He posted recently about women and cosmetic advertising in Hope Springs Eternal, But Why’s It So Expensive. Many women made excellent suggestions about why we are so easily and willingly sucked in by beauty advertising. I think about this topic a lot. I didn’t respond on the blog site because I’d write a page. In fact, I’m about to.

Nevermind if you use the Paula’s Choice products. I ask women why they don’t subscribe to Beautypedia. They see the reviews as just another marketing voice, just Paula’s opinion. Maybe it takes training in science to understand the incomparable value of independent examination based on sound research. All science asks for is SOUND proof.

From the latest popular ingredient’s perspective, science only hears the beat of its love affair with North American technology. Science seems to support only boring, mistake-ridden, traditional medicine. That fallacy is fabulous for anyone trying to cash in on that new ingredient, but that’s not at all what science is about. The Paula group is just looking for sound proof. Why it unleashes such a firestorm of offense and emotion, I do not know.

Women figure that sure, the claims are exaggerated, you’d expect that, but they must be half right. If not, wouldn’t there be mobs of angry women coming after these companies? Well, actually, unless you threaten their children or the planet, women don’t get angry. It’s quite OK to hurt us, we can take it, have had centuries of practice. The advertisers know they’re safe from us.

They’ve become expert at keeping us a little uncomfortable with our appearance. It keeps us buying. A confused consumer is wonderfully gullible. If you have 8 lipsticks all the same colour, then they have you exactly where they want you : uncertain. On the Boss>>>>>Bubblegum Princess<<<<<Stripper spectrum, they want you to the right of middle. We spend ourselves silly trying to look like our daughters. It cheapens us. In the same breath, we minimize and reduce our joy and power when they’re the real accomplishment. Once we’re 40, we deny too much of the good stuff on the inside.

Another common response is “I can tell if something works, and if I can’t, my friend can”. Oh, right. Just like you can identify the vitamins in the food you eat by taste. Not going to talk about that.

Could it be that we don’t buy the face cream to be face cream? When the day is bad, we can always afford a little gift to self. We never expected it to do anything. The bottle says what we wanted it to say so we felt better at that moment. If it made us happy that day, then it served its purpose. We didn’t buy it to do anything for our skin. But habits form easily in the absence of anything better. This is where repeat sales come from, not performance, at least in skin care.

Women want the product to create a safe place. Though the women reading this probably don’t fall into this category, the majority feels better if someone else is going to look after their skin (and their money) so they don’t have to think about it. Paula’s Choice embeds their product in a lesson that’s confrontational and stimulating. So does Colour Analysis, for that matter. Most women are avoiders and soothers, not challengers. They feel too tired and un-confident most of the time to take more on.

Bryan’s question was not addressed to women in general, though. That’s my soapbox. He asked “Why do Paula-educated women keep falling for the hype and the hope?”

Because, every now and again, something that truly works comes along. Once they get the glitches out, like the Vitamin A sisters, a new product might be something we should buy.

At 12Blueprints, Jocelyn Is A Bright Winter. With video! To see the potential in yourself as you never have… and in keeping with the theme that change happens from the inside out.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Women and Cosmetic Advertising. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2010, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

I got my new bottle of Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair moisturizer a few days ago.

I’m not going to go on about the ingredients. Anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-wrinkles?How would I know? How would anyone know except the guy who concocted the formula, did the math that balanced the ration, got out her measuring spoons and the scale, assembled the ingredients, and swirled it all together in the big tub?

It is highly non-greasy and fast absorbing. It feels fantastic and light. It doesn’t bug my eyes. Dry skin may not find this emollient enough unless you use 6 pumps of it. I still apply Skin Recovery Moisturizer about 15 minutes later. Otherwise, I haven’t much to say one way or the other. I’m not going to tell you that “my skin was smoother within a week”. Polysporin ointment, Vaseline, LaMer cream, or olive oil could potentially do that.

The day I got it, I applied a new layer every 15 minutes for a total of 5. Do I look different? No, no, I know the big pay-off comes in 10 years. It’s like brushing your teeth. Having the skin you have today, tomorrow is nothing. Can you do it 10 years from now? Commitment to prevention IS the name of this game. I’m still applying a new layer every time I go in the bathroom, but that’s just because it’s fun.

So, why will I buy more (and I’m buying 3 more on my next Visa bill)? Because I trust the company that made it. Their complete transparency is their biggest marketing asset. If they lie, Paula would have to close the doors on the whole show. Though Paula taught us not to take face cream, and especially the marketing of it, at face value, she also stakes her entire reputation on her own products. I accept her claims and her ingredient list.

Back in 4 Wrong Ways To Choose Skin Cream And One Way That Works, I talked about how a consumer hasn’t got a clue about what’s in face cream, any more than what’s in dog food. Unless you know the recipe and saw the ingredients go in, all you have to go on is how much you trust the guy selling it you. I can’t read the label on moisturizer, a tub of margarine, or a bag of pet food.

There is a whole lot too much trust going on where face stuff is concerned.

I made this same analogy, about face cream and pet food, to a woman looking for great kitten food the other day. She was floored. This was a whole new concept. Young woman. Educated. Professional. How could she have been so surprised? The consumer isn’t dumb, but we’re distracted by busy lives and willing to soak up some advertising too willingly .

Is there more? Is there an inertia among women that must be pierced before we will take action on our own behalf?

There certainly is in my case, not in the skin care arena, but in the finance sector of our household. I used to let my husband “take care of it”. I’m ashamed to say it. I know he’s no better at it than I would be. I use the excuse that I’ve been raising 3 kids and had a job. Not good enough.

What is it about women that makes us so trusting on one level and so mistrusting on another?

Why do we so complacently keep the advertising-based, truth-hiding, truth-lacking cosmetics industry so rich?

Do we not believe they’d really lie so blatantly without punishment or restrictions?

Do we want the hope they sell us, more than the result we don’t ever really expect? Do we figure that even if it does 1/10 of what it promises, we’ll forgive their lies?

Just too lazy and don’t care, don’t believe there could really be such disparity in face cream?

Deeper?

Do we want to avoid the consequence of making a wrong decision? If I bore deep into what I will barely admit, perhaps I don’t look after the family finances because of the fear of the repercussions if I make a mistake.

I work with a man. I admire his ability to use only the facts he needs to support a decision. Most of the time he’s right. If not, he reconsiders using all the data, not just the part that suited Plan A. Women stall. We delay. We need to know all the answers. We order more tests. We get caught up in the price of eggs and coffee, and don’t bother to look at where the big money lies. It takes us 3 months longer to get something done, unless we forgot about it altogether.

It must be difficult for a company to find a new language every time they have a new product to market. They have to differentiate it from every other cream, including their own. Are inflated claims the language that sells to women? Is that what breaks through our inertia? Then, when it doesn’t work, we can say “Yeah, well, they said the cream would move the mountains and it didn’t, so it’s their fault for making it sound so good, not my fault for buying it.”

Are we afraid of knowledge and power because we’d have to do something with it?

Are we making the impossible leap from “it doesn’t bother my skin” to “ it must be full of the best of what is known about skin today”? Or do we think there just can’t be that much distance between the two, even though they’re galaxies apart?

Are we worried that once we start caring even a little about how we look, we’ll find ourselves on the slippery slope of vanity and snowballing expense?

Do some of us just really, really not care one bit how we look or how healthy our skin is?

Am I more anal than average? I research a set of cooking pots and long underwear before I buy them.

Do some women see Paula’s Choice as just another company selling face cream, just like I appear to be just another vet trying to sell kitten food? If Paula Begoun could choose between having women buy her products over learning to make informed, empowered decisions about every beauty purchase, I wonder if she’d choose the second one. Like, I don’t mind whether women get their colours analyzed by me, or not at all. It really doesn’t offend me in the least if you don’t buy my brand of cat food.

What I want more is to see women no longer trying to be what parents, spouses, jobs, and kids expected or want. My goal would be to see women become responsible for their own happiness and success, and stop factoring in everybody else’s demands and desires.

Do we have enough spare cash to play the odds that we’ll choose a great product from the store shelf array, knowing the odds are about 70:30 AGAINST US? I think this is one of the most common, though we’d deny it.

Are we worried about hurting the Lancome lady’s feelings because we’ve always bought mascara from her?

Would it bother you at all to know that the soap/cream/sunscreen you used today is an “antiquated mess of a formula” (name of product withheld by Beautypedia copyright) (but I would bet 70% of us have used it and 30% of us continue to buy it)?

IMO, at the deepest core of the issue is that we excuse and forgive, over and over. Just as we do with everyone and everything in our lives, we can’t draw a line and say ENOUGH. We just come back for more until we’ve been wronged so thoroughly that me might react…and even then, we usually won’t. That is what they use to keep us buying.

Tell me. Tell me privately. Why do you not research a face product before you buy? Why do you not subscribe to Beautypedia?

