If Clarins Were A Woman

by Paige Donner

The international cosmetics brand, Clarins, has a humble beginning. Founded by a man with a vision to provide his patients (yes, he was first a doctor) spa treatments and beauty products that added as much to a woman's sense of well-being as they did to her outward appearance, it grew into one of the most recognized names in luxury cosmetics today.



 To celebrate the brand's 60th anniversary, Dr. Olivier Courtin-Clarins put together this book of  super strategic tips, compiled from both his expertise in women's health and beauty and also from a worldwide base of their devoted beauty bloggers who submitted questions to him deserving of worthy answers. The result is, Doctor, I Want To Be The Fairest Of Them All, a delightful book only just translated from the French into English in time for the new year.

Docteur, Je Veux Etre La Plus Belle

That is the title in French and each chapter offers targeted and practical advice. The foreword, offered by Dr. Courtin-Clarins, states that, "Your face tells it all. What a pleasure it is to see life's contentment harmoniously written there...Over time our faces reflect who we are. They are an expression of ourselves and reveal our personalities."

Providing Beauty Advice Has Always Been Part of The Clarins DNA

Chapters in this little red book of beauty tips include: Killer Legs, A Star Even On The Road, A Flat Stomach A Small Waist And A Great Bottom, A Regal Bearing and Forever Youthful...

There are illustrated pages throughout the book and one of them even teaches you a quick morning massage to really wake you up with a sidebar giving you a recipe for a healthy breakfast.  Below, on the same page is a Night Massage to help you sleep well. There is advice to, "from time to time or once a year" do a slimming or firming treatment at the spa.

In short, the book is full of priceless bits of beauty advice and much of it that you can self-administer. And it's all about whole-body beauty, something that has always been at the root of the Clarins philosophy.

This interview below is excerpted from a special interview given by Prisca Courtin-Clarins, the granddaughter of the founder of the cosmetics line, for the ultra-luxurious Spa My Blend by Clarins that you can find at the Royal Monceau in Paris.



Q&A with Prisca Courtin-Clarins, Director of Strategic Projects and Spa Activities (and blogger on the BeautyFlashBlog.com a Clarins blog)

If Clarins Were A Woman

 

My preferred virtue:  Respect

 

My dominant character trait: Kindness

 

What character trait I most prefer in a man:  Gentleness

 

What character train I most prefer in women: femininity

 

My biggest character flaw: Perfectionism

 

My strongest quality:  Listening

 

What I appreciate most in my friends: Loyalty

 

My favorite thing to do:  Research

 

My ideal of happiness:  The Fountain of Youth

 

What would be my greatest disappointment:  The extinction of biodiversity

*translation from the French by Paige Donner

Book is available online at Clarins.net.

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If Clarins Were A Woman

Une Way Of Life: Burnt Red Nails

By Paige Donner

We love (as in love ! love !) Une’s Slightly Burnt Red nail enamel. Red livens up any outfit and adapts to all clothes and makeup, regardless of coloring. Deep and almost brickishly red, it’s a perfect color for early spring and on into the summer. Did we mention how nicely it wears with a deep brown tan ?

Something else you’ll find with UNE nail poishes is an XXL brush that applies your enamel varnish on your nail in one easy stroke. Its not-too-hard, not-too-soft brush fans out over the nail so you’ve got full color coverage precisely and in a flash of one brush-stroke.

And since it’s UNE, ethical is part of the product and part of the packaging. For instance, on the back of each nail polish bottle label is the figure that indicates the percentage of natural origin ingredients for each varnish shade : C09 our Slightly Burnt UNE Red lovely is a whopping 72.1% natural origin.

The Base and Top Coat otherwise known as C00 is 85% natural origin. This adds a natural Ultra-Shine to any of the nail enamel colors.

The color pigments ? They are mineral.

The petrochemical derivatives found in most nail varnishes ? UNE replaced them with equally effective natural origin ingredients : cotton, potato, manioc, algae.

New for this Spring are the 4 shades to match skin color, ranging from NUDE to cocoa brown. Forbidden and exciting shades to wear on your hands as we cruise towards warmer weather.

Other members of the UNE nail enamel color wheel are the SHIL family of shades. These are 2 Natural Shades (soft pink, light beige), 2 Shades Inspired by Lips (blush red, slightly burnt UNE red), and 4 Inspired by Eyes (taupe, khaki, smokey, denim).

