When sunscreen isn't enough...

Much like the Skin Cancer Foundation, we at Cosmopolitan Skin Care Solutions are all about sunscreen usage, ALL.year.long.

However, as the Skin Cancer Foundation constantly tries to remind us; even though sunscreen application is incredibly important, it is not enough to completely protect us from the risk of skin cancer.

Read on for the Skin Cancer Foundation's full list of skin cancer prevention tips:

• Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.

• Do not burn.
• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
• Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
• Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. (For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.)
• Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming, or excessive sweating.
• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should only be used on babies over the age of six months.

• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

The hairstyle that looks good on everyone? (Virtually try it out yourself!)

It is extremely interesting to me (and perhaps me alone?) that despite our focus on skin care-- it is the blog posts about hair (namely how to grow hair faster, and glitter extensions) that seem to be the most popular.  Although people are definitely interested in celebrity skin and anti-aging tips and secrets, it seems that skin interest doesn't hold a candle to the over-whelming display of celebrity hair interest. 

While it is hard to rationalize why this might be (perhaps "tinsel hair" is just having a moment...) but far be it from me to not give the people what they want. 

InStyle Magazine, the utmost experts at informing people about what they want before they even know they want it, has an awesome tool on their website that allows you to upload a picture of yourself in order to test-drive the hairstyle of your favorite celebrities. 
Want to see what you would look like with Katie Holme's Suri-esque bob, or Ashley Olsen's bleach-blonde fringe? Or, perhaps you want to see what Jennifer Aniston's perfectly-perfect hair would look like on you? With the click of a button, your curiosity can be sated.

Recently declared THE haircut that flatters everyone, Jessica Alba's collar length bob is supposed to cover all of the major hair concerns. Long enough to pull back, but short enough to get rid of any damaged ends, this length elongates the neck while slimming the face. The creator of this haircut, hair sensei Fredeic Fekkai, explains another major selling factor to this hair-style: the ease with which it can be styled! He claims it takes about 5 minutes, however for those with thick, curly hair, this would be a very time consuming (possibly impossible) look to replicate. 

Curious about what you might look like with this haircut? Just go here and upload a picture of yourself. If Jessica Alba's particular haircut doesn't do it for you-- there are ample other choices to try out. When you find the one you love, print it out and bring it with you to your next hairdresser appointment. Having a concrete image of what you are looking for will make both your stylist's job easier, and improve the chances of you ending up in love with your final result. 

After playing around on the site, which haircut do you think looks best on you? (Glitter extensions, perhaps?)

Winning! Solise Sun Wash and the doctor

As previously mentioned, Dr. Sobel is wonderful when it comes to taking care of other people's skin, yet never took the time to do anything for himself... 

...until now. 

Solise Sun Wash is a body-wash that you use as normal in the shower, but once you've toweled off-- you're left with a physical sunblock of SPF 15. As a devoted father, Dr. Sobel was happy to take this fresh-smelling body-wash home for his family to benefit from, and after putting it in the shower... he inadvertently found himself using it as well. (As an absolute sunscreen fanatic, this was a personal coup for yours truly.)

Suddenly finding himself covered head-to-toe in sunscreen everyday, Dr. Sobel was surprised at how nice the experience was...

Face of a 20 year old, body of a 60 year old?

The 80/20 rule is used all the time, and seems like a universal ratio that (somehow) can be used to attribute a mathematical equation to almost every relationship in the world. 

For example, in business they say things like 80% of your time is spent on 20% of your clients, and 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your clients. In social media, they say that 80% of your comments/interactions will come from 20% of your fan-base, and the equation can applied to such trivialities as 80% of the time you are wearing the same 20% of your wardrobe, etc., etc, etc. 

Since it is the 80/20 rule that is heard over and over, it was almost jarring to recently hear of the phenomenon called the 20/60 rule. 

At first I thought it must have been a typo, but then I read on to discover that the 20/60 situation is something actually occurring ALL the time. "20/60" refers to people-- female or male-- that have young, wrinkle-free faces, with bodies (hands, necks, and chests) that make them look decades older-- so that overall the face of someone in their 20s is on a body that looks at least 60. Certainly not a desirable combination...

