Salubrious Life

Olives Please....and hold the Martini

I'll be needing that olive for my skin and hair from now on.

Now - the Olive has long been used for softening and treating hair, skin etc.  But after five years of cooperative research, botanicals supplier Indena of Italy and Kanebo Cosmetics Inc. of Japan have commercialized Opextan, an olive fruit extract for healthy skin.

Indena screened and selected the olive varieties, pinpointing the best harvesting period and methods to ensure the highest levels of verbascoside and other polyphenols. Verbascoside has free radical scavenging activity which has a direct impact on skin health, preventing oxidative damage associated with wrinkle formation, skin thinning and dehydration, Indena stated. Final efficacy trials were conducted by Kanebo Cosmetics. Patents on the Opextan-based composition activity have been filed jointly, claiming the activity of the novel composition on UV damage, wrinkle formation and hair tonic.

Indena will promote Opextan globally, except in Japan, where it is already marketed under the new cosmetic and supplement line Bella Vita.

Get Lutein in your Vitamin Drink

Vitaminwater Focuses on a New Drink with Lutein
Vitaminwater announces the addition of lutein to focus, its kiwi-strawberry flavored drink. Now packed with florGLO lutein (the leading brand of lutein in the world), the drink is "focused" on protecting customers' eyes and vision. Lutein is a natural and powerful antioxidant that promotes eye health and supports proper vision function, which can be compromised by high-energy light rays from the sun as well as from indoor lighting. focus wouldn't be the same without the original lineup of nutrients, so it still has vitamin A (to maintain the functional and structural integrity of the eye), vitamin C and B vitamins, and electrolytes.

I drink Vitamin water during my 90 minute practice of Bikram Yoga.  As someone who loves to multi-task, I'll now switch to the "focus" drink in order to increase the benefits. I'm a fan of this drink.  Low cal, adds important nutrients and tastes FAR better than plain water.

Snake Venom - the new Botox?

Skincare company Euoko has launched a new anti-aging collection featuring a synthetic tripeptide protein that mimics the activity of a protein found in Temple Viper venom.

The Louvre Collection contains a protein that mimics the activity of the venom protein Walgerlin-1. The manufacturers say that the protein is totally safe and has been clinically proven to reduce the size, depth and number of wrinkles – particularly expression lines – by relaxing facial muscles.

The tripeptide  has properties that are similar to the medical injection procedure Botox. However, Euoko claims that its skin care range is safer, easier to use and ultimately more economical than the very popular non-surgical procedure.

Botox injections cost around US$400 per procedure and the effects are said to last from two to nine months. But the Louvre Collection is not cheap either. The Intense Lift Concentrate retails for US$450, while the face modelor comes in at US$210, the Perfect Shape Perfector at US$210 and the Inensely Nourishing Lift Cream at US$75.

Euoko claims that the range is six times more effective than leading competitive products. Furthermore it also claims that the tripeptide contained in the formulation has shown the ability to reduce forehead wrinkles by 52 per cent and crow's feet by 38 per cent in under one month.

Based in Ontario, Canada, Euoko is a manufacturer and distrubritor of luxury skin care treatments. The company has expanded rapidly since its inception, launching six skin care lines targeting specific skin conditions. The majority of its sales are achieved through the internet and are concentrated in North American and Western European markets.

McDonalds Coffee to switch to Fair Trade Certified.....But Will it Taste Better....Please???

Oxfam America welcomes McDonald’s announcement that it will be serving Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in 658 of its restaurants in New England and Albany, NY. Starting Nov. 1, participating locations will be switching 100 percent of their coffee products over to Fair Trade Certified™ organic coffee from Newman’s Own Organics, roasted by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. “McDonald’s commitment to fair trade is an important step,” said Seth Petchers, coffee program manager for Oxfam America. “This is a sign that the fair trade market is growing in strength and numbers. Other retailers and coffee companies should see this as a wake-up call and follow their lead.” He added, “We are excited about this regional launch, and we hope to see it spread across the country.” The market for Fair Trade Certified™ coffee has grown by an average of over 70% each year since 1999. Fair trade coffee is available from over 400 coffee companies at 20,000 retail locations across the country—a sign that consumers are making their voices heard. “Fair trade provides significant benefits to coffee farmers, including enough income to invest in their harvest and in quality improvements,” said Lorenzo Castillo, head of the Junta Nacional del Café, an organization representing small coffee farmers in Peru. Fluctuations in the price of coffee jeopardize small-scale coffee farmers’ businesses. Fair trade, by providing a stable price, helps to mitigate the impact of the coffee crisis, which many farmers continue to suffer through. Castillo continued, “It’s great that McDonald’s has recognized that to secure the highest quality coffee they need to pay farmers a fair price.” But will that make McDonalds Coffee taste any better?  Surely there must be other people out there who agree that this company makes the worst tasting cuppa in the world.  Having had the misfortune to require cups of this so-called coffee in various parts of the world, I can attest to the fact that just like their Big Mac........the taste of their coffee is uniformly disgusting from Bangalore to Bucharest. Roll on Free Trade Coffee at McD's.........just brew it right will ya?

Bamboo Table Top & Food Prep Products

bambu is the first company to offer a full range of bamboo tabletop and food preparation products made from an array of innovative material applications. The broadest collection of contemporary bamboo products available anywhere.

bambu exists to create interest and excitement in bamboo and other renewable materials by developing a distinctive collection of bamboo products for modern living. The bambu collection includes both bamboo tabletop, and food preparation products in an array of innovative material applications - bamboo lacquerware, bamboo Veneerware®, bamboo solidware, bamboo utensils, bamboo cutlery, and woven bamboo. We are passionate about bamboo and other renewable resources and are continuously exploring new applications for today's home. bambu offers:

- Breadth of offering-wide range of products, colors and grains.

