Perricone Giveaway Winner!

Sorry it took me so long to announce a winner for the recent Giveaway for Perricone MD Eye Serum with Vitamin C Ester . The lucky winner is Wanda from California! Congratulations! The prize is already on its way! Enjoy this wonderful anti-aging product from Perricone MD!

Beauty Review: Celibre Antioxidant Serum

I’ve turned 30 this month. Applying makeup on the day of my actual birthday I noticed a line in the corner of my mouth. Well, I thought to myself, it’s kind of nice to get a first line from laughing and smiling and not from frowning... On the other hand, it’s time to step up the efforts of preventing and fighting the signs of aging. Now I have graduated into the anti-age group and can test and try anti-wrinkle treatments. This month I am testing Celibre Antioxidant Serum with TGF-B-1 Growth Factor.


Promise:
A unique serum that delivers skin enhancing benefits of 10% pure, stabilized L-Ascorbic Acid in combination with liposome encapsulated TFG-beta-1 growth factor.

Product Profile in Short:
- Stimulates collagen growth with Vitamin C and growth factor TGF-beta-1
- Improves skin texture and tone resulting in younger, healthier looking skin

Close-up on Active Ingredients:
Cyclomethicone, L-Ascorbic Acid, Silicone Polymer, Dimethicone, Purifed Water, Dimethicone Copolyol, Phopholipids, TGF-beta-1, Cimicifuga racemosa Extract.

Two central ingredients of Celibre Antioxidant Serum are Vitamin C and Human Growth Factor TGF Beta One. Products with Vitamin C are very beneficial for our skin. Vitamin C stimulates collagen production, provides anti-oxidant protection to skin cells and also increases cells turnover helping to achieve smoother, brighter and healthier looking skin. Human Growth Factor (HGF), according to cosmeticscop.com, is “a complex family of hormones that are produced by the body to control cell growth and cell division in skin, blood, bone, and nerve tissue”. Some research proves that HGF can be very effective in treating wrinkles. However cosmeticscop.com notes that there has not yet been enough research into “long-term risks or stability”.

Experience:
Texture: thick and creamy
Scent: not scented
My first impression of the serum was that it is very thick and rich. However when I pumped some on my fingertip and applied it on the skin I was surprised to see that it is not at all heavy. It almost immediately melts into the skin and I don’t really feel it at all. There is a warning on the package saying that people with sensitive skin may experience some “transient tingling sensation”. I did feel light stinging at the beginning and one time when I had a small cut on my cheek. But I experienced no irritation. I have to mention that this product has some bonus features of a primer. Upon application, right away my skin looks smooth, silky and matte. So this is a big plus! Already in a week I could see some positive changes in my skin’s tone and texture. It started to look smoother and had more glow to it.

Price Tag:
80$

Bottom Line:
Good anti-aging product that shows result in a matter of weeks!

Beauty Review: Skin MD Shielding Lotion

It’s definitely getting coooold outside. Brrrr… Is your skin also feeling the change of seasons? Of course it does! The cold air outdoors and drying air from heating indoors throw it completely out of balance and weaken its protective barrier. As a result you can have dryer and more sensitive skin in autumn and winter. That is what happens to me, unless I change my moisturizer from a light summer variant to a heavier (but non-comedogenic) winter one. Recently I have been testing Skin MD’s Shielding Lotion. Here is my review.

Product Tag Line:
Your Skin Has Rarely Felt or Looked So Good

Promise:
Exceptionally enhances your skin’s hydrating and protective abilities

Product Profile in Short:
- Far more effective than conventional moisturizers
- Promptly absorbs, transforming the outer layer of skin into a hydrating invisible shield
- Finest natural ingredients
- Regeneration is fully realized within a few days


