The adage ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ may no longer apply to apples having the ability to keep just the flu bug away.
The discovery of phloretin, an antioxidant derived from apples, means that the fruit may also help reduce the risk of skin cancer.
‘Phloretin is a powerful antioxidant found to be effective in protecting human skin from the effects of the sun when applied topically,’ said Dr Sheldon Pinnell, founder of SkinCeuticals. He was the leader of the scientific team that made the discovery after five years of research.
The United States-based skincare brand is the first to combine phloretin with other well-known antioxidants like vitamin C into a single anti-ageing serum called Phloretin CF.
Early clinical studies showed that phloretin – found both in the flesh and skin of apples, as well as in the root bark of apple, pear and grapefruit trees – effectively fights the effects of photo-ageing.
Photo-ageing refers to the ageing of skin by ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a result of repeated exposure to the sun over many years.
A 2006 study published in the Biological And Pharmaceutical Bulletin found that phloretin reduces DNA damage caused by UV radiation by 80 per cent.
In addition, the compound also inhibits the enzyme elastase, which causes wrinkles and sagging skin.
Excessive exposure to UV rays causes skin cells to weaken.
The worst outcome of this damage is skin cancer, where skin cells start to multiply abnormally.
Resisting this process are chemical compounds called antioxidants.
Antioxidants guard against photo-ageing by transforming unstable molecules, called free radicals, into unreactive compounds.
The tricky part, when using antioxidants in skincare products, is combining them with other chemicals such that their efficacy will not be lowered. Vitamin C, for instance, is unstable and disintegrates after some time.
The development of the patent-pending technology in the formula Phloretin CF, now sold as a skincare product containing a cocktail of three antioxidants – vitamin C, ferulic acid and phloretin – is the cumulation of over 20 years of work, said Dr Pinnell.
However, this breakthrough does not mean that antioxidants can replace sunscreen entirely, he said.
‘At this point, I wouldn’t say that you can eliminate sunscreen,’ he said. ‘Maybe in the future, as antioxidant technology gets better.’
However, Dr Pinnell recommends the use of antioxidants in addition to the application of sunscreen in a daily skincare regimen.
‘Sunscreen contains a lot of synthetic chemicals,’ he said. ‘It works only on the outside, absorbing UV rays.
‘Antioxidants, on the other hand, work inside the skin and provide long-term protection.’
Having said that, it is important not to overdo things, added Dr Pinnell. This is because UV rays help our skin produce vitamin D that is vital for calcium absorption.
‘You can be relatively vitamin D-deficient if you use sunscreen and antioxidants very religiously,’ he said.
Whether you’ve noticed the signs of aging in family and friends, or acknowledged how it affects your own mind and body, getting older is an unavoidable part of life. And while Ponce de Leon never found the Fountain of Youth, daily preventative measures can be taken to help you age beautifully both inside and out.
The most frequently recognized signs of aging include extrinsic indicators such as gray hair and wrinkles. But have you ever stopped to think about other factors that influence how young we feel and how young others perceive us to be? Here are some tips on how to take aging in stride and help you look and feel your youngest:
* Heart-felt: Choosing a heart-healthy diet may not only lengthen your lifespan by helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, it will also help you age healthier. The FDA recommends eating well-balanced meals low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt. Additionally, heart-friendly foods, especially those high in fiber, such as salmon, soy protein, oatmeal and spinach, will help you stay “young at heart.”
* Smile On: Tooth stains and red gums can age the appearance of your smile and impact its health. In fact, gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease that affects one out of every two adults, can be a major cause behind prematurely aging smiles. “The good news is that it’s preventable,” says Dr. Jamie Sands, D.D.S. “I recommend using Crest Pro-Health toothpaste, which helps stop gingivitis before it starts and protects all these areas dentists check most — plaque, cavities, tartar, sensitivity and stains and a power toothbrush, such as Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean, which reduces up to two times more plaque than a manual brush.”
* Work It: No one is too old to reap the benefits of exercise. Regular physical activity provides endless advantages — from reducing the risk of osteoporosis to increased energy and feelings of well-being — even a brisk 20-minute walk several times a week can improve your overall health.
