AVRIL O'CONNOR'S ANTI-AGING DIARY

ELIXIR AND ELIXIR INTERNATIONAL - PUBLISHED BY ELIXIR MAGAZINE LTD LONDON

2010-12-18T12:01:00.003-08:00

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine ISSN 1753-3864 are based on an original concept by journalist Avril O'Connor and published by Elixir Magazine Ltd London.

Elixir is the first and only consumer glossy magazine and web e-zine www.elixirnews.comto totally focus on the demand for anti-ageing products and services and support it with expert information on emotional and physical wellbeing.

The website www.elixirnews.com was launched by Avril O'Connor on 2 April 2005.

Elixir Magazine Ltd London

ELIXIR INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY AVRIL O'CONNOR LONDON

2010-12-18T12:01:00.001-08:00

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine have the ISSN 1753-3864 and are published by Avril O'Connor and its sister web e-zine www.elixirnews.com

ELIXIR MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY AVRIL O'CONNOR

2010-12-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine have the ISSN 1753-3864 and are published by Avril O'Connor and its sister web e-zine www.elixirnews.com

SILENCE OF THE LAMB - EASTENDERS ACTOR ON HIS BATTLE WITH HEARING LOSS

2010-10-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

An act of kindess publicising the plight of some of the world's poorest children has led to popular TV actor Larry Lamb loosing his ability to hear in one ear.

The EastEnders and Gavin and Stacy star was in Senegal for a week with a charity but stopped taking his malaria pills on his return because he felt fine, despite being medically advised he should take them for a further eight days. Three days after his return he developed an unexplained fever thought to be malaria.

Larry was seriously ill for several weeks and at one point thought he was going to die. He had to be hospitalised and put on a drip. Halfway through his illness, he started to notice whining noises in his right ear and was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

The specialist diagnosed an infection of the cochlear nerve in the inner ear, which affected his hearing so badly that he is now completely deaf in his right ear.

"Losing my hearing hs been a nightmare and a real shock to the system, a classic case of not appreciating what you have until it's gone. I have gone from having good hearing in both ears to only having no hearing in one ear practically overnight, it has been very frustrating. To add to that I was getting a horribly staiffback and neck from constantly leaning to try to hear people. As an actor, hearing is so important, so rehearsing and filming was beginning toget very difficult indeed."

Larry, father of DJ George Lamb, says he now appreciates how isolating it is for people with hearing loss.

"If I am sitting with two or three friends it is almost impossible for me to follow the conversation, " he says.

Afte a few weeks Larry sought the help of hearing aid audiocologist Mark Edgar, at Specsavers in Edgware Road, London. Mark confirmed that the malaria Larry had contracted had damaged a large number of hair cells in his inner ear - these are the ones that send electrical signals to the cochlear nerve. The result is similar to age-related hearing loss but much more sudden and profound and means Larry can't hear higher frequencies, especially women and children's voices, and most consonants.

Everyone's hearing will deteriorate at some stage - with age the hair cells in the inner ear lose their efficiency, affecting what we hear. Larry had started to lose his hearing before his trip to Senegal but unfortunately contracting malaria led to an acceleration of this natural process.

This type of sudden loss is quite unsual and the infection that Larry contrcted damaged his hearing so much that he has been left with permenant damage and complete loss of hearing in his right ear. Unfortunately, the ears work together and unless both are working perfectly it can be difficult to hear over background noise as one ear works to drown out the background while the other works to pick up the sound you want to hear.

Larry's sense of localisation - where a sound is coming from - is also impaired, making crossing the road potentially dangerous, explains Mark Edgar of Specsavers.

Colin has since fitted Larry with a state-of-the-art CROS System hearing aid. This is very discreet, the size of a jelly bean, and sends the sounds he should be hearing in his right ear via "Bluetooth" technology to a device worn in his left ear.

"This haring aid has made a huge difference to my life and its an enormous relief to be able to hear again. I can't belive how discreet it is, so much so that people around me don't realise I'm wearing a hearing aid and I even forget its there.

"I am so grateful to Specsavers for giving me back my hearing and I would certainly advise everyone to have regular hearing tests, after all, they are free so what's stopping you?"

Lanzarote Hotel and Spa - our spa spies give their verdict

2010-06-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Year round sunshine and relaxation at the 5* Hesperia Lanzarote Spa and Hotel sounded enticing.

But this was to be our first taste of Lanzarote and I must admit that we approached the holiday nervously, fearing tattoo-covered chavs drinking pints of lager at 10 in the morning. We need not have feared!

Our first impression of the beautiful 5* Hesperia Lanzarote was one of tranquillity and calmness. The entrance lobby is cathedral like in its vastness, with hushed staff bustling about. We were offered a cooling drink on arrival before being shown to our beautiful suite overlooking one of the four swimming pools and the sea.

The hotel, opened in 2003, is located in a quiet corner of the island, away from the tourist spots of Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca and within a 10 minute walk of the upmarket new marina of Puerto Calero where there are fantastic designer shops and a choice of about 10 restaurants along the harbour.

The gardens and terraces of the hotel lead down to the sea and are beautifully maintained. There is even a little shelter built on the edge of the gardens for the local cats, where food and water is left for them. The terraced pool areas are spacious and fantastic for soaking up the rays.

The hotel is large but was very quiet when we were there. The rooms are beautifully furnished with large king size beds and a balcony overlooking the sea or gardens. Our suite even had a Jacuzzi for those relaxing moments after a hard day lying in the sun, sightseeing or enjoying a beauty treatment in the spa. The room was fully equipped with all the usual luxuries such as air conditioning, satellite TV, mini bar, robes and slippers, wireless internet access and of course a hairdryer. Every comfort one could imagine!

The excellent Spa facilities are located below the lobby, in a calm, tranquil area of the hotel. My husband, who is suffering from a recent back injury in a car crash, spent time every day in the thermal massage spa pool where the powerful jets eased out the tension and pain.

The Spa and Wellness Centre is very comprehensive, with a sauna to relax in, a Turkish bath to clear the pores and the large thermal massage spa pool itself. The treatments available are excellent with much emphasis placed on locally available materials such as Aloe Vera and volcanic mud.
There are four restaurants on site although not all were open when we were there and we went out every night to a new local restaurant, most of which were great value for money and offering delicious, locally caught fresh fish. The breakfasts at the hotel were excellent and enormous. The vast buffet offered everything one could ever dream of eating for breakfast (and also some things that you wouldn’t dream of eating or drinking at that time of day!). Eggs were cooked to order, freshly baked bread of every shape and size was available, beautiful fresh fruit, hams, sausages, bacon, on and on! We ate so much most mornings that lunch was often missed!
We were so sad to leave the beautiful tranquil surroundings of the Hesperia Lanzarote and are already planning our return trip.

GADGETS - THREE OF THE BEST FOR TONING ARMS

2010-06-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

The T Bow

The T-Bow is a great all-round exercise device from Swizerland which can be used to at home as well as in a class. It reminds me of the Step but you can do more since it is curved so you can use it both up and upside down - stepping on it as a platform, using it as a bench to do press ups and standing on the edges of the curve and rocking from side to side to build up strength and balance, as well as using it with bands. It takes up very little space and is very versatile.

It comes with a DVD and a set of different stretch bands. The exercises are easy to master, even for someone at beginner stage fitness. Our tester tried the T-Bow for three weeks and noticed an overall improvement in cardio-vascular fitness and the bands helped improve arm definition and strength. She was very pleased with the results.

The T-BOW home pack (including T-BOW, DVD and stretch bands) is available from www.t-bow.co.uk for £125 including delivery. Rating 8/10.

Shake Weight

The dumbbell-shaped device is an arm strengthening and toning hand weight which you move back and forth.

Our picture shows the wife of Liverpool Captain, Stven Gerrard using the device which uses as technology called "dynamic inertia" to create vibration which gains momentum.

When held, the weight has a vibrating motion which looks sexually suggestive. The Shake Weight is aimed at women's hard-to-shift bingo wings, there is also a bigger, longer version for men.

Our tester found it hard to get the hang of the movement required but after persisting got the hand of it. Arm and muscle strength both improved in two weeks of use.

The Shake Weight™ retails at £29.95, does not require batteries and comes complete with a bonus workout DVD. Available from www.highstreettv.com and Tesco stores For stockist information or to order by phone, please call 0800 883 8224. Our rating 7/10

Slendertone System Arms

The System-Arms garment for women is an easy to use arm toner working the tricep (triceps brachii) muscles in the upper arm to eliminate bingo wings. The makers advise that you use it 5 times a week for 4 weeks to improve upper arm definition.

Slendertone works by electrically stimulating the muscles. The System using a core control device which can be attached to various garments with pads to stimulate particular muscles - arms, abs, buttocks etc. You attach the arm garment, click on the control and set the strength and frequency of the contractions.

It's really a lazy person's device or for someone who wants an extra boost, perhaps after injury, because you can't really do anything while you have the pads on.

Our tester used the device regularly for four weeks. She felt stronger but wasn't sure whether her arms looked more toned. Our rating 5/10. Slendertone Arms with the controller costs £119.98. Buy online at www.slendertone.com

VINOTHERAPY IN THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY

2010-04-08T03:08:00.000-07:00

The famous vineyards of Lungarotti

Tre Vaselle pool - relax with a view of the Umbrian hills

Where vinotherapy means bathing and drinking wine!

Anyone who knows us at Elixir, knows our passion for a glass ….or two of wine - particularly because it contains high amounts of anti-ageing antioxidants! So they might perhaps understand the shock of sampling vinotherapy in Italy for the first time.

After one of the best massages I can ever remember I was relaxing in the bath tub (pictured), already containing what I assumed to be grape extracts when the spa therapist uncorked a perfectly good bottle of red wine and poured its contents into the bath. Seeing the look of pure horror she relented and saved a glass, saying it wasn’t good to drink too much in the spa.

So with glass in hand I not only tasted but relaxed and bathed in the revitalizing and antioxidant vapours of one of the fine wines of Torgiano – a hilltop village in the heart of the famous DOC and DOCG wine region of Umbria.

The Bellauve Vinotherapy Spa is indeed a gem. It is peaceful and beautiful, with indoor and outdoor pools, Turkish baths, gym and outdoor relaxation areas surrounded by olive groves and views of the Umbrian Hills.

The spa is set in one of the region’s most exclusive five-star hotels, the Relais Hotel Le Tre Vasalle. The hotel, in a 17th century house and whose name refers to the ancient ceramic winejugs, is in a narrow street in what was once a fortified village in the Middle Ages, near ancient towns of Perugia (5 miles) and Assisi (10 miles).

Surrounded by antique furniture and paintings, each of the 60 bedrooms is furnished differently, giving it has the atmosphere of a grand country home – perfect for a romantic getaway. The restaurant, Le Melograine, reworks traditional Umbrian specialities such as pasta with black truffles, as well as diet menus served with famous local wines..

Le Tre Vassale brings together wine, art and hospitality. This is because the hotel is the passion of one family – the Lungarottis, first and second generation winemakers who have made Torgiano their own.

Tre Vaselle entrance (pictured) - Torgiano an ancient Medieval hill town of small streets

As well as the hotel, there is a wine museum and olive oil, museum and the nearby Cantine Lunggarotti which produces the finest red wines grown on surrounding slopes (Sangiovese, Anaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), including Rubesco. The whites (Trebiano, Grechetto, Chardonnay, Pinot) are grown on cooler hillsides. And there is also an excellent sparkling Lungarotti Brut made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - the traditional champagne grapes.

Giogrgio Lungarotti and his wife and Maria Grazia, an art historian run the winery business with daughters Chiara and Teresa and produce around three million bottles of wine annually.

The famous Rubesco wine

A visit to the Wine Museum and the Cantine are a must. Housed in the 17th century Palazzo Graziani-Baglioni, it has one of the most comprehensive collections of viticulture artifacts anywhere in the world – from its earliest stages in the Mediteranean to the Middle Ages and beyond – covering five thousand years of winemaking history. The theme of Bacchus runs through the collections which are housed in 20 rooms, featuring working tools, the history of wine in pleasure, fine prints, drawings, antiquarian books and graphics by Picasso and a glass by Jean Cocteau.

The hotel offers a range of activities including truffle hunting, cookery classes, as well as scooter hire.

Ancient grape press in the Wine Museum

An elborate ancient drinking flask

A glass by Jean Cocteau

The secret Palazzo of Torgiano - across from the hotel

The prized Italian truffle

Truffle dog Alice gets her reward

I have always wanted to go truffle hunting. And it was not a disappointment. No need to get up at the crack of dawn. After a lazy breakfast we are driven to a nearby forest to meet our guide Matteo and his English setter Asia.

The black truffles, known locally as “black gold” can fetch up to 150 Euros a kilo and the rarer white 3,000 Euros so the cost of buying your truffle dog – 4,000 euros in the case of Asia can pay dividends.

Asia was no disappointment. She was driven by a reward of a cheese slice each time she found a truffle. Sniffing the ground and as if by magic she would start digging with her paws, finding truffle after truffle. Standing on her back legs she put her front paws on Mateo’s hips to claim her reward.

As we walked in the woods we passed groups riding horses – this is also riding country. And back at the minibus we were greeted by table laden with a feast of antipasti and red wine – and it was only 10.30am! A bit early even for me but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do! It would be rude not to.

FACT BOX

Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, via Garibaldi, 48. Torgiana – Perugia. T: + 39 075 9880447
www.3vaselle.it Email: 3vaselle@3vaselle.it
Double rooms from £194 ($297, €220), also look out for special packages and promotions on the website.

Cantine Giogio Lungarotti T: + 39 075 988661 www.lungarotti.it/information on wine tastings mailto:lungarotti.it
Wine and Olive and Oil MuseumsT: +39 075 9880200 mailto:museovno@lungarotti.it museoolio@lungarotti.it

Getting to Torgiano

Alitalia to Rome www.alitalia.com/Ryanair to Perugia www.ryanair.com/

Juvéderm Ultra Smile - we test the newest lip enhancer

2010-03-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

Beautiful lips - that is lips with subtle volume always make a face look attractive. But in the past cosmetic procedures, using different types of fillers, have been hit and miss with some products in the early days that were totally unsuitable for subtle enhancement.

Now Botox innovator Allergen has recently launched a new lip enhancer, Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE. This product is the first hyaluronic acid dermal lip filler to contain a local anesthetic called lidocaine.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance within the skin, which amongst other things, hydrates the skin and adds volume, contributing to the overall smooth appearance by enabling the skin to retain water and absorb more than 1,000 times its weight. The hyaluronic acid in this filler is formulated in a lab.

Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE has received European regulatory approval and has a CE mark following clinical trials at 13 clinics across the UK. The trial enrolled 57 patients requesting aesthetic treatment for lip definition and enhancement. Patients were treated with Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE for a variety of reasons including top and/or bottom lip definition, top and/or bottom lip fullness, and to treat the corners of the mouth.

Importantly, 96 percent of patients treated felt Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE gave natural looking results, and 98 percent said they would recommend the product to a friend.

ELIXIR tests the product

ELIXIR has tested the claims made for this product. Our guinea pig, a 58-year-old went along to try it at the clinic of Dr Tracy Mountford in London's Harley Street.

Dr Mountford is a meticulous practitioner - ensuring first and foremost that you know exactly what the treatment involves and filling out a detailed health questionnaire - which Dr Mountford went through with a "fine tooth comb"!

Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE is about subtle enhancement - a treatment philosophy espoused by Dr Mountford - so our testor was confident she would not come out looking like Daffy Duck or certain celebrities.

The treatment itself takes around 15 minutes with injections using a fine needle at strategic points on the lip to bring out a subtle fullness. The lidocaine does not completely eleminate the pain but makes it less painful overall so that the doctor can work more precisely.

Our guinea pig had about 8-10 injections - one phial of Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE. Dr Mountford also recommended tiny injections at the corner of the mouth to give the lips a more positive unturned look.

At the end of the treatment there was minimal swelling and the subtle enhancement our tester had hoped for. Importantly there were no lumps, bumps - a completely natural look...

"I was pleasantly surprised. I have had one previous experience of lip fillers and mine swelled up enormously, although they went down later. This time there was virtually no swelling and I was very pleased with the result - younger looking lips which don't look as if I have had any work done. I would have it done again when I need it."

Our tester gave this treatment 9/10.

Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE costs between £200 and £400 and lasts longer than most others - up to one year.

Contact: Dr Tracy Mountford www.cosmeticskinclinic.com

BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE

ALICE BEFORE

ALICE AFTER

LAURA BEFORE

LAURA AFTER

Compare the subtle enhancement above with these celebrity disasters:

Lesley Ash

Melanie Griffiths

Pete Burns

More information on Juvéderm® ULTRA SMILE and information on finding a qualified practitioner visit www.juvedermultra.co.uk

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE LOOK YOUNGER - DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN STOP YOUR BODY AGEING AT EXCLUSIVE LONDON SEMINAR

2010-03-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

LOOK YOUNG, LOSE WEIGHT, FEEL GREAT!
NEW ONE DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP FROM PERSONAL PHYSIQUE , WEIGHT LOSS AND DE-AGEING SPECIALISTS, TIM BEAN & ANNE LAING

Tim and Anne pictured above

“Tim and Anne have succeeded in changing the way their clients look, feel and live" - Jemima Khan

Most of the symptoms we associate with ageing are actually nothing to do with getting old. And if over 80% of the diseases we die from are caused by our lifestyle choices, and are therefore actually preventable, then that leaves loads of things we can do every day to turn back our physiological clocks AND LOOK YOUNG, LOSE WEIGHT, FEEL GREAT!!

Tim Bean is presenting daily at The Vitality Show 18-21 March (win free tickets) and will be talking about The Neck Up Diet and Turn Back Your Age Clock

Leading international health experts, Tim Bean & Anne Laing are founders of The Institute of Physique Management (www.iopm.co.uk), a private practice that takes prominent business people and celebrities through customised physique, lifestyle and wellness management programmes. They are authors of Turn Back your Age Clock - look and feel 20 years younger in only 8 weeks, Hamlyn (2009).

NEW FOR 2010 is their Look Young, Lose Weight, Feel Great 1 Day Intensive Workshop will take place in Central London on Saturday 24th April 2010

"If you're serious about your health, your looks and living to a full and fruitful age, but aren’t paying attention to your lifestyle, you'll pay the price," warns Tim.

This NEW workshop will reveal the principles, secrets and strategies everyone can adopt to LOOK YOUNG, LOSE WEIGHT, FEEL GREAT!

The fast-moving, full-on day will break through the “Myth-information” we mistakenly accept as truth, and will reveal the real secrets behind the diet and exercise regimes their private celebrity clients use every day to stay looking slim, vibrant and alive!

What the Workshop will cover:

 Learn why it’s not aerobics that holds the secret to burning pounds of fat off fast! In fact in many cases it’s the worst thing you can do!

 Get the real deal on hormones and the roles they play as master computers of almost all your bodies functions, from mood, metabolism, libido, weight, fatigue, hunger and sleep through to memory, clarity and other functions of your brain!

 Discover why eating more will help you extend your lifespan – and carve off the inches - faster than eating less! In fact we now know that staying in the best shape and having more energy, better health and a more youthful and vibrant physique – is totally destroyed by most common diets!

 Find out the real reason why you shouldn’t snack between meals – and it’s not because you don’t need the calories!

 See how you can totally avoid the mid-afternoon munchies and charge through the day with amazing levels of energy!