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Product Review : Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Paula’s Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask is what you hope moisturizing masks will turn out to be when you buy them but somehow they never quite deliver. It leaves your skin the way you hope wonderful moisturizers will but with a more lasting effect. This mask is a hybrid of the most effective cream you’ve ever used and a fantastic softening mask. There is not a trace of greasiness. The feeling is more of drawing water from the air.

My skin is generally oily. I haven’t much need for hydrating masks. But there is no product that comes close to the performance of this one when

-       I’ve gotten too exuberant with the exfoliants and my skin is very sensitive and a bit inflamed. Even my regular non-irritating products will sting, but not this wonderful stuff. Wear this for a couple of night and I promise you, your skin will feel baby-ish – moist, plumped, relaxed. It allows a very healing environment. Each morning, I can tell that my skin has healed significantly just overnight.

-       It’s a case of sunburned skin, which should never happen but if you believe that, you don’t have children. The product applies very soft and velvety. It doesn’t sting, spreads easily, is not greasy or slippy, and feels calming and cooling to skin.

-       I do my usual  Skin Balancing Carbon Mask which is quite lovely in a green-black swamp mud sort of way. I place this around my eyes as an eye mask. I gob it on but it’s thick enough to not migrate into your eyes even if the mask is on an hour because you forgot it and the green stuff is crunchy and itchy but your book is so good you didn’t rinse it off. The consistency is of a thick cream, like DQ soft ice cream. It holds a formed swirly shape.

-       My children had very very dry skin as toddlers and one still does to this day. Chlorinated pools are particularly offensive. You know those patches of scaly, itchy skin they get on their back? Nothing, and I mean nothing, solved the problem as well as this product. I tried Eucerin. Dormer. Keri. Shea. Akerat. Hydrocortisone. Curel. Lubriderm. Body Shop Butters, though I was averse to using something scented. This is the stuff they ask for. All 3 have a tube by their bed. They haven’t outgrown the dry chapped hands in winter tendency but we have the solution for all these problems.

-       I want the best hand and foot cream I know. Sleeping with socks is more than I can bear but with this mask, I don’t need to because it stays put. I add a few drops of lavender or rose oil for this purpose only, barricade the door to  my room, and dare someone to get me out of bed. Wear this at night and the Pure Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15 in the day and your kids will very soon stop telling you that you have old lady hands. These are 2 of the most skin-soothing products I know, no matter how sensitive or irritated the skin might be.

-       You have a friend whose skin reacts to everything she puts on it. This is the only thing that doesn’t require a few days of indecision about whether it will irritate. She can tell almost immediately that it will be fine. She uses it as her everyday moisturizer. I was glad to give her some to try. I gave her the whole tube 4 days later. Many of you with reactive or sensitive skin will do the same when you see how your skin looks and feels after replacing your moisturizer with this for 3 days. (Of course, it contains no sunscreen so either you use that as well in the daytime, or just use this for a few nights and leave your day routine as is.)

-       Your husband is going out with skin so dry that it looks like it has a layer of chalk on it. God knows why that would be after scrubbing his face with Irish Spring. It has no scent and it won’t get in his eyes or make his face shine. He can feel the effect so quickly that he figures he’s getting some bang for his buck. Thankfully, neither the bottle nor cream are peachy pink, so with the words turned towards the wall, the tube can live on his bathroom shelf.

It doesn’t apply thick and white and masky. It goes on invisibly in a thin layer and translucent in a thicker layer, but it’s not white like sunscreen can be. There is absolutely no color residue. It feels much more soft and velvety than any other cream or mask I know, including Paula’s other creams. The texture really is quite unique, more like whipped cream rather than oil. You can put makeup over it within 5 minutes if you want to and there would be no trace of color. I never ever rinse it off, though you could, like any mask.

I believe this is one of the superstars of Paula’s lineup, I really do.

Do you know that cleansers and toners are 25% off in March AND shipping is $3 on all orders? So, that’s Canadian money at par and free shipping from a US site. The next step is obvious. Lay in your summer supplies and pick up a tube of this mask. You will not regret it.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: The Best Skin Softening Treatment. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

In  Gifts For The Real World 4 and Botox For Christmas, I talked about the great website, Skin Tour. In that site, you’ll see the book, The Surgery-Free Makeover.

I was sent the book (but am not being paid for this review). I knew I’d find it an essential read because the website already is. I didn’t expect how much more information made it into the book. I finished it in 2 days. I was reading it in the bathtub.

The information cuts to the core of what you need and want to know.

Dr. Irwin is a scientist with access to and comprehension of the research. Would you take a pill that didn’t have solid research behind it? Not if you’re sane. Same applies for injections and lasers. And skin cream, of course!! Just because some company added Noni Juice or whatever magic potion to a cream doesn’t mean they did any research to prove it works (other than market research to see if and how they could sell it, of course!!).

There’s loads on the net. I can tell you that it is almost impossible for pet owners to find accurate information about their animal’s condition on line. It’s there but people can’t recognize it amid all the clutter and can’t put it in the context of their own pet. They’re as hopeless at choosing the right treatment option as they would be at reading their dog’s X-ray.  You need help from a professional to filter out what’s true and how it applies to you. What happened to your best friend’s face or your neighbor’s cat has nothing to do with your face and your cat. Zero.

Plastic surgery seems too radical a first step. Anytime I’ve seen it (and known it), it looks odd. The skin on the neck is a different age from the skin on the face. Or the skin behind the ears is older. Or the face is 10 years younger than the voice/energy level/personality, and the whole person comes across as weirdly discordant. For some problems, this is the only answer. For most common concerns of aging faces, you can achieve gorgeous results without it. I still want to be able to see myself.

 The Surgery-Free Makeover is written almost as a workbook, certainly not a textbook. This reads like straight-up talk at your own personal consultation. You’ll find yourself over and over. You’re encouraged to write your own specific list as you learn the various terms and types of problems.

You’ll be taken on a tour of your own face, including the neck and chest area. The most frequent complaints for each feature are discussed, along with real patients’ questions and concerns. There are 6 different problems for the forehead alone (including a brief but bottom-line discussion on thinning hair at the temples)!

You’ll get information throughout the book on the 6 most common anti-aging treatments. They are

-       Botox

-       fillers like Restylane and Juvederm

-       lasers for redness, blotches, and age spots

-       lasers for wrinkles, and imperfect texture

-       skin tightening treatments like Thermage and Titan

-       Peels and microdermabrasion

 Which one is for you? How much can you expect it to do? You’re about to find out. If there’s a short-term fix or cream, it will be named. If there’s a question you must ask or a risk you should know, Dr. Irwin tells you. If only surgery will fix it, you’ll be saved a lot of time and money.

There is an entire chapter on menopause and skin. If you’re working towards a particular event or with a finite budget, you’ll learn what you can accomplish with realistic expectations of the near and far future.

I so appreciate the attention and space devoted to helping you find a good doctor and treatment facility. What if I live in a small town where the local M.D.  has opened a Skin Center? Do I trust him?  Or will I look like a clown for 3 months while a bad injection wears off ? You’ll be well armed, with the 7 most important questions to ask (and what answer you should get!), how to evaluate the facility and the staff, when to run screaming, and much more. One of my absolute favorite chapters.

With a final section on emerging technologies, this book was written for us. It’s the best.

My eyes have been completely opened to the possibilities in this field. I LIKE possibility. It’s what I am about. What I’ve learned will influence every decision I ever make about this subject, even which creams I buy. Once you’re done reading, you’ve got the last word. You won’t wonder anymore. I honestly get when and how this will fit into my life.

If you would love to have something done to improve your appearance, you have got to get informed. One of the chapters is entitled Knowledge Is Power. That is exactly what it is.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: MUST READ on Anti-Aging Treatments For Skin : The Surgery-Free Makeover. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

More women I know want this than anything else.  Would they really do it? Or are there still too many unknowns… like how do you know a good doctor when you see one, where do they inject exactly, and is it REALLY safe? A thousand questions. Now you can find answers.

Photo by EverJean

In Gift Ideas For The Real World 4 (items 9&10), I told you about this fantastic website called Skin Tour. How excellent to have found an authority site on anti-aging treatments for skin that we can count on.

To tell the truth

Skin Tour is the website of Seattle dermatologist, Dr. Brandith Irwin. It is dedicated to providing consumers with the facts about anti-aging skin products that work, be they cream or injection. I’m always looking for that. This field is desperate for some reality.

We need voices that will plough through all the rubbish and gimmicks and tell us what’s true. Skin Tour is full of informative articles that whittle the topic down to what you need to know. Specific products are shown but the anti-aging focus is more about cosmetic and enhancing procedures like Botox, peels, fillers, and the various types of lasers.

Under Resources >> Menopause and Your Skin, there is the most clear, concise article on what the options are for improving the skin – and there are loads of options !!. Love the comment about the greater confidence and self-acceptance that we finally have found. Yes, we have.

A learning site

I have an impression that the opinion of dermatologists is that every one  of us (with normally aging skin)  should be using RetinA or Renova afer age 35 or so. I’m not certain if that’s correct but Dr. Irwin seems to support the belief.  I haven’t cared enough yet to see a Derm to get some. I was thrilled (not too strong a word) to find Skin Medica Retinol Complex.