It is great to be applying sunscreen daily to your face, but while your face is protected from the premature aging that comes with sun exposure, the rest of your body is left exposed. Skin experts across the world agree that it is vital to be diligent about applying sunscreen to the neck, hands, and any other body part that might be exposed to the sun throughout your daily activities (even for things as mundane as driving or a quick walk).

For easy all-over protection, Solise Sun Wash is a soap used in the shower that leaves behind a physical sunblock of SPF 15, or Eucerin makes a light-weight SPF 30 lotion called "Everyday Protection" that can be applied after the shower, is absorbed quickly. (Take advantage of current Solise special, and use coupon code 73483 to get 10% off all online orders.)

Reese's secret to eternally healthy hair

Would a Reese with any other hair color, be as sweet?

Probably-- but there is no denying Reese Witherspoon, that cutie-pie All-American girl-next-door movie-star (in addition to any other charming cliches you want to attribute to her) is known for her trade-mark blonde hair.

However, in the entertainment industry, hair is put through a litany of abuses-- constant heat-styling, coloring, pulling/tugging/brushing and product over-load can leave hair dry, broken and damaged. 

Luckily, Reese recently shared with InStyle magazine the trick she has discovered to help prevent the consequences that her job-induced hair apocalypses can induce. 

"When I'm working on a movie, they blow-dry and curl my hair quite a bit. I take these Viviscal supplements to keep it healthy." 

A long-time secret of models and actresses, Viviscal tablets are made of 100% natural ingredients that increase the body's production of keratin, and has been shown to decrease natural hair-loss, while encouraging new hair-growth.  The nourishing effect has a similar effect on skin, nails, and eye-lashes. 

"It's really great, I swear by it," admits celebrity hair-stylist Orlando Pita. Pita, who has been recommending Viviscal for years, reveals that "never once has someone come back and told me, 'You know what, I've been using [Viviscal], but it doesn't seem to be working for me.'"

(Although Viviscal is available in drug-stores, the medical grade that is only available through doctors' offices, has 2X the strength of the over-the-counter variety. Please call 215-925-6085 for more details.)

How to decide which beauty products to toss?

When just one section of your eye-shadow collection looks like this, it can be a huge task to keep tabs on the expiration dates of every item of makeup you own. 

Plus, how do you know when to really trust the expiration date, when obviously the makeup company's end-goal is for you to buy more makeup?

As it turns out-- your beauty supplies will often times tell you when their time has passed. As soon as you witness any of your makeup products starting to change; either by separating, or a change to the color, texture, or smell, it is a sign that the included ingredients are no longer working as intended, and your makeup needs to be sent to it's trashcan grave.

Depending on the item-- such as lipstick or nail-polish-- the worst thing that will happen is that you suffer through a momentary beauty goof. (A gloppy manicure or crumbly lip-stick never really hurt anybody.) However, when it comes to items like mascara or sunscreen, using products with past-prime ingredients can be much more harmful. (Introducing bacteria to the eye, or sunbathing without proper SPF protection, could prove to be way more detrimental.)

Read on to determine the proper way to handle the following, short-lived beauty products: 

• Nail polish: Unfortunately, those little colored bottles you spend ages selecting, last only about a year. Usually though, it is at around 9 months after opening that the ingredients begin to degrade, and from here on out the color and consistency will noticeably change. You will definitely notice when this starts to happen, the once smooth color us now sticky and tacky. Save yourself the trouble, and toss it as soon as you see this start to happen. 

• Mascara: Again, it's life-span seems to come and go way too quickly. Once a tube of mascara has been opened, on average you have about 3 months of usage. As soon as the formula starts to get clumpy or dry, the mascara has become a breeding ground for bacteria. If you happen to contract an eye-infection (pink-eye, etc.) discard the mascara you were currently using immediately. Reusing the same mascara applicator can cause recurrences.

• Face cream: Most creams are given about a year after opening before being deemed "expired". This is largely due to the idea that your fingers are constantly adding bacteria to the enclosed product, however-- before adding product to your face, I'm going to assume that most people's hands are clean.
  
  That being said, your face cream will let you know when it's time to get thrown away; an oily liquid may appear on the surface, the lotion might look or smell different, or it might feel different to the touch. Pay attention to these signs, and throw away the cream in question.
  
