4 Best Anti-Aging Products You Need Says Harper's Bazaar

We get a little suspicious when major beauty magazines give your their list of the best beauty products to buy. Granted, most of the items being featured are very good, and it's nice to be given a heads-up when the newest and latest beauty treatments arrive. But don't you sometimes wonder if these beauty magazines are talking only about their main advertisers, and hoping you, the reader, will be enticed into purchasing these creams and serums?

For instance, the May 2009 issue of Harper's Bazaar included their tiny list of the best anti-aging buys. Included are huge names in the skin care business: 1. Chanel 2. Oil of Olay 3. Lancome 4. Estee Lauder

We have much respect for Harper's Bazaar. We subscribe to the magazine, and have for years, so let's get that out there.

The 4 beauty products to fight the signs of aging, according to Harper's, includes a sunscreen, an eye cream, a glycolic-based moisturizer, and a wrinkle-reducing cream.

We believe that is excellent advice. As any dermatologist worth his or her skin would say, 'never leave home without putting on a decent sunscreen.'

And yes, an effective eye cream is also key. Since fine lines and wrinkles love to show up around the eye area, you need to protect this special skin because it is thinner, delicate and very dry.

As we age, we need a super moisturizer. Our cellular turnover is slow-wwwing down, and our skin texture is getting duller and rouigher. A good glycolic-acid base would really help improve the complexion.

And lastly, we would agree that an amazing wrinkle-reducing cream or serum couldn't hurt. It's nice when a cream can go in and soften those pesky lines, and help plump up the skin to make it appear more youthful.

Here are Harper's Bazaar magazine's Best Ant-Aging Buys, as pictured:

1. Chanel Precision UV Essential Protective UV Care SPF30 ($48, fine dept. stores)
2. Olay Professional Pro-X Eye Restoration Complex ($45, local drugstores)
3. Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate ($78, fine dept. stores)
4. Estee lauder Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Creme SPF15 ($58, fine dept. stores)


If the beauty products you are using, are not any of the items Harper's Bazaar has listed, you are not alone. You might have 4 very similar beauty treatments that do the same job for your skin.

And if you are looking for another opinion on anti-aging, or merely want newer products to battle the signs of aging, then this list might just be perfect for you. In any case, Harper's makes intelligent beauty sense, with 4 products that target specific skin areas.

Rachel Weisz Hates Botox But Adores Photoshopping?

Yes, we can all see that British actress Rachel Weisz is a stunning woman at age 39.

But does she have to go on and on about the badness of Botox, as she discusses in the August 2009 issue of Harper's Bazaar UK?!

Rachel Weisz is the mysterious, sexy model gracing the cover of Harper's as you can see her here in black velvet. And this is what she was quoted as saying in the magazine interview:

“It should be banned for actors, as steroids are for sportsmen,” the Oscar-winning actress says of Botox. “Acting is all about expression; why would you want to iron out a frown?” As for fashion, Rachel says, “I love the way girls in London dress; it’s so different to the American ‘blow-dry and immaculate grooming’ thing.”

Tongues are wagging that the lovely actress was photoshopped like crazy, here for the magazine cover. Her waist and all-over silhouette appear much tinier. Which brings catty remarks from some women as to, how is Botox bad, but photoshopping is not? Why didn't she demand the editors keep her figure curvier, as we all know Rachel is blessed with?

Good point. It's okay not to use Botox. Actress Jennifer Aniston, who recently turned 40, claims that she, too, will not use the stuff. But to declare that a few needle pricks of Botox should be banned for all actors, is quite silly and bizarre.

Botox is not invasive surgery. It's not a facelift. It is a cosmetic procedure, one that most doctors would consider mild. It is known as an injectable. And Botox temporarily paralyzes muscles so that you can't make frowning expressions. As a result, wrinkles appear softer. Forehead lines, crow's feet, and frown lines all disappear, more or less, for about 3-4 months.

Sure, some people go overboard, where it seems almost mannequin-like. You can't readily tell if the person is happy, angry, or any emotion in between. But most women and men who receive Botox injections subtley erase deep frowns and look healthier and rested.

Botox has also been used under the arms to stop excessive sweating, and has been used for many years prior to its cosmetic value, as treatment for a number of neurological disorders.