* Skin Deep: Although genes are a major factor in how skin ages, a great deal of visible aging also stems from environmental factors. Just a few minutes of sun exposure a day can cause noticeable changes to the skin, such as freckles, age spots, spider veins, fine wrinkles, and of course, skin cancer. To maintain your youngest-looking skin, avoid deliberate sun exposure, wear protective clothing such as a wide-brimmed hat, and apply sunscreen, preferably SPF 15 or higher, year-round.
* Thought-provoking: Studies suggests that people who engage in logic-based activities, such as crossword puzzles and games that involve strategy like Scrabble or chess, are less likely to develop memory loss. Not only will these hobbies keep your vision and hand-eye coordination sharp, but such challenges also help to keep your mind active.
You focus so much time trying to slow the inevitable signs of aging on your face.Yet, you forget to address the exposed skin of your neck and décolleté. And, if you haven’t heard, the best way to tell a woman’s true age is by taking a peek at her neck.It’s time to address that “tell-all” with these neck and chest targeting products.
Wei East China Herbal Youth Recaptured Serum
Concentrated Chinese herbal extracts nourish the neck, sealing in moisture in this oil-free, acid-free skin rejuvenating serum.
Jurlique Herbal Recovery Neck Serum
Organic and biodynamically farmed flowers, plants, and herbs are delicately combined in the formulation of this lightweight, intense, hydrating gel to help minimize the visible signs of aging on the neck and décolletage.
Biotone Facial Therapy Massage Creme with Bio-Firming Complex
is boosted with natural botanicals of white peach, pineapple enzyme, quince, and mango to balance out your skin. Start on your face and shimmy it down to your décolleté for a consistently smooth, toned, and firm face and neck.
Perfect Cleavage from This Works
Made with larch extract and pomegranate oil, and infused with rose, tonka bean, and frankincense essential oils, Perfect Cleavage helps nourish, tighten and add a touch of shimmer to the neck and chest, without the use of mineral oils, synthetic fragrance or color,GMO ingredients, sulphates, or parabens.
Apivita Aromatherapy Skin Supplement Neck Cream
This unique formula deeply nourishes the skin, energizing and strengthening it deep below the surface area with antioxidant-rich grapeseed, olive oil, and green tea.
It’s not yet May and I’ve already found my favorite all-natural beauty product of 2008. Held in a simple one-ounce pump bottle emblazoned with a tiny Chinese character, it dominates my bathroom cabinet with its moisturizing prowess and transforms my dehydrated postnatal skin into a thing of supple beauty with a few powerful drops.
And just as a novel has to be unusually spectacular to hold my attention these days, my number-one moisturizer must surprise and delight me while containing nothing but the finest of organic ingredients.
Created by Beth Hooper and Laura Kauffmann — acupuncturists and Chinese herbalists — She Essential Beauty’s facial serum is the next generation of skin care. The women behind She (pronounced “shay”) have created a line of moisturizing and cleansing products that are based on the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which means that my prized facial serum is not only made from the best organic and all-natural ingredients, but also includes mother-of-pearl, which the Chinese have used for centuries to enhance the skin’s beauty.
Since 2006, Hooper and Kauffmann have been lovingly handcrafting their TCM-influenced collection of products, including sugar scrubs, washing grains, bath salts, lip balm and the delectable facial serum (not a lotion, not an oil, but an immensely effective moisturizer for face, throat, even under eyes). Their products use Chinese herbs like the bo he found in the Lemongrass-Mint Sugar Scrub, and dang gui, which is tucked into the herbal lip balm. (The former herb helps to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain, while the latter aids in regenerating new skin cells.)
For the uninitiated, Hooper and Kauffmann have distilled TCM into a palatable definition: “The modern practice of ancient healing techniques from China, whose tradition began over 3,000 years ago, TCM owes its foundation to four modalities which comprise a holistic medical system: acupuncture, dietary therapy, qi gong and Chinese herbal medicine.” In developing their line of sumptuous skin care products the ladies turned to “Mei Rong,” the cosmetology section of TCM dedicated to maintaining the skin’s youth and well-being. Hooper recently took some time to tell me all about it.
What inspired you to start a skin care line based on TCM?
