Beauty pro division

NEW YORK CITY Saturday, September 16, 2006 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Tickets: $25

Event Timing:

* 9:00 am - 10:00am: Private kick-off breakfast for the first 150 ticket purchasers at the "W" Hotel Union Square
* 10:00 am - 10:30 am: Kick-off prize raffle and Fall Fashion Trend Presentation at the "W" Hotel Union Square. All ticket purchasers welcome
* 10:30 am - 6:00 pm: Courtesy shuttles for all ticket purchasers with door-to-door service to top Manhattan fashion boutiques

Details:

* Cadbury Schweppes refreshment lounge at Midnight Oil located in the "W" Hotel Times Square
* SHOP Etc. gift bags to all attendees
* All tour ticket proceeds benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund

Presenting Sponsors:
Adrienne Vittadini, Cadbury Schweppes & Lord & Taylor

Click here to purchase tickets or please call 877-SHOPEtc. (746-7382). For additional information please call 212-649-3015.

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In my never ending search for all things black and beautiful, I came upon a site that has me intrigued. Mahoganybutterfly.com is a website devoted to both inner and outter beauty for women of color. Created by one fabulously devoted woman, it has now become a place for women of color to come together and learn about ourselves.

From dealing with Black Hair Myths...yes, they get really crazy....to raising spiritually healthy black children; from finding the right color red for our rainbow skintones to knowing where to find the latest and greatest styles even if you have your mama's hips, Mahogany Butterfly has become one of my favorite places to lurk on the net.

New media is an area that I struggled with. I wasn't sure if the sources could be trusted or if it was even worth my time as a publicist. I have learned, however that for many, many women, it is becoming their first choice for news and information. This site is a perfect example of the reasons why.

As an underserved population in print (we are, indeed getting more and more titles directed at us...Jolie, Vibe Vixen, Jewel, etc) we are hungry fr any and all info that pertains directly to us. So internet savvy editors, keep it coming! I'm excited and I think many more like me will follow.

Ciao for now,
Nikki

Three major nail polish manufacturers, OPI, Inc, Orly International, and Del Laboratories (which makes the Sally Hansen brands), are now in the process of removing potentially harmful toxins from their products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics lobby group has spent years targeting specific nail polish brands whose products are said to contain ingredients like phthalates, formeldahyde and toluene. These ingredients are on California’s Prop. 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

Sally Hansen, perhaps one of the most well-known U.S. nail varnish companies, has said that they are now reformulating all of their products in order to remove dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene. Orly and OPI, however, have only decided to remove DBP and stated that some of their polishes will still contain traces of the other chemicals. According to Simon Pitman of cosmeticsdesign.com, “recent scientific studies have stressed the line between DBP and underdevelopment of newborn baby boys. Although the chemical is banned by the EU, in the U.S. the FDA has not made any such move.”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics states that “The EPA restricts toluene in drinking water because it can cause nervous system disorders and damage the liver and kidneys. The FDA does not require that cosmetics products be tested for safety before they are sold.”

This most recent move to eliminate harmful chemicals follows changes already made by large cosmetics multinationals, including Avon, Estee Lauder, Revlon, and L’Oreal, who have already confirmed the removal of DBP.

Typically mud for spa treatments come from Utah, Israel, Hungary or even my personal favorite; Baden Baden.

But every so often a new mud shall muck. Can you say South Central Alaska? Lauren Padawer's inspiration for a beauty product made of glacial mud struck during a grungy rafting trip down the Copper River.

After days of paddling in south central Alaska, Padawer and her companions needed to get clean. Washing herself in the river's glacial pools, Padawer looked down at the mud swirling around her feet and saw opportunity.

"You would just lather yourself with this stuff," said Padawer. "It is about as luscious mud bath quality as you can find anywhere in the world,"

Makeup artist Ken Mendelson talks about mineral cosmetics, color trends and Jane Iredale at New York fashion week.