• Perfume: Each time you spritz a squirt of perfume, air is being introduced into the sealed bottle. Over time (roughly 2 years), the presence of oxygen will cause the formula to oxidize, and the strength of the scent will slightly diminish. However, aside from a weaker fragrance, no real harm will come from using older perfume.
  
• Sunscreen: After about 6 months, sunscreen usually begins to lose it effectiveness, however for up to a year after opening the bottle-- as long as the ingredients have not begun to separate, change smell or color-- the sunscreen can still be applied...just be sure to reapply often as the SPF effectiveness on the bottle may have started to decrease.

The net take-away: expiration dates on makeup can seem somewhat arbitrary... Trust your eyes, fingers, and nose to determine when one of your beloved makeup products has expired... for real.

The most unique place Kim Kardashian has gotten laser hair removal...

Coming from Armenian descent, all of the Kardashian offspring have beautiful and thick, glossy dark hair. While the hair growing from the top of their heads is definitely envy worthy, the hair they have growing else-where is apparently less desirable... 

As featured on their reality show, and often discussed, all Kardashian sisters adamantly favor permanent laser hair removal. Utilizing laser hair removal for treatments "head-to-toe," Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney have had the usual spots taken care of: legs, armpits, bikini, face. 

Kimberly, however, took laser hair removal a step further. "I used to have the hairiest forehead," she recently revealed to InStyle magazine. "All of my baby bangs would get Photoshopped out of magazine pictures, and I liked the way that looked, so I lasered them off. It really opened up my face so much." 

While obviously beautiful, her baby bangs almost make her seem more real? In order for to have felt compelled to have something like baby bangs permanently removed, the pressure she must constantly feel to look beyond perfect, 24/7, has to be incredible.What do you think?

YOU can't pop pimples, but SHE sure CAN!

Despite her mantra of "DO NOT POP PIMPLES!", when it comes to treating acne Naomi is definitely a "do what I say, not what I do" type of individual. 

While she emphatically reminds her patients to not even think about attempting extractions at home (its the number one cause of preventable acne scarring!), what she really means is anyone aside from herself (or Dr. Sobel) should refrain from at-home pimple-poppings.

Naomi's weapons of mass acne destruction consist of a metal extractor and the Isolaz acne laser. Ironically, these two tools are as different from each other as night and day. The Isolaz acne laser is a large, expensive photoneumatic device that can only be operated by a specialist, and the extractor is an inexpensive, simple little tool sold over-the-counter at every drugstore. 

The biggest similarity between the two?  Both should be left to the professionals. 

If an ill-equipped person tried to use the Isolaz, they wouldn't even be able to figure out how to power it on. If an ill-equipped person attempted to use a metal extractor, it is very easy for them to unintentionally worsen their existing acne, while marring and scarring their face for the future.

After personally attempting to use a metal extractor on myself years ago, I can vouch for it's deception... that unforgiving piece of metal does NOT want to do what you want it to! However, my own personal experience makes watching Naomi in action that much more impressive-- because she just makes it look soo easy. 

Should the #1 Prom accessory be banned?

In the full midst of prom season, this is the busiest time of year when it comes to dress shopping. Many of those bodies wriggling into pastel-colored beaded gowns haven't seen the sun since last summer, and while beautiful porcelain skin is the rage right now amongst celebrities (picture Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, just to name a few!), some teenagers still envision a tan as the perfect, finishing touch to their black-tie attire. 

Recently banned in the United Kingdom, tanning bed usage before the age of 35 has been shown to raise risk of deadly melanoma by 75%, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

In the United States, there are currently 12 states that are working on laws that restrict teenagers from using tanning beds. 

If being tan is a must-- the only safe glow is one that comes from a bottle. St. Tropez makes great, user-friendly options that can be applied right in the privacy of your own home, or you could search for local spray-tan businesses and for a special occasion-- such as prom-- employ an expert to perfectly bronze you.

What do you think-- should teenagers that have the right to smoke, vote, and drive, not have the decision to tan?

Mad-Lib quiz to find skin care needs

EVERYONE, at some point, has insecurities about what they see in the mirror. But, how do you know if your various issues are passing, or if they are worth seeing a professional about? 

To determine what you think is bothering you, versus what is really bothering you, print out this quick skin-care Mad-Lib type questionnaire to help identify your unique skin goals and priorities:

• Skin Goal: My goal is to ________________________________________________.
  