Both my partner and I are Chinese medicine practitioners (certified herbalists and licensed acupuncturists). Our skin was changing as we got older, and when we looked at our options for skin care there were not enough organic alternatives. We were looking for products that contained no parabens or synthetics. It then occurred to us that we could do so much if we used Chinese herbs in products. Occasionally a company would throw ginger in something, but no one was using Chinese herbs in a broad scale in skin care products. At first we wanted our products for ourselves, and then we wanted to share them with others.
Most Chinese herbs are used for dermatological issues — they are medicinally focused — but we knew that wouldn’t have an appeal for the public. We wanted to create something that wasn’t just functional but also very luxurious for people to use. “She” in Chinese means luxury.
How do you follow the philosophy of Chinese medicine in your products?
As we age we lose our yin (the moist substance, also known as the female part of our body) and our skin starts to dry out. We looked for essential oils that will nourish the yin. Our products are designed for women who are getting a little older and starting to see fine lines and wrinkles. [We include] herbs that have anti-inflammatory properties, pore-tightening qualities, herbs that move chi (energy) and that are calming and balancing. It’s about finding the best herbs and applying them appropriately. We aim to calm the spirit, working on you on a more mental level — it’s beauty from the inside out.
What’s your favorite product?
The facial serum — it contains mother-of-pearl, carrot seed oil, and is anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant and wrinkle reducer. You put it on and your skin glows. It’s our number-one seller. [Note to reader: I was a fan of the facial serum before Beth told me it was her favorite product. Now I’m even more convinced.] And the washing grains — they are a gentle exfoliant and such a good antioxidant, with green tea extract and oatmeal and honey. The skin is delicate, particularly the area around the eye. You can use an oatmeal honey-based scrub and it will get dead skin cells off without making it red or irritated.
Do-it-yourself beauty tips, starring sugar, honey and avocados
While copious amounts of shampoos, conditioners, face scrubs and body soaps fill the aisles of CVS, it is quite possible that the incomprehensible ingredients listed on the back of the bottle came from nuclear waste. Behentrimonium chloride? Hydroxyethyl palmitamide? Seriously?
Placing blind faith in cosmetics companies seems risky these days, especially after reports of lead-containing lipstick and companies fighting laws that mandate reporting cancer-causing chemicals. Instead of wasting your time wondering what potentially dangerous chemicals you are lathering on your body, try these homemade beauty items, guaranteed to contain natural, non-toxic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen or grocery store.
Soften your skin
What you need:
* Natural or raw sugar
* Olive oil
* Honey
* Lemon or orange juice
Benefit Boutique proprietor Christian VanBrimmer recommends this sugar scrub for dry face or skin. If you’re using it on the body, mix olive oil with sugar until you achieve a liquid, grainy consistency. For the face, add small amounts of olive oil, honey and lemon juice for a scrub that is “super easy, super fabulous and super simple,” VanBrimmer said.
Diminish your pores
What you need:
* Honey
* Egg whites
If your pores resemble tiny donuts, use this mixture to minimize their appearance. Separate the white from the egg, and mix in a spoonful of honey. Apply the mixture evenly to your face. Once it has dried, use cold water to remove it. Repeat every two weeks to reduce pore size and even out skin tone.
Rejuvenate your hair
What you need:
* Olive oil
* Honey
* Plastic bathing cap
* Shampoo
Mix two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of honey into a plastic bag. Place the bag into a cup of hot water. Once the mixture is warm, massage it into your hair and cover your head with a plastic cap. After 15 minutes, shampoo your hair as normal. This hot oil treatment will restore your hair and leave your locks light and shiny.
Exfoliate your face
What you need:
* Milk
* Salt
In a bowl, thoroughly mix a half cup of milk and a half teaspoon of salt. Use a cotton ball to dab the mixture over the forehead and face. Leave it on for two to three minutes and re-apply. After the mixture is dry, rub your face in circular motions and then rinse. The salt exfoliates dead cells and the milk nourishes the skin, giving it a brighter and fresher sheen.
Deep-condition your hair
What you need:
* Avocado
* Mayonnaise
* Olive oil
* Plastic shower cap
Place a peeled, cored avocado, a quarter to half cup of mayonnaise (depending on hair length), and two tablespoons of oil in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Apply the mixture to your hair as you would conditioner and place a shower cap over your head. Let it sit in your hair for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse the mixture off in the shower.
