Monthly Archives: March 2008

Product Review: Bioelements Power Peptide

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For those skin care consumers who always want the latest, there’s Bioelements Power Peptide ($36.00, DermStore.com). Bioelements Power Peptide claims to “infuses your skin with peptides” with a “light hydrating texture,” which leaves your skin softer and smoother. The secret to Bioelements Power Peptide is a surprisingly high concentration of two key ingredients: palmitoyl pentapeptide-3 and ergothioniene. Palmitoyl pentapeptide-3 is the amino acid sequence lysine-threonine-threonine-lysine-serine, which has... read more

Product Review: Molton Brown Relaxing yuan zhi Sleep Mist

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We all know by now that getting a good night’s sleep is essential to great skin.  (Getting a quality night’s sleep with a nightly moisturizer also enables better absorption of the ingredients, according to über-derm Dr. David E. Bank, amongst other experts.)  That’s why I was excited to find Molton Brown Relaxing yuan zhi Sleep Mist ($37.00, MoltonBrown.com).  A natural product with only soothing lavender, calming bergamot, and relaxing ylang-ylang as the ingredients, when sprayed on a pillow or blankets before rest, the... read more

Clinique Medical: Putting a New Edge on Cosmeceuticals?

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Photo source: Sephora.com Just when it seemed that cosmeceuticals couldn’t get any more powerful, leave it to Clinique (of the Estée Lauder companies) to take it up a notch. In January, a press release revealed that Clinique would team up with pharmaceutical powerhouse Allergan — noted makers of Botox Cosmetic, Juvederm, as well as supplies for laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing — to produce a new skin care line designed to be used before, during, and after in-office dermatologist care.  Now... read more

Product Review: Freeze 24-7 Fix It Kit

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If you have fine lines or wrinkles, but don’t want to go through with Botox or hyaluronic-based fillers like Restylane, you may want to consider Freeze 24-7′s new Fix It Kit ($150.00, Amazon.com).  The kit features deluxe sizes of: Freeze 24/7 Anti-Wrinkle Cream, EyeCicles Anti-Aging Eye Serum, IceCream Anti-Aging Moisturizer, and PlumpLips Lip Plumper.  Although the company claims that the creams ”diminish the appearance of 50-90% of fine lines and wrinkles instantly,” the actual facial “freezing”... read more

Product Review: Skin Test Technologies UV Detector Card

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Ever wonder if you are getting too much sun exposure?  Skin Test Technologies UV Detector Card (Enviroscan.net) measures the intensity of the UV rays in the enrivonment you are in.  After 10 seconds, the card changes color to determine the strength of the UV (both UVA and UVB) emitted.  The card becomes particularly useful for those with skin cancer or who have recovered from skin cancer, who are wondering if it is safe to go outside.  Although the FDA states that it is best to avoid the sun between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM, if you... read more

This Just In: A Gene For Aging?

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According to Dr. Howard Y. Chang and other researchers at Stanford University, the answer is yes, “aging is a process that can be switched on and off.”  In the study, dermatologists deactivated the key aging gene in the skin of aged mice, and when they knocked the gene out, the skin became youthful looking once again.  Until a gene-targeting therapy is available for humans (a gene-specific cream is actually evidently in the works by the Stanford team), Chang and other researchers also note that staying out of the sun and... read more

Got Razor Irritation?

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The direction you shave may be the culprit, according to Dr. Diane Berson, M.D., a NYC derm featured in the April 2008 issue of Self. According to Berson, underarm irritation (and perhaps irritation in other areas too) may be lessened by using a star pattern when shaving.  Work diagonally up and down and side to side.  This is because hair grows in all directions, and, according to Berson, “flipping your razor helps you destubble with fewer strokes.”  Who knew? For a close, irritation-free shave without a razor, I recommend... read more

Controversy: Are The UV Lights in Nail Salons Harmful?

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Ahh, yes, after months of arguing with my manicurist about this very topic, it turns out that she is right, and I should shut up already and just put my hands under the dang UV dryer. According to Valerie Monroe, beauty director for Oprah magazine, the UVA light emitted is only 10-30 watts, which is significantly less than the 2400 watts or so emitted by a tanning bed.  According to Monroe-interviewed dermatologist Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., this wattage isn’t strong enough to merit concern.  Instead, the UV light accelerates the... read more