Crystal Renn, Plus Sized Model Photoshopped Skinny

We all know that those photos that we all envy in the fashion and beauty magazines are retouched beyond belief. It should be a relief to know that though, because often times women try to emulate these pictures of beautifully flawless skin and seemingly size zero waists.

Although most of us wouldn’t mind a little photoshopping when we’re getting our pictures snapped to take a little bit off of our butts and maybe cinch in our wasitlines as well, there is definitely a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and they crossed it with the most popular plus size model today, Crystal Renn.

Ms Renn is a plus size model who has taken the industry by storm after modeling on the “normal” circuit for models, which means you basically starve yourself all the time, and getting sick of it and then becoming her normal, healthy  weight, which happens to be a size ten for the tall stunner.

She became sort of a poster child for protesting the use of too-thin models in advertising and on the runways, and her gorgeous looks still propelled her to the top of the plus size model market.  Let’s face it, most of us are not what is considered model thin, and models like Crystal represent what most American women look like today, which is a curvy, yet happy and healthy woman.

Well, a big controversy developed because Crystal was seen in an ad campaign looking like she was wittled down to a size two. Apparently the photos were retouched – a lot, and without the model’s blessing.

She said that she was upset because it sends the wrong message, that a plus size model needs to be airbrushed in order to be sexy or acceptable in the fashion world. She suffered with anorexia and bulimia for years in the modeling industry, which is a testament to the incredible stress that these women are under to stay ridiculously thin.

Let’s face it, most of us don’t have the metabolism of a humming bird, and we have to dramatically, almost punishingly reduce our calories in order to maintain that type of waifish physique for any period of time.  Being through an eating disorder myself when I was younger, I can tell you that it’s very hard to beat, and it feels like your own personal hell until you can beat it.

Review of No Frizz, Re-Do

I reviewed the anti frizz hair product No Frizz several months ago.  At the time, I think it was fall or even winter. Now I wanted to update you with how this product holds up in the humidity of the summer. And here in Northeaster Ohio, it has been a sweltering, hot and sticky summer so far, so it’s the perfect time to try a powerful anti frizz hair product now.

I liked it when I tried it the first time, but I made the mistake of using this product only, and relinquishing the rest of my hair care products in favor of this one. Now, I am combining it with my other hair care product favorites, and getting better results. 

My only complaint about using No Frizz by itself is that it does work on making your hair less frizzy, but it kind of makes it look dull and dry and reduces it’s “movement”. I think that movement is half the key to having really pretty hair.  When it moves freely and also looks frizzless and glossy and healthy, this is what really makes it look healthy and beautiful.

No Frizz by itself, without any added glossers.  was making my hair less frizzy, but it just had no movement and no gloss. What I do now in the summer is I mix about a quarter size of No Frizz (it is true that the more generously you use it, the better it works, unfortunately because of the hefty price tag) with my Aveda Universal Styling creme, which I think helps add shine and movement.

I also spray some Bumble and Bumble hair spray on my roots to give it a bit more lift. And of course, I top it off by blowing it dry with my treasured new FHI anti frizz hair dryer.  It all results in more body, more bounce, and less frizz, even in the humidity and heaviness of the air when you go outside.

I don’t wash my hair very often, so the effects last even longer.  I try to go every two to three days, or until I can’t stand it any more, because my scalp tends to dry out if I wash it too often. Plus I think that it’s bad for your hair to wash it every single day.

Waxing and Hair Removal in Your Own Home?

Waxing can be quite expensive in saloons for some women. Many times, women don’t consider it to be the same treatment as they would do at home.   First buy a waxing kit from the nearest drugstore. Which brand and type is your own choice.

The hair on the legs must be at least 1/4″ long. If they are more than 1/2″, use scissors to trim them down a little bit. This is recommended because if wax is applied to longer hairs, there is a possibility that they won’t be removed. It will probably snap in the middle leaving the root with a hair too for the next layer of wax.

Before applying the wax, make sure that the skin is cleaned with a pre-wax cleanser or powder, but don’t overdo it with the powder.  Evenly apply wax on the area where you want with an applicator (wooden stick). Make sure that the layer is not that thick because if it hardens quickly it will be harder to remove it.

Take a strip and apply it on the wax in the direction of the hair growth. Leave some space on the stripe without wax on it. Smoothly moving your hand above the stripe in the direction of the hair will cause the hair to attach on the wax.

The next step is with little pain, but that’s the cost, right? Take the end of the strip that is not covered with wax, and quickly pull the stripe from the skin but in an opposite direction of the hair. If there are some hairs that are not removed, put the stripe back and pull again. One stripe is good for three pulls.

