We love it when scientists get feisty. Here, in an article in the Daily Mail, is what Oxford University protein biochemist Dr Blanca Sengerova has to say about anti-wrinkle creams that claim to contain collagen:
“It really frustrates me when I see adverts [adverts!] for anti-wrinkle creams containing collagen. Although collagen is structurally important for the integrity of our skin, the protein molecule is far too large to pass through the barrier posed by the skin.”
It frustrates us too, and is a good reminder to all of us that while lots of stuff can readily penetrate the skin, not everything can—and certainly not collagen in a cream.
That said, we totally understand the things people will buy (as in “purchase” and as in “believe”) in the frantic pursuit of skin that is unblemished by age. But the fact is, the science of magical anti-agers just doesn’t add up.
Here’s what a cosmetics-industry rep said to the DM: “Manufacturers are very careful about the exact wording of the claims they make, but here is a risk of customers forming the wrong impression from some packaging and advertising.”
To which I say: Cosmetics industry reps are very careful about the exact wording of the claims they make. It almost sounds like he’s saying companies are being misleading, but actually he’s saying you’re an idiot for “forming the wrong impression” based on outrageous, promisey label claims. You silly goose.
But it got me thinking. What anti-agers do you think actually work?
I’ll go first. In my opinion the best anti-agers are a big fat smile, a healthy diet, lots of sleep, lots of water, and some healthy plant oils applied topically to keep the skin radiant, lines and all. Bonus if they contain antioxidants, of course. Your turn.
Siobhan and I just love to self-diagnose. Is it responsible or recommended? Absolutely not. But long before we wrote the book, and got more serious about such things, we’d developed a pretty bad habit of trying to figure out the ins and outs of our beauty and health dilemmas.
Take this website for example: Every time either of us would have a breakout, we’d fire up this Mary’s Herbs site to see what on earth was causing it (our liver? our ovaries?). Chinese medicine says that the face can be used as a diagnostic tool for internal problems. But is it true? Let’s do a little unscientific survey to find out, shall we?
Here’s what we want to know. 1. Where do you break out? 2. Can you associate your breakouts with anything: food, menstrual cycles, partying, etc.?
In our experience cystic acne in the chin area tends to be a product of our menstrual cycles and imbalances in sex and/or thyroid hormones, whereas cheek acne seems more lifestyle related, and breakouts around the mouth appear to be more about digestion. Consider these very loose diagnoses of course. It’s what we have found to be true.
[A note from Siobhan: Example! I've always had clear skin on most of my face, with moderate to bad chin breakouts. Once I got my hormones in check with the help of my endocrinologist, omegas and yoga, my skin cleared up a TON. I still break out sometimes, especially during certain parts of my cycle or if I've been misbehaving, but it's wayyyyy better than it was for almost 10 years—and I don't use any spot treatments other than green tea clay.]
So what about you? Looking forward to your answers.
Very pretty face-mapping drawing via Organic Apoteke
We are verrrrrry excited to announce this event next weekend in New York City. On November 20, I will be participating in a day of natural beauty at the raw and vegan heaven that is Organic Avenue. On hand will be nutritionists, holistic therapists, herbalists, detox experts, and natural beauty mavens such as myself, Tata Harper and Spirit from Spirit Beauty Lounge. It’s going to be an amazing day and we’d love for you to come.
The focus of the three-hour workshops is inside-out and outside-in beauty and we’re going to answer your questions and talk about food, supplements, juicing, beauty products, makeup, skincare regimens and more. Plus, you know, we’ll all get facials like the one Alie—that’s code for Alexandra—had a few weeks ago, and we’ll get our makeup done.
Seriously, it’s the kind of thing that, if I wasn’t going to be speaking at it, I’d definitely want to attend. I can’t wait to learn from the other amazing women on the schedule.
Here’s the rundown:
INSIDE BEAUTY
* Which foods to eat to enhance beauty from the insides. And which foods to avoid.
* You will learn easy to prepare recipes including different ways of juicing, and what you can do when you need something fast and on the go.
* Which supplements to take daily to support skin health, energy and vitality.
* Ways to detoxify your body for optimum well-being.
OUTSIDE BEAUTY
* Latest natural technologies for real skin care results. What skin care products to look for.
