beauty cosmopolite

Why I Wouldn't Use an $850 Skin Cream

2010-09-12T23:20:08-07:00

Is some skin care worth its weight in gold?

Hi all! A while back, a luxury retailer very kindly sent me a new night cream that was about to make its debut on the marketplace to the tune of $850. Yes, you did read that price right, and no, I didn't forget a decimal point!

I checked out the ingredients on this (famous brand-name) product and decided it wasn't something I was willing to test out (I really do practice what I preach!) So... I had some friends test it out instead. :) I gave fair warning about my concerns, but no matter, they were all eager to give the cream a go and see if it lived up to its pretty fantastic claims!

Before I get to their results, here are my thoughts on the ingredients. First, I don't have anything against luxurious ingredients that can truly help improve skin. In fact, some of my personal favourites can be pricey -- a reflection of the rarity and challenge of obtaining the ingredients. Examples of these include certain plant extracts and essential oils -- and there were costly botanical extracts and oils in this skin cream.

The problem was that, in my opinion, the value of these special, active ingredients was negated by the "dead" and potentially toxic synthetic ingredients -- including several synthetic preservatives with known concerns. The product also -- unbelievably for its price point -- contained mineral oil, a very cheap synthetic emollient that actually dries out the skin in the long run! Frankly, what the price truly reflected was sky-high marketing and packaging costs.

So, how did my friends feel about the cream? It was a generous size, so I divided it amongst three women of different ages, skin types and even ethnic backgrounds. They agreed to use the cream every night on one side of their face and practice their usual skin care on the other, without revealing to anyone which side was the "expensive" one. (And that's about as far as my "science experiments" go!) For each person, the cream lasted about two months, which was ideal, as the company said full results would visibly show in that time. Here are the anecdotal results.

L. - Throughout her test period, L. asked friends and family to see if they could detect any difference between each side of her face -- none could. Just as she was nearing completion, L. saw her dermatologist. Her derm, intrigued by the experiment, tried to guess which side of her face she was using the cream on -- and couldn't. The office esthetician was brought in; she examined L.'s skin carefully under bright lights, and admitted she couldn't see a significant difference, but thought there was perhaps a marginal improvement on the test-cream side. Both the dermatologist and esthetician advised her that this possible improvement didn't warrant the price of the product -- and then, not surprisingly, tried to sell her a cream for $100 they said would do at least as good or better a job. L. declined -- I think she was through with "miracle-creams"! ;)

V. - V. is a skin-care aficionado, and kept close watch for changes, but couldn't detect any herself. Towards the end of her experiment, five women, including myself, checked out V.'s face to guess which side she had been using the cream on. We looked carefully under different lights, and all of us unanimously chose the same side of her face. Ironically, we didn't choose the test-cream side -- we all thought the other side looked plumper and smoother!

S. - I didn't get a chance to check out S.'s face personally, as she was out of country. However, she diligently reported back to me every week with the same, boring results: "no change, no change". In fact, she told me she actually preferred her much less expensive product in terms of feel and effectiveness.

So, the point of this story isn't that pricey skin care doesn't work. But that you want to choose skin care that contains potent, active, and "alive" ingredients, without potential toxins and irritants that can negate their benefits -- like synthetic emollients, preservatives, fragrances, colour, and more. (And you definitely don't want to pay for a company's advertising costs!) There are a lot of choices out there for good, natural skin care, some at very reasonable price points. :) Have a beautiful week, everyone!

Why 'Table Salt' Contributes to Cellulite and More (And What to Use Instead!)

2010-08-28T17:48:29-07:00

Is your salt beautifying or beauty-stealing?

Hi all, hope you're well! Some of you have noticed a slow-down in posts lately (thanks for getting in touch)...I've been busy in the kitchen! Actually, my client's kitchen -- we're making some delicious upgrades to more beautifying foods -- a whole new way of eating! One upgrade was to her salt. She thought I was going to tell her to avoid salt and use some "healthy herbal thing" instead. No way! Salt has an essential place in a healthy and beautifying diet. But the type of salt you use makes all the difference.

What you want to avoid is regular, refined table salt -- it is very highly processed, which actually changes the chemical composition of salt (and it may also contain toxins and even dangerous additives like aluminum compounds for anti-caking!)

Processed, refined salt is no longer a natural product that your body can recognize and easily metabolize. As you body works to eliminate this salt, it draws a lot of water from your cells, which can end up upsetting your natural fluid balance. This in turn can contribute to issues like cellulite and puffiness -- and more serious problems like arthritis, gout, kidney and gallbladder stones, and more.