SHIL stands for Skin, Hair, Iris and Lips.  It’s a sort of (shhh ! secret) code invented by UNE to create natural colors that enhance women of all ages. These shades take their inspiration from the natural shades of Skin, Hair, Irises and Lips.

You can rely on your 3-in-1 UNE nail color formula – that’s Base, Color and Extreme Shine – to be formaldehyde-, phthalate- and toluene-free.

Oil-Based Nail Polish Remover

And now for the real kicker !  UNE likes to say that they don’t know the meaning of impossible. So when faced with creating a natural nail polish remover, they went in the direction of OIL-Based and all natural.

The First 100% natural origin, zero fragrance remover. 

What’s more, it not just respects your nails but your cuticles too.  Want to know what’s in it ?

80% natural origin solvents extracted from plants.

20% sweet almond and apricot oil

On the light, blossom green bottle you’ll find listed the ingredients, detailing the percentage of natural origin ingredients : 100%

It’s also 100% effective in removing the UNE nail natural ingredient nail polishes. Even my Spring-Summer fave, the Slightly Burnt UNE Red.  If only for a color refresh !

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Une Way Of Life: Burnt Red Nails

Couvrance - For A Complexion Worthy of The Big Screen

 

by Paige Donner

 

Cake-free and doll perfect. That’s you, right ? Of course it is ! And if you feel you need just a tiny little nudge of help in getting there, look no further than Couvrance, the clean pure makeup by Avène, and its line of complexion correcters and foundations.

 

Couvrance is based on the premise that a woman’s skin is one of her most sensitive and prescious organs. Hence, tender loving care are the operating words here for this line of medical makeup. 

 

 

The other philosophy is to use the correcter sticks that come in Coral, Yellow and Green to neutralize those small flaws, bags under the eyes and tiny blemishes. Once these small imperfections are made invisible through the delicate application of counter-balancing correcters, a light sheen of  Couvrance Compact Foundation Creams can be applied to achieve that flawless Big Screen finish.

 

Since Valentine’s Day this year is yet again smack dab in the middle of Awards Season, here are some tips that will keep you looking your fresh, radiant and thoroughly seductive self, whatever the occasion :

 

Dark Circles Under The Eyes

 

First – and always – thoroughly moisturize under the eye before applying complexion correcters.

 

For brown undereye circles – Use the coral concealer stick which works for darker skin, the type of skin that tends toward brown undereye circles. The Couvrance Coral Concealer stick creates a very luminous and natural anti-dullness effect.

 

For blue undereye circles – The Couvrance Yellow Concealer stick works wonders in neutralising the appearance of blue undereye circles.

 

More Tips on the Concealer Sticks:
Green – neutralises redness, spots, small blemishes
Yellow – neutralises bruises and dark spots 
Coral – neutralises brown spots, melasma
 

 

Technique «  Since your small imperfections have now been neutralised, there’s no need to apply coat after coat of foundation. Instead focus on texture and application techniques, with the desired results in mind. »

 

Use a brush to apply the Couvrance Fluid Foundation Corrector. This will achieve the appearance of a flawless complexion by casting a veil over your skin.  If your complexion tends towards the grey or dull (such as during winter months!), choose a shade with a hint of pink to freshen up your complexion.  Choosing a shade that is slightly ligher than your skin tone can help your face appear younger. (Darker shades tend to add years.)

 

Now, for the finishing touches, you can actually « draw » on your face with the Couvrance Concealer Pen.

 

These work by applying them to your face after your foundation (to avoid running). The areas of application are on these points : the forehead, nasolabial folds, tip of the nose, corners of the mouth, hollow of the chin.

 

This adds contour and illumination to your face.

 

Last step – Mattify your makeup with a dusting of the Couvrance Mosaic Powders. *Hint – these can be used as an eye makeup palette as well. 

 

Whether you set your makeup with the translucent Mosaic Powder, the Radiance or the Bronzer, each are sure to have your makeup lasting all night long and a quick re-dusting of the Mosaic Powder in its slim white compact case during the evening, or any time, will keep your face shine-free.

 

Nooowww you’re ready for your Big Screen close-up, you doll, you !

 

*Couvrance are high-tolerance formulas designed for sensitive skin types. They contain no preservatives, no fragrances and are hypoallergenic. They do not smear ; they offer UV protection and are resistant to water and perspiration.

