Ladies: Shower And Bathe But Give Up Washcloth And Loofah

We're having a hard time trying to prove this to our female readers out there, but here we go again:

Shower. Or bathe. But do it without your washcloth and loofah.

Sounds bizarre, but please, cleanse with your hands, and of course, a great scrubbing beauty product.

We couldn't make this stuff up, but we have learned from two of the best skin experts in the business---Dr. Michelle Copeland and Marcia Kilgore.

Dr. Copeland is a well-respected and famous New York City plastic surgeon. This is what she told us in an interview last year:

And lastly, Dr. Copeland, do you have a favorite skin care tip? One that doesn't involve your skin care line?

"Loofahs and washcloths are the bane of my existence. You never want to break the normal skin barrier, and that is what loofahs do. I have told many patients to lose the loofah, and they flat out, will not do it. I'm not ordering you to throw away your loofah because I want to torture you. It's an issue of cleanliness and abrasion. Think about how warm and steamy your bath gets, particularly around your tub. As we all know, bacteria and fungus thrive in hot, moist climates. Skin is our body's natural protective blockade. You don't want to compromise it," she explains.

"The small abrasions caused by harsh scrubbing, aren't visible to the naked eye, but they are plenty big enough for germs, bacteria, and their counterparts, to slide right on in and set up shop."

And this is what we learned from Marcia Kilgore, owner and founder of Bliss Spa:

Marcia Kilgore tends to agree with Dr. Copeland about bacteria attraction to loofahs:

"Exfoliation should be a regular feature of your body and facial routine all year round. Incorporate a body exfoliator into your shower routine at least three times weekly to slough away dead skin cells quicker. Not only will it simultaneously stimulate circulation, your after-shower moisture lotions will sink in more readily. And by the way, just say no to loofahs. Once used, they are loaded with bacteria build-up," Marcia Kilgore explains.

Sure, exfoliation is key in good skin care, but these experts want you to use an effective scrubbing beauty product. And both women offer some wonderful shower and bath products that aggressively remove dead skin cells, but do it in a gentle formula.

1. Dr. Michelle Copeland Bath/Shower Gelee ($36, 7 oz.) "Using green tea extract—a powerful antioxidant to replenish the skin—it also gently exfoliates and stimulates new cell growth. Non-drying and enriched with soothing aloe! "

2. Bliss Hot Salt Scrub ($36, 12 oz.) "All-over sea salt body scrub is oil-free, super-softening, self-heating and spiked with eucalyptus and rosemary oils. It's the ultimate do-it-yourself spa-strength skin smoother. "

To learn more about these shower/bath beauty products, visit:

http://www.drmichellecopeland.com/

http://www.blissworld.com/

Perricone Launches Revolutionary Cold Plasma Skin Cream

We all worry about our skin. And many of us would do just about anything to make every inch and every pore look young and firm.

How about you?

Would you spend $150 for a small jar of beauty? It's a 1 0z. jar.

Skin expert Nicholas Perricone hopes you will. The anti-aging guru has just launched Cold Plasma.

Actually, the full title is Cold Plasma Dermal Matrix Regenerator.

Dr. Perricone says he's has been tirelessly working on this revolutionary new skin cream for 5 years. And what the contents of this small jar claim to do, is correct 10 visible signs of aging:

Wrinkles. Enlarged pores. Dryness. Redness. Discoloration. Uneven skin tone. Impurities. Loss of firmness. Loss of smoothness. And loss of radiance.

That's a lot of promise in such a small jar of Cold Plasma, but, we will give Dr. Perricone the benefit here, because he develops some amazing and technologically-advanced beauty products. Sure, his beauty in a jar is never cheap, but then again, skin care is big business.

Dr. Perricone told this to Women's Wear Daily:

"This was an accidental discovery,” says Dr.Perricone, who has been studying the technology in collaboration with physicists at Los Alamos Laboratories for the past five years; that study led to the serum’s ionic suspension carrier system. “This delivery system presents an environment in which the cell has access to the vital nutrients needed to maintain its health and help prevent the visible signs of aging, by directing the nutrients through the cellular membrane — where they can be effectively utilized. Because each person has individual biochemical needs, this system is also selective in which nutrients it delivers. If anything in the formula isn’t needed, it simply won’t be utilized. But because each person is different, Cold Plasma adapts to those individual needs.”

So how do you use Cold Plasma? Very simple. Apply morning and evening on cleansed skin.