As with anything you eat, what you want is a salt that is as pure and unrefined as possible. Unrefined salt contains minerals and its natural life-force -- it will react very differently in your body than highly-processed, "dead" salt. Some good choices to consider include Celtic sea salt, Himalayan crystal salt, and Redmond Real Salt -- all so much healthier and tastier than "table salt"!

Even though we want to use any salt in moderation, salt is critical in our diets. It contributes to important bodily processes, including helping to carry nutrients to our cells and regulating blood pressure. And there are even studies indicating that sodium deficiency can lead to mood issues like fatigue and depression -- and that salt is a natural mood-elevator!

One more thing -- remember to avoid processed/packaged foods which are also often loaded with that toxic, un-beautifying, processed salt! Okay, signing off for now -- back to the, um, salt-mines (eww, sorry!) Happy weekend, everyone! :)

A Beautifying Beverage With Antioxidant-Power

2010-08-12T17:57:31-07:00

Hi all, hope you're well! There's been a bit of a slow-down with summer posting as I've been working on some (exciting!) projects... But I wanted to get to a question someone asked me about summer-beverage options. She said she's "addicted to iced-coffees" when the weather is hot, even though she "knows these aren't the best" for her -- and was wondering if switching to iced-tea would be a better choice.

So, the short answer is that tea is a far superior choice to coffee (coffee is basically an anti-beauty-brew -- but that's a topic for a future post!) But to get real benefits from iced-tea, you want to go for the really good stuff. Typically, iced tea is made from regular black tea and loads of sugar -- all that pro-inflammatory, wrinkle-causing sugar detracts from the health benefits of tea.

I suggest upgrading to green iced-tea -- sweetened with stevia! Black tea is fine too, but because green tea is less-processed, it has greater antioxidant power. The polyphenols (antioxidants) in tea will fight free radicals (and help protect you from UV damage), lower inflammation, and aid in fat metabolism, among other benefits!

There is some research that says tea rehydrates as well as water. Even so, it's best to keep tea-drinking to no more than three cups a day, as tea contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. An interesting note, though -- a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that caffeine from tea contains theanine, a protein which will offset some of the usual detrimental effects of caffeine found in other sources like coffee!

To make green iced-tea, simply brew some green tea, adding about 50 percent more of the leaves or tea bags than you normally would for a regular pot of tea. Steep according to directions (don't over-steep, as this will make the tea bitter). Once it's cool, add some lemon if you'd like, for even more antioxidant power, and then sweeten to taste with stevia. Some fresh mint is nice, too. Voila -- a refreshing and beautifying summer drink!

A Perfect Body-Cooling Food

2010-08-02T19:11:59-07:00

Hi all! Just got back from the Farmers' Market with bags of gorgeous produce, including plenty of cucumbers! I was thinking about cucumbers because as I was choosing mine, I overheard someone mention something to the effect that cucumbers weren't a "superfood", so why bother with them. What? So not true! Cucumbers may look humble next to showier leafy vegetables and flashy fruits -- but they are packed with beautifying benefits! Here are a few of them.

Cucumbers:

are loaded with water, which is great for hydration
can help prevent water retention
have body cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, which is especially important during the hot summer months
contain collagen-boosting vitamin C and caffeic acid, both which help boost skin health and protect it from UV rays
contain silica, a mineral that is essential for healthy connective tissue, and helps promote shiny hair, strong fingernails and glowing skin!

Cucumbers are also a source of fiber, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A. What's not to love? In my part of the world, now is the time to take advantage of organic field cucumbers. You can get ubiquitous hot-house cucumbers any time of year -- but field cucumbers, grown naturally under the sun, are more nutritious and beautifying!

Avoid the waxed, non-organic varieties if possible. With organic cucumbers, you can eat the skin, which is where you'll find the hair-and-skin beautifying silica! (And if you do get commercially grown, non-organic cucumbers, you can peel the skin before eating and still benefit from the nutrients in the flesh.)

I add cucumbers to smoothies and salads, and just enjoy munching them as a snack. They also give the most refreshing twist to regular water -- just add cucumber slices to a pitcher of water. It sounds so simple, but makes such a difference -- I know someone who rarely drinks plain water because she doesn't like the "taste", but she will drink cucumber water! :)

Enjoy, everyone!

Barefoot for Beauty and Health

2010-07-28T14:41:00-07:00

Tai Chi done barefoot to encourage healing energy flow from earth to body.

Hi all! Following my post on smoothing away calluses, someone mentioned to me that her favourite way of doing so was walking barefoot on the beach. Agreed! I love going for long, barefoot walks on the beach whenever I get a chance -- it's great exercise for feet and legs, and feels amazing. And apparently, when we do this, we are getting a lot more than just a foot-polish.

