Archive for the ‘Food For Thought’ Category

Stress is one of the most talked about afflictions of our time. Apparently the British waste, on average, a year and a half worrying during their lifetimes. Long periods of stress can lead to a huge range of nasty symptoms including headaches, teeth grinding, lack of sleep, weight gain, stomach pain, reduced fertility and sex drive, all horrible.

Radox have been helping calm stressed Brits for decades with their hearty bath soaks, and as part of a new PR drive for their Spas they’ve done some research into whether it’s the massage or actually the ambient music that makes the experience so relaxing. They commissioned Manchester band Marconi Union to produce a track with the brief that it had to be ‘the most relaxing music in the world’, the result is called Weightless.

The music applies the science of ‘Entrainment’ – using specific rhythms, tones and frequencies with a continuous rhythm of 60 BPM (beats per minute), which causes ones brainwaves and heart rate to synchronise with the rhythm. The low underlying bass tones relax the listener while the low whooshing sounds induce a trance-like, deeper state of calm.

Scientists at MindLab International in Sussex tested subjects to record the subconscious physical responses to listening to ‘Weightless’ versus other music, or the action of having a massage.

Surprisingly the measured effects on heart rate, skin conduction and respiration proved that listening to ‘Weightless’ was more relaxing effect than both a massage and listening to more conventional music by the likes of that old fave, Enya.

If you are feeling stressed we suggest you light a Tranquility Candle by NEOM, put on the Silk Eye Mask from Holistic Silk and download this tune from the Radox Facebook page. cate sewell

Yesterday the stunning Elisabetta launched her latest campaign for PETA which reads, “Animals killed for their fur are electrocuted, drowned, beaten and often skinned alive. Be comfortable in your own skin, and let animals keep theirs.” I definitely don’t want to trivialise this key animal rights issue…But looking at this beautiful nude picture of her just made me want HER skin, by whatever means necessary! alexia inge

If you had told me that Hugh Laurie would become the worldwide face of a L’Oreal Skincare range 10 years ago I would have fallen off my chair laughing. He personifies everything the world finds funny about British men, foppish, slightly chinless, bad teeth, lofty brow and a brilliant ability to make fun of himself.

Then he landed his dream role in the US series ‘House‘ and the transformation began…

Discovering what the inside of a gym looks like, the joys of a brilliantly tailored, crisp white shirt, what dentists do other than extractions and how limiting ones appointments with a razor is apparently all one needs to do to bring about a rebirth I never thought possible. What next, Jack Dee posing in white pants on a boat for Dolce & Gabanna, Alan Carr rolling around in the sand with puppies for Estee Lauder?! alexia inge

Our selection of quite brilliant men’s products >>>

TED.com is a recent discovery in the Cult Beauty office. A brilliant nonprofit organisation dedicated to the sharing and spreading of ideas. Whether through conferences around the globe, or for those of us who aren’t Al Gore… their website, TED offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers. A community of curious and creative souls that share their thoughts on how to improve the way we do things, as individuals on a small scale as well as starting international movements.

I highly recommend watching the presentation below by fly-posting, French, photographer JR, who just won this years TED Prize… alexia inge

TED is an ever-evolving work in progress, and you’re an important part of it. Have an idea yourself or want to recommend a speaker for one of their conferences click here.

My default setting over the last couple of weeks has been a wonderfully enjoyable, ‘Oh go on then, it’s Christmas’, as is only right and good. But this has taken its toll on my skin, eyes and energy levels and it is plain to see that I am not the only one afflicted in this way…<<<

One of the first things to concentrate on is the inside.  Your face is a barometer for your body:  if you are looking flat it means the engine needs a service. EBOOST, Emergen-C (effervescent drink) and Orac Super 7 are both packed with anti-oxidants and B vitamins to help boost energy levels and cleanse the toxins. Another good tip to help your gut is to have a fresh lemon and ginger tea every morning before anything else:  this will clear your skin in no time.