 

 

Couvrance by Avène.fr

 

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Couvrance - For A Complexion Worthy of The Big Screen

Une Way Of Life - Skin Ideal Youth Serum Foundation

by Paige Donner

 

What do buddleiia davidii and thymus vulgaris have to do with your skin’s flawless finish ? Read on and I’ll tell you what…

Bourjois’ UNE line of cosmetics includes the newly released Skin Ideal Youth Serum Foundation, a youth-extending formula. Aptly named, this elixir is as much a foundation that gives your complexion a radiant clean flawless finish as it is a serum that incorporates these plants harvested from the Swiss Alps that help fight the dangerous effects of pollution with their anti-oxidising properties.

Cultivates the Natural Look and Reaps Youthfulness

How does Skin Ideal diminish signs of age as a mere foundation ?

« It’s a question of lightness, affinity with the skin, harmony with the complexion and respect for each woman’s natural look…

UNE’s Skin Ideal Youth Serum Foundation brings out the youthfulness of the face with very little make-up, resulting in a natural, ageless grace.

The dominant magic component in Skin Ideal is a product of green chemistry called Hyaluronic Acid.  Do you love to see your skin « plumped up » looking dewy and hydrated ? The Hyaluronic Acid in Bourjois’ Skin Ideal is obtained by biosynthesis from lactic acid. It has a specific affinity with the skin, which it naturally and intensely hydrates, re-inflating and « plumping up »  your complexion.

Light As A Feather

Skin Ideal is an EcoCert product, meaning that 98.2% of the total ingredients are of natural origin. So its featherweight qualities and ultralight emulsifiers are unique and offer a revolutionary glide and smoothness in a natural formula.

How ? UNE’s Skin Ideal uses a derivative of rice oil combined with arginine. The rice oil and arginine combination is a new generation of natural emulsifiers that give comfort to your skin and emollience to the Youth Serum Foundation.  Your morning’s application, good for the whole day, glides on and blends into your skin in perfect homogeneity. It leaves a delicious sensation of feather like comfort and sensations of « nothing on the skin ».

To add to the magic effect of your flawlessly finished skin, UNE has included silica and mica combined in the form of powder micro-beads for an ultra-radiant soft focus effect. It’s an optical effect, but one that takes off a few years in an instant.

Skin Ideal is a youth enhancer, a friend to your complexion. It brings out natural light, freshness, radiance and, as a result, boosts your self-confidence. It is not a veil for your complexion nor is it a second skin. Its Organic Jojoba oil nourishes the skin without a greasy effect. Organic Argan Oil helps protect the skin’s youthfulness. Beeswax, the ultimate natural product, forms a protective film against external effects.

Makeup Tips from UNE :

« More is the enemy of good.

To look younger, it is necessary to lighten makeup and take particular care with the choice and apply foundation evenly without adding thickness.

Always choose the shade as close as possible to the natural skin tone : paler it looks dull, darker it ages.

Be sure to spread it evenly up to the base of the throat to avoid marking. »

More at UneBeauty.com/fr

Cosmetiques.ecocert.com

 

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Une Way Of Life - Skin Ideal Youth Serum Foundation

Mascara: Green Is The New Pure Black

by Paige Donner

 

With awards season fully underway and the first of  2014's runway shows revving up for the world's hottest fashion weeks, a girl needs her go-to makeup product right at hand. Yes, mascara.

 

Of course ! Mascara .

 

According to Premium Beauty News, 54% of women say they couldn't go without mascara. And counting all distribution channels combined, a whopping one billion little tubes of mascara are sold each year.

 

Still, one woman out of two claim to have sensitive eyes and who doesn't want to pamper their peepers ?

 

So for all you awards show and fashion divas, and all the rest of us lovely creatures who prefer just to watch the parading down runways and red carpets from our perfectly made up eyes, Greening Beauty has scoured the makeup world to find our top picks for green glam when it comes to mascara.

 

They are Bourjois's UNE Green Pride Volume Mascara and Avène's High Tolerance Mascara in its Couvrance line of cosmetics.

 

UNE is a lusciously lip-smacking green line of makeup, available in Europe (not yet in North America but can be found online) created by Bourjois, one of France's most established makeup manufacturers. And now they've reinvented Black, for the Ultra Black Green Pride Volume Mascara.

 

Avène is a leading French cosmetics house that specializes in sensitive skin and is one of the pioneers of cosmeceuticals. Their full name is Laboratoires Dermatologiques Avène and for their newest mascara, High Tolerance Mascara, just released in November '13, they have focused on a product that wears easily not just for women with sensitive eyes or contact lenses, but also for women who want their eyes to sparkle and shine from behind lush, long, black (or brown) lashes.

