February 23, 2010
Posted by marta
When I was asked to take a look at eye cream called Pack Your Bags They’re Leaving ($39.95) from a company called Simply Divine Botanicals, my first thought was this is cool, a natural cosmetic company with a quirky sense of humor. Ok so, so the web site’s tag line - “merging science with energy and love” – was a bit New Agey, but what the heck. Then I looked at the ingredients for Pack Your Bags. The first item was “unconditional love and gratitude”. Definitely New Age. Then I looked again, something was a bit fishy.
As I dug around, I found myself brushing up against the paranormal, tele-evangelists and visions from God that led to humanity-saving soap. Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up. Read more...
February 16, 2010
Posted by marta
A night mask called Skincerity has been getting some publicity recently. It costs $89.95 and you just roll it over your face for “a perfect solution for sun damaged skin, acne, common rashes, itching, and many insect bites. Developed from National Institutes of Health grant funding, Skincerity is not a cover-up or cosmetic. It is a genuine health care product. You don’t feel or smell it – you experience it!” And what is the secret sauce? Acetone. Yes the (smelly) stuff in nailpolish remover.
This is one of the oddest beauty products I have seen in a long while. According to the ingredients for Skincerity listed on essentialdayspa.com, the dominant ingredient is acetone. There’s also a component of non-stick pans. What mad scientist is behind this formula? But before we panic on behalf of the gullible who buy this and roll it on at bedtime (I hope they aren’t nocturnal smokers; isn’t acetone flammable?) perhaps we should look into Skincerity a little more deeply. Read more...
January 20, 2010
Posted by copley
Have you ever wondered what you would look like post-plastic surgery? Do you think about the shape of your nose or the fullness of your lips constantly? Do you own an iPhone or iPod Touch? If the answer to these questions is – YES! – then you might be in luck, because Board-certified, Miami-based plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Salzhauer, has just released his much-anticipated app, iSurgeon. According to Dr. Salzhauer’s people, iSurgeon is “the most advanced beauty makeover app available in the iTunes App store,” combining personal image modification with high-tech gaming functionality. Beauty and gaming together at long last? Say it ain’t so. Read more...
January 15, 2010
Posted by marta
My BS antenna started to quiver the other day when I saw in ad for Elizabeth Arden’s new, souped up Prevage Face Advanced Anti-Aging Serum ($155). The Prevage range is big on an antioxidant called idebenone and the new Prevage is no different, except that it now it has an “advanced idebenone technology”. Whatever that means. But what piqued my curiosity was the claim that it is “the most powerful antioxidant available today with an EPF rating of 95″. Now what might an EPF rating be?
The small print on the ad says that EPF, or Environmental Protection Factor, is the trademark of Pharma Cosmetix Research. I haven’t been able to find a website for Pharma Cosmetix Research, but from what I have been able to glean it is based in Virginia, was established in 1999 and has five employees. One of them, Joe Lewis, is the President and CEO and also runs a company called Priori, The Anti-Aging Solution along with a guy called Joseph DiNardo, who used to work for Allergan. Incidentally, (I’m sure not coincidentally) Prevage is a joint venture between Allergan (the makers of Botox and Latisse) and Elizabeth Arden. Priori supplies alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), idebenone and coffeeberry to cosmetics brands including Prevage, MD Formulations and MD Forte. Read more...
January 7, 2010
Posted by marta
Rid yourself of wrinkles with the wave of a wand? It must be magic. Actually, the FREO Cool Wand Therapy Skin Care System can be yours for only $79.95. Check it out on the Home Shopping Network. It is sold by a doctor so it must be authentic. Right?
Dr Jeanette Graf, MD (apparently famous for inventing Vita-Peptide) peddles a range of skincare products on HSN, but the wand is by far my favorite. Now, I take it that amongst us adults it would be superfluous of me to point out what the wand looks like.
The idea is that you slather the good doctor’s antiaging cream over your face during which time the wand has reached a temperature of 38 degrees. Rubbing the cold wand over your face is supposed to help the cream’s ingredients penetrate (including, presumably, all those lovely parabens). According to Dr Graf, there is a wealth of data on the anti-aging and healing effects of cold and my husband insists that Paul Newman’s sole concession to grooming was to plunge his face into cold water every morning. Read more...
