StriVectin's Claim That Day + Night Treatments Better Than Rx Retinol: Not True....

We dislike it when big beauty companies take major liberty with their clever commercial advertisements---claiming this + claiming that. When in reality, that boasting is never really covered by scientific fact.

Let's pick on StriVectin AR:  Advanced Retinol Day Treatment SPF30($99) + Advanced Retinol Night Treatment($109).

These products are formulated with NIA-114 technology, which as we have learned, has to do with niacin.

A paid consultant to StriVectin had told the NY Times this:

"NIA-114 provides many of the benefits of retinoic acid without those tolerability issues," Myron Jacobson said. "You get the gain without the pain."

The NY Times goes on to say that Dr. Jacobson, a biochemist,  "likes to say that NIA-114 is a great alternative to tretinoin(Retin-A), the gold standard routinely prescribed by dermatologists to keep aging skin looking (and acting) younger."

If you look at the current ads, Strivectin claims these 2 AR creams are "Better than Rx strength Retinol."

And that is  simply NOT true.

Chicago dermatologist Carolyn Jacob, MD recommends using a prescription-strength retinoid if you want REAL results. She told webmd this:

For aging skin, dermatologists like to prescribe tretinoin and retinoic acid (Retin-A, Renova, Refissa) that is "100 times" as potent as the retinol-containing products sold without prescription, Dr. Jacob says. "Tretinoin works better because it has a stronger capability of preventing the breakdown of collagen," she says. "I prescribe it to my patients because, if they're here, they've already tried the over-the-counter varieties."

If your skin is very sensitive, then over-the-counter retinol might be better for you.

Retinol helps repair damaged, aging skin, but just not at the speed or depth of an Rx retinoid like Retin-A.

Okay....hope that helps. In other words, an over-the-counter product containing retinol is excellent for your skin BUT cannot equal the strength  + superiority of an Rx retinoid.

Yum-Yum! Cake Beauty Delectable Hair & Body Mist From Kohl's

We've all been there.....You're at a party. There's a lot of smoke in the air, or maybe you can smell the odor of fried foods all over you. Still, maybe you just put in a full work-out at the gym. And a bad odor is following you. Yuck...Get us out of there!

It would be smart to have a bottle of this around, where you could discreetly spritz on a little sweet mist!

We found these at your neighborhood Kohl's. That's right--Kohl's. And these weren't in the Jennifer Lopez department.

We love hair scenters. Okay, maybe that isn't a word. But we LOVE a quick spritz for the hair to keep it soft + smelling fresh!

This set is by Cake Beauty. It's called Delectable Hair & Body Mist ($14, a set of 4, at Kohl's). In the set, you get 4 yummy scents---Strawberry + Cream. Lemon + Cream. Vanilla + Cream. Coconut + Cream.

These hair + body mists are fun to spritz on. They're formulated with aloe vera and are supposed to last all day.

Taylor Swift + Karlie Kloss: The Beautiful Bob Twins!

Hasn't anyone caught the resemblance?!

Was Victoria's Secret model Karlie Kloss the beauty inspiration behind superstar Taylor Swift's new drastic haircut?

Taylor is REALLY enjoying her brand new bob....and she had a lot of inches lopped off!

Usually when a woman has had 1/2 of her locks chopped off, it's a somewhat frightening experience. But the multi-award-winning singer NEVER missed a beat.

Taylor is LOVIN' her grown-up, sophisticated bob.

 To us, Taylor Swift is a dead ringer for famous model Karlie Kloss.

Karlie was one of the few models to undergo a major hair transformation back in the fall of 2012. She lost 7 inches, but Karlie NEVER looked back:

  "I love it," Karlie told the Web site Fashionologie backstage at a fashion show soon after the new cut was revealed.

"I can’t stop touching it." She added that having short hair "actually takes the focus off your hair and puts the focus on you. I’m starting to realize that it’s all about confidence."

The genius stylist behind Karlie's chop was Garren Defazio.

We don't know who cut Taylor's new modern bob, but she had it done in London while on tour.

"London, I could never thank you enough. See you next time! P.S. short hair, don't care. (!!!)," Taylor wrote on Facebook alongside the reveal pic, a photo of a Polaroid posing with singer Ellie Goulding.

We like the look on Taylor. She wears it well, right down to her polished, signature red lips. But we do think the bob cut makes Taylor look older than her 24 years.
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What do you think, Beauty TipToday readers?

Madonna Launches Skin Care Line Today In Japan: MDNA SKIN

At age 55, Madonna must be doing something right in the world of a healthy complexion.

Someone wants to know her beauty secrets, because today the star has launched a new skin care line in Japan. It's called MDNA SKIN.

We're not sure if and when this skin care line will make it to the U.S. + beyond.

Madonna developed the so-called revolutionary line in collaboration with MTG, Japan's leading beauty company.

So, what's in the material girl's skin care products?

