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...
January 12, 2010
Posted by copley
If you’re a regular beauty magazine reader or like to follow the mainstream skincare fads, then you’ve probably bought a bottle of St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub – and you may have enjoyed its fresh scent and not-too-harsh exfoliating effects. This drugstore denizen doesn’t set you back more than $4 and has charmed nearly every teen, beauty, bride, and health magazine editor under the sun. The problem is that all along the ingredients in St. Ives’ seemingly natural scrub have been a far cry from healthy. Under that facade of fresh fruit, St. Ives has been hiding a few dirty secrets. And up until recently, those secrets have been swept under the carpet. Read more...
December 1, 2009
Posted by Reader
Reviewed by Mark
We’ve all been there. At first it seems like the perfect match. Then, before you know it, you’ve become dull. You know the relationship has become lackluster. And though you get little out of it, you go through the same old routine. You rue the time and money you’ve already invested. But then the opportunity comes along for a dalliance. How tempting. Will you take it? I did.
Abandoning any other skincare routine, my latest intrigue was with a duo of YBF (Your Best Face) products: Control and Defend. The line comes with excellent credentials and cutting edge technology that include peptides, high argireline content and antioxidant spin traps. Control uses ingredients that are meant to help erase fine lines and wrinkles, and Defend intends to also help combat oily skin. Read more...
November 25, 2009
Posted by copley
Better known as a starchy side dish than a skincare ingredient, potatoes are a turkey’s most loyal posse on the Thanksgiving table. But do they also warrant a place in your cosmetics? Potatoes are stuffed with benefits to help you achieve clearer and younger-looking skin. Its abundant vitamins and minerals (potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B, and vitamin C among them) can be just as nourishing for your skin as your body. Should you be telling your skin to eat its veggies too?
Believe it or not, your skin may already be consuming potatoes behind your back. A couple of popular ingredients in skincare products are derived from the humble potato. Maltodextrin, a polysaccharide extracted from potatoes (as well as rice and corn), binds to other compounds and helps stabilize cosmetic formulas. But its uses don’t stop there. In 2002, Unilever filed a patent submitting that maltodextrin enhances the anti-aging activity of hydroxy acids and reduces skin irritation associated with weak carboxylic acids. Read more...
November 22, 2009
Posted by jimmy
I think Epicuren Man is one of the most underrated brands in men’s skincare. It doesn’t have much presence (you can’t find it anywhere it seems), which is a shame as it’s an incredibly competent line, using its very own enzyme vitamin protein complexes. Many of the products are pretty specific to skin problems; the one I like is Skintopia Power Equalizing Oil Control.
Those who suffer from oily skin (like me) will be completely pleased with the Epicuren Man Equalizing Oil Control. It fights off excess oil production with pH balancers, antioxidants, and botanical extracts. In fact, the entire line is pretty all natural and it also works for alpha hydroxy exfoliation (known to help control acne and excess oil in skin, which often causes the acne). Willow bark is great for renewing skin by stimulation of cell formation. With the help of salicylic acid (which helps tame acne), it’s great for keeping skin “normal.” Read more...
