In an era that’s dominated by Greenpeace and Environmentalists, I wanted to see just how invested in our environmental leaders are in the fashion industry. I wanted to see whether it would even matter to most consumers if an apparel company used organic cotton to make its jeans. If a cosmetics company was

green, or organic? Does anyone care?

I asked more than a hundred people, in different e-mail lists and web-sites, and the answers varied more than you might think. Most people said that they didn’t tend to think about their clothing nearly as much as they might their cosmetics. Vicky from Texas said “It’s not that I don’t care, but it’s not something you see designers focusing on.” She went on to say, “some of them do, but not enough to give me good choices.” Bella from New England said “It’s just a matter of cost, if you go green it costs you more green, so you charge more green.”

People want to be beautiful, and the number of people that don’t want to only be beautiful on the outside is increasing daily. This creates a strange paradox, if I was to follow the old cliché, I would think that strong morals would mean less money for fashion. Yet you have to be financially “well to do” if you want to go green in both clothing and cosmetics. If your pocket book isn’t boiling over you might loose hope!

Here are some tips for those cheeky kids that know what they want and only need some easy ways to get started.

It runs an apparel company about 60% – 70% of their total costs to buy their material. So, if you’re a fashionesta with an eye for clothes that scream of moral certitude, look for cheap green fabric and then find out who uses it. Most green material manufacturers will have a page that tells you who uses their product.

cosmetics on the other hand are not as easy to find…

In the US, cosmetics and skin care products aren’t regulated by any group. A company can put pretty much whatever it wants into it’s products. That’s why L’Oreal, Maybelline, and nearly all cosmetic companies based in the US have to make completely different formulations for any country that regulates what chemicals are allowed in skin care products. The formulations sold in the US contain all sorts of nasties, from harmful dyes, preservatives, and chemicals, to all sorts of animal by-products (I won’t say what, but trust me loves, it would curl your toes). A consumer looking for a green, consumer friendly cosmetics company is in for a headache I’m afraid.

Here are some places to start.

Gourmet Body Treats – This Green, Vegan, Organic, and Cruelty Free Cosmetics Company based out of Schertz, TX offers amazingly hi-end products for very reasonable prices. Their mineral cosmetics line is award winning, and they have been in business for the better part of a decade.

Dr. Bronner Soaps - Cruelty free, nor petrochemicals or synthetic ingredients. Made in the USA. They are famous for setting the standard for safe natural cosmetics. They also donate to various charities and social initiatives.

Aubrey Organics - The original natural cosmetics company started in 1969. This company has won numerous awards for its sustainability and use of natural preservatives and even cooler, they don’t codnuct any animal testing and use minimal packaging.

Now go out their and start making and Eco Fashion Statement!

jessibell

There are many wrinkle creams, anti aging moisturizers available in the market promising to reduce the effects of the sun and even to prevent the signs of aging. But the question would get a good answer only if we are able to screen the best anti aging moisturizers in the market and evidence their potential benefits. There are a number of researches carried on the various ingredients of the creams so as to prove the potential benefits of these ingredients. The working of the anti aging creams depends on the fact of how long are you going to use the product, the amount used in the application of the cream and the active ingredients used in the creams.

Ingredients used in the anti aging creams

As a known fact the working of any product can be judged from the effectiveness of its parts, and same is the case with the anti aging creams whose effectiveness can be judged from the effectiveness of its ingredients. Some of the ingredients that are widely used in the anti aging cream which have yielded good results in the improvement of the wrinkles reduction. The ingredients used are:

Retinol: A Vitamin A compound called Retinol is the first of the antioxidant widely used in the nonprescription wrinkle creams. The antioxidants are compounds that neutralize the free radicals. Free radicals are nothing but the unstable oxygen molecules which break the skin cells thus causing wrinkles. Retinol however is less effective than one of the derivatives of the Vitamin A called as tretinoin. The usage of tretinoin has been approved by the Food and Drug administration for the treatment of wrinkles; however this derivative is available only after specific prescription. But it is to be kept in mind that these derivatives of Vitamin A are to be avoided by pregnant women as they carry the risk of birth defects.

