Dr. Goldfaden is without a doubt one of the skin care industry’s foremost authorities. That’s why we’re thrilled to let you know that we’ll be hosting a live Q &A with him on Facebook on Friday, December 9^th! Log in from 12pm-1pm PST and post your questions for Dr. Goldfaden on our Facebook wall. If you’d like, you can even leave a question for Dr. Goldfaden on our Facebook wall now! And remember, if you have any medical questions, you should always consult your personal care physician.

Tell us what brands do you want to see in the next season of Beautyfix?

Congrats to our Beautyfix Winners!

1) Julie H.

2) Beth

Thanks to all for participating! Winners, check your emails for more info on how to claim your prizes. Don’t forget, the NEW Winter Season of Beautyfix is coming soon, so get ready!

stock.xchng user marcos_bh

Hair dye has been around for centuries, and there are so many different types, techniques and colors to choose from that it can be hard to stick to one shade of style for longer than a few months. Unfortunately, those of us who have repeated hair-color-induced identity crises tend to overdo it, and can be left with brittle damaged hair. There are ways to avoid this inevitable damage and still stay spontaneous with your hair color if you use the right products. Understanding the different processing levels is key to keeping your precious locks in tact while they go through regular color transformations.

Temporary Hair Dye

For those of you looking for a way to spice up your look with a shade that is a few shades darker or similar to your natural hair color, temporary hair dye is a great way to add shine and luster without penetrating the delicate hair shaft, keeping it safe and intact. When choosing a temporary color, make sure you are using a “no lift” formula that contains verily low or no peroxide. (Peroxide is what enters the hair shaft; and is a must for shades that require an initial lifting of the base color, but for a temporary color deposit jobs, will just cause unnecessary damage.) Unfortunately, this is only an option if you want to dye your hair with brown hair dye, and is pretty limiting to the adventurous beauty queens. These products only coat the hair with pigment and boost radiance without the side effects of permanent hair dye or bleach.

Permanent Hair Dye

Permanent and Semi-permanent hair color works one level deeper within the hair strand and therefore have a wider range of shades both lighter and darker from your natural color. These work with a higher level of peroxide with opens the hair cuticle to allow the dye inside the cortex. Once inside the cortex the two-step process of removing color (also called lifting) and then depositing the new color on top. This process bonds with the hair much more strongly than a no lift color deposit, and there for provides longer lasting, yet slightly more damaging results.

Hair Bleach

If you have dark hair and want to go 3 or more shades lighter than your natural color, there is no way around it, you have to use hair bleach. The bleach reacts with the melanin in hair, and permanently removes all of its pigment. Bleaching black hair blond can be a tricky and often disastrous process if the person is not familiar with the chemistry of the hair, but these problems can be avoided with a little knowledge.

Normally the goal with bleach is to achieve the pale yellow hue that is actually the natural color of plain keratin (the building block of hair). But way too many people end up with one of those fiery shades of radioactive orange that I am all too familiar with. This happens due to the bleach being removed too early in the lightening process. It’s all a matter or science, and understanding the different nature of color molecules. When bleach starts reacting with the melanin in your hair, it first removes the smallest and easiest blue molecules, and then enters the longer stage of taking out those larger, more resilient red molecules. This takes multiple treatments in some cases, as the bleach will lose its potency after about an hour. It must be reapplied to cut through all that stubborn red and reveal that oh so beautiful pale blond below.

If you are doing an at-home bleach job, be very careful to not over process, as bleach doesn’t stop when it has reached the desired shade, it will keep on eating away at your hair, and could dissolve it completely.

If you don’t trust yourself or fully understand what you are doing, I would highly recommend shelling out the cash to have it professionally done. I have fallen victim to about every hair dying disaster, and believe me when I say, emergency color correction is VERY expensive.

stock.xchng user Patti

You can use all the best products in the world, but the real secret to great skin is what you put in your body. Priori has come out with the perfect skin supplement to go along with their Alpha Hydroxy Acid skin care line. Priori’s Advanced AHA Dietary Supplement is an advanced formulation of nutrients and vitamins for healthy skin, that when taken daily, give skin everything it needs to look top notch.

These once-a-day supplements contain Lactic Acid, which is the key to optimal Hyaluronic Acid production. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the most vital pieces of the perfect skin puzzle. This superior humectant can hold over a thousand times its own weight in water, and keeps skin cells lubricated so they can more easily absorb nutrients, and heal themselves more quickly. Learn about Hyaluronic Acid at Priori’s website.