Botox is actually a new kid on the block. It's only been 7 years since the FDA approved the injectable for cosmetic purposes.

What we can say, is that Botox is extremely popular and does plenty of good for women and men who want to temporarily erase some of the sun damage and natural aging process. In fact, Botox was the top non-surgical cosmetic procedure in 2008.

We cannot tell actress Rachel Weisz to be quiet and stick to acting. Er, well, of course we could, but we won't. We would like to check back with Ms. Weisz in 10 years when she turns 49, and see if she has changed her mind about this popular injectable, known as big bad Botox.

Get Bikini Beautiful By Zapping Ingrown Hairs

If you've never had an ingrown hair, congratulations! You are one of few.

And since it is bikini time, you'll want to zap those nasty ingrowns before you slip into your sexy swimsuit.

Ingrown hairs mainly come about through shaving. And since shaving is the quickest and cheapest way to remove hair, these little red and sometimes painful razor bumps are common to both men and women.

By the way, did you know that people with curly hair tend to have more ingrown hairs than do those with straight hair?!

An ingrown hair forms when a shaved hair gets trapped inside the follicle or where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. And when it happens near the bikini line, it can be quite uncomfortable.

There is a simple and effective way to fight back----Bikini Bump Blaster by Completely Bare ($32, 60 pads, http://www.completelybare.com/). You can also find the Completely Bare line at many spas and salons.

Just wipe and go!

Bikini Bump Blaster Pads prevent and get rid of ingrown hairs. So-easy-to-use pads keep 'just waxed' skin super smooth. The magic ingredient is Glycolic acid, which clears away the dead skin cells that clog pores and hair follicles that cause ingrowns. Toss in some salicylic acid, which blocks bacteria buildup by reducing sebum production in pores. And zap those nasty ingrown hairs!

Meantime, here's some advice from Mayo Clinic Dermatologist Lawrence E. Gibson:

Shave hair a little longer than you normally do
Avoid repeated razor strokes over the same area
Shave in the direction of hair growth
Use a moisturizer to soften the hair and make shaving easier

Organize Your Jewelry In Beautiful Jewelry Boxes

Let's be honest. Have you ever stored your jewelry all over your bedroom? In ashtrays? On the dresser? In the drawers? On the nightstand? In a closet? Etc.

Well, you are not alone. Sure, some gorgeous rings, chandelier earrings, and ornate gold bracelets might look pretty on display, but only if you carefully arrange them on pretty trays or crystal bowls. You get the idea.

We think the best way to look after your precious jewelry, is by simply buying a beautiful jewelry box.

You can go high-end or low-end. Trust us, there are some stunning jewelry boxes to be found. Take a look at the asian wooden jewelry box. This little antique is at a starting bid of $29.99 on Ebay.

There are tons of jewelry boxes on Ebay in so many styles and sizes. We have purchased a few there and these boxes are really attractive and so useful.

You can also buy jewelry boxes new with lined compartments to gently store your delicate and more expensive gems. Take a look at the lovely lacquered jewelry boxes by http://www.westelm.com/. This beauty features metal hardware and velvet lining. On sale now for $59.99.

Really examine all your precious pieces. And then organize your jewelry.

Separate the broken ones from the perfect ones. And do your jewelry maintenance. Learn how to clean your gems.

Read our article on keeping jewelry shiny and new on a budget.

There you will learn the different ways of keeping gold, silver, platinum, pearls, and other jewelry in tip-top shape, and nice and sparkly!http://www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/11/today-were-talking-about-jewelry.html

McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait Healthy Choice at 160 Calories

We know you crave the chocolate triple thick shake, but if you're trying, and we mean really trying to stay healthy, then this quick snack will satisfy your hunger and your wallet:

McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait. 160 Calories. Only a buck on the dollar menu!

And what's not to love? Blueberries and strawberries sitting in cool, creamy low fat yogurt with crunchy granola.

Healthy for the whole family. And it's made of good stuff, according to McDonald's:

McDonald’s works with the top dairy suppliers in the industry, such as Dannon® and General Mills®, to supply the low fat vanilla yogurt found in the Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait. Our yogurt uses only Grade A low fat milk, plus live active yogurt cultures.