This recipe will deep-condition your hair and make it strong and smooth.
Remove your hair’s excess product build-up
What you need:
* Water
* Vinegar
After repeated use, debris from hair products can build up at the roots of your hair, weakening it and preventing it from reaching its full potential. Combine one cup of water with a quarter cup of vinegar. After shampooing and conditioning, use this to rinse your hair to eliminate build-up.
Exfoliate your elbows and knees
What you need:
* Ground coffee
* Sugar
* Vanilla extract
* Olive oil
Mix a quarter cup of olive oil and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix a half cup of coffee grinds with a cup of sugar. Combine the two mixtures and blend them into a paste. Soften skin under warm water for five to ten minutes, and massage the scrub in small circles on dry or rough skin, and follow with a shower gel.
Note: Do not use this scrub on your face or any broken skin. Use once a week, unless you have particularly dry skin — then use it twice a week.
Other quick-fix remedies
Tea bags: VanBrimmer recommends using chamomile tea bags to de-puff the eye area. After brewing tea, place the used tea bags in the refrigerator and place them over the eyes the next morning.
Fresh fruits: Fruits, particularly strawberries, can be mashed and applied to the face to brighten the complexion.
Ice cubes: Combine one part milk with three parts water, and freeze; cover the frozen cube in a cloth, and rub that over your face to tighten pores and alleviate sunburns.
Cucumbers: They’re a quintessential beauty product, but deservingly so: Place a sliced cucumber over the eye for ten minutes to reduce undereye bags.
All-natural product lines
If you still prefer to buy your beauty products at the store, consider buying all-natural, chemical-free beauty products. Stella McCartney’s makeup line is all-natural and vegan, and Bare Escentuals is a mineral makeup line with no preservatives.
The use of chocolate in cosmetics started merely as means to trigger a sensorial experience, as most products from a few years ago contained chocolate-flavored chemicals exclusively and not an ounce of real chocolate. As the studies about the internal effects of dark chocolate progressed (flavonoids, anti-oxidants, happiness hormones, you know all that stuff), a few entrepreneurial, creative minds decided that chocolate would have positive effects when used externally as a beauty aid. Susan Kim, founder of Asiana, a home-spa natural cosmetics company, says that “it was safe to assume that chocolate was good when topically applied,” as the less refined it was, the more anti-oxidants it contained. So spas started introducing chocolate spa treatments that would smooth out the skin and hydrate it and new cosmetics companies introduced real chocolate alongside other natural elements like honey, clay, algae, fruit purees in some of their products. Studies that tried to extract information about the effects of topical use of chocolate or cocoa powder have not been very conclusive, but that does not prevent us from enjoying it more than ever.
We have selected a few beauty products that have real chocolate, cocoa powder or cocoa butter in their composition and we tested them to see if they have a purely olfactory role or if they actually moisturize and soothe the skin.
Working our way from top to toes, let’s stop first and evaluate the lip products available on the market. Joey New York offers dual ended Professional Collagen Building Lip Perks, coffee scented pencils that will awaken the senses while giving you a lip boost. Of course, our pick from the collection is the Brazilian Coffee with A Hint of Cocoa, which is a dark caramel lipstick with a hint of pink. Caffeine caffeine caffeine, without ingesting one gulp. They also offer DeLIPcious balms among which they had to include a cocoa diva inspiredly named Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. The name alone will bring temptation a step closer to home.
A special product that I particularly enjoyed due to the fact that it actually has an effect on my permanently cracked, rather large lips is Ganache for Lips, a stick balm made with real Scharffen Berger chocolate, beeswax, and various natural extracts, essential oils and vitamin E. Created by Patricia West who was trying to cope with her chemotherapy-induced fatigue through aromatherapy, the miraculous lip balm comes in 9 flavors now: Chocolate Peppermint, Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Hazelnut, Mocha Latte, Chocolate Orange, Lemon Mousse, Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Marzipan and Vanilla Mousse. I generally don’t use lip products because they make my lips even drier, but this balm has maintained them moist, non-greasy and most of all, tasty. No one touches my Ganache Raspberry!
Lush, the famously über-playful and creative company has a chocolate lip balm as well. Nested in a round box, the Lush Whipstick contains Dutch chocolate, oil and wheatgerm oils, carnauba and beeswax and it’s flavored with orange and tangerine. Girly and gourmet at the same time, it makes for an excellent purse buddy.