Terrific products are recommended, many that I’d never seen before. There are moisturizers, sunscreens (look at them when you go to the site; most interesting), antioxidants, both costly and affordable options. Look at the very neat Booster Packs while you’re there. Cute gifts, matched to a person’s activities.

Video treatments

Dr. Irwin has totally demystifyied Botox/Restlylane injections for me. I get this now. Watch the video blogs. See the questions that were asked, how comfortably the doctor could adapt to the face of each woman to produce a natural look, and how relaxed the patients are. What I can see for sure is that you need someone who can handle a needle.

After all, a needle is a knife.  This is far and away my biggest fear. How do you know how smooth a doctor will be as an injector? It takes huge left brain- knowledge and right brain- artistry to be that proficient at using a needle and syringe. It’s really a form of surgery. Conservative taste and a great eye for the end result as part of the entire face go a long way too. These procedures are as much art form as science.

If you’ve been thinking of finding a dermatologist but aren’t sure what to look for in technique or bedside manner, this woman sets a high standard.

Recovery

 I wish there were more After pictures on the site. I know exactly what the before issues are. I see them in the mirror every day. What I’d love to understand is what it looks like after. My inkling about Botox is the wooden look. Restylane? I haven’t a clue what that can do when it’s done well, though I can well imagine what done poorly looks like (lopsided and bumpy). It worries me greatly.

I also wish there were some idea given of how the recovery looks.  Am I wrong or does Restylane appear to have serious bruising potential? I’m sure it’s covered in depth in the consultation and each woman is different, but I’d like to see the average reaction.

Note the AntiAging Tour

Definitely do take The AntiAging Tour. Scroll down and key in your areas of interest. Mouse over the dots that come up on the face and your options appear in a table on the screen. What smooth and effective use of the internet this is.

To teach and provide information consumers can depend on is the best of what this medium can do. The 13 year old sitting in front of me looking at street level satellite pictures of Paris and finding the pizza place nearest to the Eiffel Tower is illustrating the same thing in a whole different way.

You and I can’t tell what’s in a skin cream by the feel of it. We sure don’t know Restylane from Juvederm from the many new options flooding the market. The next 20 years will be crowded with this stuff, which I personally am quite pleased about.

Photo by Julianne.hide

Feel better

What impresses me most is the Doctor’s desire to just send something good out into the world.  Though commission is made on the sale of products, it probably just pays for the site. The time and work seems to be a labor of love and a sincere desire to help people. Since every single molecule of good energy (and bad energy) you send out there boomerangs back to you, I would say there’s some good stuff coming her way.

So yeah. Pretty soon, the face on both sides of my nose will cave in enough and the lines will be so deep that I’ll be glad to have this option. I can almost imagine having these injections with no more worry than getting a hair color. In good hands, it looks like there’s little to fear, especially if you start with temporary treatments.

PS: The purchasing is redirected to Skin Care Rx. Let me tell you, they’re worth a look. Based in Utah, you’ll find an amazing list of hard-to-find brands. If you buy, do link to it from inside Skin Tour. We want to support that site. It’s going to help us a lot over the next 30 years.

I couldn’t link to Skin Care Rx directly or through Skin Tour. I don’t know if it’s a Mac thing because the 3  Windows XP IE7 systems I tried were fine. Oh, the stress! I finally had to place the order by phone. They have terrific tech support at Skin Care Rx and they helped me find a bypass way into the site with the Mac. Let me know if you have any issues.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Botox for Christmas. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

It’s “A Cheap Gift To You From You” every day this week ! We’ve survived September, one of the toughest months. We’re back to carrying the burden of our childrens’ social, athletic, academic, and artistic schedules and frustrations … oh, yes, and run our own lives as well.

Have you learned to expect that three weeks into school, the kids all get sick ? Even without kids, you’re exposed because the viruses disseminate like rockets.

Dammit, we deserve a gift. Throw this cleanser into the cart when you’re wondering if buying Motrin in bulk is somehow defeatist, or setting yourself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy you’ll regret.

Product Review : Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser

A reader emailed to tell me that she called Neutrogena to inquire about animal testing policies. While they do not test their products, the parent company (Johnson&Johnson) does. I’m glad to know this because I can be more discerning when I shop (no J&J), while supporting subsidiaries with humane ethics.

A thick, creamy, white liquid,  this cleanser is just plain agreeable. It feels like you’re taking special care of yourself. It is so incredibly non-irritating that it crosses over to being calming to skin and soul.

You may feel like a slightly waxy layer on the skin as you rinse but once you’ve dried your face it’s not perceptible. I have noticed no breakouts or clogged pores or any other negative issues with its use.

For those of you, and you know you are, who are still using soap and water, try this one.

Don’t expect a great makeup remover. It is not that. On makeup days, I still use my Paula’s Choice One Step Balancing in the evening. This cleanser is just a very pleasant way to start the day.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: A Cheap Gift To You From You. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

If I had to pick the one product that I most credit for allowing the age and behavior of my skin to proceed more gently, it would be this. Of the three Paula’s Choice products presented in this Unrivaled Products series (see the previous articles on Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel and Hydrating Treatment Cream), this one appears for its unbelievable ability to improve the look of skin.

 Several companies now make serums and some of them are probably pretty decent. But do you know one that is remarkable and  costs $22 per tube? I did look but couldn’t find a reason to jump this ship.

 Skin Recovery and Skin Balancing

 There is a version of the serum for Normal/Dry skin called Skin Recovery. I apply it around my eyes, and to throat, forearms/hands, and upper chest. Why, yes, I do buy 3 tubes at a time.

 The Normal/Oily product version is called Skin Balancing and I apply it to my face. The Balancing version contains some mattifying ingredients so you could wear it under makeup. It is equally fabulous. On truly oily skin, it could serve as moisturizer as well as serum.

For me, both serums go on at night after cleansing and toning. Then I read for 10 minutes, and follow with moisturizer : Skin Recovery Moisturizer everywhere the serum of the same name went and Hydrating Treatment Cream right on top of the Skin Balancing serum.

 There is a third serum called Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum . It lives somewhere between the other two. You can read about it at Product FAQ. That’s oddly buried under Contact Us in the left column on the Paula’s Choice website. Click FAQ, then  the >> PRODUCTS >> Skin care >>Super Antioxidant Serums breadcrumbs. The information will help you find the right one for you.

 Across the horizontal bar at the top, follow the Learn >>Skin Care Facts >> Basics and Beyond >> Antioxidants and Free Radical Damage  trail to find a more detailed explanation.

What I absolutely love about the ingredient list (available for every product), like this one for Skin Balancing Serum is that the list includes not just the ingredient but also its purpose in the final composition. Somehow, they even managed to get the list printed on the back of the tube. The variety of oils and antioxidants makes this an unrivaled product and that’s before we discuss the price.

Read the product reviews below the ingredient list. Those women said it all and I corroborate every word.

 Prepare to be amazed. These serums are that good. If you don’t like them, you can always return them. But I don’t think you will.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Unrivaled Products 3 : Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

This is one beautiful cream. In the article Unrivaled Products 1: Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel, 3 unrivaled skin care products for alluded to. This article will focus on the second item in the list. It appears among the 3 because of its incredible performance for the price.

As with all products made by Paula’s Choice, you can accept certain things as guaranteed. The formulation is state-of-the-art. The inclusion of high levels of ingredients known today to be of great benefit to the health and appearance of skin is certain. You won’t sweat over the price. No animal testing takes place at any stage of the development of the product.

 What you get with Hydrating Treatment Cream is a medium weight moisturizer that glides over the skin. It is so soft and smooth, not too rich, and completely non-greasy. It is the perfect all-purpose moisturizer. I use it every night on face/neck/upper chest/ and arms.

I have used it around my eyes, though I now use the Skin Recovery Moisturizer as an eye cream (take a look at the article The Best Eye Cream), only because I figure “the more emollient, the better; maybe it will keep the lines away longer”. Wishful thinking maybe, but I’ll use any ammunition I can get. Also, because the Skin Recovery is thicker, it doesn’t migrate into my eyes when I’m reading before bed, if I’ve gotten some too close to the edge of the eyelid.

 Since Hydrating has been my favorite cream for so many years, I’ve devised a couple other uses for it along the way. Both take advantage of the cream’s ability to form a very thin, weightless film.

 Line softener

 I never use powder anywhere under my eyes because the drying effect accentuates the wrinkles there. But, really, any product in that area seems to make the skin more prone to creasing, even concealer or foundation.

 After your makeup is on, put a tiny bit of this cream, like the size of a sesame seed, on the end of your 2 ring fingers. Smudge it round till it becomes a film, then tap it (with an up and down motion only) on the whole region at the outside of the eye just to the top edge of the cheekbone, and extending a little to the inside corner if the skin is lined there too. Can you see a marvelous, instant line-softening effect?

