Beauty pro division

If you're too busy to make an appointment at a day spa or can't spare the cost for skin care treats such as facials, read on to see how a few key organic ingredients and homemade recipes can help you become a do-it-yourself skin care specialist.

Many devoted skincare users have long celebrated organic ingredients and products as an alternative to the sometimes chemically enriched skincare products being churned out constantly. However, knowing what specific ingredients do to benefit skin care practices can help anyone concerned about whether such products would suit them and their skin type. While there are literally too many such ingredients to account for, there are a few whose roles definitely deserve to be in the spotlight.

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

Bree Williamson of ABC's One Life To Live asks, "How well do you know your breasts?" in this PSA for breast cancer awareness.

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.

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.

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.

I came across an interesting beauty line today by a company called SAMPAR. They are based in Paris and recently launched a new line of products called Winsome. The line is comprised of 5 products, which are meant to cleanse, contour, moisturize, protect and invigorate the body. What intrigued me most about SAMPAR is their investment in research to find natural active ingredients that can have a positive effect on the skin and go as far as looking at how their packaging can be beneficial to the product it holds.

The main component in their products is their Urban Active Complex, which contains Shea Butter, Mint Leaf and Vegetal and Milk Sugar. While I didn’t know the benefits of the last two ingredients prior to reading about them, I am well aware of how wonderful Shea Butter is for your skin. SAMPAR combines their Urban Active Complex with essential oils, biopeptides, natural vitamin C and antioxidants.

The Winsome Body line is one that offers protection from the elements such as lead, iron and chlorine found in tap water. While the Dew It Again Shower Gel, Joyous Body Milk and Lap of Luxury Sea Scrub sound divine; I am skeptical about two of the other products. Go Figure Slimming Gel claims to be able to eliminate and break down fats while preventing the appearance of new fat and the Lift Me Up Bust Cream says it can envelop the breasts with an invisible firming film for immediate enhancement. I honestly have yet to find any non-medical beauty product that can do either.

Have you tried any of the products from SAMPAR; what are your thoughts on them?

Dorit Baxter Day Spa, located in Midtown Manhattan, is now offering a massage specifically for those of us working on our computers, Blackberries and other tech devices all day long. Does your neck ache from hunching over? Your wrist hurt from all that mouse activity? Your fingers stiff from typing away? A tension relieving massage targeted at those areas sounds like heaven.

I’ve been to Dorit Baxter Day Spa and I know the wonderful service they provide. After watching the video of the BlackBerry Massage on Reuters today (once you get past a commercial), I so desperately longed to be back in New York City to have the aches in my neck and wrist worked out. Dorit Baxter and her staff are innovative when it comes to giving their clients what they long for. So I wouldn’t be surprised if this massage came as a result of client request. The “tech” massage is $95, but I’m sure your aching muscles will find it worth it.

As we become busier, so comes our need to find time to relax. Relaxing doesn’t necessarily mean vegging out on the couch. More and more people are taking the time from their schedule to indulge in posh spa treatments as the ultimate relaxation indulgence.

Going to the spa is like taking a step into a different world, it’s peaceful, it’s therapeutic, but it also speaks to luxury. As individuals continue to keep spa treatments in demand, more businesses are beginning to capitalize on this.

Hotels and resorts are beginning to offer spa services for their guests making what would’ve been an average hotel stay into an extraordinary one. One such resort that comes to mind that is local to me is Woodloch Pines Resorts. They recently opened their Lodge at Woodloch this past June (see photo gallery here), which is a Destination Spa that from its beginning stages, demanded high quality professionals for the ultimate in service. Woodloch wanted to stand out among its competitors and become a leader in the industry. They accomplished just that by being listed on the Forbes Top Most Luxurious Spa’s list, as well as being listed among the 100 Best Spa’s in the World by Insider’s Guide. Spa’s like The Lodge at Woodloch are thriving due to the growing demand for pampering in luxury and the overall concept of health and wellness.