 

A few highlights of UNE's organic and Ultra Black Mascara :

 

• Ecocert certified. Means 100% of total ingredients are from natural origin.
• Boosts lashes by 14x using a combination recipe of three natural waxes : shea butter, carnauba and beeswax.  These sculpt, coat and maximize the sheen of the lashes.
• Holds for 16 hours thanks to the natural polymer, xantham gum.
• Absolute black for the Ultra Black pigment achieved by pure iron oxide.
• Brush is small and equipped with supple fibers and « reservoir spaces », a technology that evenly distributes the mascara to avoid clumping, applying the perfect amount in a single sweep.
• Easily removeable. No rubbing, just dab with spring water and the makeup dissolves gently, respecting sensitive eyes and keeping eyes young looking.

 

A few highlights of Avène's High Tolerance Mascara

 

• Dedicated to dermatology since 1743, Avène has pioneered the concept of « sterile cosmetiques » or ultra pure cosmetics.
• The Ultra pure pigments for both their black and brown mascaras have a minimum of metal content.
• No Paraben. No Phenoxyethanol. No chlorophenesin. No fragrance.
• Acacia gum allows for full lashes with no clumping. Even after applying several layers. The sheathing and film producing of the natural polymer – acacia gum – mean each lash is coated for perfect definition.
• Ultra light micro beads in the silica powder increase volume while maintaining a natural effect.
• Volumising effect : +42%   Lengthening effect : +39%
• High precision brush curved in the shape of an eyelid. Concave side works to make the lashes fuller and lusher. Convex side works to separate the lashes for better definition.
• Long-lasting : More than 8 hours. Guarantees no clumping while giving high-volume and curl.
• Easily removeable. Spray a bit of Avène Eau Thermale (natural and very pure French spring water) on your eyes and gently dab with cotton pad to remove.

 

And Voila' ! You will not only have the mirrors to your soul shining like rock stars, but your eyes will be saying thank you the whole time to you, too.

 

 

http://cosmetiques.ecocert.com

 

http://www.unebeauty.com

 

http://www.pierre-fabre.com (Laboratoires Dermatologiques Avène)

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Mascara: Green Is The New Pure Black

Easy Ways To Green Your Life

by Madoline Hatter (guest post)

Going green in your life doesn't mean you have to make massive changes. Some of the greenest things you can do are the small ones. Making everyday changes to your life is easy to put into place one small step at a time. Here are some simple ways you can make your life greener and more eco-friendly:

1. Shop Seasonally and Locally – When you buy your food it is easy to pick the brands and products you are familiar with. However if you think about it many of these items must be shipped a long way to get to your grocery store's shelves. Instead, why not pick up some locally grown or made foods. Not only are they usually cheaper because of a reduction in shipping costs but they are also better for you and for the environment. Buying locally grown or made food means fewer carbon emissions from transportation. It also supports the local economy. Not only that, but produce that is grown locally is also grown seasonally meaning it is better for you and tastes better too. Eating seasonally helps you to keep a variety in your diet and you can even try new foods that you may fall in love with. It is also cheaper to buy foods in season. 

2. Go Back to the Basics of Cleaning – In the old days there were not a lot of cleaning products on the market. Basic items like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, backing soda and pine oils were about your only selections. Today you can embrace the classics and clean green with these same items. Instead of polluting the environment and your home with noxious chemicals, stay clean and healthy and breathe easier by cleaning with natural products. Hydrogen peroxide is a great natural anti-bacterial agent and whitener. Baking soda works to scrub off tough stains and get into the cracks and crevices of your home. Vinegar helps to neutralize odors and get rid of tough stains. Pine oils and other essential oils like orange and lemon are great for cleaning and shining wood surfaces. Pine oil is also anti-bacterial! 

3. Reduce Your Water Use –Cutting down on your water use does not mean you can only bathe once a week or never water your lawn. It is simple to cut down your water use and save yourself money as well as saving some strain on the environment. Cut off a minute of your shower time by turning off the water as you shampoo, condition and shave. Turn off the water as you brush your teeth. Do the dishes all at once. If by hand, wash the cups and utensils first and the pots and pans last. That way the water will stay cleaner longer and you can get it all done in one sink. If you use a dishwasher make sure it is completely full before you run it and run it on the fastest setting. In the yard you can water early in the morning or late at night to reduce evaporation. Run it low and slow to reduce run off as well.

