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Skin Care

Will Cleansing Oils Bring On the Zits?

Posted Jun 27th 2009 at 10:55AM by Jessica B. Matlin

Filed under: Skin Care

facial cleansing oils

Oil slick: Shu Uemura Skin Purifier, Nude Cleansing Oil, and Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Body Cleansing Oil.

To escape the oppressive heat during my trip to Turkey, I found myself ducking into some of the local spas where the AC -- and the treatments -- were kickin'.

However, I was hoping for a facial menu dotted with minty, Noxema-fresh services. No dice! Nearly every treatment incorporated some sort of rich, oily cleanser.

And come to think of it, a lot of great beauty brands are putting more oil-based cleansers into their skincare lines.

Wouldn't the combination of rising summer temps and products that resemble the "oil spill" atop your pizza, be a recipe for breakouts or major bacne?

Not so, says Ava Shamban, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills.

Continue reading Will Cleansing Oils Bring On the Zits?


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Tags: ava-shamban, bacne, cleansing-oil, kiehls, nude-skincare, oils, Pimples, shu-uemura, zit, zits

Will Ferrell Sunscreen - No Joke!

Posted Jun 26th 2009 at 3:55PM by Marissa Gold

Filed under: Skin Care

If funnyman Will Ferrell isn't inspiration enough to slather lotion allover your body, we don't know what is! Photo courtesy of Fred Flare

If you're GOING STREAKING this summer...or just spending some time at the beach, Will Ferrell wants to be on you.

His new sunscreen comes in two keepsake bottles: "Sexy Hot Tan" or "Sun Stroke". Hard to choose, right?

The good news is that a portion of the proceeds goes to Cancer for College, an organization that provides scholarships to cancer survivors.

The SPF 30 sunscreens are currently available for $12 each at Fred Flare. There's limited availability so get yours now!

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Tags: Beauty, Cancer-for-College, Charity, fred-flare, Sexy-Hot-Tan, SPF, SPF-30, Sun-Stroke, sunscreen, will-ferrell

Facial Tips from Christine Chin

Posted Jun 22nd 2009 at 1:15PM by Marissa Gold

Filed under: Skin Care

Inside the Manhattan spa. Photo courtesy of Christine Chin.

I've been hearing about esthetician Christine Chin -- and her celebrity followers -- for years. Curious to discover what all the fuss was about, I made the trek down to her Lower East Side Manhattan spa for a facial. (Plot Spoiler: I don't end up getting one).

When the woman who is known as "Mean Christine" walked into the room, I was surprised to see someone friendly and soft-spoken. She said my skin was "one of the best [she's] ever seen," and I told her I credit genetics, not smoking, and vampire-esque shunning of sunlight.

Perhaps it's only clients who break the skin "rules" that see her sassy side.

The next two things that Christine said were somewhat revolutionary:

1. Recession Tip: Choose microdermabrasion over a facial. (Assuming you can't spring for both). Why? A facial is just masks and moisturizers unless you have a need for extractions. If you're a person who, like me, deals more with uneven skin than blackheads, microdermabrasion will do more for you. The result? Even with my super-sensitive skin, microderm on the lightest setting left me even and smooth--no redness.

2. Toner really is important. The first thing I was asked when the magnifying glass switched on: "Do you use toner?" I had always skipped the stuff--it just seemed so unnecessary. But Chin explained that this extra step helps smooth away rough spots and exfoliate skin, so it's worth adding back into my arsenal.

Thanks, Christine!

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Tags: christine chin, christine chin spa, ChristineChin, ChristineChinSpa, facial, microdermabrasion, toner

Father's Day Gifts! Beauty and Grooming Essentials for Dad

Posted Jun 18th 2009 at 12:53PM by Marissa Gold

Filed under: Fragrance, Skin Care, Gift Guides, Beauty Tips

If you're looking for a Father's Day gift, look no further! We pulled together a list of essential men's products that no dad's bathroom is complete without. Check it out:

Fathers Day Grooming Gifts

    A Close Shave
    This professional shaving brush by Anthony Logistics creates a rich lather--and helps lift hairs for a closer shave.

    Shop Now:
    Anthony Logistics Whisker Lifter Brush

    Courtesy of Molton Brown

    Designer Dad
    If you've got a dapper dad with a thing for couture clothes, he'll love this super luxe soap from Tom Ford Beauty.

    Shop Now:
    Tom Ford Men's Soap

    Courtesy of Tom Ford Beauty

    Skincare Products
    Pamper dad with skincare products from AHAVA, which uses potent minerals from the Dead Sea in its products. Safe bets include: Deep Cleansing Gel, Mineral Shower Gel, and Soothing After Shave.

