Dare To Wear Black Lipstick Trend For Fall 2008

Nope. We certainly haven't tried rocking the new fall trend of 2008---black lipstick. And we probably won't try, either. Sure, it's goth and kind of sexy, but we'll let the fashion runways wear the edgier looks.

Not so fast.......There are plenty of women out there who really desire this sexy lip shade. And if you don't believe us, just head over to:
LimitedEdition/product_info.html">http://www.yslbeautyus.com/WHAT'S-NEW-MAKE-UP/c70_95/p372*NEW-YSL-GLOSS-PUR-BLACK*
Limited-Edition/product_info.html.

YSL(Yves St. Laurent) Gloss PurBlack ($28) is SOLD OUT!!! And has been for some time. So there!

Vogue's Sept.'08 issue had an interesting article on the 'lip look of the season: pitch-black gloss.'

Stefano Pilati created the dramatic, yet elegant black gloss shade for YSL's Fall runway shows, according to makeup artist Tom Pecheux.

"If pure black is too intimidating, add a few drops to your lipstick to deepen the color," Pecheux told Vogue magazine.

YSL Gloss Pur Black is being described in this manner by the fine folks at Yves St. Laurent:

"Mysterious, sensual, luminous... For fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, black is THE color. And as a make-up artist, lips are THE focus. YSL GLOSS PUR Black unites these two facets of his art in a superb Limited Edition.From plum to ebony, it dresses lips in an infinite range of shades, depending on how it is applied – feather light or rich and bold. Transparent yet intense, it plays on the depths of black and the pure shine of a sparkle-free formula.Besides being the must-have make up item for Fall 2008, Gloss Pur Black is a preview of a new formula which will launch in Spring 2009, in 6 radiant shades, full of pure color and high shine. "

Meantime, if you're having a tough time trying to get your lips on the YSL, why not try Lancome Piha Black Color Fever Lip Gloss. Well, hate to spoil your party, but the Lancome has been sold out, too. Best to try Ebay.com.

And then there is Estee Lauder's Black Truffle Lipstick. Also sold out at the moment.

Our point being, someone is buying and rocking the black lipstick trend for fall 2008. That's what we find so wonderful about beauty and fashion. The rules can be broken and one size does not fit all.

Wexler Improves Women's Skin With MMPi20 Serum

Patricia Wexler is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 20 years of experience. She has seen it
all, because she is in high demand as a skin expert to the stars.

Manhattan and Hollywood A-listers flock to Patricia because her primary goal is to improve their skin. And she's on the cutting edge when it comes to women's skin care. Patricia Wexler has appeared on countless television shows and inside magazines and newspapers as a skin expert. She has an anti-aging line at Bath & Body Works stores.

Check out one of her most popular beauty treatments (top photo). It's called:
MMPi20 Skin Regenerating Serum ($55, 1 oz.). It works to lift sagging skin, diminish age spots, and the general signs of aging. And look at the pretty pink color. We've never seen a cooler looking serum than that one.

MMPi.20™ anti-aging technology blocks the damaging effect of all 20 knowm MMPs (skin destroying enzymes that break down production of collagen and cause skin to sink, sag, and wrinkle) and prevents the production of new MMPs, correcting the signs of aging you see today and preventing future damage

Boosts skin's own regenerative powers to diminish the visible signs of aging

Visibly reverses the lines, sink and sag

To use: After cleansing, gently massage serum evenly over face, neck, and decollete 2 times daily

We counted more than 30 different anti-aging products in Patricia Wexler's skin care line for Bath & Body Works. Quite a vast collection of good stuff for your skin. Moisturizers. Lip treatment. Undereye circle brightener. Resurfacing Microdermabrasion System. Wrinkle Smoother. Acne Solution, and so on.

Her credo is “Dermocracy. All skin recreated equal.” We like how this woman thinks.

Japan Going Bananas Over Popular Banana Diet Craze

Diet plans to lose weight are always popular. And if the diet contains a food or food group that tastes good, then folks become hooked. Everyone jumps on the bandwagon, hoping for major weight loss. If it sounds too good to be true, then maybe it is. The cookie diet, the pineapple diet, the same colored food diet, etc.

But in Japan, bananas are becoming hard to find in supermarkets. Even Time Magazine is seriously reporting about the new Morning Banana Diet.

What is it?

Very simple. If you love bananas, then this is the diet weight loss plan for you. Maybe.