The supplements also provide you with your daily dose of omega-3s, which are one of the most important foods for healthy skin. Omega 3s are full of polyunsaturated fats, which help repair dry or flakey skin, and also reduce inflammation that can cause redness and even eczema.

When taken in combination with a healthy diet, these supplements can really boost your skin’s overall health and appearance.

Eyebrow shaping has been around for centuries, and in the modern day quest for perfect eyebrows, too many of us have experienced some (often hilariously) bad brow-days.

From Stock.xchng user heidijean

If you are like me, then looking back at old pictures can be an eye opening experience. High school portraits and family photos bring back flooding memories of brow disasters. Like that summer when you decided to try the (almost always unacceptable) shave-off-and-draw-in method; Or the next summer when you made up for it by developing a phobia of all hair removal devices, and allowed your eyebrows to not only unite as one, but also let the other ends reacquaint themselves with your hair line.
With so many ways to go wrong with this delicate facial feature, it is no surprise that women worldwide have given up on trusting others with tweezers, wax, and dye near their face.

The best eyebrows are the ones that look naturally groomed, shape the face without overwhelming the eye area, and look so good, they go unnoticed to the untrained eye. Celebrity eyebrows that fall into the awesome category are those of Hayden Panettiere and Megan Fox, and ones that may need a little lesson in color theory, and perhaps tweezer intervention, are available for your viewing pleasure at this bad brow blog.

If you are searching for a product that will fill in the little spaces between your hairs without making you look like Princess Jasmine, either see an expert, or search for a brow filler that is the same tone and a few shades lighter than your natural brows. We all share the fear of looking like that heavy-handed makeup artist sporting Dracula brows, but with the right tips and tools, filling in your eyebrows doesn’t have to be so scary.

• For dark brown hair, a medium grey-brown shade is usually better than charcoal black (which is how you achieve the Elvira effect) or a chestnut brown (which can look way too red on most complexions).
• If you are blessed with scarlet locks, chances are your eyebrows are a less intense version of your hair’s red hue, so opt for a slightly golden brown, instead of a crimson shade fit for the circus.
• For blonde hair, there are 2 obstacles you must overcome

1. If you are VERY blonde and have white eyebrows, take them down a few notches by dying your eyebrows a light ash-blonde.
2. Blondes tend to have very sparse hair all over their body, so when it comes to eyebrow shaping, never over-tweeze, just work with what you have and only remove the completely unruly hairs that have no contact with the bulk of your brows.

• For truly black hair, a dark grey pencil/powder is a great option, and for darker complexions, the charcoal black looks natural.

If you are currently trying to re-grow your brows from an overzealous plucking session, the only advice I have is to wait; and for heaven’s sake STAY AWAY FROM MAGNIFIED MIRRORS. They make every hair appear as if it is miles away from the one next to it, and you could end up with a microscopic row of wisps when you are finished tweezing.

All in all, the best thing to do is to see a professional every other week, but if you must divulge yourself in at-home maintenance, try an eyebrow stencil to achieve the perfect shape every time.

All Dermacyte products are enriched with oxygen and exclusive Oxycyte Technology, making it easier for better ingredients to penetrate your skin to help restore radiance and youth. This amazing line let’s you restore  your youth by leaving your complexion brighter, refreshed and more beautiful. We loved how powdery soft our skin felt after application of these two wonderful serums and that it stimulates our skin cells and works multiple ways to reverse signs of aging, diminish blemishes and hydrates our skin.

Didn’t get a chance to try it in your last selections? Not to fear! We are giving away  Dermacyte’s Oxygen Concentrate and Oxygenating Eye Complex a $179 value, to 25 winners! Did we mention they are full size too? All you have to do is tell us, what you want Dermacyte to do for your skin. Good luck!

What do you want Dermacyte to do for your skin?

**25 winners will be chosen at random. Post a comment and tell what you want Dermacyte to do for your skin. Giveaway starts on 1/18/11 and ends 2/1/11 at 11:59pm PST. The winner will be announced during the time of 2/2/11 -3/1/10. If any winners do not reply within 5 business days of being contacted, another winner will be chosen.**

Our 25 winners are…

1. Cindy champion
   
   
2. Judy Cawley
   
   
3. Carol B
   
   
4. Mel
   
   
5. Joyce
   
   
6. Charlene Murphy
   
   
7. Lorraine d
   
   
8. Mary T
   
   
9. Brenda Davis
   
   
10. Pam M.
    
    
11. thepricklypinecone
    
    
12. Katherine
    
    
13. Penny M
    
    
14. Melissa B
    
    
15. Laura Carranza
    
    
16. LLong
    
    
17. Carol P
    
    
18. Courtney L.
    
    
19. Elisa Leibowitz
    
    
20. Chris
    
    
21. Jami Reedy
    
    
22. Lara
    
    
23. Ruth R.
    
    
24. Amber
    
    
25. Tiffanyr
    
    

Some people have glowing skin that responds perfectly to any cream, serum, or cleanser, but some people, like me, seem to be constantly searching for the best face wash to fit their unique, complex, and very finicky skin. If your skin tends to throw temper tantrums on a regular basis and won’t decide whether it is dry, oily, sensitive, or full of acne, try changing your way of thinking, and basically do the opposite of what you have been doing for years.