You can also use a tweezer to remove the missed hairs. Use a wax remover or a baby oil to remove the wax that is left on the skin. And finally use an after-wax lotion to ease the pain on the skin and prevent possible skin damage.

This procedure is most used at home. Instead of applying wax, there are various depilatory products that don’t require the need of wax; similar like a shaving machines men use. Hair – Removal products using special foam or paste that does not require stripes. They are simply applied on the area, and after 10 to 15 minutes are removed with special removing- applicators or just with a gush of water.

So it doesn’t’ matter witch type of procedure you will you use in your home. Just make sure it is effective for you and will reduce the pain to as minimal as it can.

Beautiful Skin, From the Inside

We tend to focus a lot on the exterior skin care products for anti aging and wrinkle repair that we use, and yes, those are vitally important to keeping our skin young and supple and wrinkle free. However, what we lack focus on in most of our lives and awareness is that the saying “you are what you eat” applies to the appearance of your skin and your overall aging gracefully strategy just as much as it does to your mental abilities, your happiness and your body’s health.

I’ve seen this truth in my own life over and over again.  When I go on a week bender of eating really bad foods that are low in nutritional value, I see a marked difference in my skin. I actually notice a difference in how “old” my skin looks. Wrinkles tend to appear more readily, my skin seems to have a more greyish pallor instead of a healthy, peachy tone, and my hair even seems to suffer the consequences of my crappy diet choices.

However, when I’m on the ball and eating right, it’s a totally different story.  I not only feel beautiful, but that feeling translates into my skin, my hair, my body’s appearance and just my overall “aura” I suppose you could say.

Some of the most important nutrients that I’ve found make my skin glow and my hair glossy are omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, citrus fruits, and decaffeinated green tea.  When I’m not getting the omega 3′s  should be in my diet, I make sure I take a fish oil supplement a couple times a day. Fish oil, or any other omega 3 (high grade is the best) supplements, are one of the most powerful anti aging supplements you can take.

Omega 3 fatty acids are known mostly for heart protection, but they also make your skin glow. They allow your skin to maintain more moisture from the inside, so what you get is a more toned, taut look – naturally.  They also help regulate your blood sugar levels, which through a complex chain reaction, helps your collagen stores be more effective and less prone to breaking down and literally showing “cracks” in your skin’s structure.

Antioxidants are of vital importance as well. They make your skin glow from the inside, and they are of HUGE importance when it comes to battling sun damage. One really interesting fact is that consuming tomatoes actually has helped people prevent sun burn and subsequent sun damage to their skin which can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles and sun spots.

When you get tons of antioxidants in your diet, it’s sort of like your own natural form of “internal sunscreen”, since it provides your body with all the natural weapons it needs to combat free radical damage.

Botox May Impede Actual Emotions?

The more I hear about Botox, the less I think I want to ever try it. And I was actually open to the idea of trying it out when I reached 40 years old, just as a sort of preventive measure against further wrinkles and sagging in my facial skin, and particularly on my forehead as well as the developing crow’s feet around my eyes. I thought well, they haven’t really come out with any studies that show it’s toxic, so why not?

Well, a lot of new developments have made me rethink this possible anti aging strategy. One, there are no real long term toxic studies on these injections, and let’s not forget that the botulinum used in the formula is indeed still a toxic protein that in extreme cases can cause full paralyses and even death when consumed.  So, why would it not ever absorb into the body with each injection, and stay there forever, building to toxic levels?

That potential scares me, I won’t lie. So I’ve really resorted to more natural options first, being in my mid thirties. I use anti wrinkle creams that are high grade and natural, and I try to avoid any exposure to sunlight at all on my facial area, using a natural sunscreen by Dr. Mercola on it so that the sun’s rays don’t damage my skin there and also so that the potential toxins that are in most sunscreens don’t screw with my skin or my health either.

Then I read that Botox can actually cause wrinkles, because it makes other areas of your face show the emotions that the injected areas can’t, creating more wrinkles in another area. So in other words, damned where you don’ t get the injections, and it’s almost like you have to freeze your entire face and look like a freak to not get new wrinkles ANYWHERE on your face. And who wants to be an unemotive person?

The last thing I heard which pretty much cemented my decision to forgo ever trying Botox as an anti aging and wrinkle prevention strategy was that it may actually prevent you from FEELING emotions as deeply as you normally would.  That’s right, the fact that your face can express emotions such as crying, getting upset, smiling, laughing and all that good stuff that makes you – well – human – actually triggers deeper emotional responses in your brain that help you to actually feel things on a deeper level.