Does it really work? Well, we have not tried it, but we did a little digging and found at QVC.com, that some women complained that Cold Plasma had an awful fishy odor. The product received 2 1/2 stars out of 5. Or 35% of QVC customers would recommend Perricone's Cold Plasma to a friend.

Ouch. We don't know how accurate those stats are, but the figures are printed there from customers on the QVC website.

You can find Cold Plasma cheaper at Ebay.com in some cases.

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

Mariah's Vision Of Love Spiral Curls Big For Fall 2009-Winter 2010

Sexy spiral curls!!!

This curly, wavy look is big for Fall 2009 - Winter 2010.

It's the Mariah Carey 'Vision of Love' hairstyle from the 1990s. And yes, Mariah has gone back to her roots with a pretty version of this do. We happen to like it, and already, the spiral curl style has been popping up on the red carpet.

Beautiful Beyonce Knowles was rockin' this hair at the recent Video Music Awards show. And we know this curly look is a hot trend for Fall, because celebrity stylist Kim Vo made a mention on Twitter, about loving Beyonce's big curls.


Taylor Swift has been sporting the spiral curls and Miley Cyrus has been photographed with a looser, but still very wavy set of locks.

You can get this look by perming. Or spritzing your hair with styling lotion and then making lots of tiny braids overnight, and awakening to a mass of wild curls. Or you can take a curling iron and wind your way to bouncy, coils of spirals.

Either way, long, spiral curls can give you some wonderful cascading volume and a new classic look for those cold days ahead.

Get Your KFC Grill On With Zero Carbs And Only 180 Calories

We love KFC because we love fried chicken. But the batter and deep frying aren't good for any of us watching our weight.

Let us tell you......the new KFC Grilled Chicken is really delicious and juicy! The grilled line by KFC was introduced to the world in April of this year. And we're coming up to the 6 month mark, and trust us, this grilled chicken is a keeper.

KFC has gotten the thumbs up for trying to bring fast food to a healthier, dietary level. Well, at least finally, after all these years, the popular eatery is offering their famous chicken grilled. In other words, it's nice to have a choice when you're watching your weight and health.

Let's look at the stats:

180 calories and 4 grams of fat for a breast.
140 calories and 9 grams of fat for a thigh.
70 calories and 4 grams of fat for a drumstick.
80 calories and 4 grams of fat for a wing.

And even more good news:

Zero carbs are in the grilled chicken.

And you're getting half the calories of "Original Recipe" and even more of a dietary savings from the calorie-laden "Extra Crispy" and "Hot & Spicy."

An Extra Crispy chicken breast has 17 grams of carbohydrates and almost 500 calories compared with 0 grams of carbs and 180 calories with KFC's grilled breast.

So, why do we consider KFC's grilled chicken line a very good choice for the diet? It's simple. The chicken is zero carbs, low fat, low calorie. And as the Colonel's people like to say: “It’s marinated, seasoned with KFC’s famous secret herbs and spices, and then slowly roasted to juicy perfection.”

Get your KFC grill on, because this stuff is also, finger-lick' good!

How Vitamin C Serum Creates Younger Smoother Brighter Skin

There are so-oooooo many beauty products out there, all advertising to deliver younger, smoother, brighter skin. You will find them on drugstore shelves, in expensive spas and salons, and in prescription form at the dermatologist's office.

Not all products work. Everyone's skin is different and unique. But there are some beauty serums and creams that most dermatologists would agree, give you the best bet for a clear, smooth, firmer complexion.

And one of these beauty products is Vitamin C serum. Simply put, topical Vitamin C in the form of Ascorbic Acid has been shown in a number of studies, to brighten skin, decrease the depth of wrinkles, and stimulate collagen.

Vitamin C serum is a worthy beauty item to add to your anti-aging product arsenal, because it protects the skin from sun damage. And trust us, we could all use another weapon against the strong rays where we all like to sun in and play in.

One important note: If you are a Retin-A or Renova user, do not use a retinoid and Vitamin C serum together. The two can clash. Instead, use the Vitamin C serum during the day, since you are exposed to the UV rays that time. And apply the Retin-A or Renova products at bedtime.

Dermatologists suggest you use a Vitamin C serum with about a 10% Ascorbic Acid base or a little less.

Today, we are talking about a new Mario Badescu beauty product: Vitamin C Serum ($45).