There have probably been a a few, “I jdontsh nee choo take my makeup offffgrr…..snore” moments over the past weeks, so it is really important to get back into a good cleansing routine – the Clarisonic is the best way to remove dirt and make up from your skin leaving it blooming and able to breath again. Alpha H are geniuses at renewing and resurfacing the skin: go to bed wearing Liquid Gold Night Treatment Serum and you will wake up a new woman.

The boys at 3 Custom Color have a brilliant little tool called a Clarifying Pencil, a flesh coloured eye pencil that you draw along the inner step of the bottom eye lid to counter tired, red eyes instantly, brightening the area and making you look years younger.

A great tip for dull skin is to mix a small squirt of BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector and a teeny bit of facial Fake Tan with your daily moisturiser to add that moisture-rich luminosity you get after having a facial – instantly.

Last but not least don’t forget your poor hair – pulled, fried, teased and trussed up – it has not had as much fun as you have! Detox your locks with Hairfix’s protein-packed trio of hair savers.

Time to reformat to, ‘I really shouldn’t’ and then move on to ‘not for me thanks’…alexia inge

For most men a beauty routine means a mild drowning in Lynx, excavating belly button fluff and Febrezing their jeans, or does it? Many a soul has chuckled over humorous posturings, mostly in the conservative media, over slightly obscure launches like KenMen’s Man-scara and Guy-liner, but retail sales reports don’t generally lie and when you see brands like Clinique and YSL getting in on the act it’s time to take notice. In the UK the male grooming market has grown 800% in the last decade and is currently worth around £1.5bn. American consumers spent $4.9bn on grooming last year.

We all have such short memories now-a-days, talking about men in make up like it’s some revolutionary invention of the Seventies. Anyone seen the film Dangerous Liasons? Or a kohled-up Egyptian Pyramid wall painting. In the 18th Century it was almost compulsory to be rouged, primped and powdered and the Greeks and Romans loved a little liner.

This is not a prettifying trend, the men’s cosmetics market is all about (surprise, surprise) little touch ups! The boys are starting to experience the same pressures to look better and younger that women have felt for centuries. Whereas men are programmed to find younger women more attractive, while never receiving the same pressure back from the ‘fairer sex’, it is now the youth-prejudiced job market that is bringing some equality to this imbalance.

So what cosmetics are the boys hiding in their bathroom cabinets? Under-eye concealer is the favourite, concealing bags and dark circles, followed by mattifying products – on average men produce 20% more oil than women and have 20% thicker skin, which is why they generally age better – bronzer, self tan and the taming and defining of beards and brows. Its all about complexion enhancing products from lines such as Menaji (terrible website and packaging but much loved), 4voo, The Men Pen, My Ego Cosmetics, even the fashion visionary Jean-Paul Gaultier has a range of mascaras and eyeliners called Le Mâle Tout Beau. All these come with sufficiently masculine packaging and names like Confidence Corrector, Hydrating Enhancer, Undetectable Camo, M Cover and Touche Eclat for men, just don’t call it make up!

Personally I wouldn’t find a man striving to look his best a turn off, unless the ‘Undetectable’ Camo wasn’t living up to its name, but that goes for both sexes.The only thing that would annoy me is if they gouged out globs of my Cle De Peau, that is a firing offense!

What do you think, enhancing or emasculating? alexia inge

Rarely do those forwarded emails warrant anything more than a swift shift to the delete button, but we just received this amusing comment on the comedy of the human condition, love it:

“According to a news report, a private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem.  A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little prints.

Every night the maintenance man would remove them, and the next day the girls would put them back.

Finally the principal decided that something had to be done.  She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man.  She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses).

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.  Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers … and then there are Educators.” unknown author

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today launched its 2010 Scams Awareness campaign by highlighting how scammers are targeting unsuspecting people, using increasingly sophisticated and manipulative tactics. Apparently 73 per cent of adults have received an email scam (I would have thought it was more considering the amount of email effluence I receive daily!) in the last year, of which around 50% have been duped out of over £50.

The campaign calls on consumers to forward scam mailings they have received or dodgy website URLs to email address – sc@mnesty.net. This information will help them pinpoint gangs and gather vital evidence to help in fighting this growing crime.

Here are some tips to help avoid being scammed:

1. Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

2.Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised.

3. Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been especially chosen for this offer – thousands of other people will probably have received the same offer.

4. If you are unsure of an offer, speak to family or friends, check solid details like phone number etc actually exist and seek advice from Consumer Direct before giving out any banking or credit card details. alexia inge

It is all very easy to give in around wintertime when there is a lack of exciting seasonal food on offer in the UK, reaching guiltily for that packet of strawberries from Peru. But our friend, top acupuncturist Ross Barr has some suggestions to keep us happily munching great foods, where the only gaseous footprint we leave is one brought on by Jerusalem Artichokes!!

We are in the midst of the party season, a time when a lot of women take risks, not only with their liver, but by wandering about town in a state of lowered awareness and in some cases careless abandon. Here are some tips to keep yourselves safe this party season, buying you time to escape if you are cornered:

1. Knee/Kick to the Groin: The easiest way to stop an attacker and buy your self some running time.

2. Key Punch: When walking somewhere on your own hold a key tightly between your thumb and forefinger and be prepared to puncture any soft flesh you can hit. This magnifies the effectiveness of any punch you can muster.

3. Ear Scream/Slap: The inner ear contains the sensory organs for hearing and balance. If you can cup your hands over the ear and scream or even slap your assailant’s ear like the old tango adverts, you can cause disorientation and no small amount of pain.

4. Foot Stamp: Put those Pradas to good use – jab that heel into the top of the baddie’s foot as hard as you can. This is helpful to use if you’re grabbed from behind and can’t use your arms. Lose the heels if you need to run away though.

5. Knee Kick: Another good one to use if you’re grabbed from behind. Pull your leg up, swing back with as much force as you can muster, connecting with their shin or knee.

6. Forearm to the Neck: There’s a lot of tender and important bits in the neck which will hurt like hell if bashed hard with a fast-moving forearm.

7. Eye Gouge: Your attacker may be stronger, but everyone’s eyes are vulnerable. Get your thumbs or fingers in those sockets and push as hard as you can.

8. Elbow to the Gut: The elbow is the hardest bone in the body and least likely to break on impact in a fight. Lift your arm as high above your head as you can and swing it down with a wicked vengeance, wherever you connect you will wind your attacker

9. Glaswegian Kiss or Head Butt: If your arms are pinned and you can’t get enough purchase to kick or stomp, consider using your head as a weapon. Reel back and slam your head into his face…with a little luck you’ll break his nose, or at the very least stun him enough to free your limbs for a bigger counter attack.

10. RUN: All these moves are meant to get whoever has you to let you go. Once you’re free, RUN. Put those spinning classes to good use and haul ass as fast as you can, as hard as you can, until you find help.

Perfume sales have not been good this year; although this can be hard to believe when out on the streets, embattled by the force-fields of over-enthusiastic Armani and cK supporters. In order to keep our attentions on all things fragrant, the perfume companies are falling back on their old friends the Stary-Army to convince us to keep the tide of bio at bay.

Faith Hill and Halle Berry have recently pledged their allegiance to the cause, as has Pamela Anderson who apparently spent more than the usual half day working on her Malibu scents, which hit stores in November.

Even though she has been battling demons of a rather different nature, Britney still apparently shifts the scents, launching her new Britney Spears’ Circus this month. Even Antonio Banderas is in on the act, rolling out his sixth scent called Seduction in Black.

With 40-50% of all perfume sales recorded in the months of November and December you can see why these slightly cynical, ‘buy me’ tactics are employed. But I can’t help feeling a little patronised by this. When cult scents like Shalimar by Guerlain, Farouche by Nina Ricci and Tabac Blond by Caron were created, the process took over 2 years and employed trained noses who had spent their lifetimes studying this art.

Is the general public really this gullible?

Maybe it is not the economy that ails this industry, but the quick-buck strategies of the board rooms that drive generic product creation and these unimaginative marketing strategies to try and sell them. A regression to the artisan processes of yesteryear might be just the ticket to create a new star in its own right – alexia inge

I just read this piece of beauty news and I’ve got to tell you, it annoyed me. A new survey has shown that three quarters of UK beauty consumers don’t check the ingredients list of products because they perceive there to be ‘no need’.

