Winter

CaliDerma Deal

Hot news! I just got word that CaliDerma.com is offering an amazing deal for a limited time. Place an order of $100 or more, and receive a whopping $20 off! Enter discount code winter20 during checkout, to score this promotion! With brands like: GloMinerals, Jane Iredale, Kinerase, SkinCeuticals and many more… this dermatologist-owned online shop features the best of the best in skincare! Don’t forget to add a CaliDerma Lip Balm to your order. This amazing minty balm is super-nourishing and offers SPF 30 protection!

Fine print: Discount will not apply to any iS Clinical or SkinMedica product.

Click HERE to head to CaliDerma.com!

Alison Raffaele Naturally Inspired Beauty: Primer And Foundation

Alison Raffaele got her start in the beauty business working for Bobbi Brown. Despite having access to any beauty product on the market, she couldn’t find a concealer of high enough caliber to cover dark under-eye circles, including her own! It was precisely this beauty dillemma that led Alison to launch her own line in 2000.

Now, in 2008, Alison Raffaele is launching new products while simultaneously giving some old favorites a makeover. The Alison Raffaele organization is committed to using natural ingredients whenever possible, in both product and packaging. This re-invention process will happen in three phases, the first of which is a reformulation of Alison Raffaele True Concealer, Reality Base, Transparent Finish and the tools that go with them.

Alison Raffaele products have always been free of mineral oil. But the updated formula has also removed talc and parabens from the product, and added a proprietary anti-oxidant complex of Pomegranate, Goji Berry and Resveratrol extracts referred to as "Frutta di Vita." The sexy packaging redesign is even environmentally conscious! Whenever possible, packaging is created from recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable materials. All secondary packaging is 80% post-consumer waste or greater.

I had the opportunity to sample both the Face Forward Primer in Age Response (a new launch), and the newly formulated Reality Base Foundation. Face Forward is simply amazing! This Alison Raffaele foundation primer has an SPF 15, and quickly (I mean lightning fast) dries to a matte finish on the skin. Foundation wears beautifully when applied over it, lasting longer, looking smoother and staying put. I love this product so much, I’d even use it as a matte sunblock on days I choose to skip foundation!

Alison Raffaele Reality Base Foundation is housed in a lean pump-styled bottle. The first time I applied Reality Base, I dispensed four pumps of product into my hand. WAY too much. The second time, I pumped twice. STILL too much! Turns out, I am able to get full coverage out of this foundation using only one pump. The updated Reality Base formula blends so beautifully, you simply don’t need as much foundation as you would normally use (which is a victory in itself, isn’t it)? Take into account the removal of potentially harmful ingredients like parabens and the addition of natural ingredients that help the skin thrive, and it’s tough to not declare this foundation a winner.

Face Forward Primers (age response and Acne Response) retail for $44. Reality Base Foundation retails for $38. If you’re in the market for paraben-free, talc-free, mineral oil free, gluten-free and fragrance-free, keep your eye on the ever evolving selection of Alison Raffaele! The new products should be available online by March 3rd. Click HERE to head over to Alison Raffaele online!

Korres Natural Products: Olive and Rye Day Cream

This amazing day cream by Korres Natural Products is the perfect addition to any anti-aging arsenal. Amazingly rich, this day cream absorbs into the skin in a flash, allowing for perfect makeup application. Clinical tests support that this product significantly reduces fine lines in a 2-month period.

Rye extract reduces wrinkles and firms mature skin. Olive and Vitamin F build up the skins natural defenses. Equally as important as what is in this product is what is NOT. This Dermatologically tested moisturizer is Mineral Oil Free, Silicone Free, Propylene Glycol Free and Ethanolamine Free.

Korres Olive and Rye Day Cream retails for $38. Need an even more hard-core solution? This incredible moisturizer also comes in a version to wear at night. Click HERE to check this product out at Sephora.com or Click HERE to check this product out at Beauty.com.

Avoiding the Pedi-Scare: Dos and Donts for a Relaxing and Safe Spa Pedicure

Pedicure Safety According to most American women, a trip to the nail salon or spa for a pedicure is not just a luxury – it is an accepted portion of their weekly beauty regimen! With so many women including pedicures as routine, it is no surprise that the bar has been raised when it comes to safety standards. According to New York City cosmetic podiatrist Dr. Oliver Zong, “a pedicure is something I recommend to my patients who want to maintain both the health and look of their feet, but I warn them to ‘proceed with caution’ when choosing a nail salon to frequent.”

Dr. Zong’s hesitation is warranted: in October of 2000, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigated the first known outbreak of Mycobacterium fortuitum cutaneous infections acquired from whirlpool footbaths. As a prominent podiatrist in New York City, Dr. Zong has seen countless patients who have developed infections in their feet as a result of spa pedicures.

Dr. Zong’s Pedi-Do’s:

Do ask salon workers how the foot spas are maintained and how often they are cleaned. Take notice of their actions while they are working on clients to see if footbaths are disinfected with each customer.

Do pay attention to the time spent cleaning footbaths between customers. The disinfectant needs to work for the full time listed on its label, typically 10 minutes, depending on the type of disinfectant. It is worth your health & safety to practice patience at the spa!

Do check your skin for infection during the days following your pedicure. Open wounds may appear on the skin of your feet and legs and can look like insect bites, but increase in size and severity over time.

Do visit your podiatrist or primary care physician if you suspect you may have a serious infection.

Dr. Zong’s Pedi-Don’ts:

Don’t get a pedicure if you have cuts or abrasions on your feet or legs. Microorganisms living in footbaths can enter through the skin and cause infection.

Don’t shave, wax or use hair removal creams within a day before getting a pedicure

Don’t get a pedicure if you have bug bites, bruises, scratches, scabs or poison ivy.

About Dr. Oliver Zong
Dr. Oliver Zong is a podiatrist in Manhattan’s influential Financial District. As one of the premier cosmetic foot surgeons in the country, he serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FOOTCARE and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Besides traditional and cosmetic foot surgery, Dr. Zong is also an accomplished cryosurgeon and co-founder of the Podiatric Cryosurgery Center of New York. He is an attending physician at New York Hospital Downtown, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Cabrini Medical Center, and Gramercy Park Surgery Center. Dr. Zong graduated as Valedictorian from New York College of Podiatric Medicine where he earned his degree, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). For more information please visit www.NYCFOOTCARE.com.

Many thanks to Dr. Oliver Zong, for allowing Raging Rouge to publish this article on pedicure safety!