It’s 5 o’clock on Friday, time for some much need R&R, so what do you chose, superficial self indulgence or happy hour? Martinis vs. manicures? Well ladies (and you metro-men), you can stop fretting. The age old dilemma has been solved. You can now have your cake and eat it too at the Beauty Bar. Kill two birds with one stone, buy a ten dollar martini and receive a free manicure. I would like to personally applaud the geniuses behind this ground breaking concept. If the thought of complete nirvana has ever crossed your mind while receiving a manicure, then you haven’t tried it with a dirty martini in your other (manicured) hand.

Seen above is Masela Lusha having her eyes adorned with minerals from Jane Iredale. Jane Iredale was one of the sponsors at the Ultimate Green Room. Jane believes "The most beautiful cosmetic you can wear is a healthy skin" Other celebrities who visited: Daphne Zuniga, Nick Gonzalez, Ashley & Courtney Peldon, Kathy Griffin, Kathy Najimy, Bahar Soomekh & Daryl Hanna. Take a walk around with Daryl Hanna and view the video below. The first interview is on Jane Iredale.

Levels of vitamin E in women during pregnancy are inversely associated with the risk of asthma in their children, according to a report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

However, in an interview Dr. Graham Devereux emphasized that "the message for pregnant women isn't to go out and stock up on vitamin E." He explained that the use of vitamin E supplements during pregnancy is controversial with many studies suggesting no benefit and possibly even a harmful effect.

As such, the current findings have no immediate implications for treatment, but hopefully will lead to studies that could provide definitive answers, Dr. Devereux, from the University of Aberdeen in the UK, noted. For now, "pregnant women should just be encouraged to eat a healthy diet."

It's no secret - Victoria's new makeup line is a success. Victoria's Secret, the intimate apparel unit of retailer Limited Brands Inc. said on Wednesday its new makeup line has surpassed its own forecasts, adding to Victoria's Secret overall growth.

After seeing early demand in New York and Los Angeles, the company plans to expand the full cosmetics line, which features sensually named lip colors like "Beg Me" and "Make Out" to more of its 1,000 stores, from the current 600.

Far be it from me to critique a worthy cause like raising funds for breast cancer research but has anyone else noticed that the entire month of October that one is inundated by "worthy" purchases of lipglosses, eye shadow palettes, shower gels, and other beauty products by companies hoping to gain publicity and better sales rates through participation in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Now real beauty addicts don't need an excuse to add to their collection of cosmetics but it is a worrying trend that one can now find literally hundreds of products purporting to donate a portion of sales to worthy breast cancer charities.

If you are really in the market for a new pink lipgloss or shower gel then by all means this October make sure it is one that is participating in fundraising.

But if you are buying out a genuine desire to help fund breast cancer research then perhaps you should donate the entire amount of your purchase to a charity like the Susan G. Koman Foundation. Better yet, you can get yourself a mammogram and use the money to buy yourself a nice shot of wheatgrass or an antioxidant rich smoothie and log online to find ways to help reduce your own risk of getting breast cancer.

Otherwise the funniest possible product for a breast cancer month tie-in surely has to be a breast firming cream but that doesn't have the same public relations ring to it as a nice pink lipgloss now does it?

This week, the TODAY show has been doing a series called Hidden Germs. Who knew Matt Lauer was such a germaphob? They did germ investigations in grocery stores, baby bags, and …makeup counters! Now, I was always squeamish when trying on different shades at counters (who knows who’s been touching those things!), but after watching Janice Lieberman’s report, never again will I try ANYTHING at these counters, no matter how pretty the colors look. Not that I have to anymore, but I’ll get to that later.

Liberman brought samples of the makeup testers from some unknown department store to researchers. They found germs in everything – lipstick, lip gloss, eye shadow, brushes and even the containers that hold the little spatulas! One of the germs found was staphylococcus aureus which causes pink eye and other infections.

Just by using the testers at the makeup counters, you can spread your germs and pick up someone else's. Even free makeovers can be harmful if the makeup artist that’s doing it is using the testers on display. The Consumer Product and Safety Commission reported that thousands of people can contract skin and eye irritations from shared testers every year.

Now, onto why I don’t have to be afraid of germs in my makeup – JANE IREDALE! Iredale Mineral Cosmetics has done extensive bacterial testing so every product in safe and healthy for the skin. Her line of mineral cosmetics is inert, meaning nothing can harbor bacteria. So, in a nutshell there’s no need to be afraid of germs in her testers!

