Walgreen’s, CVS and other Mass Market outlets for beauty products have revamped their departments and launched highly competitive, luxurious skin care lines of their own. Prestigious lines from Finland, France, Spain, Greece and Germany are making their way into US markets through drugstore venues. So far Walgreen’s seems to be making the biggest statement, launching several European lines (called the European Beauty Collection) at once.

The advantage to launching prestigious skin care lines in pharmacies rather than grocery stores, is the perceived authority, service and available information provided in drugstore and pharmacy settings. This model is standard in Europe with high-end cosmetics and skin care lines, sitting side-by-side on the shelves with L’Oreal and Revlon. However, the dividing line had, until now, always been maintained here in the US. Now that line has been blurred and the American consumer can benefit greatly from the international choices at the local drugstore.

Walgreen’s European Beauty Collection

ARTDECO from Germany

ARTDECO banks on exotic yet high-performing ingredients usually found only in very high end skin care. The line is well known for its sophisticated formulations that appeal to all age groups and skin types.

One of the line’s premier products, Phyto Science Advanced Phyto Cream is proving to be quite popular in the US as well. This rich yet quick-absorbing cream features cocoa seed butter and pearl proteins to make skin ultra soft and supple. At $40 a jar, the cream certainly gains an edge against Juvena’s Night Cream Plus (a similar formulation) at $70.

From their literature: “As the number one cosmetics brand in German Department stores, ARTDECO provides consumers with a new and unique approach to the cosmetics market. Designed around the wishes and needs of global customers, ARTDECO skincare prides itself on its fascination with style and strict attention to premium ingredients. Whether caviar, silk, pearl or white lotus, each ingredient in the collection provides an additional experience to the luxurious treatments.”

Oli from Spain

Olive oil and leaf beauty products are popping up everywhere and where better to produce high quality olive-based skin care than Spain, the heart of the olive industry? Where French line L’Occitane charges $36 for its Olive Radiance Moisturizing Cream, Oli’s comparable Face Intensive Anti-Aging Cream is only $28.

“Oli is a complete anti-aging skincare system, combining olive oil, olive leaf extract and other nutrients with modern technology to provide maximum protection against the aging process.”

Institut Arnaud from France

Institut Arnaud features some very impressive products and has, according to salespeople, already developed quite a loyal following. The line’s body care products are doing particularly well in the highly competitive cellulite fighting market.

“A mainstay in spas across France since 1940, The Institut Arnaud has provided quality skincare and spa secrets to European women for more than 60 years. As one of France’s top skincare lines, The Institut Arnaud is continuously pushing the barrier, creating new regimes and innovative products for consumers. These advancements in the industry have provided customers with the finest skincare and established the brand as a world-wide skincare leader.”

Skincode from Switzerland

Though it is doubtful that Skincode will pull clients from that “other” Swiss line, La Prairie, the line shouldn’t be dismissed. Skincode focuses attention on healing formulations that are rigorously tested and expertly designed.

Their literature states, “Developed in Switzerland, Skincode is a brand that boasts the prestige and quality commonly associated with Swiss products. Skincode offers an extraordinary collection, created with the experience of one of Europe’s most prominent bio-cosmetic laboratories in conjunction with a leading dermatologist at The University Hospital in Zurich. Results and safety have been proven by clinical tests on every product.”

Spa Aquatique from France

Spa Aquatique will provide significant competition for lines like Phytomer, available at many Sephora stores, which also touts the benefits of its marine based ingredients, but at a significantly higher price point.

“Spa Aquatique proposes a collection of spa-quality products created by the French pioneer of marine-based skincare formulas, whose leading expertise is valued by beauty and well-being professionals all over the world. Spa Aquatique’s beneficial marine botanicals are harvested in the Iroise Sea, off the coast of Brittany France, during a span of only four months a year. This ensures that the highest quality ingredients are used and preserves the ecosystem of the world’s most significant source of seaweed.”