Why do we continue to bury our heads in the sand and allow the cosmetic giants to fill products with harsh/unnecessary/carsinogenic ingredients thanks to this unfortunate consumer condition, ‘brand loyalty’?

It’s naïve to assume that just because a product is made by a big name manufacturer its ingredients are actually good for you. Many nail varnishes, for example, contain formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate – three highly toxic chemicals that have a high hazard score of 10 on the Skin Deep database (the hazard score is on 0-10 scale, 10 corresponding to highest concern). All three ingredients are linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity and allergies, but  are totally unnecessary in nail varnish formulations. (Nubar is a fantastic cult nail brand that keeps all its products ’3 free’.)

The survery, carried out by Mintel, also revealed that consumers are reassured by products that are labelled natural, believing such assertations leave no reason to check the ingredients. Yet there is currently no EU regulation on the term ‘natural’, meaning brands are free to use it on any product they like, regardless of what’s in it, just to jump on the green bandwagon. (At Cult Beauty we believe this is wrong, so when we say natural we mean products that use at least 50 per cent natural ingredients.)

This not only means that we’re parting with hard-earned cash for products that aren’t what they seem; we’re failing to spot the products with truly beneficial ingredients. Do your research on what you should be looking for in, for example, a shampoo, then study the label to see if your chosen product will deliver the results it claims to. (FYI, Cult Beauty expert James Corbett recommends looking out for ingredients like Sage, Rosemary, Peppermint and Zinc when choosing a shampoo). And watch out for that nasty formaldehyde, it’s a preservative that  crops up everywhere; in shampoo, conditioner, shower gel…even children’s bubble bath.

The label: it really is the key to beauty’s best kept secrets.

This is a feature I came across on the New York Times website that I wanted to share. So fascinating hearing black women talk about their hair. I don’t think people realise how much of an issue black hair is. Politically, historically, and otherwise. My sisters and I could have a conversation about hair for hours – seriously. Though that conversation tends to be more frivolous than anything else.

Anyway, have a listen. The lady with the Naomi Campbell do – can you believe her husband never knew her hair wasn’t her own until recently? Hilarious.

Famed for pioneering procedures including face lifts, tummy tucks, botox and skin peels, America’s obsession with youth is no secret. For people with a bit of nerve and a lot of cash it’s now considered the norm to do what it takes to claw back the last few years of their radiant youth. But how far is the average American willing to go? A few botox injections leads to liposuction, a face lift, and then where?

The latest craze to sweep the States is human growth hormone (hGH) injections. Going beyond simple external aesthetic enhancement, medical practitioners have claimed that a hGH regime can actually reverse the physical effects of ageing leaving subjects not only looking younger, but feeling it too.

Doctors advocating the use of hGH suggest getting older and fatter need no longer be inevitable. It’s the result of a glandular disorder that is caused, in part, by diminishing hormones. By replenishing hormone levels to that of a 20 or 30-year-old, it is possible to once again feel that young.

Growth hormones (which are naturally produced in the pituitary  gland of the brain) work by inducing the liver to produce inculin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which triggers the growth of bones and tissues. Levels of hGH and IGF-1 naturally decline after the age of 30, though the pituitary never stops producing them completely. Some small studies have shown that boosting these levels with hGH injections can lead to an increase in muscle mass, improved exercise capability and an increase in skin elasticity.

But of course, it comes at a price. Enterprising cosmetic doctors charge between $500 and $1,000 a month for hGH injections, but the real cost lies in the risk to an individual’s health. Studies have shown that high levels of hGH can lead to an increased likelihood of breast and prostate cancer. Scientists believe this could be because IGF-1 promotes the growth of cells and prevents them from dying – this is the same as with cancer cells which grow rapidly and don’t die.

Other risks (which can be seen in sufferers of acromegaly, a disease caused by a tumor that makes growth hormone) include swollen features, hypertension, heart disease and arthritis.

Aside from the glowing anecdotal testimonies, there is little scientific evidence to support the anti-ageing claims made by fans of hGH. In fact, a 2007 study of healthy elderly men and women showed that the positive effect of the hormone was comparable to what could be achieved by moderate weight training in the gym.

