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Archives for April 2011
April 25, 2011
InStyle Magazine chooses VIVITÉ Exfoliating Cleanser as “Best Exfoliator for Normal Skin” for the Second Year!
This Month, InStyle Magazine announced their list of the 150 Best Makeup, Hair, and Skin Care products available, and VIVITÉ® Exfoliating Cleanser won as “Best Exfoliator for Normal Skin” for the second year!
I’ve actually been using this product since last year, and I’m not surprised that they won!
Most of us live very hectic lives, and what is so nice about VIVITÉ Exfoliating Cleanser, is that you use it two to three times a week, and it really keeps your skin fresh and polished, but it’s not harsh. You need to use only a small amount… about the size of a nickel, massage it over damp skin, rinse with warm water, and blot it dry with a cloth. ( All this information is right on the tube, and box that it comes in.) It’s easy and the perfectly described “cushiony microbeads” are so gentle that your skin feels amazing when you are done using the product.
(Quoting from the VIVITÉ Fact Sheet) The ingredients in the Exfoliating Cleanser, contain:
• 15% glycolic compound,
• Salicylic acid
and
• Exfoliating microbeads
These products clean, smooth and refine the skin.
Leaders in creating anti-aging skin care, Allergan, has developed a complete VIVITÉ® skin care system. Though a prescription is not necessary, these products are available through skin care physicians across the nation. I recommend that you go to their website and find a doctor near you where you will be able customize VIVITÉ® products for your individual needs. What is so nice about VIVITÉ® is that it can be used alone, or with other products.
Learn more about the VIVITÉ® Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, and all of the VIVITÉ® anti aging products at:
www.ViviteSkinCare.com
And….Congratulations to VIVITÉ® Exfoliating Facial Cleanser for their “second year” of recognition as “Best Exfoliator for normal skin”, by InStyle Magazine!
April 25, 2011
Becca® Creme Blush is a “Must Have” if you’re a Glam Gal on the go!
This is my kind of product! If you’re on the go, and want to look your best in no time, you can multi-task with creamy Becca® blush that goes on with ease, is “highly pigmented” so you don’t need to use a lot to achieve a lovely youthful blush of color that is not only enviable, but imparts a natural look, and is also long lasting!
Here’s how I use Becca® Creme Blush. Once I’ve applied any other “creme-based’ cosmetics, and before I use any powder type products, I apply Becca® Creme Blush on my cheek area to achieve a “flush” of color”. I then put some on my lips, and just a touch diagonally on the outer corner of my eyes. That gives a really nice lifting effect!
The color I use is Terracotta, but there is a wide array of colors to chose from that you can find on their very impressive website : www.becccosmetics.com. I promise you’ll be tempted with many wonderful Becca products, brushes, and multi use cosmetics available on their site.
You can purchase Becca® products on their website, as well as specialty boutiques across the nation.
The price of Becca® Creme Blush is $30, and the time you save with it’s versatility is “Priceless” !
April 24, 2011
“My Beautiful Mommy” is a wonderful children’s book written by “World Renown” Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Salzhauer
Are you considering plastic surgery? Do you wonder how you should approach your children regarding the subject? This is a wonderful children’s book, that is so well written by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Salzhauer, with absolutely beautiful illustrations by Vic Guiza, and it takes it’s place as the first children’s book of it’s kind that tackles the topic of plastic surgery.
I remember when my children were younger and I decided to have reconstructive surgery on my nose. It was a bit of a challenge trying to explain to my young boys what I was having done, that I might look a bit different, have bandages on, and awkwardly try to tell them that there was really nothing for them to worry about. Oh, how I would have loved to have had Dr. Salzhauer’s book, “My Beautiful Mommy”.
Dr.Salhauer had his own personal experience that encouraged him to write this book when he personally had a nose job and had many questions asked by his 4 year old daughter. He also noticed that a number of his clients were not sure about how to answer their children’s questions about procedures that they were going to have.
Quoting Dr. Salzhauer, “I know how scary and intimidating a doctor’s office can be for most children. Kids tend to fill in the blanks when they see mommy in bandages, and they often feel sad, hurt and confused as to what happened. This book is meant to be a guide for parents who have already decided to undergo plastic surgery; and help explain to their children why mommy looks different.”