A pharmacist in Osaka, Japan says she created the diet for her overweight husband. Sumiko Watanabe wanted to speed up her hubby's metabolism to burn fat, and she did it by feeding him bananas. Mr. Watanabe says he lost 37 lbs!

According to Time, the Morning Banana Diet follows just a few rules:

"The Morning Banana Diet consists of one or more bananas with room-temperature water for breakfast; an optional snack at 3 p.m.; and anything you want for lunch and dinner. The catch: You can't eat desserts after meals, dinner has to be consumed by 8 p.m. , and you have to go to bed by midnight."

We all know that bananas are rich in potassium. But the yellow, creamy 100 Calorie treat is much more than that. Bananas are pretty close to being a perfect food. They are packed with fiber, iron, and protein, Vitamins B6 and C. And Bananas also stop your craving for sugar. And the fruit is high in minerals that reduce cholesterol. And they are great for pregnant women, because they contain good things that help keep blood sugars up.

Even model Cindy Crawford has talked about eating bananas as a healthy, filling snack.

Whether this is just another fad diet remains to be seen. We're not sure what kind of impact the Morning Banana Diet will have on diet-crazed people here in the U.S. At least, we have plenty of bananas to go around. In Japan, good luck trying to score some:

"Large stores don't have any bananas from noon, and even Ito Yokado (a major supermarket chain) runs out of them after 3 p.m.," said Tomoyuki Horiuchi, sales representative of Tokyo Seika Boeki Co., Ltd., fruit and vegetables wholesale company.

Over the past four months, Dole Japan has boosted its banana imports by more than 25 percent, but stores are still running out, Time said.

Hey, it beats eating a Pop Tart for breakfast.

Neutrogena New SkinID For Personal Acne Solution

Do you ever feel that your skin needs special, individual attention?

Think about it. When you're suffering from acne and breakouts, the same cleanser might not work for your roommate like it works effectively for you.

Acne is tough to deal with, and you are not alone. Statistics show that 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24 have acne. And acne still erupts in those of us in our 30s and beyond.

Still frustrated?

The good folks at Neutrogena 3 have developed a very smart and dermatologically-sound plan for you, me, and all of us. The best part, it's an individually tailored SkinID Acne Solution.

You don't need a prescription for it. It's a 3-product regimen for $39.90. And there's a 100% money back guarantee. What we think is intelligent, is SkinID's evaluation. Simply visit the website, and take the thorough and individual evaluation.
http://www.skinid.com/econsumer/clearskin/index.view.

For instance, you answer questions based on important factors like these:

1. The state you live in.
2. The kind of acne you have---blackheads, whiteheads, etc.
3. The amount of sunlight you get every day.
4. Whether you pick at your face or not.
5. Whether you have rough patches of facial skin.
6. Where on the face you are oily.
7. Stress and if it is a factor in your life.

The experts at Neutrogena Dermatologics then tailor make an acne plan for you, and you alone. And the pros there have gone through thousands of SkinID individual evaluations and matched them with the best advanced products for clear skin.
http://www.skinid.com/econsumer/clearskin/about.view?sid_body=/clearskin/pages/about-story.html.

You don't have to suffer with acne forever. Neutrogena has done a lot of homework to develop this unique and individual Acne Treatment. It's like an in-office visit with your very own dermatologist.

No two pimples are alike. And Neutrogena is wiping out acne with a simple 3-product regimen.

Mineral Makeup Goes Liquid With Neutrogena

Kinder and gentler to skin. Clean and breathable.

That's what mineral makeup is supposed to be about. No we haven't tried it yet. But some of our friends seem to love the loose powder foundations and blushes.

Neutrogena always seems to be on the beauty forefront, and for a couple of months now, has been pushing its new Mineral Sheers Liquid Makeup.

Mineral makeup is very popular these days, and for a number of good reasons. That's why big names in the biz, like Jane Iredale and Bare Minerals sell it:

Battles dryness
Unclogs oily skin + pores
All natural, finely ground minerals from the earth
Allergy-free
Good for sensitive skin
No fragrances, no dyes
Protects skin from the sun

Neutrogena's Mineral Sheers Liquid Makeup ($13.99, drugstores, http://www.ulta.com/) comes ready with a silky brush for buildable coverage. Although it's in a liquid form, it is still light and airy, according to the brand. We love that it has an SPF 20. And it comes in a dozen shades, which is pretty generous. You have quite a range to select from.

