful and radiant glow!

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Preemptive Skincare for Anti Aging Part 2

Preemptive skin care part 229In our ongoing quest for radiant, flawless, and youthful skin, a certain knowledge of anti-aging ingredients becomes not only helpful, but crucial. Here’s a handy cheat sheet, with all the basic ingredients you could ever want or need in a health-boosting, anti-aging skincare product.

Vitamin A,
Vitamin A is a drug but Retinol which is a derivative of Vitamin A is not. Vitamin A has been suggested to help promote the production of skin strengthening collagen fibers. These plump the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is also believed that retinol reduces the appearance of hyper-pigmentation (mottled colored spots on the skin).

Vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant, crucial in the fight against skin-aging environmental free radicals, and essential for the formation of collagen in the skin. One thing to keep in mind is that Vitamin C is not very stable in skincare products, and it isn’t effective in small doses in topical skincare. While the jury concludes that Vitamin C is crucial in the fight against aging, it’s better when ingested in your favorite orange fruit.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or AHAs are a group of natural acids that act as powerful chemical exfoliants. These remove dead skin cells, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and deep cleanse the pores. Glycolic, lactic, citric, and tartaric acids are all AHAs, with lactic acids being the most gentle, and most prevalent. AHAs penetrate the epidermal (skin) cells to trigger the formation of new collagen, while reducing the appearance of surface wrinkles.

Peptides

Peptides are small chains of amino acids, and the building blocks of proteins, which make up skin cells. Due to their small molecular size, peptide proteins have the ability to deeply penetrate the layers of the skin to stimulate the skin cell healing process, and to trigger skin repair. In essence, peptides activate the skincare repair and renewal process on the molecular level.

The plethora of anti-aging skincare options need not be confusing. With a basic knowledge of ingredients, youthful skin is a stone’s throw away.

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@adinazilberman

adinazilberman
Beauty Blogger
In her 20’s from New York City

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It’s a Bit Cheesy

A new generation of anti-ageing products could be developed after researchers stumbled upon the anti-cheeseinflammatory properties of cheese whilst trying to discover the secret behind the French paradox puzzle.

This relates to the low rates of cardiovascular mortality which have existed in France for decades despite high saturated fat consumption, constituting the epidemiological phenomenon: ‘the French paradox.’ According to researchers from Lycotec, unexpected anti-inflammatory factors discovered in the blue-vein cheese
Roquefort, could lead to the development of a new generation of pharmaceuticals and future cosmetic products.

Potential applications Extensive laboratory and clinical validation by the Cambridge-based doctors and scientists have demonstrated that these anti-inflammatory factors, which occur during the ripening of the cheese, have unique properties which work best in acidic environments; most notably in the stomach lining and skin surface.“The anti-inflammatory factors found in these cheeses could be extracted and used independently or as a part of today’s pharmaceutical or beauty products,” say study authors Dr Ivan Petyaev and Dr Yuriy Bashmakov.

“Moreover, there is a growing consensus that sub-clinical inflammation is behind many ageing processes, from the loss of skeletal muscles and cellulite to metabolic, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.” This has lead the research team to urge beauty and pharmaceutical product companies to take a look at this new
finding for future product ideas and partnerships, without the mouldy smell.

Get a whiff…
Lycotec started to publish its findings on the French cheese, initially suggesting that regular consumption of Roquefort, Camembert and other moulded fermented cheeses could be the answer to some of today’s key health problems. Despite a diet high in saturated fats, France has been known to have the lowest rate of cardiovascular mortality. This was originally attributed to consumption of red wine and its major constituent resveratrol. However, recent studies indicate that consumption of red wine alone cannot explain the paradox and perhaps some other constituents of the typical French diet could be responsible for reduced cardiovascular mortality; leading to
this study on cheese.

By Andrew McDougall+

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Anti Wrinkle Skin Care: Reducing the Signs of Aging simply

anti-aging-skin-care-for-youthful-skinAnti Wrinkle Skin Care: Reducing the Signs of Aging simply

Wrinkles are a women’s worst enemy and aside from going for expensive botox treatment and cosmetic surgery, many ladies prefer to obtain anti aging wrinkle creams that are offered on the market.It is straightforward to appreciate that there are too several beauty product in stores nowadays and one in every of the foremost selling is that the anti-aging wrinkle cream. customers frequently obtain and use this product within the hopes that their wrinkles are going to be reduced.

We often raise ourselves if they extremely work. the solution is yes if the merchandise was fastidiously researched and created to deal with the problems of aging. If it’s not readily ready and tested, then it’d fail to supply the assistance it guarantees to administer.