 Learn why, contrary to popular opinion, the most important meal of the day isn’t breakfast!

 Work out exactly where your optimal training zone should be – and it isn’t based on your heart-rate! Wouldn’t it be great to walk into any health club, anywhere in the world, and know exactly what’s the best and safest routine to use?

 Master the skill of getting the perfect meal in any restaurant, by simply following our unique two-step plan. Imagine being served a beautiful dinner with the freshest most nutritious ingredients that you won’t feel guilty eating – without making a fuss or drawing attention to yourself! You’ll find out how to order “off menu”, and have even the grumpiest chefs love you for it!

 Learn why most of the diseases we associate with getting old…are nearly totally avoidable! And the easy, simple things you can do from tomorrow that will give you disease-proof protection.

 Discover why the fat gene is a complete and utter myth when it comes to being seriously overweight, and the reason why you never see cellulite on the legs of an athlete!

 You’ll also learn about our famous “Inside-out, Upside-Down & Back-to-front” principle for maintaining a beautiful and more youthful physique.

 There’ll be a wealth of take-home tips and ideas to easily incorporate into your daily schedule,

 PLUS we’ll guide you through our personal pick of top exercises to shape and tone your body to perfection!

Booking Info:

£179 per person, book via physique@iopm.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 8870 4557
24th April, 2010. 8.30am - 4.30pm

www.iopm.co.uk/ www.turnbackyourage.com

SPEEDOLAUNCHES FIRST BODY-SCULPTING SWINSUIT

2010-03-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

The swimwear genuiuses at Speedo created a new fabric technology to create a swimsuit that is almost made to measure.

The Speedo Shapeline, is a range of three swimsuit designs, that help accentuate the shapely parts of a women's body - in effect sculpting the body.

The bust shaper (Natasha) is great for the fuller-busted woman, flattering the bust area and balancing the silhouette; the waist shaper (Madeleine) is for straight or hourglass figures, complementing natural curves and shaping the waist; and the tummy and hip sculptor (Maria) is designed to complement pear-shaped women.

The swimsuit, which costs £100, is made of ultra soft, high performing fabric that ensures a smooth and flat appearance and comes in a range of bra sizes from 30B to 34G in suits size 10-20. This ensures a very flattering silhouette with double-layed stomach panels to provide maximum support, nipping in at the waist to accentuate curves.

Speedo researched the body shapes of 5,400 women who categorize the female body into three different types - bottom hourglass, hourglass and top hourglass - 95% of women fell into these three categories.

The swimsuits are available in two colours - black and red and more information is available at www.speedosculpture.com.

Photographer Mary McCartney was commissioned to take the launch photos below:

Tonia (above) wears the tummy and hip sculptor

Susan (above) wears the bust shaper

Joy(above) wears the tummy and hip sculptor

All three styles above

SCHWARZKOPF LAUNCHES PALETTE INTENSIVE CREAM COLOUR - SALON COLOUR HAIR WITHOUT THE PRICE TAG!

2010-02-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hair experts Schwarzkopf launches a new range of permanent home colour - Palette Intensive Cream Colour.

The formula, based on the professional in-salon range (without the salon price tag at £3.49), includes macademia oil to nourish and optimum pigment content to give hair a rich colour full of intense shine.

Models, pictured below, at the London launch, demonstrated the full colour range of palette shades, reds, browns and blondes, below..

Palette is available in 12 shades -

200 Light Natural Blonde
400 Natural Blonde
500 Dark Blonde
600 Light Brown
650 Chestnut Brown
678 Ruby Red
750 Chocolate Brown
800 Dark Brown
850 Mocha Brown
872 Dark Bordeaux
878 Mahogany
900 Black

WATCH THESE VIDEOS IN WHICH TOP HAIRDRESSER ANITA COX-MCMILLAN GIVES YOU ADVICE ON HOW TO GREAT HAIR COLOUR

Choosing a new hair colour

Tips to prepare your hair for colour

Pick the best colour for you

Schwarzkopf’s Palette provides an enticing colour choice from glossy blondes and deep chocolate browns, to warm reds and lustrous blacks. And with it’s safe and easy to use application process, Palette is perfect for transforming tresses from dull to dazzling without the hassle of time-consuming and costly salon visits.

For those who are a little apprehensive about home-hair colouring, Palette have also launched a fantastic website http://www.haircolourtrips.co.uk/ with the help of twice British Colourist of the Year and stylist-to-the-stars Anita Cox-McMillan.

Schwarzkopf Palette is available nationwide RRP: £3.49 and with a full money back guarantee. For stockists, please call Schwarzkopf on 0800 328 9214.

LIVERPUDDLIAN CRIMPER ANDREW COLLINGE CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF FAMILY HAIRDRESSING

2010-02-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

Andrew Collinge (pictured above), twice winner of The Hairdresser of the Year Award (1993 and 1997) recently celebrated 100 years of hairdressing.

The celebration hosted by Alberto Culver, featured a look at iconic hair styles, from the bob, the Jessica Rabbit to the big hair look of Bridget Bardot.

The event also marked the relaunch of the Andrew Collinge luxury hair care range, with new formulas and packaging. The range delivers salon quality shampoos and conditioners with a RRP price of £4.99 - buy at Superdrug, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and independent

Back to www.elixirnews.com

SHISEIDO LAUNCHES FIRST SERUM TO TRIGGER NEW SKIN CELL GROWTH

2010-02-23T05:05:00.000-08:00

Shiseido, the Japanese luxury skincare company, has scored a first in skin care technology with the launch of a new anti-ageing serum that stimulated the skin to produce younger cells.

Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum, with a relatively cheap price tag of £82, for a top of the range cosmeceutical with proven scientific trials, launches in the UK on Saturday (27th February).

Already top stores such as Harrods are holding client lists waiting to be the first to try this innovative technology.

Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum contains two ingredients, together called Bio-Regenerist, which have been shown to promote the production of the skin's fibroblasts by up to 27%.

Fibroblasts are cells in the epidermis (skin layers) which are responsible for producing the key constituents of firm and young skin including collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Shiseido is so confident that this new product works that it has not hesitated in declaring that it works right from day one - in trials on 222 women 100% said their skin felt more resilient - while 92% said they felt their wrinkles has been smoothed.

Shiseido's approach in the development of this new serum was to look at recent developments in regenerative cosmetic medicine, in particular the use of epidermal growth factors (EGF) which cosmetic doctors extract from a patient's blood serum and reinject into the face to encourage skin cell proliferation.

The serum's two key ingredients, in the Bio-Regenerist complex are extracts from
safflower and yeast, which stimulate an increase in EGF protein, which in turn signals the fibroblast cells to renew and proliferate.

As a result these younger cells are able to produce more collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid - targetting wrinkles sagging, dullness and lack of radiance.

This new product is aimed at women (and men) aged 30+ when the skin first starts to deteriorate.

Shiseido Bio Performance also contains Rose Apple Leaf Extract an antioxidant to help the fibroblasts fight oxidative damage including sun; Super bio-Hyaluronic Acid N – a humectant and Super Plant Bio Exfoliant to natural resurfacing

On sale from 27 February it costs £82 for 30ml. For stockist information call 0207 313 4774.

Results before and after one week of use

Results before and after three weeks of use

DISCOVER THE ALPES-MARTIMES OFF PISTE THIS SUMMER

2010-02-15T07:21:00.000-08:00

Nice, at least the famous beach in front of the famous Promenade des Anglais isn’t what it used to be. True the city is still as captivating as ever, with its bustling flower and food markets and overflowing restaurants, the opera house and the five-star Hotel Negresco.

So down on the beach sipping a delicious kir royale as the sun goes down over the bluest of Mediterrean Seas is the perfect way to end a day of sightseeing. At the popular Beau Rivage restaurant I order my drink and while I wait close my eyes listening to the mesmerising sound of the waves lapping back and forth on the beach. Suddenly my golden moment is shattered as an Easyjet blasts overhead as it lands at the new seaside runway at nearby Nice Airport. It seems only 15 minutes later, yet another Easyjet …passes and another….

But the locals don’t seem bothered – proof if any were needed that even the fabulously weathy Cote d’Azur residents are prepared to see low cost airlines sweeping across their fabulous bay if it brings in paying punters like myself.

It also clearly does not detract from that other enjoyable Niçoise pastime – people watching! My fellow diners are gawping at the rear silhouette of a glamorous “young” woman, model size 4, dripping in huge diamonds and wearing red six inch stilettos with huge diamonté Chanel logos on the heels. She is walking somewhat precariously with the support of her elderly male companion to a nearby table. When she turns to sit down even her cosmetically enhanced face - her hands were veiny and blue - could not hide the fact that she was probably in her 70s.

So Nice and the glamorous Riveria still attracts the well-heeled but what do the locals do at the height of the summer season, when their beaches are packed, the sun swelters and and the unmistakable oily whiff of Ambre Solaire wafts through the air?

Beautiful mountains and forests behind the Cote d'Azur

The answer is that they escape to a peaceful sanctuary of wild and rugged gorges, Alpine pastures and mountains – all within an hour’s drive – where the temperature is 10 degrees or more lower.

Once the snow has melted late in Spring, the Alpes-Maritimes becomes a wonderful playground for anyone seeking a healthier physical and financial alternative to the Cote d’Azur. The area has some of Europe’s highest canyons and national parks thriving with wildlife including wolves, lynx and golden eagles.

Taking the D6202 which skirts the River Va along an unremarkable industrialised valley, passing the perfume town of Grasse, before the road rises through the spectacular Gorges du Cians (pictured) - where it is possible to walk through the rocky river beds during the summer season if its dry. Parts of the old medieval road are also walkable.

The favourite resort of the locals, particularly in August where they decend en mass is the small ski-resort of Valberg. At 1700 metres it becomes virtually snow-bound from October until early Spring but in the summer it is a perfect outdoor activity centre.

The Adventure Discovery Park, a short walk from the village centre, has an abundance of activities for all fitness levels, including children. There is an assault course in the nearby forest where you abseil through the trees, get the ski lift up and return down a winding chute in a sled. There is also trout fishing, horseback riding and golfing. Even watching from the safety of a nearby café is quite entertaining as unsuspecting tourists scream as they gather speed at the end of the abseil and crash into a padded wall at the end.

But my favourite is walking. Though, I must confess, one of the most bizarre I have encountered is the Le Sentier Planétaire in which scaled down model of the Earth’s solar system has been set in one of the most beautiful landscapes on earth. Our guide Cedric Robion, who also doubles as ski instructor also has difficulty explaining the concept.

Walking through shaded forest and sunlight glades we pass giant sculptures representing the seven planets, earth and the sun. The trek which can last anything from 1.5 to five hours starts opposite the tourist office in the centre of the town. Despite my own scepticism the walk takes you through some beautiful countryside with sunlite glades and meadows covered in the most beautiful Alpine plants (pictured).

Is is worth getting a guide as ours points out a whole wealth of flora and fauna we could otherwise have missed including wild orchid, rare birds and landmarks in the nearby Parc National du Mercantour, a giant national park which joins another in nearby Italy and is home to wolves, 50 pairs of golden eagles, griffins and vultures and the lynx which was reintroduced to the area.

Not to be missed is a round of golf at the nearby Valberg Golf Club, which at around 2,000 metres plus, is a bracing experience even at the height of summer. But the views of the mountains are breathtaking. Designed by mountain golf course architect Oliverie Dongradio, the 9-hole par 34 course is also home to some interesting local wildlife…A strange eerie whistle, perfected by the local inhabitants brings the creatures – a species of ground squirrel, called Marmots, out of their burrows and they play, even doing somersaults in the favourite habitat…the bunkers.

The variety of flowers and herbs which grow in this region are renowned for the medicinal properties and at La Ribière (pictured below), two kilometres north of Guillaumes, a local couple make a modest living distilling plants, gathered from the nearby Alpes.

Seventy-two year-old Pierre Parré and his wife Monique, 64, gather the plants, including wild lavender and thyme, locally and distill them traditionally in a copper vat. The villagers hit the vat from the Germans during the War. Behind their home, there is a hillside garden with examples of the many plants used and Monique, who by the way is as agile as a goat on the slopes, loves nothing more than to chat about her garden to passing visitors.

Perhaps this is because visitors are few in the winter months as their home as it is cut off by snow between October and early Spring. There is a small shop where you can purchase many inexpensive items.

As an alternative to expensive Cannes and a few miles towards St Tropez is the quieter and less flashy Mandelieu La Napoule, where they are great restaurants, beaches and even a castle – Chateau Napoule. The original site was a medieval fortress but in the 1920s it was restored by wealthy Americans, Henry and Marie Clews, as a meeting place for artists. As well as the collection of sculptures and the gardens, dining in the ramparts restaurant is worth the experience, if only for the view.
The Chateau terrace

Mandelieu has all the marine activities you would expect. At the popular Pierre et Vacances family apartment hotel, you can sail from the nearby river into the bay and swim or snorkel.

What better way to see the sunset that to take the gentle inclining path up to the highest local spot, Mont San Peyre – at the top where you get a panorama of the coast including the whole length of Cannes.

And with all the money you have saved by visiting the places the locals go to, dine at one of the only restaurants in the area to have two Michel stars. L’Oasis Restaurant’s chef is Parisien Stéphane Rimbault so expect high gastronomy.

And you won’t be disappointed the service and food are both first class and if you are lucky enough to dine al fresco it’s a magical end to your visit to the South of France.

Fact File:

Flights

Easyjet to Nice book online at http://www.easyjet.co.uk/

Valberg

Valberg Tourist Office: T: 00 33 (0)4 93 23 24 25 Email ot@valberg.com http://www.valberg.com/
Valberg Golf Club: Open between May and August http://www.valberggolfclub.com/
Valberg Mountain guides http://www.oeroc.fr/
Stay at a traditional chalet: Chalet La Croix Saint-Jean, 4 bedrooms with bathrooms 38 rue Saint Jean, Valberg. Run by ski teacher Christophe Menei and his wife Lucie. T: 00 33 (0)4 93 05 45 52 Email lacroix-valberg@orange.fr
Résidence Les Ancolies, apartments – 6 persons.

Guillaume

The medicinal plants of La Ribieré - Contact: 04.93.05.50.28

Mandelieu-La Napoule

Résidence Pierre & Vacances, Les Rives de Cannes – Boulevard de la Mer T: 00 33 (0)4 92 97 72 00
Chateau de la Napoule -Open seven days a week from February to November and weekends the rest of the year. Restaurant reservations 04 93 49 95 05.

L’Oasis Restaurant, Rue Jean Honoré, T: 0033 (0)4 93 49 95 52 Email: oasis@relaischateaux.com Book online at http://www.oasis-raimbault.com/

Club de plongée La Cigale, Port de Napoule : Tél. : 04 93 90 98 66 - Mobile : 06 29 09 87 92 - e-mail : info@lacigale-plongee.com http://www.lacigale-plongee.com/

Easy Nautic – motor boat tours of the nearby bay and islands where you can swim – hire costs around $375 for a morning. T00 33 (0)4 92 97 72 25
Club Plongée La Cigale, Port La Napoule – hire of wetsuits, snorkels, fins and motorboats etc.
White water rafting http://www.eau-evasion.com/

Nice
Grand Hotel Aston, 12 Avenue Félix Faure, Nice T: 00 33 (0)4 92 17 53 00 http://www.hotel-aston.com/
The Beau Rivage Hotel Restaurant, Nice Beach

OUR RINGS - THE LAUNCH OF A BRAND NEW INTERNATIONAL JEWEL COLLECTION

2009-12-19T08:13:00.001-08:00

In the fabulous setting of Hotel No.11 London the new collection of OUR jewels is unveiled.

No 11 London - the unveiling

OUR is a new international brand of rings for men and women designed by Valeria Versace and made by Gianluca Lunati, to celebrate the natural diversity of love.

After the unveiling of the collection, guests saw Immodesty Blaize, the international burlesque superstar who has bewitched London and charmed the rest of the world with her fabulous expressive unique shows.

The Philosophy behind ‘Our’

OUR has distinctive features - originality, charm and a spirit of non-conformity. Our creations have been made for both men and women who share a common sensitivity and openly show their true identities.

Our ring
A new jewel is a symbol of union,and one more symbolic than an original and exclusive ring. There are two lines, for Him and for her, that are rendered unique by a special embellishment and which can be customized by colour and materials to ones own individual style. Available in gold (yellow, white, and pink), platinum and silver, the rings can be jewelled, enamelled or plain, according to personal preferences for precious stones, colours and enamelling or for a more neutral line. There are 237 different combinations possible in the men's line and 51 for women: all available for personalization according to taste. In the “shop on line” section of the website http://www.ourring.it/, you can create and purchase your own ring by combining materials, stones and enamelling according to your mood.

More about the designer and jeweller

Valeria Versace represents the third generation of a family of jewel merchants and has become an icon of style, taste and refinement.

Gianluca Lunati is part of one of the most prestigious Italian goldsmith companies. The Lunati Company was founded in 1937 and has become known both in Italy and abroad for excellent standards of production quality which range from fantasy items, that are exuberant but always in excellent taste, to important jewellery.

Our ring will also be on sale in several of the most exclusive European jewellery shops in England, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and Spain with a starting price of €1,270 for the models in gold and €450 for silver. Our ring is available in gold (yellow, white, and pink), platinum and silver; the rings can be jewelled, enamelled or plain, according to personal preferences for precious stones, colours and enamelling or for a more neutral line.

Examples from the OUR collection

FREE ENERGY DRINK - TARGET GORGEOUS GIVEAWAY

2009-10-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

500 cans of Gorgeous Fruit to giveaway

Target Gorgeous is bursting with flavour, packed with energy and targeted for girls with a busy lifestyle who want to make the most of their day and nights!When one solution really does fit all just take Gorgeous Fruit and live life to the full.Target Energy contains a blend of B-vitamins, amino acids and essential nutrients. It contains zero sugar, zero herbal stimulants and only four calories. Target Original 5-Hour Energy contains as much caffeine as a cup of premium coffee. So if you're driving, exercising or just working hard and you want a sustainable burst of 'Fruit and Energy' take Target Energy shots (and keep a spare one in your purse!)

ELIXIR HAS 500 OF THESE GREAT DRINKS TO GIVE AWAY - go to www.elixirnews.com

ACTRESS HELEN MIRREN TO FRONT BOOTS NEW ANTI-AGEING RANGE?

2009-10-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

BOOTS is to launch a new range of anti-ageing skincare aimed at the more mature woman in the New Year.

Boots is planning a huge TV and print campaign for No 7 Lift & Luminate which will be fronted by a new celebrity. The product is due on the shelf on January 27.

Though officially lips are sealed until near the launch date, a Boots insider let slip this week that it is a "really good actress." In that case it would mean the lovely Helen Mirren (pictured below) must be the front runner!

The insider said that lovely actress Keeley Hawes (below right) who is the current face of Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect, is too young at 33 years. This is surprising as the product has flown off the shelf, with most purchases being made by older women, after it was given top scientific acclaim on TV for its ingredients.

Life & Luminate is the name of the new range and it contains several of the key ingredients from the Protect & Perfect range including an extract of lupin.

Boots say the difference between P & P and L & L is that the latter not only reduces wrinkles but also firms and brightens skin - and it does it in just four weeks. It also contains a patented mix of "energising" ingredients including Hawaiian Algae and vitamin C that help to make it feel younger.

