(Unfortunately this is the only clip I could find of the episode… I will update the video link if I come across the full clip/episdoe.)

I’ve heard about this episode of The Dr. Oz Show before, but I finally got to see it today…  In this “Dangerous Beauty” segment, Dr. Mehmet Oz singled out 3 of the most used beauty products and let us know how “dangerous” they were.

The first thing Dr. Oz picked on pointed out was mineral makeup.  He took a jar of loose powder — supposedly belonged to one of the audience members — and swirled and stirred with a powder brush so violently to create a cloud of mineral powder dust and mess.  The point?  He was trying to illustrated (dramatically) how dangerous (loose) mineral makeup could be.  His argument was that the nanoparticles of mineral makeup could be breathed into your lung and cause all kinds of problems and lung diseases (such as fibrosis).

While I apprecaite the good Dr.’s effort and intention of showing us the danger of bad cosmetics (say, mercury-tainted skin creams or lead-based foundation called ceruse), I found this particular section of the segment to be misleading and misinforming.

Who applies (mineral) makeup like that?

If someone had shown Dr. Oz how to apply mineral makeup (MMU) before hand, either 1) Dr. Oz is a makeup-idoit and can’t learn how to do it right; or 2) that person should be fired because he/she was in no position to show anyone how to apply mineral makeup.  Even MMU novice knows not to stir and swirl the powder as if you were beating an egg.  You dip your brush into the powder, tap/swirl gently (in the jar lid) to distribute the powder evenly onto brush then apply to face.

And I always suggest applying a little pressure to press the powder onto skin while brushing the makeup on.  That way the powder is not going everywhere (and being wasted) and you’re getting higher coverage (because you get more powder onto your skin).

Presumptuous, isn’t he?

While there are a lot of mineral makeup companies use nanoparticles, Dr. Oz assumed ALL mineral makeup products contain nanoparticles.  That’s rather incorrect presumption.  I know a lot of mineral makeup companies, especially indie brands like Beauté Minéral, do not use nanoparticles in their products.

Dr. Oz and guest Dr. Arthur Perry also associated the lung problems loose mineral makeup could cause you to the occupassional lung diseases of miners and construction workers.  They were assuming you would be applying the mineral powder 8+ hours a day, in the way Dr. demonstrated, living a cloud of mineral powder dust.  Oh wait, you are NOT applying the makeup 8 hours a day or living in a cloud of makeup dust.  And you are certainly NOT swirling the powder, fluffing and puffing like Dr. Oz did.  So the amout of powder you would breathe in is a lot less than, say, a coal miner.

Also note that Dr. Perry said there had not been any record of lung problems or diseases brough on by mineral makeup.  Here are the quotes from Dr. Perry and his coversation with Dr. Oz:

Dr. Perry: “I have to tell you, there are no cases at this point of people getting sick.”

“In minorerss — miners and construction workers, it takes 10 to 30 years to see the damage…”

Dr. Oz: “The real question is will we see the damage in women in 10 or 30 years?”

Dr. Perry: “I don’t know the answer.”

What about the junks that are in liquid foundation and pressed powder?

At the end of the mineral powder segment, Dr. Oz recommed we all should stop using loose mineral makeup and should switch to liquid foundation and pressed powder.  He then gave the totally dazed and confused audience member to whom that jar of loose powder belonged a (Cover Girl) liquid foundation and pressed powder.  Talk about bad for your skin!  The preservatives!  The chemicals!  The irritations!

The interesting thing is, Dr. Oz also talked about petroleum jelly/petrolatum in lip glosses and how bad they were for you.  Yet, I find mineral oil (which is related to petroleum jelly) in at least one liquid foundation and one pressed powder…

Why? Oh Why?

I understand loose powder form mineral makeup is not perfect.  It is a bit more messy; and it’s not as convenient as pressed form makeup.  However, it can be purer and less irriating (depending on the brands), which was one of the things Dr. Oz found desirable during the part about dangerous wrinkle treatments.  I’m just quite appalled by Dr. Oz’s scare tactics and sensationalism.  I’m really not sure what prompted Dr. Oz to single out mineral makeup as dangerous when there are far more troublesome products out there (such as lash growth enhancers or super long lasting lipsticks) … Is he an arguist who wants to argue against what’s popular?  Was he paid by certain cosmetics companies to defame mineral makeup?  Who knows…

The bottom line is…

Remember, not all mineral makeup are created equal.  Some use better/safer ingredients than other; some have nanoparticles and some don’t.  When shopping for mineral makeup (or any cosmetics product for that matter), it is always a good practice to read the ingredient labels before you buy.  And most importantly, be informed.  Do your own research if you can.

