Consumer Health Features

October 2011 Beauty Round-Up ‘Must Haves’

By April MacIntyre Oct 19, 2011, 5:35 GMT

Fall colors in one savvy quad. A neutral tawny nude four-color palette that can be swirled together to create a luminous glow or used individually to highlight features and add color.

Early fall is the best time to prepare for the dry skin months of forced heat and wind chill, as your skin needs to be ready for holiday party dresses bare shoulders and legs.

The focus this month is heavily on specialty skincare items that address problems. Specifically acne and spot relief, with Sonya Dakar presenting an outstanding item in a cobalt blue bottle that spot kills a blemish, but the caveat is you look like someone painted a bit of white out on your face. But it works.

Also a newcomer I had never heard of, BrilliantFX Body Serum, which is for the neck, décolleté and dry arms and legs, really impressed me. It works beautifully. 

The criteria for us is always to seek out the best in cruelty-free, paraben free natural skincare that works, is reasonable in price, and can be easily found or ordered online. Made in the USA is always a plus too.

Hair items this time around were fabulous finds, especially in the category of dry shampoo. If you color your hair like I do, you already know that washing it daily dries it out and fades your color too fast.

There are two products below that are super affordable and do the job fabulously, making the time between shampooing stretch.

These products were the best of what we tested and loved, so take us shopping with you for the best in October 2011 beauty.

Drying Potion by Sonya Dakar (1 oz.)
http://www.sonyadakar.com/
Made in USA

The cobalt blue bottle contains bright white thick-ish lotion you apply with attached dropper/stick. You feel this tingle when it hits the skin, and the redness- and inflammation-reducing sulfur, calming lavender and chamomile extracts, disinfectant sage oil and stimulating peppermint oil all work in tandem to promote faster healing. 

This works, can’t really add to many hyperbolic adjectives, but trust me; it will kill blemishes both above and below the skin's surface. Caveat: Keep this tightly capped so that it does not dry out.

Happy Me Overnight Pimple Eliminator
http://www.happymeskincare.com/buy/overnight-pimple-eliminator
Made in USA

For the money, this is also a very effective spot pimple killer. It smells pleasant, and works while you sleep, much like the acne spot treatment above. The difference is price, with this costing about half of the Dakar.

I first heard about this treatment from a Local 706 makeup artist on a popular TV show, who swore by it and gave it to her mainly teen cast.  The potion features sulfur, zinc oxide, a natural mineral, combined with other luxury grade natural ingredients like tea tree oil to destroy pimples on contact. It is safer and more effective than the common chemical treatment benzoyl peroxide.
Free of parabens, sulfates, artificial dyes and fragrances and are PETA certified cruelty free.

Brilliant FX Body Serum 4 oz.
www.trinityofyouth,com
Made in USA

Décolleté wrinkle killer. Winter dry legs and scaly shins will need this intensive pump dispenser that delivers a seriously rich and thick body treatment. It has the consistency of honey, is clear, and can be layered under lotions and scented body creams. 

The serum is made with Lactic Acid and Arnica Montana. Lactic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that contributes to greater cellular turn-over and has moisturizing attributes and its ability to exfoliate dead skin cells without irritating skin.

BrilliantFx contains the highest percentage of Lactic Acid by volume on the market.
Arnica tinctures act in a similar way as prednisone, which is commonly prescribed in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions. BrilliantFx contains pure Arnica flower extract. It is an amazing product, especially if you have thin, wrinkled skin on the chest or neck.

Who should use BrilliantFx? Everyone; even men who fret over their skin too. It was made for sun- damaged skin, dry rough skin, cracked skin or even inflammatory skin conditions.

Eraclea Restorative Hydrating Night Cream 1 ounce - 30 ml
www.eracleaskincare.com
Made in USA

Restorative Hydrating Night Cream is a top pick.  I love this entire American made skin care line.  Their packaging is hygienic, and all of it smells of Vitamin C oranges. Unequivocally, this is a fabulous night cream. It’s super-hydrating, non-greasy and absorbs quickly to firm, repair and restore the skin while you sleep. Obliterates fine lines, makes skin look refreshed and I am in love with it. Perfect for combination to normal/dry skin. You can layer with their excellent vitamin C serums as well.

Vichy LiftActiv  1.7 oz.
www.vichyconsult.com
Made in France

For drier skins, a heftier night cream that has a slight spa scent. This anti-wrinkle and firming formula uses the power of Vitamin C to work its nighttime magic on skin. I have normal combination skin and loved using it for my neck and décolleté in the evening.

Alba Botanica Sea Algae Enzyme Scrub 4 oz.
www.albabotanica.com
Made in USA

Another line of natural skincare we have reviewed in the past and adored. Walnut shell powder and sunflower oil soften are combined in a superfine easy on the skin scrub, and really can be used by sensitive skin types. Their mineral-rich Marine Complex detoxifies and firms, stimulating cell regeneration. Can be used three times a week.

