Raw honey is good for the skinA masque is one of my regular beauty pick-me-ups. It has been since I was a beauty-crazed teen. A sweet honey masque in one of my all-time favourites because it works for all skin types and leaves skin soft, dewy, and calm. Honey has antibacterial properties. Because of its ability to kill bacteria, it has been traditionally used to treat wounds and prevent infection. Its antibacterial properties come from propolis and naturally-derived hydrogen peroxide. Propolis is a thick mixture that bees retrieve from trees and flowers. The hydrogen peroxide in honey is released slowly when it is mixed with fluids, including the natural ones on your skin. Scientific studies show that honey reduces inflammation and increases blood flow, too.

 
Make a fabulous honey masque by mixing two teaspoons of rawhoney with cosmetic clay or ground oatmeal. The clay or oatmeal helps absorb impurities from your skin and keep the honey from running all over your face.  You can grind a small amount of oatmeal in your blender and keep it in a jar. Otherwise, you can use colloidal oatmeal from the drug store or cosmetic clay.
 
Raw honey is essential. I like Gaia Medicinal Honey. Gaia makes some of my favourite high-quality herbals.
 
Try this masque. If you love it as much has I do, it will become part of your regular regime. I like to do it a few times a week, as the seasons change.
 

 

 




Bust Lift from Lierac ParisSexiness in France is subtle and sophisticated. Chic Parisian women learn to make the most of their natural assets. The cult of French beauty is not based on plastic surgery or heavy make-up, but on a holistic approach of pampering with lotions, potions and elaborate rituals. The best French products are a marriage of high-tech science and botanicals.

 
The ideal bosom is not determined by size, but on maintaining a lovely firm breast. Bust Lift from Lierac Paris is an anti-aging formula for the bust. It contains biotechnical oilopeptides and plant extracts to help firm the bust and help reduce brown spots. Used consistently, the result is a firmer whiter, more beautiful décolleté. http://www.lierac-usa.com/
 
 



Dermaglow Advance Eye TherapyI love the feeling of a rich unctuous eye cream, but many women dislike any “slip” in their eye creams. They want instant absorption. Others complain that richer eye creams cause breakouts or eye swelling. Demaglow Nuvection Advanced Eye Therapy is a well-priced, high performance eye cream that sinks right into the skin. The pump bottle dispenses the right amount each time.  

 
The formula contains four effective peptides that help reduce deep wrinkles, fine lines, dark circles, and under-eye bags. Used morning and night, it gives visible results. Nuvection Dermaglow is a sophisticated skin care line based on sound science. It is perfect for a value-conscious result-oriented beauty. http://vitalsciencecorp.com
 

 




Dr. Patricia Wexler Skincare guru and dermatologist Dr. Patricia Wexler understands the concerns of sensitive skin sufferers. “Because I have had sensitive skin my entire life, I have always developed my products with an eye to delicate complexions,” she explains. “However, my new Anti-Aging Sensitive Skin collection is the first developed expressly for sensitive skin, with the added benefits of the potent anti-aging effects Wexler fans have come to expect. Now there is no reason to compromise when it comes to treating sensitive skin”.
 
Experts now know that irritation and inflammation can lead to premature aging. So gentle but effective skin care is the way we all want to go. I like this line a lot. It feels fabulous and offers great ingredients at a great price.
 
Dr. Wexler Anti-Aging Sensitive Skin collection Dr. Wexler has long been known as one of the top go-to beauty experts for celebrities and socialites who have petal-like complexions. How fabulous to have access to her regime at The Bath and Body Works at prices that range from $34.50 to $55.
 
The line consists of only four products: The Gentle Exfoliating Peel to gently uncover fresh skin; The MMP1 Comfort and Renewing Serum to help skin regenerate and diminish signs of aging; Calming Anti-aging Moisturizer SPF 30 to protect skin from environmental aging; and Soothing and Renewing Night Cream that soothes the skin and restores the moisture barrier.
 
All these products contain a sophisticated blend of botanical antioxidants, as well as Dr. Wexler’s patented peptides and MMPi20, a super skin protector that blocks collagen-destroying enzymes.
 
This is a fabulous option for sensitive ladies who are serious about anti-aging. I tried all these products and they did not aggravate my sensitive skin. Actually, it looked great after a good dose of Wexler’s potions.
 
Darlings, you know what I always say: you are never too young or too old to look fabulous. This line is great value for money. 
 
 
 



Will it give you skin like Cindy Crawford'sHave you ever wondered about the beauty kits that you’ve seen hawked on TV infomercials? We have.  So we were happy to try Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford.  She created the line with Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh, the French cosmetic surgeon to the rich and famous. 
 
According to their pitch, Meaningful Beauty is a “skin age-maintenance system”.  The heart of the system is a first generation anti-oxidant complex that includes a patented melon extract. This is the same ingredient that is in Dr. Sebagh’s very posh and poular anti-aging cream sold under the brand name Dr. Sebagh.  The formulas also contain Coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, and minerals.  They claim to work in just four weeks to reverse and diminish the signs of aging.  “Your skin will recapture its youthful glow. Pores will appear smaller. Your skin will immediately feel smoother and softer to the touch”, reads the pamphlet.  Fabulous!  But is it too good to be true?
 
Not necessarily. It depends on you and your skin.  For about $36 a month, you can buy a complete skin care line: cleanser, mask, décolleté cream, eye cream, and day and night creams. Darlings, that is not pensive for such a regime.  But after the first shipment the company wants to ship you a three-month supply quarterly for $90 plus about $9 for shipping.  That is roughly $100 for skin care four times a year. Considering that you can easily pay $30 for a single good drug store product these days, that is not too pricey.  
 