Instead of constantly trying to fight your skin with acids and peels and masks, just do the bare minimum and let it make up its own mind. If you give it what it needs, it will heal itself naturally.

Have you ever noticed that the people with the best skin are constantly declaring insane statements like, “I never wash my face, I just wipe a wash cloth over it sometimes.”? Well, it is time to start following their lead (to a certain extent).

Most of peoples’ skin problems are the result of them over treating their various maladies.

For example:

• If you strip all evidence of oil’s existence from your skin, the only result you will achieve is super-charged, over-active oil glands.
• If you scrub your skin to death trying to uncover the baby soft complexion beneath, all you will get are more dry skin patches.
• And, if you pick and over-medicate every hint of a blemish, all you are going to see is more pimples and red bumps popping up like crazy.

With all the “perfect skin tips” out there that involve harsh ingredients and painful procedures, it is hard to believe, but many people find that once they stop trying to achieve perfect skin, it actually emerges on its own.

Ever since I discovered that leaving oil on my face when washing it was the trick to having a matte complexion all day, I was searching for a face wash that would not only leave my face clean, but also had awesome ingredients (and, most importantly, didn’t smell like patchouli). When I tried Skyn Iceland’s Pure Cloud Cleanser, I knew I had found the answer to my prayers. I had given up on my search and had been trying to concoct my own natural skin remedies at home.

The very first use provides results, especially if you are used to regular face washes, and your skin will glow so much, I guarantee you (and others) will notice. It is full of beautiful ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil and aloe, that completely dissolve makeup while hydrating the skin simultaneously. Its star ingredient, Angelica archangelica, is an Icelandic relative of ginseng, which helps protect your skin from infections and environmental stressors. It is even fun to use, as it is most effective when applied to dry skin, then removed with the muslin cloth that is provided with the cleanser.

If you are looking for a cleanser that really does leave the skin soft, this is a must-have for any skin type.

Source: flicr user Vilseskogen

Good things come in small packages, and that is definitely true for La Bella Donna’s Co-Exist Gel Crème. This tiny little pot holds the age-fighting power of marine algae, many highly effective ingredients, and might be just what you are looking for to add to your anti aging skin care regimen. It seems to tighten aging skin, lift and hydrate skin on contact, and when you look a little deeper into the complex formulation, you can see why.

The first thing that caught my eye was the multitude of seaweeds and algae in the Marine Algae Complex, which has unbelievable benefits for aging skin. Sea vegetables are packed with nutrients that nourish the skin and reverse the signs of aging. For centuries kelps and other oceanic plants have been eaten by people on every coastal region of the planet. Not only are they a delicious addition to any meal—their health benefits far surpass any plant that grows above sea level as they contain key minerals that aren’t  found anywhere else in plant form. Their secret to being so densely packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is the fact that they are permanently submerged in seawater, which is mineral and nutrient rich itself. Seaweed is also rich in beta-carotene, Vitamin A, minerals and amino acids, and maintains collagen, making skin supple, soft, and wrinkle free (well, at least wrinkle reduced).

In addition to the Marine Algae Complex, La Bella Donna’s Co Exist-Gel Crème contains Hyaluronic Acid, which can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water. This not only drenches your skin in hydration, but aids in tissue repair by increasing collagen production.  It also contains the collagen, elastin and glucosamnoglycans increasing Matryxil, which is thought to be very beneficial in the synthesis of these 3 components for anti-aging skin care.

There are so many amazing ingredients in this little jar that I can’t list them all, but the proof really is in the results you see after the first use.  Everyone who tries it is shocked by how good their skin looks all day.

stock.xchng user Sammylee

To some people, admitting they have dandruff can be humiliating, and walking into the drugstore to get some medicated shampoo requires a level 10 head-to-toe disguise. But, just like all the other embarrassing creams and OTC remedies for delicate health problems, dandruff shampoo is purchased by millions of people every day.