• Currently: I am happy with my (area of face/skin description/etc.) __________________________, but I'm curious about treatments for my ______________________.
  
• Possible (known) Solutions: I'm willing to try (prescription/peels/lasers/injections/etc.) ____________________________________________, but I prefer to steer clear of (prescription/peels/lasers/injections/etc.) ________________________________________.
  
• Pain: On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being easy, 5 being nearly unbearable), I want to keep the pain below a ________.
  
• Time: I would like to spend no more than (an hour/a day/3 days/week/etc.) __________ recovering and (would/would not) _______________ be willing to have (and/or pay for) treatments that require multiple sessions.
  
• Finances: I don't want to spend more than $______________ total, or spend more than (an hour/2 hours/ 3 hours/etc.) __________________________________ receiving treatments.
  

After completing this, you should have a more pin-pointed idea of how much something aesthetically is bothering you, and how far you are willing to go to correct it. If professional intervention is needed, feel free to bring this along with you as it will provide a clear and concise snap-shot of your views and feelings, that can then be shared with your skin care expert. 

Is tanning the real culprit behind Britney's beauty fade?

I love Britney Spears, and despite her tabloid drama, there is no questioning that she is undeniably talented. (Whether you like her genre of music or not, her albums are consistently financially successful.) 

Breaking onto the scene as a fresh-faced teenager with the release of "Baby, One More Time," Britney immediately established herself as a sex-symbol. With a pretty face, perfect body, scant clothing, and enticing dance moves, she had both the boys and girls crushing on her. (Her charm knew no sexual boundaries, a hetero girl-friend from college was almost as obsessed with the boys of AEPi as she was with Ms. Spears, and a homo-sexual male has been one of her biggest supporters.) 

When she combined her genetically blessed appearance with a clever costume designer; Britney ingrained herself into pop-culture with numerous unforgettable looks:

And then, after a couple years worth of wear and tear, this happened to our Britney (isn't it crazy to think that such drastic changes occurred in a little over 5 years?!): 

Yes, drinking, drugging, smoking, and taking horrible care of herself certainly all contributed to her beauty demise, but I think the biggest factor in Britney's sudden, rapid-fire aging, has been her devotion to tanning. 

Never one to hide this obsession, from the very beginning Britney admitted to having a tanning bed on her "Baby One More Time" tour bus, and during all of the shaving head/Kevin Federline/mental break-down drama, the first thing Britney allegedly did after having her children taken away from her-- was go tanning.

Proven over and over again to be the #1 controllable factor when it comes to aging, the popularity of tanning has been extremely detrimental to the health of our society. A "tan" indicates that sun damage was occurring to your skin, and your skin changed color as a result of trying to protect itself. Years of this practice leads to thick, wrinkled, leathery looking skin, and significantly increases the odds of contracting potentially fatal skin cancer. 

Decades of fake and bake has certainly taken it's toll on Britney Spear's once enviable countenance. As she finds herself approaching her 30's at the same time she is poised for another smash album release, she looks far older than her physical age. Repeated hit songs do not occur by accident, and I wish that the people managing her could look at her as more than just a cash cow, and recommend good practices for her personal life too. Namely; stop tanning, put on a hat, always wear sunscreen, and for gods sake-- hire Nannies that will do the same for your children!

Taking care of a manly-man's skin

He may be annoyed that I am revealing his trade secrets here, but Dr. Sobel does so many Botox injections that he has developed an entire comedy routine around the procedure, which he has finessed to the point that it can be easily altered depending on the mood of the patient. However, despite mastering the art of "Vitamin B" injections, Dr. Sobel himself has lines across his forehead when he raises his eyebrows. 

Even though he is insistent that his young daughters use as many SPF-rich products as possible, he goes on 75-mile bike rides without a stitch of sunscreen on his body. 

When it comes to skin care, Dr. Sobel is a perfect case of "practice what I preach, not what I do." Excellent at advising skin care plans for others, he is incredibly remiss in the way he takes care of his own skin. (Being genetically blessed with an eternal baby face has allowed him a lot of slack in this area... so far.) 

As frustrating as this might be (for me especially), Dr. Sobel represents a whole sub-group of men: for every one well-publicized man that embraces taking care of themselves and following a good skin care regimen, there is another man that abjectly rejects any notion of pampering him-self. 