Vichy NormaDerm Triple action anti-acne hydrating lotion 1.7 oz.
www.vichyusa.com
Made in France

Thank you Vichy for putting this in a hygienic pump. This is a hardcore skin refiner for acne prone skins. It delivers a cool spa-scented crème gel lotion that leaves no residue, and just feels good on skin.  This mattifying gel has salicylic acid with two other powerful micro-exfoliating ingredients [glycolic acid + LHA] in a daily hydrating lotion. Triple Action on: Acne blemishes, blackheads and clogged pores. If you are an oily bird with blackhead/breakout issues, meet your new best friend.

Perricone No Foundation Foundation 1 ounce SPF 30
www.perriconemd.com
Made in USA

This product freaks me out in a great way. It is a sheer yet covering foundation. How do they do this? Skin loving ingredients like DMAE (firmer) and Alpha Lipoic Acid (skin refiner) No Foundation Foundation is the Perricone MD face makeup product that gives a natural translucent coverage for a smooth and glowing finish, with an SPF 30.

This is the makeup for those who hate makeup yet wish to look finished and put together. Men love this too. Try this; you will be amazed that one color can cover such a wide range of skin tones, except for the very lightest and darkest of skins.  Bonus Intel: Hygienic pump delivery!

Keratin Complex Therapy Volumizing Dry Shampoo Lift Powder
www.keratincomplex.com
Made in USA

Fantastic, effective and totally cleans hair without water. A traveler’s best friend, a workout queen’s go-to hair fixer-upper. Gently cleanses and absorbs excess oil to reduce the frequency of hair washing. Increases volume at the root, kills any odors and cleanses and refreshes the hair and the scalp.

Keratin Flex Flow Finishing Hairspray

Lightweight, perfect for fine hair, and superfine aerosol mist that delivers brush able hold for all hair types. Love it.  Adds shine and brilliance to finish any style with hydrolyzed keratin to strengthen hair. Has UV protectants to defend hair against damage

Got2B Rockin’ It Encore Dry Shampoo
www.got2b.us
Made in USA

Another affordable effective dry shampoo spray which gives your hair a rest from shampooing.  It gives the hair a fresh smell and a volume boost without the need for water. Caveat, shake well and spray lightly in short bursts and about 8 inches away from head so you don’t have a white spot on your roots.

got2b Fat-Tastic Thickening Hairspray
www.got2b.om
Made in USA

Another superb inexpensive lightweight hairspray infused with collagen to make your hair feel instantly thicker, denser and full of body. The aerosol formula is non-sticky and dries fast giving you perfect plush fat hair all day long. Fine hair’s finest hour.  For the money, it is a total home run.

GloMinerals - GloShimmer Brick (Highlight Powder) Luster
www.gloprofessional.com
Made in USA

Fall colors in one savvy quad. A neutral tawny nude four-color palette that can be swirled together to create a luminous glow or used individually to highlight features and add color. Velvet soft and densely pigmented made with Vitamins A, C, E and green tea extract, the GloShimmer Brick is a workhorse of stunning color that can be used on eyes and cheeks. Pretty pretty.

Iman AfterGlow Blusher Bronzer
www.imancosmetics.com
Made in China

For the money, you will not find a better blush/bronzer to go into fall and winter richer makeup tones.  Iman is for everyone, not just ladies of color. A sparkling trio of rose, gold, and terra cotta hues make a great blend or you can pick and choose. Packaging is classy and like other Iman products I have talked about (Copper eyeliner and her Iman Red Lipstick, all fabulous) this is a must-have color item for the makeup bag.

GloMinerals Body Glisten and Body Bronzer
www.GloProfessional.com
Made in USA

Hydrating and sheer, this is a luminous lotion enriched with vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as soothing green tea, lavender, chamomile, and aloe extracts.
You are left with a glistening of golden mica particles. This is a skin enlivener that will make you feel like a million bucks under the party lights.
More intense pigment for gloBody Bronzer, which imparts a healthy dose of sun-soaked color. This luminous bronzer creates a subtle tan look that glows and makes the skin pop under low lights. Sheer in texture compared to some other similar items on the market.

Skinn Sweet & Smooth Scrub
Skinn Milky Protein Cleanser
Skinn Body Balm Extreme
www.skinn.com
Made in the USA

Another fabulous American made line; everything I have tried from Skinn has met or exceeded expectations. Skinn Cosmetics’ Balm Extreme, Protein Cleanser, and Scrub are a triple threat of body loving goodness that smells edible, and polishes and perfects the skin.

The Body Balm contains Vitamin C, peptides and butters from 12 exotic plants to drench the skin, and contains no water and no petroleum. Use it on your hands, elbows, legs, all over. The Scrub is also sugary rich and you will be tempted to eat it. The Milky Cleanser and Scrub work together to deeply cleanse and prepare the skin for the Balm’s magical moisture.