Chances are that the anti-aging wrinkle cream won’t fall wanting the consumers’ expectations.Carefully researched and formulated anti-aging wrinkle creams works to interchange collagen loss throughout the natural method of aging.When the collagen is replaced, the skin smoothens out because it returns to its original supple and elastic state and this makes the wrinkles diminish with the continued use of the merchandise.

One advantage of using anti-aging creams is that it’s less expensive than surgery and different beauty treatments. Also, its application involves no pain in the slightest degree. merely apply the anti wrinkle cream or lotion on the face is what it takes to realize a fresher look.

If a client makes it a habit to use anti-aging wrinkle creams and makes it a part of her daily routine, she is going to reap the advantages of the merchandise while not the requirement to check a dermatologist that saves her each cash and time.

Once you have selected the anti-aging product you believe can treat your skin problems, use it as directed. Applying beauty creams is like baking a cake. You don’t just mix in all the ingredients, whip, bake, and then expect it to taste great, as it says on the package directions. Even if you use the right ingredients but without the right technique, you’ll still end up with a cake you will rather not eat. When applying facial anti-aging creams, therefore, employing the right techniques is necessary to get the best results. And what may these techniques be? Well, they’re really nothing more than gently and slowly massaging the cream on the area you want to treat, using very light pressure and then remembering not to rub on too hard because over time that is going to make your skin sag.

@mellisagarcia24
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In her 20’s
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Preemptive Skincare for Anti Aging Part 1 The Basics

Proper-Skin-CarePreemptive Skincare for Anti-Aging Part 1: The Basics

When it comes to anti-aging skincare options, it’s a veritable jungle out there. From cleansers to serums, finding the perfect products can be a rather tricky task. Thankfully, the process becomes easier when you know what each product does. Knowing a product’s purpose and function will go a long way in helping you select the right skincare regimen to meet your needs.
Cleanser
The start to any good skincare routine is all in taking it off, with a good cleanser. Skin cleansers are designed to remove dirt, pollutants, and oily residue from the surface of the skin without stripping away essential moisture. If a cleanser is too harsh or drying, it will lead to the appearance of dull, sallow, dry, thin-looking skin.
Exfoliator
Facial exfoliators typically consist of grainy particles suspended in a gel base. These are designed to unclog the pores, remove blackheads, and scrub off dead skin and dirt. Physical exfoliators usually contain ground apricot kernels, sugar, ground shells, and even sand, while chemical exfoliants use acids to achieve the same results. Exfoliators are also believed to improve skin circulation and promote healthy skin cell turnover, which keeps the skin youthful looking.

Toner

The toner—perhaps one of the most misunderstood products in a skincare routine serves to restore the pH balance of the skin after cleansing. To explain further, the skin normally has a slightly acidic pH, which helps to guard it against any harsh environmental factors. However,the skin tends to become basic after cleansing, which leaves it vulnerable to environmental radicals. A toner immediately corrects the pH imbalance, restoring skin to its healthy acidic state. Toners also make the skin more receptive to anti-aging serums and moisturizers.

Serum

The main function of a facial serum is to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin in order to deliver concentrated skin nutrients. With smaller particles and a lighter texture than most moisturizers, skincare serums will go further and work harder than a typical moisturizer, which generally only reach the surface layers of the skin.

Moisturizer

The function of the moisturizer in any skincare routine is to replace moisture in the skin that might have been stripped by the environment and from cleansing. Moisturizers promote healthy skin hydration levels along with a healthy skin texture. The anti-aging moisturizer does all of that, with the added benefits of reducing wrinkles, boosting radiance, and promoting healthy skin cell turnover.

With this knowledge of basic skincare product types, finding the products that you need will be a snap. Stay tuned for part 2, which is all about key skincare ingredients!

 

@adinazilberman

 

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Beauty Blogger
In her 20’s from New York City

 

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Is your Smartphone giving you wrinkles?

woman-smartphoneIs your Smartphone giving you wrinkles?

Are you addicted to your smartphone? And do you have the ‘smartphone squint?’

Supposedly, gals are developing premature wrinkles from staring at their smartphones. Really?

According to Dr. Brian Glatt, a New Jersey board-certified plastic surgeon, “The trend for ‘BlackBerry Botox’ is highly increasing especially among women who are addicted to gazing on their BlackBerries or iPhones all day. Peering at a small screen causes facial strain, around and between the brows which may cause premature wrinkles on the face.”

Smartphone-related wrinkles are the latest condition that doctors attribute to overuse of technology. Others include ‘BlackBerry thumb’ – a form of repetitive strain injury caused by excessive texting.

