Cellulaze Zaps Cellulite for Good

Cellulite treatments are a dime a dozen: creams, lotions, massage, diet, weight loss, exfoliation, coffee grinds… the list goes on. But for all the cellulite cures on the market, many women plagued by the nuisance of the dimpled, puckering skin on their legs and bottoms find that none of these treatments totally gets rid of cellulite.

Learn more about the only single-treatment solution to getting rid of cellulite. Forever.

Detox Your Body and Revive Your Skin with Dry Skin Brushing

Looking for a way to smooth cellulite, get radiant skin, and detoxify your body without dropping a few C-notes at your favorite spa? If your budget won’t allow the extravagance of regular visit for body scrubs at the spa, and you can’t quite stomach another detox diet, consider adding dry skin brushing to your daily routine.

Dry skin brushing is an ultra inexpensive and effective way to pamper, detoxify and invigorate your body, from the outside in.

The Skin’s Role in Detoxing the Body

More than just a beauty treatment, dry brushing may be the single most important (and least expensive) ritual you add to your daily personal care regimen.

Learn how to dry brush your skin for a healthier body and more beautiful skin.

Is Pretty Skin Giving You a Sore Throat?

Got a sore throat that just won’t quit? Your acne meds could be the culprit.

A recent study from the Perleman School of Medicine at that University of Pennsylvania reports that oral antibiotics commonly used to treat acne are linked to symptoms of sore throat; patients using these acne medications were three times more likely to suffer a sore throat than if they didn’t use antibiotic acne drugs.

6 Steps to Softer Lips

Dry, cracked or sore lips are more than just a beauty blunder. In addition to detracting from an otherwise healthy complexion, chapped lips can also interfere with talking, smiling, eating and kissing comfortably.

Lip skin is unlike skin anywhere else on the body: it’s is exceptionally thin (revealing the capillaries below creating a rosy hue) and has no oil glands (skin’s natural barrier), making the lips especially delicate and prone to dryness and chapping.

Although anyone can find themselves with dry lips from time to time, there are specific things you can do to avoid the irritating condition.

Soften your lips for a more kissable pout with six easy steps!

What Is Cellulite?

The bad news? There’s not much you can do about cellulite. The good news? It won’t kill you. The dimpled, orange-peel appearance of cellulite is caused by fatty tissue protruding in an irregular pattern in the connective tissue beneath your skin. Yes, that’s right: blobs of fat making their way to the surface.

• What Is Cellulite, Really?
• Causes of Cellulite
• Treatments for Cellulite
• Top Cellulite Creams & Remedies

What Is Cellulite, Really?

Beneath your skin, fibrous strands of connective tissue span multiple layers of tissue, connecting your skin to deeper tissue layers of fat and muscle, creating compartments of fat cells.

Women’s fat compartments are larger and more rectangular than those in men’s bodies, and our cell walls run perpendicular to the surface of the skin rather than diagonally, as men’s do. Therefore, when the connective tissue is weakened and fat lobes push up into the dermis, the skin surface becomes uneven and dimply.

Furthermore, when the fat cells increase in size, the compartments bulge, exaggerating the dimpling appearance on your skin.

Causes of Cellulite

Lifestyle & Diet

Consuming foods containing an overabundance of toxins (fried food, alcohol, caffeine, sugar) overwhelms the body’s ability to eliminate toxic substances. Lack of exercise, stress, and insufficient water intake can cause poor lymphatic flow and poor blood circulation, each of which has been associated with the increased appearance of cellulite.

Heredity & Genetics

Chances of developing cellulite can be traced from generation to generation, indicating genetic factors influencing the structure and composition of fat and dermal tissues may be at play.

Age

As the tone and condition of the skin declines with age, its ability to aid in the nutrition and regeneration process for underlying tissues also declines.

Hormones

Estrogen and progesterone levels dictate how much fat your body stores or releases. Recent studies have shown that estrogen weakens tissue capsules, causing it to lose its ability to contain the fat mass and allowing fat lobes to protrude up to the dermis. Women typically store fat in cellulite-prone areas (thighs and buttocks) during pregnancy or while taking oral contraceptives.