And the 160 Calories in the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait are not difficult to burn off. We did some research and found this nugget at the livestrong.com website:

You could burn off the 160 calories from this Fruit N Yogurt Parfait in a variety of ways: Stroller - pushing baby stroller for 59 minutes
Studying - sitting for 82 minutes
Lawn Care - raking for 34 minutes

We like the idea of burning off this snack by er, studying-sitting for 82 minutes, ha ha.

Here's the nutritional breakdown for this McDonald's healthy choice:

Nutrition FactsServing Size: 5.3 oz (149g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 160
Calories from Fat 20
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g
3%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Cholesterol 5mg
2%
Sodium 85mg
4%
Total Carbohydrate 30g
10%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 21g
Protein 4g
8%
Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
20%
Calcium
15%
Iron
4%
Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 11.2% Carbs 75.0%
Protein 10.0%

Hey, for only $1 and 2 total fat grams, this is a dieter's dream.

Celebs Love Dr. Siegal's Yummy Weight Loss Cookies

Love cookies?

How about yummy cookies in blueberry, oatmeal raisin, chocolate, and even banana!!

Now what if we told you, these cookies are high protein and low fat. And that these 'magic' cookies are actually weight loss cookies?!

Wow! What a yummy way to go.

Pretty celebs like Jennie Garth and Shannon Doherty from 90210 fame, both enjoy munching on Dr. Siegal's treats from the Cookie Diet Store in Beverly Hills. This is how these lovely ladies stay slender. The two were spotted buying cookies together at the Beverly Hills store.

And you can munch your way to skinny, too. A weekly supply of Dr. Siegal's cookies will run you about $59.

So how does piggin' out on yummy cookies work? We took a look at Dr. Sanford Siegal's website:

Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® is a proven, three-step plan that has helped more than a half million people lose weight since 1975. It’s a safe, fast, and affordable approach to weight loss and weight maintenance. To help you succeed, Dr. Siegal personally developed a suite of free, web-based calculators that eliminate the uncertainty of results inherent in nearly all diets. Dr. Siegal’s tools will help you set and reach an attainable goal weight.

During the weight loss phase, with your family doctor’s blessing, you’ll eat Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® hunger-controlling cookies and shakes during the day and a reasonable dinner at night. It’s that simple.

The Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® suggested daily caloric intake is 1,000 calories but your doctor may raise or lower the amount based on your medical history. (Always follow your doctor’s instructions). On 1,000 calories a day (or even 1,200), everybody loses weight. Therefore, your success is guaranteed if you follow the plan.

This might be a bit pricey, but it sounds like a delicious way to lose weight. For more information, visit: http://www.cookiediet.com/.

Luster: One Hour At-Home Tooth Whitening System

Who doesn't want a whiter, brighter smile?

And who wants to mess with goopy gels and trays, over and over again?

Not us. We have found a new at-home tooth whitening system called Luster. And for $39.99, you can effectively whiten your teeth up to 6 shades lighter. All in just one hour.

We haven't tried this yet, because we happened to get Zoom whitening treatments in the dentist's chair last fall. And we are happy with our current smile.

But if we could go another 6 shades lighter, we would try Luster, because it's developed from the same Zoom concept of a light-activated whitening system.

Here's how the simple 3-step Luster kit works:

1. Use accelerator mouth rinse for 10 seconds.
2. Brush on super whitening gel.
3. Shine super whitening light on teeth.
After 2 minutes the light automatically shuts off. Repeat process until desired whitening results, up to 20 times. Some people are done in 30 minutes, others use the full hour.

Luster 1 Hour White, Tooth Whitening Light System also promises zero sensitivity. And trust us, that is a key factor for many people who want to whiten and brighten their smiles. No one likes extreme pain in their mouths.

This tooth whitening kit works, because it involves light activation technology. Here's what the website says:

Luster's patented whitening light speeds up the process. It’s just like what’s used at dentist offices, but is safe enough for home use.

On average, Luster 1-Hour White gets teeth 5 shades lighter, though many people see their smiles whiten up by 6 shades. That’s like turning the clock back years, even decades.

You can buy Luster at your local drugstore, and at www.LusterWhitenUp.com. And there's a $5 off coupon code to enter at check-out online.

If you really don't want to get professional whitening from the dentist, but would like something stronger than dental whitening strips or whitening gels, why not give this one a try?