* Which harmful ingredients to avoid and ways to find them.
* Skin care regimens and what to for your skin daily, once a week and once a month.
* Different personal techniques you can do at home
* All-natural make up application
It does cost to attend, but it’s not for nothing. You’ll get a free facial, lots of freebies, amazing advice, and more. You can get your tickets now!
I’m really pretty pink. Of course, there are triggers that worsen it, like standing on my head for too long, or red wine, or sending embarrassing text messages. But even when I wake up after a deeply restful nine-hour sleep, I tend to be a little bit flushed.
For a long time I didn’t really think about it. I didn’t wear much makeup, so color-matching wasn’t an issue, and I grew up around a lot of other Irish kids, so they were kind of pink, too. At some point, though, I started thinking about the color of my skin as a problem that had to be fixed. Indeed, my pink skin had become the thing I hated most about my appearance.
It started when a famous dermatologist, who I went to see for an annual skin exam, walked in the room, took one look at me, and said “Okay, so the rosacea. There’s a new pill out…” as she reached for her prescription pad and started scribbling.
That was the first time my pinkness had been “diagnosed,” and it was the first time it occurred to me that it wasn’t stray blemishes or moles I had to worry about, but my whole entire face.
I’d never heard of rosacea, and the last thing I wanted to do was take a pill for a problem I didn’t even know I had. I left her office feeling horrible (and hideous).
It’s hard to explain, but there is something about being told your whole freaking face is a problem that really kind of stings. Since then, I’ve had makeup artists suggest I prime my entire face with something tinted green; I’ve been prescribed topical steroids; I’ve had estheticians suggest expensive five-packs of “cool” lasers; I’ve had ayurvedic doctors forbid me from eating tomatoes for four months; and I’ve had makeup-counter people point me to lines for women with “rosy undertones” by Clinique or Origins. There are even infomericals on TV for skin like mine.
In our book, we interview Evan Healy, a holistic esthetitian who has a skincare line that we really like. She talks a lot about rosacea, and how common it has become, suggesting that the widespread use of aggressive peels and acids has resulted in an increase in the number of women with red, irritated skin. Even Alexandra, who is anything but pink, battled with redness a few years ago when she was still using acids on her face and getting regular facials.
But here’s the thing. I don’t do that stuff, and I never really did. Over the past two years, I have completely detoxed my skincare regimen, I am incredibly gentle with my face, I am careful about what I put in and on my body, and yeah, sure, my skin has calmed down a little. But it’s still totally pink. And I still have doctors suggesting I fix it with topicals and drugs.
This isn’t life or death stuff, of course, but these are nonetheless the things we all live with—our own impressions of our own appearance, based on personal hangups as well as what we are told is pretty. And for whatever reason, this one has been the hardest for me to make peace with.
And yet…I kind of have. It’s part of what this natural-beauty thing is all about for Alexandra and me. Somehow, along the way, your perspective shifts, and you stop feeling like your hair, or your skin, or your body are things that need to be tamed and molded into submission. You learn to smile when doctors give you bad advice, because you know your skin better than they do, and you trust yourself. And then you go stand on your head for as long as you want, and you eat tomatoes because they’re delicious, and you send those embarrassing text messages. Sure, your face turns pink as hell, except now, you really, truly don’t care.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Beautiful girl via
This is not the first time we talk about Tata Harper and her clean line by the same name, nor will it be the last. Last month Siobhan raved about her new favorite cleanser, and this past Friday I got a facial from the lady herself while she was visiting L.A. I’m feeling pretty lucky about it too.
Harper (who is seen above making lab glasses look chic) is the picture of an exciting entrepreneur. Sure, it helps that she’s jaw-drop beautiful and has luminescent skin—but it’s even cooler that before she was into beauty she was an industrial engineer, and that she spends half the week on her organic farm in Vermont where she grows many of her own ingredients.
During my facial she explained that it was her stepfather’s cancer diagnosis that set her down the clean path—when doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommended he stop using all of his products that contained synthetics and carcinogens (which was exactly all of them), a dumbstruck Harper had her a-ha moment. Since then she spent six years formulating her perfectly clean line, which launched a few months back.