Hydroxy acids: Some of the synthetic versions of acids derived from the sugar containing fruits are Alpha hydroxyl acids, beta hydroxyl acids and poly hydroxy acids. These acids function as exfoliants i.e.; they remove the upper layer of the dead skin and thus promote the growth of new smooth layer of skin. They also act as an effective agent to provide protection of the sun damage
.
Coenzyme Q10: This is one of the finest nutrients that help to stimulate the energy production in our cells. There are many evidences available that have shown the signs of reduction in the wrinkles. It also protects us from the effects of sun damage.

Copper peptides: Every cell in our body contains the trace elements of copper. In the skin care products this element is combined with small elements of protein fragments referred to as peptides. The copper peptides help to cure the wounds. They also help in the stimulation of collagen and they even enhance the functioning of antioxidants.

Tea extracts: The different kinds of tea like green, black and oolong tea contains some of the most effective anti oxidant and the anti inflammatory properties. The extracts of green tea serve as a purposeful ingredient in some of the best wrinkle creams.

Johnson

We pile products onto our skin to combat problems such as dryness, flaky patches, oilyness and spots, however it may in fact be these very products which are causing the problems. In recent years attention has been drawn to the food we eat; preservatives, chemicals, additives, where the food is sourced, how it is farmed, how it is packaged etc. There has been a sudden outcry regarding what we feed our children and a never-before-seen interest into exactly what we’re eating. Alongside this interest has arisen (although not to such an extent) about what we’re putting onto our bodies. Cosmetic products and their ingredients are coming under more and more scrupulous examination and as a result natural and organic skincare products have become more popular.

Essentially we are natural organisms so it’s probably for the best to stick to natural products! If you wouldn’t ingest chemicals and toxins then it’s a bit of a contradiction to rub them into your skin, hair, teeth and nails! The benefits of organic skincare goes beyond the obvious positives of natural ingredients; there have been scientific investigations showing the dubious effects of certain cosmetic chemicals, some which have even been linked with tumours and cancer. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives and have been linked with breast cancer. They are commonly used in cosmetics such as shampoos, moisturisers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, spray tan and toothpaste.

If you rub a substance onto your skin or inhale it, the chemicals can enter you body and so get into your blood stream. These chemicals will not be recognised by your immune system and so treated as foreign bodies. Your liver becomes occupied dealing with these foreign chemicals, instead of the jobs that it is intended to do, thus making you more perceptible to other viruses, infections etc.

It is important to be wary of products which dazzle you with natural sounding scents and ingredients. Just becomes it smells like a flower or fruit doesn’t mean it contains anything natural! You should always check the ingredients of a product that claims to smell like a natural substance; there are more than 4,000 chemicals which can be used in fragrances, many of which are waste products from the petroleum industry. Nature provides us with a huge variety of ingredients with different properties and cosmetic benefits, which are beneficial to us in loads of ways; ranging from essential oils which provide natural scents, to natural emollients, emulsifiers, oils and preservatives, moisturisers such as Cocoa Butter and antiseptics like Tee Tree Oil.

Certified organic products not only contain only natural ingredients but it also means that the ingredients have never come into contact with chemicals whilst they were grown or collected, the containers are often environmentally friendly and there is absolutely no chance your product was tested on animals.

If you think you need to sort out your skincare, Scinboutique offers a great range of natural and organic skincare cosmetics which can leave your skin, and conscience feeling great! If you think your cosmetic cabinet needs a purge and wish to replace old chemical skincare products with natural and organic ones then Scinboutique has a huge variety of delicious products (with their ingredients listed) which get great results, making you a natural beauty!