Be careful to stay at least 1/2″ or so away from the eyelid margin because the cream can wander into your eyes. While not painful, it blurs vision a little and will cause eyeliner and mascara to smudge more than usual.

Placement of Hydrating Treatment Cream

The area looks moist. Light shines off the top of the cheekbone without shimmer or frost, just to accentuate it a little. It still blends perfectly with the rest of the face. The makeup previously applied under the eye does not crease any more easily, or at all. In fact, I will do this process several times a day, especially in winter. It works incredibly well.

Make your own cream eyeshadows

 I use very few cream eyeshadows. I’ve never really found one I like enough to buy till very recently, though I do think the gleam is attractive… but it has to be a gleam. If it’s shimmery, unless the skin of your upper lids is very tight, it will only make the looser skin there more obvious. Most cream shadows are either too frosty, don’t blend out without some tugging, or don’t last well.

Here is a way of making a powder shadow have that moist appearance of cream.

  So apply your regular eyeshadow. Just as you did above, spread a small amount of Hydrating Treatment Cream between 2 fingers just to create a thin film. Now tap the cream over the eyeshadow. You really want a very, very thin film. The gleam will look very much like a cream eyeshadow application. The makeup doesn’t crease any more easily than before. Isn’t that good?

 Less is always more

You wouldn’t do both of these methods on the same day or you could risk looking a little greasy. But, really, both effects are so subtle and real-looking that even together, they would  not be overpowering. Both bring light to the eye, soften the skin so it seems to crease less (or less noticeably), and give an appearance of tight glowing skin.

 Cool products multi-tasking. Love it.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Linked to source.

Today, Beta Hydroxy Acid Exfoliants

For refining the texture of my skin, nothing compares to this product. Nothing even comes close. All the descriptive words, like clarity and evenness, have been used in so many cosmetic marketing campaigns for products that do nothing. Though we expect to see these words, we’ve become jaded to them. Specifically, what I notice is this :

- the skin on my face is smoother when I wash it in the morning, like I’ve used scrubbing grains but without the abraded feeling
- the color is more even, with less disparity between the light and dark patches
- the texture reflects light better (from the smoothness), so there’s a slight brightening effect
- pores seem a little less perceptible

The effect begins to be seen within 5 to 7 applications. The product is available as a lotion, gel, or liquid. Visit Paula’s Choice and choose BHA & AHA Exfoliants under Skin Care.

1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel

Understanding alpha and beta hydroxy acids

The difference between an alpha and beta hydroxyl acid solution is this : the alpha is a surface exfoliant. The beta, because of its ability to be soluble in oil, penetrates beneath the surface into the pores themselves, as well as being a mild surface exfoliant. You can learn by visiting Paula’s Choice and clicking Learn>>Skin Care Facts >> Blemishes>> Understanding Exfoliants.

Alpha and beta hydroxyl acids are considered chemical exfoliants, as opposed to a mechanical exfoliant like scrubbing grains The problem with surface scrubbing agents is that they can’t distinguish between dead and living tissue so you risk overdoing it.

Ineffective at the wrong pH

pH is a way of measuring how acid or alkaline something is. If the pH is not correct, neither the alpha or beta hydroxy acid exfoliants will have an effect. Good luck finding either type of exfoliant in a format that is unscented and of the correct pH to be effective, but the betas are especially difficult to find. The correct formulation is what makes the Paula’s Choice product such a find.

You have no way of finding this information on the container. The saleswoman often has no idea, but might take it on faith that “her company” wouldn’t make a worthless product. You’d be amazed how many hydroxy acid products are made with an ineffective pH. Why do they even bother?

Linked to source.

Choosing the right hydroxyl for you

In general, the alpha hydroxys, as surface exfoliants, are best for people with sun damage such as thick skin, fine surface wrinkling, or areas of pigmentation. There are no cures in cream form for any of these, but there is an anti-aging effect to be derived in that the skin damage is made less evident

Beta hydroxys are best for skin that develops blemishes as a result of clogged pores. On my skin, these work far better. I notice an improvement within 2 days. I do use an alpha product because I have sun damage and my skin is not sensitive, but I use it less often on my face, and more on my throat, upper chest, forearms, and hands.

I know many women including those with rosacea who use beta hydroxys with no sensitivity problem. This is probably because beta hydroxyl acids (salicylic acids) are related to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and have some of aspirin’s ability to reduce inflammation. If you skin reacts easily, just order a sample from Paula’s Choice and try it on a small area first. It costs pennies and might surprise you in the difference it can make.

The 2% is definitely stronger than the 1%. I use the 2% on the T-zone and the 1% on the rest of may face.

If you do not want to wear makeup, you might consider using this to improve the overall smoothness and coloring of your complexion. It is outstanding for blemishes which I get in summer because of all the sunscreen I wear.

No alternative

As consumers become more knowledgeable about everything, they apply pressure on the cosmetics industry to create products that work. It’s been a long time coming. Still, this remains one of the very few truly great beta hydroxy products for skin.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Maybe I look like a bug, or at the very least like an Olsen twin. I don’t care. I will go to great lengths to protect my skin. This is a health issue, not an appearance issue.

Searching for Cruelty-Free

I wrote recently about Emily’s Living Cruelty Free blog in the article Sites To Know : Living Cruelty Free . I love the honesty of her reviews and her candor about how difficult it is to buy animal-friendly, despite how deeply most women care about this issue. Her great blog is my catalyst for trying to do better. This year, I’m going to try to buy only cruelty-free sunscreens. It might not be easy.

Sunscreen could be in a different category than cosmetics or fragrance, which are entirely about vanity. It could be considered pharmaceutical in some ways, and I do walk a moderate line about animal testing for medical purposes.

The Incumbents

I used Banana Boat Baby Tear Free SPF 50 last year. The children are like greased seals but it is very water resistant and is UVA/UVB protective, though not all Banana Boat products are. The company appears on the Caring Consumer Companies That Test list , so I’m hoping to find a cruelty-free equivalent. I regret that because in every other way, that product is the ultimate swimming-kids sunblock. You can still see the whiteness on them after an hour in water and they are not even pink at the end of the day.

My other standby was Neutrogena, also a company that does animal testing, also not participating in this year’s contest. Dove earns my respect for their Campaign for Real Beauty but they test on animals, so I’m trying to find alternatives for them as well. These companies still have a lot of room to move in the ethics department.

This Year’s Contenders

Luckily, there are many companies to choose from. Less fortunately, not all the testing information is easy to find. I look at the Leaping Bunny truly cruelty-free list. That is a very restrictive list. I’ve tried to buy Kiss My Face and Alba Botanica sun products in Canada and at 3 Target stores and cannot find it. I also studied the Companies That Don’t Test list at Caring Consumer.

From that list, at least for the less expensive, non-water-resistant products, I was left with Avon and Mary Kay. Have I missed some? Is this going to be this difficult?

Sunscreens must contain one of the 5 ingredients that protect against UVA rays. They are:

• titanium dioxide
• zinc oxide
• mexoryl
• avobenzone
• tinosorb

A sunscreen without one of those is not worth buying at any price.

Where does Paula stand

You all know that I like Paula’s Choice a lot. They present real-world solutions with an ethical and outspoken viewpoint that is so absent in the modern cosmetic industrys. And their product delivers.

I emailed Paula’s Choice to ask them to elaborate on their animal testing policy. Below is the reply from Paula’s assistant, Bryan Barron :

What I can confirm is that Paula’s Choice does not conduct animal testing on our finished products or at any stage of product development. We also do not contract with third parties to do any such testing on our behalf. In addition, we make charitable donations throughout the year to animal shelters and other such organizations.

I learned on Paula’s Sun Care Learn page ( read item 13 on this page) that SPF 30+ will be the maximum that sunscreen manufacturers can put on the label. In my next order from Paula’s Choice, I will order their water-resistant SPF 30+ product, called Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30+. I’d be very happy to find a good substitute for Banana Boat.

Two points to remember

The first is to check your copy of Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me , the essential resource by Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron, to verify which products among any of the challengers are worth buying. The product must contain one of these 5 ingredients to be UVA-effective, listed above.

Also, learn about the Coolibar option in the AGT article Sites To Know : Coolibar, to provide even better background sun protection (and look stunningly accessorized in the sun).

Updates:

1. Avon’s Sun SPF 40 Sunscreen Lotion UVA/UVB is great. It’s not heavily fragranced, which is a hugely refreshing change from a lot of Avon face products that are overwhelmingly, headache-inducingly scented. The lotion is pleasant to apply, a little oily at first but that disappears and leaves the skin looking good. It is too oily for my face but women with drier skin might well love it.

The kids slop it on and I’m happy. It is not sweat-resistant, at least nothing compared to the Banana Boat Baby, so it might not be a great option for pool or beach days, but for regular use, it is excellent.

I know we’re supposed to reapply every 2 hours, and I’m working on it. It’s tough to do with real kids at a real beach, so I hope someone’s working on longer lasting substances. And while they’re at it, I hope they find a sunblock that doesn’t turn white clothing orange.