Is it expensive? Yes, but it is also genuinely high-performance stuff. It won’t be for everyone but if you are in search of luxurious, clean products that deliver, do check them out. The line wasn’t out when we wrote the book but you can be sure that we will continue to review individual products as we try them… In fact, I left my facial with a few pretty bottles in hand, and I look forward to testing them all.
Right now you can find Tata Harper online at their site and at Spirit Beauty Lounge, at Evolue in Los Angeles and at Space NK in New York.
Image of Harper via her site
Last week Josie told us why we should use our fingers to apply makeup (just make sure they’re clean, y’all!), and this week she dishes on the sliding scale of “green,” her other favorite sustainable cosmetics brands and how traditional makeup used to wreak havoc on her skin.
When you were modeling all the time did you notice a difference in your skin and hair from all the product used? Did that have any part in you going clean?
With 17 years of modeling experience, I’ve spent a lot of time in the makeup chair. There were days I’d have makeup caked-on and I often got break outs. I never heard about healthier alternatives that were functional enough to be used by professional makeup artists. If I had, I would have asked that we use them. This is what inspired me to start my own line. It was also perfect that I was pregnant around the same time I was developing the line, because it definitely made me more aware of what I was putting inside my body and on my skin. I wanted to stay away from toxins as much as possible.
Where do you stand on the sliding scale of green? Totally clean without exceptions? Or do you bend the rules sometimes?
I was born into a family that cares about environmental and social issues, so being green and natural has always been an important part of my life. I try to reduce my carbon footprint whenever possible—one of my favorite things to do is compost in my backyard!
As for my brand, it has always been a luxurious, high-performance line that uses many natural and organic ingredients. As we’ve progressed, I have found that select synthetic ingredients are essential to high-performance cosmetics and since these will remain in some formulations, I am implementing ways to bring balance to this equation. Planting thousands of trees, donating profits to eco-organizations such as Global Green USA and the Natural Resources Defense Council, etc. Also, our packaging will remain compostable, biodegradable and/or recyclable. I am committed to being as authentic and transparent as possible as my line continues to grow.
Are there any exciting new discoveries you’ve made?
I’m really excited about my new mascara. We found a great way to introduce natural blacker-than-black mascara that really performs, while also giving back to a great cause. The formula features a breakthrough ingredient: double silica encapsulated carbon black. It offers unbeatable shine, the deepest carbon black available and water resistant, long wear benefits.
What’s your absolute favorite product from your own line?
My absolute favorite product is of course my 100% pure organic argan oil. It’s the ultimate multitasking product. I use it as a daily moisturizer, to heal rough cuticles and to fix split ends.
Other than your own, what are some other favorite clean brands?
I love Jo Wood Organics, Lulu Organics, and Duchess Marden.
You know you’re in deep when you sit around seriously contemplating the merits (and risks!) of a seasonal moisturizer switch, and yet here I am. It’s autumn in New York and for the first time in my life I’m wondering if the weather will necessitate some product switches. Deep stuff.
Lately my hair’s been feeling a little dry, which is very unusual for me, and my face has as well. But I’m a believer in consistency with skincare, knowing that when I switch my products too much, the risks often outweigh the benefits. What if I get a rash? Or break out? Or discover a new allergy to an essential oil? Of course these things happen far less with the natural organic products I use, but you never know. And yet…
I refuse to change my nighttime Kahina argan oil ritual because my skin loves it, and it’s become part of how I unwind before bed. But will I be trying a new night cream on top of it? Day lotion? Conditioner? Looking that way.
What about you? Do you notice seasonal changes in your skin and hair? Do you adjust your regimens?
Horrible lo-res photo (it’s Friiiiday) from the worst movie ever made via
I haven’t exactly hidden my love of honey—I pretty much mention its antibacterial wound-healing powers every chance I get. But, truth is, I only got turned onto its magic in earnest a few months ago…
See, back in May the lovely Simone invited me to join her at a natural beauty house party—yes, this is how we roll in Los Angeles—where guest speaker Dae Williams sat at the center of our cross-legged lady circle, expounded on the many benefits of natural ingredients, made us laugh, and made us blush. For real. Dae is what you’d call a character, and she takes her act on the road, peddling her lovely clean products and educating women about their bodies. A hippie after my own heart.
