After a conversation with some friends (Sana primarily), I learned the importance of using “aluminum free” deodorant.

By using regular deodorant (with aluminum), we are blocking the pore on our skin where we get rid of toxins naturally. It is a part of our lymph node system and it is unnatural to block this with regular deodorant. Also most lotions also clog our skins and worse, can allow bad chemicals to enter our blood stream. The skin is the largest organ in our body and it absorbs what it put in contact with.

I use Tom’s of Maine or Herbal Clear as my deodorants of choice. They’re good, cheap (about same price as other deodorants). If you want more info, just google “natural deodorants” or something like that.

Overview

The skin product Proactiv was formulated by two Board Certified Dermatologist. It is a three step skin care system created for those who suffer from acne. Of course acne is a very distressing condition which can effect teenagers as well as adults. The majority of those who suffer from acne desperately search for solution to this distressing skin care problem. Proactiv is just one of many skin care systems for sale which claims to be able to get rid of acne.

Product Details

Proactive is a three step skin care system which consists of a Renewing Cleanser, a Revitalizing Toner and a Repairing Lotion. There is an official website for Proactive and the product can be ordered directly from the official website. There is also detailed information available on the website regarding the two dermatologists who created this product. Of course there are a whole host of other products and skin care systems available for sales which claim to be able to provide a solution to acne.

Of course a number of these products contain some strong ingredients and certainly the Proactive skin care solution also contains a bleaching agent. This means that acne products are not always suitable for those who suffer both from sensitive skin as well as acne. Of course if what you are looking for is a product to get rid of your signs of aging such as sagging skin, wrinkles and lines then Proactiv are not an appropriate product for you. We know that as we age the amount of collagen in the body decreases and that this leads to signs of aging. Clinical trials and research have shown that an effective way to stimulate collagen production is to use peptides.
Click here for the Proactiv® 30–Day Trial System

Overview

The anti-wrinkle cream Meaningful Beauty is the result of a collaboration between the model Cindy Crawford and Jean-Louis Sebagh, a French doctor. Legend has it that Cindy fell in love with the cream while shooting in France, but that it was too unstable to travel all the way to America with her. After entering semi-retirement, Cindy missed using the Meaningful Beauty cream and partnered with Dr. Sebagh and Guthy Renker in order to develop a more stable version suitable for shipping. This way, Cindy Crawford and women everywhere could experience the effects of Meaningful Beauty skincare for themselves.

The key active ingredient in Meaningful Beauty is a rare French melon extract that is claimed to act as a powerful antioxidant. This is also what made the original versions of this product so unstable for shipping. Dr. Sebagh claims that he noticed one type of melon that always appeared to stay firmer than the others. After experimenting with it, he found that the potent antioxidant known as superoxide dismutase could be extracted from the melon. It is not uncommon to extract antioxidants from various fruits. Citrus fruits, for example, are a leading source of antioxidants found in many skin care products, as are grapes. Antioxidants protect against cell oxidization, which can be a leading cause of skin cell death.

Product Details

Meaningful Beauty currently manufactures an extensive range of skin and beauty care products. Ideally, users are directed to purchase all these products and construct a full Meaningful Beauty skin care regimen. Products available include moisturizers, face masks, eye creams, neck creams and cleansers. In theory, all products rely heavily on the superoxide dismutase melon extract for their active ingredient.

The full list of ingredients found in the Meaningful Beauty moisturizer cream is as follows: Octinoxate 5.0%, Avobenzone 3.0%, Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Acacia Senegal Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Glycol Stearate, PEG-6 Stearate, PEG-32 Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben.

Meaningful Beauty™ – Order today for only $29.95, and get the Decollete as your free gift.

usually on monday and thursday nights I do this:

1)  take a shower before bed

2)  in the shower, i use a loofah and a good body wash, the grainy kind that exfoliates the skin well

3)  scrub the body good!  get rid of all the dead skin.  if you put sunless tanning lotion over skin that hasn’t been exfoliated well, then you’re just wasting it.  dead skin doesn’t pick up the lotion well.  fresh new skin does

4)  apply sunless lotion all over and let is sit for 30 min, try not to wear clothes.. i usually clean the kitchen naked during this time

5)  go to bed!  voila, there ya go

Here we show you tips on how to properly care for your skin, from the right way to wash your face, to the best moisturizers and UV protection.

