Best And Worst Sunscreens For Summer 2008

Consumer Reports did all the testing and lab work on a number of sunscreens. And they found, that we sun-worshipping bathing beauties, are making some wrong choices when we grab a bottle of sun protection off store shelves.

Before you buy your next sunscreen for the summer of 2008, read this:
Most people just look for a sunscreen that shows a high SPF, or skin protection factor. Okay, that's good. However, more importantly are the UVA and UVB rays. As one dermatologist explained it, "Remember UVA rays are the aging rays, and UVB rays are the burning rays."

Scientifically speaking, UVA stands for ultraviolet A radiation. And UVB stands for ultraviolet B radiation.

Most people do not apply enough sunscreen to protect themselves, according to the recent Consumer Reports study. You've got to cover your body and really get every inch of exposed skin.

More advice from Consumer Reports: Choose your sunscreen with the highest protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure the sunscreen is very water resistant or waterproof. And select an SPF of at least 30.

Consumer Reports' 3 Best Sunscreens for the Summer of 2008:

#1. Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch, 45 SPF. Score: 86/100.
Excellent protection all the way around. Cost: $4.33 per fl. oz.

#2. Hawaiian Tropic Ozone Sport, 30 SPF. Score: 84/100

Very good protection. Cost: $1.50 per fl. oz.

#3. Hawaiian Tropic 15 Plus, 15 SPF, Score: 83/100.
Excellent UVA protection. Average UVB protection. Cost: $1.00 per fl. oz.

Consumer Reports' 3 Worst Sunscreens for the Summer of 2008:

#1. Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray. Score: 31/100.
Scored the poorest out of the bunch for UVA and all-around protection.
Cost: $1.67 per fl. oz.

#2. Banana Boat Kids, 30 SPF. Score: 38/100.
Does not provide adequate UVA protection for children. Cost: $1.00 per fl.oz.

#3. Bull Frog Sport Spray, 36 SPF. Score: 45/100.

Excellent UVB protection, but poor UVA protection. Cost: $2.13 per fl. oz.

For more information, visit: http://www.consumerreports.org/.

Ivory Simplement Body Wash Is Baby Soft

Here is one of my new, favorite beauty items. I guess, I just love the clean, fresh scent and the light feel of this body wash. It isn't heavy and greasy like some of the more expensive body washes. And yet it lathers up supremely. One of my friends says it's so gentle, she bathes her 16 month old in it. It is truly baby soft. Nothing harsh in the ingredients, either.

I stumbled upon it in the drug store. And it's a great buy. Under $5.00 for 24 fl.oz. That's huge, as far as body washes go.

Ivory Simplement Moisturizing Body Wash in Fresh Snow.

I know, a long title, but it's worth the money. Like all Ivory products, it's pure and mild with a rich, creamy lather, and yet rinses away completely, and smells like fresh laundry. You will feel as soft as a baby. And if you wish to enjoy a bubble bath, this Ivory wash can create a magical tub full of bubbles. The scent is heavenly....not girlie. Just fresh and clean. Your man will like the Ivory, too.

I have two big bottles of Ivory Simplement. And I haven't grown tired of the product yet. Give it a try.

Sonia Kashuk's Tips For Summer Beauty

We told you yesterday, about Target department stores, and how wonderful they are for stocking up on tons of makeup. Today, we highlight one of their cosmetic favorites: Sonia Kashuk. For those of you in the makeup biz, you know how respected Sonia is and how well her makeup line for Target is received. Sonia makes up the faces of celebrities, too. Sharon Stone and Britney Spears are just a couple.

What's nice about the Sonia Kashuk line at Target is this---it's beautiful and budget-friendly And she's put out a terrific book all about makeup, called Real Beauty. There are tons of cosmetics tips and how to's.

Here's an excerpt from Sonia's Book on "How To Tone Down Your Makeup For Summer."

Cheeks, Eyes, Lips

Your face has three basic areas to emphasize: eyes, lips, and cheeks. You never want to emphasize all three areas at once. Choose the one feature you want to play up and downplay the other two. Here's how to apply just the right amount of color:

Cheeks: Apply bronzer or blush to the apple of the cheek (the fleshy area that plumps up when you smile). Always start with a conservative amount, as it is easier to add more than take away. For more glow, sweep bronzer over the arc of the forehead and the arc of the chin.