My favorite cosmetic critic responds;

Q. I am a massage therapist and I regularly use essential oils in my treatments. In fact, certain specialty treatments call for copious amounts of pure essential oils to be put on the back and limbs, along with other vegetable oils. Is this safe? After reading your book, and treating my own facial skin, I know that essential oils aren't good for the face (because of irritation or a sensitizing skin reaction), but are they a problem on the rest of the body? How can I incorporate aromatherapy into my massages without compromising the health of the skin?

Anything that irritates the skin is a problem. In terms of essential oils (meaning aromatic oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, etc.), their possible benefit for providing antioxidant protection is easily replaced with other oils that have no risk of causing irritation, such as olive, evening primrose, canola, and sunflower oils, which you are already using (at least that's what I assume you mean by other vegetable oils). If aromatic oils have other benefits when applied directly to the skin, I have seen no research indicating what they may be, but their potential for problems is well-established.

In terms of massage, a favorite indulgence of mine, I always ask the massage therapist to spray essential oils in the air or to use a heat diffuser so my senses get the benefit and my skin doesn't have to risk the irritation. However, because people get massages periodically and not daily, the occasional use of essential oils during a massage is not going to be a big problem. It is the repeated use of irritating substances, particularly on the face, that is cause for the greatest concern when the goal is to keep your skin healthy.

If the paper of note (New York Times) says it is a trend then it must be true: buttock facials With the recent fixation on the junk in the trunk, spas are promoting special “facials” for the posterior in Miami, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston, as well as in New York.

For those who missed it, Barbies manufacturer Mattel sent The Body Shop a cease and desist order after posters featuring Ruby - a self proclaimed Anti-Barbie spokesperson started appearing in American shop windows. This banned advertisement was also forbidden to be hung up in the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway. The complaints included her “nude and nippless figure” being exposed to the public which offended people in the US and China.

I knew the day would come when one of the top 5; Lauder, L'Oreal, etc. would jump on the organic band wagon. Clarins steps in organic cosmetics. French cosmetics maker Clarins has concluded an agreement with organic cosmetics producer Kibio for the joint development of a line of natural organic cosmetics. Under the terms of this agreement, Clarins acquires a 10% stake in Kibio SAS and subscribes to the full amount of a convertible bond issue. The total investment is EUR 3 million. The conversion of the bonds which will be possible starting in 2008 will enable Clarins to increase its shareholding in Kibio to 60%.

Kibio, created in 2005 by Pierre Cabane and Laurent Potier, has developed a line of organic products certified by Ecocert.

Currently in the initial commercial development phase, Kibio products are mainly distributed through direct sales using the method of home demonstrations. The products are also available for sale at the brand's website: www.kibio.com

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Pampering and healthy skin across the nation. Every woman loves a little time for rest and relaxation. According to a survey conducted by the International Spa Association spas are one of the biggest growth industries in America.

According to the results, 95 million visits are made to spas in the United States annually generating $5 billion in revenues. Spas generate more in revenue than ski resorts ($3.1 billion) and only slightly less than box office receipts ($7.5 billion).

With these kind of numbers in mind it is no wonder that Spa Week has grown into an incredible public relations event for spas around the country. With over 300 spas participating from coast to coast and all around the country, Spa Week is setting up shop in a city near you. Spa Week hits New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Miami and Minnesota October 16th-22nd.

But Spa Week isn't just about facials and massages. Keeping in spirit with the desire to reach out to women across the country desiring to be pampered Jane Iredale Cosmetics is one of the sponsors of Spa Week

One lucky winner will receive Jane's Fall 2006 line. So hop to it and enter here! Just think how great your makeup will look freshly pampered skin after Spa Week!

Jane Iredale—The Skin Care Makeup® launched Global Beauty, an extension of their global palette designed specifically for women of color at a star-studded VIP event held at the penthouse of Loft Eleven in New York City.