There are 3 components. We found this beauty nugget from the madonnalicious website:

 The clay oil therapy inspired CHROME CLAY MASK, made with a base of clay from Montecatini Terme in Italy, which performs multiple functions that enrich the skin.

The SKIN REJUVENATOR - the specialized Magnetic Force and Deep Derma induction system devised to remove impurities and revitalizes the skin. 

 THE SERUM - based on an original formula that was created exclusively for Madonna, it creates a glowing effect when used alone and is further enhanced when used with the CHROME CLAY MASK and SKIN REJUVENATOR.

Check out the official video for MDNA SKIN here.
By the way, MDNA SKIN has its ownTwitter page.

A Bigger, Better, More Beautiful Butt In 2014 Via Injections?

Big, round butts aren't going away anytime soon.

If you're lucky to already naturally have this attention-getting asset, then good for you, because bigger, better butts appear to be another HOT cosmetic surgery trend that continues in popularity for 2014.

Has television's reality star, Kim Kardashian, influenced pop culture here?

She claims her ample behind is the result of great DNA, and we will take her at her word. Here's a photo snapped yesterday of the celeb in tan, suede skinnies:

And some are whispering that youngest K-sister, Khloe, has also been getting butt injections to have a curvier silhouette like famous Kim.

Check out Khloe leaving an L.A. nightclub last evening!
Khloe will be quick to say she's just been working out very hard and has shed a number of pounds.

Well, whatever these K-sisters are doing, they both are able to melt away fat and still maintain a rounder, fuller, bigger butt than most of us on the planet.

So, what are butt injections all about?

We headed to RealSelf.com for an honest break-down of facts.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon William Bruno, MD, explains how to get a bigger behind:

"Buttock injections using your body's own fat, also known as a Brazilian buttock lift, is a great way to add volume to your buttock. This varies in cost depending on your size and the number of areas treated with liposuction. Most experienced surgeons will charge somewhere in the area of $8,000-$11,000 for this procedure as the outcome has a lot to do with your surgeons' aesthetic judgment. Try not to make your decision based on cost."

Palo Alto plastic surgeon George Commons, MD, also reveals his opinion on butt injections:

"Liposuction harvest and then fat transfer to the buttocks works very nicely and you might consider this. It sounds like you have some donor areas.  Also liposuction of the flank zone results in a nicer appearing buttocks indirectly that at times is amazing.   Flank Liposuction with the Vaser may even result in a tiny buttocks lift effect.  Do not let anyone do injection of anything but your fat into your buttocks. I have seen disasters where foreign substance has been injected into the buttocks....silicone etc. etc. Do not do that. Fat is usually a nice answer. Go to an ABPS surgeon and get an answer."

Good advice!

Designer Dimples: Would You Go Under The Knife For A Pair?

We have mentioned designer dimples before here at BeautyTipToday.

That's right! It's called dimple-plasty and it's apparently a HOT cosmetic surgery trend. That means you can now design your own dimples. It's only about a 10-minute procedure and then, poof! Instant sex appeal!

There are a few famous celebrities with knock-out, natural dimples:

Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr and Eddie Cibrian(sexy), to name two.

Across the pond in Great Britain, one woman recently underwent dimple-plasty so she could look more like the UK's star Cheryl Cole (pictured below).

Cherelle Campbell, a trainee lawyer said this to the British publication, the Daily Mail: 

"I've always loved dimples [but] I wasn't blessed to be given big ones," she says, adding that she liked Cheryl Cole's. "When God was giving out dimples I was at the back of the queue. I find myself on the street or watching TV and anyone with dimples stands out to me." (Read more: here).

This is Cherelle with her new dimples. Doctors say it takes a few weeks for the dimples to heal. So, this isn't the best pic to show, because results will appear natural later on.

In the UK, the DailyMail says that dimple-plasty involves "having holes punched into the cheeks using a scalpel.

Here in the US, dimple surgery is done a bit differently----The incision is made INSIDE the mouth. There will be dissolvable sutures on the inside of the cheek after the dimple procedure. Those sutures do not require removal.

The cost for designer dimples in the US---between $3,000 + $5,000.

Would you go under the knife for a pair?!

The Side Part Trend Remains Hot During Winter + Spring 2014

Look, ladies, if you have hair, you CAN rock a side part.

It's been a HOT trend since last summer, and it remains a beauty go if you're wondering. The Spring 2014 runways showed lots of models without a middle part.

Celebrities like Jessica Alba, Sandra Bullock and Emmy Rossum have all been popping up on the red carpet with some serious side parting.

We'll see how many ladies go for the side part during the Academy Awards show on March 2, 2014.

Whether your locks are long, medium or super short, you CAN be on the trend.

Stylists say that the side part evens up the playing field. In other words, if your features are NOT perfectly symmetrical (and whose are?), then a strong side part brings it all into balance.

Just a quick beauty tip to remember when you don't know what to do with your hair, or when you feel that bad hair day coming on.