Hannah Walker

Southern Magnolia Minerals is pleased to offer a unique, luxurious & affordable alternative to the national brands and infomercials. Women of all ages and skin types will benefit from the beautiful, natural approach to sheer flawless-looking skin.

We aim for a youthful vibrant, all-natural looking you! With a rainbow of minerals powders for the face, cheeks, lips & eyes, our minerals are easy to apply so that you can achieve bare skin beauty in just minutes. Our mineral cosmetics are completely free of chemicals, preservatives, perfumes, dyes, oil, talc, bismuth and other harsh ingredients that can harm or upset the skin. Plain and simply put…it’s just 100% pure natural goodness!

Our product line includes a variety of mineral bare makeup foundation, concealer, multi-purpose powder & veil, eye shadow & liner, blush & bronzer, lipstick & gloss, brushes & accessories as well as naturally formulated luxurious facial skincare! Anyone can wear our minerals! Whether you have young or mature skin, sensitive, dry, or oily skin & problem skin particularly those with Acne, Rosacea & Scarring. It has natural sunscreen & anti-inflammatory properties. And it provides longer-lasting complete weightless coverage while helping heal and soothe inflamed or irritated skin.

Finally, beautiful wearing colors for all ages that promote healthy skin. Its truly a makeup that covers, corrects & protects! Gone are the days of wearing heavy, cakey makeup. Many have discovered why Southern Magnolia Mineral Cosmetics are quickly becoming the best choice for healthy radiant skin.

Our customers are switching everyday from the leading competitors brand to SMM because of better coverage without the shine, long lasting wear, smooth silky slip that glides onto your skin effortlessly, saves money, time and is actually good for your skin! Once you see & feel our mineral makeup, you too will fall in love! So say goodbye to traditional & expensive department store makeup brands forever.

We invite you to experience our wonderful products and personal customer service with a little does of southern charm thrown in! We truly believe you will be transformed by the results after just one use of our minerals. Some call it a miracle, we call it true southern beauty…pure & simple!

www.SMMcosmetics.com or http://stores.ebay.com/Southern-Magnolia-Minerals?refid=store

Southern Magnolia Minerals
http://www.articlesbase.com/cosmetics-articles/why-buy-smm-cosmetics-over-name-brands-other-sellers-732462.html

For a woman, it is easy to know the basic nuances of how to apply cosmetics, as she watches her mother doing it all through her childhood. Thus she comes to know all the ethics and their pros and cons, much before she actually realizes what it is.

But for a man, who is guided, against the traditions, by his inner urge to look “beautiful”, the application of cosmetics becomes a messy process. Naturally, he was not trained to do so in his childhood. Thus he must learn to do it the right way.

No Foundations With Facial Hair : It is okay if you love to use foundations to hide spots, scars and pimples on your face. But behold! You need to have a clean shave before you apply foundations. It helps you stop it making visible on your facial hair.

Concealers Go Well : Because you have beards, it doesn’t mean that you have no right to hide the blemishes and spots on your face. You can think of applying concealers. Concealers and facial hair go well with each other.

Concealers Should be Lighter : There is a problem with concealers. They tend to reveal their identity if happen to be darker than the skin tone. So always use something which is slightly lighter in color than your skin tone.

Say No to Oily Foundation : An oily foundation is most suitable for a woman. But for a man, the water solution is the best buy. As this solution tends to be thin, it does not get clotted on the skin. Thus leaving no clue that you are wearing makeup.

No Glittering Moisturizer : Sellers in the name of mens moisturizers, may end up giving you something made for women. They make your face look oily and shining. So ask for a genuine product which matches you skin tone. Remember it must match you skin tone.

When to Say No To Foundation Again : If you need to attend a press conference or you want to steal the limelight at a party, then there is no way the need to apply foundations. These are the places where you have to face cameramen. Thus with every click, you face will shine more than the camera flashes. Thus avoid foundation and apply powder which matches your skin tone.