After the lips comes the body. And for the body, we have scrubs first and foremost, as I have learned that exfoliation precedes any cleansing in the spa world. Bella Lucce’s lovely Peruvian Chocolate Scrub that smells of genuine milk chocolate is made of pressed cocoa butter and coconut oil with gentle pure cane sugar which sloughs the dead cells. Made with French cocoa absolute and organic, Dagoba fair trade Peruvian cocoa, it is a generous and entirely natural treat for your body. You will notice the results are amazing and that natural is the way to go.
Origins recently added a Cocoa Therapy™ line to their already famous products. Their body-buffing scrub is made with cocoa extract, walnut shells and apricot seeds cushioned in cocoa butter, scaring the dead cells away with just one look. Your skin could not feel any smoother and brighter and you couldn’t feel fresher after your encounter with cocoa.
The Merry Chocoholic is a newly arrived company on the chocolate-dependent scene and they offer lots of cocoa-based cosmetic products from all over the country that you can put on your bathroom shelves without feeling guilty. They only sell a Chocolate Silk Brown Sugar Scrub under the company’s name and I have to say it smells delicious. I almost sunk my teeth in it when I opened it the first time, the second time and the third time. The brown sugar combined with shea butter, sunflower oil and cocoa butter is gentle yet effective in its removal of sagging cells. We salute the merry chocoholics.
Now, the following scrub is Asiana’s Mocha Peppermint made with Dutch chocolate and grinded coffee and it’s one of the best scrubs I have yet to see. Inspired loosely by the peppermint patty, this energizing scrub cleans the skin, invigorates it with the caffeine contained by both the cocoa and the coffee and gives you a kick of energy you never thought possible through the sheer sense of smell. The anti-oxidant grinded coffee exfoliates and stimulates the micro-cellular circulation, while the oils of jojoba, sweet almond and grape seed provide healing benefits. But what makes it so distinctive is the uplifting smell of the peppermint with a discreet hint of cinnamon that seems to propel its effects to the next level. The concoction is almost 100% pure, with just a few touches of chemical enhancer and, as the label reads “it was tested only on friends and family.”
After a good scrub, you definitely need a good wash to remove all the cocoa from the already love-intoxicated skin cells. For those who prefer to use the soap bars and like to soak in the tub, the choices are varied. Bella Lucce offers a Peruvian Chocolate Moisturizing Syrup enriched with a dash of honey. You just need to pour some in your bathtub and you’ll soon swim in a sea of dreams. Origins also offers an energy-boosting body bar that will leave your skin, oh-so-soft. Crabtree & Evelyn, the well-known beauty company that has been using natural ingredients since its very inception, has a very softening and aromatic soap bar from cocoa butter, nutmeg and cardamom in its collection. The spices do not overpower you with their aromas, however they leave a soft trail of the exotic on your skin.
Asiana knows what good life is all about as it made a bath milk with real Ghirardelli dark chocolate, dark cocoa powder and coconut cream– all those crazy anti-oxidants running towards your skin and yelling “Kill the aging agents”- and bottled it up in a huge container for your shopping convenience. When you pour it into the water, you can see the flakes of chocolate melting away and working surreptitiously towards a clean and healthy skin.
Last but not least Lush, the company not the drunk, gives us the Ma Bar, which is a toffee and chocolate block topped with a sugar cube that will melt into a bubble bath once it’s crumbled in the running water. It is jokingly marketed as a gift for your mother when you have budget constraints. It is fun and it smells like dessert (orange chocolate, toffee, honey, yum), and like the Lush catalog suggest, you may get yourself one while you are at it. Mom will surely love it, but she deserves much more than a nice bath.