4. Plant Local Flora – Speaking of saving water, planting local flora instead of grass is a great way to save water and time in maintaining your yard. Local flora is accustomed to the rainfall and temperature of your area. Not only does it require less maintenance but it is also more resistant to disease and predation by local fauna. You can even set up a wildlife area and attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your yard! 

5. Natural Fertilizers – Instead of filling your yard with fake food, why not go the natural way? Not only is it better for your yard and the environment, but it is more affordable too. It only takes a small effort to set up your own compost pile and get to making some nutritious and delicious dirt for your plants. Everyday trash can go into the pile. Items like banana peels, orange peels, egg shells and other organic waste make for great compost. Cut down on the trash sent to landfills and get free dirt all in one step!

6. Recycle – As much as recycling has become a part of our lives there are still some of us who don't do it as regularly as we should. Make it easy on yourself by setting aside special bins for different kinds of recyclables. Glass, plastic, paper and so on can all be recycled easily. Many garbage collectors often will take recycling as well. Or take it up to your local school or recycling center. Even items like Christmas trees can be recycled. If you drink a lot of canned beverages you can save those up and get money back at an aluminum recycling center. Don't forget that old appliances can be recycled as well and sometimes you can get money back on those too. Old computers can often bring in some cash from their expensive parts as well. 

7. Climate Control – One of the biggest expenses and biggest polluters in our homes are the climate controls. Heating and cooling costs are astronomical and the electricity they use is equally so. Cut down on your cooling costs during the summer by running fans, sealing cracks and covering windows. The sun shining in those windows can create more heat than you would think. Cracks can allow cool air to escape and hot air to take its place. Fans help to keep you cool more affordably than air conditioners by dispersing the heat around your body so that even a warm room feels cooler. In the winter, those cracks should still be filled. Cold air can blow in and warm air escape easily. Windows should be covered at night to avoid the chill factor and uncovered when it is sunny to capture that heat. Keep warmer by bundling up and using other heating elements, like leftover heat from cooking. 

8. Cooking Green –Speaking of cooking, you need to be mindful of how you cook as well as what you cook. As I mentioned it is a good idea to cook using high heat during the winter. Using the oven and stove top to cook during the winter helps to heat the entire home and keep down the electric bill. However the same concept does not apply in the summer. Try to avoid using the oven and stove and instead opt for cooking in a slow cooker, outside on the grill, or even eating cold foods. A great way to cut down on pollution and cook your food in the summer is a traditional method in many countries. 

Burying your food with hot coals to cook it low and slow is a great way to cook in the heat. Do not just cook a little bit either. Make a whole bunch of food and then save a portion of it for some other meals. That way you can just cook once and then heat it up quickly when you need it.

9. Drink More Water, But Less Bottled –Last but not least I'd like to talk about what we drink. Many of us drink a lot of sugary, artificial beverages that are not good for us or for the environment. Those plastic bottles add up as does the transportation and manufacturing costs. Instead, drink more water. Not the bottled kind but the filtered kind. A filter can give you the same great taste and quality of bottled water but without the high cost or environmental impact. Filtered water is better for you too than drinking 

from plastics that can seep toxins into the water. Try using glass or proper containers for drinking water and make sure you don't cause leeching by putting other beverages in those containers like lemon juices or tomato juices which can be very acidic. As you can see it is not very hard to make small changes in your everyday life and live greener.

It only takes a little bit of thought to change your habits and make a positive impact on the environment. Going green starts one small step at a time, so try out some of these ideas in your home today. 

Author Byline:

This article is contributed by Madoline Hatter. Madoline is a freelance writer and blog junkie from ChangeOfAddressForm.com. 

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Easy Ways To Green Your Life

DIY Healthy Shiny Hair Summer '13

re-published from Hungry For Change

1. All Hair Types: Avocado and Honey

---

Cut and scoop out the flesh from a ripened avocado and mix in a tablespoon of organic honey. Apply to hair and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before rinsing it off in the shower.

Avocados are rich in a variety of vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin E and protein, both of which your hair needs to remain soft and healthy. Meanwhile, honey is a natural antibacterial agent.

2. Dry Hair: Olive Oil and Egg

---

In need of some major TLC?  Combine three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with two eggs and apply the mixture to your hair and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes before rinsing in the shower.