Before we start with the proper daily 4-step skincare routine, you’ll need to know your skin type. How you care for your skin is utterly dependent on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun- damaged.

The Basic 4-Step Skincare Regimen

Step 1: Cleansing Simple is key here. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it.

Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin. According to Rona Berg, in her book, “Beauty,” a French cosmetics executive once told her “soap should only ever touch your skin from the neck down.” We agree. According to Berg, most cleansers contain oil, water and “surfactants.” The oil dissolves oil on your face, surfactants dissolve dirt and makeup and the water washes it all away. The secret is finding the right mix of oil. (Makes sense to us). Too much on your skin will clog pores, while too little will dry it out. This is why you need to know your skin type.

Be careful not to cleanse too often. Washing at night should do you. While some skincare experts swear you should cleanse skin with creamy cleansers that you wipe off with a tissue, never letting water touch your skin (some hard waters are especially hard on skin), we prefer the water method. In the morning, a splash of lukewarm water is all you need (we find it’s great for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturizing). Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about overcleansing skin.

Here’s the best way to wash your face: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You’ll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

Step 2: Exfoliate Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. According to Berg, one of the reasons men’s skin looks more youthful than women’s is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.

Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. We find exfoliating skin once a week with a microdermabrasion kit keeps skin glowing year-round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good. My favorite microdermabrasion kit is made by Lancome.

In the hour it takes to get a chemical peel, you can take off five years from your face. Can’t afford the pricetag for a monthly peel? Try some over-the-counter peels that work over the course of a month. I prefer MD Skincare’s.

Retinoids (such as Retin-A) also work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells while also generating collagen in the skin. “Collagen is the skin’s structural fiber,” dermatologist Dennis Gross said in the October 2005 issue of O Magazine. “As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores.” Skincare experts disagree on all sorts of things, but most of them consider retinoids to be a miracle skin saver.

Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not (I once read a skincare expert claim, ‘toners are only for copy machines’). Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. I firmly believe it’s up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

Step 3: Moisturize While I know of at least one famous beauty editor who swore skin doesn’t need moisturizer, basically everyone else I’ve read disagrees and is an adamant believer in it. A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturizers. (The only exception is those with acne). Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin (Berg calls this the ‘Saran Wrap effect’). So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it’s crying out for moisture. Be careful not to overmoisturize — this can cause clogged pores. For the skinny on great moisturizers for your skin type, check out this article.

Are eye creams necessary? Well maybe. Some beauty experts strongly recommend eye creams. Why? The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. Special eye creams are formulated to ‘thicken’ this area and keep it sturdy. Yet other experts (including the beauty editors of Allure in their new book) claim your daily lotion works around the eyes just as well.

Step 4: Applysunscreen ‘O’ magazine ran an article in November 2006 featuring interviews with several top skin care experts and dermatologists (check it out here ). Every single one of them said sunscreen was the most important part of your skincare regimen. It was the secret they would pass on to their daughters.

The number 1 cause of wrinkles is sun damage, so it’s important to use sunscreen from your early years on even in winter and on cloudy days. A great trick is to purchase two moisturizers: one for night and one for day that includes UV protection. Don’t use moisturizers with sunscreen at night, the ingredients are not meant to be used 27/7 and can aggravate skin. When choosing a sunscreen, make sure it contains 1 of 3 ingredients as an ‘active ingredient’: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or Parsol 1789 (avobenzene).

1. buy a lotion like SUN from Sun Laboratories

2. shower and exfoliate

3. apply lotion on skin

4. wait 15 min or user hair dryer to speed up drying process

5. put on light clothes to bed (loose pajamas)

6. be sure to use bed sheets and not the nice kind you don’t want to stain!

7. wake up and rinse off without scrubbing

VOILA!  you’re dark baby