Cosmetic Corn Starch and Why it Should be Avoided

If you are a user of pressed powder, or powder blush here is some information you should consider, corn starch and rice powder should not be in your products. People who are prone to acne should not use powders that contain both ingredients mainly for the following reasons. Starch is derived from corn and sometimes used as an absorbent in cosmetics instead of talc (which is safe to use). However, when cornstarch becomes moist, it can promote fungal and bacterial growth. Rice powder is also an absorbent substance that is sometimes included in products rather than talc. It can cause allergic reactions and, because it is a food derivative (as opposed to a mineral derivative like talc), it can support bacterial growth in pores. Most importantly, if you are acne-prone avoid starch altogether, your face will sweat during the day and trap the starch within the pores. Although its difficult to find suitable products Neutrogena's pressed powder is safe and L'oreal's Softening Blush, both contain talc instead of cornstrarch. Read full article »

My MAC Nude Lip Tutorial

OK. Im going to steer away from skin care (sorry) and blog about my quest for the perfect Nude, lipliner, lipstick and gloss. For me, nude lips are elegant and low-key, however, as I have realized the word "nude" does not mean the same for many cosmetics companies. For me nude, is a light pink/beige/peach color, not as light as foundation but light enough to cover and tone down pigmented lips. Before I became a MAC worshipper, I trusted drug-store brands like Revlon, Neutrogena, Maybellene, etc. For a long time I was using Revlon's Taffeta lipstick, which is a "light nude", in reality it was not. Then Revlon came out with a matte line, and with a light nude shade called nude attitude. Many called this lipstick a dupe for MAC's myth, this is also not true. First of all the two have different finishes, which is important. Myth has a Satin finish (slightly more hydrating than matte) and Nude Attitude has a very drying finish which I personally hated. Why I love MAC, is because their color collection is far more superior. Nude Attitude may be called nude, but it is quite more orange and darker than Myth. Some of you might not care, but I personally did not like the way the color looked on me. Myth is a gorgeous nude color, however for many it is, even for a Satin finish too drying. Fortunately, the color Creme d' nude is almost the same as MAC, but has a creme-sheen finish. What about liner? Nude lip liners in drug stores are either too pink, too orange, come off easily or too dark, trust me I know. MAC's lipliners Stripdown and Spice are perfect for nude lips, for me personally Stripdown is perfect. Now for the gloss, obviously since I found both lipstick and liner in MAC, I decided that the gloss should be from there too. My three personal favorites are Underage (light peachy pink), Florabundance (similar to underage more peachy) and Wildly Lush Plush Glass, this one is less sticky and looks nice on its own. Now, to achieve the look is easier than you think, I have always been more of a lip than an eye girl so I use liner, stick and gloss all together because it comes out more finished and neat. In addition, because its so light, nude lipstick is easier to apply when you have some kind of a border. So, with that said line your lips with Stripdown or Spice, if you want a more pouty look line just outside, but very carefully we don't want to look like Joan Crawford. Next, if you are applying Myth please use a lip-brush, its more convenient, if you're applying Creme d' Nude there is no need, the lipstick is more sheer. Once you've applied the lipstick, brush a coat of gloss, not too much though, smooth and you are done! Why not too much gloss? MAC gloss, if used in obnoxious amounts tends to settle into fine lines and settle into the corners of your mouth where it mixes with saliva and forms white residue. Yes it sounds gross, but many women complain about this problem, just don't use so much gloss. Read full article »