    Shop Now:
    AHAVA Men's Products

    Courtesy of Ahava

    The Hot Towel Treatment
    If Dad's a fan of barber shop shaves, he'll love the Billy Jealousy Hot Towel treatment. The pre-shave formula contains a water-activated heating agent to open pores, for professional spa-like results.

    Shop Now:
    Billy Jealousy Hot Towel Pre-Shave

    Courtesy of Billy Jealousy

    His Favorite Scent
    If dad is loyal to a certain fragrance, you can't go wrong with a brand new bottle. Shown: Burberry Summer.

    Shop Now:
    Burberry Summer for Men

    Courtesy of Burberry

    On the Go
    If Dad likes to travel, this mini Elemis skincare set--complete with a zip pouch, will make his life easier.

    Shop Now:
    Elemis Men's Travel Set

    Courtesy of Elemis

    Stock His Shower
    These men's products from Molton Brown come in great scents, and mom won't mind the chic bottles on display in her bathroom.

    Shop Now:
    Molton Brown Men's Products

    Courtesy of Molton Brown

    Scent-Sational
    If Dad doesn't have a signature scent, this deluxe sample set from Sephora will help him choose.

    Shop Now:
    Men's Scents

    Courtesy of Sephora

    Smooth Shaving
    Another great gift for dad's next trip: This airplane-approved kit of shaving essentials from Anthony Logistics.

    Shop Now:
    Anthony Logistics Perfect Shave Kit

    Courtesy of Molton Brown


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Tags: fathers day, FathersDay, grooming products, GroomingProducts, mens products, MensProducts

Angelina Jolie's Skin Care Secret?

Posted Jun 17th 2009 at 4:35PM by Jessica B. Matlin

Filed under: Skin Care

Angelina's flawless skin at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Getty Images

I'm still not over the way Angelina Jolie looked at Cannes. The wavy hair, the full lips, but most notably, her radiant skin.

Her cheeks looked plump and highlighted, and her entire complexion glowed. It was a refreshing departure from the serious, matte look she usually opts for.

I wrote it off to makeup artist Mary Burton's handiwork, but a source told Grazia that something much more sinister sounding was behind it: A dermal roller.

This frightening-looking tool resembles a very small paint roller, only it's covered in tiny steel spikes. These devices are widely available from a number of different manufacturers, for both in-office and at-home use, but their appearance and aim is basically the same.

Continue reading Angelina Jolie's Skin Care Secret?


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Tags: angelina-jolie, brad-pitt, cannes, dermal-roller, dermaroller, dermatologist, facials, leaf-and-rusher, ranella-hirsch, skin

It's Acne Awareness Month! And Proactiv Says You Can Blame Your Parents for Your Zits

Posted Jun 15th 2009 at 6:30PM by Courtney Dunlop

Filed under: Skin Care

Adult acne is on the rise due to increased stress levels (thanks, crappy economy!). Photo: Getty

Did anyone talk about their acne before Proactiv? It's been almost 15 years since those now-ubiquitous infomercials came into our lives and made us realize we are not alone - Jessica Simpson get zits too!

Co-creator of Proactiv, Dr. Kathy Fields, says," The stigma of acne is dramatically lifted thanks to Proactiv. People used to deny that they even had it, but now you hear people bragging about how they got rid of their acne."

Continue reading It's Acne Awareness Month! And Proactiv Says You Can Blame Your Parents for Your Zits


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Tags: acne, adult-acne, clear-purifying-mask, dr-kathy-fields, hormones, jessica-simpson, pimples, proactiv, stress, zits

StyleList Exclusive - Super-Derm Dr. Obagi Will Save Your Skin... Over Email. Plus, Enter to Win Free Products!

Posted Jun 11th 2009 at 3:48PM by Courtney Dunlop

Filed under: Skin Care

Perfect skin is a click away. Photo: Getty Images

Dr. Zein Obagi is the pioneer of anti-aging dermatology and one the first derms to really utilize trentinoin (AKA Retin-A) to reverse sun damage. His own skincare line, Zo Skin Health, targets spots, wrinkles and adult acne with powerful ingredients that completely overhaul the skin. In other words, he knows what he's doing.

And now, thanks to his new MouseCall service, you can ask Dr. Obagi a skincare question without having to fly to Beverly Hills and pay $300 for an office visit. Just enter some info about yourself and your skin, submit a query: Do I need eye cream? How do I deal with frown lines?, then sit back and wait for Dr. Obagi or one of his colleagues to answer your question. Seriously, it's that easy.

The service is free until Aug. 1 -- at which point it'll cost $75 (still way cheaper than a plane ticket and office visit).

Continue reading StyleList Exclusive - Super-Derm Dr. Obagi Will Save Your Skin... Over Email. Plus, Enter to Win Free Products!