According to Clint Ober, author of Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?, walking barefoot on natural ground surfaces allows us to achieve a grounding effect through the transfer of the earth's free electrons. Apparently, scientific studies have shown that when we are barefoot on the earth (as many would claim we were always intended to be), we gain potent health benefits, including a significant reduction in bodily inflammation. (And as we know, inflammation is a root cause of aging and disease, so it's important to do everything we can to minimize this!)

The idea is to walk in a park or on the beach or somewhere else barefoot-friendly for about an hour and 20 minutes. Research has apparently showed that after this amount of time, people's blood profiles changed and improved. According to an interview on this topic, Lance Armstrong incorporated this technology in his Tour de France training.

I haven't read this book and don't know a lot about its theory. But I am familiar with the idea of "grounding" and the transfer of energy from earth to body from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. This concept plays an important role in Qi Gong and Tai Chi, both traditional methods of healing energy-work (that's why you'll see barefoot Tai Chi practitioners in the park!) It's interesting that science has now "discovered" a form of healing power employed in traditional medicine for thousands of years! :)

So -- now's the perfect time of year to kick off those shoes, feel the freedom of going barefoot, and enjoy a regenerating and beautifying walk or run! Have fun, everyone!

Callus-Away

2010-07-24T15:42:41-07:00

Summer shoes require smooth feet... Photo: the talented Tommy Ton

Hi all, hope you're having a great weekend! I received a reader question on how to deal with stubborn calluses. She writes that she's been cutting back on her pro-pedicures in light of the "current state of the economy" (something that most of us can relate to!) and that her calluses are getting "out of control". "I'll be getting back to the spa asap, but in the meantime, I've been using a pediwand and I'm not getting the same results. I'd love to hear from you soon if possible, because summer-shoe season is short.."

No kidding -- in my part of the world, summer lasts for a few short months, so there's no time to waste! On that note, here's something that should work pretty quickly to smooth down those calluses. I shared this at-home fix some time ago, but I think it's worth a quick summer-repeat because a few people have recently asked me for reminders on how to get rid of calluses.

So easy -- all you do is put one part sea salt to one part baking soda (about half a cup each) in a foot tub filled with enough warm water to cover your feet. Swish around to mix and dissolve the soda and salt. Soak for at least 15 minutes.

Then, take one foot and gently exfoliate your calluses. You can use a pediwand or a real pumice stone (I'm not a fan of the synthetic pumice stones). Rinse off your foot and your exfoliator, and repeat if needed. Then do the other foot.

Dry your feet, give them a good massage with a moisturizer, and then cover them with cotton socks so the moisture can penetrate. For feet, I really like coconut oil, which is cooling, moisturizing and antibacterial. And if you have especially callused, dry feet, you might want to try neem oil if you don't mind the rather intense, earthy scent. Neem is very healing, soothing, and has strong antifungal properties.

Hope that helps -- happy summer-shoe-wearing, everyone!

Red Gold for Glow

2010-07-18T17:32:10-07:00

Hi all, hope you're enjoying some summer sun! I've been thinking about other foods that will boost the natural glow and tone of our skin. One that is in season right now in my part of the world is wild salmon!

A hairstylist who once worked with Jennifer Lopez told me he thought she had "the most gorgeous skin" he had ever seen -- and that she attributed it to regular servings of salmon. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea -- but I wouldn't be surprised if that played a role in her glowy complexion! Along with beautifying essential fatty acids, salmon contains a carotenoid called astaxanthin. This amazing antioxidant, which is what gives salmon its deep red or pink colour, has been called "red gold from the sea." And no wonder -- it is said to be 100 times more potent than vitamin E and 10 times more powerful than beta carotene. Salmon is true skin-food that works on a cellular level!

I love indulging in salmon. It's an easy summer meal to cook at home, and when I'm out for Japanese food, I always order salmon sashimi -- so delicious and skin-enhancing with all those natural oils raw and intact! (And a much healthier choice than tuna sashimi, which can unfortunately be very high in mercury).

If you happen to not like salmon, lobster, shrimp and crabs also contain astaxanthin. And if you are a salmon fan like me, be sure to always go for wild salmon, as opposed to farmed, which is pro-inflammatory and NOT beautifying or healthy. Happy eating, everyone! :)

One 'Skin Oil' I'd Never Use

2010-07-13T21:46:00-07:00

Would you rub petroleum on your face?

