I have been using Burt’s Bees “Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream” for the past few days on my chapped, extremely dry and frazzled hands. My hands look much softer and less frazzled after just one weeks of application. I always had trouble with other hand creams of either a severe itch or a rash on my hands. In winter it used to get worse. I was hunting for any new hand cream products in CVS pharmacy when I noticed this white lid medium sized bottle on the shelf, and felt I need to try this. So I did! I love this product. It smells good too and is natural without any testing done on animals.

Clay Bentonite Natural Powder is beneficial for scars, dark spots on face, hands and feet. Also it is known to help with eczema and other skin allergies when applied as a pack. Soak the powder in plain water for 5 minutes and then apply on the hands and feet before shower or bath.

I have been using the powder mixed with coconut water as a face pack every fortnight. It cleans up the pores and gives a glow to the complexion. I wash off the pack with cold water and apply a moisturizer.

A new type of Botox drug called Reloxin appears safe and effective in reducing forehead wrinkles, a new study finds.

The use of Botox to reduce forehead wrinkles and frown lines has long been a mainstay of cosmetic medicine. The medication works by preventing face muscles from contracting, an effect that lasts for several months.

As an alternative to Botox, Reloxin is now approved in 23 countries outside the United States to smooth wrinkles, the researchers noted. The drug has also been used outside the United States for more than 15 years to treat neurological disorders.

One of the differences between Botox and Reloxin is that Reloxin has less protein in its formula, noted Dr. Kamran Jafri, from Jafri Craniofacial Plastic Surgery, New York City. Reloxin also contains fewer antigens, which cause the drug to break down more quickly, said Jafri, who was not involved in the new study.

“Theoretically, because Reloxin has less of a protein load the body will break it down at a slower rate. That means from a clinical perspective that it should last longer than Botox,” he said. “However, some of the early trials are showing that Botox actually lasts longer than Reloxin.”
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What are the major contributors to skin wrinkles?

1) Frequent exposure to sun light: The human skin contains fibers called elastin which gets damaged by the ultraviolet light (UV). Elastin is responsible for the elasticity of our skin, the ability to snap back after stretching. When the elastin is damaged, the skin does not bounce back as effectively after a stretch (such as with gravity) and as a result we see wrinkles.

2) Cigarette smoking: Cigarette smoking is a major culprit when it comes to wrinkles. If you notice, smokers have more wrinkled skin than non smokers. Though scientists don’t clearly understand why this might be, it is suspected that the elastin in the skin might be damaged with cigarette smoking.
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A new type of pedicure is taking the beauty market by storm - and it’s being performed by fish. A Northern Virginia Spa is offering a pedicure using fish that eat off dead skin from your feet. Customers immerse their feed in a tub of water with the “Doctor Fish” or garra rufa. The fish immediately start eating dead skin off the toes and feet. Customers say the procedure is ‘ticklish” and it works! Even some squeamish customers are reporting satisfaction at how smooth their feet feel after getting this treatment. The treatments originated in Turkey for patients with Psoriasis with some patients reporting complete cure. The fish are a protected species in Turkey due to fear of over harvesting.

John Ho who runs the North Virginia spa called “Yvonne Hair and Nails Salon” with his wife Yvonne brought this to the US and is probably the only salon to offer this treatment. He claims that over 5000 people have experienced the fish pedicure at a cost of about $35 for a 15 minute treatment. Many experts expressed concerned about the hygiene of this treatment which Ho dismisses by ensuring his customers that fresh water is used for every customer and that the fish are changed between treatments. He maintains about a 1000 fish in his aquarium and uses 100 for each customer.