Decleor Paris is a luxurious face, body and suncare line for both men and women. Decleor was founded by a team of aromatherapy experts who use their knowledge of active plant extracts to create a comprehensive line of products that are both preventative and on going natural skin care. Decleor is also partnered by Shiseido, known for their wonderful beauty products, and are also the 4th largest beauty group in the industry.

Essential oils have wonderful healing properties with aromatic fragrances that, depending on which oil is used or combined with another, promotes such things as well being, calm, relaxation and so on, therefore promoting balance of both body and mind.

While Decleor’s packaging makes you feel like you just bought a diamond necklace at Tiffany’s, don’t be fooled that the luxury ends there. It’s what is inside the package that is luxurious, making your skin look and feel like you just spent hours at the spa. In fact, Decleor also offers Salon and Spa treatments at select locations. Within the US, it is at Hotel Sofitel in Los Angeles where you can receive their Aroma Mosaic treatments that focuses on care of your face, body and the effects of the sun. Each focused treatment is broken down to be tailor made based on the needs of each individual.

You can find Decleor products in various cities throughout the country or locate one close to you with your zip code through their website: www.decleor-us.com

Sharon Bolton Scents
4 out of 5 Stars
Sharon Bolton Scents gifted me with her Body Wash, Lotion and Perfume Oil in Luv. Luv smelled like heaven. It smelled like luxury in a bottle. Luv is the scent of rare pink gardenias, lush Hawaiian white flowers, with a hint of creamy vanilla and a whisper of white musk. The Body Wash is thick and creamy and makes you feel like you are showering at a 5 Star hotel. This scent absolutely lifted my spirits and made me feel like I was being purely indulgent...Read more.

Darshan Beauty: Luna P.M. Creme & Multani Mud Facial Mask
5 out of 5 Stars
Darshan Beauty products are all natural, and because of this, they are only made in small batches to prevent them from spoiling. This thick night cream is made with aloe leaf oil and extract combined with noncomedogenic sesame oil. I can't say it is fragrance free, because there is some scent to it. However, it appeared to be the natural scent of the ingredients and not any added fragrance...Read more.

Pure & Petal Hair Fragrance
4 out of 5 Stars
When I was approached to test out the products I was intrigued because I have never really heard of fragrance for your hair beyond that in your typical shampoo or styling aid. The fragrances are light, so you don't have to worry about smelling like a perfume factory and they are also alcohol-free, so it won't dry out your hair. My favorite was Linden Blossom which is floral linden blossoms and pink grapefruit...Read more.

Booty Parlor Dust Up Body Shimmer
3 out of 5 Stars
Punch Drunk Pink was my favorite because of my fair skin. It provided a light shimmer, that honestly when you dabb some powder on, instantly makes you feel a little "vixen-ish." Punch Drunk Pink is scented like cotton candy and is not glittery, but actually makes your skin glow...Read More.

Hungarian Apothecary Mud comes from the Heviz Lake in the Hungarian town of the same name. The mud has long been known to have healing qualities dating back to the Romans. Heviz Lake is heated by geothermal activity, this combined with water flowing from a catchment area of the surrounding hills taking with it metals and minerals along the way, makes Hungarian Apothecary Mud a highly sought after spa treatment.

Hungarian Apothecary Mud (Moor Mud) from this lake contains a complex array of nutrients, natural trace elements, minerals and humic substances easily absorbed through human skin. The benefits to the skin include toning, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory benefits, which help to renew old or damaged skin cells. Due to the thermal activity in which it resides, the mud is a great retainer of heat, but can also be used cold.

Local New Yorker, Greg Cartwright, owner of Downtime Massage and Skin Care and a dually licensed Massage Therapist and Esthetician, primarily uses Hungarian Apothecary Mud prior to and after Body Sugaring. He has a three-step process he follows prior to Body Sugaring that includes a full body application of Hungarian Apothecary Mud. This eases inflammation and any skin sensitivity prior to hair removal. It is a process he recommends a few days prior to having Body Sugaring done. Once Body Sugaring is complete, the application of Hungarian Apothecary Mud following the procedure helps calm the skin, close pores and begins the healing process immediately. The mud is left on the body for a minimum of 20 minutes.