Hi all, hope you're well! Regular readers know I'm a big fan of natural oils for skin care. There are so many beautiful ones out there for every skin type and condition (even oily and acne-prone skin types, contrary to conventional opinion, but that's another post!) But there's one I would never use and that is mineral oil. I get a lot of questions about which ingredients to avoid in personal care products -- and mineral oil is right up there on my list!

Mineral oil and petrolatum (as in vaseline) are highly processed derivates of petroleum. These ingredients can be found in skin lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, and even, sadly, baby oil and other infant products. They are a very cheap way to bulk up and provide the emollient factor in moisturizers; you'll see mineral oil in the most inexpensive drugstore brands as well as, ironically, expensive luxury brands! If you're using a certain super-pricey, cult-beauty-moisturizer from, ahem, "the sea", be sure to check out the ingredients. See something called "Paraffinum Liquidum"? That's just a fancy way of saying mineral oil. It also contains petrolatum -- yet the product is about 200 times more costly than a jar of vaseline!

Some claim that mineral oil and petrolatum are great skin moisturizers because they supposedly keep in moisture with their occlusive nature. But that is exactly the problem. Using a mineral-oil based product is like stretching a sheet of plastic wrap over your skin. It interferes with your skin's natural ability to release toxins, keeping them trapped and clogging pores. And while the product may feel very emollient on your skin, it disrupts its natural sebum functions and moisture-adjusting ability -- ultimately leaving your skin dryer! It can also aggravate and even cause acne. And if all that weren't enough, mineral oil and petrolatum are suspected carcinogens.

On the other hand, pure, high-quality, natural oils can meld with the skin rather than sitting on top of it like a coat of plastic. Instead of interfering with your skin's natural processes, they can work with them, feeding and nourishing the skin. Just a few examples of lovely skin oils include almond, avocado, coconut, pomegranate, argan, apricot kernel, neem, rosehip... the list goes on! Check your products for mineral oil or petrolatum -- my advice is to toss them out if they contain these ingredients -- and trade up for oils that are truly skin-enhancing! See you soon, everyone!

Do's and Don'ts for Adult Acne -- and for Healthy, Glowing Skin in General!

2010-07-05T22:58:54-07:00

Cleanse, nourish, treat -- on the inside as well as out -- to deal with acne and other skin issues.

Hi all! Hope my Canadian and American readers had a great weekend celebrating Canada Day and Independence Day respectively -- I enjoyed a mini-break and celebrated both!

I've been meaning to do a post on adult acne for ages because I get a lot of questions about it. But even if you don't suffer from acne, read on, as the do's and don'ts below can apply to anyone interested in healthy, glowing skin!

My latest question on the topic came from a 34-year-old reader who has been to four (!) different dermatologists in an effort to "cure" her acne. She has tried prescription-treatments as well as over-the-counter products, all of which, she writes, "pretty much made it worse". How frustrating -- I feel for her, as acne can be a challenging skin issue -- one that many people deal with at some point in their lives.

The good news, though, is that there are many things you can do to relieve and eliminate acne problems. My approach may be different than what many people hear from their dermatologists. For instance, I was shocked when one woman told me her dermatologist said diet has nothing to do with acne (so NOT true)! This woman focused on "attacking" her acne with prescribed topical treatments, which seemed to help her acne for a short while but ended up leaving her face extremely irritated, rough, and dry -- along with continued acne issues!

My belief is that cleansing, nourishing, and repairing must begin internally -- skin reflects what's going on inside. Everyone's case is different, so approaches to treating acne should be individualized depending on cause and severity. But the general principles of, for example, keeping down inflammation both internally and externally, balancing hormonal issues, and practicing rejuvenating skin care can apply to anyone. With that in mind, here are a few things to consider, starting with the don'ts and moving on to the do's!

DON'T

Take antibiotics (at least without seriously considering other options first!) Even just one round of antibiotics can seriously compromise the good bacteria in your gut, leaving you vulnerable to digestive problems, yeast infections, food sensitivities and more -- all of which will end up furthering skin issues.
Use harsh cleansers/toners/alpha hydroxy acids/topical treatments which harm the skin's protective barrier, exacerbate skin issues in the long run, and accelerate the appearance of skin aging. Drying products used to remove oil simply cause the skin to produce more oil as it tries to re-balance itself. And when skin is dried and stripped of its natural defenses, pimples below the surface may not "move" through the skin as they need to, instead staying suppressed for longer periods of time (prolonging the healing process).
Use drying soap, and especially antibacterial soaps, which can destroy the good bacteria on the skin that is necessary for a healthy, blemish-free complexion.
Eat blood-sugar spiking, pro-inflammatory foods, which can often be the root problem of acne and other skin issues. That includes refined, deep-fried, and sugary foods (and foods that quickly turn to sugar in the body, like breads, corn, pasta, cereals, and starchy vegetables like potatoes).
Overuse cosmetics, hair products, skin products which can exacerbate or even result in acne (if you suspect that any of your cosmetic products may be contributing to your acne, try eliminating it for at least a week to see if there is any improvement).

