Search results matching tags 'anti-aging' and 'uv protection'

Tinted Sun Protection c/o Quintessence, Jan Marini, Philosophy and Abella!

Karen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:42:00 GMT

I promised you all (in yesterday’s blog entry) that today I’d share with you a few of my favorite tinted sunscreens. They are all amazing in terms of color, protection and hydration and even have anti-aging nourishing properties as well. These are the ultimate multi-tasking skin and sun care products.

Quintessence Sunshade SPF 30 Medium Tint
This is broad-spectrum sun protection at its best. It’s formulated with trademarked Z-Cote and contains green tea and vitamins D and E. The color is amazing and there are tints for different skin tones. It’s perfect for use after non surgical facial treatments such as superficial peels and microdermabrasion when sun protection is critical.

Jan Marini Daily Face SPF 30 Sun Kissed Sand
This exceptional sunscreen combines state of the art sun protection with a powerful antioxidant and superb hydrating properties. My all time favorite!

Philosophy Shelter Tinted SPF 30
This antioxidant rich formula provides anti-aging benefits along with moisturizing and soothes the skin. It’s lightweight, provides a matte finish and excellent protection. The tinted color compliments most any skin tone. Amazing sheer coverage!

Abella ColorShade SPF30 + Medium
Abella offers this stellar sun protective tinted moisturizer in four different shades. It’s formulated with green tea extract which offers anti-cancer benefits as well as repairs past UV damage. It may be used alone or blended right into your favorite foundation. It’s perfect for those with sensitive skin.

Summertime hair!

Karen — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:48:00 GMT

For gorgeous summertime hair you’ve got to up the ante a little in terms of special shampoos, conditioners and treatments. This holds especially true for those of us with color or highlighted hair.

For beautiful summertime locks check out Frederic Fekkai ADVANCED Salon Technician Color Care Travel Faves Kit. It’s a great way to try out Frederic Fekkai products as well as give yourself a needed summer boost of vibrant beautiful hair. It contains a natural shield (Galanga Root) that prevents UV damage from the sun’s harmful rays. Hot summer sun can damage your hair dramatically if you don’t keep it protected.

The kit also includes Salon Technician Color Care Shampoo which cleanses and protects while also fighting dreaded hair-color fade. Next, it has Salon Technician Color Care Conditioner which promotes silky shine and is rich in emollients. You’ll also receive a Salon Technician Anti-Fade Top Coat that seals the cuticle of the hair shaft which prevents frizz and color fade and also protects the hair from daily environmental damage. It has a brilliant purse size Sheer Hold Hair Spray that produces an all day “feather-weight” brush through hold without ever feeling sticky. Just beautiful and soft!

CosMedix Corrects!

Karen — Wed, 05 May 2010 06:36:00 GMT

After yesterday’s CosMedix article I got so many great responses about this brand that I thought I ought to tell you all about an incredible kit from this phenomenal company.

CosMedix Correct Kit is a retinol based regimen that is mega skin brightening and a complete skin correction program. It comes with an amazing cleanser called Benefit Clean that calms and protects the skin. It also has Affirm which is an antioxidant serum that dramatically reduces free radical damage. Additionally, it includes Define which is a vitamin A resurfacing treatment. And lastly an outstanding hydrator called Hydrate+ which not only moisturizes but also protects with an spf 17.

CosMedix is extraordinary!!

The Beauty Ingredients Snob! Part One!

Karen — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:09:00 GMT

One of the main reasons I consider myself an expert in skincare is because I always want to know the “x” factor. I want to know why products work. And simply put the “x” factor is the active ingredient(s) within the product themselves.

Think of back in the day when women simply lathered a thick coating of cold cream on their face. It does indeed make your face feel softer and more hydrated but could it possibly repair or nourish? Not likely. The only way in my opinion to facilitate a physiological action would be to shrink the molecules of the active ingredients or add a delivery system to get those ingredients to the deeper cells in the skin. This is where collagen production takes place. Additionally, the superficial layers must be exfoliated and again ingredients play a key role in that action as well.

I will be doing a whole series on ingredients over the next few days or however long it takes to convey the importance of these complex pieces of the skincare and beauty regimen puzzle.