Also check this out:

http://www.empowher.com/skin-hair-nails/content/mineral-makeup-dangerous-long-term-health

Show transcript provided by:

http://www.livedash.com/transcript/the_dr._oz_show/2/KTVU/Wednesday_June_2_2010/225890/

But this is going too far…

I was flipping through the latest issue of Allure Magazine (May 2010) when I saw this 3-page ad by Secret, the antiperspirant and deodorant brand.  Secret is introducing a new line of antiperspirant/deodorant call Sheer Mineral.

That sounds awfully like one of those mineral makeup brands — actually not just one, but at least TWO brands out there that are called Sheer Mineral(s) or somewhere along that line.

Even Secret’s admitting to the fact they’re captializing the mineral-in-cosmetics trend.  Their intro lines in the ad: What’s “it” for spring? and Lift to experience spring’s newest “it” item.

My interest was peaked… What’s a antiperspirant/deodorant gonna do with mineral(s)?

I looked and looked, but all I could find was on the 2nd & 3rd pages of the ad, where it said “…gives you the 24-hour protection you trust with a light mineral application you’ll love.”  That tells me NOTHING why the mineral(s) is there and why I would/should want minerals in my armpits?

I mean, Secret already has several lines of antiperspirant/deodorant that claim to provide 24-hour odor and wetness protection, including a “clinical strength” line that cost a whopping $8.00 a pop even at Walmart.

And I still don’t know what the purpose of the mineral(s) is in a antiperspirant/deodorant.  Secret’s official website mentions nothing that I don’t know from the ad already.  The only other thing I’ve found after a quick Google search is a blog post on Cosmopolitant’s site (read post here).  According to the post, the new antiperspirant/deodorant feels lighter than other (Secret) formulars.  That’s about it…

I know, I know… Companies need to constantly coming up with new products, new packaging — new something — to combat the ADD in all consumers.  But still, If this is not a gimmick, I don’t know what is…

SALE 50% OFF RETAIL
TO HELP SUPPORT ELDERLY MOTHER WHO LOST HER ONLY CHILD.
My dear friend Astrid (only 54 yrs old) died suddenly last week.
She was the only child and only support of her elderly mother Emma, who is 86 yrs old and lives in Bogota Columbia. All money from the SALE will go to support Astrid’s mother Emma.
By ordering during the Sale, you will save money and help Emma at the same time. Please use the Coupon “ASTRID” at Checkout to save 50% Off Retail. My family and other friends will be sending money to Emma and all proceeds from the sale will go directly to her.
Please help us, help Emma

Ann’s website offers a variety of great natural hair makeup brushes, and she also has a nice selection of vegan makeup brushes.  If you’re looking for great deals on makeup tools while helping out someone in need, please take adventage this sale.

UPDATE March 4, 2010:

The sale to help Emma will end on March 7, 2010.  If you want to take advantage of this awesome deal on great makeup brushes while helping someone in need, shop before March 7.

Each of these 2 sets includes a lip treatment stick (pink for the pink set, peach for the blue set), a limited edition blotting paper (each set has a different design), and a blotting paper refill.  And everything is packed in 2 mirror tins with original Alice in Wonderland art prints.

I’m quite sure this collection is either in collaborations with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, coming this March; or inspired by it.  Either way, I can’t wait to get my hands on them, which I heard are going to be available @ Fez Studio soon.

And I can’t wait to see the move ~ in 3D ~ either!

Best of 2009 Product Round-up

Pretty much all magazines have a round-up for best products of the year.  Th products are usually picked by beauty editors, makeup artists, celebrities and readers.  The following is Biteki‘s best-of report…

やや派手囲み目 (Slightly Showy Cat Eye) Makeup Tutorial

やや派手 means slightly showy; 囲み目 is a style of eye makeup characterized by well-defined eye liner for both upper and lower lash lines and eye colors blended out to the outer corner of the eye.  This “cat eye” makeup has been very popular in Japan (Google 囲み目 and you’ll find all kind of photos and tutorials), and MAQUIA offers a more dramatic variation…

MAQUIA also has a tutorial on vamping up your lashes to make the smokey eye makeup even more dramatic…

Japan’s take on metrosexual

Men’s care has been part of the Japanese beauty culture for a long time, well before we finally came up with a word for it.  I remember when I was living in Japan more than 12 years ago, there were already a whole array of men’s products available at supermarkets and drugstores.  In contrast only recently the word “skincare” for us means more than shaving cream and after shave; and finally we can find decent selections of men’s skincare products in US drugstores.  There are also a number of publications on men’s health, fashion and beauty (yes, beauty!), but ever now and then, the girls beauty magazines features some guys’ stuff.  Here’s VoCE‘s feature on makeup for guys…

And a beauty editor’s (for Men’s Club magazine) beauty routine for the day…

Well, that’s for this month… Until next time, じゃまたね!