Mario Badescu

Today I am going to talk about Mario Badescu and why he is completely amazing. One day strolling in the Upper East Side I came upon the Mario Badescu Salon and decided to see what all the hype is about. Inside I was recommended a few products for my lovely combination/sensitive/acne-prone skin, so here's what I bought.
The Drying Mask: A Mask truly like no other, I was speechless after I washed it off. Yes it smells like turpentine, or something I would use for my Boyfriends Maxima but the results are incredible. I have break outs mainly on my cheeks, and it really bothers me, this mask dried everything up and took care of those nasty scabs that form after you pick at your skin. In conclusion my skin felt very clean and healthy.
Glycolic Foaming Cleanser - A great product but use with caution, it can easily dry out even oily skin if used everyday. Overall has a great sent, good ingredients and it deep cleans very well. Usually I use Philosophy's cleansers but once in a while when I feel that my skin is getting too oily and congested I use this.
Azulene Calming Mask - Oh god this smells amazing and feels so soothing when you use it!!!! A truly wonderful mask that gets rid of any redness and gives your skin a healthy rosy glow. Many people complain about a waxy residue on their face after washing the mask off, if it bothers you a toner should get rid of it, I personally leave it on.
Special C Cleansing Lotion - OK, the smell ...is nasty and the color reminds me of urine, HOWEVER, product is a staple if you have oily or troublesome skin. Yes I know some of you get easily turned off by weird smells and colors, however many products mask odors with fragrances which can be composed of thousands of different chemicals, something not good. Overall leaves skin disinfected (has Boric Acid and Nonoxynol 9 both antibacterial agents) and quite refreshed (also has cucumber extract).

Whitening Mask - A creamy white mask designed to lighten your face and get rid of pesky discoloration. For a natural product this works quite well, I sometimes leave it overnight for those annoying scars that take forever to fade and in the morning they are less visible. I like this mask and leave it on for about 20 minutes instead of 5-10 (out of laziness).
Out of all of them I recommend The Azulene and the Drying Masks, they are keepers. Read full article »

Oil Cleansing Method

Today we will talk about the Oil Cleansing Method or OCM. The oil cleansing method involves simply cleaning you face with an appropriate mixture of oils. The method is relatively simple, inexpensive and effective. However should you pick the wrong oils or perform the procedure incorrectly the results can be quite unsatisfactory. The main oil, or cleansing oil that is mandatory in any mixture is Castor Oil. Castor oil is very effective in getting inside pores and scooping out bacteria, dead skin cells, etc. It, however can be very drying which sounds surprising since it is an oil. Therefore Castor Oil should be accompanied with a more soothing oil to balance out your skins moisture level. Depending on your preference the following oils are safe to use: Jojoba Oil, Sunflower Oil, Safflower Oil. What do I mean by safe? All three are noncomedogenic, which is crucial since the oil will be rubbed into your skin. The HUGE mistake that most people, who are not a fan of this method, make is picking the wrong oil. People use coconut oil. olive oil, sweet almond oil, wheat germ oil, ALL of these are villainous pore cloggers that will leave you with cystic acne in a few weeks. Another huge mistake is doing this cleansing more that 2-3 times a week. No matter how much your hands are itching to strip your skin of ALL the gunk, you must understand this is a very deep cleansing procedure. Castor Oil is like a vacuum cleaner, therefore if you do this more than 2-3 times a week your face will be a graveyard of skin cells followed by a cystic acne nightmare. Why? Because your face will dry up, the flaking off skin will congest your pores, and you will probably put more oil on afterwards to get rid of the “tight” feeling. WRONG! Your skin is not retarded and it will punish you for abusing it. Now that we got that covered the last mistake is cleansing improperly. Many believe you just rub in the oil splash some water on your face and off to bed. I don’t know where these people are coming off with the fact that oil can just be washed off. Surprise it cant! Therefore I will tell you exactly what to do, so that you wont have a bad experience.
All that’s required to try the oil cleansing method is the right oils, a soft washcloth, and hot running water.

1. Mix up a blend of any two or three oils of your preference (preferable natural and un-processed)
   


2. Massage a small amount of the oils into your face using slow circular motions. Spend a few minutes rubbing the oils into your cheeks, nose, forehead, neck, and chin, allowing the oils to penetrate into the skin and pull out wastes, bacteria, dead cells and other dirt. Spend about 5-10 min.
   


3. Wring out a facecloth or washcloth in hot water, and drape it over your face to steam


4. After a minute or so when the cloth is at room temperature, wipe away the oil, along with any dirt, using the washcloth. Repeat the process of steaming and wiping 3 more times until every bit of oil is gone. Afterwards was you face thoroughly with just water. If your face is tight use a moisturizer, just not the oil blend, trust me.

