Maybe Ebay Isn't The Best Place To Buy Perfume

We got taken. Snowed. Fooled. Ripped off. You name it.

Plain and simple.

That got us to thinking.....Maybe Ebay isn't the best place to buy perfume.

And this is our beauty tip today: When it comes to a special and costly beauty product like fragrance, it might be best to purchase it in a real department store.

Another little lesson here: If it sounds too good to be true, well, it probably is.

Let's examine what happened. Don't get us wrong----we love Ebay! We have been both a satified buyer and seller. A few weeks before Christmas, we set out to buy some fragrance, namely, Estee Lauder's Beautiful. It's a favorite of ours. We have included the appealing scent in our perfume repertoire for about 10 years now. Believe us. We know the scent of Beautiful like the back of our hand.

We were so excited to find Beautiful all over the Ebay website. We were especially beside ourselves when we found one seller who was peddling the fragrance in a big 2 1/2 oz. bottle for only the auction starting price of $24.99. Plus $5.99 shipping. A total of $30.98. A 'real' bottle of Beautiful in a 2 1/2 oz. bottle would run us about $70 or more.

We were lucky to get our hands on two big bottles of Beautiful for only $61.96. Sealed and wrapped in the original box.

The seller had a high positive feedback rating, about 285. But there was one buyer who was really upset with what he called, 'a fake, bogus bottle of Acqua di Gio Pour Homme fragrance' he had purchased on Ebay from this seller. Other buyers had simply given the thumbs up to the seller, because they had not opened the nicely shrink-wrapped bottles of fragrance they had bought from this alleged phoney seller. Most were going to give their fragrance to friends and loved ones for Christmas and Hanukkah.

Well, we got curious when the two bottles arrived. We removed the packaging, just to settle our nerves. When we opened the first box, the scent coming from the bottle was not that of Estee Lauder's Beautiful. We spritzed some on us. Yuck!!! This was certainly not our beloved scent! We were stunned. We had been swindled.

We got back on to Ebay immediately, and saw that our dear seller was no longer a registered Ebay seller. Poof----he was gone!

Now we are working with PayPal to try and retrieve our losses.

Look, fragrance is expensive. It never goes on sale, at least not that low. Wearing perfume is a luxury. And we have learned our lesson. It pays to shop in a real department store for real fragrance.

We should have heeded the angry warnings from the ripped off soul who had purchased the sexy Armani Acqua di Gio fragrance. He was right---fake, bogus, all the way.

Benetint Lip Balm Instead Of Lip Gloss Lipstick

Think of the shade as a very sheer cherry red. Lots of women have described the color as the stain left behind from enjoying a cherry popsicle.

When you're running out the door and you don't want to be caught alive with a plain, bare face, take a quick dip into this little pot of Benefit Cosmetics' Benetint Lip Balm. Your lips will thank you.

Okay, maybe the price is a wee steep---$20 for a small pot of rosy tinted lip balm, www.sephora.com.

We saw an acquaintance of ours, dipping into a small pot to refresh her lips. We asked her what she was dabbing on, and she showed us. Benetint Lip Balm. Yes, almost like the legendary Benefit Cosmetics' Benetint formula they put out, that is applied to both cheeks and lips. But this little cutie lip balm is just for your smacker.

It's a soft, rosy pink shade that can be layered and layered for a deeper cherry hue. It's hydrating with Vitamin E and an SPF of 15. And it comes with a tiny lip brush for applying, but most women we know, just dip their finger into the pot and apply.

When you want just a hint of color, this Benetint Lip Balm comes to the rescue. Soft and pretty.

Cosmetic Surgery Bigger Than Ever In 2009

You can look up the statistics anywhere.

Cosmetic surgery is performed around the globe, and popular procedures like breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and nose re-shaping, are taking place in record numbers.

The art of making people more attractive is not a fad. In fact, cosmetic surgery will be bigger than ever in 2009.

And these procedures are not just common in the United States. Canada is building its own solid reputation for beautiful work and highly skilled surgeons, namely, plastic surgery Toronto.

Take a look at Brampton Cosmetic. The cosmetic and laser surgery clinic is located only 30 minutes from Toronto and Oakville, and just 90 minutes from Niagara Falls.

There you will find the skilled artistry of Director of Surgery, Robert Sleightholm.

Dedication and experience define Dr. Sleightholm. And with more than 18 years of running his practice, and some 200 cosmetic procedures performed annually, the patient can be assured, that he or she, is in very good hands.

If you desire a more attractive you in 2009, Brampton Cosmetic can take you there with:

Breast Augmentation
Breast Lift
Female Breast Reduction
Male Breast Reduction
Fat Transplant
Liposuction
Tummy Tuck
Face Lift
Eyebrows & Eyelids
Nose Re-Shaping
Ear Re-Shaping

This fully accredited cosmetic surgery clinic also offers a sophisticated line of skin health non-invasive procedures:

Botox
Photo Rejuvenation
Microdermabrasion
Cellulite Treatments

To better understand how good a cosmetic surgeon is, and how organized his or her practice is, you would be smart to do your homework. In other words, check out their website. Look at 'before & after photos.' And read some testimonials, like this one, to Dr. Sleightholm:

To Dr. Sleightholm,
Words cannot express the gratitude and the wonderful feeling of utter beauty, self confidence and poise that I feel after the magnificent surgery you have performed. Truly, your work and you are “MAGIC”.
God Bless, C.K.

Cosmetic surgeons like Dr. Sleightholm of Brampton Cosmetic are not super-human, but they are gifted with a special eye towards beauty, and understand how unique we all are as individuals. Whether it's liposuction or any other desire, highly skilled artists like them, can help us achieve our personal beauty best in 2009.

Walnuts Wonderful For Plump And Soft Lips

Our beauty tip today-----

Munch on some walnuts. Your body will thank you.

This delicious nut encased in a big, hard shell,
packs a lot of punch. Walnuts are a super food. For five years now, the FDA, or Food & Drug Administration, has approved a qualified health claim for walnuts---the first ever for a whole food.

The magic ingredients in walnuts are omega-3 fatty acids, and in large amounts.

That means extra protection for your heart. Healthier arteries. Balanced cholesterol levels. And high anti-oxidant levels to care for your skin.

And strangely enough, our research shows that eating walnuts gives you plumper and softer lips!!

The omega-3 fats do many good things, as we mentioned above. And what we like about them, is their ability to shed old skin cells and bring in new ones. Omega-3 fats are able to regulate this cell turnover, so that it happens all the time. And that results in softer, moister, plump lips. Say good-bye to chapped lips.

To get in on the cell turnover action, doctors advise that you eat an ounce of walnuts every day. That's about 14 shelled halves.

The good news---walnuts are quite tasty. It's a delightful way to do something good for your heart and your kissable lips.

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/