While that may be good for emotions like anger, frustration and sadness, it’s not good because you also may not be able to feel joy as deeply, and who wants to live like that!?

Indoor Salon Tanning Tax Begins

Ok all you tan bed-aholics, July marks the beginning of a 10% tax on your tanning bed services, from your beloved federal government.  This means that every salon that offers tanning services will be charged a 10% additional tax over what they already pay for proceeds received from this often controversial, health questionable service.  Who is ultimately the winner here? Why, the federal government and their ballooning deficit of course!

Honestly, I don’t care that they are taxing indoor tanning myself, I think that the price may be more on the people who own these salons, and may put even more pressure on a lot of female small business owners, since most of these types of services are owned by female small business owners.  That, and the fact that the consumer will end up paying the tab in the end most likely.

Of course, one could argue that tanning is a nonessential luxury, but so are many of the things that make up the free market and ultimately make the American economy as strong as it is – or was, before this disaster situation happened.

The federal government, in an effort to help pay for the numerous stimulus programs and the massive bailout package that happened to prevent global economic catastrophe, has been looking for ways to save money. One of the proposals also included a tax on plastic surgery and Botox. I believe that both of those proposals were not picked up, but the tanning tax was.

I guess this means more and more people may be reaching for the self tanners, which could be a good thing, but it’s also still important to at least get some natural sunlight on your skin and get that vitamin D in.

Hopefully the government won’t ax any other “non essential” beauty needs, but I do think the tanning tax is fairly minimal and if it an help keep our deficit down while also not damaging businesses too badly (hopefully they can pass this on fairly easily to the consumer and that will be that), I’m ok with it.

Remember to protect your skin from the sun, but also try not to totally avoid the sun all together. More and more evidence is showing that responsible sun exposure is a good way to get vitamin D, which helps keep your immune system healthy and also may provide a host of cancer prevention benefits as well.

Nivea Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs Shave Minimizing Tanner Review

While I was vacationing in South Carolina and then Virginia for a few days, I was in a lot of drug stores, snooping around, seeing if they had anything different in the way of beauty products that I don’t typically see here in Ohio. I found one that is in Ohio, but that I thought was an interesting concept in self tanning and hair removal or at least in minimizing shaving your legs that I bought. The product is by Nivea and it’s called Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs Shave Minimizing gradual self tanning moisturizer.  Quite a mouth full!

But that describes the product in a nutshell. It is supposed to help cut back on hair growth on your legs, and also gradually self tan them with a subtle self tanner. The bottle is ten bucks, and it is almost 7 ounces. If you use it on just your legs (I used it on my whole body the first time), it will last you quite a few tans.  It’s a white cream, which I  like because even though I do like the instant tan of a tinted self tanner and the instantly dewy look it gives your skin, I don’t like those types of self tanners when I’m planning on putting it on right before bed time.

It will stain your sheets, especially if they are lighter.  Here’s the kicker about this product thought. I do think it helped my leg hair, maybe it made it softer, but I don’t think it actually inhibited it’s growth. I think their selling point may be that since your legs are tanner, the hair is less noticeable, because they don’t specifically claim that there are any hair growth inhibiting ingredients in it on the back label.

It says that with daily use, your hair will look less noticeable and you’ll have a beautiful tan. But I did notice there was some sort of starch in the ingredients list, and I did notice that it had a different feel to the cream itself when I put it on my legs, so I wonder if that was somehow supposed to soften the hair that was there. I’m too impatient to put it on several days in a row, so I would skip a day or two in between, which may have defeated the purpose of the shave minimizing part.

It does give a nice, subtle tan though in a few uses, and it doesn’t get splotchy at all, so I’d recommend it for your legs. As far as the shave minimizing part, you may need to use it every day to enjoy those benefits a bit more.

Flossing and Youthful Appearance Linked?

I read the most interesting article the other day. It got my attention because it said you should skip the popular anti aging injection Botox, and instead make sure you floss your teeth, so naturally I was interested in what they had to say.  I’ve never had Botox injections, but I certainly try to use the best topical anti aging and anti wrinkle creams and products on my face to help keep it looking smooth and youthful.

I also happen to floss every night, because I do believe that flossing is key to gum and tooth health, and because I also happen to have a problem with gum recession, which is prominent in my mom’s side of the family.  Apparently though, flossing may be key to keeping that youthful look as long as possible according to new findings. If you floss, you keep gum disease at bay, and also help keep your teeth in place where they should be for a much longer time, which makes you look younger.