There are also foes of the mineral makeup boom. Some women swear this makeup actually accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. And there are those who say their acne got worse after wearing this kind of makeup.

We like to say that everyone is an individual. What works for you, might not work for her, and so on.

We have one friend who works out hard four days a week, and she wears mineral makeup to the gym. She says the foundation hasn't failed her yet. It stays on throughout her exercise routine.

We are going to try the Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Liquid Makeup in a few weeks. We are attracted to the liquid foundation aspect of it. We hope it glides on easily and mattes our oily skin.

Rembrandt Really Keeps Teeth Whitest And Brightest

Rembrandt.

The name has been around for a number of years now. There have been many teeth whiteners that have promised you this and that, and produced average results. And some have quickly disappeared off store shelves.

But Rembrandt Teeth Whitener has endured for one simple reason: It delivers a whiter and brighter smile. Period. And Rembrandt has three powerful yet gentle-to-your-mouth products to maintain that beautiful smile.

Let's be honest here---your smile says plenty about your physical attractiveness. You don't need big, chicklet-sized veneers to be pretty. Look at Julia Roberts. Her mega-watt smile has opened many doors in Hollywood. And her smile is real, and her teeth are white. Nothing fake or phoney.




We took an honest look at Rembrandt's 3-pronged attack for the whitest and brightest at-home teeth whitening products:

Rembrandt 2-hour Whitening Kit ($20.25. Save $5. Visit: http://www.rembrandt.com/). You need molding trays and whitening gel to get the brightest smile around. The kit includes it all. Simply mold the trays to your mouth. Apply the Rembrandt whitening gel to the upper and lower comfy tray applicators. Wear them for 20 minutes. Remove the trays for 10 minutes. And repeat for 4 applications and a total of 2 hrs.

You end up with a visibly, gorgeous new smile. No more waiting months or weeks. One day in just 2 hours! The only company that can make that claim is Rembrandt.

And Rembrandt makes it easy to maintain your new bright smile with 2 more products:

Rembrandt Whitening Rinse with Fluoride ($5.99, 16 fl. oz.) Fresh mint flavor. The only rinse out there that "whitens teeth while actively restoring tooth enamel." Use it every day to protect your teeth and make them stronger.

Rembrandt Intense Stain Toothpaste with Fluoride ($7.49, 3 oz.) The third teeth whitening product in their line. An amazing toothpaste that "prevents plaque build-up, tartar, and gumline erosion." Clinically shown to lift those stubborn coffee and red wine stains. It, too, restores tooth enamel with special micro-polishing particles. Users remark that the toothpaste leaves your mouth very clean, just like a trip to the dentist.

As the folks at Rembrandt say: "Take care of your mouth. It can be brilliant."

Less PMS With Relaxing And Happy Saffron Spice

Saffron.

Most of you have heard of this exotic and ancient spice. And many of you have tried Saffron rice. But did you know that Saffron maybe be the answer to improving PMS or premenstrual syndrome? We had heard about this a couple of months ago, and just saw an item in October's issue of Allure magazine.

Saffron has been used in traditional Persian medicine for many years. In fact, Iran is the world's largest producer of saffron. And it is exported to more than 45 countries. And it certainly isn't cheap at $800 per kilo of saffron. The reason for its high cost? It's very difficult to farm. Saffron is harvested from the fall-flowering plant Crocus sativus, a member of the Iris family.

The word saffron comes from the Arab word zafaran, meaning 'yellow.'

According to a recent study that was noted in Allure, 50 women with a history of PMS, and ladies, we know who we are, were given two 15-milligram saffron tablets twice a day for two menstrual cycles or placebo pills instead.

76% of the women who were assigned the saffron tablets, had at least a 50% improvement in PMS symptoms. Those taking the placebo pills saw only an 8% improvement.

Scientists find that saffron calms down the stomach, and also acts as an anti-depressant, in the same way that Prozac does. And new research show that saffron is just as effective as Prozac in treating mild to moderate depression.

Before you begin any treatment for PMS, please check with your OBGYN. You want to make sure the spice does not interact with other medication you might be on. In addition, too much saffron can be deadly and leave one in a deep narcotic sleep. Of course, that would mean taking very large amounts. It's always best to check with your doctor before trying to begin a new treatment program yourself.

Still, quite a fascinating story about a farway, exotic spice, and how premenstrual syndrome could be connected.