I’d show you a bottle but the Avon site is too convoluted. If I can’t find a product within 3 clicks, I stop. Outdoor care showed Bug Guard. I saw no Sunscreen category. I searched “sun” and it came up with 29 products but not this one. Irritating.

2. Paula’s Choice Pure Mineral SPF 15 is a cream with spectacular application properties, very calming to the skin. For anyone with skin or eye sensitivity to sunscreen, here’s your solution. If skin irritation from sunscreen has been your excuse for not wearing sunblock every single day, you’ve run out of excuses. Sunblock is THE anti-wrinkle anti-aging formula. You can’t make wrinkles go away once they’re there.

It looks white at first, but that’s gone in 15 min. You could put makeup over it without streaking. If your skin is oily, it might be too rich.

3. Paula’s Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30+ is labeled as water-resistant, and it is. This is the product shown in the picture above. I ordered 3 bottles, since all SPF products are 15% off for the month of June. I’m going to order 3 more. It is thick and creamy and stays on well.

The Banana Boat Baby product still has slightly better durability for long periods in water. For those busy beach days when it’s all I can do to get the children coated well once, I’ll probably stick with Banana Boat Baby. In every other way, this is a fantastic product, with the important inclusion of antioxidants to more completely prevent skin damage from sun.

>> cspics

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Not only that, each order includes 15 free sample packets. 15 !! My kind of sale.

I ordered 3 tubes of the Extra Protection SPF 30+ shown above. At $11, and the Canadian dollar worth US$0.98, how can you go wrong?? The secret to great skin in 10 years is sunscreen and antioxidants now, and all Paula’s Choice sunscreens are 2-for-1 on that score. You could easily pay twice the price for a lot of products out there and not get the value these deliver.

Scroll down on the home page under Skin Care, to Sun Care. There are a lot of products to choose from among the sunscreens, including a spray (it’s excellent) and a mattifying lotion (have not tried it). If you have skin that is sensitive to sunscreen and find that it stings or becomes red or blotchy, you will be impressed with the Pure Mineral Sunscreen. This is the softest, least irritating sunscreen I have ever used. My kids have gotten it too near their eyes (read, in their eyes) on many occasions and had no irritation. The skin on your face may be a little white for 10 minutes but it fades. On your body, the skin looks beautifully healthy with this product on.

To notice on the Paula’s Choice home page is that orders over $75 are shipped free (includes Canada !).

Also, if you scroll down a little, on the right side you’ll see a free report called Anti-Aging Superstars. Sign up for 1 or all of the Beauty Bulletins to receive the report. Very well worth your time and a fantastic resource. If you were to spend the same amount of money, would you rather buy a superstar or a washout?

You can read the explanation of what anti-aging is considered to mean in modern skin care, written in Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron’s usual scientifically knowledgeable and accurate style. Following that are the lists of outstanding products.

The A list products are those that shine for formulations that do minimize the signs of aging and with the documented research to prove it. The B list includes those products with the ability to support the core ingredients. You’ll recognize green tea, pomegranate, and others and learn exactly what is known about their ability to enhance the health and appearance of skin.

Check to see if your favorite skin care products are on the list. If not … you’ll never know how good your skin could look till you use the best products. It’s the same as anything else. You’ll only know how well you can paint when you use beautiful pigments. You will only see the best your dog could look when you feed him great food. Once you’ve set that standard, if you want to test the improvement using something else, go ahead. You will already have set a target as a point of reference.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

There is a previous article on sun protection in the Archives, entitled The 28 Sun Facts You Should Know . It provides some background on sun protection. This is an area that evolves quickly because consumers, the skin care industry, the FDA, and the medical community all care about it.

The Coolibar objective

A private company based in Minneapolis, Coolibar’s mission is to develop superior sun protective clothing to allow people to safely enjoy life in the sun. They have researched and assembled an impressive inventory of effective and affordable clothing and sun-related products for the whole family.

Founded in 2001 by Australian, John Barrow, the company brings Australia’s world-leading approaches to sun protection to North America. They continue to be the only producer of sun protective clothing to receive The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation.

Here are 3 facts that set me up for a reality check :

• In Australia, 2 out of 3 people will be treated for skin cancer.
• In the US, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed.
• 80% of skin cancer could be prevented.

This is a company whose product we need to be aware of.

Education

From an educational perspective alone, Coolibar is a great resource. There is an absolute wealth of information here about sun protection, the meaning of the term UV Index, the interaction of sun and certain medical conditions, and the role of sunscreen and sun protective clothing.

The most interesting thing I learned was about UPF, or Ultraviolet Protection Factor, which is how the clothing is rated. This is like SPF, but addresses UVA and UVB, where SPF is only a UVB rating. A UPF 50 means that 1/50 of the sun’s rays penetrate the garment , or 98% of the UV rays are blocked.

Organization

The entire site is exceptionally easy to navigate. You can find everything fast. I haven’t yet purchased anything, but I would not expect any issues here at all.

I loved Sunscreen By Ingredient. I try to look at the new sunscreens on the market each year before I decide which to buy. This year, I’m looking for titatium dioxide and zinc oxide products because they are so effective in a wide range of wavelengths of light, and very non-irritating. These are the ones that make your kids white, but they don’t sting if they get into the eyes. Interestingly, you can buy a gallon of Blue Lizard Baby SPF 30 at Coolibar for US $180.

Sun Protection by Activity (swimming, golf, etc) is a useful navigational aid as well. Gardeners can look at products of interest to them, instead of the swimwear.

Clothing, hats, swimwear for all ages.

The clothing is great. The choices for kids are especially great. Have a look at the page for Infants here. Now that is cuteness!! And so smart, with the throw and the beach tent. And these sunglasses, would these look good, I ask you ?? in one of the hats? best looking baby out there, and 98% UV-protected.

I know a young boy who would be quite taken with the dolphin swim shirt and I would guess there are many others like him. The clothes for teens are actually things my children would be pleased to wear, never an achievement to be taken for granted.

I have a daughter who burns very easily. I’m going to buy her this perfect swim top. It’s beautifully cut so I know she’ll agree to wear it.

Since I appear in a bathing suit once a year maybe, unless the temp gets over 34C (32C being my ideal temperature), I won’t be needing a suit. A hat, now…I’m a big hat wearer. There are 31 styles of women’s hats to choose from. Which one, which one? And there’s also the golf hat from the screenshot at the top. Oh, the indecision.

Durability

There was a concern with sun protective clothing that it washed out quickly, so I wondered if the protection factor would last an entire season, or hopefully longer, in salt and chlorine. My other concern was whether the clothing protects against UVA as well as UVB rays. Both questions are fully addressed on this page . The answers are yes and yes. The clothing has an SPF rating of 50. That much chemical in a lotion applied directly to the skin could be very irritating.

Merchandise can be returned within 30days, but must be new, unused, and with all original packaging and accessories. That’s not as generous as some return policies, probably because this is a smaller company than LLBean or JCrew. If you exchange an item, there is no return shipping fee, which I liked (presumably that applies to Canadian orders as well).

Holly tells me that the sizes run big. A Large is indeed very ample in its sizing. Holly also bought the Tucson hat and finds it excellent.

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The Bonus contains:

• a tube of Liquid Facial Soap Mild
• a jar (bad) of Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream
• a Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Like Mink – very decent vanilla and a warm medium brown +sparkles ; the color above is not Like Mink; follow the link to see the product and the very good color preview interface at the bottom
• a small tube of High Impact Mascara – my favorite
• a tube of Different Lipstick in Tenderheart, a sheer caramel-brown color.
• a tube of Long Last Lipstick inBeauty – a little deeper and pinker than the color of lips
• a cosmetics bag – why not?

It was the most attractive bonus I’d seen in awhile. Everytime I looked, there was the yellow moisturizer and the tube of Raspberry Glace lipstick. They must have finally got through their semi-truckload supplies of the stuff.

A Clinique lipstick to love

But what to buy? Well, last summer I bought a tube of Colour Surge Butter Shine lipstick… and it was great! I had turned a corner with Clinique lipstick. It was creamy, comfortable, not too opaque or pigmented (as you may have read here, that I prefer neutral makeup). The color, Delovely, was a little too pink for me so I gave it to a good friend who wears it better than I. I decided to try again for something more fair since my life is really just an ongoing search for the perfect neutral lipstick. I bought Adore U.

I have a 12 old daughter with a remarkable sense of fashion, color, and the suitability of clothing for the people who wear them. She doubles as my Image Consultant. Her comment was “I like it. Those are the colors you should wear that you never wear”. Well, OK then.

It’s a light pink-peach color with a little gleam to it. There are very few women who couldn’t wear this well. It won’t last more than an hour but you can reapply it without a mirror and it feels great on, very much like a balm.

New favorite sunscreen

To get me over the $26, I needed a second product. I had heard that Clinique makes some oustanding sunscreens. Though I love my standby Estee Lauder product, which I wrote about here, they don’t give it away. It costs US$38. I was open to change.