The olive oil will help hydrate brittle locks, while the protein in the eggs will promote healthy hair growth.

3. Oily Hair: Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon

---

Combine 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with the grated peel of an entire lemon and allow it to set for 15 minutes to absorb the excess oil from your scalp, and then rinse in the shower.

Apple cider vinegar will remove build up from styling products and conditioners and strengthen the hair shaft, leaving you with soft, shiny strands. It will also balance hair's pH level, kill bacteria, and is a cure for dandruff.

4. Dry, Flaky Scalp and Hair: Banana, Honey and Almond

---

Mash together 1/2 a ripe banana and add two tablespoons of honey and a few drops of almond oil and allow it to set with a shower cap on for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Bananas can increase the moisture of your hair, smooth frizz and soothe your itchy scalp.

Choose a mask that suits your hair condition and bring your hair back to life!

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Neal's Yard Remedies Makeup

by Paige Donner
Neal's Yard Remedies, the UK-based natural remedies, skincare, bodycare and now makeup line, feels that the Tree is a perfect symbol of beauty: The roots represent our health/inner beauty, and the outer blossomings of gorgeous leaves, fruits and flowers are symbols of our outward beauty. That's the logic behind their logo.

So when they moved into developing their makeup line, after several years of careful thought and reflection, they knew that mineral makeup was the direction to go in.  However, based as they are on holistic and organic remedies masquerading as personal care products and skincare, they wanted nothing to do with the common additives found in many of the mineral-based makeups on store shelves today. One good example is talc and talcum powder. Believe it or not, many "mineral" makeup lines today use these as fillers to round out their color-based mineral makeup lines. But never NYR!
White Tea (Powder)
So what NYR did before ever launching their makeup line in any of their 42 U.K. stores (70 boutiques worldwide) was to do a fair bit of research focused around white tea and white tea powder.

"Color That Cares"

Neal's Yard Remedies Makeup

NU Green – Organic, Co-ed And Just Right For Spring

Green mint leaves; tarragon; white cedar; East Indian white musk… These are the fresh scents in Honore’ des Pres newest scent and it’s just perfect for Spring.

 

Designed to be worn by both men and women who each adore organic scents, the Verrine NU Green is shaped like a globe and made out of glass to better preserve the perfume’s scents and its aromatic powers of seduction.

A great little treat to celebrate Springing the clocks Forward this weekend! (In the U.S. anyway… Europe will have to wait just a couple more weeks for its Spring time!)

Available at EcoCentric, 50 ml. 56Euros. Musky, Woody, Fresh Herbal, Green, Spicy.

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NU Green – Organic, Co-ed And Just Right For Spring

Global Colding

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Paris For Peace And Yoga

Today, on the International Day of Non-Violence, Paris celebrated its first White Yoga Session on the Champ de Mars, under the elegant gaze of La Grande Dame, the Eiffel Tower. Already in its 7th year, this was the first time that event had taken place on the Champ de Mars.

Modeled after the NYC Day of Yoga, free and open to willing participants, Paris organizers of the event admitted they'd had 6,500 people sign up on the website to attend this morning's hour-long practice in the 7th Arrondissement, en plein air. They had organized for and expected 2000 participants. 

The practice was led in both English and French and an elegant Cellist played on stage, accompanying the entire session with live sitar-like music. Practitioners were from all ages, mature to the young, and attendees included mothers with infants, families with children, young couples, men, women and even a few of our furry friends. 

Sponsors of the event which included BeYoga, Go Sport, SportForUs.com, Soy Joy, Lole, VaiVai and the Mairie de Paris, passed out complimentary yoga mats, t-shirts, energy bars, coconut water and tea and re-usable tote bags. 

On this gorgeous October Sunday morning of Paris Fashion Week, a yoga respite en plein air was a welcomed and stimulating detox! Namaste!!

All photos by Paige Donner c. 2011

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Paris For Peace And Yoga

Introducing...The Spermacycle!

For all Eco-Moms and Eco-Mom Wannabes Everywhere...

Nordisk Cryobank (European Sperm Bank)is one of Europe's leading sperm banks and the company was looking at environmentally-friendly alternatives to how they could transport their sperm samples to the fertility clinics around Greater Copenhagen.

The company's CEO, Peter Bower, says, "The first idea was how we could deliver to the fertility clinics in a C02-friendly way. Shortly afterwards followed the idea of a custom-designed bike with a cooling system. Now, six months later, we can cycle around the city on our sperm cell bike."