Treatments for Cellulite

Healthy Nutrition, Weight Loss & Exercise

Larger fat cells generally create more pronounced dimpling, so slimming down will reduce the bulgy appearance of cellulite. However, you can have cellulite whether you are overweight, normal, or thin — you either have these irregular patterns of connective tissue or your don’t.

For a holistic approach, in the book The Cellulite Solution: A Doctor’s Program for Losing Lumps, Bumps, Dimples, and Stretch Marks, Howard Murad, M.D., pharmacist and board-certified dermatologist (the man behind Murad Skin Care) has developed a cellulite-slaying method including nutritional direction, exercise and lifestyle changes, and topical cellulite treatments to help women prevent and get rid of cellulite.

Creams for Cellulite

Creams containing exfoliating agents such as Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA), agents such as Retinoids (which improve skin thickness and blood circulation to the skin), and even Xanthines (shown to stimulate fat metabolism during in vitro testing) have all failed to act as permanent treatments for cellulite. Caffeine, the active ingredient in most cellulite creams, works to tighten blood vessels, which can temporarily produce a  smoother appearance to reduce the visibility of cellulite, but ultimately it has no effect on the actual fatty deposits responsible for cellulite.

Endermologie Treatments for Cellulite

Some people claim Endermologie works a cellulite miracle, but this deep tissue massage (alleged to break up the fatty deposits) is very expensive and time-consuming. Although Endermologie is FDA approved as a temporary approach to treating cellulite, many physicians dismiss it as bogus.

Liposuction to Get Rid of Cellulite

Liposuction involves the removal of fat from the reserve layers of fat, and is not typically performed on the subcutaneous layers of fat where cellulite originates. Liposuction is not advised as a treatment for cellulite since this already invasive procedure can result in severe bleeding, swelling, and even scarring when performed on subcutaneous layers.

Ionithermie Treatments for Cellulite

Ionithermie cellulite reduction is a complex treatment designed to minimize the appearance of cellulite, improve and smooth skin, firm and tone, detox, as well as slenderize and contour the treated area. Ionithermie involves the use of biological compounds such as Gauarana, RNA, micronized algae and thermal clay, in combination with an electrical stimulus to stimulate and restore muscle and tissue. Multiple treatments (at up to $200 per session) are advised in order to zap the pesky dimples. It is by no means a miracle cure for cellulite, but may leave your skin feeling and looking firmer in the short term.

Top Cellulite Remedies

While none of the creams for cellulite or other offerings in the fight against cellulite can promise to permanently banish cellulite from your body, some products get thumbs way up for delivering affordable short-term cosmetic fixes to the problem:

Put Cellulite Under Wraps

One super nifty product on the market is Wacoal ‘iPant’ High Waist Anti Cellulite Shaper ($72), a pair of compression shorts which actually smooth and slenderize your thighs, hips and waist while releasing cosmetic ingredientsActive ingredients include caffeine, retinol, ceramides, vitamin E, fatty acids and aloe vera, which are said to last approximately 100 washes. embedded in the fabric  with every movement to help firm and smooth the skin, working to eliminate the appearance of cellulite.

Tone Lift & Tighten with Cellulite-Fighting Serum

There’s a lot of buzz about the effectiveness of Clarins High Definition Body Lift ($66) at toning up skin and minimize the appearance of cellulite with ingredients including caffeine and caffeine-optimizers — smoothing out “cottage cheese thighs” for those times you want to hike up the hemline and show great legs. In consumer tests, 94 percent of users reported smoother skin, 89 percent reported firmer skin, and 75 percent of users noticed a slimmer silhouette, although if you’re looking to lose inches, your best bet is to hit the gym.

Spa-in-a-Box Cellulite Treatment Quartet

Another series of products that have given cellulite-plagued women a reason to smile is the Bliss FatGirlSlim Treatment ($54 value) Kit ($38), a collection of the best of Bliss’ ultra popular, lean, mean, body-toning creams and tools designed to combat cellulite, tighten skin, and have you looking your “svelt-est” 24-hours a day.