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Six Natural Brands You Should Give a Whirl

Korres - Love this brand, because it really is natural and safe to use on your face, hair, armpits, what have you. Established in Athens, Korres offers a great line of make-up products that just hit Sephora as well as a wonderful line of skin care products. Some of the skin care masks Im not crazy about since its easy to make the same thing at home, but the make-up is incredible. My current favorite is the Watermelon tinted moisturizer, its natural, safe to use and I cant get enough of it.

Jason - This line has been around for a while, and if you read my hair blog, offers a great line of truly natural shampoos. The one that Im currently using is the Kiwi Volumizing Shampoo, and although its difficult to apply (doesn’t foam a lot and is pretty runny)my hair feels very different after using it. First of all, my hair gets oily after about 3 days of washing, where as before I needed to wash it every day. Secondly I actually have volume and my previously limp hair no longer looks like a feather duster. Lastly it SHINES, in fact (many of you will hate me) it looks much better now than after using Redken and Bumble and Bumble shampoos. Jason also has a great line of natural deodorants that are safe to apply and have no industrial chemicals.

Kiss My Face - this brand carries a great line of moisturizers for the body that smell divine and contain all sorts of healthy botanicals. The one that I love is the Chinese Botanical Moisturizer, it has a lovely scent, no parabens or mineral oil and feels very refreshing. Kiss My Face also carries a great selection of organic shampoos that you should give a try.

Burts Bee’s - Who hasn’t experienced Burts Bee’s? This brand took natural skin care to a new level and created more consumer product awareness. Everything in this brand is great and really works, especially the beeswax hand creme. Another great perk is their baby line, which is really necessary if you are an expecting mother. Burts Bees uses ingredients like propolis, shea butter, and royal jelly in their products, something everyone should use or at least try out.

Alba Botanica - A brand that is now thankfully being sold in pharmacies, Alba Botanica has two lines that I find very nice. One of them is tropical and exfoliating the other is marine and deep cleansing. The tropical one is loaded with papaya, pine apple and many other naturally exfoliating ingredients. The papaya enzyme mask is my favorite because its a safe alternative to chemicals peels and other drastic procedures.

Lush- This brand is my favorite, because its hand-made, very natural and innovative. Lush has solid shampoos that are effective and don’t endanger the environment, or your hair for that matter. Lush also has fantastic soaps, scrubs, masks, bath fizzes, creams, lotions etc. All of them are organic and many of them are vegan which is also great. My favorite is the Ocean Salt Scrub, its moisturizing and leaves my skin very clean.

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Hair Care ingredients to be avoided

Just like the skin on your face, the hair on your head is very sensitive and can easily be irritated by various ingredients. What I have learned is that the word “natural” and “sulfate free” really means nothing for you hair if you don’t pay attention to the rest of the ingredients. In total there are ten ingredients to avoid, if you are browsing for a shampoo and/or conditioner. Remember, when you wash your hair some of these ingredients can transfer to the skin on you face also causing sensitivity.

1. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL: First off the word alcohol should already tell you that it dries everything out. This ingredient is both a solvent and substance that changes another substances natural qualities. As well as in shampoo, this ingredient is found in many other hair care products. In respect to hair, isopropyl alcohol will dry your hair out and make it weak and brittle. According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, inhalation or ingestion of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis and even coma.
2. 2. MINERAL OIL: Mineral oil, a derivative of petroleum, is used as an industrial cutting fluid and lubricating oil. This substance coats the skin and hair with a film of grease, disrupting the skin's natural barrier. The skin's ability to breathe and release waste is barricaded promoting acne and irritation. It further deoxygenates the skin on your scalp and in doing so slows down skin function and normal cell development. In conclusion Mineral oil causes the skin to prematurely age along with many other undesirable conditions.
3. PEG: This is an abbreviation for polyethylene glycol, used in oil dissolving cleansers as well as in product thickeners. PEG dehydrates hair and is also potentially carcinogenic.
4. PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG): This ingredient is actually the active component in antifreeze and sadly there is no difference between the industrial PG and the PG used in cosmetics. It is used in factories and lab’s to break down protein and is also found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after-shave, deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA workers are required to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, since exposure to PG can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities.
5. SODIUM LAURYL SUFATE (SLS) & SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES): Used in detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. Unfortunately both are used in about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam (this is key).The main reason behind that is BOTH ARE CHEAAAPPP. A small amount creates a large amount of foam creating a false concept of thickness. SLS irritates the skin on your scalp and is quickly absorbed into the skin and other organs.