“My Beautiful Mommy” can be purchased at: www.amazon.com and www.mybeautifulmommy.com. The book sells for $19.95, and you will be able to find out more about Dr.Michael Salzhaue
r, and a summary of
“My Beautiful Mommy”, on the website, as well.
This book is very child friendly. The positive storyline is a very enjoyable read…
April 21, 2011
Tribeca Film Festival Opens in Style
Kudos to the 10th Annual Tribeca Film Festival for opening in style and remembering its purpose and roots! Rather than open at an exclusive gala event, the Tribeca Film Festival opened to the public with an outdoor screening. The screening was followed with a performance by a rock legend. The film festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, and Craig Hatkoff in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The mission of the festival was to help celebrate New York City as a major filmmaking center and to contribute to the long term-recovery of lower Manhattan which was severely impacted after the attacks.
The founders wanted the festival to not only enable the international film community, but the general public as well. They wanted the public to experience the power of films and redefine the film festival experience. In addition to promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center, Rosenthal, De Niro, and Hatkoff help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience. The Tribeca Film Festival is a diverse international film festival that supports both emerging as well as established directors. Since its inception, the film festival has screened over 1200 films from over 80 countries, has attracted an international audience of more than 3.25 million attendees and generated an estimated $660 million in economic activity for New York City.
This year, the festival opened with the world’s premiere of Cameron Crowe’s The Union, a documentary about the collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell. In 2009, Sir Elton John teamed up with his longtime idol Leon Russell to make an album called The Union which was produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett. Director Crowe, (Almost Famous) decided to film their collaborative process from the writing and recording of the songs. I have been a big fan of both since the ‘70’s (I would have done late night babysitting for free just to see Leon on the Midnight Special!) and Elton’s love and admiration for Leon shines through the documentary.
Sir Elton, not only walked the red carpet, but took to the stage after the screening and performed a smattering of his hits spanning the Union, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, You’re Never Too Old to Hold Somebody, I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues, and Your Song. What a way to open the film festival! The festival is a great way to support the film industry in New York City, and a fabulous opportunity to see films that you may not have ever gotten a chance to see.
The Tribeca Film Festival will run through May 1 and screen 93 films. For information on the festival itself, the movie, guide, screening time, and ordering tickets, see http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/
April 20, 2011
Beautiful, Sexy Skin at Any Age? Skin 2 Skin Makes it Possible!
No doubt about it, the skin care industry is a multi-billion dollar business. It is estimated to be worth 43 Billion (yes, that is with a B) a year US! It continues to grow steadily in the past years, and is expected to grow 6.8 % more this year. As a global industry, the biggest markets are Europe and the US. They alone account for over 50% of global skin care sales.
Blame it on Cleopatra! A woman renowned for her beauty, she did everything possible including taking milk baths to preserve it. For generations, it has become the quest of women to improve their skin and delay the effects of aging. It has taken the male population awhile to catch on to this fact, but in recent years there has been enormous growth in the male skin care market. They too have learned the importance of protecting and caring for their skin.
So….with all of the products that are available on the market, how do you know which ones to chose? How can you even begin to evaluate some of the new brands? Can they compete with some of the industry giants? One thing to know, that is prevalent in a lot of the industry, is that the major skin care lines are the same. They are made in the same vats, but they are packaged differently. Yep, that high priced cream was probably made by the same people making the drugstore brands….there might be a slight increase in vitamin dosage, but essentially they are pretty much the same.
Not that the industry wants the consumer to know that fact-they don’t. You are buying a brand. Now, I am not saying that you need to chuck your current regiment. If it works for you, that’s all that matter. However, the consumer should realize that companies that have been around for a long time certainly have advertizing budgets to help publicize their names. What about the little guys?? Are they just as good? In most cases they are better!
One thing to keep in mind is that throughout your life, your skin changes and there are many factors effecting the skin- aging, environment, stress, hormones, diet, overall health, medication, and many other things come into play. What works for you at one age, may not work at another. With your skin constantly changing, and its needs being different, how do you even begin to navigate through the maze of products out there to find something that works? Trial and error can be costly!
