March 2, 2010
Posted by Summar
Exotic ingredients are no strangers to luxe cosmetic lines, so upon reading that Amala’s Purify collection (we have used and reviewed Amala’s Rejuvenating line) uses the rare Blue lotus as the common thread in each of its seven facial skincare products (Rejuvenating products major in on antioxidant cocoa), it seemed like high time to give the beautiful botanical a second glance.
Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) and its cousin the Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) are native to Africa and parts of Southern Asia. The sacred flower was celebrated in ancient Egyptian times as a perfume, health tonic and possible aid for sexual stimulation; its blossoms were even found scattered over Tutankhaman’s body when the pharaoh’s tomb was opened in 1922. In cosmetics, the ingredient can be found in cleansers, moisturizers and exfoliants, functioning as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. However, it is also rich in phytosterols, cholesterol-like molecules found in plants that can make skin sensitive to light. Read more...
February 27, 2010
Posted by jimmy
Knowing my obsession for organic beauty products, a friend recently introduced me to Melvita, a certified-organic line based out of France. Melvita is fronted by Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard and a few months ago we took a look at the some more products in the range. Melvita meets all the criteria for Ecocert, an organic certification organization based in France (I do want to make it clear that the French organic standards are very different from the US which is very different from Australia, etc etc).
I had a chance to try out the Melvita Moisturizing Gel, one of their top sellers that helps anti-aging problems and moisturizes dehydrated skin. 98% of the ingredients are of natural origin, and 30% from organic farming. So it’s not completely organic, which sort of bummed me out but Melvita Hydrastim Moisturizing Gel is actually not that bad, and the “non-organic” ingredients are not that breakbackingly terrible for you (at least the Moisturizing Gel is free of parabens). And what makes up for the ingredients on our “meh” list is some pretty powerful stuff. Read more...
February 5, 2010
Posted by copley
January was a month of bad complexion karma. Whether due to incompatible products or inclement indoor conditions, my skin let me know that it was not happy. Scaly patches below my mouth battled with relentless flakes on my nose for the title of driest place on my face. My standard daily and nightly moisturizers were no longer cutting it. Using lightweight lotions could not conceal swathes of flaking skin, while layering various creams resulted in gunky residue that made applying makeup impossible. Once Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog saw his shadow- thus forecasting another six weeks of winter- my dry skin plight became more desperate than ever. Read more...
January 27, 2010
Posted by copley
In 2009, we put a provisional moratorium on the term “age spot.” Hyperpigmentation can strike at any age, and there are many causes for an excess of melanin to form deposits in the skin, resulting in sun spots, liver spots, melasma, photodamage, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. Thus, there is no need to put a time-specific label on it. Topical treatments for overly ambitious melanin run the gamut from the FDA-banned (for OTC) hydroquinone to the gentler glycolic acid. A number of anti-acne and anti-wrinkle ingredients, including azelaic acid, salicylic acid, and tretinoin, can also be put to use toward reducing hyperpigmentation. But, for the most part, dermatologists agree that a combination of lightening remedies delivers the best results at home. Read more...
January 18, 2010
Posted by marta
Flicking through Essence magazine (appropriately enough on Martin Luther King Day), I saw an ad for Mary Kay’s TimeWise Miracle Set ($78). Ironically, for a company whose brand messaging is all about empowering women, Mary Kay does very little to empower shoppers as to knowing exactly what it is that they are buying. Eventually, I managed to track down the ingredients for one of the Miracle Set products, the Age Fighting Moisturizer, on eBay.
Mary, Mary I now know why you don’t want us to see how your garden grows. Up near the top of Mary Kay TimeWise Age Fighting Moisturizer is triethanolamine. According to Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, and the U.S. National Library of Medicine, there is a strong evidence that Triethanolamine is a human skin, immune system and respiratory toxicant. The likelihood of this penetrating the skin is increased by the presence of propylene glycol. Disodium EDTA is also a penetration enhancer. Read more...