After studying my trusty copy of Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me, I decided on Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 40.

I now have a new sunscreen. At CDN $21, it is a pleasure to apply, oil-free, quite safe around eyes, and unscented (actually, there is a scent; it reminds of a spice of some sort, maybe coriander or cardamom).

It feels very creamy as it’s applied. It is a little too heavy for me to wear under makeup at work, so I’ll stay with the Estee Lauder then. Women with drier skin will really love it.

(Update Oct. 08: as the weather got colder and the air drier, this product became my under-makeup sunscreen/moisturizer in the SPF 25 version. I have no complaints. It is terrific. Clinique changed the name to City Block Sheer. The feel and look of it is the same. The Clinique employee assures me that the formulation is the same. I hope she’s right. Wouldn’t it be awful to work for a company that lies to you, or tells you to lie to customers? Gosh.)

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Why? Because how it looks, how it smells (especially if it has a smell, which is a deterrent), and how it feels do nothing to help your skin. Absolutely nothing. How it feels and what it does are not linked. Don’t connect them.

How skin cream is like pet food

I have a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and yet I cannot look at a bag of dog food and tell you if it’s any good. You know why not ? Because they tell you percentages. This tells you the manufacturer is adhering to a government-set minimum standard for the lifestage of the dog. So it’s 22% protein by chemical analysis. Well, beaks and feathers are protein too but they don’t provide protein a body can use.

What about the ingredient list? Let’s take chicken. There are 12 or more grades of chicken used to make pet foods. There’s the lowest grade all the way up to human grade. Which went into the bag? I have no idea. The ingredients just say chicken by-products. This is true for almost every ingredient.

And I haven’t even started on preservatives, coloring agents, flavor enhancers, and all the things that are done to pet food to make them more appealing to the pet owners.

A matter of trust

Your purchase decision comes down to this: how much do you trust that the company that made the pet food is using the best of ingredients and doing the testing to prove it? Or, how much do you confidence do you place in the guy telling you the food is worth buying?

So why the rant about pet food? Because skin cream is no different! Unless you understand the ingredients and the quantities in the formulation, you have no idea what that cream will do for you. Just because the Shiseido girl says something does not make it so. No way. I do not believe for a second that the majority of salespeople know the chemical makeup of their creams, or those of other manufactureres, beyond what the company has told them. They may trust their company on faith, but should you?

If you can’t tell from the feel/smell/look of a cream if it’s any good, and the salespeople, sincere and well-meaning though they are, are giving you the company’s party line, what have you got left??

4 Ways (that don’t work) to choose a good skin cream

You could see if the cream irritates your skin. Yes, some women have more sensitive skin but at the very least, even boring, behind-the-times formulations should not irritate, even if they are not specifically useful.

You could see if the cream lifts the wrinkles or reduces the lines. Does any of us really expect that? Don’t get your hopes up unless the lines are the tiny superficial ones caused by dryness.

You could use the cream for 6 months and see if your skin seems better. Of course, you may find that you just spent $90 on some cream that did nothing, and move on to the next waste of money. Not.

What’s left? Buy from a company you trust. Do you really trust and believe that L’Oreal has your best interest at heart? They’re moving product off shelves! Do you believe that dermatologist-lines must mean that every product is top-of-the-line and yet not overpriced? I don’t. This is business and nothing else. We’re being taken for an expensive ride.

1 Way that does work

This is what I do : I get informed from someone I trust. I trust Paula Begoun.

Searching for the truth

As you may have noticed, I have a fire in my blood about truth in advertising. So I don’t trust Paula because she seems sincere or speaks intelligently. The folks at Aveda and Mary Kay probably do too. I don’t know her personally. No money is changing hands when I write this. The woman is simply looking at the stardust-sprinkled cosmetics industry and speaking words that make sense.

It’s not because she’s passionate about her line of products. Chat with the folks at a Bobbi Brown counter. They’re moving through passion on the way to indoctrination.

I am pleased that she reserves her opinion about new “cures” till some independent research is done to substantiate the claims made by the manufacturer. This is very important in scientific literature. I discussed it more in the articles Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Part 1 and Part 2. The journals she cites to back up her opinions are highly respected and reviewed publications. In fact, her argument is the only one I’ve heard that is scientifically sound.

But the biggest thing is this : I would imagine that the cosmetics companies are very vigilant in watching everything she says about them and about her own line of products. If she goes a step wrong, they would love nothing better than to expose that. I expect that her lawyers do not look for things to fill their days.

She has to be more careful and more honest than anyone. She has the cosmetics industry waiting for her to mislead consumers so they can point it out to us all. That industry knows what to watch for, more so than I do, but they never find it. If they can’t find the deceit, it’s not there. I don’t need to worry. She’s the one player in this game that cannot put a foot out of line.

There are no lies, no claims of having cracked the previously hidden code of aging. Her line of products is state-of-the-art and affordable. You will not find much not to like. 6 months from now, you will find your skin looks fine. And, yes, they do feel good.

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I found it difficult to get excited about this product. I tried to be excited because EL has made some great foundations. The original Double Wear foundation was too heavy for me, too mask-like. The idea of a lighter application with durable wear on oily skin, in case warmer weather ever arrives, was appealing.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup SPF 10

Problem the First

It has an SPF of 10. Did they put it in as an afterthought? It should be 25 at the very least. If this were exceptionally gorgeous foundation, I’d get over it. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, certainly one of the most beautiful foundations that money can buy, contains no sunscreen. You have to feel it to believe it. You put it on, it evens the skin coloring, it fills in pores, and it seems to vanish.

No other foundation disperses into the skin so well, while still providing medium coverage, skin-perfect colors, and an application that feels like it’s gliding on over a cushion of air. The Armani is surfing a different wave entirely from most foundations. If adding sunscreen would compromise any of these properties, then leave it out, I say.

I digressed.

I tried the EL makeup in Intensity 2, the only tester Sears offered. There are no distinctions for Cool or Warm, just 6 Intensities. Given the amount of yellow in this Intensity, I’m not certain what the women with blue/pink undertones do. It actually approaches the dreaded peach. Perhaps the other Intensities have an option for them. This one is almost too yellow (peach) for me and I’m pretty yellow.

The coverage is sheer to light. Somehow, I felt that the product did not smooth out imperfections so much as leave them there and deposit color in between. I did not find the effect satisfying in the least. Bobbi Brown’s Tinted Moisturizer is a better product. The colors are gorgeous, the SPF 15 is at least a little better, and it is a pleasure to apply. The final effect on the face is surprisingly flattering for a sheer product, but you will be a little shiny.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15

The EL product did not reduce shine particularly well. It did not have better or worse durability than any other decent foundation. After cleansing my face, a lot of product still came off on the cotton pad with the toner. I hate that but have to excuse it in a product that says Double Stay, Stay The Day, Colorstay, or … well, you get it.

Since I don’t like to be endlessly negative, I’m pairing this review with another, for a wonderful sunscreen.

PRODUCT REVIEW : ESTEE LAUDER DAY WEAR PLUS MULTI-PROTECTION ANTI-OXIDANT LOTION SPF 30, for Normal/Combination Skin

Estee Lauder Day Wear Plus Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Lotion SPF 30

I loved this product from the moment I applied it and continue loving it to this day. As all reviews for great products seem to be, this one will be short.

I found the product through Paula Begoun’s Best of Beauty Report 2006. Though I’ve said it elsewhere, neither I, nor anyone else, can look at a bottle of skin product and know what it contains. I begin with sunscreens that she endorses so I know I’m not wasting my money.

Sunscreen is the single most powerful anti-aging device that exists. It is so important that we learn to apply it every day, not only for appearance’s sake, but for the future health of our skin. There is nobody who doesn’t need to brush their teeth and there is nobody who doesn’t need sunscreen each day. As in so many areas related to health, prevention is the name of the game.

The application is perfect, the wearability under makeup is perfect. It has a smell that reminds me of fish, or maybe a paint-by-number set just slightly. The fragrance is unnecessary but my skin is not bothered by it, so I put up with it. I buy 3 bottles at a time.

A woman with dry skin might not find it emollient enough in winter.

That’s it. It is absolutely great.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15

Trust Paula to find the superstars

I learned about this cream in the latest edition of Paula’s essential book. It has a very high rating as a “brilliant option for normal to oily skin” and “loaded with [beneficial ingredients]. You can count on reliable UVA protection”. Perfect. These are the very words I search for.

I need to trust that a product has good things in it. I don’t like reviews that go on about how something looks/feels/smells because none of those things help your skin . Even with the ingredient label, I am not able to decipher the good from the bad. I can’t tell if the good ingredients are stable or if there are more than 2 molecules of them in the whole tube.

The great

The product comes in a pump-style bottle. The texture is that of a creamy lotion. It blends and disappears into the skin immediately upon application. I put it around my eyes as well, staying about 2 cm from the lid margin and it doesn’t drift into the eyes.