This Vitamin C Serum contains 7.5% Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) to reduce discoloration and brighten skin. Formulated with Hyaluronic Acid to retain skin's natural moisture and Collagen to enhance skin's firmness and elasticity. Apply 3-4 drops on clean skin every other night. May be used under moisturizer or alone.

Like we explained earlier, if using a retinoid, use Vitamin C serum at opposite times of the day. Otherwise, go ahead and apply the serum at night.

By the way, if you enjoy using a night cream and don't want to give that up, then layer. The Vitamin C serum would go on first, and that would be followed by your favorite night cream.

To learn more about Vitamin C serum, visit http://www.mariobadescu.com/. There is plenty of excellent information about skin care.

Mario Badescu products are available at retail locations across the United States.

2009 Emmys Saw Beautiful Gowns And Spanx Underneath

Okay, we can't prove it, but we can bet the lovely ladies were all wearing Spanx at last Sunday's 2009 Emmy Awards.

Beautiful gowns like this turquoise bustier style worn by Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams, was designed by Rafael Cennano. And invisible Spanx could have been working their magic underneath.

We happen to know that gorgeous Vanessa Williams adores Spanx. It's her secret to looking slender and sleek.
Vanessa revealed to Access Hollywood her celebrity secret, "On the red carpet, I've always got my SPANX from under-bust to mid-thigh. On set, I wear them all the time just to keep things pulled up and tight, especially when wearing skintight stuff."

Even women who religiously work out with a fitness trainer, still put on some Spanx, when they want their bodies to look svelte at an important event. And the women of Hollywood are most likely reaching for their Spanx before hitting the red carpet to look picture-perfect.

Spanx are invisible under-clothing body shapers, bras, panties, camis, hosiery, etc. These light garments give a woman both confidence and comfort. They tuck in this, and pull up those, and firm up that. You get the idea.

To support this year's Emmy-nominated actresses as they glided down the red carpet, Spanx sent each one of them an official SPANX Red Carpet Slim-ulus Package to further enhance their lovely silhouettes in body-hugging couture gowns. We love the title of that one!

That meant celebrity favs like Christina Applegate, Tina Fey, Kristen Chenoweth, and Amy Poehler were all looking uber sleek and sexy.

Check out the photo of Spanx' new Slim Cognito Shape-Suit ($98). In nude or black. This is what it can do for you:

Perfect under skirts and shoulder-baring dresses
Removable underwire gives "the girls" a lift
Adjustable straps ensure comfortable fit
Silky-smooth yarns won't cling to clothes
Cotton double gusset for convenience

If you can't locate a Spanx store near you, try http://www.spanx.com/.

Jenny McCarthy Loves Emu Oil For Anti-Aging Benefits

We've talked about the benefits of applying emu oil before. Simply said, if you want softer, smoother skin, try emu oil.

We just saw an item in the National Enquirer under Gossip with Mike Walker. And he claims, that it's emu oil, that keeps 36-year-old Jenny McCarthy looking "Playboy"-perfect.

We didn't believe the Enquirer, so we did our own digging, and we owe Mike Walker an apology. Jenny McCarthy loves applying emu oil.

Jenny was interviewed by Chicago's Michigan Avenue magazine, and she told them for non-surgical beauty:

"Emu oil. It's great for antiaging and it's my favorite thing to put on my face because there are no perfumes or dyes."

So, what exactly is an emu and emu oil?

Emu oil comes from the emu, a large flightless, ostrich-like bird. Maybe not the prettiest animal on the block. But Australian aborigines were said to have discovered the benefits of extracting this oil thousands of years ago. And what researchers have come to learn is that there is something in the oil that is compatible to human skin.Leigh Hopkins, PhD. explained it in this manner. "The fatty acid composition of emu oil is very close to the correct composition of the fats as found in normal, human skin."

Emu oil is an excellent emollient with strong transdermal properties. In other words, it can nicely penetrate the skin's layers. It doesn't just sit on the surface like many expensive moisturizers do.

You want to look for pure certified 100% emu oil. Here are two respected and popular brands to try:

1. Pure Certified 100% Emu Oil by Platinum Skin Care ($14.41, on sale. 2 0z.) at http://www.platinumskincare.com/.

2. Dremu Oil Triple Refined Emu Oil($77, 1 oz.). A favorite of Oprah Winfrey's. http://www.dremu.com/.

And if you would like to read more about emu oil, dip back into our archives here:

http://www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/04/emu-oil-equals-softer-younger-skin.html