There are four products so far in the skincare range - the Lift & Luminate Day Cream - pictured below (50ml, £19.50), which also contains at SPF15

Night Cream - pictured below (50m, £20.50) which also contains shea butter and glycerine

Eye Cream - below (15m, £16.50) with peptides

Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler - right- (30ml, £16) with particles fill in lines to deflect light and "blurr" wrinkles

The original Protect & Perfect Serum (30ml, £18).

Ingredients in Perfect & Protect:
Contains ingredients:Cyclopentasiloxane, Aqua, Butylene glycol, Dimethicone corsspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone copolyol, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Magnesium sulphate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Retinyl palmitate, Methylparaben, Propylene glycol, Lupinus albus, Carbomer, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Panax ginseng, Morus alba, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl pentapeptide-3.

SPA SECRETS - AUTUMN IS PERFECT FOR CYPRUS

2009-10-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Cyprus is an all year round destination that really comes into its own in the autumn when the sunshine is dwindling in rest of Europe.

But there is more to this island than just sun, sea and beach. Recently the Government and the private sector have got together to push other areas of tourism to interest a more discerning clientele such as wine and gastronomy tours.

Cyprus is virtually self-sufficient when it comes to food and most of it is grown on the island, including bananas – and it’s cuisine is a culinary adventure of meze using fresh produce and blending flavours of Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Yes Cyprus does have more than its fair share of cheap and cheerful, even a tacky side as a result of tourism from the former Soviet Union. There are pole dancing clubs and Russian prostitutes and large sprawling hotels that would suit footballers’ wives on a hen weekend.

But you don’t have to go far off the beaten track to see the unspoilt rugged mountain scenary, charming villages and to sample delightful food and the hospitality of friendly locals – most of whom seem to have a relative back in Blighty.

Cyprus is now part of the European Union and the Euro and has a healthy economy thanks to tourism. And if you are looking for something special either in rural tourism or five star classic luxury then Cyprus has it.

Elixir took a look at three of the finest resorts on the island:

Columbia Beach Resort

The five star Columbia Beach Resort at Pissouri at the Paphos end of the island is a discreet and classy resort of low-rise luxury bungalows right on the beach. Some suites even have their own plunge pools.

It has a stunning outdoor lagoon-style pool which flows inside to the Spa – so swimming even in winter is possible as its heated.. Cypriot honey, local salt and herbs are used in treatments. The sage, oregano and lavender herbal wrap is a signature treatment to help relaxation and the lymph glands work more effectively.

The spa has six treatment rooms, a spa bath, plunge pool, sauna and steam room. There are tennis and squash courts and a gym. The spa recently introduced a range of Molton Brown products and treatments.

We tried the Lifeforce Facial, a 60-minute rejuvenating treatment for dry and mature skin. This treatment starts with a deep cleanse and a polish ritual featuring a potent fusion of raspberry seed oil and fruit enzymes. Once the skin is buffed and cleansed,you can relax while your therapist uses Hungarian carrot and Moroccan cedarwood oils to supercharge your skin with moisture. You come out looking relaxed and dewy! Costs $113 (€99.10,£58)

The overall atmosphere is intimate and discreet. And with great dining in two restaurants – one offering local cuisine and the other international – it’s a great place for couples who want to get away and relax. There are three championship golf courses nearby.

Coral Beach Hotel Resort

This is a five star resort in a superb location, overlooking the golden sandy beaches and the sparkling blue waters of Coral Bay.

It is right next to the Akamas peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty and a UNESCO-protected heritage site. So it’s perfect for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits, whether by horse or jeep. You can also ramble, bird watch, scuba dive or cycle. There are also lots of ancient Roman ruins nearby – Pafos was the Roman capital of Cyprus.

Esthisis, is the name of the hotel’s lovely spa and it is the Greek word for senses.

The spa has an indoor heated pool, whirlpool spa, , steam room suites, state-of the-art gymnasium , mirrored aerobics studios with maple sprung floors, computerised fitness assessment and also specialists to treat sporting injuries. It also uses two French products Thalgo and Decleor The Spa's salt glow, massage oil and other body treatments will pamper your body with luxury and leave you ready to take the world.

The new Shiseido spa at the Four Seasons Hotel

The exclusive Shiseido Spa, at the Four Seasons Cyprus has only just opened. It is the 5th Shiseido Spa in the world and the only one in Cyprus and the entire Mediterranean region. The hotel already has the first Thalassotherapy Centre in Cyprus and has now achieved another first with the introduction of the Shiseido Spa.

Thalassotherapy uses seawater and seaweed both of which contain minerals and vitamins in high levels for treatments not just for beauty, but also for total body rejuvenation and relaxation. Revitilise your body and mind whilst being pampered by a trained consultant; each guest is made to feel comfortable and relaxed with a high degree of personal attention.

As you would expect from the Four Seasons, the food and service is excellent – freshly made meze or gourmet dining are both top notch.

We sampled one of the wonderful signature treatments – the Qi for Face and Body. This is an absolutely amazing face and body massage that releases all tension and totally relaxes you – just what you want on holiday. If you have young children there is a well-equipped nursery next door. Costs $338 (€220, £173) for 120 minutes.

Don’t miss:
Picturesque Omodos village with its pretty square, the church of the Holy Cross and the old wine press. The wine producing villages of the Krassochoria on the Southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains – Kolios Winery at Statos Village; Lunch at “Tria Pefka” at Koilani village; Dinner at “Yialos” tavern (fish meze) “Petra tou Romiou” – the legendary Birthplace of Aphrodite, Temple of Aphrodite at Kouklia village. Dinner at Kamaroudi Tavern Paphos; Lefkara village famous for its lace and silver work followed by lunch at Maria’s restaurant – Vavatsinia village; the Cyprus Wine Museum at Erimi. Dinner at Karatello, near the old castle in Limassol

FACTBOX:
• Cyprus Tourism Organisation, www.visitcyprus.com , T: + 44 ( 0)20 7569 8800
• Cyprus Airways operates flights to Cyprus from London, Manchester and Birmingham. For reservations, log on www.cyprusair.com T: + 44 (0)20 8359 1333
• Columbia Beach Resort, Pissouri www.columbia-hotels.com T: +357 25 833000
• Leptos Coral Beach Hotel, Coral Bay, Paphos www.coral.com.cy T: +357 26 813 777
• Four Seasons Hotel www.fourseasons.com.cy T: 357 25 858 000 Shiseido Spa + 357 258 58000 Email: spa@thefourseasons.com.cy
• Monarch – the low fares airline offers year-round flights to Larnaca from London Luton Airport and London Gatwick. www.flymonarch.com

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INIKA MINERAL COSMETICS - NEW ERA MINERAL COSMETICS LAUNCH

2009-10-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Inika is an Australian brand of mineral make-up which is certified organic, suitable for vegans and also those on a Halal diet.

The brand was conceived by former Brit Amanda Bond and Jenni Williams when they realised there was a gap in the market for a mineral range of cosmetic make-up that was not only ethical but also performed with great coverage and colours. It is also the only mineral range for coloured skin in Australia.

Amanda's passion for her range was borne out of her own health issues (endometriosis) and fertility difficulties which she believes may have their roots in toxix chemicals in our environments.

Inika, she says, is about creating "glamour that is good for you!"

The cosmetic market is awash with claims for its cream and potions, most of which is unsubstantiated by science - the consumer is also confused by the descriptions for products such as "organic", "natural", "certified organic" since there is no umbrella body regulating these products worldwide. Different classifications have different criteria for the amounts of ingredients which should be "organic" to receive their stamp of approval. This means that some "organic and natural" products have very little of the specific ingredients and may also contain many of the ingredients being shown to be harmful or potentially harmful such as harsh chemicals, fillers, talk, bismuth oxychloride, GM ingredients, parabens, presevatives, mineral oils, phthalates and fragrances.

Stella McCartney is a fan of Inika which contains 100% certified organic, vegan or both - even the lipsticks and glosses which are usually impossible to make without animal-sourced ingredients. All products are 100% certified cruelty free and produced ethically with care for the environment.

The ingredients include natural minerals and a host of antioxidant ingredients such as natural oils for the pomegranate, Aloe Vera.

Inika has recently rebranded its range with new black and gold packaging and new products including a mineral foundation packed with antioxidants - so its also a treatment as well as a cosmetic. Inika contains a comprehensive range of products from primers to powder foundations, pencils and bronzers with prices starting at around £11.

Its available in selected salons..For more information Contact Inika Australia T: 61 2 4283 1043 www.inika.com.auand UK T: + 44(0)203 178 6090 www.inikacosmetics.co.uk

And if you want to know what is in your cosmetics find out here www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
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ROC'S LONDON LAUNCH OF RETIN-OX WRINKLE CORREXION RANGE

2009-10-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

Launching nationwide in the UK in just two weeks time, ladies were given a sneak preview in London's Maddox street at ROC's anti-ageing boutique event to showcase the new product.

And if the queue which formed outside the boutique is anything to go by women can't wait to get their hands on this product.

The new ROC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correxion range combines three A-list anti-ageing ingredients - pure Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid and Biopeptide.

In skin tests, the new product has been shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 30% in a period of 8 weeks. This includes wrinkles on the forehead, crow's feet, and lines around the lip and mouth - the main areas of concern for most women.

The ingredients also help increase cell turnover to promote younger looking skin. For example, in tests the eye cream improved the appearance of all the test ladies crows feet!

The range (pictured) includes a Daily Moisturiser (£26.99), Regenerating Night Cream (£26.99), an Intensive Serum (£26.99) and Eye Cream (£20.99).

The boutique anti-ageing event was so successful that ROC is thinking of opening a permanent skin advice centre. Read about it here!

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THE BUZZ OF EXERCISE - BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS TRAINING AT NIGHT!

2009-09-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

I can't say it's easy but getting up and running around with some other like-minded people is great fun.

It's been two months since I decided to try out British Military Fitness Training - exercise that gets you superfit very quickly if you stick at it. In my case a knee injury prevented me from going to every session and at times Iwondered if all the aches and pains were worth it.

Then I got on my bike which I hadn't used properly for a couple of months and discovered that the hills in London (and there are some big hills in London) were a piece of cake! It seemed like my muscles has taken on a life of their own and actually enjoyed going uphill. So it really does work. I have lost weight, my stomach has shrunk and I just feel a lot fitter and stronger.

The next hurdle for me is exercising in the colder winter months and in the dark. So I was looking forward to my latest session on Hampstead Heath with some intrepidation.

But the session last Tuesday evening was the busiest one I have particpated in. There was so many of us blues (beginners) what we were split into two groups. How do you see in the dark you may ask? Well unbelievably Hampstead Heath is not dark at all - it is illuminated by all the lights of the big City and you can see everything in lights - from the Post Office Tower to the huge office blocks. It's quite an exhilarating sight. And of course you are not alone - the trainers keep a close eye on everybody to make sure no stragglers get left behind.

Our trainers all have torches and lights on their backpacks and although we don't stick to the footpaths, the roughest terrain is avoided - but still no mercy on the exercise! After the warm up which includes running, press ups, squats, star jumps etc - we run through the heath to Parliament Hill...its not cold at all, there was a light breeze and it's a bit of a buzz seeing London from this view.

Not far down below there were some guys playing football in a floodlit court and we did some real army exercise nearby - crab walking for one and crawling through the grass - I confess at this point I decided to do lunges instead. But I promise I will do it next time....

Then is was running back on the footpaths back to the car park at Downshire Hill, off Hampsead High Street.

I can't wait for the snow!

If you want to try British Military Fitness - the first session is free, just fill out your health questionnaire it's on the web site - and bring it with you. Don't worry if you don't feel like coming alone - someone always chats to you! You can find out about the classes at http://www.britmilfit.com/.

There are also some winter training tips on line at http://www.britmilfit.com/winter_training.aspx

ANTI-AGEING LAUGHTER - CARTOON BY MIKE FLANAGAN

2009-09-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

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ANNE BUTCHER'S DIARY OF HER DEKA SMARTXIDE NON-SURGICAL FACELIFT

2009-09-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year Anne Butcher underwent the new Deka Smartxide laser skin rejuvenation.

She has kindly given us permission to publish her diary and to show the pictures of her treatment. Her diary and pictures take you through the treatment, which was carried out by Dr Aamer Khan at the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic, and shows how lovely she looks afterwards.

Anne: Friday 29th January at 1.15pm the anaesthetic cream was applied to my face, and pain killers were given to me.

Its now 2pm and my skin is cleansed. The treatment is started. Its a hot sensation but not unbearable. After the treatment my face is covered withsun protection. By 2.45pm its all finished and I am sitting back in waiting room.

My face is going hot and cold and starting to swell slightly.By 4.00pm I am in the car on the way home and the hot feeling has stopped.

Here is a picture of Anne shortly after her treatment:

Day of SmartXide Dot laser

During the evening I cleansed my face with wipes, my face was feeling very weepy and tender, I then washed it with vinegar water as I had been instructed, and put on a cream with a paraffin base which protects your skin, it made my skin feel very comfortable.

Saturday 31st January 7.00am – Woke up eyes almost shut, face very swollen, cleansed my face vinegar water, you would think this would sting but it did not, infact it stopped my face from weeping. Then applied more of the protective cream. I have not had to take any pain killers. By midday my skin was feeling very tight and weepy, again cleansed with vinegar water followed with the cream. Eyes almost closed I slept a lot as I could not focus properly to read or watch the TV. All through the day and evening I cleansed my face every 2 hours with the vinegar water, then applied protective cream.

Sunday 1st February 6.15am – Woke up and went and washed my face with vinegar water and applied cream, went back to bed, still very swollen.

12 noon - Got up washed with vinegar water and cream, swelling has gone down quite a lot, eyes not so tight, not weeping so much feel a lot better, no pain. Just tender when cleansing my face, I am now looking lobster red my skin has started to peel today. By the evening I stopped using vinegar water as I was peeling so much, face just feels tender, much less swelling. Cleansing with wipes, still applying cream regularly.

Monday 2nd February Looking a lot better! But still extremely red, peeling excessively.

Used wipes to gently cleanse my face. I am still using the paraffin based cream. As the day progressed my eyes felt a lot better not so tender and no weeping, I am improving all the time and the redness starting to tone down slightly.

Tuesday 3rd February Looking even better still rather red.
Peeling like mad, cleansing and applying cream. Still slightly swollen.

Wednesday 4th February Peeling an awful lot kept on applying cream every two hours. Still red but starting to see signs of redness calming down.

Thursday 5th February Much better today started to use CCLIft serum & B’Time cream. Put some make up on my eyes, started to feel like myself, still peeling like mad.

Friday 6th February A week today – still very red at times but can make up my eyes and use mineral make up. I still need to cleanse and I am applying the B’time cream and the CCLift serum, although they are not really sinking in just laying on top, but still not bad for only one week.

Saturday 7th February Went out of the first time, still putting creams on every 4 hours, near enough back to normal but still covering up the redness. I am very impressed with the results so far, I really do look like I have had a face lift.

Only 7 days after her treatment - Anne's face is firmer and lifted - and by the way is Anne is not smiling for the sake of consistency in the photographs!

Pictures courtesy of The Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic, 96 Harley Street, London W1. www.harleystreetskin.co.uk Laser resurfacing costs from £1,200

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HOW I TOOK TEN YEARS OFF MY SKIN AGE WITH THE NEW DEKA SMARTXIDE DOT LASER

2009-09-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

Two months ago I underwent a laser facial rejuvenation treatment with the new DEKA SmartXide Dot Laser.

This was not a treatment that I undertook lightly as lasers skin resurfacing is a very painful treatment and usually requires at weeks off work while the skin heals.

But the Harley Street Skin Clinic’s new generation machine, operated by the very skilled Dr Aamer Khan, achieves the same result without the downtime in less than a week.

In this treatment the skin is “pixilated” with the laser – but skin rejuvenation is just as good as the lasers which completely resurface the skin with the benefits of less pain and less downtime.

Although my skin was in relatively good condition but the sags and jowls were beginning and the overall appearance of my skin was deteriorating with my pores getting larger.

First of all Dr Khan examined the current state and condition of my skin using a machine which measures the underlying damage – I had quite a lot from the sun which was evident as masses of freckle-like blotches beneath the skin. He told me that the treatment would reduce the sun damage, shrink my pores and generally rejuvenate the collagen.

The surface of my skin was treated with a topical gel aesthetic and also several pain-killing injections before the laser treatment which lasted about an hour. It was painful – a bit like sun burn. But the worst was over by the next day. There was some swelling but no bleeding or weeping which you can get with the deeper lasers. And I didn't need to take the painkillers I had been given.

Day by day my skin improved with the redness fading by day three.

Its been two months now and my skin is looking better every day – the regeneration of the underlying collagen continues for several months, I am told. My skin is tighter and firmer around the jawline and the photo analysis shows that the underlying sun damage has been virtually eradicated and the pore size has shrunk by two thirds. Everything has lifted – even my sagging upper eyes.

But I let my friends be the judge. “Your skin looks amazing!" Is what they are saying.” I am so pleased that I could get this effect without surgery – my face is the same – just a lot younger.

Now all I need to do is get the body to go with the face!

Laser resurfacing at The Harley Street Skin Clinic costs from £1,200

Dr Aamer Khan at the Harley Street Skin Clinic, www.harleystreetskin.co.uk For nationwide availability of Deka SmartXide Dot contact: 0207 514 5104

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THE CRAZY WORLD OF ANTI-AGING THROUGH THE EYES OF CARTOONIST MIKE FLANAGAN

2009-08-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

And this is Mike:

SEE MORE OF HIS WORK AND FIND OUT MORE at www.webjam.com/flantoons2008

TOO MUCH WORK AND TOO LITTLE EXERCISE MAKES JILL A FAT AND UNFIT GIRL!

2009-08-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

It seems like only yesterday that I was cycling 15 miles a day, swimming a couple of times and jogging the 3-miles circuit round Regent's Park and I still didn't think I was fit!

Now after eight months of sloth - I definitely know what unfit feels like - muscle cramps, tiredness etc and I definitely know what it looks like - fat and flabby! And if my life depended on it I couldn't sustain a decent run - so desperate measures are called for!

I thought about a Boot Camp (not enough time), running round the park on my own (boring and solitary) - then while walking through Hyde Park I saw some people having fun doing exercise with the "pros" from British Military Fitness. No demotivating shouting - great instructions and other folks in the same boat.

After researching them online at www.britmilfit.com I discovered there are sessions in parks all over the UK and you can go along and sample a lesson free. You do need to fill out a pre-session health questionnaire which you can download online to take with you.

I tried my session at Hampstead Heath. Hmmm I realised on arrival - I had picked probably the hilliest park in London! Too late to chicken out though - I could see the Military Fitness van in the car park.

The instructors for my session were Ian Finch( pictured below), an ex-navy marine and the lead instructor; Lalin Navaratne, a trainee doctor (centre) and Craig Johnson - "Johno" is another ex Royal Marine.

Participants in the training are divided into different groups, dependent on fitness - blue for beginners (unfit), red for fit and green for seasoned particpants and really fit people.

Needless to say I was given a blue vest for the team led by Lalil. Everyone is very friendly and I was told that there is a thriving social scene including an annual ball.

There is no hanging around - we get our orders to jog off and I follow the others up hill and down dale! An hour later - after doing what I can only describe as an aerobic circuit, including jumping jacks, on the spot running, stomach crunches, press ups, we finally run down hill back towards the car park for stretching exercises. And I was not the last person back!