Here is the best part : your makeup still looks as good at noon as when you first applied it. The first day I wore it, I was even a little surprised. Just a little blot powder at noon and you’re set. By evening, your makeup will still look incredibly good.

The bad

I wouldn’t wear this in summer since the SPF is too low. I hope they come out with a version with a higher SPF.

For someone with drier skin, this might not be emollient enough.

They don’t give the stuff away. It’s $CDN 36 for a very small bottle (1.7oz). That’s a lot of money for me to spend so I don’t use it every day. However, I will probably buy another bottle.

Update 14May08 : I loved this product but I won’t buy another bottle. As with all products in pump dispensers, though the pump no longer dispenses, there is still a lot of product left in the bottle. Now I have to take off the top (happily, MAC thought to put a screw top on the bottle ; some companies don’t and that is irksome) , and tap the cream out onto my hand. That’s a pain. Besides, removing the top diminishes the potency of the beneficial ingredients. So far, soft plastic gravity-fed tubes are the best for skin products that I have found, by a long shot.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: PRODUCT REVIEW : MAC STUDIO MOISTURE FIX SPF 15. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Lipgloss

Who do you trust?

      Gradually over the past ten years, the marketplace (consumers, us) has transferred its trust away from conventional advertising. We have come to resent being marketed at and manipulated with sales pressure and enticements. We put our faith in experts, or the people around us whose experience seems similar to our own.

      Because bloggers feel like both authority figures and friends, they have some sway over our purchasing decisions. There are blogs that enjoy 100,000 readers each day and some have many times that.

      These websites have substantial power to influence people because visitors to the site give their attention freely and develop a relationship of trust with the blogger. Ultimately, your attention and your trust, freely given, are what advertisers want most. Every marketing expert is aware of it, not just in the cosmetics trade.

Are bloggers in it for the loot?

      The first few paragraphs of the article summed up what I’ve just written. The body of the article details the quantity of “swag” that big name beauty bloggers are offered as gifts. I expect that the extent of the “appreciation” shown by cosmetics companies surprised many people, myself included. Its mention was appropriate.

      What mystifies me is why journalist Kayleen Schaefer chose to emphasize it so strongly. She excluded so many things that I would have liked to hear about. For example: how do they find a topic to write about each day and do they buy everything they review personally? How do the cosmetics companies decide who to lavish with gifts? Is it based only on the amount of traffic to the website?

Or are they sincere as consumer advocates?

      Visit every blog mentioned in Skin Deep, and it is clear that the writer is earnestly working to present the products and industry events fairly. These bloggers see themselves as serious beauty correspondents using a new format to communicate with their readers.

      I might disagree with some reviews. I might not share their taste in Lancome Pixel Pink lipstick for everyone. I certainly am not impressed by the goings-on at fashion shows or on the red carpet at the latest awards show. But I do recognize that much of her audience will care about these things and I respect her right to express her opinion.

      I do not believe that her only motivation is the kickback she will receive when the UPS truck pulls in to the driveway. Your blog is your baby. You care for it, for its image and its content. It represents you in a very fundamental way. These women love their blogs and won’t cheapen them with untruthful content.

Why do they only say good things?

      It is uncomfortable to receive gifts and then say something bad about the gifts or the person who gave them to you. It’s a subtle twist of the psychological knife. Most bloggers therefore choose to ignore a product they dislike, so it seems as though they only say positive things.

      There are far more products out there that I would not use, than products I would consider buying. It seems pointless to bother mentioning all the products I dislike. The exception would be where I think a product misleads women with promises or claims that it completely fails to deliver.

Taken out of context

I can see why the bloggers were testy. Here is a quote from the article:

There is no reliable way to count the number of beauty blogs, said Julie Fredrickson, a founder of Coutorture, a network of 240 beauty and fashion blogs and Web sites; she estimated there are thousands. …“Most of the bloggers call themselves beauty addicts, and maybe they were, but that girl quickly realizes that this is about notoriety and freebies,” Ms. Fredrickson said. “Maybe before people started sending out products, it wasn’t, but that’s not something we should romanticize anymore.”

      The response on the part of the bloggers mentioned in the article was outrage and confusion at having their meaning altered. It is worthwhile to read  Kristen Kelly at Beauty Addict’s well- spoken response, as well as some of the 66 comments. This woman is obviously intelligent. 

Kristen Kelly is the Beauty Addict

 Here is an excerpt from her article:

1. I have never “begged” a beauty company or a PR firm for free product.
2. Lastly, I am NOT in this for “notoriety and freebies!” Come on, when I started this blog nearly three years ago I had no idea that the possbility to receive samples and gifts even existed. I love beauty products, I love writing, and most of all, I love being able to connect with other product junkies like you to dish on beauty. That’s what keeps me going!

Spinoffs

      I believe the NYT article misrepresented the motives of the bloggers. The positive spin-offs for the beauty bloggers are undeniable and many people would gladly trade places with them. In their responses to the article, the beauty bloggers were forced to clarify their feelings about gifting. Readers may see a few more negative reviews in the future.

      Nadine Haobsh writes the blog Jolie in NYC  . The link to her site and the navigation never work well for me. If you can access the blog, you can find the article in her Archives from January 2008, entitled “Beauty Blogs in the Times : all about the swag?”. 

      With the attention that the NYT article has brought to beauty blogs,  Nadine has decided to stop accepting gifts that could be perceived as skewing her opinion. She still accepts samples for review, however. No blogger could afford to purchase all the products they write about so accepting a product for review is permissible, as long as the review is honest.

      Many people have no idea what a blog is, so this was an opportunity to learn about something which might be valuable. The publicity that the subject received was tremendous for all of us. I am certain that their readership stats improved dramatically in the week after the article was published.

      The bloggers had the opportunity to clear the air, enhance their credibility, and have readers better understand how the business of blogging happens. People wonder about these things, and so they should.

I feel that the advent of blogs is a good thing. New communication channels are opening at a phenomenal rate. Blogging really is at its best when it is one huge conversation.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: DISCLOSURE AND BEAUTY BLOGS. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

By the B’s, I’m angry

I’m not angry at the exaggerated claims. I’m used to ignoring that.

I’m not angry at the inflated prices. If you agree to take the saleswoman’s word, without accessing this totally available information, it’s your own fault.

I am infuriated at claims on products made for children that are deceitful by omission. Banana Boat, Coppertone, and other companies that we turn to protect the skin of children make a number of products without UVA protection (see why this matters in The 28 Sun Facts You Must Know).

In Banana Boat’s Babies/Kids and Sport arsenals, 18 products are reviewed. Care to know how many contain both UVA and UVB protection, without chemicals that may irritate or sensitize the skin? 6.

I guess one could become informed about which ingredients provide true protection from UVA rays. There are only 5 after all. It is still shameful that they endanger children for profit. I hope they’re buying another company’s product for their own children.

Do I always agree? Of course not.

I have never disagreed with a review about the skin care. It will perform exactly as Paula says. Some of you will differ on some items. No one is expected to always agree. On the whole, you will still learn and save big money.

When it comes to makeup, no two women alive will have exactly the same opinion about application. It’s not a reflection of the quality, just what you prefer. For example, Paula likes truly matte and long-wearing lipstick. I can’t stand the stuff. I will never buy it again. No big deal.

She’s more generous in her opinion of concealers than I would be. You will figure this out, not by buying new things and regretting it, but by comparing the reviews to products you’ve owned and what you thought of them.

The reviews are completely objective. If the mascara clumps or is too runny to do anything, if the cleanser leaves a film, it will be that way on anyone. You can filter out what you personally don’t like without difficulty.

Better than reality TV

When I’m feeling really contrary, it’s fun to go to Amazon.com’s book reviews and see the attacks on Paula’s credibility, mixed in amongst the great reviews. Anything that stirs up that kind of heat is usually good. It’s the material that doesn’t get any reaction that tends to be the dud.

The silliest comments are the ones that say her findings are not backed by good research or that research in general cannot reflect the efficacy of a product. In fact, she quotes from highly respected journals and publications in the field of skin and cosmetic research. And without independent research, how are you going to know what truly works? Certainly not from the company that made it.

Paula is not a trained biochemist, but this never seems to be a grievance when biochemists join the discussion. If a person cannot learn, grow, in a very real and reliable way, then every single one of us is in trouble. We’re all stuck as no more than what we are right now. That, I can’t live with.

It’s important to understand how significant the words independent study are. They are crucial. If the only research to back a claim for a product comes from those that manufactured it, its relevance is in doubt until it’s confirmed by a third party with no interest in the product. So don’t buy that stuff.

Of course it’s hard to find this material. They make it this way for a reason. Besides, who has time to go looking for it? Well, here’s a place where the research and its interpretation are all done for you.

Some will say her reviews are too negative. That interests me because I think the reviews are too positive, and probably an attempt to be very objective. No company makes ONLY great products or ONLY awful products (well, actually, a few do). You just need to know which are which.