Close-up on Active Ingredients:
Deionized water (Aqua)
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Vera) – has soothing and regenerating effect
Cyclopentasiloxane - silicone fluid
Dimethicone – silicone, occlusive
Methyl Gluceth-20 – emollient, humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) - powerful antioxidant, produces anti-aging, regenerating effect
Arnica Montana Flower Extract (Arnica) - reduces inflammation
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract (Comfrey) – has soothing, healing, anti-bacterial properties
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract (Chamomile) - healing, tonic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Achillea Millefolium Extract (Yarrow) - anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer - thickener
1,2 Hexanediol - humectant
Caprylyl Glycol - humectant
Butylene Glycol- humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol – thickener and PH-adjuster
Phenoxyethanol - preservative

As you see, there are many humectants. These ingredients are responsible for attracting water to the skin. I can see one occlusive ingredient (Dimethicone) that helps to lock the moisture in but still allows the Sheilding Lotion to have wonderfully light texture. There are also many soothing and healing ingredients that help skin to regenerate and function at its best. You can actually find a very detailed information about each ingredient at the Skin MD website

Experience:
Texture: light lotion
Smell: very subtle natural scent

Skin MD Shielding Lotion won a point with me before I even tried it and as soon as I read the ingredient list. I love products that are not artificially perfumed. So often I get allergic to perfumed products that I am getting frustrated with the whole idea of scenting a skin care product. I can put on a perfume when I want to! Back to the Shielding Lotion... It won another point when I tested its texture… The texture of The Shielding Lotion is very light, not heavy or oily. It is super light and absorbs fast. Leaves no residue on the skin. Light texture for a product that helps to rebuild skin’s barrier is a big advantage, trust me! Such products usually tend to have very occlusive heavy feel to them.
Skin MD Shielding Lotion says it is for face, hands and body. This made me a bit skeptical because I am a great believer in a separate jar for each body part! :-) I would never put anything on my face that is supposed to be used for hands as I think that skin on face and hands is quite different so its needs would be different as well. However I did “take the risk” and used Shielding Lotion as a facial moisturizer. How surprised I was when not only I didn’t break out but my skin became smoother, brighter and healthier looking. I applied Shielding Lotion morning and evening and I didn’t have to reapply it during the day. My skin felt well moisturized and very comfortable.

Price Tag:
18$
Bottom Line:
Good product for a good price!

Top 10 Beauty Foods For Autumn

Autumn is the time for a great variety of fruit and vegetables that will provide your body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients to improve your skin from the inside for its health and beauty. Below is a list of delicious fruit and vegetables that come highly recommended!
Pears contain minerals such as zinc, plus Vitamins C and E, and some B Vitamins.
Leeks contain a selection of nutrients, including folates, B Vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium.
Pumpkins are a very rich source of beta carotene, which in our bodies is converted into Vitamin A which is essential for our skin. Pumpkins also contain calcium, iron, and Vitamin C.
Sweetcorn is also in season in autumn. It contains magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.
Broccoli is a very important vegetable for beauty diet as it contains a lot of essential vitamins for skin’s beauty and youth. It has Vitamin C and bioflavonoids that together protect biomolecules in the dermis such as collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. Both Vitamin C and flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and protect your skin from free radical damage. Broccoli also contains alpha lipoic acid.
Grapes Although in most countries they are now available all year round, autumn is the high season for grapes. Grapes are rich in magnesium, Iron and Selenium as well as biflavonoids.
Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C, fiber and also contain Coenzyme Q10, a unique fat-soluble vitamin-like substance that is a potent antioxidant and a proven anti-aging fighter.
Carrots are rich in Vitamin A. In fact one carrot will supply all your Vitamin A needs for the whole day. Be careful not to overdo carrots as your skin may turn orange.
Blackberries are rich in vitamin C. Also, they are an excellent source of Vitamin E which is beneficial for the heart and circulatory problems as well as for the skin. In addition these berries contain the fiber pectin which helps to eliminate cholesterol, and protects against environmental toxins.
Raspberries contain Vitamin C as well as flavonoids, ellagic acid which neutralize free radicals and prevent damage to cell membranes and other structures in the body.