[Courtesy http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/04/sperm-bike-in-copenhagen.html]

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Introducing...The Spermacycle!

Odacité And Absolution - Bespoke Skincare

By Paige Donner

Bespoke is the new black.  Or, rather, bespoke skincare is the newest wisdom in product formulation for skincare products, especially in natural and organic based lines. We've come across two stellar lines this past year who are both formulating skincare product lines specific to personal and individual needs.

Odacité
The first, Odacité, is created by founder Romain Gaillard, a French native who makes his home currently in Southern California. For a novel approach and because it's important to remember that our menfolk need TLC too, we tried out his line of products that were formulated specifically for an adult male whose lifestyle includes some sun exposure and late nights.
Before the products were formulated, senior Skincoach Nairi Khatchadourian sent along a detailed questionnaire to find out what sorts of skincare concerns our tester had. This is the response, along with the product types and explanations, that were received:
Dark Circles Under Eyes: The Odacité skincare includes a "great concentration of Tocopherols (natural Vitamin E) that is known to help with dark circles. It also includes bioavailable Vitamin C of rosehip oil that helps strengthen blood vessel walls, and tea extracts that work wonders at reducing dark circles."
Dark circles can appear as a result of several factors: lifestyle, genetic, lack of sleep, aging.

Suntegrity sunscreen is their product to deflect the harmful effects of overexposure to the sun.  It's an effective product which is saying a lot for something that is so respectful of natural ingredients use. Sunscreens still are something of the Holy Grail for natural-based skincare products.
Cleanser. The cleanser includes Tamanu oil from the rain-forest of Madagascar which is a super healing oil. They get the wild-crafted oil from Madagascar 
because wild plants retain the highest potency. Tamanu oil is proven to aid in the elimination of waste material and toxins from the capillaries. The cleanser also comes with two sponges that encourage lymph circulation when used on the face.
Immortelle Toner.Toning  helps shrink pores and restores healthy skin Ph balance. They suggest using the Toner as an after shave. Its base is Aloe Vera so it hydrates the skin and reduces puffiness.
The moisturizer is formulated with pure virgin coconut oil and organic aloe. These boost 
skin hydration by locking in moisture. The fresh organic aloe also heals. It is also, "Formulated with DMAE a natural skin firming agent. Long term use of DMAE  has been clinically proven to greatly decrease the appearance of loose and sagging skin. DMAE also helps prevent and reduce age spots."
Our Greening Beauty test subject felt a significant improvement in his skincare quality after using only these products for three weeks. Not any kind of a Metrosexual, it was difficult to convince him to use any kind of skincare. But after using Odacité Bespoke Skincare, we now have a firm believer in natural, crafted to order, skincare.

Absolution
The founder of this organic skincare line from France, Isabelle Carron, describes it as "the first unisex bespoke certified organic cosmetics brand." She has created it from minerals, vitamins and wild plant extracts. The line is formulated with simplicity in mind. It is the founder's goal to offer a few products that can answer a variety of your skin's needs.
This she does with a truly original approach to "bespoke."  Basics of the line such as La Crème du Jour and La Solution + Energie are packaged by themselves but formulated to be sold together so that the client, themselves, can mix the ingredients according to their skin's needs at that moment.
This approach earned Carron a Beyond Beauty Jury Award and a Wallpaper Magazine Design Award in 2010. The product line is also Eco Cert-ified.  The Day Cream (recyclable)-plastic jar/pump is beveled inward at the top so that when you pump a bit of the cream out onto the little "bowl" it allows you to spritz a drop of the Energy Solution onto it so that you can mix it all up right there with your fingertips, just before applying. Other "La Solution" varieties are: Eclat (Clarifying/brightening), Anti-Age, and Controle.
The product philosophy emphasizes Listening. "Listen to Yourself..." it says, "Listen to your skin! Intimate connection, echo of your soul and body, your skin's needs are like yours: constantly changing.

The ingredients are potent: Olive tree flavonoids, Aloe Vera, Borage oil whose anti-aging actions is combined with a mineral sunscreen (Mica) - all of this in the day cream. And in the booster you have Echinacea, Edelweiss and Extract of Thermus Thermophillus to name a few. [That last-named ingredient is particularly effective in protecting your skin from air pollution, UV ad electromagnetic radiations.]
You can read more on the new Absolution.me Blog. 

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Odacité And Absolution - Bespoke Skincare