Paula’s Choice Body Mist

Paula’s Choice : skin care
Paula’s Select : makeup

One of the most common platforms for criticism is that her opinions are invalid because she produces her own line of products. Seems to me her own line would be a natural spin-off of what she knows and has seen over the years. In any event, not liking her products, or the fact that she sells them, does not invalidate her reviews.

If you want women to have access to the best of the best and the industry doesn’t make it, why wouldn’t you? And I would hope you’d rate your own products with the highest rating you could give; if you couldn’t, why bother making them?

Is there anyone else out there that openly recommends other companies’ products? Can you name one? I can’t. Whatever conflict of interest might exist in making and reviewing her own products is neutralized by the fact that the products of others are equally strongly recommended.

Empowering women with the truth

I’m not saying to stop buying Clinique. If you want to buy that cream from the Avon lady you’ve known for years, go ahead. What I’m saying is to get informed about them and then buy their products. If Clinique or the Avon lady or anyone else has an issue with that, then you should think seriously about putting your money down at that counter. Any belief system that cannot be challenged is dangerous.

If you don’t want to buy the book, then check out www.beautypedia.com. For $25, or half that if you buy the book, you get online access to everything in the book and a year’s worth of updates on all the new stuff. Either way, you come out on top.

Considering the markup in cosmetic marketing, you’ll get back the cost of the book within 3 purchases of just about anything.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: BOOK REVIEW : DON’T GO TO THE COSMETICS COUNTER WITHOUT ME, PART 2. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

If we ever meet, I’m going to take her out for salad, dessert, and Diet Pepsi with Lime to thank her for all the money she’s saved me, for how my skin looks, and for sticking to her guns. Imagine what it’s like taking on an industry with this much clout so that women have somewhere to turn for some honesty. I would bet she’s had a few grim days.

Paula Begoun

Defusing the deception

This latest edition is as essential to women as the earlier editions were. True to the previous formats, Paula begins with several chapters that cover the basics. You need to absorb some background knowledge to put the product reviews into a reasonable context.

I love reading this section because she takes on all the latest trends and fallacies. Since I have a scrappy nature, it suits me to see these controversies exposed and the legends busted. I can just hear the screaming from the believers.

Terminology that you’ve wondered about, like ‘all-natural’ and ‘organic’, ‘hypoallergenic’, or ‘dermatologist tested’ is explained, along with the regulations that control its use (few) and the truth behind the slogans (none).

You gotta love dogma

The myths we’ve all been fed for so long that we now believe them are examined next. Here’s an example : eye cream is different – in fact, ‘eye cream’ is a marketing ploy; there’s no true or important distinction between a well-made eye cream, neck cream, or face cream. It is all about and only about the quality of the product.

Here’s another : you should stick to products within the same line for them to work best. I know you’ve heard that one and I know where you heard it.

Can you feel your blood pressure beginning to rise?

Here come the product reviews!

As any responsible consumer advocate would do, Paula explains the criteria used to do the product reviews in some detail.

Then we get to the meat, the product reviews. For almost any product line you can name, for every cleanser, toner, blush, or lip liner they make, you will be given an opinion backed by sound research on whether the product does what it says it will.

OK, they never do what they say they will or we’d all look 14 forever. The review will tell you if the product is well-formulated. There must be an abundance of ingredients that will be beneficial for your skin, appropriate for your skin type, and in a package that will keep the ingredients at maximum potency. If antioxidants appear at the very end of the ingredient list, in quantities too small to do anything, you will be told.

Isn’t that all we really want to know for sure when we’re faced with the dizzying number of choices out there, whether we spend $20 or $200? There is not one single other source for this information. And it’s in a $20 book. How many times is the Lancome girl going to get you for $80 on your lunch hour before you go to the bookstore and buy this instead?

Make your list.

So sit down with a pad of paper and your green tea, or bottle of red wine with the straw in it, depending on the day you’ve had, and start to read. Products that perform especially well get not just a smile face but a check mark too.

I go through the book looking for all the check marks first. The rankings can change over the years as formulas change or new competition comes along, so you have to be on your toes.

Since I’m always on the lookout for a new and better sunscreen, I’m going to buy MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15 and Neutrogena Pore Refining Cream SPF 15 next. Each time I use them, it will make me happy to know about the good stuff I’m putting on my skin. (Update:bought the Neutrogena. It’s fab.)

Part 2 : Coming soon

In Part 2 of this article, we’ll discuss the reviews further and take on some of the negative reviews and strident objections to Paula’s work. The fact that she produces her own line of products is the source of a surprising amount of hostility. Lock and load, ladies.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: BOOK REVIEW : DON’T GO TO THE COSMETICS COUNTER WITHOUT ME, 7th ed, PART 1. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Are you tired of buying jars of face cream, tired of the feeling of hope as you hand over your cash that some really noticeable change will take place, only to admit 3 months later that nothing happened, or maybe you didn’t even finish it all?

OK, maybe it smelled nice and felt good going on, but do you really look any different than if you’d used olive oil or a drugstore brand on sale? Quite honestly, you also feel ticked off that the company made all these promises about the magic of blueberry extract. Ugh.

You are sick of being lied to by corporations. Have you not lived long enough to have earned more respect than that??

No more millionaire models

Back to the store, to try again. Hmm, you saw an ad in a magazine for a new cream by some big company…but nevermind, you’ve bought your last fancy cream modeled by an airbrushed 17yr old, that costs a fortune just to pay the 17yr old’s 5 million dollar contract. She already has 5 million, she doesn’t need anymore.

No more secret recipes

Well, you need cream. A friend told you about a cream made by monks in Bavaria, what about that? Maybe there’s some special secret ingredient. Your friend has pretty nice skin. The cream is $200 for the jar.

OMG, that will feed your family for a week. But, what if there’s that special ingredient??? The formula has been passed down for centuries!! That would sure be worth it. You might look amazing.

When in doubt, go to the mall

What to do? It’s your day off tomorrow, you’ll go to the mall and take one last look around before you decide.

So, you’re in Sears, but how in the world do you choose here? 10 counters, each with 40 products. It’s hopeless. You can’t buy anything else because you may have to spend $200 on face cream.

When things get bad, drink a $6 coffee

Go to Chapters and have a coffee. Treat yourself to a flavored large with whipped cream because you’re kind of stressed and at least it’s only $6.

You’re sitting there, enjoying the coffee, not thinking about the fact that you are drinking a $6 cup of coffee, because it is flavored with whipped cream and you really loaded it with cinnamon and cocoa powder and you keep topping it up with cream.

You know life gives you answers when you are ready for them, so you feel pretty calm, just wondering what form the answer will take and hoping it arrives soon.

When you need an answer, ask a woman

At the table next to you, a woman just sat down with her $6 coffee ; her coffee looks like it’s all whipped cream. She looks pretty normal; she seems to be about your age. She is holding a book called Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me. Dayam, that sounds right on. Is that book in this store somewhere?

-“Where??”,you ask her. She points.

As soon as you open it, your heart beats a little faster. Every makeup and skin care line, every product they make, all reviewed by …who ? ?Must be this woman pictured on the cover. She looks normal, like someone you could know and talk to. She must be Paula.

The reviews look good. Really good, actually. Honest. No BS, straight-up talk. Hey, some products have a smile face and a check mark both, that stuff must be extra good. Would anyone notice if you took a few notes?

Look up your old favorites – you’re in for a surprise

Let’s look up something specific – how about that last jar of stuff ? Oh, my. I paid what?, for this? The world’s most boring moisturizer, and they soaked me $80. How about the Bavarian stuff? OK, won’t be buying that either.

There’s that mascara you really liked, and Paula likes it too; she thought it got a little smudged at the end of the day which you didn’t notice, but otherwise you agree with what she wrote.

You have to buy this book. You finish your coffee, and collect your things to head to the checkout, feeling armed and empowered.

In stores January 08

The woman at the next table notices you leaving.

-“You can’t buy the book today”, she says.

-“Why not? It’s a great book. I might buy one for every woman I know.”

Now, the woman’s eyes get wide and sparkly and she smiles.

- “ It is a great book, indeed. You own that and your money is only ever spent on superstar products from now on. But I just bought the last copy”. Wow. This woman is excited.

-“I kind of need a product now.”

- “ What you do is this : go to Chapters online and order the newest edition. It’s only $23 !! Come on already, this book will save you that much money in the first week. While you’re online, go to this website and take a look around.”

The woman writes some words on a piece of paper and hands it to me. “It’s a website for women who care where they spend their skin care dollars and want to put the best products on their face. Search some of the articles on your skin type or a skin issue you’ve heard about. You’ll find loads of great stuff.”

You unfold the paper and read the words written on it.

We all know what website the woman wrote down, right?

(Note: I see that Chapters still has “Not yet released. Pre-order today!” posted on their site for the newest edition. I ordered online on January 1/08 and the book arrived a week later. It may not be on the store shelves yet, but the store can very likely order for you.)

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: DON’T GO TO THE COSMETICS COUNTER WITHOUT ME, 7TH ed : IN STORES NOW. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.