Ok, we aren’t really sure we believe this, but we thought sharing these tips couldn’t hurt…

1. Take a break – It’s important to put down or at least glance up from your Smartphone regularly so that your eyes can rest. Though squinting is necessary when using a Smartphone, taking time to relax your eyes can make a significant difference in reducing this new type of strain on your facial muscles.

2. Turn the light down low – too much light and contrast can cause you to narrow the eyes to take in the brightness. A no-no for fresh-looking eye contours. Combat the dreaded ‘crow’s feet’ effect by dimming the screen in your ‘settings’ options – and see how low you can go on the light emission. The less, the better. (as a bonus, this will also help preserve your phone’s battery life!)

3. Enlarge the text – If you find yourself struggling to read the small text on your Smartphone and start holding it so close you wrinkle your nose so much it hurts, just enlarge the text by simply going to your settings and altering the text size. Also, the zoom function can be a fantastic thing – use it to focus in on images on your device so you can see much more clearly and avoid pulling the inner eye.

4. Looking after your eyes – If you can bear it, spend less time glued to your iPhone or Blackberry. And during this timeout, take some deep breaths to relax the face into a more natural expression, and gently massage the area around the eyes – a simple thing that can make a big difference to preventing those lines that starts subtly but can get deeper and more pronounced. Not only will your face be serene looking, you will feel more serene – and in a much better state to deal with any inbox horrors.

5. Don’t forget to smile! If you are experiencing stress from being constantly attached to your Smartphone, just think about the potentially negative effect this is having on your youthful appearance. Then, take time to do something that relieves the tension, like playing on a fun app, like TomCat or Angry Birds; this will help relax your face, soften your expression and prevent long term frown lines.

Do you think that excessive use of your smarphone will age your face?

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In her 30’s from USA
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What To Eat For Healthy Skin

berries2By Where to find the vitamins and minerals your skin needs to make it look radiant

Achieving radiant, younger-looking skin takes more than just a good skin care regimen. In fact, what you eat has also a lot to do with it.
Think about it: your skin is the biggest organ in your body, so whatever you eat will also take its toll on your skin. To get good skin, you have to start from within, which means eating the right kinds of food.

Here’s a list of foods you might want to pick up the next time you make a grocery run.
1. Low-fat yogurt. Low-fat dairy products not only give you a calcium boost (which helps prevent osteoporosis), but it also contains Vitamin A, which helps in the development of skin cells. Basically, your skin cells depend on Vitamin A to regenerate, making you look younger and healthier. Without it, you get dry, dull skin.
Added bonus: yogurt also contains live bacteria that’s good for your intestinal tract. A healthy digestive system reflects on good skin.
2. Berries. We’re talking strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even plums! These babies pack lots of antioxidants and phytochemicals which protect us from free radicals — such as sun exposure and pollution — that can damage our skin cells.
Berries also help our bodies manufacture collagen, which as we all know, makes skin smooth and supple. Buy some and toss them in yogurt for an extra sweet treat!
3. Salmon. Salmon is an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which helps make cell membranes stronger and healthier. Stronger cells are able to hold in more moisture, which leaves you with plumper, youthful-looking skin. Plus a good amount of Omega 3 also helps keep your heart in good shape.
You can also get your dose of Omega 3 from avocados, walnuts, and dark, leafy vegetables.
4. Green Tea. Sip on this: green tea contains catechins and polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory characteristics and may even prevent certain skin cancers!
Research has also shown that the antioxidants found in green tea help reduce the risk of UV damage on skin cells. Plus, a cup of the stuff is high in Vitamin C, D, K, riboflavin, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Heck, no wonder green tea is used in so many beauty products!
5. Almonds. Almonds have tons of flavonoids, antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor characteristics.
These antioxidants deactivate free radicals in the body which help keep your skin cells healthy and happy. Plus, almonds are rich in Vitamin E and have essential oils that keep your skin moisturized from within.
The best way to enjoy them? Raw, unsalted, and with their skin on.
6. Water. Your body is made up of 60% water. If you don’t chug down H2O during the day, you become sluggish, dehydrated, and your skin gets dull and dry.
Water not only quenches your thirst, but it also washes out unhealthy toxins in your body — toxins which, if left to linger, show up on your face.
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day and more if you’re doing activities that cause you to sweat. Remember, if your body is well-fed and hydrated, you’ll feel and look better.

By Maui V. Reyes for Yahoo! Southeast Asia
@royalblooded
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Student
In his 20’s from Manila, Philippines