This mud can be used in a variety of ways including as a facial mask, in a body wrap and for a mud bath. It’s been known to cure over 50 ailments. I have long been a fan of mud and have seen for myself the amazing benefits using it lends.

Be sure to watch for my Industry Experts Profile interview with Greg Cartwright next week on our main blog.

I received the Korres Body Butters Trio and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With winter actually beginning to set in, my skin starts to get so dry and I know that Shea Butter is a fantastic deeply moisturizing lotion.

Korres Body Butter is mineral oil, silicone, propylene glycol and ethanolamine free. The butters glide on smooth with no greasy residue. The trio comes in Guava, a tropical sweet scent; Quince, a fruity & spicy scent; and Yoghurt, a baby pure fresh scent. If I had to pick a favorite scent of the three, it would be Yoghurt because it is so fresh out of the shower clean smelling. Besides Shea Butter, all of the butters contain Sunflower, Almond and Avocado oils, which nourish the skin and restore its elasticity and smoothness.

Some of the benefits of Shea Butter are:

* Helps cell regeneration and capillary circulation. This favors the healing of small wounds, skin cracks and crevices, and skin ulcers. In the cosmetic field, this property is an asset against skin aging. It has restructuring effects on the epidermis, also on dry and fragile hair.

* Due to it’s natural high content of fats, fatty acids, vitamins A, E and F) and other active ingredients; it’s no wonder it has been used for centuries for skin care.

* Shea is used to moisturize severely dry skin. It heals and smoothes itchy dry skin, as well. It has an anti-elastase characteristic that makes it an excellent product to prevent and reduce wrinkles. It aids in the healing of stretch marks and helps heal and restore elasticity to the skin of burn victims. Shea Butter helps control eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and skin discoloration; it helps heal bedsores on bedridden individuals.

Sometimes there are products I get excited about and then there are the products I want to shout from the rooftops about. Some products I got to try out for review from Earth Therapeutics have me wanting to shout from the rooftops without a doubt.

Purifying Salt Scrub Detox Formula: Out of the three products, this is the one that I was most excited to try. I know the benefits of using Salt Scrub, especially those made with Dead Sea Salts. Earth Therapeutics Salt Scrub also contains organic Tea Tree Oil, which enhances cleansing and detoxification, and moisturizing essential oils. While the oils feel slick in the shower, once you get out and dry off, you feel nothing but baby soft skin. Using this once a week has given me fabulously soft skin, which has helped solved my winter-skin dilemma.

Soothing Leg Lotion: The scent of this lotion is heavenly. This lotion has Rosemary, Wild Mint and Aloe Vera. The consistency is almost like a silky shower gel. It spreads easily and absorbs nicely. It made my legs feel wonderfully soft and I loved the scent so much, that I put it on my hands before bed. I found the scent to be so relaxing, that it helped me fall to sleep.

Nail & Cuticle Care: If you are someone whose nails are brittle and whose cuticles crack easily, this is surely the nail conditioner for you. When I rubbed it on my nails and over my cuticles I could almost hear them saying, “ahhh,” in relief. The scent was a nice citrus scent, which I love. It contains Sesame Oil to moisturize, Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil to protect your nails from infection and an Organic Nutrient Matrix to nourish and deep condition your nail bed and cuticles.

Have you used any Earth Therapeutics products? Let me know what you thought in the comments.

Formulated by renowned Beverly Hills dermatologist Stuart H. Kaplan, M.D., kaplanMD Skincare is a revolutionary collection of treatments specifically designed to prevent and treat all 3 types of skin aging caused by Time, Hormonal Imbalances and Environmental Damage.

Rich in patented peptides, botanical extracts, and amino acids, every kaplanMD product contains no less than 10 active ingredients. In addition, every kaplanMD product is enriched with an an exclusive Phytogenic Triactive Complex of organic Soy to firm and plump skin, Grapeseed extract to combat free-radicals, and exotic Black Cohosh to keep skin youthful and supple.