Some people are plagued with scalp problems year round, but even those with baby smooth scalps can find themselves seeing flakes when the weather is wacky. No matter which category you fall into, the causes and treatment for dandruff can vary, so in order to cure this pesky malady, finding the root of the problem is your best bet in solving it.

The first thing you should do is determine the severity of your condition. If you are experiencing extreme symptoms and nothing you try seems to be making making them any better, it might be more serious than just dandruff. If you have pain, excessive scaling (that might affect other parts of your body as well as your scalp), and redness, a doctor will be able to prescribe you a stronger method of treatment for Seborrheic Dermatitis.  But, if you are just experiencing an itchier than normal scalp and are concerned with having snow-flecked shoulders, there are plenty of things you can try that will combat the problem.

What many people don’t realize is that the cause of dandruff is  an imbalance of yeast and bacteria on your scalp. Before you freak out and jump into a tub full of Purell, know that both yeast and bacteria are necessary for our bodies to function, and different kinds are living in harmony together all over our skin, hair, and our insides. The problems occur when one starts to overpower the other, allowing one side’s population to thrive and the other’s to dwindle. Things like dandruff are the result of a low bacteria count and a high yeast count. This can be caused by internal as well as external factors, but many times the slew of hair products we slather on our hair daily is the culprit.

To maintain optimal scalp health, the right hair products must be used and the wrong ones must be eliminated. Even expensive shampoos are full of oil stripping, moisture sucking ingredients and can ruin all attempts to grow the perfect head of hair. To maintain a flake free scalp year round, look for shampoos that use gentle cleansers like Cocamidopropyl Betaine, which is made from coconut oil. Another good thing to look for in a daily shampoo is an antimicrobial that will make sure to keep both yeast and bacteria in check. Look for fungus fighting ingredients (they usually end in “conazole”) when dealing with dandruff. A good option is DS Labs Dandrene Shampoo. But don’t stop at just the right shampoo. Try to cut out as many after shower products as you can, as they can cause build up when used every day. This applies to hair sprays, mousses, gels, and all other mane control serums, spritzes, and salves that you may be applying more often than necessary.  Replace some of these products with a good quality hair follicle treatment like Alterna’s Life Volume Restore Scalp and Follicle Treatment. This will not only nourish your hair and scalp, but it will also help keep the healthy bacteria and yeast in perfect harmony throughout the day.

Dandruff can be a frustrating condition, but with the right tools, it can be easy to control.  With the right hair-care routine, you will be itch-free and wearing black with confidence again in no time.

This holiday season, give the gift of beauty! Beautyfix by DermStore is launching a brand new gift giving feature just in time for the holidays. Available December first, you’ll be able to give Beautyfix to any of your loved ones. Perfect for everyone from your girlfriend to your mother-in-law, an excellent last minute gift, and sure to be the most coveted item at your holiday gift exchange, Beautyfix is a fuss-free present that will simplify and brighten your holiday.

Not yet familiar with Beautyfix? Here’s the rundown: Beautyfix.com is a unique and exclusive beauty club that helps introduce you to new beauty products without breaking the bank! Each season, a panel of beauty experts – including celebrity hair stylists, dermatologists, makeup artists, manicurists, estheticians, plastic surgeons, bloggers, and other beauty bigwigs – test hundreds of makeup, skin care, and hair care products. The panelists choose their favorites to create a collection of “best of” products, which are offered to each user in selection groups based on the customer’s profile.

The final kit includes eight products hand-chosen by the customer for a tailored kit that’s impossible to beat, and with a price that’s impossible to beat; $49.99 for a gift bag filled with products worth hundreds of dollars! No need to wrap this bad boy; your recipient’s products will arrive in a stylish travel bag that doubles as minimalistic and eco-friendly gift wrap.

On top of the wondrous beauty set that is Beautyfix, all Beautyfix.com users also have the opportunity to get a $25.00 gift card to DermStore.com. After using two or more Beautyfix kit products, every customer is invited to log in and review them to earn a gift card.* Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!

Because the final eight products in each individual Beautyfix kit are tailored to fit the needs, loves, and taste of the user, Beautyfix is truly the best gift to give and receive. At $49.99 per season, Beautyfix is an affordable way to make someone’s holiday. If you feel like being more extravagant in your gift-giving, buy three seasons for $149.97 and get the fourth free!

So, let’s review: eight new, expert-reviewed products worth hundreds for only $49.99, an easy-to-earn $25 gift card, and the option of a new Beautyfix kit each season? Sounds like a great gift idea to me! For more information, including how to order, which beauty brands are considered for the kit, member benefits, and more, visit Beautyfix.com.

*$50 minimum purchase required to redeem gift card.