Dark Eyeliners are Dreading : It is okay to apply light eyeliners as they give a definite look to your eyelashes. But there is no rational behind applying extra deep ones. They make you look womanish. So no way you are allowed to compromise with your masculinity.

No to Colored Mascara : If you love to give your lashes some length and make them look fuller, then use clear mascara only. The colored mascara becomes noticeable after hours and make a mess on the face.

Dexter James
http://www.articlesbase.com/cosmetics-articles/applying-mens-cosmetics-dos-and-donts-671961.html

Skincare cosmetics should be good for your skin’s health. If you have started to see some of the signs associated with aging skin, it is particularly important that you avoid certain ingredients, because they are damaging. Here’s a look at the bad, the good and the best.

Bad ingredients make a bad product, but there are so many of them in skincare cosmetics, that it is hard to know where to begin. I came up with this list, although it is surely incomplete, of ingredients to avoid when you are shopping for beauty aids.

<ul><li>Added fragrances or essential oils, whether natural or artificial, because they are toxic to the skin’s cells and prone to cause allergic reactions.</li>
<li>Artificial preservatives of any kind, because they are the number one causes of allergic and adverse reactions. Natural vitamin E is an effective preservative, but cosmetic companies like artificial preservatives because they are cheap.</li>
<li>Oxybenzone, benzophenone and other sunscreens designed for use on a daily basis, because studies have shown that many of them increase free radical production and activity. Free radical damage is one of the primary causes of the appearance of aging skin.</li>
<li>Mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin wax, petroleum jelly, liquid paraffin, because they clog the pores and interfere with natural rejuvenation processes.</li></ul>

There are lots of other bad ingredients in skincare cosmetics, but if you avoid the ones listed above, you’ll see your appearance start to improve, as your skin’s health improved. Now, let’s look at the good stuff, starting with a word about good nutrition.

Poor nutrition plays a role in all of our health problems. People who focus on good nutrition throughout their lives live longer and look better than others in their age group. The signs of aging skin can be corrected with the proper supplementation.

If you are not taking a good daily multivitamin and an omega3 fish oil supplement, then you should start. But, your appearance and the health of the epidermis can be greatly improved with topical creams and lotions that contain nutrients.

If properly formulated, your skin’s cells can absorb those nutrients. If you have aging skin, the cells will literally “soak up” this nourishment, because it has been “starving” for it. The ingredients to look for in skincare cosmetics include:

<ul><li>Peptides, tiny protein fragments that are the building blocks for new cells. Research has shown that creams containing peptides encourage the production of new cells and fibers.</li>
<li>Vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and other antioxidants, because they prevent and repair free radical damage.</li>
<li>Kelp extracts because they contain vitamin A, calcium and other minerals that balance moisture content. Wakame kelp has been shown in clinical studies to correct an amino acid deficiency that is normally present in aging skin cells.</li>
<li>Avocado oil, for use at night, because it is rich in essential fatty acids (not to be confused with essential oils)</li></ul>

The best skincare cosmetics contain all of these good ingredients and more. Get you skin healthy again and your appearance will improve, almost like magic.

Laurel Levine

The other day, a esthetican approached me and informed me that she only sold her clients all natural products that did not contain paraben.  Her reasoning for this was that parabens were toxic and were bad for the body and skin.  This statement suprised me a great deal as parabens in cosmetics are necessary and have been deemed necessary in a statement made by the FDA where they have established that parabens ”may be used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity: [1].  This showed me that this esthetician was either uneducated in her field or that her information was outdated and inspired me to clarify the use of parabens.
 