That’s where I first tried Dae’s honey face wash, which I immediately bought and fell in love with. Now that my bottle has run out though, I’ve been playing with my own version.
It sounds weird but you can essentially just wash with honey if you’re very sensitive and looking for a really gentle cleanse. Lately I’ve been adding a little baking soda to the mix for a subtle scrub—as in helps with circulation but doesn’t tear off your top layer of skin. This is what I do:
—One tablespoon raw organic honey
—Combine with one teaspoon baking soda in palm
—Rub together and then massage gently in circular motions on face
—Let sit for a minute (or don’t) then rinse thoroughly with warm or even cold water
If this is all sounding a little crunchy, consider this: Last week we were guests on Dr. Doris Day’s Sirius XM radio show, and even she—dermatologist to the stars (and Siobhan)—was going on about the benefits of using honey topically. It’s also popping up in some of our new favorite natural brands, but more on that another time…
We’d love to share some advice we read today. It was on Vanity Fair’s beauty blog, which we love and read daily, and the advice was care of celebuderm Patricia Wexler, the super-quotable women’s-magazine mainstay who has a line of cosmetics that you couldn’t pay us to use.
This was a list of “did you know?” tips from really famous dermatologists (and one weight-loss expert), all of whom, like Wexler, have their own product lines.
Pat Wexler took on acne, and we’d like to weigh in on the advice she gave.
From the top:
Did you know…that bad luck isn’t to blame for that monster zit on your really important day? It’s stress. Stress increases the cortisol level in our blood, which then increases oil production and clogs pores, which creates a recipe for disaster.
Plus 10! Stress is to blame for a lot of acne. It can trigger some very real and very skin-unfriendly physiological effects. All too often root causes are overlooked in acne treatment, so it’s great to see her get straight to the point here. But wait….
To prevent it, use a good salicylic acid cleanser regularly.
Minus 3! Stress is to blame so…use a salicylic acid cleanser (like, ahem, hers)? How about “try to focus on reducing your stress” and then offer some helpful tips on how to unwind, like turning off your BlackBerry at night, or meditating and doing yoga, or having sex more often? Anyway, even if you go holistic, we understand that often enough you just get a freaking zit anyway (or, like, five). So what to do?
If you feel something coming on, try a topical product with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide with an anti-inflammatory ingredient to reduce redness because you don’t have to kill your skin to kill your pimple.
Minus 1,000! Ugh. Benzoyl peroxide. As we have mentioned: BP has been shown it to be free-radical-generating, and it has caused tumors in mice—to say nothing of its skin-peeling harshness. We strongly advise people to stay away from this topical.
We’re not trying to be fight-picky we swear! We just think that there’s a lot of bad acne advice out there. If you want some gentler, more holistic (but still effective) ways to tackle breakouts, you can read some advice here.
Final rating: -993
We have a little secret. Maybe not something to bring up at a dinner party or in mixed company, but here among friends? Why not.
Alexandra and I both hate soap.
Aside from certain obvious body parts (the sexytime ones, and our pits), we don’t use the stuff. Basic hygiene, yes? Soaping up our…calves? And elbows? And the small of our backs? Why on earth!
Since we both stopped using soap, we find our skin much softer and naturally balanced, which obviates the need for body lotion. We like this, because it supports one of the central tenets in the book, which is that the fewer products you use, the fewer products you need. And when you’re buying less stuff, you can afford to get things you absolutely love when you do go shopping.
Back to faces for a second. We won’t use soap or anything foaming on our mugs. Our skin needs the natural oils that live on its surface and below. When we strip that with harsh, carcinogen-contaminated chemicals, our skin acts like a moody teenager.
Still, if you wear sunscreen and makeup, and who doesn’t, you obviously have to wash at the end of the day. I use a new Tata Harper cleanser some days, and an Evan Healy milk on others (reviews to come!). In the morning, I gently wipe my face with a clean wash cloth and water. That’s it.
Alexandra has lately been experimenting with honey. When she bothers to wash her face at all, she skews more DYI: a little honey as a cleanser here, coconut oil to remove makeup there. The point for both of us: Our bodies are marvellous! They do all kinds of magic tricks on their own. Let them be, and they work juuuust fine. And no, you won’t stink, we promise.
What about you? Do you use soap?