Running through a park like Hampstead Heath in the summer is glorious - much better and more interesting (stimulating) than being in a smelly gym. And Ian Finch tells me that the Hampstead Heath mob are not just fairweather exercisers - they turn up in the depths of winter, come snow or rain! Last January when London ground to a halt in the snow there were 30+ of them on the heath...

Afterwards I feel good - my legs felt exercised but I was not exhausted - the longer it went on the easier it was. Twenty four later my muscles are pleasantly aching and I know it has put me on the road to being fitter and my next jog round the park will be a whole lot easier!

Needless to say exercise does really make you feel a whole lot better.....not just in body but also in mind too - I feel a whole lot more positive today about everything. I can't wait for my next session!

ITALIAN COSMETIC SURGEON UNVEILS STEM CELL FACELIFT SUCCESS

2009-07-14T02:10:00.000-07:00

Dr. Renato Calabria, pioneer of the Stem-Cell Enhanced Facelift has unveiled before and after pictures of the procedure he performed in Florence, Italy earlier this Spring. While it's still early, the results will only get better over time!

Here Dr Calabria explains the procedure:

For decades plastic surgeons have been looking to restore a more youthful look on the face. Surgical techniques have been improving, newer lasers have been used in order to achieve a goal that seemed unreachable. Comparing the post-operative results with the pictures of the patients when they were younger, it appeared that there was something missing: a younger face had more volume and the skin just looked fresher.

Dr. Calabria always thought that with the advent of stem cell research, plastic surgery could beneficiate from it. Using stem cell as a mean to jump start the regenerative process in our own body was definitely a very attractive proposition.

We knew that the fat in our body contained adult stem cell along with other regenerative cells. Dr. Calabria has been using fat grafting ( therefore containing adult stem cells) on the face with the distinct purpose to rejuvenate the skin and adding volume.

But was not till the develop of a new device, the Celution Device, that facial rejuvenation could taken to the next level and finally create a really amazing result.

Dr.Calabria has called this new way of the future the "cell-enhanced face lift".

The (stem) cell-enhanced face lift is a new procedure used to volumizing the face and create a more youthful look.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Renato Calabria believes that traditional face lift should be a thing of the past: they caused the so called "wind tunnel "look by pulling tight the skin in the wrong direction. Adding volume to the face has always been Dr. Calabria's goal. First with the Vertical Face lift, by moving the patient's own tissues in a vertical direction and therefore repositioning it to the original and more natural position, Dr Calabria has been creating a more youthful look. And now with the (stem) cell-enhanced face lift, Dr. Calabria think he has definitely found the answer.

The (stem) Cell-Enhanced face lift not only restores the volume in the face but also adds regenerative cells which are believed to be beneficial to the rejuvenation process.

Dr. Calabria has developed a technique by which the cells are injected into the SMAS and underneath the facial musculature to create a more youthful volume adding result.

The (stem) cell-enhanced face lift combines soft tissue that is transferred from one part of the body to the face with the patient's own adipose tissue-derived stem cells and regenerative cells.

The technique first consists of harvesting the cells ( Usually from the lower abdomen). Liposuctioned fat is rich with regenerative cells which include adult stem cells, blood vessel producing cells, growth factor secreting cells. Once the fat is harvested, it is treated through a device to isolate the cells.

Celution® Technology - How it Works

First, adipose tissue is taken from the patient by a low volume tissue collection procedure. Next, the collected tissue is placed in the Celution® Device, which processes each patient's tissue with a single-use, application-specific consumable set that easily attaches to the Celution® Device.

The Celution® Device liberates the stem and regenerative cells from the adipose matrix; the cells are then separated, washed, and concentrated in the collection container. This real-time processing takes place in a closed environment to minimize the risk of exposure to contaminants and can be completed within the timeframe of a single surgical procedure.

Next, a syringe is used to collect the cells that are to be redelivered to the same patient. The cells may be injected directly into a site or implanted with a delivery matrix or scaffold to improve performance, such as combining the cells with an adipose tissue graft in reconstructive surgery procedures.

Following re-infusion into the body, it is thought that environmental cues from the damaged and surrounding tissue guide the stem and regenerative cells to the area of damage and help facilitate a natural healing response. The cells may respond by a variety of mechanisms, which promote tissue survival, graft retention, and/or differentiation of progenitor cells into the appropriate cell type.

Then, during the face lift, the regenerative cells tissue embedded in fat is then gently placed with a blunt cannula in layers of facial tissues like the SMAS, under the muscles, etc.... Once the fat is placed, symmetry is checked and then the skin is redraped and approximated, the excess skin excised and then anchored in a vertical direction and closed in layers. The key is to place this regenerative tissue in a precise location in order to enhance the volume of the face in areas previously volume deprived.

After the cell-enhanced face lift, the patient exhibits a dramatic improvement not only in the underlying soft tissue contouring of the face but the skin itself. The growth factors contained in these cells induce the skin and the other tissues to produce more cells of their own by basically initiating a signal to the local stem cells as well as the transplanted adult stem cells to restore them self and multiply.

Others techniques of stem cell face lift inject the cells directly in the face,( without surgery) but in Dr. Calabria's opinion is not as effective in voluminizing the face that the cell-enhanced ( stem cell) face lift and it does not address the laxity of the skin.

Also the cells have not been isolated with the celution device which Dr. Calabria thinks is essential to the final result.

The regenerative cells, by secreting growth hormone and other factors, are also beneficial to create a more youthful look, diminishing the aging process. The procedure restores the youthful contour and shape of the face as well as skin tightness and evens out color irregularities caused by aging and sun damage.

The cell-enhanced (stem cell) face lift is the new frontier of face lifting and Dr. Calabria is definitely writing a new chapter in facial rejuvenation.

The Celution device is not available in the US yet but has been approved for clinical use in Europe and it is available in Dr. Calabria's Milan and Rome locations and he will bring the technology to the U.S. as soon as next year.

Find more information on Dr Calabria's website www.drcalabria.com

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WESTERN LOIRE - SPAS FOR YUMMY MUMMIES AND SO MUCH MORE

2009-06-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

If you love pristine beaches of fine yellow sand, gourmet food, fine wine and world-class spas then the Western Loire is a perfect destination if you want to splash out on a romantic weekend. Its also great for budget family holidays – eating out doesn’t need to be expensive – the area is also known for its crêpes and local cidre.

And its quick and easy to get to, particularly from the UK as the low-cost airlines fly to Nante.

The Western Loire is just below Brittany and has miles of unspolit coastline with ancient fishing ports such as Piriac-sur-Mer, Le Croisic and the mediaeval fortified town of Guérande, in the heart of ancient salt marshes. A unique local landmark of this area are the “carrelets” pictured below –the huts on stilts in the seabed which are dotted along the coast and still used for fishing.

Fortunately the region is not yet on the radar of the holiday hoards so you you can still listen to the sound of the ocean and breathe in the fresh salty air in relative peace!

The salt marshes and wetlands around Guérand, for example, are protected and of great ornithalogical interest as they provide a refuge for many migrating species flying between Europe and Africa. There are guides at the Salt Museum who can take you through the marshes and point out the wildlife which you might otherwise miss.

The superior quality of the local salt which has unique minerals is why it is known as “white gold” and also the reason this region is has world-class thalassotherapy treatments – where seawater is the main rejuvenating ingredient.

One of the other delightful aspects is that they actively encourage family participation in spa rituals. Many have dedicated babycare to give parents a break, programmes for new fathers to interact with babies and special programmes for young mothers.

This is all in addition to fitness programmes, weight loss, smoking cessation, physiotherapy, beauty, and cosmetic treatments which can be tailored to individual requirements with all the benefits of the latest techniques combined with the special properties of seawater. And there are always other activities such as golf and horse-riding nearby.

At the traditional fishing village of Pornic is the Alliance Pornic Resort Hotel & Thalassotherapy Centre. This is in a quiet and intimate setting next to the beach on the edge of a small village. The rooms are bright and light - designed for relaxing and most have sea views and balconies. You can also walk from your room to the thalassotherapy area. The restaurant, La Source, is designed like a ship and overlooks the large bay.

The spa is state-of-the art with a seawater indoor pool that is heated to 30oC. There is an aquatic trail with Jacuzzi, jet streams, cascade showers, bubble baths and bubble beds, a steam room, men and women’s saunas, a fitness and gym room.

The spa has an exceptional menu of treatments that span European, Asian and Oriental traditions. As well as slimming and cellulite programmes. Surprisingly the resort only has three stars but it more like a five star.

The food here is excellent and you can walk off any excess by rambling along the nearby cliffs and beaches.

In La Baule, the Royal-Thalasso is a very different kind of hotel and spa experience. It is one of those really grande 19th century resort hotels, with red carpets, cabinets of glamorous clothes and jewellery and a top-hatted doorman.

Here you are in the centre of town, minutes from the beach and right next to the casino if you want to indulge.

The Spa again is impressive catering for parents who want to destress – they have male and female nannies for children. The area and care dedicated to the younger ones is phenomenal.

This is a great luxury hotel but it doesn’t stint on the family stuff.
From the moment of arrival, younger guests are given special attention with their very own welcome gift. In the room, they will find specially created bathroom amenities and, they also have their own menus at the restaurant and with room service. The hotel also has a Baby Club for smaller guests of 10 weeks to 5 years which is open daily

Other activities such as horse-riding, watersports, tennis and hiking are also available. And if you fancy a quick spin round the town …you can always hire a “Segway” from the local tourist office. You can ride the pavements and terrorize the locals on this two wheeled electric transport device.

Don’t miss:

* Restaurant Le Beau Rivage, Pornic – local fish specialities, overlooking the beach. www.restaurant-beaurivage.com
* The mediaeval town of Guérande which overlooks the ancient salt marshes – the Pays Blanc and the Pays Noir are where peat can be found. For more than 1000 years the salt-panners have fashioned the mosaic of clay and water into a unique ecological site.
* Visit the Salt Museum at Terre de Sel Pradel and buy the Guérande Gros Sel and Fleur de Sel – the salts prized by top chefs.
* Crêperie La Salorge, Saille T +33 (0)2 4014 4419 – traditional creperie (sweet and savory)serving the local cidre;
Restaurant Le Gulf Stream, Plage Le Baule - brilliant food and wine! T: 33 (0)2 40 24 48 07 www.legulfstream.com

Factfile:

France Information Line: 09068 244 123 www.franceguide.com
Easyjet flies from London Stansted/Luton to Nantes Bookings at www.easyjet.com/
Pornic Resort Hotel Thalasso, Pornic T: 33 (0)2 40 64 01 80 www.thalassopornic.com
Royal-Thalasso Barrière, La Baule Reservations: + 33 (0)825 826 016 www.lucienbarriere.com
La Baule Tourist Office T + 33 (0)2 40243499

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NEW GENERATION ANTI-AGING TECHNOLOGY FROM MEDIK8

2009-06-28T07:57:00.001-07:00

Medik8, is the brand name for a collection of innovative skin products created by UK scientist Elliot Isaacs.

Originally the range begin with several core products aimed at people with worrying skin conditions such as rosacea. But the range recently added some new serious anti-aging products with optimum concentrations of all the major ingredients proven to help skin rejuvenation, packed so that they do not loose their potency and at fairly decent prices compared to bother cosmeceuticals on the market.

Isaacs knows his skin/ingredient science in depth - he is a graduate of
The University of Leeds - Pharmacology and Physiology Department. With nearly 10 years experience in cosmeceutical formulation, he was recently honoured with the prestigious Grade A Membership of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists.

Elliot has witnessed all the recent trends in anti-aging skincare including the rush for Retin-A® in his father's chemist shop when he was a small boy. This planted the seed early-on for developing a scientific skincare brand.

In the late 1990’s his sister began to develop a skin redness that would not go away. One skin cream she used appeared to contain the right anti-inflammatory actives but paradoxically seemed to be causing more irritation than it calmed. So he turned his own hand to making a product which turned out be and still is Medik* bestselling product Red Alert® in 2004.

The new range is available through expert doctor and other skin professionals but you can view online at the new website www.medik8.co.uk/

We particularly like the new Vitamin C serums C-Tetra (3%) and CE Tetra (7%) for stimulating collagen. The serum sinks into the skin immediately, leaving it softer looking immediately...CE Tetra which is aimed the older lady or man costs £60 (30ml). This product is unique as no other company offers Terahexadecyl Ascorbate in serum form and at such concentrations.

Use with the Hyra 8 moisturiser £49 (50ml:

Other new products include a great ani-cellulite cream £34 (90ml)

Also new is the Retinal 40 Boost Concentrate - a highly concentratedserum which you add to the Hydra8 Moisturiser - £75 (5ml.

DISCOVER SPIEZIA NATURAL ORGANICS FROM CORNWALL

2009-06-23T05:16:00.001-07:00

Made in Cornwall and the passion of lovely Amanda Barlow (pictured), Spiezia, is a range of organic beauty products all made with care for the environment. The essential oils are extracted by cold pressing - so a very little goes a long way.

In particular the rose oil which is pressed from the finest rose buds from an organic farm in Iraq....and everything is bottled in recycled glass made locally.

Find out more on Amanda's website www.spieziaorganics.com

Dr Elisabeth Dancey creates the Bijoux Medi-Spa London's Belgravia

2009-06-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Bijoux, a jewel of a mini-spa opened last week in Belgravia. Created by Dr Elisabeth Dancey it offers high-tech anti-ageing treatments as well as holistic and organic treatments.

Only a stone's throw from master milliner Philip Treacy and the fab Italian restaurant Mimmo & Ischia, Bijoux is both discreet and welcoming. At the front is a beauty shop with exclusive organic face and body products from Spiezia (more about Spiezia in my next blog) and anti-ageing mineral make-up guru Susan Posnick, cosmeceuticals from SkinCeuticals, Dermaceutic, Mene and Moy.

"I wanted to create a unique and individual beauty experience for clients who want to enhance their looks thanks to the latest cosmeceuticals and offer a holistic, organic range of body treatments to achieve total well-being," says Elisabeth.

We recommend Vavelta - the live cell treatment for ageing, scarred and damaged skin and Dermaroller - this exciting little medical device created by a German metallurgist gives results equal to a fraxelated laser without the pain, expense and downtime!

Bijoux is at 149 Ebury Street London SW1W 9QN
T: + 44 (0)20 7730 0765
www.bijoux-medispa.co.uk
www.elisabethdancey.co.uk

MINERAL MAKE-UP: Susan Posnick's new collection

2009-06-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

At ELIXIR we love mineral make-up. It sits on the skin beautifully without highlighting large pores and wrinkles. One of the best brands is by international celebrity make-up artist Susan Posnick.

Susan is passionate about her brand and insists that it contains the highest-quality minerals and the highest concentration of them.

The star-product in her collection is COLORFLO, a mineral-based, light-diffusing, SPF26 foundation (pictured above) in powder form that brightens the skin and makes beauty simple.

This self-dispensing, portable and refillable brush contains highly pigmented iron oxides, plus Vitamins A and E, providing beautiful, natural coverage. Micronized Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide provide the most powerful and natural sun protection available, SPF26.

The luxurious, natural goat hairs in the brush are considered to be the best fibres by make-up artists and help provide a flawless finish. Simple to apply, COLORFLO covers like a liquid or cream foundation, with the smooth finish of a powder. COLORFLO is sweat proof, water resistant, and gently floats on the skin, creating a radiant glow without looking shiny.

Light diffusing particles help soften fine lines and create a virtually invisible finish. COLORFLO is available in 13 shades – including a perfect shimmer and bronzer; shades to suit Asian skins and pinker tones for English rose complexions. The skin-loving minerals will not clog your pores or irritate sensitive skin; in fact, the ingredients are so gentle you can apply COLORFLO immediately after all skin treatments, including Microdermabrasion, to cover redness. Simply, CLICK. DUST. GO – refills are available which means you can change shade to suit the season!

COLORFLO retails for £39.95 in the UK with the refil costing £21.95

The range is available from premium salons and spas nationwide and all products are also available via mail order.

Look out for her new lipstick range which gives you moist sexy lips in colours which suit almost everyone - and they come with a magnetic cap so you won't loose it!

Stockist enquiries: 020 8997 8541 www.skinbrands.co.uk

MENTAL HEALTH - GAIL RUNDLE CAMPAIGNS FOR EQUALITY

2009-05-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Stand Up. Stand to Reason…

By Gail Rundle
Investment banker, wife and human being on her campaign to put mental health issues on an equal footing with other body health problems....

Hi. My name is Gail. Now let’s get one thing straight….I’m fifty years old. For those of you who succumb to contemporary myth, that makes me a ‘wizened’, menopausal old hag with a face as lined as a grid reference map, as I sit sipping luke-warm Ovaltine and tapping my pink furry mules to the lachrymose ballads of Val Doonican.

Nonsense, I say, and Hoorah for the menopause! This morning I decided to tidy the landslide of papers in my messy study. Yet here I am, relaxing with a gin and tonic and enjoying my favourite Led Zeppelin tracks while I chat with you. Yes, Mesdames, growing older disgracefully has many benefits, not least of which is the realisation of what’s important. And dusting isn’t.

And there’s more…On my fiftieth birthday last year I threw away my big knickers and treated myself to some serious lacy numbers. I also made three wishes for the coming decade, two of which have already come true. My first novel is now underway. It’s a comedy and so what if I laugh at my own jokes? However, my biggest wish was to work in mental health, as I have bipolar illness.

I was diagnosed in my early twenties and have spent the subsequent thirty years managing depression and hypomania. I say ‘managing’, because I was able to forge a career in investment banking which took me to over sixty countries. I have known times from the black hole and empty soul to the soaring ascent of hypomania….

But I digress. My wish came true when I read a newspaper article featuring Jonathan Naess, and ‘Stand to Reason’ the mental health charity he founded. It’s wonderful to be part of something so empowering for service-users. The charity campaigns for the rights of all who suffer mental ill health and that’s one in four of us at some point in our lives… Is there anyone out there who doesn’t know someone who has suffered depression, or anxiety? Somebody’s mother, somebody’s partner, somebody’s sister, somebody’s friend. It could even be you. And it is certainly me.

Stand to Reason is a service-user led organisation that works with and for people with mental ill health in the way that Stonewall has for gay people: raising the profile, fighting prejudice, establishing rights and achieving equality. We are committed to fighting discrimination and stigma, challenging stereotypes and changing attitudes.

We have a vision of a changed world, one in which it will be common sense or ‘stand to reason’ that people who have experience of mental distress and ill health deserve the same respect and consideration as those with physical ill health and problems.
Stand to Reason is tackling discrimination and stigma in the following broad areas: business and employment, politics, culture and media, education and health.

Why not read about our work at http://www.standtoreason.org.uk/ ? Or better still, join us? Membership is free and we are the fastest-growing membership-based mental health charity in the sector.

Dear Reader, delighted to meet you and I look forward to getting to know you better in the coming months when I address some of the issues raised in this column and share some of my experiences…

Gail K Rundle, Business Development Director, Stand to Reason.
http://www.standtoreason.org.uk/ 07747 105432 You can also email Gail at info@standtoreason.org.uk

BEAUTY MOST BEASTLY

2009-03-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

Is it really possible to morph from this to this with cosmetic surgery?

Without having any concern for this?

WE LOVE THE ROLLER-BLADING PENSIONER

2009-03-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

At ELIXIR magazine we love rollerblading pensioner Geoff Dornan.

