Archive for July 15th, 2008

A Simple Guide To Anti Aging Skin Care »

by Sally Tyler

Let’s face it, anti aging skin care becomes more and more of a concern as the years roll by. With age the perfect complexion that we took for granted in our twenties begins to fade and lines and wrinkles begin to appear. This is the time when we rely on an antiaging skin cream to restore our youthful appearance.
With so many skin care products on the market it’s difficult to know where to start. The shops are full of different brands some of which are advertised in magazines and on TV and others are own brand products. But how do you know which antiaging skin cream will work for you? Which brand will produce visible and lasting results?

A good place to start is the list of ingredients on the label attached to the tube or jar. When you know what to look for this will tell you how effective the product is likely to be. The main reason why our skin starts to sag and develop lines is that as we grow older the proteins collagen and elastin begin to break down. So ingredients that promote the growth of these two proteins are what you want to see when choosing an antiaging skin cream.

Three ingredients that you should look out for are Phytessence Wakame, Cynergy TK and Coenzyme Q10. Each of these in different ways stimulate the growth of collagen which improves the skin’s firmness and elasticity. But you should be aware that including collagen in the skin cream is ineffective since collagen cannot be absorbed by the skin.

This might seem incredible, but some skin care products contain ingredients that can actually cause harm to your skin with prolonged application. Mineral oil, also known as paraffin wax, a common ingredient of skin creams, clogs the pores and interferes with the skin’s natural ability to eliminate toxins. Dioxane, a synthetic derivative of coconut and a common skin cream ingredient is a known carcinogenic. The very fragrance that attracts you to a particular antiaging skin cream could be created from ingredients that are either toxic, or worse, carcinogenic. Parabens of various types are a preservative used in anti aging skin care products to increase shelf life. Studies have shown that they can cause cancer and result in allergic reactions and skin rashes.

Not only is it essential to know the ingredients that go into an anti aging skin care product, but it is equally important to make sure that even the good, active ingredients are used in sufficient quantity. Because of the high cost of these substances some manufacturers will include a minute amount just so that it can be shown on the list of ingredients.

Hopefully this brief survey of anti aging skin care products will help you in making a more informed choice when shopping for antiaging skin cream.

About the Author
Sally Tyler is a health researcher and writer about anti aging skin care. Visit her site at http://www.antiagingproducts101.com to learn about the latest developments in skin care and rejuvenation.

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Why Bother: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Nails for Marie Claire, August 2008 »


For the August 2008 issue of Marie Claire , manicurist Tabitha mixed an arsenal of MAC nail polishes to create the perfect cement gray for cover girl Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Too bad her hands are obscured in every shot.

And the behind-the- scenes pics on the magazine’s website are too small to appreciate the hue.

Thanks, MC. Thanks for nuthin’.

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Miss Venezuela Grabs The Miss Universe 2008 Crown »

Yesterday,Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza was crowned as the Miss Universe 2008. The pageant was held in Vietnam and was hosted by Jerry Springer and Spice Girl Mel B.

The panel of judges include famed developer Donald Trump Jr, fashion designer Roberto Cavalli and Bollywood star Eesha Koppikhar. The 80 contestants tried their best to caught the attention of the judges as they presented their national costumes, swimsuits and evening gowns.

After cutting down the 80 candidates to top five, each contestant was asked a question by a random judge. Miss Venezuela made a great impression with her response to hair stylist Louis Licari’s question, “Do you believe that men or women had it easier in life?”.

“Actually, God made us to share and to have differences,’ she answered. ‘Men think that the fastest way to a point is to go straight. Women know it’s faster to follow and fix the curves.”

Here is the list of the winners:

Top 15:
Venezuela
Kosovo
Mexico
Vietnam
South Africa
Australia
Japan
Dominican Republic
Italy
Colombia
Russia
Hungary
Czech Republic
USA
Spain

Top 10:
Kosovo
Australia
Spain
Mexico
Colombia
USA
Dominican Republic
Russia
Italy
Venezuela

Best in Bikini - Queen of Vinpearl
- Winner: Elisa Najera - Mexico

Best in Áo dài (Vietnam National Costume)
- Winner: Dayana Mendoza - Venezuela

Best National Costume Award: Miss Thailand.
Miss Congenility: Miss El Salvador

4th Runner Up: Miss Mexico
3rd Runner Up: Miss Russia
2nd Runner Up: Miss Dominican Republic
1st Runner Up: Miss Colombia
Miss Universe 2008:Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza


Left: Miss Australia Laura Dundovic
Right: Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas


Left: Miss Dominican Republic Marianne Cruz Gonzalez
Right: Miss Italy Claudia Ferraris


Left: Miss Kosovo Zana Krasniqi
Right: Miss USA Crystle Stewart


Left: Miss Mexico Elisa Najera
Right: Miss Russia Vera Krasova


Left: Miss Spain Claudia Moro
Right: Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza


Left: Miss Thailand Gavintra Photijak
Right: Miss Vietnam Trang Thuy Nguyen

Photo Source

Bookmarkz

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Cardigans II: The Long Ones »

Beyond the classic cardigans, I am also obsessed with long cardigans. They give off that effortlessly chic look that is just so…well, chic.
The beauty of it is that the long cardigan look really IS effortless and easy to achieve. Take a plain long cardigan, like these two from UO (left) and American Apparel (right), and pair it with a tank top (black/white or more interestingly- contrasting colored!), skinny jeans (or shorts) and flats (or heels!) and you are good to go! And because the look is so plain and simple, it is also the perfect canvas to accessorize with. Throw on a sharp colored headband, a bold colored scarf, a funky long necklace, crazy earrings, chunky bangles or a fabulous bag for a touch of fun. If you are too lazy to even do that (like me!), then you are in luck. The long cardigan trend has been around long enough to evolve with sharp, geometric prints, contrasting colors and bold details like big gold buttons that it can be worn just as it is, sans accessories, and still look fabulous and fun. I am loving these two refreshingly colored cardigans from Marc by Marc Jacobs. The bold contrasting blue colors with the geometric prints and the gold lining (left) gives the cardigan an old fashioned yet retro look that is both refreshing and stylish. And I just LOVE the dark blue sleeves with the line of gold buttons on that pale yellow cardigan. That little details gives the otherwise ordinary yellow cardigan that extra something that makes it special.
For more washable options, there are these classic cardigans with bold contrasting colors from American Apparel. This is the perfect way to add some color to your summer wardrobe!
For something a bit more subtle that may even last you through fall, try these cardigans with details and trimmings from Vince (left) and Urban Outfitters (right). They are far from “mumsie”- just remember not to pair them with bermuda shorts like that model above (left), it should be paired with something either really long or really short!

Image Source: American Apparel , UO and Saks

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