One of the purposes of my blog is to bring you in contact with some of these smaller and newer companies. I look for many things in a skin care…..first and foremost that it works! I tend to be green and natural. I like products that were developed either by doctors, by accident and necessity. These products aren’t made by someone chasing the dollar signs, but by individuals who genuinely believe in their products. Price is an issue as well. You shouldn’t have to obtain a small mortgage to buy skin care! Companies that are of the highest integrity- they care for the environment and give back to the community. Companies that have proven results are cost effective, environmentally conscious, and forward thinking. Companies that are offering consumers the most effective skin care available.
Through my own journey, I have been lucky enough to find many small skin care companies and products that fit the bill. I have hopefully introduced you to some of my favorites in my blogs. I am happy to be adding another one that fits the bill. Skin 2 Skin, just one try is all it will take to notice the difference!
Skin 2 Skin was developed out of necessity. Ken Simpson, CEO, President and Founder, had been undergoing radiation treatments on his brain. He had three points of radiation entry on his skin, one being directly under one eye. The radiation did wonders on his tumor, not so much on his skin. Discolored, sore, raw, and overly sensitive, and having being keenly aware of only putting natural ingredients on his skin, Ken started seeking products that would not only protect his skin, but restore it. After extensive research on products available in the market, he found that other products were either synthetic, a combination of synthetic with a small percentage of natural ingredients and low concentrations of 21st century peptide technologies or they were natural and organic with no advanced 21st century peptide technology.
Ken realized that there was a need for something remarkably different in skincare. There was a need for something better and more effective for the age-affected skin of mature men and women. There was a need to have a line that uses 100% plant life, replenish able ingredients, and medical grade ingredients. Welcome to the future of skin care technology!
Ken created a line of non-toxic, natural cleansers, creams, serums and masks made of potent antioxidant elements that quench free radicals and protect against environmental pollutants and toxins. They also use traditional elements like Vitamins A, C, E and certified organic extracts to repair and prevent what they call solar scars or UV damage from the sun. All of their formulations work together to repair existing skin conditions and prevent future skin damage. They use medical grade ingredients-less is more!
The Skin 2 Skin (www.skin2skincare.com) line contains some of the highest concentrations of anti-aging elements known to science. The products are designed to repair, rehydrate and enhance skin elasticity, while noticeably reducing wrinkles and improving the skin’s appearance and balance. You will experience softer and healthier appearing skin within the first use of Skin 2 Skin.
In the two short years the company has been in existence, they have won 11 beauty awards they include “Natural Health Magazine” 2009 Best Beauty Product, “American Spa” 2009 Professional’s Choice Award Finalist, 2009 & 2010 “DaySpa” Editors Choice, 2010 “Shicky’s “Beauty At Its Best Award”, 2010 “Beauty Store Business” Beauty Star Award, 2010 & 2011 “Les Nouvelles Esthetiques & Spa” Readers Choice Best Product Award, and in 2010 we received out PETA certification as Cruelty Free and Vegan. The line is affordable, (especially when you use the required dosage which is a must because the ingredients are medical grade!) and unisex!
Skin 2 Skin pushed the envelope to offer you the best of all worlds: natural, certified organic extracts with the highest possible concentration of 21st century anti-aging peptides and Dermatologist-recommended Alpha Lipoic Acid. I think you’ll enjoy the immediate results. I know I did!
April 17, 2011
New collection of cosmetic brushes and makeup bags from EcoTools® by Alicia Silverstone hit the scene during Earth Month this April
April 2011 is Earth Month. As front runner in eco-friendly cosmetic accessories, it was the perfect time for EcoTools® to ,once again, partner with actress and environmental activist, Alicia Silverstone, whose first launch of cosmetic brushes and makeup bags with EcoTools® was extremely successful.
This new collection is outstanding. The bags have a fabulous new look with different shapes that will get the attention of all women who not only care about our environment, but want to pamper themselves with these “eco-concious carriers”, as well.
Here are a couple of pieces from the new collection. The colors are just beautiful. 
The “mint Green”, “soothing Lavender, and “Alicia’s favorite flowers” present a very classy look as you “go green” in style, and the price point is only $15.99 and under for these cosmetic bags.
The Eco-Tools® by Alicia Silverstone are available at Walgreens, Target, and Walmart.
