March 16, 2009
Posted by marta
I was intrigued when testing Reviva Labs’ Collagen-Fibre Eye Pads this weekend to see that the pads, which work a treat by the way, are pre-saturated with something called Myoxinol as well as collagen. And Myoxinol is better than Botox, no less.
Myoxinol is a patented complex of oligopeptides obtained from proteins from the seeds of Hibiscus esculentus L. And Hibiscus esculentus L. is okra. Those who detest okra’s glutinous texture will be thankful that it is good for something. These botanical peptides combat wrinkles in a similar way to the botulinic toxin (Botox), by inhibiting the movement of facical muscles responsible for the appearance of expression lines on the face. Read more...
February 8, 2009
Posted by marta
Posted by Marta
If I had to sum up some of the most frequently asked questions on TIA, they are mostly about eyebrow and eyelash growth and they run along the lines of:
Will over-plucked eyebrows ever grow back?
Why did my eyelashes start falling out when I started to use a growth product?
Will I have to use these growth products for the rest of my life/What will happen when I stop?
How long before I see results?
There isn’t a short answer to any of these and I am afraid that they require at least some understanding of how hair growth works: yep, it’s time for hair growth 101.
The hair growth cycle:
All hair – whether on the head and brows, the eyelashes or the unmentionables – grows in phases. There are three of them, to be precise. The only thing that differs (from, say, lash to head hair) is how long the phases take. But we’ll come back to that. Read more...
November 14, 2008
Posted by copley
Nowadays, you’d be just as likely to come across coffee in one of your creams as to pour cream in your coffee. In 2006, over 140 skincare products containing caffeine were launched in the United States, as compared to just 21 in 2003. It is becoming an increasingly popular trend for cosmetics to feature this beloved stimulant in their formulas. Facial firming products and cellulite busters alike are juiced with caffeine. What’s with this caffeine high?
You might think of caffeine as a mysterious pick-me-up, both necessary and addictive for daily functioning. It is in fact natural and generally deemed safe, though the FDA waffled over its possible health concerns for years. Caffeine is a heterocyclic compound found in the leaves, beans, and fruit of over 60 plant species. In the past few years, studies have shown that caffeine is capable of many wonders, from lowering the risks of Parkinson’s disease to staving off baldness. Good news for the 90% of the population who consume it every day!
Read more...
November 8, 2008
Posted by marta
Thanks to Stan I have discovered a new brand from Japan, a country that I firmly believe is at the forefront of good skincare that won’t break the bank. Perhaps 15 years of economic decline has prompted Japanese potion makers to be parsimonious – an approach that it seems we’ll all have to get used to for a while. The thing about Komenuka Bijin Eye Jell ($50) and, indeed, everything else in the Komenuka range is that it is big on rice bran.
So should we be rice bran believers as well?
Bran is the hard outer layer of a grain. In Japan, rice bran is called nuka and is widely touted as an antioxidant. Let’s get under the skin of rice bran and see what that really means. Rice bran contains tocotrienol, which I learned yesterday when reviewing PCA SKIN is a member of the vitamin E family that has way more antioxidant power than the ubiquitous tocopherol, according to a German study. Read more...
September 5, 2008
Posted by marta
Perhaps Sephora’s customers are devoted fans of Courtney Cox. Otherwise, I don’t really understand why they would vote Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream ($59) a “2008 Winner”. The only other explanation, is that they are big believers in the power of kinetin.
There is precious little else of interest in this Kinerase eye cream, so it behooves us to see if kinetin derserves to be a show stealer. N6-Furfuryladenine is the synthetic version of kinetin, a plant hormone (or cytokinin) that regulates cell growth. It is a relative newcomer to the cosmetic scene and there is scant research to prove that topical application has any effect. Read more...