Today I’d just like you to take a look at the many verbs in the word “ingredients” below. These verbs are potentially what you can reasonably expect when you choose products with the correct ingredients for your specific indications and needs.

Improves and illuminates
Nourishes
Gives a lift and protects
Repairs, refines, relieves, reveals and resurfaces
Exfoliates, enhances and evens out color
Detoxifies and diminishes
Invigorates and increases circulation
Enhances and encourages
Nurses redness, blemishes and other skin conditions
Tightens and tones
Softens, stimulates and strengthens

Next time…we’re going to take a look at my favorite skincare ingredients!

Anti-Aging Regimens for Generations X and Y!

Karen — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:04:00 GMT

What can younger men and women do to prevent aging skin? Of course we’re aware of the obvious such as, don’t smoke or stop if you do; drink plenty of water; eat well, cleanse and moisturize twice daily and use sunscreen. But what products out there are formulated specifically for women and men in their 20’s and 30’s that want to focus on a great regimen for a clear, gorgeous complexion but also help with anti-aging issues? Below is a list of remarkable kits that are ideal for this particular scenario. These regimens will help you attain and maintain beautiful skin that is replenished, nourished and protected.

Peter Thomas Roth Age Defense Kit
Kit Includes:
• Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel, 2 oz
• Max All Day Moisture Defense Cream SPF30, .5 oz
• Un-Wrinkle, .1 oz
• Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Crème, .76 oz
• Mega Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Cellular Eye Crème, .28 oz
• Cosmetic Bag

SkinCeuticals Skin System II Defend
Kit Includes:
• Serum 15 AOX, 1oz
• Hydrating B5 Gel, 1oz
• Daily Sun Defense SPF 20, 3oz
• Foaming Cleanser, 5oz
• Skin System Bag

Juice Beauty Age Defying Solutions Kit
Kit Includes:
• Green Apple Cleansing Gel, 4oz
• Green Apple Peel, 0.5oz
• Green Apple Antioxidant Serum, 0.25oz
• Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer, 0.5oz
• Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer, 0.5oz

When it’s Cold and Dry Outside…I’m Crazy for Kerstin Florian!

Karen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:06:00 GMT

When in the bitter cold...do as the Beauty Researchers do! Treat and protect your dehydrated skin and lips with Kerstin Florian!

I’m so crazy about the moisturizing and soothing properties of Kerstin Florian products that I just had to share a few of my favorite products I use during the cold brutal winter months when I’m in Utah with my daughter or up in the Sierra’s where I used to live.

Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Liposome Night Crème (I use this baby all year long!!):
Nourishes, rehydrates, oxygenates, and rejuvenates!

Kerstin Florian Lip Balm (life saver for lips!):
Orange, peppermint and organic canola oils in wild harvested beeswax with and SPF15. Need I say more? Lips are left brilliantly smooth, soft and moist. Love it!

Kerstin Florian Krauter Chamomile Body Lotion (your skin will drink it up!):

• Aloe leaf juice is healing and soothing.
• Vitamin E provides antioxidant nourishment.
• Chamomile extract is calming and soothing.
• Emollient jojoba seed oil is nourishing, moisturizing and healing.

Kerstin Florian Sun Protection SPF30 Face and Body (never leave home without it!):

Elizabeth Arden…My Royal Regimen! Part 3!

Karen — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:06:00 GMT

I told you I would reveal my incredible Elizabeth Arden regimen and here it is...

Cleanser: Elizabeth Arden 2 in 1 Cleanser from the Basic Skincare Line. For those of you who know me…I like to find the best cleanser that doesn’t dry out my already dry skin and I refuse to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a cleanser. I’d rather save my cash for the good stuff…like serums, and anti-aging treatments! I’ve also rarely used toners in my life but I love that this cleanser has one built right in. My skin looks clarified, radiant and my pores minimized. And all for under twenty bucks!!

Eyes: Holy Cow…if you can only get one thing from my regimen…this would be it! I love my Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Lift and Strengthening Eye Capsules. This product is out of the Ceramide line and has the name gold aptly placed in the title…this is the proverbial treasure in my regimen. These little precious gems erase my lines and wrinkles around my eyes and even lift my sagging eyebrows. In addition my eyes look brighter and less puffy. Love it!!!