The kaplanMD collection is a potent 4-piece skin renewal system that gently cleanses, soothes, hydrates and renews your skin. Each product contains no less than 10 active ingredients specifically formulated to prevent all 3 types of skin aging, which are caused by time, hormonal imbalances, and sun damage. kaplanMD pH-balanced treatments work synergistically to deliver beautiful, more radiant skin in four easy steps.

Only kaplanMD contains 10 active ingredients in each product to combat all 3 types of skin aging in 1 concise and synergistic line! The result is healthy, radiant and glowing skin — for life.

Many times it doesn't matter how much lotion you are slapping on your skin, if you are not exfoliating your skin on a regular basis, your skin cannot absorb all the benefits your moisturizer has to offer. This is due to your pores being clogged by the dead skin cells your skin has shed. Clogged pores makes your skin look dry and dehydrated...you know that flaky skin look? That look is never "in."

Besides the normal places to exfoliate like your face, legs and arms; have you remembered to exfoliate your neck? Exfoliating your neck is often ignored. If you exfoliate your neck, it will give you a fresher look. What about your elbows and knees? I remember all too well what it felt like to have cracked, flaky elbows. It hurt to have dry skin in this area. Knees need to look polished too. You could be wearing that killer red dress, but when your dry knees peak out, it completely takes away from how gorgeous you look. What about your feet? Have you looked at your heels lately? This is something that needs to be taken care of daily, as dry cracked heels look pretty on no one. Also, exfoliating your feet before applying sunless tanning lotion helps prevent streaking. What about your lips? You can't have a great pucker if they are scaley and peeling.

Some of the benefits of exfoliating are:

* It's ability to improve texture of your dull skin, making it more vibriant.
* Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
* Sloughs off the dead skin cells your body has shed.
* Unclogs pores.
* Keeps skin healthy, thus helping to prevent break-outs.
* Helps retain your tan when you exfoliate before slapping on the sunscreen.

You will notice a tremendous difference in your skin's softness and moisture retention if you simply follow a routine of exfoliating one to two times per week.

Some of you may have read Shannon's post where she quickly interviewed Hanna and I after our "journey of a lifetime" vacation earlier this month. In this post I want to focus on the spa at Dreams Cancun. One of the perks of having clients like AM Resorts is that you get to tour the luxurious locations around the world and experience them first hand, I love this part of the job!

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a spa maven, but when I arrived at the Spa at Dreams Cancun I suddenly felt at home, transformed and decided that in the next year I will treat myself to the spa experience twice every month to earn the title of "Spa Maven." Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa teamed up with Pevonia Botanica to create Spa Journeys, which is a personalized spa approach that addresses clients specific needs and goals. My skin assessment consisted of a couple painless swabs across my face and then the computer did the rest of the work. I was astonished by all of the hi-tech systems that surrounded the room just to decide what services were best for me, however it definitely gave me a peace of mind that this resort definitely knew what it was doing.

The computer revealed that I’m stressed, dehydrated, and don’t care enough about my skin. Not at all surprising for a 25 year old working and trying to pay New York City rent while not skimping on the city's best foods and fashion. My lifestyle made me a prime candidate for a Relaxation Journey, a unique sensory experience meant to encourage elimination of the outside world and embrace a deep state of relaxation. I received a seaweed body wrap, full body message, facial, manicure and spa cuisine. I’ve never felt so pampered in my life. One extra bonus was the incredible teas and healthy snacks offered in the waiting area. I’ve never tasted better cookies in my life. I would fly back to Cancun and sign up for another spa service just to sit in my rob and eat those cookies again -yum!.

From Hispanic PR Wire: Almonds have long been lauded for their beauty benefits. From ancient Egypt to the Victorian Age to modern times, they’re a popular ingredient in lotions and potions that cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and nourish.