Aging of you mouth actually has a lot to do with how young you look. They say that yellowing, stained teeth and receding gums can really add to your years in appearance, and also it has another impact that we may not have thought about.

Flossing actually helps keep the bones that hold your teeth in place in top shape. Because when you get gum disease, it often impacts the bones that are underlying in your jaw and elsewhere in your mouth, flossing helps prevent shifting and loss of bone mass. New research has also shown that your jaw and other facial structural bones, wear away with time, and this is something that cannot be fixed with surgery, which may explain why facelifts often look strange.

They don’t address the whole problem, which is a combination of sagging skin and the loss of bone mass underneath, which creates an overall less angled look.  So you basically lose a lot of your underlying facial structure as you age, and flossing can help keep that structure in the right place, helping to keep you looking younger for years longer, which is something that no wrinkle filling dermal filler, face freezing injections or facial surgery can currently do.

Sunscreens Accelerating Skin Cancer?

In a startling new uncovering, or perhaps something that was known or suspected but buried to general knowledge for a long time, it has been found that many sunscreens may actually contribute to, or speed up the development of, skin cancer.  That means that in addition to the many chemicals that are linked to cancer in sunscreens, like parabens and other toxic chemicals, the commonly used Vitamin A derivatives are also thought to accelerate the growth of deadly skin cancers as well.

What I found really alarming about this news on Vitamin A as well was the fact that many of us use vitamin and it’s derivatives to help reduce the signs of aging in our skin. Most notably, one of my personal favorites, retinol is even implicated!

However, what I’ve read doesn’t make it clear whether or not it’s the combination of vitamin A products AND the sun that cause the increased risk, or if just merely putting these products on your skin at night (like they do recommend for retinol products anyways) is going to increase your odds of skin cancer.

The dangerous ingredients to avoid, thus far, and this does not include parabens and other common chemicals put into skin care products like lotions, deodorants and other toiletries and beauty products, are retinol (during the day at least, as far as we know), retinyl palmitate (a derivative of vitamin A), and oxybenzone, which is thought to also promote cancer and also may interrupt the proper hormone balance of the body.

Dr. Mercola Natural Sunscreen and Natural Tanning Oil Review

Dr. Mercola is a naturalopathic doctor who has a huge website online.  I subscribe to his newsletters, and I think, although I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says 100% of the time, he has some very valid points and also happens to have some excellent products that I’ve tried that are all natural.

I decided to try his natural sunscreen, an SPF 30, because I started reading the labels on store bought sunscreens with traditional labels like Coppertone, Banana Boat and other popular brands, and saw a bevy of preservatives that are known toxins to the skin and body, and other chemical names that I didn’t even recognize.

I started to think, in my quest to be healthier by shield my skin to damage UV rays, I might actually be doing more harm than good by slathering on chemicals that inevitably leach into your blood stream.  So, I bought two of his natural sun products actually. One, I bought the Mercola natural sunscreen, and two I bought the Natural Tanning oil. Both come with green tea, which I like, because green tea is a great antioxidant, and is good for the skin both internally and externally, helping to reverse and stave off free radical damage.

Both products are eco friendly and biodegradable, which is a good sign that they are also non toxic to apply to human skin.  I bought the tanning oil too, because I do occasionally like to enjoy short bouts in the sun without mega sunscreen, so I can ensure I get my daily dose of vitamin D, which is proving to be ever more important in the grand scheme of things.  I love the tanning oil. It has a ton of good for your skin ingredients.

You MUST shake it well before every use, to make sure the extract and oils all mix together so you get maximum benefit.  It’s made of sunflower oil, green tea extract, coconut oil, which is a great skin protector, almost oil, lanolin, vitamin E, eucalyptus oil, and vitamin C.  No unrecognizable chemical names – nice huh!?  I have never gotten burned using this oil, and it feels great going on. I feel like it’s also protecting my skin, and I’m not putting any toxic chemicals on, so I feel safe leaving it on all day after the sun too.

The Mercola sunscreen is great too.  This one you must shake well before each use also. It also contains green tea extract.  In addition to almost the same ingredients as the tanning oil, it contains only the natural sunscreens in it of zinc oxide, a natural compound, and titanium dioxide, another naturally occurring compound. No parabens or other potentially cancer linked chemicals – and it works great.

You do have to reapply after going in the water, but it’s totally non toxic and you don’t feel like it’s plugging every pore when you put it on.Even the smell isn’t all “chemically” like you’re used to smelling when you open a bottle of traditional sunscreen. I’m sold!