La Fleur Organique from France

I’m told this line is doing quite well for Walgreen’s as it has been heavily sampled and the formulas are rich and fragrant. The creams and lotions glide on beautifully without feeling heavy or occlusive.

“La Fleur Organique remains a leader in today’s skincare industry through its long history, natural production process and dedication to incorporating the earth’s finest resources. The history of La Fleur Organique dates back to last century, to the farming region of Provence, France, where rich, aromatic plants form some of the world’s finest skincare ingredients. Upon the discovery of the practice of harvesting these aromatic plants, La Fleur Organique united the best plant, phytotherapy and cosmetic specialists in the world. The result is pure, organic ingredients which are the heart of La Fleur Organique products.”

Red Water Laboratories from Greece

Like Borghese, Red Water is banking on the “Thermal Springs” benefits used in its skin care formulations. However, thermal spring-based spas and skin care lines face more of a challenge in the US market. Americans don’t frequent thermal springs in nearly as great a number as Europeans. The concept has proven to be a tough sell in the past though a more attractive price range will definitely attract new customers.

Red Water’s brochures state, “For centuries, thermal spring water has been acknowledged for its unique benefits to human wellbeing. Red Water Laboratories use this thermal spring water as the basis for their dermocosmetic formulas. The exceptional uniqueness of Red Water’s thermal spring water is that it comes from the Loutrochori Spring, in the historic Pella of Greece – the birthplace of Alexander the Great. This water, rich in minerals and trace elements, is combined with the Mediterranean nature to rejuvenate and invigorate the skin.”

At CVS, it’s all about Lumene from Finland

“Lumene combines advanced technology with the power of nature to give you truly amazing results. Lumene captures the power of natural Arctic berries and plants and puts them to work in advanced skin care solutions.”

Lumene may draw away Clarins, Biotherm, and Payot clients with its European aesthetic, beautiful smelling and high-performing formulations. Some shoppers at CVS questioned Lumene’s strictly (pale, blond) Scandinavian imagery in their advertising, stating that it didn’t really reflect the diversity of CVS’s market. Whether or not this effects sales remains to be seen. CVS sales people have reported doing very well with Lumene stating that the line’s natural ingredients and high-tech formulas are attracting more customers every day.

Juice Organics, Be.fine Food Skin Care, and Skin Effects round out CVS’s higher end skin care offerings.

So the next time you’re getting your prescription filled or picking up a bottle of aspirin, have a look at the new and improved skin care aisles and see what catches your eye!

Cosmetic wrinkle fillers have taken a big step forward with the recent launch of Babor’s revolutionary new wrinkle filler based on freeze-dried hyaluronic acid.

Babor claim that their new product offers a real alternative to injected collagen fillers or cosmetic surgery.

Hyaluronic acid which is naturally present in your skin has the capacity to hold over 200 times its own weight in water. It’s this moisture-giving ability that was responsible for much of the plumpness and softness of your skin in your teens and twenties.

Hyaluronic acid is well known to the anti aging industry – you’ll see it in most anti aging creams – precisely because of this amazing ability to deliver moisture to the skin’s surface. The difference with Babor’s wrinkle filler is the way in which the hyaluronic acid gets to your skin.

You may have tried – or thought about trying – one of the many wrinkle fillers or line fillers that have come onto the market in the last year or so. Wrinkle fillers in the past attempted to fill wrinkles from the top of the skin’s surface – a bit like plaster fills cracks! Some of them also had light reflecting particles to fool the eye so the wrinkle appeared to disappear. If you’ve tried any of these you may have had mixed results with the creams leaving a white film on the surface or not blending with make up or other creams – particularly around the eyes.

What’s new with Babor’s wrinkle filler is that Babor have freeze dried the hyaluronic acid molecules shrinking them to a third their natural size. In this minute form the spheres hyaluronic acid can reach the deepest layers of the skin. Once in contact with moisture and warmth, the tiny spheres swell to normal size and expand the tissue beneath the wrinkle – literally pushing the wrinkle out and smoothing the skin. Magic!