If you're dealing with this sort of rugged, dogged, type of man, a little intervention can go a long way... by making teeny little changes to the inventory of his bathroom, he can go on with a very simple routine while protecting and nourishing his skin.

Problem: He washes his face with whatever hand-soap is closest. 

Solution: Place a facial cleanser within easy reach, that is packaged very simply (bright colors and flowers are not going to make this an easy transition) and make sure that the face-wash contains ingredients that provide the biggest bang for the buck. 

Depending on his skin-type, look for something that will solve as many issues as possible. If he has oily/acne-prone skin, find a cleanser with glycolic-acid-- it will help prevent ingrown hairs, and promote the natural exfoliating process. If he has dry skin, look for a "gentle" wash that will clean the skin without overly drying it. Spend time finding the right product, because if he doesn't like how it makes his skin feel or look, he's going to revert back to his old habits.

Problem: He hates using sunscreen. 

Solution: Swap the bar of soap in the shower, with a bottle of Solise Sun Wash. A body-wash with SPF built-in to it, while washing himself he will be protecting every inch of his body from sun damage without even thinking about it. Solise is safe enough to also use on the face, this non-greasy, hypoallergenic body-wash makes daily sun protection a no-brainer. (Plus, it has a light, fresh smell to it, so if he also hates cologne... this helps out with making him smell nice too.) 

Problem: He won't get Botox. 

Solution: Solicit every patient to ask him before a treatment, "Umm, so why don't you get Botox?" until he get's the message... (Just kidding!)

When it comes to things like Botox that are done purely for aesthetic reasons, not wanting to partake is a personal decision that can be 100% respected. Not using sunscreen however, which is paramount to future health and livelihood, is a completely different scenario that is worthy of a little manipulation. 

A manly man is not going to convert his ways easily, but with a little well-planned help from you, he can be encouraged to do the barest minimum to get the biggest return.

Laser skin resurfacing with Fraxel: strange to see MY answers coming out of someone else's mouth

It is definitely weird to hear the same exact answers I would give (except for the pricing, we're less), coming out of a person who is very much NOT me.

The recent interview on Good Morning America shared great information about Fraxel laser skin resurfacing, and in a few minutes, they covered all the most important facts: what kind of results to expect for acne scarring, surgical scars, wrinkles, melasma, etc., how the device is being utilized for people in their teens, versus people in the 50's, and how Fraxel treatments can actually help prevent skin cancer. 
 
Kudos to Dr. Rohksar, definitely one of the best Fraxel videos I've seen:

DIY: Uni-sex aftershave

Even though it smells lovely, the initial association my brain makes with aftershave is this: 

However, despite my early-90's pop-cultural associations, aftershave is used because it does do good things for the skin. Used after shaving, the appropriately named "aftershave" usually includes the following ingredients: 

• Anti-inflammatories to soothe irritations
• Antiseptics to sterilize any nicks or cuts, and prevent razor-burn (Alcohol is sometimes used for this, which is what causes the stinging sensation that Kevin's face exemplifies above.)

Typically used by men for their faces, aftershave is also a great addition to a female's beauty routine, as all of the benefits can also be  reaped when shaving legs, underarms, or the bikini area.

Aftershaves are a dime a dozen at the drug-store, but if you have the following ingredients on hand, you can easily whip up your own DIY, Unisex Aftershave.

• 1TBSP Dark Rum (alcohol kills bacteria and germs)
• 1 TBSP Aloe-Vera Juice (soothes the skin)
• 3 TBSP Witch Hazel (extra germ killing)
• 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar  (prevents in-grown hairs)

Mix ingredients together, and apply to skin with a cotton ball. Whether applied to his face, or your legs, the skin will be left silky smooth with nary a chance of razor-burn or dreaded in-grown.

The city of Brotherly Beauty? (Or, 3 new Philly make-up lines to check-out)

Philadelphia may currently be known for cheese-steaks and sports' teams, but New York's little neighbor is starting to make some moves into the more girly of genres...

To wit, Philadelphia has been the home-base of three new emerging make-up lines, each receiving acclaim from local beauty experts.