The October 19, 2006 event highlighted several new foundation shades and a color palette tailored specifically for women of Mediterranean, African American, Latina, Indian and Asian ethnicity. The new collection was showcased by models emulating icons who had a major influence on style. Seven models were transformed into Aishwarya Rai, Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha), Diana Ross, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Dorothy Dandridge and Sophia Loren. Hair styling was by JOICO.

To celebrate this first in cosmetics history, Jane Iredale, Founder and President of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics presented the models, “I created this line because everyone deserves a healthy skin,” says Iredale. “Now everyone can enjoy the quality of superior cosmetics with skincare benefits.”

Attendees dined on wine and champagne provided by Kluge Estate; rich, decadent chocolates provided by Chocolate Springs, based in Lenox, MA; oxygenated water by OGO and a towering chocolate fountain provided by Xttras.
VIP celebrity makeup artists and editor attendees from Vogue, Allure, Blueprint, CBS, ABC and others received an exclusive gift bag, which included products from the new jane iredale Global Beauty Collection, JOICO hair care, Kluge Estate, OGO, Chocolate Springs, Human Beenz apparel, Epionce skincare, Sprayology oral homeopathic sprays, JUVA MediSpa, Blair Delmonico fine apparel and accessories and fresh, preservative-free chocolate by Verē.

Jane Iredale introduced her unique makeup line in May of 1994. It was the first full makeup line on the market to offer not just color enhancement, but also benefits for the skin. The products are based on micronized minerals and are made without fillers and binders (such as talc and mineral oil) and are free of common sensitizers such as chemical dyes, preservatives and perfumes. jane iredale products are carried by destination spas, salons and medical clinics throughout the world. Jane Iredale expanded her product line with Global Beauty in October, 2006 to offer a full color cosmetics line with skincare benefits to women of all ethnicities.

I was grabbing my usual morning cup of java the other day at my favorite local café in LA when a lady and her teenage daughter stopped me in my tracks and demanded to know what I use on my skin. Caught off guard by the beauty inquisition from the mother/daughter duo, a flashback of my bathroom medicine cabinet quickly came to me and I immediately blurted the word, “Skingenic!”

Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. expects China to surpass South Korea as its second-biggest market in Asia by 2010 as aggressive marketing efforts help the cosmetics firm expand faster than its rivals, a company executive said. The U.S. firm is outperforming the growth of the Chinese market for high-end beauty products, which it expects to top 30 percent in 2006, Carol Shen, managing director of Estee Lauder in China, told Reuters in an interview.

"We're growing at 35 to 40 percent in China, and we expect to remain in that range in the next two to three years," Shen said. "Based on our internal projections, by 2010 we should be the No. 2 market, next to Japan and beating Korea."

Estee Lauder, whose brands include Clinique, Aveda and Bobbi Brown, ranks China as its fifth-largest market in the Asia Pacific region, where sales totaled $869.7 million in the 2006 fiscal year -- accounting for 13.5 percent of the whole group. Estee Lauder mainly targets women between 25 and 35 years of age in China, where skin-whitening lotions rank among the most popular products.

Shen declined to provide figures for the Chinese business but said she hoped the Estee Lauder brand would replace L'Oreal's Lancome line as the leader in the country's small but booming market for prestige cosmetics. China's overall cosmetics and toiletries market grew 10.8 percent in 2005 to $10.3 billion, according to Euromonitor data -- just one-third of the Japanese market. Taiwan-born Shen estimated the luxury segment accounted for some 4 percent of the Chinese market and said Estee Lauder had a 20 percent market share within its distribution network of some 60 department stores nationwide.

Procter & Gamble's SK-II skincare products used to be the second best-selling prestige brand before regulators in September raised concerns about its safety, prompting P&G to halt sales, which boosted Estee Lauder, she said. A key challenge for the firm in the fairly young Chinese market is to retain customers, who are not as faithful to specific brands as consumers in other, more mature markets. "We do see a lot of brand switching, because this is the first batch of luxury cosmetics users. They want to try all the new brands," Shen said.