If you are in the shower, you need a good body wash or gel to clear out that chocolate scrub and we have just the things for you. Philip B, a celebrity darling when it comes to beauty products, has a Chocolate Milk Body Wash that will even get your children excited about the prospect of a bath. A blend of toning cocoa butter, rejuvenating oat protein and wheat amino acids and moisturizing aloe, this wash will treat your skin like royalty. Jaqua Beauty has in store (The Bath and Body Works one) for you a Mint Chocolate Hydrating Shower Syrup. It contains Vitamins A, E and B5 that will exfoliate, condition and soften the skin, a nice peppermint extract that will cool you off and a ginseng extract that will regenerate and replenish texture. Again Lush proposes a fun product called Sonic Death Monkey Shower Gel that is infused with herbal tea from the Caribbean, herbal coffee (hm!) from Jamaica, cocoa, lime, orange and vanilla. Thank God, this eclectic mixture doesn’t end up smelling like its name but far more exotic than that. The coffee and citrus flavors will wake you up no matter how early in the morning it is.
Many people have dry skin and not even a seriously moisturizing shower gel or soap can fix that. That is why the lotions and body butters exist in this world. The ones that we tried and that made a lasting impression on our not-so-toned skin deserve kudos as there are not many lotions in the world that would surprise us easily. Jaqua’s Mint Chocolate Sinfully Rich Cocoa Body Butter contains the same ingredients as the shower syrup more or less but it has a considerable quantity of cocoa butter that smoothes out the skin and gives it a rich glow. Crabtree & Evelyn’s Cocoa Butter, Nutmeg & Cardamom Body Butter is just as aromatic and sensual as the body bar, but with a more persistent and deeper scent. You will imagine you are traveling in a caravan on the Spice Route after you immerse yourself in the rich, peachy cream. Joey New York comes to the rescue of the lifeless cells with its very own White Chocolate Body Shimmer, a non-greasy body oil that glides over the skin leaving a glowing finish. White chocolate supplies the active ingredient, the macadamia nut oil represents the healing and reviving agent of the lotion leaving a gentle glowing finish. Bella Lucce’s Bliss Crème is rich in cocoa butter and French cacao absolute and smells like a decadent portion of milk chocolate, hovering sweet and light over your tegument. It nourishes and protects, while it makes you totally unproductive as you sit round entranced, sniffing your delicious smelling epidermis. Origins’ cocoa therapy ™ Deeply nourishing body butter also contains pure cocoa that helps fortify the skin’s youthful appearance, alongside vitamins A, B, C and E and minerals like Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium and Copper. To top it up, it boasts a dose of Theobroma Grandiflorum- also known as Cupuacu, a tree that is related to the cocoa tree – that helps repair the skin’s moisture barrier. I have not heard about this one before, but I’ll take their word for it.
In the end, there comes the marching band of chocolate hued but not really so chocolaty cosmetics that we all love to use. They are called the fake tanners. The make you look like chocolate but have none in them. Despite this, we still like to consider them part of our big chocolate family, especially now that the sun is playing hide and seek behind the clouds.
Bourjois, the famed beauty products French company, is launching two new products in the USA this fall that will be found for sure in Sephora boutiques. Petit Dessert du Teint (literally meaning ‘little dessert for the complexion’) is an illuminating gel that guarantees a natural caramel skin tone. It is very light, it suits all skin tones and its vanilla aroma will bring to mind the dessert it promises. The other brilliant product is Delice de Poudre (‘powdery delight’), a bronzing powder, which comes in the compact shape of chocolate squares in a thin box with a kabuki brush, and it has two different shades for lighter and darker skin types.
Fake Bake is another wildly acclaimed self-tanner that has even been awarded the Best Self-Tanner in the United Kingdom by Women’s Cosmetic Guide. Celebrities use it and mortals are dying for it, although its patent is still pending. The product has a built-in ‘chocolate’ color guide – a dark temporary color that allows you to see exactly where you are applying the product, so there are no dark spots, patches and dubious-looking marks, but a uniform, glorious tan. Just apply it at night before you go to bed and rinse it in the morning with warm water. Ta daa.
There is one more particular chocolate product that I’d like to tell you about now although it bends the category of cosmetic or culinary. It is probably more fit for our Sex and Chocolate issue that will sometime come soon, but I would rather tell you about it now. Chocolate Dust for Lovers from Green Dragon Herbals doesn’t really need an explanation for what it does. You just sprinkle it on your beloved on and you nibble away. Come to think about it, since it doesn’t have sugar, you can sprinkle it on your palm and nibble away when you really crave chocolate but prefer to think you are on a diet. It’s fun and it comes with a feather to help you in your endeavors.