He is the fantastically fit septuggenarian who was fined by a UK court for 'endangering the public' by skating through a shopping mall.

We at ELIXIR think Mr Dornan should be given an award. At the age of 71 years he skated with respect to others, unlike others half his age. We assume the only reason he was caught because he did respect the law and stopped when he was asked.

The retired youth worker, who says regular skating keeps him fit and healthy, had now had his rollerblades confiscated by police.

The truth is that the rather large people in our community are far more of a danger. For example, how many times has a public bus braked abruptly and the huge person next to you come dangerously near to squashing the nearest passenger.

Mr Dornan, who now has a 2,075-person Facebook group devoted to him, was rollerblading in the seaside town of Southport, Merseyside and CCTV footage from a Marks and Spencer camera recorded in October 2008.

Outside court Mr Dornan said: 'In the months during which I have been unjustly deprived of my blades, I was shocked to discover how swiftly the health of someone of my age can deteriorate.
'At the time of my arrest, I was as fit as a flea, and entirely free of pain. Yet by Christmas, I found myself confined to bed with severe back trouble.'

He added: "I would never want to put anybody in danger and always adopt a good skating practice, which means nobody should ever feel threatened. I don't believe I'm a danger to anyone. This case should never have been brought to court.'

We have all seen people, mostly young men in my experience, cycling on public pavements even past policemen who take no notice. Since most policemen and women on foot appear to be overweight maybe if they were given some rollerblades they might not only get fit but also be fast enough to catch the real criminals rather than OAPs?

Is this what happens when you take too much human growth hormone?

2009-01-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

World's oceans will soon be ruled by IMMORTAL SELF-CLONING JELLYFISH SHOCK

When I see stories like this I so wish I was editor of Fortean Times!

Apparently most jellyfish die after having sex, but this jellyfish, known as Turritopsis Nutricula manages to cleverly revert back to a juvenile state after mating - effectively becoming a baby again and living forever. It must be a man!

Scientists say the 5mm long jellyfish can do this iforever , which explains the huge rise in the population that wash up on our beaches.

Soon, the sea will be a white mass of pure jellyfish, although when jellyfish-infused beauty products start hitting the shelves from 2012 the poor little Turritopsis Nutricula will get hunted to extinction. That will teach them for being so clever!!

ORGANIC REJUVENATION FROM NEW ZEALAND

2008-12-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

Eating lots of Vitamin C is one of the best ways to boost your immunity naturally, especially in winter. Newly launched in the UK is JASON Natural Cosmetics which are packed full of the powerful antioxidant Ester-C which is the main active ingredient in their new anti-ageing collection.

This comprehensive range consists of nine hard-working products which by the way are great value for money. The unique formulation of pure active ingredients penetrates deep into the skin to minimize the signs of ageing and fight free radical damage revealing softer, smoother, more radiant, youthful skin. Regular use of these skin-smart products will intensely hydrate the skin, restore suppleness, improve skin elasticity and leave skin healthier and younger looking.

Our favourite is the Max Instant Facial which exfoliates and hydrates the skin with the oils and Ester C and gives you an instant glow! Every product has the aroma natural orange oils is orange.(unfortunately our blog turns them blue!).JASON is available in Whole Foods, selected Waitrose Supermarkets, John Bell & Croyden, Fresh & Wild, Planet Organic and selected Health Food Stores nation-wide.

Super-C Cleanser 6oz. RRP £9.95
Combines the antioxidant Ester-C with natural surfactants to gently cleanse your face. In convenient and travel-friendly pump packaging, this citrus-scented cleanser is divine solution for wiping away the day’s dirt.

Super-C Toner 6oz. RRP £9.95
The Ester-C complex combines with natural botanicals for a fresh antioxidant-rich toner, ideal for minimising pores and balancing the skin’s Ph.

Ester-C Lotion 4oz. RRP £14.95
Synergistic blend of Ester-C, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vitamin E help stimulate collagen production, giving you a youthful glow. This light formula gives the perfect amount of daily hydration.

Ester-C Crème 2oz. RRP £14.95
This rich formula drenches the skin in moisture; helping to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Ingredients include antioxidants Ester-C, Vitamin E and Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Ester-C Hydrating Masque 2.5oz. RRP £14.95
A treatment masque that erases dry spots and leaves your skin feeling silky soft and dewy fresh. A perfect pick me up for skin in need of a moisture surge.

Ultra-C Eye Lift 0.5oz. RRP £16.95
Brightens and lifts tired eyes with natural antioxidants, healing Aloe Vera Gel and soothing Rosehips. No need for the scalpel with this clever eye lift!

C-Lite Skin Toner Balancer 1oz. RRP £16.95
This product naturally minimises the appearance of age spots and other skin discolourations while balancing skin tone.

Hyper-C Serum 1oz. RRP £24.95
Ester-C, Sodium Hyaluronate and Alpha Lipoic Acid blend together in this fruity, fast-absorbing serum to boost collagen production and combat signs of ageing.

Vita-C Max Instant Facial 4oz. RRP £24.95
This luxurious natural facial treatment maximises the antioxidant benefits from the rest of the Ester-C range. The light creamy texture absorbs quickly into skin to help fight signs of ageing.

More about the Jason range

JASON is committed to creating distinctive, pampering products that delight the senses, soothe the soul, respect the planet and animals and promote health and well-being in our daily lives.
Providing safe, effective, natural and affordable personal care products since 1959,

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Get a Glow with Glōtherapeutics - new anti-ageing skincare from the US

2008-12-15T02:53:00.000-08:00

We love mineral makeup - it really does turn back the clock because of the way it sits on the skin and the beneficial effects of the minerals. One of the best on the market is from the US - glōMinerals - which has a beautiful array of colours.

Now glō has introduced a new range of skincare products for home and insalon treatments.

There are seventeen ‘at home’ products that work to improve the health of skin, and also to prepare skin for their range of professional insalon glōChemical Exfoliation treatments.

The magic ingredients throughout the range, are the glōComplex which contains Spin Trap, Carmosine, Alma and Niacinamide.

The glōSerums are the hero’s of the skin care collection that are designed to create a real change in the appearance of the skin. Their effects include brightening, soothing, enhancing and helping to impede the ageing process. All of these products are "cruelty free", dye free and paraben free.

Our favourites include three of the basic products from the glōConditioning Collection including the:

Ø glōConditioning Milk Cleanser £13.50 – Wash away impurities and sooth skin with this creamy cleanser containing Grape Seed Extract, Jojoba and Safflower Oil.

Ø glōConditioning Tonic £13.50 – This balancing tonic contains Rose Hip Seed Oil, Camomilla and Hyaluronic Acid.

The glōSerums are potent concentrates including anti-ageing star ingredient, hyaluronic acid. Try the following:

Ø glōSuper Serum £67 – the real star of the collection, this amazing serum contain the ultimate in anti-ageing formulations leaving skin radiant, healthy and youthful. Brimming with a high concentration of Peptides and Growth Factors it works hard in the fight against ageing, whilst Retinol enhances the skin’s clarity.

glōSpecialty is a collection of products to complement skincare systems and chemical exfoliation treatments by adding healing and protective benefits to reach optimal results. There are products for all skin types.

In Salon Treatments:

glōChemical Exfoliation – Provide customized programs for each individual to help achieve subtle, gradual or astonishing transformations. Designed to stimulate a fresh appearance and improve the appearance of fine lines, imperfections and discolouration.

glōAdvanced Systems – Advanced professional treatments that will cultivate high intensity results carried out under the supervision of a doctor. These products are for achieving advanced performance.

Visit www.gloprofessional.com for more information or call 0800 121 8116 for stockists details.

PHOTONOVA SKIN REJUVENATION - the latest hot anti-ageing treatment in Harley Street

2008-09-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was invited to take part in a patient trial of Photonova, a non-invasive skin rejuvenation using infra-red light. So I go to the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic in London for the treatment.

The clinic is the first in the UK to have this Swedish technology. First of all I have another Salt-a-Peel dermabrasion to prepare my skin for the treatment. After a thorough cleanse salt particles are blasted across my skin to remove a surface layer of dead cells. Then I have a rejuvenating mask with alpha hydroxy acid which is helped into my skin with ultrasound. My skin feels wonderful. This is my second treatment so I know how great my skin will look afterwards. This treatment costs £90 and a course is recommended with top-ups every so often.

The treatment is carried out by the clinic's head aesthetician, Liz Hood, who is also going to carry out a Photonova treatment on my face.

First of all my face is covered in a thick clear gel - this allows the infra red to reach my skin without burning it. The infra red comes from the head of the device which is passed over my face a total of five times.

Each pass delivers a known quantity of infra-red heat energy into the tissue which heats the water inside the dermis and this stimulates the fibroblasts (the collagen-producing cells) responsible for keeping the skin young and supple. It also kick starts them into producing new collagen over the next few days and weeks.

Since the treatment I have had comments from a number of people on how young my skin looks. "You haven't got any wrinkles" they say! Liz, tells me I can expect further improvement over the coming weeks. I can see that my slightly sagging chin has lifted which always takes a few years off any ageing face!

This is a great treatment because you can do it over the lunchtime. It does hurt a little and there is some redness but in my case this went in the next hour. Well worth £500 if it lasts a year or so.

Liz loves treating her patients and is full of tips and advice. She wouldn't let me leave without a touch of mineral makeup - so I left glowing..

THYROID HORMONE DEFICIENCY, WEIGHTGAIN AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL

2008-08-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

Recently I visited one of the leading hormone specialists in London. It is clear from the consultation that I need to make some changes to my lifestyle - mainly diet and exercise. But the best way to discover what is going on with your body is to take various tests - usually a combination of blood, urine and saliva.

So I start with a blood test to find out levels of various hormones in my body. Today I am going to focus on one of them - the thyroid hormone - this is the hormone responsible for regulating the body's metabolism amongst other things.

It appears that women are more likely to suffer a deficiency - medically known as: hypothyroidism - than men. There are various physicial symptoms - allergies, skin problems, fatigue, nervousness, gaining or losing weight, brittle nails, dry skin, constipation, infertility, mental sluggishness, depression and intolerence to cold. But since these symptoms can be associated with a catalogue of other illnesses the best way to verify this problem is by a blood test.

But there is confusion/controversy amongst medical professionals, particularly outside of anti-ageing medicine about what the exact parameters that constitutes a deficiency and what the drug treatment should be.

The thyroid gland measures just two inches across and is in the neck just below the Adam's apple. It actually secrets two hormones - mostly T4 (known as thyroxine) which converts into the active hormone (that actually used by the body) into T3 (triodothyronine). In healthy people most T4 Is converted into T3.

The regulation of the thyroid is controlled by a number of body functions - the hypothalamus, situated in the brain above the pituitary gland, triggers the pituitary to release a substance known as "thyroid stimulating hormone" (TSH). When levels of thyroid hormone reach optimum the amount of TSH decreases, conversly in people not producing enough there are higher amounts of TSH in the blood.

So when trying to determine thyroid function doctors will test for blood levels of TSH and also T4.

It should also be noted that dieting (lowering of calories) has the same effect of diminishing production of T3, which in turn lowers a person's resting metabolic weight, which can also lead to weight gain in the long term. Experts also tell me that many individuals have problem converting T4 into T3 which also leads to weight gain. This is music to my ears - can I blame my tendency to weight gain on this?

Of course its not as simple as this. A 54-year-old friend with absolutely no symptoms - no weightgain etc - was recently diagnosed by her GP as suffering from sub-clinical hypothryoidism. This simply means that the thyroid is not working 100% and may be a warning sign of further loss of function in the future. She was in disbelief and checked out her diagnosis with a private blood test which confirmed the result from her GP. She has been prescribed Levothyroxine - basically T4 - which is what most UK GPs prescribe - lets hope she doesn't have a conversion problem. This may well be because the UK Government's drug rationing body NICE may only allow doctors to prescribe this one.

Levothyroxine (thyroxine - T4) is a tiny tablet which should be taken on a empty stomach daily. Left untreated - aside from the weight gain issue - hypothyroidism can cause serious health problems including aenemia, low body temperature and heart failure.

I visit my GP and discovered that I too am sub-optimal on the thyroid hormone and get prescribed Levothyroxine, even though I point out the conversion problems. I will have a blood test to check that my body is converting this to the usable form T3.

So what are the other drug alternatives - one is Cytomel which is a synthetic form of T3 which is approved by the FDA in the US. A recent medical study showed that combining this with T4 had better results including for weightloss.

Armour Thyroid is one that contains dessicated thyroid derived from the thryoid gland of the pig but many doctors are reluctant to prescribe this, mainly because of dose inconsistency and contamination problems with its animal origins.

There are a myriad of side effects with drug thryoid hormone replacement, especially if you take other drugs particularly oestrogens, beta-blockers and anticoagulants.

Aborbtion is also impaired by iron sulfate, calcium pills and several other supplements.

So is there anything you can take naturally to help your body? The answer is yes - particularly the minerals magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc - deficiences of these can prevent the conversion of T4 to T3.

HIGH BAD CHOLESTEROL (LDL)

In my investigations into this subject I have discovered that high levels of LDL are also indicators of poor thyroid function. I wonder if this is my problem with high LDL - despite loads of exercise and eating good fats my levels of LDL were still too high? I will see from blood tests if this is my problem after two months of thyroid replacement So perhaps doctors should try testing for this more often?

THE PROBLEM WITH CURRENT REFERENCE RANGES OF TSH

The standard range used by most labs is 0.2-5.5(mU/L), A greater TSH number than 5.5alerts the doctor to a thyroid gland problem as it is over producing TSH.

Anti-ageing doctors believe that this range is too broad and that anyone with a TSH reading of more than 2.0 should be investigated with a view to possible health problems.

I would greatly appreciate hearing expert views on this..

RUNNING AND THE ELIXIR OF LIFE

2008-08-17T05:19:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine recently published the results of an extremely lengthy study into the benefits of aerobic exercise, in particular jogging, for older people.

The study lasted for over two decades and tracked 500 runners aged 50 or over at the beginning of the study. 284 of the study participants were regular runners, while the remaining 156 healthy "controls" were non-runners.

At the start of the study, participants ran for an average of four hours per week. By the time the study wound up, these people were in their 70s or 80s and ran about 76 minutes a week.

The outcome of the research revealed just 15 percent of the regular runners had succumbed to the ravages of age and had died, while 34 percent of the non-runners had died during the same time.

The study's lead author is Dr. James Fries, an emeritus professor of medicine at Stanford said people who had regular exercise regimen would spend less time being disabled even as their days neared an end.

Dr Fries said exercise was by far the best thing to delay aging, "The health benefits of exercise are greater than we thought. If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise," he added.

Some 21 years after the study all participants experienced some amount of disability, but for the runners, the onset was delayed. Also deaths from heart disease, diabetes and neurological disease were also less in the running group.

This report confirms the obvious that you not only look and feel better if you take reasonable amounts of exercise but you will also look better. We are not talking marathon running here which is excessive and does cause damage to the joints of the body but a gentle three-mile run three to four times a week and some stretching.

One thing the research did not go into was the effect exercise has on hormones - it is scientifically proven that you produce more Human Growth Hormone as a result of exercise - this is one of the key hormones that declines with age.

Also you produce more of the feel good hormones such as a Seratonin after exercise.

So after a few months of neglecting my usual exercise regime - two hours cycling to work and back and a 45 minute jog - I have started to get back into regular exercise.

It is wise for those older individuals who have never exercised to seek doctors advice and get a checkup before embarking on anything too strenuous which might be a shock to the body.

I began my regime yesterday with two circuits round my local park. On the way back home I popped into my local shop for a bottle of water, covered in perspiration, where the young lad said: "Have you been running - you look really tired!" Hmmm - but 10 minutes later after a shower I felt better than I had in weeks. And no aches or pains.

So the best advice for older consumers appears to be to put on your running shoes and start going - this may delay aging in more ways than you know.

WHEN DO WOMEN START TO WORRY ABOUT AGEING?

2008-08-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

Women start to worry about losing their looks at the age of 28, according to a survey by Olay Regenerist which polled the views of 4,000 women. So is this true, or does 28 sound too young?

Well I confess I began worrying about ageing even earlier than that. I was only 23 when I made my first visit to a health farm - determined to stem the ageing tide that might happen to my body.

That was followed not long after by a visit to Tyringham Naturapathic Clinic, near Olney in Buckinghamshire, where I was prepared to undergo colonic irrigation to turn back the clock. And that was a quarter of a century before Princess Diana tried it out at the Hale Clinic in London.

Always a women ahead of my time - my paranoia about ageing and getting wrinkles peaked at the age of 28. I recall that was when most of my friends were getting married and maybe that was the start of it - if I had wrinkles I would definitely not get a husband. I thought I already had one foot in the grave!

It was also the start of my interest in the more expensive anti-ageing wrinkle creams - I became a devotee of Clarins - I had the saggy bust cream, the craggy neck cream, the anti-cellulite cream etc etc. Sometimes I couldn't find enough bits of my face and body to put everything on. I would always carry Clarins Eye cream in my handbag and rub it into my non-existent crows feet several times a day just in case.

I recall going to department stores on wrinkle cream forays, determined to get the latest and best in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods. Over the years I have spend a small fortune on anti-ageing wrinkle creams.

And to cap it all I always wondered why those ladies selling the stuff looked like extras from the Night of the Living Dead with bright red hair, yellow teeth....and wrinkles.... And they frequently say - "don't use it round your eyes". Oh dear I have just spend £50 on a wrinkle cream for the only place I have wrinkles - around my eyes and I can't use it!

On one occasion I bought a wrinkle cream by Chanel that was aimed at the 50+ woman. I thought, well that must be good. I paid for it later that night when the sensitive skin around my age 35 eyes balloned up in an allergic reaction.

It does make you wonder about human psychology when we are prepared to spend thousands on anti-ageing creams when there is scanty evidence that they work. Hope springs eternal and its hope in a jar that we just keep buying.

RESVERATROL, RED WINE AND LONGEVITY

2008-08-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

New to the UK is a US range of skincare containing antioxidant vinotherapy called Le Vin. The use of grapes in anti-ageing skincare is very big in the US, especially in California - where most of the country's vineyards are established.

In Europe most of us know the French brand from Le Caudalie Spa in Bordeaux which is now quite widely available in department stores in the UK such as Selfridges and Debenhams.

Le Vin combines organic with scientific technology in a range that is limited to three products - eye and face serums and face cream. They smell delightful and are vitamin rich with an anti-oxidant complex of Chardonnay grape seed extract and certified organic essential oils, sets a new standard in high quality organic skincare, eliminating undesirables such as parabens and propylene glycol.

I try them on my sensitive skin and it soaks them up, leaving it dewy and lightly scented.

Le Vin has an interesting history. It was founded in New York in July 2007 by a former engineer, Ken Heng, who launched the successful spa product line Olavie.

Following numerous trips to the wine producing regions of Napa, California, Ken noticed that the people who tended the vines had radiant, young looking skin, years younger than their real age. Heng (after a childhood of problem skin) chose to research the powerful scientific beneficial effects of grape seed extract and utilise what is known as the ‘French Paradox’ and thus the brand was born.

The anti-ageing effects of the antioxidant in red wine, resveratrol, has made one big pharma sit up and make plans for the first anti-ageing pill. Grape seed extract also contains polyphenols which are used in Le Vin to stimulate skin renewal and fight stress and age-related damage.