Eyes: Here's a surprising tip: to identify colors that will work best for you, let your hair -- not your eyes -- be your guide. If you're a blonde, sweep lids with creams and taupes. Brunettes look best in mochas and chocolate browns, and if you're auburn or red-headed, choose coppers, peaches, and reddish-browns, or cool tones like pinks and lavenders.

Lips: The natural pigmentation of your lips should always be the underlying tint of every lip color you wear. That's why the same lip tint looks one way on you and another way on a friend. For the perfect summer pout, always use a lighter color or a dab of shine in the center of the mouth. Forgo strong lip liner in the summer to help keep your look soft.

Sonia Kashuk's book, Real Beauty, is available at bookstores nationwide.

Target Is A Bull's Eye For Good Makeup

Yes. Target sells good makeup and beauty products. It isn't a total beauty shop like Sephora and Ulta, but makeup junkies can find their beautiful fix at Target. They feature a wide variety and are well-stocked. You might just be surprised. Here are a few samples with high, mid, and low price tags.

If you're on the hunt for the new, sizzling corals of the season, you will find them at Target:
Revlon Renewist Lipcolor in Coral Fixation ($7.69)
Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Blush in Precious Pink ($10.59)
Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Orange You Cute ($4.99)

If it's hair that needs care, you're in the right place:
Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 Hair Color ($11.99)
Nexxus Therappe Shampoo ($14.99)
Sunsilk Thermashine Conditioner ($2.99)

If it's skin, you want to look lovely in:
Olay Definity Night Restorative Sleep Cream ($23.89)
L'Oreal Collagen Remodeler ($17.99)
Lumene Time Freeze Targeted Wrinkle Treatment ($19.99)

Target does a body good, also:
Sanctuary Salt Scrub ($17.99)
Burt's Bees Radiance Body Wash ($7.99)
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($9.39)

Please---No More Diet And Health Tips From Oprah!!!

Yes, the divine Miss Oprah is a wonderful, intelligent, and very generous woman, but when it comes to losing weight, diet plans, and health advice, well, maybe Oprah should just stay silent.

Here we go again. Oprah is on another diet. As you might recall back in October of 2007, Oprah told her viewers and readers in O Magazine, that she had packed on the pounds because of a medical problem.

“My body was turning on me,” she said in the October issue of O. “First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep for days. (Most people lose weight. I didn’t.) Then hypothyroidism, which slowed down my metabolism and made me want to sleep all the time. (Most people gain weight. I did! Twenty pounds!)”

Then in February of 2007, Oprah blamed her weight gain on "too much bread and mashed potatoes," and not hitting the gym enough.

Now Oprah is blaming the weight gain on something new---an attachment to certain foods. According to People Magazine, Oprah has embarked on a vegan, 21-day detox plan. O is impressed with Kathy Freston's book Quantum Wellness and online sessions with Canadian motivational speaker Eckhart Tolle. (She's also getting help from chef Tal Ronnen.) And she is keeping a diary about her progress at her website.

"This 21-day cleanse gives me a chance to think about [eating] differently and see what my attachments are to certain kinds of foods – and what I'm willing to do to change," she wrote on Sunday (day one). "Don't know if I'm going to feel better or worse, but I'm willing to try to see if my body at least feels differently."

So far, so good, for Miss O.

"I had been focused on what I had to give up – sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. 'What's left?' I thought," she wrote on day two. "Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast – strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes."

So what's the big deal? Look, Oprah, by her own admission, has tried just about every diet plan out there. Is Oprah a yoyo dieter?

"She tried the Atkins diet, she tried diet pills. She tried the Scarsdale diet, the banana, hot dog and egg diet. She tried a 1,000 calorie a day diet. She tried Weight Watchers, Diet Work Shop and Diet Center. She tried Nutri-System," explained a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

In addition, Oprah has a personal chef and a personal trainer. Some women figure, if Oprah can't keep the weight off with all these resources, how can the rest of us, even have a chance?

Maybe Oprah should stick to a sensible diet and moderate exercise, and go from there. Detox plans probably work in the short term, but offer little else for maintenance.

Simple And Smart Skin Tips By Sandy Linter

Are you going to bed? Then wash your face. That is a must for maintaining beautiful skin. Go ahead and laugh, but it is true.

Most of us have gone to bed with stale makeup on at least once in our lives. But it really isn’t good for your skin. Clear pores are necessary. And the body's natural skin-repairing activity goes on when your are sleeping. Therefore, your skin needs to breathe and be very clean!

