Health and Beauty Articles for Women

There have been numerous reports recently about miracle skin creams that can lessen the effects of ageing, and in April we reported that the BBC documentary Horizon has revealed the most effective anti-ageing cream available on the high street. The secret ingredient, retinol, has now been shown by another study to be extremely effective. As a number of our anti-ageing products contain retinol, it’s something we certainly agree with!

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The pigment melanin, which is responsible for skin and hair color in mammals, is produced in specialized cells called melanocytes and then distributed to other cells. But not every cell in the complex layers of skin becomes pigmented. The question of how melanin is delivered to appropriate locations may have been answered by a study from researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC).

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We’ve all been told to limit the amount of fat in our diet, and to ensure that no more than 35% of our daily food intake is fat. The government divides this guideline amount into saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and transfatty acids. But how many of us really know which fats are good for us and which should be avoided altogether? And is food labelling really telling us the whole story?

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Two months since the smoking ban and, if you decided to give up, all your cravings should have disappeared and you should be feeling a lot healthier. But what will have happened to your skin if you gave up smoking on July 1st?

One of the immediate effects of giving up smoking should be fresher and younger looking skin. Smoking diminishes the blood supply to the skin, making it grey and dull looking and almost immediately after ditching the cigarettes the blood supply to the skin will start returning to normal levels. This will leave the skin looking clearer and more youthful.

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Confused by conflicting health advice for older women, Jan Etherington has come up with her own common-sense guide

There’s a perception that getting older is a doddle. “Sixty is the new 40″, “50 is the new 21″, headlines shout. Look at all the fabulous role models for older women! We can all be like that!

No, we can’t. Real women don’t have an army of people on hand to make them look fabulous. And they don’t get air-brushed.

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Natural deodorants cut out chemicals and do a great job, says Lucy Atkins

The battle to smell fresh has raged for centuries. The ancient Egyptians shaved underarm then slapped on citrus oils and spices.

The Greeks and Romans blended deodorising perfumes. Nowadays we have a full arsenal of chemicals at our disposal - chemicals that do not just mask the smell of sweat, but block the ducts and prevent perspiration from emerging in the first place. Have we gone too far?

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The Internet is an incredible encyclopedia of information. Open it up and you can find an inordinate amount of stuff. But, unlike Britannica, with so much available, it’s easy for inaccurate information to be mistaken for the truth. Such is the case with acne. Many myths exist and proliferate about this irritating and often devastating condition. Find out the truth from the fiction!

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It’s tough enough trying to find the right skin care products, but understanding all the skin care jargon can be beyond frustrating—not to mention grasping the stream of information on foods to avoid and foods to feast on that help your skin. This article clarifies a few of those jargon-y terms and the story behind chocolate’s benefits.

We crave it. We lust after it. And now after devouring a bar of rich, delectable chocolate, we may not only feel satiated but happy knowing we’ve consumed something that’s actually good for us.

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There’s something afoot in the world of towelling: a new breed of medispa, reports Hannah Betts. But is it safe?
Spas used to mean oat masks, aromatherapy oils and sympathetic young women called Kirsty going on about your chakras. But something is afoot in the world of towelling, with less emphasis on R&R and more on “medispas”.

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By Julie Naughton
Charlotte Tilbury, working with MAC Cosmetics, was inspired by the sultry Havana attitude with the look she created at Donna Karan on Wednesday. “It’s a masculine-feminine juxtaposition,” said Tilbury. The cornerstone of her creation was a defined brow, darkened and extended with a taupe shadow.

Next, Tilbury got creative with clear lip gloss — applying it over a cream beige shadow on eyelids, at the top of cheekbones for a subtle gleam and over a beige-pink lip color. Black mascara was added to the top lashes only.

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