After travelling the world seeking the finest ingredients, Ken worked closely with skin care labs and formulators to launch Olavieä, his first bodycare line in 2002 which uses the key active ingredient of Chardonnay grape seed extract (GSE), imported from Burgundy, France. Today, Le Vinä, Heng’s newest product collection combines cosmeceutical and organic ingredients offering a new approach to high quality skincare.

Vita-vino Actif: Unique anti-oxidant and anti-ageing ingredient technology

Combining grape seed extract with scientifically proven high dosage medical grade actives and vitamins, Vita-vino Actifä is a unique nutrient and anti-oxidant rich complex. Featuring Chardonnay GSE (grape seed extract), resveratrol and Vitamins A, B, C, D & E, this physician-grade, three-step skincare line combines strong anti-ageing and anti-oxidant properties.

Grape seed extract contains Polyphenols, a potent anti-oxidant that penetrates the epidermis to stimulate the renewal of skin cells and collagen by combating free radicals, which damage and age the skin. The seeds are extracted from the grape before fermentation to yield the highest percentage for anti-oxidants, seven times more potent that Vitamin E.

Product collection

Face Serum - £90.00, 50ml

This potent skin cocktail featuring GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) that instantly inhibits the muscle contractions that contribute to wrinkles, Le Vinä Face Serum is the perfect alternative to Botox, dramatically reducing the appearance of fine lines. Vita-vino Actifä delivers powerful anti-oxidants and nutrients deep into the dermal layer, with anti-bacterial agents to keep pores clean and certified organic ingredients high in gamma linolenic acid, a proven anti-inflammatory can also help congested, acne prone skin. Skin feels smooth, pore-less and glowing.

Key ingredients:

Vita-vino Actif, MatrixylÒ, GABA, Panax Ginseng, Argeriline™, Portulaca Oleracea, Centella Asiatica, VLMW Hyaluronic Acid

Certified organic ingredients:

Chamomile, Sunflower Seed Oil, Rose Hip Oil, Borage Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Arnica, Lavender, White Tea, Calendula, Aloe

Face Cream - £77.00, 50ml

Ultra-fine hyaluronic acid combined with Vita-vino Actifä delivers moisture deep into the skin increasing anti-oxidant benefits and hydration and preventing damage by environmental aggressors. Tissue Respiratory Factors bring oxygen to the skin, ridding skin cells of toxins. Skin appears smooth and nourished whilst Borage oil and Flax seed oil restore balance for a beautiful complexion.

Key ingredients:

Vita-vino Actif, Matrixyl, GABA, Argeriline, VLMW Hyaluronic Acid, Tissue Respiratory Factors, Lycopene, Ceremide 3, Helioguard

Certified organic ingredients:

Chamomile, Sunflower Seed Oil, Rose Hip Oil, Borage Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Arnica, Lavender, White Tea, Calendula, Aloe

Eye Serum - £57.00, 15ml

GABA and purpose-specific peptides target dark circles, eye bags and fine lines for immediate and long lasting results and Vita-vino Actif fights free radicals from damaging the fragile eye area. A tiny drop of this lightweight serum delivers a silky finish without residue acting as a perfect base for concealer.

Key ingredients:

Vita-vino Actif, GABA, Eyeseryl, Haloxyl, Matrixyl, Argeriline, Super Oxide Dismutase, VLMW Hyaluronic Acid

Certified organic ingredients:

Arnica, Lavender, Chamomile, Calendula, White Tea

** Natural and certified organic botanicals ** Medical grade actives

Le Vin is exclusively available at Beyond Beauty at Harvey Nichols.

GROWTH HORMONE - THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THIS ONE!

2008-08-10T06:34:00.001-07:00

The medical controversy over Human Growth Hormone continues to rumble on.

On the one hand you have anti-ageing doctors who promote its use in advanced Hormone Replacement Therapy for ageing adults. And on the other you have the "Old fashioned" medical lobby who say its a dangerous hormone to play around with.

I personally know anti-aging doctors who take this hormone on a daily basis and prescribe it to patients. These doctors are not just in the US but also in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

Most of them are keeping their heads below the parapit and precribe it discreetly even in London's Harley Street.

The reason for this is that Human Growth Hormone is manufactured synethetically by only three pharamaceutical companies and in most countries it only has approval as a treatment for children with severe growth problems, for some of the symptoms of AIDS and in adults with abnormally low levels - and the decline caused by ageing is not one.

Yet we still continue to hope that there will be some magical pill that can restore the physical and mental attributes of our youth.

Human Growth Hormone is made by the pituitary gland in the brain and helps build lean muscle. Like most of our hormones it declines with age - from about the age of 30.

I do know of actors and actresses and wealthy individuals who take this drug in the hope that it will turn back time...but at what cost literally? Sly Stallone pictured above working out his gymwas caught with some in his luggage while he was passing through Australian customs.

I have never taken this myself. I prefer using a combination of amino acids - Hgh is actually composed of a vast number of these - which help promote Hgh in the body. Its important to take the amino acids at the right time such as before exercise or at night when Hgh production peaks naturally.

There have not been any long-term trials of Hgh which is why everybody is so hesitant to support its use.

Dr Hau Liu, the associate chief of endocrinology and co-director of chronic care management at the Valley Medical Centre, San Jose, California was the lead author of data from randomized, controlled trials of growth hormone in healthy older adults.

In his conclusion published in the Annals of Internal Medicine last year, he concluded that there was an association between growth hormone use and slight changes in body composition, but no other important health changes.

Worryingly users of growth hormone had high rates of soft tissue swelling and joint pain, compared to people who didn't get these injections. There also was an increased risk of impaired blood sugar control or diabetes. This finding was not statistically significant, but still worrying given the epidemic of type 2 diabetes in developed countries.

Just like weightloss and getting a six-pack it looks as if there is no quick fix for turning back the clock...at least not yet

CARBOXY AND ANTI-AGEING SKIN DEVICES

2008-08-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Carboxy Therapy

I am fascinated by Carboxy Therapy. It was launched several months ago as a skin rejuvenation treatment. It uses carbon dioxide which is injected under the skin with a tiny needle.

This causes oxygen to rush to the area improving the metabolism in the tissues. This results in a tightening of the collagen.

I have seen flabby upper arms completely transformed after a course of these treatments. It also works wonders with stretch marks - they do not completely disappear but they are very much improved.

The beauty of this treatment is that it is non-toxic - carbon dioxide is found naturally in the body - and it really does work.

Try it out at http://www.beautyworkswest.com/ in London's Nottinghill. The expert there is Dr Daniel Sister who has a book of photographic case studies to show.

Ultratone

I have been asked to trial a new electronic device for the face by Ultratone called the Facial Plus.

Ultratone's research and development director Kirstin Schaefer tells me that it works through electrical stimulation.

This handheld device for home use is about the size of a TV remote control. It has fourprogrammes: Microcurrent - for deep penetration of moisturising creams, skin rejuvenation and fine line reduction ;Non-surgical facelift and tone - for exercising and lifting superficial medium and deep muscles; Lymphatic drainage & toxin release - for the reduction of puffiness and toxin elimination, to achieve a fresher and clear complexion and Anti-Ageing and maintenance - to enhance the results and ensure your face stays toned and looking good.

Each programme operates on a different frequency and within each programme there is a cocktail of currents that penetrate different depths and muscles via two metal contacts.

As with all the Ultratone devices, they also have uses in medical treatment. In the case of the Facial Plus it is used to treat Bell's Palsy.

Kirstin tells me that the microcurrent penetrates and rejuvenates the superficial layer of the skin, stimulating the fibroblasts that produce youth-promoting elastin and collagen.

The best results are obtained by using the unit little and often - say five minutes on each side of the face daily.

The anti-ageing programme gives the muscles of the face a thorough workout, moving everything upwards.

You have to follow a facial workout map - each muscle is worked on for about one minute - 25 impluses, then there is a beeb to indicate that you should now move to the next muscle area.

The lymphatic programme works for people who have facial puffiness - the current stimulates the lymph system and helps the skin to detox.

Ultratone has gathered medical evidence to support the efficacy of its devices, many of which are used in rehabilitative medicine.

Kirstin tells me that you don't need to use Botox if you use the Facial Plus regularly - I will let you know how I get on with it.

The Ultratone Facial Plus costs £149.00 and can be purchasd by phone 44 (0)207 935 0631. More information is online at www.ultratone.co.uk/

BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES & ANTI-AGING REJUVENATION

2008-08-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

For most women who want to alleviate the unpleasant symptoms associated with the menopause the only option at the moment is to seek Hormone Replacement Therapy with Premarin, an artificial form of Hormone Replacement Therapy. This drug is made from synthesised estrogens from mares' urine and in the UK is prescribed by doctors to their NHS patients.

This kind of HRT has been the subject of much controversy, not least because it is an artificial hormone and also because it is a "one size fits all" solution, in a scenario where overstretched NHS doctors do not have the time or facilities to monitor each individual patient, indefinately and on an on-going basis.

Specialists in anti-ageing medicine, which is all about medical protocols to prevent or at least delay the onset of the diseases of ageing, prescribe bespoke HRT. This is because every individual will have a different hormonal profile and utilise HRT differently. So any replacement needs to be monitored on an on-going basis with regular blood testing and other health screens.

Bespoke HRT usually involves the prescribing of bioidentical hormones - these are made from plants such as yams and are bioidentical because they replicate human hormones exactly. They are prescribed for the symptoms of the menopause and also for deficiencies caused by ageing.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that our hormones offer protection from several ageing diseases - cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, osteoporosis and some cancers. It therefore makes sense that replacing them to an optimum level for health may delay onset.

I recently tried bioidenticals. First I took a blood test to determine levels of my youth hormones including estrogen(of which there are three - estrodial,estriol and estrone), testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA) and thyroid. I was prescribed a course of bioidenticals: estrogen capsules, testosterone gel and pregnenolone sublingual drops.

In addition to a blood test it is also advised to have the endometrium (womb lining) measured as thickening may occur in response to any hormonal imbalances - for example if too much estrogen is given; a breast mammography for similar reasons and also a bone scan.

Over the six months I have been taking bioidentical hormones my night sweats have stopped, my quality of sleep is much improved and I have more energy. I would mention here that the male hormone testosterone, is also necessary for females - it helps energy and libido. Is it available in the form of patches on the NHS.

For those not able to afford expensive bespoke HRT there are alternatives: phyto-estrogens can be added via the diet. The French company Arkopharma makes a capsule which has been successfully trialled without negative side-affects and has been shown to reduce menopausal flushes.

DHEA is a master hormone that converts to testosterone and estrogen - it can be purchased over-the-counter in US health shops. But you must be careful with dosage so it is advisable to get a blood test from an anti-ageing doctor before and while taking this supplement.

In the US, the Government health watchdog, the Food & Drug Administration has banned estriol and other bio-identicals, apparently because of lobbying by the manufacturers of Premarin. Estriol is in fact the weakest of the estrogens and the FDA accepts there has been no instances of harm caused by bio-identical prescribing.

Millions of Americans are now lobbying their senators to get the FDA to reinstate bio-identicals.

All I can say is that it is a bizarre world where we can be sold/prescribed all kinds of drugs that have known and unknown side effects but a natural substance that has proven benefits to health is banned....

COSMETIC SURGERY & THE BOGUS BREAST BACKLASH

2008-08-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Novelist Tony Parsons's article in this month's GQ Magazine about his "fear of fake breasts" has put the rationale for having "gratuitous" cosmetic surgery under the microscope. And about time too.

Like most sensible people Parsons isn't that impressed by fake boobs - even if he admits they are fabulous to look at.

He writes that fake breasts are "like plastic fruit" - good to look at, but not good to touch.

Personally, I have always hated plastic fruit - on a par with plastic flowers and plants!

He said in GQ magazine: "They are not there to be fondled, kissed or felt, they are there to be admired, discussed, lusted after and photographed. The moment they are touched -- and I mean in the heat of passion, rather than out of curiosity or in the interests of scientific research -- then the spell is broken. And this is true of all fake breasts, no matter how much money has been spent on this act of female self-mutilation."

And Parsons asks: "Why aren't there armies of thinking women protesting about the grotesquely booming trade in bogus breasts?"

I think the answer might lie in the demographics of the customers ie who exactly is having this surgery....you only have to look at where the big cosmetic clinics are advertising...mainly in the mass circulation tabloids and populist glossy mags...to take a guess. This is probably why there are not hoards of women protesting...the others have got better things to do.

I know that you cannot always tell a book by its cover but a nice face and body doesn't mean a nice person.

I agree with the writer Joan Smith on this same subject: "I think that women considering breast surgery for cosmetic reasons should spend a month in Darfur and then decide if body image is really an important issue."

Please don't misunderstand me: I don't think there is anything wrong with cosmetic surgery in moderation. For example, a woman who has breasts that did not grow normally from puberty or women with overly large breasts who want a reduction. But...there appears to be a serious, misplaced, out-of-balance preoccupation with self in many of these people.

I recently met a woman who I concluded was suffering from body dysmphorphic disorder amongst other things. At the age of 38 she had had a boob enhancement, a nose job, her chin and thighs lipo-sucked and her ears pinned. She spent virtually every waking hour walking around with cosmetic whitening trays on her teeth. She also had Botox, and fillers in her wrinkles and had her lips pumped up with something or other.

Everyday she sought something new. On one occasion I saw her with extremely swollen lips - she had had "semi-permanent"(tatoo-ing) make-up.

This woman carried a toothbrush everywhere - disappearing after meals to clean her teeth. Sure guys looked at her boobs - she always went out in plunging tops and the shortest skirts.

What they didn't know was that the surgery was bankrolled by an ageing but wealthy married man in his 60s who she threatened and bullied with her tantrums; that she spent her days trawling for rich men on a national newspaper internet dating site, and she never got out bed before midday. And her only real friend was a Persian cat.

CALORIE RESTRICTION & REJUVENATION

2008-07-29T02:54:00.000-07:00

CALORIE RESTRICTION DIET

Its day four of my calorie restriction and detox diet - I am trying to keep to around 600 calories but eating the right kind of nutrients. So far it's not been too difficult. I have not been particularly hungry.

I put this down to the new Arkopharma diet pill I have been taking which seems to kill the appetite, combined with the David Kirsch meal replacement which contains a mega amount of nutrients - everything required by the human body including flaxseed and whey protein - I added a few blueberries, strawberries and blackberries to the vanilla flavour for breakfast.

So for the past three days I have eaten less than most people have eaten in a day or even at one meal - so have I lost any weight. I got on the scales this morning - and the answer is no - though I can see the marker moving slightly to the left! I assume that my body is in denial at the moment and I have quite a bit of fat to live off at the moment and there will be a dramatic movement downwards any day. Still I have been cycling everywhere...

INFRA RED SKIN REJUVENATION

The Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic is the only clinic in the UK to have PHOTONOVA, a new Swedish technology which uses infra-red light to rejuvenate the skin on the face and body.

So I pop along to see head aesthetician, Liz Hood, to find out what it is all about.

Liz shows me their new machine and also tells me about her own experience - its great at lifting the sagging jowel area - one of the first areas to go where ageing is concerned.

This technique involves passing the head of the device over the skin a number of times. Each pass delivers a known quantity of infra-red heat energy into the tissue. The infra-red light delivers heat energy into the tissue which heats the water inside the dermis and this stimulates the fibroblasts (the collagen-producing cells) responsible for keeping the skin young and supple. It also kick starts them into producing new collagen over the next few days and weeks.

Most clients, Liz, tells me will see a marked improvement in the first two months after the one treatment which declines afterwards, so you would need a top up between 9 and 18 months afterwards.

This is a treatment that you could do in your lunch-hour or after work because it doesn't do anything invasive to your skin. Some people may experience a little bit of redness.

This treatment will cost about £500 when it is officially launched following the current patient trial that is being carried out by the clinic. I agree that I will be part of the trial and Liz gives me a patch test to make sure there is no adverse reaction. I will let you know what happens...

In the meantime I try a very gentle salt dermabrasion called Salt-A-Peel. I have never ever had dermabrasion as my skin is ultra-sensitive and if anyone is going to have an allergic reaction or go red it will be me.

Liz tells me that it will leave my face radiant and smoothe. Nevertheless I am a bit worried as Liz blasts my face...

After the dermabrasion Liz covers my face is a masque containing Alpha Hydroxy Acid amd uses an ultrasound device to help my skin absorb the nutrients. This treatment usually lasts an hour but I only want a taster - so 20 minutes later I look in the mirror. There is a bit of redness but minutes later its gone and my skin feels beautifully soft.

Afterwards I have a moisturiser with 30 SPF sunscreen and a mineral-makeup foundation to protection my new skin from the sun and London pollution.

This treatment costs £90 and its recommended that you have at least one a month. My skin looked even better the next day.

STRESS = PREMATURE AGEING & OBESITY

2008-07-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today I met Richard Hilliard, Director of Relaxation for Living, an organisation dedicated to helping individuals understand stress and tension, how to deal with them and ultimately to lead happier lives.

Richard, is a former Lloyd's of London insurance man who learned at first hand how stress can be detrimental to health. I won't elaborate here but he was at the top of his game when he was struck by ill health - you can read his story on the Relaxation for Living website. Eventually his path led him to the RFL, where he was taught to deal with stress. The experience changed his health and his life and he is now dedicated to helping other people change theirs.

It is no surprise to learn from Richard that Britain is in the grip of a stress epidemic which the UK Government's National Health Service (NHS) and family doctors (GPs) are not geared up to deal with.

It seems that in a success-driven world, where enough is never enough, many of us are making too much of the stress hormone, cortisol, which is surging through our bodies leading to a whole host of illnesses, both physical and mental . Unfortunately unless we reach breaking point there are few places to get help.

Scientific studies already link excess abdominal fat with excess cortisol. Too much also wears down the immune system which is why stressed-out people age faster than happy and relaxed individuals. There is also evidence that this hormone, known as the "death hormone" among anti-ageing doctors, accelerates shrinkage of the brain.

So if you suffer from stress - the kind that gives you high blood pressure, sleepness nights, palpitations or panic attacks - there are likely three things your GP will do (a) tell you to pull yourself together (b) Prescribe an anti-depressant pill (c) Put you on the waiting list to receive counselling or cognitive behaviour therapy.

Unfortunately there is a 12 month waiting list at most doctors' surgeries in the UK for counselling, according to Richard. So its anyone's guess as to what state you would be in a year later!

RFL works mostly through enlightened GPs who make recommendations to their patients. Then its up to the patient to make contact with their local RFL"teacher". You are then required to sign up and attend four 1.5 hour weekly group sessions at which there will be no more than eight people. You must be committed as there is "homework" inbetween.

The four sessions, are structured in the following way: How to cope with negative thoughts; Posture, muscle and breathing exercises to relieve tension and anxiety; Explanation of how the mind's perception of events can influence the body's response and Lifestyle. The cost of the course varies, from teacher to teacher, but lessons usually start from £15 each.

The RFL method is one of commonsense. Richard explains: "We teach people self-awareness and coping strategies and we help stop them getting into the pattern of negative automatic thoughts (NATS)."

I am concerned to learn that many of those who are seeking help for stress are single women, aged 40+ but this, Richard tells me, is because women are much more ready to do something about stress than men. And in general it is intelligent, likeable and engaging individuals who are more prone to suffer.