The firm expects an aggressive branding plan to benefit the Clinique and Estee Lauder brands, which were launched in China in 1993 and account for 70 percent of its sales in the country.
"Our brand Clinique is doing a lot of programs with students. We want to make sure that when they get their first paycheck, the brand they go to buy is Clinique," she said. Despite high costs for such campaigns, Estee Lauder is profitable in China, Shen said. The New York-based firm's Asia Pacific business accounted for roughly one-tenth of group operating income in the 2006 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

The advent of long-lasting make-up and the resurgence of heavy creams are stimulating a lot of dirty activity on skin, contributing to under-surface congestion and an overall dull complexion. Add in our skin’s natural sebum (oil) and environmental pollutants that surround us in the air and we have quite the cocktail of debris lingering on skin and working down into our pores.

Now just think back to that cleanse you performed today: does it seem like it was thorough enough to cut through it all? Chances are it was not, because the average person cleanses their skin for only 20 seconds with a water-soluble cleanser that cannot thoroughly break down and remove all that oil-based debris.

You remember the saying oil and water don’t mix, right? The same principle applies to your water-based cleanser and the oil-based debris on your skin. And if they don’t mix, and instead repel each other, how is your water-based cleanser going to ever remove that oil, dirt and grime?

Truth is only oil can cut through and thoroughly remove oil. (Don’t worry oil-phobes! There are oils that rinse clean from skin without leaving a greasy residue or contributing to any additional oily build-up.) And with the right oil-based cleanser, layers of oily debris are adequately removed, leaving behind nothing but ultra-clean skin.

Introducing Rihanna, CoverGirl'snew “IT” Girl

First there was Lana Ogilvie, Brandy and Queen Latifah, now CoverGirl has announced Rihanna as its newest spokesmodel for the multi-billion dollar color line. The ads will start appearing in summer of 2007, perfect timing since her next album is also due mid-2007.

Not only will the campaign serve to broaden Rihanna’s portfolio and put her in the running with supermodels such as Christie Brinkley and media moguls like Queen Latifah but it also serves to directly market CoverGirl to not only a younger group (the songstress is 18-years old) but a more diverse group. Long gone are the days where color lines are specifically tailored for a specific ethnic group. Now cosmetic giants are developing broader color palettes to accommodate women of all ethnicities: Caribbean, African American, Latina, Asian, Indian, etc.

Rihanna’s no newbie when it comes to cosmetics. In an official statement, she noted “I've loved makeup and dreamed of being a CoverGirl since I was a little girl.”
“Growing up, my mother was a makeup artist and I was fascinated watching her apply lipcolor, blush and mascara. Now I get to be surrounded by all of my favorites from CoverGirl!”
Gina Drosos, Vice President and General Manager of Global Cosmetics, Procter & Gamble Beauty commented, “Rihanna is a talented, confident young woman who exemplifies the CoverGirl ideals with her inner confidence and fresh beauty. We're proud to welcome her to the CoverGirl family.”

As a licensed esthetician I always get asked "Pierce what wrinkle creams really work?" My answer.... lasers, injectables and some good SPF! Interesting enough our beauty industry is becoming more and more jaded and the smart brands are no longer marketing anti-aging wrinkle creams. Though this is a 1 billion dollar category in the USA - intelligent companies are pushing the envelope with more lifestyle products.

But for those of us that do fall victim to the trend of a anti-wrinkle potions Consumer Reports Magazine in their January 2007 reveals that it really is just a bunch of b.s. I love this magazine largely because they don’t take PR pitches, mass consumer advertising or even let you submit products for testing. It’s 100% objective.

On page 12 is the Consumer Reports review of wrinkle creams. They review a ton and basically say that NONE of them work. Consumer Reports tells readers that the results were far from conclusive after scientifically monitoring and examining the women testers, who were between the ages of 30 and 70. The testing was done by Consumers Union's French counterpart, l'Union Federale des Consommateurs-Que Choisir, and the female testers were recruited by a European laboratory specializing in cosmetic evaluation.

After 12 weeks of testing "a sample of top-selling mass market lines (Olay, L'Oreal, RoC, La Prairie, StriVectin)'' what the researchers found was "only slight improvements.''

Only two brands of wrinkle creams show any signs of working after their clinical trial. And they only show by a low margin of 10% but hey – 10% is better than nothing.