Lately the approach to healthy skin is changing fundamentally. Skincare experts emphasize that not only topical applications such as cleansers and lotions, but also dietary choices can affect the skin’s moisture level, youthful appearance and general health. This is good news for the multi-tasking almond which is a common ingredient in some of today’s most popular skin-care products and an ever-increasingly popular snack for women seeking healthy alternatives.

“With new beauty products as well as new research about certain foods, consumers are hearing a lot about treating beauty both inside and out,” says Connie Gutterson, PhD, RD, author of the New York Times best-selling book, The Sonoma Diet (Meredith, 2005). “Research indicates natural antioxidants from foods may help the skin, working from the inside. At the same time, more beauty products are featuring natural, nutritious foods like almonds and berries to apply to the skin.”

Exfoliation Gone Nutty – The granular texture of finely ground almonds or almond flour can be used as a natural, gentle way to exfoliate, rubbing away dead skin cells and freshening the complexion. Try making a homemade exfoliating scrub by combining 1 tablespoon almond flour or meal, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, stirring into a paste. Rub gently on the face and rinse. Exfoliation is ideal just one to two times per week; otherwise, it may lead to irritation or flaky skin. Find almond flour in some supermarkets, or make it by processing blanched whole or slivered almonds in small batches in a clean coffee grinder or blender, just until finely ground.

Cracking into Moisture – Victorian women were right to love the oil of almonds. It contains linoleic acid, a fatty acid that helps soften and moisturize the skin. After exfoliating, it’s the perfect time to moisturize. Look for almond oil in many high-end and everyday moisturizing lotions, creams, balms and masks.

Elemis Japanese Camilla Oil
4 out of 5 Stars

The Camillia Oil had no real scent to it, which was fine with me as it didn't interfere with the scents of the other lotions I was wearing on the rest of my body. The oil is nice and thick, but doesn't leave a greasy residue on your skin. It did on the palms of my hands, but it was super easy to wash right off...Read more.

iS Clinical Youth Complex
3 out of 5 Stars

I can't say I saw any immediate results. I applied the Youth Complex to the wrinkles under my eyes, to my crow's feet, my forehead and between my eyebrows. Things appeared to look the same within a few hours of checking the mirror as they did when I applied the cream. By day two I did notice that the wrinkles under my eyes were appearing to soften a bit...Read more.

Sunsilk Beyond Brunette Shampoo, Conditioner and Color Boost
4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars

I've been using Sunsilk's Beyond Brunette Shampoo, Conditioner and Color Boost for about 4 weeks now. I was a little skeptical that I would see a difference in my hair since this isn't hair color and also because I recall a fellow beauty blogger (The Beauty Brains) writing a post a while back that there was nothing new or different in Sunsilk's products then there had been previously. However, my hair color was at the end of of its 6 weeks cycle and it was really beginning to dull and fade. I figured this would really put the new Sunsilk products to the test...Read more.

Robert Craig Hair Coloring Kit
5 out of 5 Stars

If you told me that I could color my hair without any mess and that the dye would be completely void of scent, I wouldn't believe you. And I honestly didn't when I was first approached about Robert Craig Hair Color. I had never heard of it and have used other hair dyes in the past that have said it was without scent, but then couldn't live up to the claims...Read more.

When you need a little “cosmetic refreshment,” you better make sure you are spending money using the right doctor. Here are some important tips from Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Anthony Youn on how to choose a Plastic Surgeon. For more plastic surgery news, please check out his blog at www.celebritycosmeticsurgery.blogspot.com.

There is no law against a person calling themselves a plastic surgeon or even advertising themselves as that in the paper or yellow pages. Heck, I can put an ad out that says I'm the world's best cardiologist, and if I could convince you to let me perform angioplasty on you then there is no law against it!

My first advice to a patient is to go to the website: http://www.plasticsurgery.org and find surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in your area. This website lists nearly every board-certified plastic surgeon in the U.S.

Second, make sure that the board-certified plastic surgeon you select is proficient in the surgery you are interested in having. Plastic surgeons are trained in a wide array of plastic surgery, including hand, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery. Just because I was fully trained in hand surgery doesn't mean you want me reattaching your thumb!