For now it seems we must continue to herald a diet rich in antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E), along with regular exercise, as our best weapon in the fight against ageing . It’s not the secret to eternal youth, but it may just help you grow old gracefully.

Not a massive surprise I am sure to Cult Beauty blog readers, but the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has just announced that they have reclassified UV-emitting tanning devices – sunbeds to you and I -  as “Carcinogenic to Humans”. Twenty independent studies have shown that the risk of cutaneous melanoma is increased by 75% in individuals who begin using tanning devices before the age of 30.

These results reinforce current recommendations by the World Health Organization to avoid sunlamps and tanning parlours, on top of the advice of every dermatologist and doctor in the land. With the quality of fake tans out there at such a high standard there is no excuse to continue with this madness.

For more information from the WHO click here.

Dutch scientists have proven that lower estrogen levels lead to dryer skin, this would go some way to explaining why a woman’s skin quality can change throughout the month. It is also known that smoking reduces your estrogen levels and therefore, in addition to cancer and wrinkles, those ciggies will make your skin positively arid!

During recessions we’re forever being fed little “gems” of information like how the length of a woman’s skirt is dependent on the economy. Yes, it was interesting the first time we read it, but this fact has been recycled over and over again by media outlets that just can’t get enough of the “r” word. 

Less obvious, and more interesting (for beauty junkies, at least) is how telling of the times the colour and shape of a woman’s lips are. According to prominent trend forecaster Li Edelkoort there is a definite link between lip trends and the celebrities of the time, societal emphasis on particular body parts, and, most importantly, the economic and financial status of society in general. 

During the first economic depression of the 30s women drew their lips outwards with square edges that emphasised the stern, perfectionist appearance of the era. Lip colour was a glossy reddish brown and reflected the sober mood that saw women opt for a steely, androgynous appearance. 

All in all a stark contrast to the plumped pouts of the 1960s, which wore only soft, discreet colours. The rejection of conventional beauty, prosperity and consumption, and the sudden shift in sexuality (which saw the most focused-upon body parts become boobs and bums) meant that mother-of-pearl and baby pinks, were chosen for their subtle effects throughout the hippie era. 

The 60s were followed by three decades of bold lips that made a statement, but now in the financial crisis of the noughties, it seems we’ve reverted to the more natural look of the flower power generation. The return of traditional family values and a quest for balance and happiness rather than material richness have paved the way for the return of natural beauty. On-trend lips are soft, natural, and slicked with a shimmering beige, pale pink or apricot shade. Perfect for channelling fresh-faced, radiant beauty.

A little break from the beauty industry, here are some paintings that are simply beautiful to the eye. Alex Asher Daniel’s work reminds us of Egon Schiele, straying almost into the world of fashion illustration (currently showing at Kate Robinson Fine Art Gallery in Soho, New York). Enjoy!

Ever thought about a life without moisturiser, mascara and lipgloss? Us neither, until news of the decline of the busy British bumblebee reached us. You see, if the bee dies out so too do almost 4,000 of Britain’s best loved beauty products. 

A must-have for the Ancients (Cleopatra was a fan), beeswax was used in the first generation of skin creams, lipsticks and nail varnishes.  And those Egyptians were onto as winner thanks to its composition of complex polysters and hydroxy fatty acids, which mean it’s a great thickening and binding agent, has fantastic waterproofing capabilities, and can provide a barrier against air and moisture. From a dermatological point of view, beeswax is suitable for sensitive skin and its natural antibacterial agents and antioxidants have ensured it’s still a cosmetic industry favourite more than 2,000 years on.

But worringly the British bee population has declined by 60 per cent since 1970, according to The Co-operative Group who recently launched its Plan Bee campaign, a 10-point plan to save the honeybee and prevent the decline in population.  

With the future of our Diorshow mascara in jeopardy, it’s time for us all to do our bit and save the bees. 

You can view The Co-operative’s 10-point plan at:
 http://www.co-operative.coop/ethicsinaction/takeaction/planbee/what-The-Co-operative-is-doing-for-bees/