So… what are the two ‘must have items for wrinkle busting’

Olay Regenerist (enhancing lotion, perfecting cream and daily resurfacing cream)
Lanc�me Paris Renergie day and night cream

What’s funny is they both have very similar names.

The worst brand that they said did absolutely nothing was La Prairie (very sad). And I feel horrible for the PR team at Paul Wilmont who works the La Prairie account, they are going to have to do some serious damage control considering anti-aging is what La Pairie was founded on. Other brands that were a bust; RoC, Neutrogena, Avon, L’Oreal, Stri-Vectin and ROC.

Get the article – they also review the best SUV’s, laptops, home computers, cell phones and laundry detergents for 2007 as well.

I love Consumer Reports! But I think I will still keep wearing my Prevage MD in the day and my Renova at night.

Just as with pin straight hair, wavy locks, bobs and any other hair style, bangs have a way of going out and coming back in. For a long while, my hair was all one length, but one day I looked in the mirror and so tired with what I saw, I promptly went to my hair stylist and asked for bangs several months ago. When you get bangs, it's important to take into consideration the shape of your face, but also your forehead size. You certainly don't want to drown your face in your hair or to look wider or heavier.

Unfortunately, I was given bangs that went straight across my entire forehead, which wasn't very flattering on me. When they were almost grown out, I decided to take to the scissors myself, create a part and then give myself angled bangs. What a difference! I look younger (yes!) and my face appears to look thinner, as well.

Many of the models gracing the catwalk now are sporting various styles of bangs, as well. There are those who have choppy bangs, those with angled bangs, some straight across and those with that thick bang look. Getting bangs can create a whole new look for you, but be sure that you talk with your stylist first on which type would be best.

Today I was reading in Women’s Wear Daily that Estee Lauder will be launching a foundation line under its very popular skin care line Resilience Lift Extreme. The foundation will be debuting in 2007 with a marketing campaign that includes Elizabeth Hurley. While ads with Hurley could never persuade me to buy this makeup, because really now, she’s already gorgeous and doesn’t portray the typical person who would need this foundation; the ingredients and science behind the foundation alone might do the trick.

At the age of 32, I’ve definitely noticed my skin losing elasticity and firmness. Since I am not yet ready to take the plunge into plastic surgery and cannot use anything involving chemicals or hormones due to being pregnant, I look to skin care and makeup to give me a temporary fix. The cocktail in this foundation is said to consist of triterpines, tetra and hexapeptides, just as the moisturizer it is named after does. It also includes Polylift, a protein-rich flexible film, that makes skin feel tighter upon application; a lipid complex designed to restore the skin’s natural surface epidermal layer, and seigesbecka, a plant extra that helps the skin maintain its natural elastin and collagen levels. It almost sounds too good to be true and for only $29.50, it surely sounds like it should have a much higher price point.

While Estee Launder will be mainly taking the traditional approach in marketing this foundation, they will also launch an internet campaign early next year. As a makeup Blogger, I am crossing my fingers and toes that this includes marketing to Bloggers for reviews. I will feverishly raise my hand to be one of the lucky ones to try out this foundation that seems like it may be the (temporary) answer to a lot of my aging woes.

What do you think? Too good to be true or truly good?

I remember in my junior year in high school when Elizabeth Taylor came out with White Diamonds. It was kind of odd to see a big name actress extend beyond marketing her movies to marketing a perfume. This time stands out most for me as the first time a celebrity began to mass merchandise their name through not only endorsing a product, but by having a product made specifically to launch sales based on their name being attached and a collaborative effort between the celebrity and fragrance company.

Once Jennifer Lopez's perfume “Glow” really took off four years ago, more and more celebrities have been lured over to creating a perfume line. The latest ventures are with Coty and Gwen Stephani and reportedly, although not confirmed, with Kate Moss. I happen to love Gwen Stephani, but to wear her perfume? I’m not so sure. However, I must be in the minority, as celebrity-endorsed scents represent 23% of the top 100 women's fragrances last year, growing in popularity from 2003 by 10%.