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Tags: anti-aging, dermatologist, dr-obagi, dry-hands, eye-cream, frown-lines, hand-care-program, mousecalls, retin-a, sun-damage, zo-skin-health

Snake Venom - Would You Use it on Your Face?

Posted Jun 11th 2009 at 9:30AM by Courtney Dunlop

Filed under: Skin Care

Syn-Ake mimics snake venom to soften fine lines and wrinkles. Is it hope or hype? Photo: clix/sxc.hu.

How about a synthetic version? Some fancy-shmancy skin care companies are marketing an ingredient called Syn-Ake, which mimics the paralyzing effects of snake venom, to relax wrinkles. Sound familiar? Botox does the same thing, just under the skin.

And while Syn-Ake's results are temporary, that doesn't stop companies from charging close to $200 for just 1 oz. of the topical cream.

Now there's a new player in the snake pit, Kumaara, who sells its 1 oz. Overnight Repair Complex with Syn-Ake for just $59.95.

It's still a bit on the pricey side, but if you're a needle-phobe who fears Botox (and its $350 price tag), yet isn't afraid of snakes, this just might be your product.

Continue reading Snake Venom - Would You Use it on Your Face?


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Tags: anti-wrinkle, botox, fine-lines, kumaara, Overnight-Repair-Complex, snake-venom, Syn-Ake, synthetic-snake-venom

beingTRUE Anti-Aging Youth Revealing Complex Giveaway!

Posted Jun 10th 2009 at 3:41PM by Marissa Gold

Filed under: Skin Care

Our friends at beingTRUE skincare are giving away a bottle of their Anti-Aging Youth Revealing Complex to 100 lucky StyleList readers!

Photo courtesy of beingtrue.com

Powered by super-antioxidant Idebenone, the complex plumps skin cells and smooths away fine lines and wrinkles.

It retails for $110, but you can get it free if you're one of the first 100 people to log on to beingTRUE's secret giveaway page: Click here!

And don't fret -- if you're not one of the lucky hundred, you can still get 25% off any purchase by using promo code AOLSTYLE on beingtrue.com.

Now how's that for a consolation prize?!


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Tags: anti-aging, beingtrue, giveaway, idebenone, true cosmetics, TrueCosmetics

Bar Refaeli's Orange Tan

Posted Jun 9th 2009 at 4:30PM by Marissa Gold

Filed under: Skin Care, Celebrity Fashion Mistakes

Photo: Jeff Vespa, WireImage

I have always ALWAYS supported Bar Refaeli. She converted me away from my Marisa Miller obsession, and now I consider her the hottest swimsuit model.

It's not like I am one of the millions of girls to have a thing for her man, Leo DiCaprio, either. I just happen to think she's gorgeous in a really natural, extremely lucky kind of way.

So what the heck was this orange tan all about?

Continue reading Bar Refaeli's Orange Tan


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Tags: bar rafaeli, BarRafaeli, leo dicaprio, LeoDicaprio, marisa miller, MarisaMiller, self-tanner, sevin nyne, SevinNyne, st. tropez, St.Tropez

Sonya Dakar's New Must-Have Supplements

Posted May 30th 2009 at 1:00PM by Jessica B. Matlin

Filed under: Skin Care

Must-have supplements from Sonya Dakar -- everything you need to look and feel gorgeous. Photo courtesy of Sonya Dakar.

When I first met celebrity aesthetician Sonya Dakar, she spent equal parts of our meeting sternly lecturing me on the dangers of my Diet Coke addiction as she did beautifying my skin. I almost cried. My colleague actually did.

During her session with Dakar, she was informed she had the worst skin among all of the beauty editors (talk about humiliation!). But Dakar gave her some products, and they worked.

Dakar's brutal honesty is refreshing, because she gets results. That's why even the most coddled celebs visit her to get harsh critiques of their lifestyle habits. So when Dakar tells me she's launching a line of nutritional products that encapsulates over 30 years of the advice she's been doling out, I listen.

Continue reading Sonya Dakar's New Must-Have Supplements


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Tags: acidophilus, fish-oil, gwyneth-paltrow, jeffrey-morrison, sonya-dakar, supplements

Make Up For Ever HD Elixir - Keeping Things Current

Posted May 25th 2009 at 3:45PM by Dana Oliver

Filed under: Skin Care

Technology Has Changed. Luckily, So Has Makeup. Photo by Getty Images

Just in time for the national Digital TV switch on June 12, Make Up For Ever will launch its High Definition Elixir. This non-oily, non-sticky serum instantly hydrates and firms skin -- creating a smooth and even palette that's sure to sock it to the HD camera's 6x magnification of fine lines, wrinkles and dryness.