“The effect…is incredible. The filler takes effect after about an hour and lasts all day, due to the network-like structure that is formed on the uppermost layer of the skin—smoothing out wrinkles.”

Dr. Paul Cain, CEO, BABOR Cosmetics USA

The product has been rigorously tested in Babor’s state of the art research labs in Germany and tests show that it is not only safe but highly effective. Babor claim that their wrinkle filler – used daily – will actually stimulate and strengthen the collagen structure in the skin. For good measure they have added high levels of polysaccharides, amino acids and vitamins, to protect your skin against further damage.

Not only that but since it has a very smooth texture and sinks in rapidly – it should work very well with any make up or moisturizer you put on top.

I haven’t tried this product yet myself although I am very tempted. As it is very new that there are very few reviews available from customers. Having said that it does seem to offer a solution to many of the problems I’ve experienced in the past with other wrinkle filler products. I also like the fact that it is offering a long term anti aging benefit – unlike other short term wrinkle fillers. It is sensibly priced – although certainly not a bargain buy.

If it really is a cosmetic wrinkle filler that can replace injectible fillers then it’s certainly going to be worth it.

When to Use: Staying moisturized is vital to keeping your skin plumped up and healthy looking, so use a moisturizer twice a day, in the morning and before bed.

Which ones work best? To find out, volunteers tested both day and night creams to see how well — and how long — they hydrated the skin. At each of three readings throughout the day, our chemists tested the volunteers’ skin with our Corneometer (an instrument that measures moisture levels in the top layer of skin). We also asked about the creams’ scents, textures, and usability.

THE RESULTS

• Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream ($28, drugstores) was the highest-scoring day cream in our tests.
• Lancôme Absolue Premium Bx Night Recovery Cream ($132, department stores)
• Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Night Cream ($20, drugstores) tied for first place in the night cream category.

Brighten up dullness with a facial highlighting wand, which contains a lightweight, almost shimmery version of concealer. Applied in the right places, highlighter can take years off your faced.

How-to: Put on your makeup as usual, then use the wand to create any of these effects:

For an instant eye lift Swipe some highlighter along your brow bone, just below the eyebrows, and at the inner corners of your eyes.

For definition Dab it on cheekbones.

For an illusion of fullness Apply it just above the bow of your top lip and below the widest part of your bottom lip.

To try: Estée Lauder Ideal Light Brush-On Illuminator ($24.50, department stores), Mary Kay Facial Highlighting Pen ($18, marykay.com), or Pantina White Light Highlighting Stick ($6, drugstores).

A caveat: Highlighter attracts attention to the area where you’ve applied it. So beware: Don’t use it in place of traditional concealer, or people will be staring at your trouble spots.

• No More Knots

The Remington Tangle Tamer looks as if it would snarl, not smooth, your hair. But its twisting teeth do untangle locks, whether they’re wet or dry.

• Perfect Eyebrow Arches

For unruly brows, try Noxzema’s Eyebrow Shaper. This mini-razor works faster — and is less painful — than plucking.

• Smooth Shave

The angled head on the Bikini Touch Hair Remover and Trimmer deals with hard-to-reach areas without irritating sensitive skin.

• Clever Cleanser

After two weeks of exfoliating with DermaNew’s Crystal Resurfacing Soap, testers said their skin was smoother. And the soap’s handle made it easy to lather up.

• Pedicure Prize

To get smooth, soft feet, check out ESG Engineering’s The Heeler. Testers found this callus-removing pedicure gadget easy to use, but there is one caveat: If you’re not gentle while using the tool, it could cause abrasions.

Which products provide noticeable and lasting results? Which products are top performers at rejuvenating your skin?

How effective is the product you use? The topical wrinkle reducing product market is exploding. How does the consumer determine which products are effective? How does the consumer determine which product is right for them?