Beauty Shopping: Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Neck Cream

Want to share my joy about a new beauty investment! You know what they say, décolleté area is often ignored by women in their skin care routine and that's why it is often the first to show age. I did take care of my neck and chest but nevertheless there are some lines. So frustrating! That's why I need to make an extra effort and am always on the look out for an effective anti-aging product for my neck and décolleté. This time I got Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Neck Cream. Oh my, at 80$ a 50ml jar it seemed expensive to me! So it'd better be good. Don't miss my review!

Top 5 Beauty Vitamins and Minerals

I will repeat what I have said so many times before: beauty comes not only from the bottoms of expensive cream jars but from the bottoms of our dinner plates as well, i.e. from a healthy balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. So here is Top 5 Beauty Vitamins and Minerals you may want to look out for to include into your diet to have healthy and young looking skin as long as possible. Some of these vitamins are also great when used topically.
Vitamin C: a very powerful anti-oxidant. Not only does it protect skin cells from free radicals it also helps collagen formation.
Vitamin E: another antioxidant that guards cells from free radical damage and helps to soothe and heal stressed skin. Vitamin E has shown to reduce sunburn and help to heel wounds. Due to the fact that Vitamin E is fat soluble, it gets easily absorbed and stored by the skin.
Zinc: Zinc is necessary for DNA repair, collagen and elastin production in the skin. That is why it is critically important for healthy skin function. It helps heal blemishes, reduces inflammation and helps to fight acne.
Alpha lipoic acid: a very special antioxidant as it is water and fat soluble. This means that it is able to get to every cell in your body! This acid also helps to regenerate other oxidants like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Gluthathione and Coenzyme Q10.
Bioflavonoids: natural anti-oxidant free-radical scavengers. Bioflavonoids work in synergy with other antioxidants like Vitamin E, ascorbate (Vitamin C), carotene (Vitamin A) and Selenium to reduce damage to the cells caused by oxidation. Flavonoids have also been found to help in maintaining the thin walls of the capillaries, promote circulation and have an antibacterial effect.

There are much more than just 5 beauty vitamins! So I have to mention such vitamins and minerals as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Omega-3 fatty acid and Magnesium - all of them contribute the healthy functioning of the skin cells and should be present in your beauty diets!

Beauty Talk: What You Can Do For Your Skin in Autumn

With October upon us sunny days are becoming a thing of the past and colder gloomier weeks are waiting ahead. But don’t be sad. No more sun means good for your skin! And autumn is a good time to pay some special attention to it. First of all your skin needs some help to recover from the sunny summer months. Not only did it get a dose of aging UV rays, hot sunny weather may also have caused some dehydration, broken capillaries, loss of firmness… these are actually all symptoms of sun-damage. What can you do to help your skin out?
1.Exfoliate.
Do it at home with a special kit available from many brands (for example, Lancome), or use professional help. Many cosmetologists recommend to wait until October to take a series of professional peeling procedures. In October the sun becomes mild enough not to cause any damage to the freshly revealed skin layer.

2.Intensify your moisturizing efforts!
During the hot, sunny summer months your skin looses a lot of moisture. Dehydration is one of the reasons why it looks so dull and you can see new lines.
3.Add an intensive product into your skin care routine
Cosmetologists recommend, starting from your late 20s-early 30s, to include into your daily routine an intensive skin treatment once or twice a year for 1-3 months. The length and intervals between the treatments depend on your age and skin condition.
4. Give your skin an At-Home Intensive Beauty Treatment
Do a series of mini at-home facials.2-3 times a week apply a mask: once or twice choose a moisturizing mask, once – an antioxidant, anti-aging or energizing one. Here is a quick tip: Before applying a mask cleanse your face or use an exfoliator to prepare your skin for the treatment. To increase the potency of the mask you can treat your face to a steam bath. Put some hot water in a bowl, cleanse your face and sit over the bowl. Cover yourself with a towel to keep the steam in. You can also add a green tea bag into the water for additional antioxidant effect or a chamomile tea bag for soothing effect. A steam bath will open up the pores and help to cleanse them of the accumulated sebum and dirt. It will also moisturize, soften the skin and stimulate blood circulation (that is why if you are prone to broken vessels in the face you should skip this step). After the steam bath follow all the other steps of the facial: exfoliate and apply a mask.