Consider natural supplements which can help in the healing process. Ayurvedic herbs like turmeric and neem can help reduce inflammation, nourish and cleanse. One you might consider is DermaCare. Other supplements to consider and speak to your healthcare practitioner about would be zinc, fish oil and evening primrose oil, along with a good multi-vitamin.
Consider a high-quality probiotic to help repair digestive issues and optimize gut health, especially if you have taken any antibiotics. Good gut health is absolutely essential for healthy skin, I can't emphasize this enough (I need to do a post on gut health alone!) There are lots of good brands out there, but my favourite is Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics.
Optimize your Vitamin D levels for a healthy immune system response, which again, is essential for healthy skin. Consider having your vitamin D levels checked by your doctor, and taking a supplement if necessary. A moderate amount of sunshine (be very careful not to burn) can be extremely healing.
Indulge in plenty of whole foods, making sure to focus on good fats (avoid pro-inflammatory hydrogenated oils!), high quality proteins and plenty of vegetables, especially dark greens which will help detoxify.
Seek skin care that is soothing and purifying. Avoid drying ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and other irritating chemicals, and instead opt for naturally-based products (helpful ingredients can include essential oils with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and neem oil which is soothing and antimicrobial.)
Make every effort to get enough good quality sleep, which is critical for skin repair to take place.
Manage stress levels. Stress affects everything from digestion to hormones to circulation, and almost always ends up showing itself on the skin in one form or another. Consider practicing visualization techniques, which have been shown to be very effective in helping with skin issues. Spend a few minutes every day taking slow, relaxing breaths and visualizing your skin calming down and healing. The mind can affect healing in the body in profound ways!

Okay, this has turned into somewhat of a long post, and yet it's just a starting point with suggestions for dealing with acne -- don't lose hope on what can be a challenging skin issue to address, there are solutions! Many thanks to the reader who contacted me on a issue that so many people can relate to!

Eat Your Way to a Tan?

2010-06-28T11:48:30-07:00

Hi all, hope you had a 'sunny' weekend, regardless of the weather in your part of the world! It continues to be more like fall than summer where I am (summer clothes still in the closet and I'm sitting here in a big sweater!) so I figured now would be a good time to answer a reader question on "tanning" with foods instead of sunshine. :)

The reader wrote that she heard something about being able to achieve a golden, tanned look just from eating an abundance of certain vegetables like carrots. "If this is true," she wrote, "it would make me so happy because I'm so pale and I'd love to have some color... Should I start drinking big glasses of carrot juice everyday?"

I'm guessing what the reader heard was related to a recent study out of Bristol University. According to news reports, a scientist conducted a study with "before and after" photos of people who consumed a diet rich in orange and green fruits and vegetables. Volunteers viewing these photos preferred the "golden glow" produced in the skin when a diet high in produce was eaten -- and they also preferred this healthy-diet-related look over sun-tanned faces.

The key was the carotenoids -- pigments found in a wide range of plant foods. The full details of the study have yet to be released, but it appears from news reports that there may have been a focus on beta carotene found in orange fruits and vegetables like, yes, carrots!

But in answer to the reader's question, I wouldn't go crazy with carrot juices. First, carrots are really high in sugar, so while they can have a place in a healthy, beautifying diet, you don't want to consume copious amounts of them, especially in concentrated juice form. Second, if you eat too many carrots (or other orange and yellow foods that contain beta carotene like pumpkin, etc.) you could go beyond a lovely golden-glow to an actual yellowing of the skin (you'd notice this especially on your palms and soles of the feet). That yellowing would fade as soon as you backed off from the beta carotene-rich foods.

A produce-rich diet is critical for beautiful, glowing skin -- and it's healthier (and more fun!) to eat a variety of them. Include lots of different colours -- from green leafy vegetables to purple cabbage to red tomatoes to blueberries and blackberries to white daikon radish, and more. I especially like dark green vegetables -- they are loaded with nutrients and have a high water content which promotes blood circulation for healthy skin tone. I generally aim to eat enough dark greens to equal about one head of romaine lettuce a day -- in addition to other veggies and some fruits.

And remember that eating plenty of nutrient-dense produce will also help boost your skin's natural defense against UV rays!

Thanks to the reader above for the great (and timely) question. See you soon, everyone!