Targeting deeper wrinkles: Ok actually there are two things you might want to consider if you can only get one…lol! This is another treasure from the Ceramide line and the best part it not only works overtime, but you get immediate results as well! Take a look at my Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Targeted Line Concentrate. Oh my goodness…great product!

Day Cream: My day cream is a multi-tasker from the Intervene line. Elizabeth Arden Intervene Pause and Effect Moisture Lotion SPF15. My skin looks dewy and luminous. It’s lightweight yet I feel luxuriously hydrated. And I don’t have to add another sun block on top as it’s got a sun protection factor of 15 built right in.

Night Time: This is where I let my treatment products work. I like my uber ingredients to work in the middle of the night when sleep is regenerating all my cells. I use two products from the Basic Skincare line at night. They are awesome! Elizabeth Arden Overnight Success Skin Renewal Serum and Good Nights Sleep Restoring Cream. The words Renewal and Restoring in each name speak volumes. I’ve never awaken with skin this gorgeous in my life!

Elizabeth Arden! Part Two!

Karen — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:30:00 GMT

So today I said I’d chat about the individual lines within the superb Elizabeth Arden brand. I also mentioned I’d share with you my very own Elizabeth Arden products I use in my all inclusive Elizabeth Arden regimen!

First a little about each of the lines:

Basic Skincare: Every regimen needs the basics and beautiful skin starts with a basic regimen. Whether you individualize and/or potentiate your regimen with serums and treatments or not; skin needs to be cleansed, moisturized, and protected twice daily to remain beautiful and get even more gorgeous. And the fact that Elizabeth Arden uses the ultimate in ingredients and offers products for all skin types means that you’ll be even further ahead than most skincare lines. In fact, I’m not so sure basic is the best word for this line… with night creams, serums, and specialized eye treatments. It’s way beyond basic!!!

Ceramide: “The Elizabeth Arden Ceramide line infuses innovative, age-fighting ingredients with luxurious textures and scents for the ultimate in anti-aging skin care.” My thought: Ceramide line kicks all anti-aging lines butts! It’s formulated with cutting edge science and it’s worth its weight in gold!!! One of its ingredients is know as SNAP-8 and it does just that…your skin is so firm and the elasticity is so greatly improved you feel like you can practically see it snap back…bye bye sagging skin!

Eight Hour Cream: This particular Elizabeth Arden line has been around since 1930! That speaks volumes! If you want a moisturizing seal that heals, quench’s, and protects your skin for a full eight hours all you need to do is look at this line. It’s a winter must-have!!!

Green Tea: Indulge in hydration and decadent luxury with Camellia Oliefera Leaf Extract…aka Green tea! And now Elizabeth Arden has formulated a body butter with it along with shea butter, aloe, macadamia nut oil and kukui nut oil…It doesn’t get any better than that for the skin of the body!!

Intervene: The award winning Intervene line is a line of products that repairs and prevents the signs of aging. It is formulated with a specialized technology from a botanical extract from the Narcissus Tazetta Bulb. The Intervene liquid foundation is the ultimate in anti-aging makeup..

Pretty: Oh this line speaks for itself right within its name! Elizabeth Arden Pretty is a line of products that are formulated with the most beautiful floral scents. “Pretty is a spirited floral fragrance of exceptional charm. The floral heart is surrounded by a mélange of fruits, wrapped in a well-rounded background of serene woods. At its core is a premiere ingredient, Petalia.” The bottom line is…you will definitely feel pretty!

Pure Finish: Love mineral makeup? Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish paints a flawless face that stays gorgeous all day long. The lightweight powder goes on so ultra sheer almost as if it’s an airbrushed finish…but yet covers imperfections beautifully. You’re left with corrected skin that looks younger, luminous and oh so radiant.

Red Door: You’ve got to check out the Red Door fragrance line. This gorgeous scent is formulated in an array of products. Here are the notes of the sexy, sophisticated and stylish fragrance...

Top Note: Ylang-Ylang and Vibrant Red Roses
Middle Note: Oriental Orchid, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Moroccan Orange Flowers, Forest Lilies, Rich Freesia, Carnation and Wild Violets
Base Note: Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Spicy Vetiver and Honey

I’m thinking my secret regimen is going to have to wait till next week to reveal. This was a whole lot of good Elizabeth Arden info without it! But no worries…I will reveal!