The kit includes:

• Bliss FatGirlScrub, designed to promote circulation through exfoliation and massage, which helps reduce the accumulation of stagnant fluids that contribute to lumpy, bumpy cellulite.
• Bliss FatGirlSleep, which contains Sacred Lotus Extract, touted to target cellulite by promote the breakdown of fat, reduce fat storage and inflammation of skin, and tighten loosened skin.
• Bliss FatGirlSlim, a skin-firming cream designed to visibly diminish the dimples of cellulite  with QuSome® (encapsulated caffeine) as the shining star ingredient.
• Bliss Slimulator, a skin-stimulating tool that may help prevent cellulite from forming and help smooth the texture of your skin when combined with the creams thanks to its massaging action.

Over a 28-day period, when FatGirlSlim was tested in an independent clinical study 87 percent of users saw a firming effect, 85 percent felt a slimming effect, and 73 percent noticed a reduction in the appearance of cellulite.  It’s not a complete miracle worker, but the Bliss FatGirlSlim kit gets rave reviews for its cellulite fighting results.

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Quick Fixes for Pimples

You wake up, walk to the mirror, and there it is. An unsightly, red, painful little bugger sitting on your chin. There’s  never a good time for a pimple. What to do?

Follow these tips to get rid of pimples fast!

Do Not Pop Your Pimples

Clinical aesthetician Angie MacIntosh says, no matter what, don’t pop your own pimples! You could push the impaction deeper into your skin, breaking open the dermal layer. It will find new follicles to come out through, leaving you with more pimples than you started with and potential damage to capillaries from all that squeezing. Ouch!

Emergency Overnight Pimple Zapper

MacIntosh has a secret weapon she keeps locked up for that once-in-a-blue moon circumstance where you just can’t have a zit. Her fixer-upper, however, is not for regular use, she warns. Apply ice to the area and dot on a dab of Visine Eye Drops. The vasoconstrictorVasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in a restriction of blood flow to an area; from a skincare perspective, this results in a reduction of the inflammation, swelling and redness of pimples., in the same way it removes redness from your dry eyes, will pull the redness right out of your blemish.

Acne Spot Treatment

For more common use, pick up a spot treatment gel from your favorite skincare line — we love fast-acting Murad Acne Spot Treatment — which will zap your blemish away by eating away at the bacteria and drying up the oil.

Conceal and Heal

When using makeup to cover up your blemishes, choose a foundation with clarifying properties, as well as oil control. For spot-on coverage, pick a concealer that’s equipped with a dash of salicylic acid to treat that blemish while you cover it up. And until you’ve achieved absolutely perfect skin, what’s better than a two-timing concealer that both masks and repairs? Absolutely nothing.

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Summer Must-Have: Tinted Moisturizer

The dog days of summer have arrived, heat waves, humidity and all. We’re all stripping down our summer style to the coolest, lightest clothing possible, and the same idea goes in the makeup department. When it’s scorching hot, 96 percent humidity and you’re sweating standing still, the last thing you want is to add a heavy, pore-clogging layer of makeup to your face — which would just run down your face anyway in the swampy hot weather.

The solution for a flawless complexion and lit-from-within skin on these muggy, high UV-index days of summer is (drumroll please) tinted moisturizer with built-in SPF protection.

Sheer, Lightweight Coverage

Tinted moisturizer provides lightweight, sheer makeup coverage that hydrates, protects, and allows your skin to breath and won’t leave you feeling suffocated by your makeup. You can re-apply these multitasking products throughout the day if  you need ongoing sun protection, but for most people who don’t spend all day outside, a single application in the morning is enough to keep you looking fresh and radiant all day long.

Any tinted moisturizer can provide buildable coverage by applying multiple layers of the product, but that kind of defeats the whole point of wearing a sheer product, doesn’t it? If you’ve got blemishes or trouble spots to cover, team up the tinted moisturizer with a concealer, and you’re on your way!

Editor’s Picks

Anti-Aging Tinted Moisturizer

In addition to providing sun protection, sheer makeup coverage and advanced moisturizing, Hope in a Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 from Philosophy also contains antioxidants to fight free radical damage — to keep your skin looking naturally more youthful. And as an added bonus, the formula comes in an airless pump, so that you always get the perfect dose, which is important when the idea is to wear just enough product.