Multipurpose balms are all the rage in beauty magazines now, and Beauté Minéral have one of the best out there!  A must-have for jet-setting beauties and everyone else, BM’s Beauté Balm is handcrafted with rich, nourishing and all natural ingredients.   Organic shea butter, jojoba oil, rose hip oil and evening primrose oil moisturize, beeswax protects, and a special blend of exquisite essential oils repairs and nourishes.  Use it on lips, dry skin, cuticles and even split ends, Beauté Balm is a little miracle in a jar!  Its compact size makes it easy to carry around in your purse, and is totally airport security-proof!

Now available: Beauté {Lip} Balm, which Beauté Balm in a tube formulated specifically for lips.

Ever heard of those jokes about women piling makeup on so thick it’s like they are plastering house paint on their faces?  A new foundation from L’Oreal kind of made this joke the real deal…  May be they are being innovative or may be they are being gimmicky; but what’s with Lancome and L’Oreal’s penchant for “out there” makeup applicators?

First, there’s that vibrating applicator from Lancome’s Ôscillation Powerfoundation.  I know at least one person has some dirty joke about it…

And now there’s the “paint roller” applicator from L’Oreal’s True Match Roller foundation, which gives the term “painting your face” a whole new meaning…

I have not tried either of the products, so I really don’t know the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the special applicators.  I am a bit curious to find out.  And I would like to find out if the foundations themselves, which is supposedly the stuff that makes your skin look good, work just as well without the special applicators.

I understand the importance and magic of the right makeup tools, so who knows, may be soon we’ll find vibrating makeup brushes and foundation rollers (without the foundations attached) in a beauty store near you…

If you have tried either or both of these foundations, I would love to hear what you think… Please share your thoughts & reviews… Thanks!

Image via fashionista.com

Of all the discount retailers, Target is my favorite.  Theirs stores are generally speaking clean, brightly lid with decent size aisles and not too horribly messy.  With many of the discount retailers carrying designer brands, Target has some of the best names and selections.  Isaac Mizrahi, Anna Sui, Paul & Joe are just a few to name.

Soon Zac Posen is going to join the list of designers gracing the Target store space.  fashionista.com just posted a lookbook for the upcoming Zac Posen for Target collection (thanks to my friend Janet).  The prices for the collection is definitely on the higher side (in line with most of Target’s other designer collection), and ranges from $39 to $90… Not bad for a Zac Posen piece, who is a favorite for Natalie Portman, Rihanna, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Mischa Barton, Beyoncé Knowles and many more.  Prior to doing this upcoming collection, Zac had previously partnered with Target for an collection released in Australia (source).

Other chic finds I have discovered @ Target are these cute, retro kitschy print accessories…  I particularly love the Chinese/Japanese print wallets.

Image via Target.com

Image via Target.com

And then there’s this fun cocktail set…

Image via Target.com

How fun it that!  You can also find shopper bags in these similar style retro prints.  All items are under $20.00!!!!  Now THAT is some respect for your wallet…

In a spiral bound format (so it feels like a note book), PRO Makeup is divided into 4 chapters, plus an introduction, a section on going pro, a list of suppliers and index.  Within each chapter there a several sections or subchapters.  The chapters and subchapters are clearly marked on the top of each page.

Chapter 1: BEFORE YOU GET STARTED

This section talks about basic info such as different face shapes, eye sets and structures, lip shapes, complexion types and skin tones.  There’s also a section on skin care and prepping for makeup.

Chapter 2: ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUES

This chapter goes through all the basic (essential) techniques and tools.  All the information is organized by the type of products (e.g. foundation, blush, concealer, etc); within each subchapter the techniques associated with the product are explained.  There is also information on solving problems such as open up close-set eyes, narrowing wide face shape or making lips look fuller.

Chapter 3: DEVELOPING LOOKS

This chapter explains how to expand the basic techniques and develop variations of basic makeup looks.  The concept of using colors to achieve different looks is introduced.  There is also a tutorial on doing smokey eyes, a section on bridal makeup and a section on things to consider when developing different looks.