Currently, Kylie Minogue's fragrance is outselling all other celebrity fragrances in the UK, although David Beckham's Intimately Her comes in a close second. So why the surge in celebrity fragrances, and most notably, their surge in popularity? Most likely due to the public’s obsession with the celebrity lifestyle, that somehow by wearing their perfume, one can live vicariously through the scent. Also, the fact that the celebrity is intimately involved in the fragrance creation process. Just as with a song or movie, you want your work to be a hit and not fade into oblivion the minute it debuts, so setting high standards and making sure the scent is just right is a key factor.

What are your thoughts? Do you prefer celebrity perfumes over powerhouse brands?

Looking for longer lasting results to cosmetically combat wrinkles? Then look no further than the newest dermal filler on the block: Radiesse. It was announced just this week that Radiesse has received FDA approval, which means you know that a lot of research and clinical independent studies went into this product and that it can stand by its results.

Dermal fillers are substances that are injected just below the surface of the skin to fill in lines, wrinkles, and scars. Unlike face lifts that stretch the skin, fillers add volume for a more natural youthful appearance. Dermal fillers tend to provide a more natural look than a face lift and can be typically done over your lunch hour.

There are several types of dermal fillers on the market; collagen, hyaluronic based fillers and now Radiesse, which is a calcium hydroxyl apatite filler. Radiesse is made of unique calcium-based microspheres that are suspended in a natural gel that is injected into the skin through a simple, safe and minimally invasive procedure. Using this technology stimulates your skin to produce new collagen.

Of all the dermal fillers out there, Radiesse has been proven to have the longest lasting results. While most last up to a year, Radiesse can last 2 or more years, which means you require less frequent injections.

You can learn more about this new dermal filler by visiting their website www.Radiesse.com or by finding an experienced Radiesse doctor local to you.

For a long while the only scent I would wear was Red Door. However, I’ve found that in each season of my life, my preference towards a certain fragrance changes. While Red Door remains my "fall back" scent, I’ve stopped repeatedly only buying that scent and venturing out to discover new fragrances to suit me.

I’m not alone in my less than loyal approach to fragrances. Many years back, if you purchased a certain brand or fragrance, it became your signature scent and one you would replenish each time the bottle went dry. Now perfume addicts everywhere are moving out of their comfort zone of just one fragrance or brand and moving on to having a menagerie of scents in their collection, not remaining loyal to any one in particular.

Due to our fickle nature, perfume powerhouse brands like L'Oreal and Clarins are seeing a decline in their sales figures month after month, making them race to the drawing board to start over and reconfigure their marketing tactics. Not only their marketing tactics, but creating new scents to keep their consumers happy.

AHAVA, known for its wonderful dead sea salt treatments, has now added another addition to their product line: Pure Spa. The Pure Spa line is an anti-ageing line that contains Dunaliella Sauna, a unique algae living in the Dead Sea that contains exceptionally high concentrations of Beta-Carotene, essential vitamins and antioxidants. Beta-Carotene, which is a powerful, natural antioxidant, helps maintain smooth, disease-free skin, neutralizing the effect of free radicals, reversing the signs of aging, improving skin elasticity, moisture content and suppleness. A lack of vitamin A can lead to oxidative stress, and cause the skin to lose elasticity, to become dry and more prone to wrinkling.

With such products as an Energizing Body Mud Mask, Placid Bath Salts and Body Sorbet Caress, you can’t help but automatically feel ready to be relaxed and rejuvenated by this new product line. The scents involved are Mandarin-Cedarwood and Syringa-Green Apple, which will revive your senses and give you an enduring sense of calm. I don’t know about you, but the Uplifting Butter Salt and Energizing Body Mud Mask seem to be calling my name.

Designer Stella McCartney is launching a new organic skincare line, Care. McCartney was inspired to create Care because cult favorite organic skincare brands often lack the feel, look and smell of luxurious, high end skincare lines. McCartney notes that eco-friendly skincare brands need a more refined presentation: “The packaging, the textures, and the smells are always awful. I didn’t understand why you have to have something that looks terrible in your bathroom because it’s better for your skin or the environment.”

McCartney’s new skincare line uses organic fruits and botanicals from around the world and is packaged in beautiful and delicate bottles designed to be displayed on vanities and bathroom counters instead of hidden away in medicine cabinets. McCartney is proud because Care is a “responsible brand,” because of its use of organic products, recycled papers and materials, and use of wind power from Ecotricity.