Eco-Friendly Tinted Moisturizer

For a green beauty option, check out Boscia B.B. Cream SPF 27 PA++, an eco-beauty’s sheer coverage dream; this oil-free formula is a skin-perfecting “Blemish Balm” that creates perfect skin while it moisturizes, PA protectsThe PA system is a grade of UVA protection that provides superior defense against the rays that cause collagen damage and photo-aging of the skin., firms and soothes the skin. It’s a long-wearing translucent formula that comes in a universal shade that self-adjusts to complement most skin tones. And for the ecologically-minded or those with sensitive skin, Boscia products are made without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and triclosan.

Get That Dewy Glow

The newest formulation of Inner Light Mineral Tinted Moisture SPF 15 from Aveda is another great option for easy, sheer makeup. Forty percent thinner than its predecessor and with little to no fragrance, Inner Light Mineral Tinted Moisture SPF 15 is now like a whole new product. It disappears beautifully into your skin, and a little goes a long way — and lasts all day long — as this oil free tinted moisturizer delivers the dewy look of healthy skin thanks to tourmaline as a key ingredient.

Perfect Skin for Everyone!

Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20  is a lightweight, long-lasting foundation designed for sensitive or acne prone skin of virtually every skin tone. Packing a whole lot of punches into one tube, in addition to sun protection, natural looking sheer coverage, and moisturizer, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 also provides oil control and combats flakes. And did we mention that it comes in 10 shades?

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Prevent & Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks. Aside from the equally distasteful terms “cellulite” and “wrinkles”, these two words have the uncanny ability to make women shudder and cringe. But guess what? Like it or not, as with their aforementioned unpleasant friends, these streaky discolorations are a reality for most women at some point in their lives.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

Skin — our largest organ, which so many of us take for granted — is composed of three strata: the epidermis (outer layer), the dermis (middle layer), and the subcutaneous stratum (innermost layer). Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the resilient middle layer that helps the skin retain its shape.

These cosmetic blights occur when expanding skin is stretched to its limit, losing its elasticity through rapid growth and/or weight gain; what you’re actually seeing are tiny tears in the connective fibers of the dermis.

Weight Gain and Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

While stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body where the skin has been stretched, they are most likely to appear in places where fat is stored. Due to the massive physical changes of pregnancy it’s probably no surprise that stretch marks are quite common during this life phase; about 50 to 90 percent of women will get stretch marks on their abdomen, breasts, thighs or buttocks during pregnancy.

Large fluctuations in your weight — either loss or gain — also affect the magnitude of stretch marks. So in addition to not being particularly good for your health (which of course is actually more important), you should avoid huge swings in your weight to prevent dramatic stretch marks.

Skin Color and Stretch Marks

Depending on your natural skin color, stretch marks begin as raised pink, reddish brown or dark brown bands that later turn a brighter violet or purple, or intense brown (for darker skinned gals). Over time, these vivid marks smooth and fade to a color a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone. They usually become less noticeable over time.

Prevent and Eliminate Stretch Marks

Genetics play a large part in determining whether or not you are predisposed to developing stretch marks. If your mother got stretch marks, chances are you’ll get them too. Ethnicity also figures in; women with darker skin are less likely to get stretch marks. Taking these factors into account, there are a few things you can do to decrease the odds of getting them.

Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and keep your skin well-moisturized, as this will help your skin stretch without damaging the dermis. Many women swear by saturating their skin with intense moisturizers such as cocoa butter, vitamin E, wheat germ oil, and lanolin, or specially formulated stretch mark solutions such as Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil, Mama Mio Tummy Rub Stretch Mark Butter, and Belli Pregnancy Elasticity Belly Oil to prevent, heal and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. This strategy tackles the problem from the outside in, in an attempt to strengthen and repair the collagen and elastin production within your skin.

Removing Stretch Marks

If you are really disturbed by your stretch marks, you can always go the high-tech route and look into plastic surgery or blue light therapy in an attempt to get rid of stretch marks. The most common high-tech treatment is laser surgery for stretch marks, which is actually an out-patient procedure used in the removal of stretch marks that has little to no recovery period.

The earlier you begin treating stretch marks — before they have lightened and flattened — the more likely you are to diminish their appearance later on. For example, products like Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy Advanced Cream Formula may be used to visibly reduce discoloration and smooth stretch-marked skin, and work best on newly formed stretch marks.