Elizabeth Arden...Shining lines within a Stellar Brand!

Karen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:16:00 GMT

I’m always preaching about how it’s ok to choose products from different lines to design the perfect regimen. However, that’s because I rarely find a complete regimen that covers all one’s individual needs effectively and entirely. Additionally, I have favorites from certain lines that I had refused to give up…and because of that…I’ve discovered along the way that if I want to throw in a particular favorite product with an ingredient such as vitamin C or a particular peptide into my regimen from another line…the regimen works just as well as if all the products were from within the same brand. In other words, I didn’t just theorize it…I lived it. And it worked.

Having said that, I’ve recently found a brand that literally has all the ingredients I use within its whole line. Not only do they have all my required ingredients and steps within their brand…they all work so extremely well that I would have no reason to step out of line sporadically here and there. Additionally, this regimen makes me kind of wonder if perhaps there is something to keeping within the same brand. Like perhaps it seems that one product potentiates the next. Darn...I just hate it when I have to eat my words!! Nah…I couldn’t have been wrong all together…I think it’s just that Elizabeth Arden is so good that it’s extremely difficult to not find a perfect product for any particular need. Besides if a woman is going to show me up…It would certainly have to be Liz, because she definitely knows more about this biz than me. She’s been the real deal when it comes to beauty…and I’m honored to represent!

I think besides the fact that Elizabeth Arden has been a huge leader in the beauty industry for a very long time; the products are easy to understand due to the lines within the whole line model. We’ve all heard of Elizabeth Arden products at some point whether it’s buying a product from a department store or visiting the famed Red Door Spa. But for me, certain ingredients and terms in skincare and cosmetics have always stood out and have long helped me do easier product searching and research. And as per usual the folks at Elizabeth Arden…have listened to all of us whether we are professionals within the business or ordinary customers who know what they want when it comes to beauty.

Here’s the deal: Elizabeth Arden has many stellar products. But because it’s a beauty brand that has so many products (that do so many different things); the smart folks at the company have placed different products within different lines within the whole brand. In a word or two…it’s lines within a great line!

Today I’ll list the lines and tomorrow I’ll chat a little more about each of the lines and share with you my very own ultimate Elizabeth Arden regimen!

Elizabeth Arden Lines:

Elizabeth Arden has been around for close to a hundred years. It has always been equated with quality upscale products and cutting edge science within the beauty industry. Whether you’re in need of a new lipstick, a basic skincare regimen, or the latest innovation in reversing aging skin, there is an Arden product or formulation for you.

Turbo Time Saving Regimen! Brought to you by Philosophy Booster!

Karen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:04:00 GMT

Lately I’ve been so busy I’ve had to formulate some time saving ideas. My friends say I take too long to get ready to go somewhere…which isn’t true (in my opinion...lol)…but just on the slight chance that they’re correct, I decided to see what I could do to speed things up a bit in the bathroom.I realize my guidelines for layering products within your regimen has always been to go from thinner serums to thicker creams. Now obviously, that’s after cleansing and toning if you use a toner/clarifier. However, I’ve found recently with my new and improved quicker me that many serums, lotions and creams may indeed be blended together and applied at the same time. If you have more time, that’s a different story…then do it in steps. But when you don’t have the time I haven’t found any issues to speak of with these particular products.

After cleansing, makeup removing and toning in one great step with a great multi-tasking cleanser such as MD SkinCare All in One Facial Cleanser with Toner… I’m now already to jump to treatment, repair, hydration, and sun protection in the next step. I take my Philosophy Turbo Booster C Powder and mix it right into my Jan Marini Daily Face SPF Sun Kissed Sand spf30 and apply.

Voila! My face is now brightly cleansed. In addition, with my Jan Marini Daily Face Sun Kissed SPF30 and Philosophy Booster combo, I’ve moisturized, anti-aged with vitamin C and antioxidants, applied a beautiful sun kissed color with ample sun protection to my face and neck in less than five minutes with . I apply a little mascara, a stroke or two of blusher and smooth on the lip color of my choice and I’m off….

Now what are my girlfriends going to complain about??? Oh I better set out something to wear the night before!! Hehehe!