1. Carie Brescia Cosmetics (Ardmore, PA)

After working as a professional make-up artist and beauty product consultant for years, Carrie Brescia recently decided to put her vast experience to work for herself by developing her very own line of cosmetics, now available to all through e-commerce. 

Local hairstylist and makeup artist Liz Jacobs, who was invited to test all three of these new Philadelphia makeup lines, shares that Carie Brescia "is my favorite of the [new Philly makeup] lines. It has just the right amount of neutral color for a nice, wearable result." 

2. Tenshi (Northern Liberties, PA)

The Tenshi Beauty Bar is located right in the heart of Northern Liberties at the Piazza. Featuring hypo-allergenic makeup in fun colors and patterns (love the cheetah print bronzer!), this line received great endorsements from all the local experts. 

 In particular, the eye-shadow quads were recommended for their high quality pigmentation. Whether applied heavily, or more natural looking, experts agree that however you put it on-- it will look pretty. And the cheetah bronzer? Jacobs gives it a glowing recommendation, saying that matte finish tan is excellent for a change, as women don't need shimmery products all the time...

3. Tu by Claudia Seyler (Northern Liberties, PA) 

In order to best supplement the demand for makeup at the Tu Belleza Studio (also in Northern Liberties), makeup artist Claudia Seyler decided to develop her own line. All of her products are organic, and are meant to be easy on the skin so as to not cause any unwanted irritation or break-outs. 
The Tu line is supposed to make the skin itself look perfect, as opposed to just adding pigment or shimmer on top. By appointment only, the Tu Belleza Studio strives to be a peaceful, relaxing place to go, for all beauty needs.

Seeing as Philadelphia is already the home-base of fashion retailers Urban Outfitters (and ergo Anthropologie and Free People) and Lily Pulitzer, musicians (Pink, Will Smith,  and actors (Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper) here's hoping that the city of Brotherly Love is in the process of becoming the East Coast's second most glamorous city. (Or at least, switched over from the top contender of UGLIEST American city, to Most Attractive American city...!)

Rosacea App launches for iPhone

In order to maximize the Rosacea publicity that comes on the heels of April being "National Rosacea Awareness Month", a new Rosacea App is being launched for all Smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc.). 

Although it is not well-known, Rosacea is a prevalent skin disorder that currently affects 16+ million Americans. Causing redness on the cheeks, nose, chin and/or forehead, broken blood vessels on the face (particularly around the nose), and even Acne-like break-outs, those that suffer from the condition admit to the toll it takes on their lives. 70% of sufferers report that it lowers their self-confidence, and 41% admit that it has caused them to avoid social interactions and situations.

Despite the prevalence of this skin condition, 78% of Americans report having NO knowledge of Rosacea... which is exactly where the new Rosacea App comes in handy. Offering a wide variety of features, this Free app is intended to educate, support, and guide those who have (or think they might have) Rosacea.

For those that know they have Rosacea, this app has some cool interactive features that are meant to make life easier. The "Trigger Tracker" lists common culprits of a redness outbreak, and allows the user to record their own entries as they come across their own unique triggers. The "Substitution Finder" allows users to find the best replacements for those things that may be a trigger, and "Weather Alerts" keeps the user updated of the local weather conditions, so they can prepare accordingly for weather that might aggravate their skin condition. 

For those that aren't sure if they have Rosacea, the app allows the user to research the disease, and utilize a feature that enables the user to compare and log their symptoms against those most commonly associated with the disorder. 

Finally, for anyone using the app-- there is a feature called "Finacea" which allows users to sign-up for alerts and coupons regarding local treatment facilities. As mentioned, this Rosacea App is free, and hopefully it will accomplish what it set out to do: improve the lives of those affected by Rosacea with education and empathy.

Wealthy women at biggest risk for melanoma

What slice of the population would you guess is at the highest risk for contracting skin cancer? 

Obviously, as the title of this article would indicate, we know the answer to the question... but before you read this, who would you have guessed is at the highest risk? 

As I try to mentally compartmentalize the study described below, part of me wants to say that I would have guessed lower class Caucasians-- both male and female-- as being at the highest risk.  This is based purely on assumption, but I would peg them to not be educated correctly about the important benefits of sunscreen, nor would I think that they have the expendable income to spend on something like sunscreen, which doesn't deliver a benefit that can be immediately seen. (Lower-income families of any other ethnicity most likely have darker skin-tones, which naturally provides a better defense against the sun.) 

