FDA Warns Diet Coke Plus To Stop Nutritional Claims

Many of us are hooked on, addicted to, and can't-live-without diet sodas.

And apparently one giant company is over-exaggerating the so-called good stuff for you, found in its pop. And the FDA is warning them to back off. If it ain't in there, than you can't brag about it.

The diet exaggerations are coming from Diet Coke Plus.

And now Coke has to go back and make new labels, because the former ones are not as full of all the vitamins and minerals they describe on the bottle.

Coke has not commented so far on the Food & Drug Administration's warning to them. And the soda company can choose to ignore the scolding, but could also end up in court for not following manufacturing and marketing regulations.

Regulators say that Diet Coke Plus does not have enough nutrients to justify using the word "plus" in its name.

What's the big deal?? According to the agency, foods that wear the label "plus" must have at least 10 percent more nutrients than comparable products. The FDA also states that it is inappropriate to add extra nutrients to "snack foods such as carbonated beverages."

What's the lesson here? Just enjoy your diet sodas, and don't expect any ground-breaking nutritional value to come out of a soda drink. It is what it is----a carbonated beverage. The good news with diet sodas---they have tiny amounts of calories in them.

Meantime, we told you last month about that natural sweetener called stevia. The FDA has just given the thumbs up to the herbal sugar substitute. Zero calories, baby!

How To Get Celeb Style With Big Glam Sunglasses

Actress Kate Beckinsale can often be seen wearing round, oversized sunglasses, as you can see from the photo. She's got glamour down to a science. Of course, many beautiful celebrities put on huge, dark frames to hide from the paparazzi. And yeah, they go out with huge sunglasses when they don't feel like putting on makeup, or even to hide a late, busy night of fun.

Kate Hudson, Nicole Richie, Lauren Conrad, Kim Kardashian. Just a few of the famous faces donning big, glam sunglasses as important accessories to their Hollywood style.

Of course, these wealthy women are wearing brands like Chanel, where dropping a few thousand dollars for a pair means nothing.



But, you, too, can get the same fabulous look. All you have to do is a little accessory hunting. And the internet can be your best shopping pal, when you want to save a few bucks, but still get celeb style for peanuts.

Check out the sexy, round, oversized sunglasses in the photo. Very Nicole Richie, we might add. And cheap, too. Fantas-Eyes. Just $18.00.

Where? At http://www.fantas-eyes.com/. Get designer shades in all kinds of styles and colors for about $20, or less. Pretty copy-cat frames with the latest Hollywood celebrity style.

Another shopping site for glam sunglasses, this one offering a huge selection, is the 15 dollar store. Everything at this site is just $15. Sunglasses from designers Steve Madden, Chinese Laundry, Rocawear, and XOXO. Retail prices range from $32 to $50 and higher. All you pay is $15 a pair. http://www.15dollarstore.com/.

Can't beat it.

NeoStrata's Exuviance Line Re-Inventing Skin Care Beautifully

We research and write article after article about skin care. We are intrigued by the advances in the war on wrinkles.

And a true skin care pioneer in this effort is The NeoStrata Company. The fine people there have a deep appreciation for beauty. And we mean layer under layer under layer of skin.

The NeoStrata Company is nestled in the ivy league town of Princeton, New Jersey. And it is there that all kinds of important skin care research goes on. For instance, The NeoStrata founders were the first to discover AHAs, or alpha hydroxy acids more than 30 years ago. And these ingredients have revolutionized the treatment of aging skin.

Beauty Tip Today was lucky to score an interview with The NeoStrata Company's Vice President Clinical Affairs, Barbara Green. And you will learn how important the next generation of AHA technology is to your face and body with their Exuviance Skin Care line.

According to Barbara Green, you need to include AHAs in your beauty routine. And the Exuviance arsenal of treatments has gone one step further with PHAs and Bionic Acids.

"The polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) and Bionic Acids are next generation AHA technology that reinvent skin care. Not only do they provide all of the anti-aging benefits of AHAs, but they provide their benefits without stinging and discomfort while also imparting more moisturization due to the polyhydroxy structure, anti-oxidant and chelating effects to protect against free radical damage and protection against skin degrading MMP enzymes. They attack and correct the primary signs of aging – reduced cell turnover, dark spots, lines, wrinkles and laxity."

