Products blog posts and news

Cellulite Treatment Advice From Dr. Murad

Nearly 90% of women are troubled by cellulite. And after checking out the study done by Nivea, cellulite woes go beyond skin-deep.

Red UK magazine offers some tips from Dr. Murad on how to address cellulite:

• Include EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids--found in wild salmon, tuna, walnuts, olive oil) and amino acids (found in poultry, fish, cheese and eggs) in your diet

• Attack cellulite from the outside-in..."Gentle forms of massage are effective," says Dr. Murad. "But avoid extreme massage, where the skin is pinched or pummelled, as it damages blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the fat cells."

• Don't expect more than 20% improvement from topical cellulite creams: "Massaging in topical creams and gels addresses about 20% of the cellulite and can help to improve the skin's surface", says Dr. Murad. "The remaining 80% must be treated with a healthy diet and supplementation."

Considering that some products claim only minimal improvement (recall  Rodial's Boob Job which touted an 8.4% increase in cup size), 20% doesn't sound so bad.

» Read more

Firming Body Gel From Janssen: Is It Worth It?

If I had my way, I'd be hanging out in a bathing suit daily--preferably near water. Of course this would also mean some skin would be visible. You've all heard me sing the praises of self-tanners as mommy's little helper when it comes to baring skin--but sometimes you just want to have the best-looking skin you can without too much effort. That's why I tried the tan-free Janssen Cosmeceutical Opus Gratia Firming Body Gel.

» Read more

The Week In Beauty Cred: What's Hot & What's Worth It

It's been a good week--anytime you hear a biopsy for skin cancer comes back benign--that's good, no very good. Particularly as it's a gloriously sunny day here in the NY metro area. And sun was a hot topic this week on Beauty Cred which leads me to what's been BEAUTYCREDible on Beauty Cred this week...

» Read more

Skip Heidi Klum's In An Instant--it's All Show And No Tell

There's plenty of buzz about In An Instant and Heidi Klum herself has been singing her skincare line's praises. But what's so great about In An Instant products? Some RealSelf.com readers simply wonder where to buy In An Instant.

Ms. Klum revealed little in her interview with BellaSugar, saying:

"You get immediate results. My favorite product is the Instant Wrinkle Smoother. You just apply it to any lines on your face and they instantly disappear — it’s incredible."

Thanks Heidi, that was really unhelpful.  The In An Instant skincare line includes the following products...

1. Gentle Foaming Cleanser
2. Intensive Firming Serum
3. Instant Wrinkle Smoother
4. Intant Daily Tinted Moisturizer
5. Instant Warming Scrub

I would've provided links, of course, but there's nothing to link to.

» Read more

Intelligent Aesthetics Launches To End False Hope In Skincare

So it appears the new catch-word in beauty marketing is "truth". Intelligent Aesthetics (developed by Northeast Dermatology Aesthetics) is a new dermatological skincare line whose tagline is "Truth-based Skincare" along with "The end of False Hope". Sounds like someone's talking my language. But then, Cosmedicine's tagline is "Truth is Beauty". It starts to beg the question, "why should I trust you?"

» Read more

What You Need To Know About Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is in vogue in beauty. Royal Jelly is a milky substance (see pic)  that's produced by young worker bees for the queen bee's nourishment.

Royal Jelly is a staple of natural skincare formulas (like Burt's Bees); it's in mass hair care such as L'Oreal's new Vive Pro Hydra Gloss Moisturizing line. Royal Jelly is found in combination with peptides and hyaluronic acid in more "serious" skincare formulas such as Bee Royal Products PepTox Wrinkle Relaxing Cream.

So what's so good about Royal Jelly?

For starters, it's vitamin-, mineral-, and protein-rich. Royal Jelly contains a whopping 134 nutrients, including 17 amino acids and vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as multiple B-vitamins. Plus, it's been found to have both antioxidant and antibiotic properties.

Royal Jelly is mostly added to skin products to act as a moisturizer that works to smooth skin's texture and help minimize fine lines.

» Read more

Is The Ped Egg Worth It?

Ok, ok. I know what you're thinking. The PedEgg Footfile? But I'm guessing if you've seen the "As Seen on TV" ads and then walked past the displays of Ped Eggs in the grocery store, drug store, Wal-Mart, Target....everywhere...you, too, have had that moment where you slow down your step and consider, "I'm wonder if it really works"--but then you quickly move on and forego actually buying it for fear someone would actually see you doing so. I know. I've been there.

» Read more

The Week In Beauty Cred: What's Hot & What's Worth It

Happy 4th of July! The kids are bouncing off the walls with their 3D fireworks glasses and I'm working on homemade ice cream cake (note to self: file under "never do again"). It's a good time for a break to reflect on what's been BEAUTYCREDible on Beauty Cred this week...

» Read more

Olay Beauty Sleep Brightener...is It Worth It?

There's been a fair amount of talk in beautyland about skin brighteners. It tends to happen every year as we approach the warmer months when a mere nanosecond of sunlight will cause discolorations to start showing up unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome. And this year brighteners had a special moment in the spotlight with the news that--drumroll please--it's not just wrinkles that make you look old; it's really discoloration & dullness that get you first!

» Read more

Tightening Leg Lotion Worth It

If you're old enough to remember the frenzy that occurred around the James Bond "For Your Eyes Only" movie poster, then you remember how those legs were suddenly the ideal ones to have. I don't have any aspirations of having such airbrushed legs, but I still want to have legs that are as toned as possible for an over 40 chick with 3 small kids and zero time. Yes, I admit to looking for the answer in a body lotion vs. hitting the gym.

» Read more