Chapter 4: APPLYING MAKEUP TO OTHERS

This is the fun section!  It is full of ideas on special effect makeup (e.g. period, horror, fantasy, etc).  It also offers tips on applying makeup on men and children.

The step-by-step guides are easy to understand and follow; and there are pro tips sprinkled through out the book.  The final section of “taking it further” offers advice on becoming a professional makeup artist.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s new to using makeup, or those who wants to advance his/her technique.  I like how all the information is very to-the-point,  and there is no stroke-my-ego type junk like some other makeup reference books have.  The way the information is organized make it easy for readers to look thing up.

You can find PRO Makeup by Kit Spencer at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Borders

Other books by Kit Spencer:

Stage and Screen Makeup

Stage and Screen Hairstyles

Be good to your skin... Get that makeup off!

How’s your New Year’s resolution going?  Are you keeping up?  And I hope you have been taking good care of your skin with the simple steps of cleanse  ~>  tone ~> moisturize.

But sometimes the simple 3-step regiment is not enough.  “Sometimes” means whenever you wear makeup; and “makeup” means anything that’s not your skin care product: foundation, powder, eyeshadow, blush, eyeliner, lipstick, concealer, mascara, etc…

When you wear makeup, there’s an extra layer of gunk that your cleanser needs to get rid of.  If your cleanser cannot get all that dirt, oil, makeup and such off your face, it is as good as not washing your face at all.  And unfortunately most cleansers, at least the ones that don’t take a layer of skin off, fail to remove everything in one step.  And sometimes even the harsh cleansers still can’t get the job done…

So what are your options?

You can stop wearing makeup *.

If that’s not an option, then you can either washing your face twice (a.k.a. double cleansing) before going to bed ** — once to get rid of the makeup, once to get rid of any residues…

Or you can use a makeup remover prior to washing your face at night.

Be gentle with your eyes…

If you wear any eye makeup, it’s always a good idea  to remove your eye makeup first with a gentle remover.  That is to get rid of any icky stuff that could get into your eye, stay there and cause problems.  There are many eye makeup removers out there, and pretty much any of them will do. Because they are designed specifically to be use around eyes, they are (or should be) quite gentle on the delicate skin around the eyes.

Personally I like to use a simple home remedy to remove my eye makeup — a nourishing oil like almond oil.  Just pour a little bit of almond oil onto a cotton pad and gently wipe the makeup off.  DO NOT PULL ON THE SKIN!  If you’re allergic to almonds or almond oil, you can try grapeseed oil or other natural veggie or nut oils that have a good slip.  You can find these 100% pure oils from your local health food stores.

Don’t forget your face…

For your face, even when you think your makeup has slided off, there are still makeup residue, not to mention dirt and oil that’s mixed in.  So use a makeup remover for your face as well.  If you’re lazy like me, I recommend a remover wipe or cleansing towelette.  These wipes are convenient because you don’t need to use water with them.  You can be watching the news or walking on the treadmill while you use them.  My favorite cleansing wipe is, believe it or not, Kirkland Signature Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes from Costco.  It’s thick and textured so it gently exfoliates.  It has extracts of Chamomile, Vitamin E , White Tea, Green Tea and Red Tea.  Although it’s not 100% natural, it doesn’t have too much junk stuff into either.  And it’s not drying, not to mention very reasonably priced.

When I’m not lazy or when I have full makeup on, I prefer an cleansing oil.  Shu Uemura came up with his original cleansing oil decades ago and now there are 5 different formulas for different skin types and needs.  My favorite is the Premium A/O formula.  It has a nice melon scent and does not dry out my skin.  And it removes EVERYTHING, including super waterproof mascara, in one shot.  Shu’s cleansing oils do such a great job this is ONE product I trust I don’t have to do double-cleansing when I’m not wearing heavy makeup.  DHC also has a great one that’s olive oil based.

Don't be like her... Get your makeup off completely before going to bed!

The bottom line is, be sure your cleanser is doing a good enough job removing makeup, dirt, oil and everything else.  If you’re taking all the right steps to care for you skin because you’re still breaking out constantly, chances are your cleanser is not doing its job well enough, and it’s time to bring in a makeup remover into your regiment.

*****************

*You should still do a double cleansing or use remover if you sunscreen (which you SHOULD!)  Sunscreen products are meant to stand up to sweat and oil and you might need a little extra help to get rid of them.

** Double-cleansing are meant for night time only.  DO NOT wash your face twice in the morning.  I don’t care how oily you face gets, you don’t need to wash it twice in the morning.  Just don’t do it.