Third, meet with the surgeon(s) to make sure you are comfortable with him or her. There is no better indication of how your surgical experience will be than the face-to-face consultation with the surgeon. If you don't meet the surgeon during the consultation or it is very rushed, it is an indication that the surgeon may also rush your surgery and may not take care of you afterwards.

Finally, there is a difference between a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon. The field of plastic surgery is very difficult to enter, as the residency positions are extremely competitive to obtain and consist of at least five years of rigorous training with at least two of those years dedicated to plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgeons, on the other hand, can be trained in one of many fields, including ENT, general surgery, OB-Gyn, and dermatology. Often, these practitioners can abruptly change their medical practice to become a cosmetic surgeon with as little as one year of cosmetic surgery training. I once had the family physician of a patient of mine try to convince her to cancel her facelift with me so that the family doc could perform the facelift herself! Crazy!

Now, there are some outstanding cosmetic surgeons out there, don't get me wrong. I often send difficult eyelid reconstructions to oculoplastic colleagues of mine, who would do a much better job than I. Just do your homework and make sure that your surgeon has the training to do the surgery you want.

Dr. Anthony Youn Media Contact:
Kim Tobman: Pierce Mattie Public Relations Beauty Division

Just this past week Treat introduced the new ultra-healing, fragrance free and paraben free Sugar Free Therapy Hand Butter. This moisturizing mix of nutritious ingredients includes 25% wildcrafted shea butter, organic aloe and organic jojoba to create a soothing and healing hand Treat.

Sugar Free Therapy is made twice as sweet by using ingredients that lend a hand to soothe the hands. Sugar Free Therapy is made with 25% shea butter sustainably grown and harvested in Ghana by a tribe of women who hand gather the nuts and hand process the butter out of the nuts. These pure, natural and organic ingredients provide long-lasting relief to even severe dry skin. Sugar Free Therapy is free of lanolin, which is can be known to irritate sensitive skin.

I personally fell in love with Treat's beauty products when I got a hold of their Bon Voyage collection of bath truffles. It was deliciously fragrant and wonderfully moisturizing. You can see my review on them here.

Treat is available at upscale boutiques and spas in the US and Canada and can be found online at Treatbeauty.com and Amazon.com.

Beauty for Life is a new website launched by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery to educate people regarding the procedures they are considering and the surgeons who will be doing them. I had the opportunity to ask Dr. Richard A'mico MD FACS, President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons more about their goal for Beauty for Life.

Shannon: Was beauty for Life conceptualized out of the concern that many women and men aren't doing their research prior to choosing a plastic surgeon or being misinformed about a procedure?

Dr. Richard D'Amico: As consumers' cosmetic procedural options increase, so too does their confusion about which ones can best meet their needs. To get answers, many turn to the Internet first-but with so much information on the Web, they often struggle to find specific, reliable information on the most appropriate cosmetic procedures for their stage of life and beauty goals. As they search, many also do not understand the importance of consulting with a qualified plastic surgeons for personalized, expert advice. So, The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)- the world's largest association of board-certified plastic surgeons- formed Beauty for Life to help consumers make educated choices about cosmetic medicine procedures and providers. BeautyforLife.com is one of the components of our Integrated effort to educate patients about how to make safe decisions when it comes to cosmetic procedures of all types.

Shannon: How do you hope to educate them through this new website?

Dr. Richard D'Amico: To help consumers navigate the cosmetic medical landscape, four levels of cosmetic medical care are defined as well as the most common cosmetic concerns- and the most effective procedures- in each stage of life. To reach a vast new online audience we developed this dynamic website. BeautyforLife.com features a confidential, interactive quiz to match information about each visitor's age, appearance, beauty regimen, lifestyle, and body image with facts and images that reveal how they can look their best at any age. We also provide visitors with information that charts the aging process and most popular cosmetic procedures from the teen years through the 60's and beyond, not to mention a "Find-A-Surgeon" tool that allows them to search for a plastic surgeon in their area who is board certified and a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and/or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).