"Everyone wants to look natural and have beautiful, firm skin," said Creator and Artistic Director Dany Sanz. "I designed this product with the everyday woman in mind who has normal imperfections. If it's good for HD camera then it's good for everyday light!"

Your Skin in HD. Photo Courtesy of Make Up For Ever.

Formulated especially for dry, flaky skin, the HD Elixir contains key ingredients like D-Panthenol and Glycerin for hydration, Dermican for firmness and tonicity, Argatensyl for rapid tightening and Fucogel for combating environmental factors like pollution. And clinical tests reveal that the product increases skin moisture 520% after just 15 minutes!

"A lot of things around us are changing...technology is changing," said Sanz. "And we have to go with the [new] rules. It's not just the [makeup] brush!"

Continue reading Make Up For Ever HD Elixir - Keeping Things Current


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Tags: dany sanz, DanySanz, dry skin, DrySkin, hd camera, high definition, HighDefinition, make up for ever, MakeUpForEver

Supermodel Skincare Secret - Revealed!

Posted May 20th 2009 at 6:21PM by Melissa Foss

Filed under: Skin Care

The many flawless faces of model Agyness Deyn. Photos: Getty Images

Model-of-the-moment Agyness Deyn is known for her quirky fashion sense, penchant for dating rockers and becoming the new face of Tokyo-based fashion chain Uniqlo. But what people probably don't know is that for the last few months, the mannequin has been plagued by bad skin. Not okay for a woman who makes a living off of her looks.

Pure Squalene Skin Nourisher from Ling Skincare. Photo courtesy of lingskincare.com

Her secret weapon? Facials at Ling Skincare in New York City, which is known for lots of extractions and healing through hydration. We heard, through the beauty grapevine, that Agyness was suffering from cleansing too much and over-exfoliation (who wouldn't after all the makeup she has to wear for work?), which made her skin sensitive, dry and prone to breakouts. To get her flawless complexion back, she put herself in Ling's hands for facials, and turns to Pure Squalene Skin Nourisher at home.

Continue reading Supermodel Skincare Secret - Revealed!


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Tags: agyness deyn, AgynessDeyn, ling skincare, LingSkincare, over-exfoliating, pure squalene skin nourisher, PureSqualeneSkinNourisher

Guest Beauty Blogger Wednesday - Bionic Beauty Shares Self Tanning Tips

Posted May 20th 2009 at 4:00PM by Laura Kenney

Filed under: Skin Care, Beauty Tips

It's Guest Beauty Blogger Wednesday! Today we've got Jami from Bionic Beauty, a blog that delivers beauty with a dose of power, merging makeup tutorials and product reviews with weekly features on self-esteem and confidence.

Photo: John M. Heller, Getty Images

Bionic Beauty's Sunless Tanner Tips
With the sun and hence swimsuit season upon us, let's share tips on sunless tanners. Below are my fail safe tricks to get a natural looking glow sans streaks, blotches or skin nightmares.

* Exfoliate during your shower. This is so very important to getting an even application with sunless tanners. I use a bath pouf or a loofah with my body wash and wash my entire body. Then, I very lightly wash with a non-moisturizing exfoliant or microdermabrasion body wash (like Lancome's Microdermabrasion for body). Your goal is to get an even layer of fresh skin. Without exfoliating, your skin has an uneven "shed" of skin cells causing the skin to absorb the tanner at different rates.

Continue reading Guest Beauty Blogger Wednesday - Bionic Beauty Shares Self Tanning Tips


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Tags: bionic beauty, BionicBeauty, guest-beauty-blogger-wednesdays, self tanner, self tanners, self tanning, SelfTanner, SelfTanners, SelfTanning, sunless tanning, SunlessTanning

Can a High SPF Irritate Your Skin? Erm, No

Posted May 9th 2009 at 10:00AM by Jessica B. Matlin

Filed under: Skin Care, Beauty Tips


Remember those bad after-school specials about safe sex, starring the lame guy who refused to wear a condom because it didn't "feel good?" He was an idiot.

Similarly foolish: The girl who refuses to practice safe sun because she claims high-powered sunscreen feels uncomfortable on her skin.

The fact is, if you suffer from irritation -- characterized by redness, dryness, itching, scaling, or swelling -- you're wearing the wrong one. It has nothing to do with a high SPF.

"It's very uncommon for sunscreen -- no matter how high the SPF - to irritate the skin," says Heidi Waldorf, an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in Manhattan. "Any irritation is most likely caused by the base of the product, not from the active sunscreen ingredients."

Continue reading Can a High SPF Irritate Your Skin? Erm, No


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Tags: Heidi Waldorf, HeidiWaldorf, sunscreen

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