The demand for this method of stress relief means there is a huge need for specialist RFL teachers. So if you want to change your life and help others change theirs the RFL would be pleased to hear from you.

If you would like to know more about the RFL method or interested in training as a teacher you can phone direct on 020 7439 4277 or email info@rfli.co.uk. There is also more information on www.rfli.co.uk

NEW SPAS AND TREATMENTS

2008-07-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

DE VERE HOTELS NEW LUXURY SPA AT THE MANSION HOUSE, WOKEFIELD PARK, NEAR READING,UNITED KINGDOM

This week saw the launch of the brand new Spa at The Mansion House. It's situated in a beautful middle of the Berkshire countryside, the hotel sits in a huge country park, filled with mature trees next to US PGA-standard 7000-yard championship golf course, boasting elevated tees and nine lakes for a different challenge.

Easy to get to, particularly if you don't want to drive, its a a 15 minute drive from Reading BR station - so great for a weekend break. You can spa, exercise, walk and play golf - all great destressers.

The new spa has a sauna, jacuzzi and steam room as well as a natil studio. And the gym actually looks out onto something interesting for a change - the park.

All treatments use products from an Italian range called Gerard's, which only uses natural ingredients and pure essential oils, certified organic. There are four product lines, basic, silver, gold and luxury, each made from concentrated flower and plant extracts.

These are some of the innovative treatments on offer:

Great Tea Abdomen: This is the celebrated treatment featured on British TV's Channel 4, Supersize vs Superskinny, in which a journalist lost 5 inches from her abdomen area in one treatment! This non-invasive "colonic irrigation" involves the application of a green tea and caffeine mask, followed by a firm colonic massage, and a seaweed mask. Sounds good to me!

Bamboo Massage: I saw this one being carried out - it did look like a form of human origami! Bamboo massage oil is used alongside a powerful massage incorporating natural smooth bamboo canes. The beautician uses reflexology, stretching and deep massage to give you a very stimulating and re-energising experience.

Other delights at this spa include, Chocolate Facial and Body Therapy; Caviar Facials, Chakra Stone Massage, Seaweed Cellulite Treatment, Soy Soy Body Massage and Pepper Aroma Detox.

On the beauty side there are manicures, pedicures, a hair studio and fantastic mineral makeup from GloMinerals. Prices are fairly reasonable at around the £60 mark.

Bookings and info at http://www.deverevenues.co.uk/

THE NEW PHYTO-FERMETE BODY TREATMENT FROM YON-KA AT THE ADAMINA SPA KENSINGTON, LONDON

French beauty house Yon-Ka has developed a new body firming treatment called Phyto-Fermeté that uses its specialist products, GALBOL 190 and PHYTO 152, along with a new bandaging technique.

This treatment is wonderfully relaxing and its now available at the ADMINA , a beautiful spa in a converted bank in Kensington High Street (Commonwealth Institute end).

GALBOL 190 and PHYTO 152 - which contain natural ingredients such as rosemary - have previously only been used for toning within other treatments; this is the first time one has been based exclusively around them.

The new one-hour treatment has been designed to help combat sagging skin, particularly in problem areas around the bust and hips, behind the knees and under the buttocks.

It begins with an aromatic compress on the feet and ankles, accompanied by relaxing acupressure techniques.

My treatment was carried out by Yon-Ka's UK training manager Elaine Bryant - who is a world-leading expert in different massage techniques. She is also a devotee of spa etiquette - all the things that a beauty therapist/masseuse should do to make their client feel at ease in what is a very personal 1:1 situation.

GALBOL 190 and PHYTO 152 are then worked into problem areas, followed by a brief massage with Energising Huile Corps 3.

Sagging areas are then bound with bandages, which are infused with essential oil-based Emulsion Concentrée, and wrapped in an isothermal blanket for 20 minutes.
The final touch is a refreshing massage of the entire body using GALBOL 190.

Weekly or twice-weekly treatments are recommended for six to eight weeks, with top-up sessions once a month an option thereafter.

GALBOL 190 and PHYTO 152 are also available in the format of 'at home' Phyto-Fermeté Ritual products to prolong the effects of the spa treatment.

Yon-ka products are made of quality nutrients and have a cult following with those in the know. The essential oils in the products smell wonderful and are easily absorbed into the skin leaving it soft and fragrant.

Contact the Adamina Day Spa for details on + 44 (0)207 7511 611

CALORIE RESTRICTION - CAN IT BUY YOU EXTRA TIME ON EARTH?

2008-07-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

CALORIE RESTRICTION AND LONGEVITY

While those who are jumping on the cosmetic surgery bandwagon - may look younger on the outside it is only a short-term triumph.

A balanced diet and sufficient exercise are the real Holy Grail of anti-ageing! It also true to say that better living conditions and medical interventions keep a lot of people living longer than they would typically.

Whilst the nutrient reservratrol, found in red wine and grapes, seems to be the only hope so far of an anti-ageing pill, that is aside from gene and stem cell therapies which are not available for financial and ethical reasons to most of us, is there anything we can do to extend our life?

Currently, the only proven method is calorie restriction, which it is estimated will add an extra five years to life expectancy. There is the argument that living on such a diet is really not worth it for so little reward and the pain of eating virtually nothing for years on end. It is also likely the suffering and misery and subsequent depression caused by this sort of supreme effort to stay super skinny would definitely take years off anyone's life!

I suspect there is a happy medium - eating in moderation: a healthy diet that will save you from having to have a "nip and tuck" and will help you look younger and be healthier.

Scientists agree that a decent diet cuts your risk for many of the diseases of ageing, including cutting your risk of hereditary diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Eric Ravussin, a scientist at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana estimates that if you start to eat 15% less from the age of 25 you might get an extra 4.5 years. But so far this finding is restricted to mice and fruit flies and may not apply to humans!

One of the main arguments for hanging around longer is that you will still be here when drug therapies are found for Alzheimer's and cancer.

One theory on calorie restriction is that it decreases the release of one of the two thyroid hormones - triiodothyronine (T3), which then slows metabolism and tissue ageing.

As one of those who has a low metabolic rate this is extremely good news and must be the reason I look younger than most people my age! Hmm.. I discovered on a recent trip to La Prairie Clinique in Montreux that I have a very low calorie requirement - 1,200 calories a day just to same the same weight. A typical calorie restriction diet is 1,600 calories so I would need to go even lower.

It makes commonsense to eat sufficient nutrients for optimum health. You only have to look at some very thin people and long-term anorexia sufferers to see that deprivation of nutrients will prematurely age you rather than helping to keep you young. Those socalled "Social X-rays" usually have very badly lined skin...and the future health consquences of bad nutrition include osteoporosis amongst other things.

As part of my own rejuvenation regime I am going to keep my calorie intake below 1,000 a day. This is because I need to loose some pounds and want to give myself a pyschological kick-start. But I will make sure I get key nutrients.

To help me I am trying a new "diet" pill from the French company Arkopharma.I hesitate to call it a diet pill because it is not a synethetic drug (with unpleasant side effects) but a completely natural herbal remedy which is a new edition to their 4.3.2.1. detox drink. It is aimed at taking the edge of those hunger pangs that tend to sabotage your good intentions. It helps cut hunger pangs, detoxes and encourages fat burn.

I am not a great fan of supplements with strong smells - this is fairly strong - but if you take the tablet with a large glass of water it's it fine - there is no taste and no kickback. You take two tablets a day, one in the morning and one at lunch - I suspect this is because it contains herbs that may interfere with sleep if you take them too late.

There is more about 4.3.2.1. Shape Up Ultimate in my earlier blog below - but I will give you feedback on how it goes.

Another helpful diet supplement is to add fibre to meals. This helps stop any possible sugar spikes that may make you feel hungry. Metabolic Modulator is a great product containing beta glucan (porridge oats) which is virtually tasteless so great for adding to soups, smoothies etc. More info at Vitality Shop

I also find it difficult to keep to a diet if there is temptation in the fridge - so its empty! And if I do feel hungry or need something filling but nutritional I will reach for a mega nutritional shake from David Kirsch Wellness. These shakes contain everything known to help you stay on track and loose those pounds including chromium (keeps blood sugar stable) and iodine to keep the metabolism up.

I will be off to Harley Street in London again later this week to speak with a nutrition about the best way to eat for beauty, vitality and good health.

My own conclusion on calorie restriction is that it may well give you a buzz - hunger does apparently; but long-term it would be very miserable for very little gain. On the other hand I suspect changing the way we view good and diets may do the trick. Rather think of it has a beauty and health regime rather than a diet? Or are you eating an poison that is seriously damaging your body or a rejuvenating nutrient?

ANTI-AGEING THAT DOESN'T COST THE EARTH!

2008-07-25T05:19:00.001-07:00

The cost of anti-ageing creams keeps spiralling upwards. Nevermind the ingredients, the higher the price the more claims that are made for them.

So its refreshing to learn that some of the leading names in the UK high street are fighting back with creams that deliver the latest magic ingredients at a fraction of the price.

Two big names ALDI and SUPERDRUG unveiled their autumn and winter beauty collections this week and ELIXIR went along to investigate:

At last I was able to get my hands on a pot of that Siana Moisturising Anti-Wrinkle Cream with Q10 that has been flying off the shelves at ALDI. Looking at the ingredient list I can see why it has been such a big hit.

I cannot rave more about CoQ10 as an anti-ageing ingredient. I take it as a supplement because it helps energise every cell of the body. Doctors in Japan, where most of the world's supplies are made, give it to heart patients. It is also a very powerful agent against gum disease and Alzheimer's.

The list of other ingredients in this cream is phenomenol: bioflavones from the elderberry blossom, vitamins C and E, provitamin B5, Aloe Vera, Algae, papaya extract, phospholipids and many more including UVA/UVB sun filter SPF4. It also smells and feels great on the skin and the packaging is classy - unbelievable for £1.89!

SUPERDRUG is also big on value-for-money anti-ageing products and has its own brand OPTIMUM and will be introducing a new range of handcare in the autumn. The Optimum Line Decrease Eye Cream (pictured) is a new addition to the range also.

The store's customers have also been clammering for anti-ageing hair products, in particular the SAMY FAT HAIR range from the US, which will go into stores this autumn. There is nothing more ageing and upsetting than thinning hair whatever age, and whatever sex. So this really is a big hair range.

The range includes a pommade, shampoo, conditioner and a thickening serum. The serum, works by thickening each strand of hair with FH4 Thickening Complex–a blend of natural extracts and proteins which penetrates each hair strand, increasing the strand’s diameter and expanding the hair from the inside out. The result–thicker, fuller, stronger hair that holds your style all day long. Superdrug has yet to price these for sale as they are not in the shops yet, but they look to be very reasonable at say between £4 and £6.

GOTH & GLAM

Last winter's smoky eyes have become darker and more defined, according to the experts at Superdrug.

"Apply black and charcoal shadows in layers to encircle the whole eye. Lips are beautifully defined and can be a matt stain or slick and glossy but should always be pigment rich and have a colour deep enough to dive into!"

Great value is this Colour works Mini Cube. For just £6.99 you get four eyeshadows, two blushers, a matt powder, a loose powder, brushes and mirrors.

MINERAL MAKEUP - AN ANTI-AGEING MIRACLE!

2008-07-24T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have become a great fan of mineral make-up, which began when I was sent a sample of a wonderful Jane Iredale product called Liquid Minerals Foundation. The actual product looks magical - tiny little beads suspended in a concoction of anti-ageing ingredients.This foundation really is amazing. Mineral makeup is also great value for money and a foundation can last for a year.

Why is mineral make-up anti-ageing?

They are mostly powders, made from natural rock sources, which sit on the skin and do not block the pores. So they don't fall into all those lines and wrinkles like your average foundation. They glide on with a brush and give great coverage. You can put on as many layers as you need to, particularly in areas that need extra coverage such as scars. As well as having broad-spectrum UVB and UVA protection usually up to SPF 20, they are also virtually non allergenic. Many cosmetic surgeons recommend using mineral makeup after some peels and lasers because it protects the skin.

The minerals, which have special light reflective qualities also come in some amazing colours, which can also be converted to nail varnish and lip glosses by adding to clear varnish and gloss. The look is minimal but fresh and young.

The most wonderful, as far as I am concerned is what they do for ageing eyelids - the seem to get rid of the crepey look that you get with many shadows.

SMOKEY EYES, WITH COLOUR by INIKA

Today I experienced a Smokey Eyes makeover from INIKA's resident makeup artist Hana Sutherland.

Hana really knows her stuff: older women should not, for example, try using dark shading if they have lost the hollow on the eyelid as a result of the fragile skin stretching - it will only make it look worse and make your eyes look smaller. Her tip is to use light, bright colours like Peach Fetish (love the name!).

The good news is that you are never too old for the smokey, sensual look that is big now and going to be even bigger this autumn. Older ladies just need to be more subtle with the application.

Here Hana explains how to get that look: “Smokey eyes are a great look, but by adding a hint of colour we can make the eyes even more dramatic and drop dead gorgeous!”

Hana suggests two different ways to do this, depending on your skin tone.

Darker Skin Tones
Products:
• Inika Black Eye Liner £11.00
• Inika Vegan Shadow Brush £9.00
• Inika Thunder Eye Shadow £10.50
• Inika Purple Haze Eye Shadow £10.50
• Inika Gold Dust Eye Shadow £10.50
• Inika Lash Me Purple Mascara £14.00

“Start by smoothing black eye liner all over the eye lid, avoiding the brow area, blending it out to the corner of the eye.

“Then, take a tiny bit of Thunder on your brush and gently press down, to create that fabulously dark finish and blend out again. Using Purple Haze, blend from the middle of the eye out to create the illusion of black moving into purple and ‘spot’ the centre of the lid with gold to make the eye ‘pop’. Perfect smokey eyes with this season’s ‘must have’ purple! Finish with Inika’s special edition Lash Me Purple mascara.”

Fair Skin Tones
Products:
• Inika Sage Eye Liner £11.00
• Inika Chocolate Eye Liner £11.00
• Inika Vegan Shadow Brush £9.00
• Inika Golddust Eye Shadow £10.50
• Inika Forest Gold Eye Shadow £10.50
• Inika Aubergine Eye Shadow £10.50

“Softly smooth Inika Sage Eye Liner over the eyelid before frosting Inika Golddust over the top, including the brow area. Line the upper and lower lid with Inika Chocolate Eye Liner and gently smudge to create a softer look.

“Press Inika Forest Gold Eye Shadow right across the lid, blending out to the corner of the eye, and then finish with a layer of Aubergine to add depth to the colour.”
“Adding colour to the smokey eye look brings out the colour of the eyes and adds a new dimension that just brings eye make up bang up to date for evenings,” said Hana.

Inika Mineral Cosmetics are available at www.inikacosmetics.co.uk or call 0845 045 0664 for your nearest stockist.

Watch out for our Podcast interview with Hana in which she will reveal all the latest tips to take off years with the right makeup.

NEW ANTI-AGEING GADGETS

2008-07-22T04:04:00.000-07:00

STOP - the world's first salon grade radio frequency device for home use Today marked the exclusive world-wide launch of STOP, at the Imagination Gallery in Bloomsbury, London.

This is yet another amazing anti-ageing gadget from those technical innovators in Israel. Priced at just £395, it is a mini version of the in-salon ReGen treatment - to combat wrinkles and cellulite - that I mentioned a few days ago.

It works by using two kinds of radio frequencies to heat up the collagen under the skin. This has an immediate and visable tightening effect. Over the next few weeks it works on the fibroblasts in the epidermis which create new collagen and younger skin.

Powered by electricity, Stop has a safety feature which cuts out when the skin has reached the optimum temperature - and turns on again when it has cooled down.

The radio-frequency energy penetrates a mere 1-3mm and feels like a warm massage. STOP has four metal "poles" which you hold against the skin and massage in circular movements.

It is recommended mainly for facial, neck and decollete use - for lifting sagging jowels and chin, neck lines, facial wrinkles and marionette (nose to mouth) lines. And should be used 2-3 times a week until the desired effect has been achieved.

Certainly the before and after photos that I saw at the launch this device looked fantastic. The gadget is fairly affordable and would probably achieve optimum results after a few of the more powerful salon treatments. STOP goes on sale in September but if you want to be one of the first to get one, and the manufacturers are expecting huge demand, then email us with your name, address and phone number at info@elixirnews.com

WELLBOX TISSULAR THERAPY: Beauty without Surgery!

I was recently invited to try out this new machine, pictured above, from France, by the PR folk at Harrods.

The Wellbox has been one of the best kept secrets of French beauties for a few years now - and it really is non-invasive. It uses a combination of suction and rolling to slim and tone, the body and face.

Again, the theory of how it works is that it stimulates the collagen in the skin. It's a home use machine and easy to use. When I tried it out in the Pharmacy on the ground floor of the store, the technician used it to stimulate the area around my lips.

The suction is really quite gentle and it was an overall enjoyable experience. There was a little bit of redness but my lips looked plumper and younger afterwards.

The Wellbox is recommended for rejuvenating wrinkles, finelines, sagging, generally firming the skin on the neck and décolleté; reducing cellulite and love handles; a flatter stomach and even reduce muscle fatigue.

It may cost £1,000 but in my opinion its well worth it both for the results and the convenience of being able to use it at home. And of course it compares well when you consider how much salon treatments cost. It's on my Christmas present list! There's more info on the Harrods web site Harrods and you can also call the Harrods Beauty Concierge on +44 (0)20 7730 1234.

WE INVESTIGATE THE LATEST DIET AND DETOX HELPERS

2008-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

I learned last week, during my visit to hormone and anti-ageing expert Prof. Farid, that I have got high blood pressure. I was shocked! I know that this is a condition that affects millions of people and its a warning sign that the body is malfunctioning.

I put my symptoms down to my neglect of my usual exercise regime - biking everywhere when possible and jogging - and a lot of stress.

I also need to drop some kilos so today I got back on my bike. I also thought I would give myself some help with the latest natural plant supplements and diet meal replacements. These two are both new onto the market:

FucoXanThin

This is a new breaththrough in weightloss thanks to the discovery of a natural plant caroteinoid - fucoxanthin(few-co-zan-thin) which has been found in brown seaweed. Like all of these supplements this is not a miracle product but used in combination with a healthy and sensible diet can help speed-up weightloss.

Fucoxanthin works by helping the white fat cells burn stored fat by thermogenesis - this happens with exercise and also by the cells themselves generating energy. Fucoxanthin helps the body boost its resting energy expenditure. The addition of pomegranate seed oil, which contains punicic acid, to stunt fat cell growth, makes the formula even more potent.

This product has been tested. In a clinical trial 110 overweight, non-diabetic women were given either a placebo or the new pill in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise. Those taking the pill lost an average of 14.5 pounds of weight in 16 weeks compared to the placebo group who lost only 3 pounds in the same period.

One capsule is taken three times a day before food. It is a non-stimulant and can be taken later in the day. Costs £19.95 for a 90 capsule pot. Buy online at The Vitality Shop UK.

4.3.2.1. SHAPE UP ULTIMATE FROM ARKOPHARMA

Getting into the mood for a diet or healthy eating regime is not always easy - as most of us struggling with weight and metabolic issues can testify to. It's always inspiring though to see quick results at first without the use of drugs.

So news comes to me of a new product from the French company Arkopharma - they already have a great detox made of herbs, that tastes like tea called 4.3.2.1. Detox. Now they have launched 4.3.2.1 Shape Up Ultimate which has 10 plants in four distinct phases that work together to help give you keep on track. The multi-layered tablet is absorbed at the optimum rate to help your diet goals.