If McCartney’s success as a fashion designer is any indication, Care will be a smashing success. McCartney’s collaboration with H&M caused a shopping frenzy around the world in 2005. McCartney notes, “There were people running in and grabbing 50 pieces, arguing. An in New York, all my cousins were calling and saying, ‘Hey, there is a massive line outside of H&M! They are closing down Fifth Avenue!” McCartney’s collaboration with Adidas was also such a hit that her initial three season contract was extended to 2010.

Care skincare line launches in early 2007.

Nestled away on the beautiful island of Mauritius, a new Destination Spa has opened this month. One that is complete with exclusive spa treatments, luxurious beach-front suites and villas, as well as, leisure and health activities that include a fitness center, yoga and meditation center.

The Shanti Ananda Maurice’s spa treatments focus on Ayurveda to Thalassotherapy using both Contemporary and Traditional methods. Both are rooted in ancient Indian culture and have medicinal and therapeutic values. One example of an Ayurveda technique is called Shirodhara. This involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead. These liquids can be oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water or even plain water.

Aside from the wonderful spa treatments it provides, the location of this enchanting destination spa alone will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. The Shanti Ananda Maurice is spread over 36 acres of tropical gardens, taking in views of the hills and Indian Ocean.

The Shanti Ananda offers all-inclusive packages that range from anti-ageing to stress management to weight management, among several others. Each package offers generous treatments and are available at a 20-25% discounted rate until April 30, 2007. The Shanti Ananda Maurice is sure to become a top rated Destination Spa.

Via PRWEB: Infinity Sun is taking Beverly Hills by storm with the world's first and only anti-aging sunless tanning technology. Infinity Sun was co-founded by Veronique Munro, one of the sunless tanning industry's most prominent pioneers and celebrity spray tanners.

Infinity Sun is the first all-natural sunless tanning technology, made with anti-aging anti-oxidants and pure botanicals that not only offer the client the most natural looking customized spray tan, but also hydrate the skin, enhancing natural skin tones and producing a luminescent glow that lasts up to two weeks.

Infinity Sun has joined forces with Jose Eber, world renowned hair stylist to the stars to offer both the famous and general public the most luxurious experience in sunless tanning available. Infinity Sun is enjoyed by celebrity notables such as Jessica Alba and Paris Hilton among others.

Infinity Sun is applied with a proprietary spray system, operated by a sunless tanning professional. The entire process takes approximately three minutes, leaving the skin with a stunning and natural golden brown glow.

Infinity Sun also offers a line of products to maximize the results and extend the life of the tan. Products include a non-abrasive exfoliator, which removes dead skin cells and a prep lotion, which evens the porosity of the skin, enabling the solution to more evenly penetrate the skin. Also available is an extender with shimmer, which extends the tan for an additional two to three days, leaving the skin looking dewy and radiant.

Infinity Sun delights the skin and senses with vanilla-scented aromatherapy in an alcohol-free sunless tanning aerosol. Created with 7 essential oils and vitamin A and E, Infinity Sun aerosol helps to maintain color on areas that are more prone to fading (face, hands and feet) between spray sessions.

Whether you enjoy star-gazing or would like to try Hollywood's latest and greatest advances in sunless tanning, Rodeo Drive is where you can now find this truly luxuriating treatment.

You can experience Infinity Sun at Jose Eber in Beverly Hills.

Clive Owen, a 41-year-old British actor, has been hired to be the latest celebrity to market products for the L'Oreal owned beauty company, Lancome. Previous celebrities that touted the brand are Uma Therman and Mena Suvari, among others. Lancome's hope is that his charming and rugged look will attract more men to feel comfortable purchasing skincare products.

Owen is reported to be getting $2.5 million pounds (you do the math to convert that to US$) for the advertising campaign. Owen will be appearing in ads for Lancome's new men's grooming line, called Lancome Homme, which includes fragrance and anti-ageing products. The ad campaign and products will launch this Spring in the US. However, you can see the products now on Lancome's international website, which I happen to think has a much better layout than their US website.