In this article we offer our readers a comprehensive list of anti-wrinkle products based on our evaluations. We reviewed the over 200 products currently available for the treatment of wrinkles. Our assessment included review of the following product attributes: long term effectiveness for wrinkle reduction; instant reduction of fine lines and wrinkles; antioxidant protective properties delaying skin cell aging; skin renewal and collagen stimulating properties; and skin smoothing and firming properties. Based on the outcome of our evaluation of these product attributes we ranked each product accordingly. Our list is presented in descending order based upon the cumulative score of product attributes. • Be certain to consistently apply the product(s) you choose in accordance with its directions for use;• Pay special attention to your neck and hands while applying the product(s) you choose, as these areas reflect your age;• Always use sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15;• Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to stay well hydrated;• Avoid excessive intake of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, as they may contribute to dehydration and exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and be sure to get adequate rest every day: (more…)

Plastic surgeons offering makeovers for yummy mummies Like many moms, Adrienne Chevalier tried various creams in hopes of reducing the stretch marks that accompanied her first pregnancy, but other than a natural fade from bright red to shiny white, nothing worked. Like Chevalier, many women these days are willing to go to extreme measures to become laser hot mamas. “We’ve definitely had more moms coming in over the last five years,” says Dr. Arielle Kauvar, clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine and director of New York Laser & Skin Care. “A lot more women want to correct the problems they’ve developed during pregnancies.”

Those problems can range from stretch marks and loose belly skin to spider and varicose veins to melasma (brown pigmentation on the face from hormonal changes) to milked-out, deflated breasts. And although our mothers and grandmothers had to make do with cocoa butter, thick hose and hefty Cross Your Heart bras, today’s moms (many of whom fit snugly into the “yummy mummy” category) are heading to the plastic surgeon and skin care clinic for breast lifts, tummy tucks and the latest in laser treatments.

At Houston’s Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Mark Schusterman started getting so many requests for the same postpartum procedures that he created Makeovers for Moms, a program that packages procedures such as breast lifts, tummy tucks and liposuction into one-fell-swoop surgery.

“A lot of these women have worked hard to look good before their pregnancy and afterwards they say, ‘This doesn’t work for me.’ “Hormones alone can wreak havoc on a woman’s body during and after a pregnancy,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist in Omaha, Neb., and president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. “And many of the changes hit older moms harder. In my practice, we’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the number of women seeking postpartum treatments in the last five years. Ervin’s rejection of the “mother as martyr” mindset is fairly indicative of what author Jessica Denay calls a “hot mom,” a term that has more to do with embracing your sense of self than the surgically enhanced sex appeal of the “Desperate Housewives” set.

“It’s both a culture shock and a body shock.”

And then there’s the sticker shock. The clinic that helped Alabama mom Adrienne Chevalier feel comfortable in her bikini again charges approximately $3,500 for four Fraxel treatments. The Titan skin-tightening procedure Ervin received – which requires five treatments in all — costs about $5,000. Dr. Schusterman’s Makeovers for Moms can run anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on which procedures are cobbled together.

Postpartum price tag Below are 2006 national averages for surgeon/physician fees for common postpartum procedures, courtesy of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. — Breast augmentation: $3,600

— Breast lift: $4,220

— Laser treatment of leg veins: $400

— Liposuction: $2,750

— Sclerotherapy (spider/varicose vein treatment): $332

— Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): $5,063

Spotlight on stretch marks Although there’s still no magic bullet for stretch marks, there are numerous new treatments on the market, particularly in the field of laser technology.

“Laser is currently the best way to get rid of stretch marks,” says Dr. Arielle Kauvar of New York Laser & Skin Care.

“Some people’s stretch marks will disappear, but others’ will only mildly improve,” says Dr. David H. McDaniel, assistant professor of clinical dermatology and plastic surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Both doctors agree, however, that for early, red stretch marks, pulsed dye laser (which McDaniel refers to as a “red eraser”) is the most effective, although “it’s best on white fair skin and will leave ‘footprints’ on darker skin.” Older white stretch marks, the two agree, appear to do better with fractionated lasers such as Fraxel or Palomar Lux 1540, which appear to be effective on all skin types. According to McDaniel, this type of laser treats 20 to 25 percent of the skin at a time and requires approximately four treatments.