The eco-friendly materials used in the collection include:
•Natural Hemp
•Recylcled PET
•Non-Toxic Ink
•Tree Free Paper
(quoted from EcoTools® information literature)
Listen in Glam Gals! Next month, in May, we are going to have a “giveaway” of one of these fab new EcoTools® by Alicia Silverstone on our feature page at : www.itsaglamthing.com.
So keep checking in….. YOU may be the lucky winner!
April 15, 2011
Illuminating the Bridge for Pets
Brooklyn Bridge Pup Crawl Update
In New York City, seeing a lot of lights, and a lot of neon is nothing new. A perfect example is Times Square and seeing the neon signs lighting up the sky. We certainly believe in having just” a little” light to illuminate our beloved city, earning us the nickname of “City of Blinding Lights” by U2. I’ve lived here for decades and still look up in wonder of the lights of the city! It’s beautiful!
This Saturday, another spectacular display of neon colors will be evident on the Brooklyn Bridge as an estimated 500 people and 400 dogs walk across the famed bridge. The dogs will all be wearing LED-lit leashes, in hard-to-miss neon shades of blue, green, orange and pink. The Second Annual Pup Crawl, in all of glorious colors, will serve to illuminate the issue of homeless pets.
The success of the Brooklyn Bridge Pup Crawl has spurned other communities to also get in the action of planning the after dark walks. This Saturday, there will be a bi-coastal walk. In addition to the New York City walk, there will be a walk in Upland California. The California dogs and their owners will stroll up and down Euclid Avenue, regarded as one of the most beautiful streets in California. Erie, Pa has a walk scheduled on May 21, where dogs also up for adoption will be on in on the walk.
It is estimated that more than 6 million pets land in shelters every year. About 3 to 4 million (depending on the figures used) will be euthanized for lack adopters. In its debut year of 2009, the Brooklyn Pup Crawl (www.thepupcrawl.com) raised about $2,500 through registrations from the 300 participants. This year, the Brooklyn Pup Crawl has already raised $6,000 through corporate sponsorships and another $3500 from registrations, which will be split among the five animal groups. Donations are still coming in. Also new this year from New York was a way that shelters all over the country can benefit: Corporate Sponsorship. Alto, the Florida based manufacturer of the Lights-Up Leash, has jumped on board. For every $14.95 leash that gets sold, the shelter the customer designates will get $3. Shelters and rescues register as an “affiliate” and put a link to their website to be eligible for the donation. More than 147 shelters and rescues in 30 states and Puerto Rico are already signed up and are receiving funds.
Joseph Hassan, the creator of the Brooklyn Pup Crawl, should be proud. Shelters are getting much needed funding and people are reminded that the pet homelessness issue is still a big one. “We want to encourage people to act — to donate to their local rescues and shelters and adopt from them if they’re able to have a pet in their lives,” he says.
And for us New Yorkers, acclaimed pet photographer Marshall Boprey is doing his part to honor all pet owners. He is doing a sweepstakes on facebook. Simply “Like” BOPREY Photography, and you will be eligible to win a free photo pet shoot and free prints of their pet. He’s giving away over $1,750 in prizes. Yea Marshall! To see more of Marshall’s work, see www.boprey.com.
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”
— Milan Kundera
April 14, 2011
SUNSTICK ~ A “must have” from Elemental Herbs!
We all are on the go, and this unscented or coconut scented, SPF30, chemical free, coral reef safe, zinc sunscreen from Elemental Herbs® is a “must have” for the whole family!
From your pocket to briefcase, back pack, to beach bag, be sure to take this “Planet Friendly” portable little SUNSTICK everywhere you go, and remember, it’s suitable for kids, too! You may want to keep a few on hand.
It’s very important to use sun protection all year round, and with Summer right around the corner, and all of the upcoming outdoor activities…. it’s essential.
I recently had my eyebrows enhanced with permanent color, and was told to use a sunscreen every day to keep the color from fading. SUNSTICK, being so light weight and clear, is the ideal solution for me.
Both gals and guys with outdoor jobs, or sports enthusiasts should also remember not to neglect the back of their necks when applying sunscreen. There’s no mess with SUNSTICK. It’s so easy to apply!
Visit the Elemental Herbs® website where you can get more information about SUNSTICK, and view their other exceptional products, purchase products online, or locate a store near you. www.elementalherbs.com