By the way Arkopharma has got some great products for menopausal and post-menopausal women including phytonutrients that stop hot flushes and face and body creams.

The great thing their new diet pill is that it is a natural, herbal product, which contains distinct plant groups which work independently to help burn fat, reduce water retention and detox the body. In a clinical trial, over eighty four per cent of women said that they had noticed their silhouette had become noticeably slimmer after just 28 days. All you need to do is take two tablets a day for 15 days and the herbs will kickstart the internal cleanse so that your body will be in the best shape to burn fat and see quick results so that you will be inspired to carry on with your good eating habits.

So what are these herbs?

* Fat burning plants; fennel is believed to remove fat from the
intestinal tract, whilst celery helps to ignite the endocrine system, with these hormones helping to break up accumulated fat
* Appetite-reducing plants; mucilage herbs, such as kola, have a
thick, slippery consistency that draw water and swell in the stomach, giving the feeling of being full, so helping to suppress the appetite
* Detoxifying plants; artichoke and dandelion help kick-start the
weight loss process and are frequently recommended to help with liver toxicity and gallbladder complaints
* Thermogenic herbs (natural stimulants); green tea speed up body
functions and the process for burning calories
* Natural diuretic plants; kola helps create water weight loss and
eliminate the broken-down waste and toxins pulled out from the body

In more detail these are:

-4 Plants to combat excess fat: Mate, Kola, Green tea, Green coffee
3 plants to combat excess sugar: Bean pod, Cinnamon, Fenugreek
2 plants to combat water retention: Dandelion, Grape extract
1 plant to combat the toxins that congest the liver: Artichoke
4.3.2.1 Ultimate is available from independent health food stores and pharmacies, at selected Nutricentre stores and http://www.nutricentre.com/(rrp £12.50).

I will be trying both these new supplements out and will let you have my feedback in a couple of weeks.

Sometimes its difficult to keep to the right calorie allowance and diet meal replacements can be the answer - far better to drink something with all the required nutrients than snack on crisps etc.

NOT ALL DIET SHAKES ARE THE SAME! - read about the latest and best in our Tried & Tested

Tomorrow we look at a new hand-held laser than can rejuvenate both face and body and tell you about a new anti-ageing device on sale exclusively in Harrods.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK WITH SEXY LASHES

2008-07-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

LONGER, LUSHER AND LUXURIANT – HOW TO GET BIG LASHES

As its Sunday I thought I would discuss something very girlie - how to get luxuriant lashes. Like everything else our eyelashes shrink, fallout or just become sparse as we age. But I am pleased to say that help is at hand because those anti-ageing experts have now got to grips with this problem and there are now some seriously good products and treatments that can turn back the clock.

Big lashes are the new must have – there are eyelash rejuvenators, fake lashes that look natural, eyelash extensions and its even possible to get eyelash transplants. And these products aren't just for the babes.

Even Botox manufacturer Allergan is in on the act with plans to launch a cosmetic lash drug next year that it says will make eyelashes grow darker, thicker and longer. Well if it does the same for lashes as Botox has done for wrinkles then I will be a fan.

Here we look at the best products already on the market:

REVITALASH

This is a revolutionary new cosmetic eyelash conditioner developed by American ophthalmologist, Michael Brinkenhoff MD for his wife Gayle which she lost most of her lashes following treatment for breast cancer.

The results are impressive – you get longer, thicker, fuller, and darker looking lashes after applying the lotion like an eyeliner . Each tube lasts three to five months and a portion of the proceeds support non-profit breast cancer research. The pictures above are a before and after - the after is 60 days after the the first application.

Celebrity fans include Marcia Cross, Anne Hesche, Felicity Huffman, Debra Messing, Lorraine Bracco, Hayden Panettiere, Dayna Devon and many more.

This product is easy to apply and does not seem to cause an allergic reaction. I didn't take a before and after pic but I am convinced that my eyelashes are growing with a vengence.

Buy at high-end spas and specialty retailers throughout the US and also in the UK at selected salons and in London at Wigmore Medical Aesthetics, Harley Street clinics and Groom. Costs : $182, €121, £95

GIVENCHY PHENOMENON EYES

Mascara has come a long way since the first creams and cakes! The secret of this new product is in the design of the brush and the cream formulation. Givenchy has created a brand new way to apply mascara with a spherical brush that can be manoeuvred to any position, reaching even the tiniest lash to give spectacular results. There is optimal separation of lashes and no clumping. The formula is based on water and a cutting edge polymer. When the mascara is applied, the water evaporates, allowing the polymer to form longer and thicker lashes. It also contains D-Pathenol, which feeds the lashes from the inside.

I tried this product at the recent launch and it was absolutely amazing. I had long silky lashes in an instant. As far as I know its not yet on the market and Givenchy is keeping it seriously under wraps from rivals because of the unique brush.
This products comes in two colours black and brown and costs $35, €26, £17.50

EYE TEC 2 GO AT HARRODS LONDON

These are the greatest and most exotic falsies I have ever seen (pictured at the top of the page and below). You can give your eyes the most exotique look with faux Patridge and Peacock feathers or whatever takes your fancy. They can be applied in just 30 minutes and are bespoke designs creating any look from natural lash extensions to fashion focused special occasion lashes.Eye Tec Swift 2 Go lashes are priced from £45, $90 or 60 Euro at Urban Retreat. Visit http://www.eye-tech.co.uk/

DHC EYELASH CONDITIONER

DHC is Japan’s No 1 cosmetic company and it has won awards for this product. It combines nurturing ingredients with cutting-edge science including an extract of the plant Swertia Japonica to strengthen and stimulate new lash growth. It is also packed with other beneficial ingredients including Aloe Vera and Vitamin A and C to moisturize and encourage celluar regeneration and antioxidant protection.

This conditioning cream tonic is applied via a mascara style applicator. DHC Eye Lash Tonic can also be used alone as a daily grooming bedtime treatment for your lashes and brows to help stimulate growth whilst you sleep. As an added bonus it also helps smoother application of your mascara helping it last longer. After two weeks broken lashes you will see a result with stronger and longer lashes.

I have been using this in conjuction with Revitalash!

Costs: $12, €8.85, £7. Buy online at http://www.dhc.co.uk/

Tomorrow I will reveal all on some of the latest over-the-counter fatbusters....

WRINKLE ERASERS AND FAT BUSTERS

2008-07-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

RegenTriPollar skin-tightening and anti-cellulite treatment

I was recently invited to try a new anti-ageing treatment using a new machine from Israel where scientists are world-leaders in aesthetic devices - they make many of the electronic machines that you see in clinics today.

One of the newest skin tighteining and anti-cellulite machines uses Regen TriPollar radio waves and I tried it out recently at the Pasha Clinic in London's West End in Maddox Street.

This is a really great treatment for anyone who wants to rejuvenate their face, reduce tummy fat, sagging thighs and even tighten underarms. It doesn't hurt and you see results straight away.

The machine uses a unique combination of radio waves to zap sagging collagen beneath the skin. Basically the radio waves heat up the collagen, in effect damaging it. New, young and rejuvenated collagen grows back over the next few days.

I decided to give it a go on my underarms. The waves are directed onto the skin with a metal device - it doesn't hurt and you only feel a mild heating sensation and it takes only 15 minutes to do each underarm. I could see the tightening after the first treatment but the effect continues usually goes in minutes. About six-eight weekly treatments are needed to achieve desired results.

I was very pleased with my result and would highly recommend this non-invasive method of toning up one of the most notoriously difficult bits to do anything about. I was also able to see the results on another client who had the treatment on her face. Even though she was only in her late 20s there was a definite lift around her jawline.

What is unique about Regen Tripollar is the combination of two radio waves - mono-polar and bi-polar which means that the treatment is able to penetrate both the deep and shallow tissue at the same time as protecting the surface of the skin from any possible burning.

The clinic also told me that this is an ideal complementary treatment for anyone considering Liposuction, which is an invasive cosmetic surgical procedure carried out in a hospital. The Regen tightens and conditions the skin so that you get a smoother overall effect.

SmartLipo

Another revolutionary non-surgical fatbuster is SmartLipo which first came onto the market about two years ago and was the first real alternative to Liposuction. This uses laser energy to zap fat cells and sculpt the body. The fat is removed by a canula and also by the body itself. SmartLipo also tightens the skin. It should always be carried out by a qualified medical doctor, cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist because although it is a minimally invasive treatment you may need local anaesthetic.

Before and After SmartLipo treatment

I have not tried this treatment but I was invited to the launch of a new advancement in this procedure - SmartLipo MPX - which will be available in the UK in the next few months. Again this improvement is gained through combining two different laser wavelengths so that there is less bleeding, bruising and swelling that with traditional liposuction. SmartLipo is made by the US company Cynosure and has received the approval of the US's Food & Drug Administration(FDA) which is extremely rigorous.

If you can't wait, the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic at 98 Harley Street, London, W1, is offering 20% discount on SmartLipo together with Micro Suction. This is carried out with a local anaesthetic and the fat micro suction gives improved results in combination with the SmartLipo.

At the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic, this procedure is carried out by one of the UK's leading experts in facial and body aesthetics, Dr Aamer Khan, who is pictured left.

Dr Khan's practice likes to stay ahead of the competition by utilising the newest technology to deliver the safest results with the best possible outcome for patients. So he gets our recommendation.

Lumenis Active FX

Another new launch this year is a non-invasive treatment for winkles - the Lumenis Active FX. This uses a laser to "pixelate" the skin. Again working on the proven fact that damaging collagen makes it rejuvenate.

There are some really great before and after pictures which demonstrate how well this works on sagging jowels, eye wrinkles and bags and even acne. Click here to see the Lumenis Before and After pictures

The cost of all these treatments? Since every treatment is bespoke we are not able to quote specific costs and you are advised to ask the practitioner.

ANTI-AGEING AND DIET - WE SEEK ADVICE FROM A WORLD EXPERT

2008-07-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I would like to apologise for those of you who have been following my diary and waiting on the latest news - I promise regular reports from now on - from the front line of anti-ageing around the world. The reason for the absence of our blog was the exciting challenge of relaunching our magazine ELIXIR INTERNATIONAL. We pleased to let you know that it will be going on sale as a superglossy quarterly in W.H. Smith, Tesco and luxury hotels and spas in the UK, and there will also be international distribution including on cruise ships, spas and other luxury outlets.

I have decided to kick-start my own anti-ageing regime with a visit to Professor Nadir Farid MBBS, FCRP (Lon), FACP in London's Wimpole Street. Prof. Farid, pictured left, is a world-leading endocrinologist - that is a seriously qualified expert in hormones.

As anyone in anti-ageing knows hormones are the body's chemical messengers and which unfortunately decline with age or get unbalanced and cause all sorts of health problems from depression, to overweight, infertility and loss of libido.

Prof Farid is a particular expert in fertility, polycystic ovary syndrome(PCS) and weight issues caused by insulin resistance - that is when the body keeps producing more insulin to get rid of sugar in the blood, with the end result that many of us end up putting on dangerous weight around the middle and may even be on the way to getting type 2 diabetes, a heart attack or stroke.

I visited Prof Farid at his clinic, The London Endocrine Clinic where we discussed the current obesity epidemic. He says that 50% of the population suffers from insulin resistance which is says was a valuable asset in the days when we were hunter gathers and we had to live through food shortages and famine.

But in today's world when there is too much food, particularly too much of the wrong food and we are all eating too much sugar and carbohydrate its is causing a big problem.

Dr Farid obviously knows what he is talking about - the desk in his consultation room has the photos of happy mothers who were able to conceive after his advice and treatment. There are also the letters from men and women who have been able to transform their bodies by loosing weight after his treatment.

How does he do this? I find out for myself by undergoing a consultation. Prof Farid is very thorough. First of all he undertakes a detailed lifestyle questionnaire which includes: diet, sleeping patterns, work & lifestyle balance, allergies, whether you have suffered from weight & food issues such as anorexia, bulimia, compulsive eating disorders, alcohol and any other personal and health issues.

Next a weigh-in at the scales, blood pressure measure and a physical examination. In my case Prof Farid remarks that although I am only slightly overweight, but if he were a betting man that he would bet that I am too insulin resistant। He is also concerned about my high blood pressure। This is shocking news to me as I have never suffered from high blood pressure. I can only put this down to stress and not cycling and jogging as frequently as I have done. I know I must deal with this and get back to a disciplined regime.

Next I am to take a whole lot of blood tests - everything from my hormone levels including insulin, to oestrogen, testosterone, DHEA, thyroid to the nasties such as bad cholesterol (LDL) and those other fats tryglicerides.

During the course of our conversation I learn that Prof. Farid is himself insulin resistant. He keeps it in check with a Low Glycemic Diet which is the diet he recommends to patients - that is eating foods that release their energy slowly into the blood stream. These are mostly high-protein foods rather than carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and potatoes. He also says he has given up alcohol completely because of the carbs. This is not good as I know that a glass of red wine is highly recommended for its anti-ageing properties - not only the magic ingredient resveratrol which is found in red grapes but also because it helps keep down LDL levels and is helpful against heart attack and stroke.

I will let you know the results of my blood test when I get them. In the meantime I am going to see the dietician at the clinic and I will also share these recommendations with you.

In my next blog I will also tell you about some of the latest non-invasive anti-ageing treatments for sagging skin - on the face, arms and tummy and anywhere else for that matter. These new treatments are really exciting because whilst I believe "no pain no gain" these are not painful and surprise surprise they do work!I will let you know what happened when I tried them out.

Harley Street Hormones and how to live to be 150!

2007-07-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

The demand for cosmetic surgery is at an all time high.In the UK there was a 52% increase in operations last year, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. In the US, cosmetic surgery procedures have grown by 24 per cent in five years, says the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

But most of those wealthy enough to spend a small fortune on aesthetics are not treating the real causes of aging – molecular degeneration of the body caused mostly by poor lifestyle choices such as overeating, smoking and drinking alcohol.

But the good news is that a new and growing medical speciality – anti-aging or rejuvenation medicine – can help return your body to an early time using the latest scientific discoveries and secrets of the body unlocked by sports medicine.

Bespoke rejuvenation therapy is created by specialist doctors in this area who test the patient's biomarkers - to determine their current biological age. This include testing the blood, urine, saliva, blood pressure, weight/body mass index, flexibility, strength, skin elasticity and vision.

One of the cornerstones of anti-aging therapy is the replacement of various youth hormones that decline with age. These are the hormones that control weight, sex drive and mental clarity such as Human Growth Hormone (hgH), melatonin and the so-called “performancing enhancing” steroid used by athletes, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), all of which are available only by doctor’s prescription in the UK. And definitely not on the National Health Service!

So today I visit anti-aging expert Dr John Moran, to start my rejuvenation programme. Dr Moran has a long list of qualifications RD, MBBS LDSRCS, DPsSc,DFFP, MSc Nutri.Med and specialises in hormone replacement for both men and women using bio-identical hormones - these are made from plants and are not available via the UK's National Health Service.

Dr Moran carries out a detailed medical examination, including of my medical history and my current health status Before he can create a bespoke anti-ageing programme I must take a blood test to see what is going on with hormones and the nasty things in my blood such as cholesterol and homocysteine - which can indicate potential problems such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke etc.

In the case of women, symptoms of hormonal imbalance, especially in the pre-menopause and menopause, can include fatigue, weight gain, a lack of libido and even forgetfulness. I suspect I am suffering from some or most of these and the blood test confirms that all my levels of the main hormones - oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone and DHEA are on the low side. My bad cholesterol LDL is 3.3 which is a little on the high side but my good HDL is also high at 6.4 which Dr Moran tells me is good.

Prior to taking hormone replacement I am told it is a wise precaution to have a measurement of the endometrium taken - the womb lining. This is because in some women it may thicken in reaction to increased hormone levels. This could lead to an increased risk of cancer which is why conventional HRT become unpopular and the amount of oestrogen was reduced.

I am prescribed a testosterone gel, oestrogen capsules and progesterone which is taken sub-lingually. I will let you know what happens and the effects of this.

Some longevity specialists use more unorthodox treatments such as live cell and organtherapy – cells from the embryo organs of pigs and cows injected to revitalise corresponding human organs including the brain. So I plan to investigate what happens in this area at world's most prestigious rejuvenation clinic - Clinique La Prairie in Montreaux Switzerland. Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich are just two of the celebrities who are said to have been rejuvenated there.

One controversial treatment which I am tempted to try is the youth hormone - human growth hormone Hgh. But doctors who prescribe this - for anti-aging - are thin on the ground. This is because its only on-label use is for children with growth problems and adults who are deficient because of immune diseaes such as HIV. A deficiency caused by "natural" aging is not considered a deficiency.

The popularity of Hgh followed an experiment in the US in which a group of 12 men aged over 60 years saw dramatic changes in their bodies as signs of ageing melted away. In the Rudman Study, named after Dr Daniel Rudman, fat turned to lean muscle, bone density increased, skin became thicker and the men looked generally dramatically younger. Their sex drive also increased. They were monitored for adverse effects but there were none and it is now integral in many anti-ageing programmes, even though there are concerns about its safety particularly in relation to its potential to grow cancerous cells.

Devotees of Hgh, according to the US’s National Enquirer, include Hollywood celebrities such as Nick Nolte, Pam Anderson, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt, Marla Maples, Britney Spears and Jennifer Aniston. Sylvestor Stallone even has his own nutritional supplement business, aimed at bodybuilders (www.instonenutrition.com).

I have been reading an interesting and highly amusing book - Live Forever or Get Your Money Back. The hypothesis, or fact according to British author Gary Clark, is that aging is caused by pyschosamatic virus which has spread through humanity and that aging is in fact self induced. He claims to have rid himself of this virus and has stopped aging.

Contact information: Dr John Moran 30A Wimpole Street London W1 T: + 44(0)20 7935 4870

Live Forever or Your Money Back: How We Age, How We Die, & How Not To! is due for release (in the UK) in September by Aeon Partners Press (ISBN 978-0-9555696-0-9),in hardback at £14.99. Available, in paperback, at £11.99 through www.amazon.co.uk or order through any bookshop.

TODAY IS THE START OF MY REJUVENATION JOURNEY

2007-07-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

AVRIL's REJUVENATION JOURNEY BEGINS HERE...

I am lucky because my genetics mean I don't look as old as perhaps I should. I know that I cannot change my chronological age but I change my biological age.

You may be wondering why anyone would want to do this? My answer to that is that we are all living longer, mainly because of modern medicine, but we are not necessarily living a better quality of life.

The developed world is suffering from an epidemic of lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer's - mostly caused by eating too much of the wrong food and taking too little exercise. The cost of treating these self-induced illnesses is crippling public health systems.

Meanwhile health administrators question the value of treating the elderly. Is it worth it? There is no dignity for the elderly in the current socio-economic climate - not a week goes by without some horror story about an elderly person who died in a hospital corridor.

So it makes sense, as we age, for us to take control and keep ourselves as healthy as we possibly can. We can enjoy ourselves, our family, our friends and our life more if we are fit, agile and as happy as we can be. We can do this by adopting a positive lifestyle including a healthy diet and exercise, managing our life-work balance and stress.

My anti-ageing journey will take you to the world's top anti-ageing doctors and clinics. I will show you how you really can turn back the clock...