That's the beauty of the Exuviance line---highly effective and non-irritating. As many of you have experienced, Retin-A and other topical retinoids work very nicely on the skin but also bring about redness, swelling, dryness, and scaling. The same with the AHAs--stinging and just darn uncomfortable, until now.

We are all impatient when it comes to repairing wrinkles and other signs of aging and sun-damaged skin. We want the lines and laxity to disappear immediately. Is the Exuviance skin care line a facelift in a jar?

"A facelift in a jar might be a stretch, but our clinical studies show significant benefits to skin," Barbara Green explains. "It’s amazing what good skin care can do, and especially when it’s started early and when combined with sunscreen use. Add in some glycolic acid peels and there are some very impressive results!

In clinical studies of the Exuviance Vespera Bionic Serum, for example, skin clarity and radiance increased by 260% and there was a significant measurable increase in skin thickness, which is due to building the biomatrix, making the skin plumper and firmer (think babies skin). As a result, lines were reduced by 35% - a significant effect in only 3 months (remember how long it takes to make a wrinkle!)."

The Exuviance Skin Care line offers a full range of products and clinically proven formulas for the face and body. Dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons from around the globe adore this highly evolved skin care line. And the Exuviance collection promises "superior results."

Exuviance products have also been proven safe for all skin types, including Asian, African-American, and Hispanic skin. And gentle on acne and rosacea-prone skin. You can even use Exuviance treatments following peels, exfoliation, and microdermabrasion.

Exuviance ski care treatments include: products that even out skin tone and brighten complexion, creams and serums that return moisture and suppleness, products that soften and smoothe skin, and formulas that diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

We asked Barbara Green for her favorite anti-aging beauty treatments.

"I have only used NeoStrata products in the 14 years I’ve been with the company. My favorites are Exuviance Purifying Cleansing Gel, Daily Defense Fluid, Evening Restorative Complex, Ultra Restorative Crème, Home Resurfacing Peel and I love the new anti-aging products for oily skin: Matte Perfection, Sheer Refining Fluid and Night Renewal Hydragel."

For more information about this powerful, yet gentle skin care line, visit:

http://www.exuviance.com/

LeeAnn Rimes Shares Struggle With Psoriasis In New Ad Campaign

When you look at 26-year-old LeeAnn Rimes, you see a lovely and vibrant woman with the amazing voice.

But what you hadn't seen, until now, is the singer's lifelong struggle with a skin condition that affects some 7 million Americans.

And now, LeeAnn Rimes, is bravely putting her face on this chronic, autoimmune disease known as psoriasis.

Our beauty tip today, shows us that hope and science are incredible, when the two come together.

We are happy to report that LeeAnn Rimes hasn't had a flare-up from the condition in 5 years. She has controlled her psoriasis through diet, medication, a wonderful doctor, and a healthy lifestyle. And her skin is clear and glowing.

But it was quite a nightmare for a young girl growing up with the disease. She told her story to http://www.health.com/.

By the time she was 6-years-old, 80% of her body was covered with psoriasis. Kids were cruel, and LeeAnn felt a heavy isolation.

"Kids didn't want to hang out with me or touch me," LeeAnn says. "I remember being called 'Scaly Girl,' and never ever wanting to go out in a bathing suit."

Psoriasis can cover its victims in red, scaly patches that crack and bleed.

Today, there are a number of treatments for the autoimmune disease. Some products really work well, and others do not. It is not an easy problem to conquer.

Meantime, LeeAnn Rimes has now put her face on the disease, and proudly. She appears in a new PSA, or public service announcement that brings attention to psoriasis. It's called the Stop Hiding campaign.

We appalud you LeeAnn Rimes, for being such a special and gracious young woman.

Paint On Perfect Tummy With Abs In A Box Kit

I suppose we are very naive.

Yes. We are aware of how the magic of makeup can transform a pretty Hollywood face into a spectacular beauty, but we did not know about this:

Abs In A Box Kit by IT Cosmetics ($69, www.itcosmetics.com).