But money is not the only issue when choosing skin care.  How good are the Meaningful Beauty Products?  I like them, but I cannot recommend them for older women with dry skin.  Billed as an anti-aging range, I say it is a very preventative approach.  I would recommend this line to younger women in their 20s and 30s with normal to combination skin. Women in their 40s who have no heavy lines or wrinkles with normal to oily skin may also like it. The night and day creams with the special melon extract are lovely to use.  They’re so lovely, I found myself coveting Dr. Sebagh’s pricier cream.
 
The eye cream is also a stand out. It depuffs eye bags and minimizes fine lines.
 
Women on the infomercial rave about the glowing serum and it is nice, but my favourite is the night cream with the melon extract.  My mantra with this line is more melon!  I love the melon extract products.
 
No one needs heavy or greasy creams to fight aging, but lines and wrinkles do need a more aggressive approach. Also, women with dry skin, particularly those who live in harsh climates, may not find this line rich enough.
 
Those who seek perfection know there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all beauty. Meaningful Beauty may be for you, if you are still in the preventive stages of anti-aging and like the idea of simple, comprehensive, well-priced, anti-aging regime.
 
Will your skin look better in four weeks after using Meaningful Beauty?  Darlings, if up now you have used no beauty régime at all, I’d say most likely yes; this is a comprehensive line that provides good value for what it is.
 
Note, the kit is supposed to last for 30 days. If you use your products generously, never mind lavishly, you won’t make it. To make the products last the full term, apply them as directed.  http://www.meaningfulbeauty.com/
 




You should always treat your neck and décolleté with the same care and products use on your face. The delicate skin on your neck and chest will show sun damage, age spots, and lines as quickly as your face, and sometimes even sooner. If you see signs of aging, or if you’ve noticed the skin in that area has become a bit dry and could use extra care, Bioelements V-Neck Smoothing Crème may be your answer. It’s a light moistening cream with hyaluronic acid and peptides to moisturize and reduce lines. Acetyl hexapeptide, alpha-arbutin and sodium hyaluronate help to even the skin’s tone and bring a glow to the skin.  Used with a good sun block of SPF 35 or above, and you should be ready flaunt your delicious décolleté on your summer V-kay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harsh sun can damage delicate skin




According to Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Darlings, there are few greater fans than me of Anita Loos, who penned that priceless piece of American lore —  or Marilyn Monroe, who made it her anthem. However, I propose that one of a girl’s best friends may be her dermatologist.

 
And if you are lucky enough have normal or even flawless skin you may think you can skip this item. Don’t. Eventually, we all need a dermatologist and maybe even a plastic surgeon. No darlings, this isn’t the beauty junkie speaking. After 40, you will want a skin check for dangerous moles and such. A good doctor canbe your ticket to good skin
 
I also suggest you seek an out an expert for acne at any age. I have had acne for most of my life. As a result of fabulous doctors, I have no scars, physically or otherwise. Curing acne is a nightmare. It’s tricky. If you have an acne clinic near you go there. They are experts. Or, find a derm who really knows acne.
 
My most successful acne treatment was ClearLight. It was done at the Toronto Acne Clinic by Dr. Kevin Sliwowicz. It cleared most of my acne permanently. I now have only the occasional flare-up. ClearLight uses a type of blue light that kills acne bacteria without burning or irritating the skin. As you lie there for 20 minutes at a time, you feel nothing. This treatment has also worked for several of my acne-plagued friends.
 
My Atlanta dermatologist, Dr. Cynthia Abbott, has had good luck treating adult acne with Isolaz. It is a new FDA approved “photo pneumatic” device which combines light and suction. The light kills the acne bacteria and the vacuum cleans your pores. It is a wonder, as it clears stubborn cystic acne and rejuvenates skin at the same time. It requires no recovery time and has worked like a charm for many. Insurance won’t pay for it. I think we need to protest as they do pay for drugs that cost as much and have no better guarantee of working. It is effective in about 85 percent of cases. The Clearlight treatment that worked for me is effective in about 70 percent of cases. If you have acne, those are great odds, especially for treatments with no side effects.
 
Isolaz is expensive. Some of the celebrity beauty makers who offer it are charging up to $500 a session and the average acne patient needs at least four sessions. Dr. Abbott, who is committed to clear skin, charges $200 for the first treatment and $150 for follow-up sessions. Clearlight at the Toronto Acne Clinic costs between $420 and $875. The higher price is for more treatments and includes medical microbrasion. Dr. Cynthia Abbott
 
Large acne cysts that linger, hurt, and may scar can be also is injected with kenalog, a type of cortisone. They will then shrink almost overnight. If cysts plague you, find a derm office or clinic that gets you in fast for a quick injection. You need to see your doctor quickly.
 
Dermatologist can also help with pesky skin issues that don’t respond to over-the-counter lotions and potions. Stubborn brown patches called age spots may need stronger medicine. Those same brown patches can be caused by pregnancy and the birth control pills.
 
Your doctor can prescribe Tri-luma, a pricey cream that can fade discoloration. It contains fluocinoline, a steroid, tretinion or retin A, and hydroquinone. This potent and sometimes irritating mixture of medicines has been shown to be significantly more effective at fading discoloration than any one of these ingredients alone. A derm can also zap brown spots and broken capillaries with Intense Pulsed Light treatments. Some dermatologists can tighten up saggy faces and erase crow’s feet with the new Fraxel lasers. Fraxel lasers only treat about 20 percent of the skin at a time so there is little redness, but dramatic results are possible with several treatments. They also stimulate new collagen deep down in the epidermis. The cost can be $4,000 to take 10 years off your face, but it is cheaper and less traumatic than surgery. Many dermatologists are also artists with Botox and fillers.
 
The right doctor will work with you, help you, and find a solution you can afford.
 
To reach Dr. Abbott: http://www.skinatlanta.com/
 
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