My second guess would have been wealthier Caucasians, again-- male or female-- because of the outdoor leisure activities extra-wealth would allow them to do, combined with the fragility of pale skin. (Plus, the have the money and desire to invest in indoor tanning, in order to succumb to the "tan" peer-pressure.) 

Interestingly enough, it is my second hunch that is the accurate one, with occurrences of melanoma being much higher in affluent Caucasian women than men. 

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, killed an estimated 8,700 Americans in 2010 alone. Unfortunately, according to new research just published by the Archives of Dermatology, being a wealthy white female indicates a higher risk for contracting the deadly cancer...  

Researchers discovered that Caucasian females living in the most affluent California neighborhoods were almost six times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than those living in the poorest California neighborhoods. 

The amount of ultraviolet radiation each geographical location received was also taken into consideration. Even then-- the females with the higher socioeconomic status were 73% more likely to develop melanoma than the poorer women living in areas that received equally high amounts of ultraviolet rays.

Previous studies suggest several possibilities for these findings, which neatly coincide with exactly what you would expect: greater access to outdoor recreational activities increases the risk of melanoma.

“Affluent women have been reported to have more leisure time, during which they may pursue outdoor activities such as gardening, playing sports, or walking,” noted the researchers. Visits to indoor-tanning salons, and tropical vacations are also leisure activities that well-off white women may be partaking in that potentially could increase their risk of melanoma. (It is speculated that melanoma occurrence is higher in women than men, because affluent men are usually working indoors during the day.)

Despite a woman's economic status, data shows that all females had significant increases in melanoma incidence. Between 1980 and 2004, the occurrence of melanoma amongst young American women increased by 50 percent!

  

Everyone, regardless of wealth, location, age or skin color, needs to take precautions to help protect themselves and their loved ones from melanoma. 

• To learn more about your risk of skin cancer, take The Skin Cancer Foundation's Fitzpatrick Skin Type Quiz to find out your skin type.
  
• For information on how to protect your skin every day, see The Skin Cancer Foundation's Prevention Guidelines.

Spring cleaning your make-up bag

For some reason unbeknownest to me, the Spring season has become infamous as the time of the year to properly clean-out everything. Along with the clothing/bedding switch and excessive cleaning that is most likely to be taking place at this time of year, it is also a great opportunity to tackle a more insidious, under-the-radar mess: your make-up drawer. 

Despite the fact that these products are constantly coming into contact with your face, most women hardly ever think about the cleanliness/shelf-life of these products. The following is a just quick check-list of things to consider as you go through beauty products: 

• Any lotion based make-up product with an SPF in it (such as a foundation) has an especially limited shelf-life. After about 6 months, the active sunscreen ingredients begin to break-down, so that although the make-up appears to work as usual, your skin is not receiving the same amount of sun protection that you intended. If you want to hold on to these products, please be sure to apply another form of sun protection first.
  
• Time to wash all make-up brushes-- including mascara wands. If the brushes (mascara wands included, if older than 3 months) have not been washed regularly, they are most likely bacteria receptacles. You can either use wash made specifically for make-up brushes, or a gentle shampoo, to cleanse the brushes. Once clean, allow to air-dry.
  
  
• Go through and inspect everything you use on a regular basis. If anything appears to have changed consistency, color, or smells strange-- toss it.
  
• During the normal wear-and-tear of being tossed into a drawer or bag, it is likely that loose debris from the multiple colors inside a compact will have shifted onto each other, and possibly coated the interior mirror. Use a tissue to clean the powders off the mirror, and use a butter-knife to gently scrape the discolored layers off to make your compact look like new again (and prevent bacteria from growing).
  
• For your collection of lipsticks and lip-gloss tubes, rubbing the surface with a paper-towel soaked in rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean and disinfect the areas that are coming into contact with your mouth.

Are there any make-up cleaning tips that you would like to share? If so, please do! We love hearing your feed-back! 

The first [official] unretouched makeup ad!

In a world dominated by completely random acts attracting unprecedented amounts of free publicity via the inter-webs (for example, please consider that phenom Justin Beiber was discovered on YouTube), every company is vying for the popularity (and financial gain) that comes with a marketing campaign going "viral". 