Oh yeah. Now you can paint on the perfect tummy, ladies and gentlemen.

We had no clue, that perfect abs could be painted on. Did you? What got us thinking during an episode of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, was the perfectly sculpted stomach of DWTS's Karina Smirnoff. On one episode, she wore a beautiful, belly-baring costume, and her tummy was incredible, with a sexy 6-pack. But we had not seen such sculpting on Karina previously. How did she tone up so quickly, we thought.

We were stunned at what incredible shape Karina Smirnoff was in!!

Well, yes, indeed. Karina is in super shape, but she got a little help with those perfect abs. Her abs were the work of Abs In A Box Kit. And she admits it:

"The difference it makes to your body is insane," Karina explains. "It's so easy to apply, it's literally done in two miuntes, and it doesn't come off on the outfits."

Can anyone paint on a perfect tummy? Or do you have to be a brilliant artist or makeup professional?

According to the Abs In A Box Kit, the stuff is 100% sweat-proof and water-proof. And the shades enclosed in each kit, match every skin tone. Plus you get a step-by-step guide that shows you exactly how to paint on perfect abs.

Now we can all get slim and fit in no time!

It makes you wonder if models and actresses use the kit during photo shoots.

What is real, and what is not? These days, it all looks like a perfect illusion. And the perfect abs to go with it.

Nicole Richie's Affordable House Of Harlow Jewelry Line

We have to say---we like what we see on you, Nicole Richie.

And if you are looking for some really pretty Christmas jewelry ideas: head over immediately to:
www.shopkitson.com. You still have time!!!

It's called--House of Harlow 1960.

That's the name of fashionista Nicole Richie's affordable and very stylish new jewelry line.

And if you've been sleeping under a rock, well, Harlow is the name of Nicole's darling baby girl.

"It's a name I'll never get sick of," she says, of naming her new jewlery line after her favorite girl.

Nicole Richie admits to having an extensive jewlery collection. And she loves bracelets. She collaborated with major designer Pascal Mouawad. The jewelry is inspired by the 1960s and 1970s decades.

"I pulled a lot from African and Indian cultures," Nicole explains.

According to the House of Harlow line, “The collection is targeted at girls in their teens to women in their 30s who admire her, and the prices range from $30 to $150.”

We love Nicole Richie's fashion style. She is looking better and better. Reminds us of a young Sharon Tate with her large, rimmed doe eyes and long blonde hair.

Nicole is big on accessories and says that jewelry flatters a woman's appearance. "I love having jewelry around the face," she says.

Take a look at House of Harlow 1960. You won't be disappointed.

Should Plastic Surgeons Perform Risky Face Transplant Surgery?

There's been a lot of talk about the first, near-total face transplant performed here in the United States. The operation was actually done about two weeks ago.

The woman, whose age and name have not been released yet, had been horribly disfigured. All those details will emerge in a news conference scheduled for next Wednesday. At the moment, she is holding her own. And we pray she survives this huge challenge, and goes on to live a normal life.

What we can tell you, is that 80% of the woman's face was replaced with that of a dead female donor. Yes, a cadaver. That's according to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where the risky surgery was performed by 58-year-old Dr. Maria Siemionow, a well-respected reconstructive plastic surgeon.

Our question: Is this ethical? Should plastic surgeons even perform such a dangerous procedure, in order to improve one's condition, or quality of life, rather than save one's life?

We say, yes, indeed.

The woman was so badly disfigured, that she would risk her life, just to try and improve the face she stared at in a mirror, day after day.

Many complications can develop from such rare surgery. There is always the fear of the body rejecting the new skin, which is an organ. And the patients must take immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of their lives.

By the way, this is the 4th facial transplant worldwide. Two were performed in France, and one in China.

We believe plastic surgeons do many wonderful things for people, especially those who have been living with ugly scars and deformities, along with emotional scars, and low self-esteem.

But doctors are not perfect. They are human. And this risk of failure is an enormous ethical problem.

Then again, it is truly mind-blowing to see how far science has come and the humanity behind it all.