So what are parabens and why are they necessary?  Parabens are defined by the FDA as “preservatives in cosmetics products” [2].  There are three types of parabens that are usually used in cosmetics products which are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.  Often, more than one type of paraben is used in a product and it has been shown that the use of a mixture of parabens allows for the use of lower levels of these preservatives while increasing the level of preservative activities.  As such. parabens are necessary when it comes to cosmetic products in order to keep it properly preserved and safe for consumers.  An all natural product is dangerous and could end up being bad for your skin and health as you never know how long the product without the preservatives has been sitting.  Without preservatives they may have deadly and dangerous bacteria which will end up doing more harm than good.  Therefore, BE CAREFUL.
 
However, even if you are careful, all natural products still pose a grave danger and precautions must be taken.  The most important is that you must ensure that you use all of the product within one week and during this time period you must keep it refridgerated.  However, even if you keep it refridgerated, dangerous bacteria will still grow.  Even though you cannot see bacteria, it is there! 

It turns out that this esthetician attained her licence over 20 years ago and has not updated her education since.  Therefore, be careful of the esthetician that you choose and be careful of what he or she says.  Although they may sound professional many estheticians that currently provide their services are educated but their education and knowledge is outdated and pre-madonna.  All natural products may sound good for you but in reality an all natural product is dangerous and needs to be avoided.

[1] United States Food and Drug Administration, CFSAN Office of Cosmetics and Colors

[2] United States Food and Drug Administration, CFSAN Office of Cosmetics and Colors

For more information about Valence Detox Slimming Anti-aging visit us at www.vlns-spa.com

Valence Detox Slimming Anti-aging

There are more than 50,000 different cosmetics on the market today. Most of these products simply pick up on the latest consumer fad, even though the product doesn’t actually work. For example, take a look around the cosmetics section of your local pharmacy…how many “eco-safe” products can you find?

The cosmetics industry thinks that consumers will buy anything regardless of the ingredients inside of a cosmetics line. The truth is that consumers are smarter than they ever have been. Today, those purchasing cosmetics now want to know what’s inside of that “magical” anti-aging jar.

Why are ingredients important? Anything that you put on your skin will eventually be absorbed by your skin. This means that selecting cosmetics with poor ingredients might actually hurt your skin and promote aging. What constitutes a “poor” ingredient? Ingredients that are not derived from natural substances should be avoided – after all, would you bathe in a tub full of oil?

Natural Collagen Cosmetics are taken from the purest ingredients on earth. All of these cosmetics are made taking GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GHP (Good Hygiene Practice) into consideration. The result is a cosmetics line that is safe for your skin while producing incredible anti-aging results.

Some of the ingredients that can be found in Natural Collagen Cosmetics include: Matrixyl™ -3000 (GHK and Pal peptides); GOTU – KOLA (ancient Chinese herb containing flavonoids, vitamins A, C, and E, Triterpen, and Magnesium); Aloe Vera (from the Aloe Vera plant); Vitamin E; and many other natural, anti-aging, substances.

While replenishing your skin with topical creams will provide some results, refreshing your skin from the inside should also be taken into consideration. Skin care is complicated…it takes a lot of work to create a younger, refreshed, look. When you combine topical creams with skin replenishing pills, the result is skin that literally glows from the inside out – regardless of the natural aging process.

Taking care of your skin can be tricky. With all of the anti-aging cosmetics out there, it’s hard to know which ones to choose. The best advice that you can take from this article is to nourish your skin with natural ingredients, work on the outside of your skin with natural creams, and don’t forget to restore the inside too.

Along with Natural Collagen Cosmetics, make sure to eat a healthy diet, exercise, and drink plenty of water on a daily basis. Your skin needs all the help that it can get as you age in order to stop it from losing elasticity and collagen. When you give your skin what it wants, you can expect your skin to radiate in return. Anti-aging skin care doesn’t have to be confusing with the right advice and products by your side.

As you treat both the inside and the outside of your body, you will find that your skin starts to take on a healthy color almost immediately. As the color of your skin increases, you will begin to feel younger and healthier all at once. It’s amazing what the right anti-aging skin products can do for you once you understand how skin really works.

Jerzy George