- Product design and development expertise.

- Only top quality grade materials and finishes are used.

- "At The Source" design, production and quality control.

- Competitive pricing, you don't pay more for higher quality.

The result is a product line that combines quality craftsmanship, elegant design and ultimate functionality. By using bamboo we reduce our reliance on diminishing timber resources, and petroleum-based materials. bambu uses only the highest quality materials and waterbased adhesives that meet or exceed European E1 standards across the broadest range of bamboo products available anywhere.

Click here for more information about bambu and thier products.

Goth Icon Marilyn Manson to Launch Cosmetics Line

Flamboyant goth rock star Marilyn Manson says he is in final negotiations with a major cosmetics company to launch his own perfume brand, which he hopes to follow up with a cosmetics line.

The controversial star, who is known for his heavy make-up that helps to create an image that continues to influence a generation of angst-ridden teenagers, told Women's Wear Daily that following the launch of the fragrance, he his hoping that a full range, including lipsticks, powder and foundation will be launched.

If the negotiations are successful the launch is expected to take place by the end of the year, probably in key European and US markets.

Colour make-up has become a key part of Manson's image, featuring heavy mascara and heaps of foundation and powder to produce a look that has come to characterise the gothic image that many young adult aspire to.

In adopting this look, make-up has become a key part of being a loyal follower of both Manson and the gothic style. It is also a cross-gender phenomenom, with almost as many boys wearing make-up as girls.

Manson is hoping that by endorsing his own cosmetic line, it will make it easier for his fans to adopt his image, which often uses colours and shades that can otherwise be hard to get hold of.

An indication of what the cosmetic line is easy to gauge from Manson's image, but knowing what the fragrance will smell like is more difficult to tell. Either way, fashionists and fans alike are expecting something quite unique. 

Now......tell me.......that black lipstick.........is it chemical free and does it come in a matt??

Remember the Soft Drink Called Tab?

It's making a return.  Coca-Cola Co. is relaunching it in early 2006.  We haven't seen Tab on the shelves since the 1970s. The new Tab will be an energy drink called Tab Energy in skinny pink 10.5-ounce cans with the old Tab logo and "energy" in small yellow letters. Young women are the target market for the low-calorie drink. In 2005 Coke added two energy drinks, Full Throttle and Rockstar, to its portfolio but these have been targeted primarily at young men. Other 2006 launches from Coke are reported to be a carbonated coffee cola called Coca-Cola Blak, and a flavored sparkling water line under Dasani Sensations.

Whole Foods set to open first lifestyle store

Source: LOHAS Weekly Newsletter

Whole Foods Market Inc. said  it was set to open its first "lifestyle" store in California in late October, which will sell clothing, housewares and hemp curtains -- everything, it seems, except food.

The new store concept for Whole Foods, the leading U.S. natural and organic foods retailer, will make its debut on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. While some Whole Foods food stores are about 50,000 square feet, the new lifestyle store will be far smaller, but will have a wide array of earth-friendly products.

The lifestyle store will offer products such as organic blue jeans, recycled handbags and paint that is free from potentially harmful compounds. The Edun Clothing line by U2 lead singer Bono will be sold at the store along with organic, sweatshop free t-shirts from American Apparel. A selection of world music and collections of sustainable living books and magazines will also be available.

According to the Organic Consumer Association, 2005 sales of organic and natural products will top $45 billion, accounting for nearly 10 percent of all retail grocery sales across America.

"The sales of organic clothing and organic body care (products) are increasing faster than those of food," said Ronnie Cummins, National Director of the Organic Consumer Association. "Even though it is a relatively small market, sales are growing very rapidly."

You Can Now Drink From the Fountain of Youth.....at Sephora

illustration by Leif Parsons

Somebody beat me to it.   I've often thought of creating a line of skincare products you ingest rather than slather on.  Makes sense.  We talk so much about how nutrients as well as harmful chemicals are absorbed into our systems via the skin, our body's largest organ - so why not get all that youth preserving formula into it faster?   Yes, taken orally makes a great deal of sense to me.

Scott Borba (age 32) who has had training at Hard Candy cosmetics, J&J with Neutrogena in product development has now developed a drinkable beauty product.  Borba is an "infused water beverage" which claims benefits such as "firming, "skin calming" and "age defying" is now available through Nordstom, Sephora , Fred Segal Beauty, Bigelow Chemists and other cosmetics counters.

At an average of $2.85 for 16 oz. the bottled water sells for more than double my current favorite water Vitamin Water which sells at an average of $1.20 per 20 oz bottle. Granted, Borba is designed to do more than balance electrolyte levels and quench thirst.  Borba claims that with 2 bottles per day visible results can be seen in just 7days and full results in 28.    You'll need 56 bottles at $160.00 for the month.  Expensive?  If it works, perhaps not.

Looking at the ingredients I see alot of vitamins which we know to be skin improving. E, B12 and B6. I can't find anything magical in it nor can I find anything which would prevent me from drinking it.  It's all in the formulations.......so I'll drink to youth and do so with a Borba.

Eating Right with Safeway

Safeway said it is launching a series of health and wellness initiatives aimed at helping its customers make healthier and more nutritious choices. Initiatives include: nutritional icons on Safeway-branded products; expansion of its ready-to-eat Eating Right product line; integrating natural and organic food choices into every aisle of its California stores; testing consumer response to healthier choices at check-out stations; and hosting a series of healthy eating summits.