When combined with other chemicals SLS can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens, which causes the body to absorb nitrates at higher levels than eating nitrate contaminated food.

1. CHLORINE: Exposure to chlorine in tap water, Showers, pool, laundry products, cleaning agents, food processing, sewage systems and many others, can effect health by contributing to asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchitis, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium diabetes, dizziness, irritation of the eye, mouth, nose throat, lung, skin and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure and nausea. It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair.
2. DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethnanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine):. Look for names like Cocamide DEA or MES, Lauramide DEA, etc since most of the above mentioned are listed in conjunction with other chemicals. These are hormone disrupting chemicals and are known to form cancer. They are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers.
3. FD & C Color PIGMENTS: Many color pigments cause skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of these pigments can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and even death according to A Consumer's dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Experiments on rats have shown most of them to be toxic.
4. FRAGRANCE: Present in most personal care products they are both toxic and carcinogenic. Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most or all of them are synthetic. Experiments have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes.
5. IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA and DMDM HYDANTOIN: These are just two of the many preservatives that release formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions and trigger heart palpitations. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Nearly all brands of skin, body and hair care, antiperspirants and nail polish found in stores contain formaldehyde-releasing ingredients.

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Fabulous Facial Cleansers!

Cleaning your face properly makes a huge difference in your skin care regime, this is why I find it important to list the cleansers I find to be perfect for every skin type, non-pore clogging, and efficient. If you suffer from breakouts, using products laden with harsh chemicals will only make it worse. The key to clean skin is using simple, hypo-allergenic yet exfoliating cleansers. With that said Im a huge Philosophy fan, two of the products come from their line and both are amazing. If you are concerned with their price then Cetaphil, a cleanser sworn by models is the way out.

Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash - This stuff is amazing, and I use it religiously every day. We frequently make the mistake of scrubbing our skin raw to make sure EVERYTHING is squeaky clean. This is not necessary since our skin is not a kitchen sink. This relatively simple product goes a long way and feels very gentle when you use it. Its a scrub/cleanser and its perfect for even the most sensitive persona. Your skin will literally glow after using it, and it never feels drying or harsh. Give it a try you wont be disappointed.

Ingredients : Water (Aqua), Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Diatomaceous Earth, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Tocotrienols, Panthenol, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Philosphy Purity Made Simple - Another wonderful product that I love. It will clean like nothing else, leaving no greasy residue or tightness. It smells very herby which takes some getting use to but its a cleanser and who cares how it smells as long as it gets the job done. After trying products like Neutrogena, Biore, even get this Sisheido, I discovered Purity made simple and stuck to that. This product just proves that most products claiming their spectacular cleansing abilities are all talk. After using this my skin feels refreshed, clean and soft. I experienced no break outs or irritation after using this product.

Ingredients : Water, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Guaiacum Officinale, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Piper Nigrum (Black Pepper) Seed Extract, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, FD&C Yellow No.5.

Lush Baby Face - Ah yes the strange product that works but many people have no idea how to use it. Thats because its a solid little block of various oils that needs to be rubbed on hands, applied to the face then wiped off with a wet cotton ball. Yes it sounds completely weird but the products is effective, vegan and organic. What’s more, is that Baby Face lasts a very long time and will not clog your pores. Your skin will be luminous and not a tiny bit dry. Baby Face removes eye and lip makeup very well and is at the same time very gentle. I would recommend this product immensely for those who suffer from dry skin.

Ingredients - Fair Trade Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Fresh Avocado Butter (Persea gratissima), Tangerine Oil (Citrus Tangerina), Narcissus Absolute (Narcissus jonquilla), Everlasting Flower Absolute (Gnaphalium uliginosum), *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Cetaphil Facial Cleanser - Allergin and fragrence free, cheap and effective. Wont strip your face of essential oils or cause breakouts. This cleanser is very gentle and comes in a convenient pump bottle. Although I don’t use it I find Cetaphil to be a dupe for Purity Made Simple, for its price its well worth a try.

Ingredients - Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Masking Fragrance, Panthenol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben.

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