Despite the many failed attempts, it is nice to see established companies attempting to actually produce "viral" material that is beneficial and relevant to their brand, and the masses.

As our lives become more and more computerized, there are pros-- increased ease for keeping in touch with people, getting news, making on the spot restaurant decisions, etc., ... and there are cons. 

With the proliferation of HD televisions, and rampantly air-brushed magazine and beauty ads, the expectation for a perfect appearance has increased to unattainable proportions. An increase in self-consciousness about one's appearance, combined with standards that can never be met (no normal person walks out of their house looking as perfectly air-brushed, styled, and coiffed as the Kardashian clan would make it appear), means a verified financial boon for the beauty industry: demand keeps increasing and can never fully be sated. 

It is in this vein that Makeup Forever's new campaign is so refreshing; even though the model is undoubtedly a natural beauty, a notary has certified that the ad below has NOT been retouched at all.

Despite the beauty/perfection of the model's face, look at the arm holding the camera-- that skin actually looks real?! And under her eyes? Faint traces of dark-circles can still be detected... It is so nice though, to look at a make-up ad, and see results that you could actually be able to recreate on your own face. (A stark contrast to the "Evolution of Beauty" video that Dove soap created a few years ago, which documented the photo-shopping that takes place to turn an ordinary girl into a billboard model-- before and after images shown at the top left of this article.)

It's a brilliant concept, and one that Makeup For Ever is surely hoping will go "viral". Promoting the results a real person can achieve is an ideal way of introducing Makeup For Ever's new line of HD Invisible Cover Foundation, which is meant to emphasize that women can look flawless without digital enhancements... they just need to use this foundation.

Another plus of a world filled with Social Media is that companies are being forced to be more transparent and honest with consumers. As this goes on, hopefully beauty expectations can come back down to a level that is realistic. Makeup For Ever received wonderful praise for this campaign, and hopefully other makeup companies will follow suit to prove what their products can actually do.

Have you noticed any other campaigns that celebrate real, natural appearances? If so, which ones? (I'm also partial to Levi's "All asses were not created equal" campaign...)

Natural* ways to get rid of cellulite

Hate to be the bearer of bad news... but as of right here... right now, there is NO proven way to getting rid of the sexist Cellulite affliction. (Life can be so unfair: despite rarely occurring in males, cellulite is estimated to effect 80-90% of females throughout their aging process.)

BUT before you leave disgruntled about being brought to this article by dubious means, please let me explain: while there are no methods of getting rid of cellulite, there are some natural ways you can go about minimizing the appearance. (And by natural, I mean methods of minimizing cellulite that do not involve surgery, lasers, or injections.) 

These simple tricks can help your skin look smoother, tighter, and younger: 

1. Build muscle mass: Counter to what you would initially think, skinny people can still have cellulite, because cellulite is made up of fat. If a body is thin, but has no muscle mass, the fat on their bodies can still manifest as cellulite. A simple remedy to this is to add some strength-training exercises into your daily schedule, especially targeting any problematic  cellulite hot-spots (thighs, rear-end, etc.). Building muscle will help smooth out any little lumps and bumps as your new muscle mass will lie on top of your fat layers, giving your skin a flat surface to rest upon. 

2. Consume less salt: By reducing your salt intake to less than 1,500 milligrams a day, you will cut down on water retention which some skin experts believe helps to improve the appearance of cellulite.

3. Self-tan: Giving yourself a faux-tan helps create an optical illusion that helps to hide the presence of cellulite. (Please note: by self-tan, we mean a tan that comes from a bottle, absolutely NO tanning-beds!) Multiple skin-care companies, such as Nivea and Philosophy, have been marketing "firming" self-tanners-- feel free to experiment with these, but keep expectations realistic. 

4. Use Moisturizers That Irritate Your Skin: Again, it sounds counter-intuitive to think that applying something that causes irritation would be recommended for your skin, but by applying a skin cream with skin-irritating ingredients such as pepper, caffeine, or retinols, the irritation caused to the skin makes it mildly swell, which camouflages any cellulite presence. The effect only lasts for a few hours, but is good to use before a special event or outing.

With warmer weather and bathing-suit season right around the corner, we would love to hear your opinions on any of these-- or other-- cellulite fighting tricks.