It’s best to have a routine, according to Sandy Linter. Good nighttime cleansing and skin protection are essential. And Sandy would know. She's a highly-respected makeup artist( working professionally since 1972), who has applied makeup to the skin of so many famous and gorgeous faces.

"A routine is necessary," she says. "I feel miserable when I wake up with mascara around my eyes, etc. Everyone leaves makeup on occasionally. When I do QVC and the Estee Lauder breast cancer events, we start so early, that I tell my client to leave it on (makeup), and I’ll retrace in the a.m. But that is really not often. At first they kind of looked at me suspiciously, but when it can save 20 minutes at 5 a.m., you do it. And that’s the only time I can think of that it works."

For waking up to super skin, Sandy advises using a cleanser, toner, and a night cream. She raves about Lancome's Absolue line. As Lancome describes it, ‘it addresses the effects of chronological aging.’ For more information, go to http://www.lancome-usa.com/.

Sandy says this trio of steps each night, reaps fine results. "This line (Absolue) is for women over 50. My skin has never looked so clear. And I almost never wore a night cream before. But the texture of this cream is fresh and stimulating. You will feel like you did something good for yourself—like going to the gym."

A jar of Lancome's Absolue Replenishing Cream costs about $110, but many women believe this is a skin-saving investment.

And which celebrity beauty has the best skin she's ever worked with? Cover girl and model Christie Brinkley wins this one, hands down, Sandy says. And Christie Brinkley is 50-something, which just goes to show, that beautiful skin can endure and can be maintained. In other words, a nice complexion doesn’t always belong to a 20-something.

"I still see Chrisitie Brinkley from time to time," Sandy says. "And I made her up initially when she was around 20. She had the best skin then, and she still does. No pores. Even skin. Smooth, healthy coloring. She wins that contest because she has stood the test of time. And she took a lot of sun over the years."

Well, we want to hate you Christie, but we can’t. In fact, we respect and admire you. And to keep looking so attractive and vibrant after 40, and then 50, is simply a standard we can all hope to shoot for.

Whatever you do, remember to treat your skin with loving care. It’s never too late to improve the canvas you were born with. Like Sandy Linter says, ‘It’s all about beautiful skin."

Lose Weight With The Flat Belly Diet!

Even the skinniest women sometimes complain about their flabby bellies. Crunch after crunch, abdominal sit-ups in every position, and still, the jiggly tummy is there.

So what's a gal to do? Try the Flat Belly Diet, of course! You can lose weight with this diet plan. That's what the editors at the popular health magazine Prevention say. And why not? Prevention's editor-in-chief, Liz Vaccariello, put the diet plan together with the proper nutrition folks. The Flat Belly Diet was introduced to the world last January. And now four months later, the diet plan is helping many women and men lose stubborn tummy fat. The weight loss plan is all the rage these days, so we decided to explore the diet a little further.

The Flat Belly Diet sounds too good to be true. You get to eat yummies like chocolate and pistachio nuts and get to refrain from abdominal exercises. What? No crunches? No. Not a one.

According to Prevention's Liz Vaccariello, there is smart science involved in this diet plan. What you must do at each meal, is eat a specific kind of food, actually a fat. This good fat attacks belly fat. It is called a MUFA. It stands for 'mono-unsaturated fatty acid.'

The good MUFAs in the Flat Belly Diet include: nuts, seeds, oils, avocados, and dark chocolate. You are scheduled to eat 4 times a day, and consume 400 calories at each meal.

For instance, Liz revealed one of the delicious breakfast recipes---a Cherry Chocolate Waffle. Take a frozen waffle. Heat up. Melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips over the waffle, and top with a few cherries. There---what a tasty breakfast. The MUFA in that one, is the chocolate drizzled over the top.

Now, some dietary experts are pooh-poohing the Flat Belly Diet, calling it a scam, an unhealthy amount of food intake, etc. Others claim the diet plan is a rip-off of the Mediterranean diet which encourages healthy oils, seeds, nuts, olives, and so forth.

But the people on the Flat Belly Diet, love the plan. One woman lost 47 lbs. in just 5 months. Another dropped 3 pants sizes in months.

It couldn't hurt to look into the diet plan. Everyone loves a flat belly. The diet plan does include great foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil. I mean, you're not eating cardboard-tasting rice cakes all day. Check with your doctor and see what he or she thinks.

For more information, visit: http://www.flatbellydiet.com/.