Beauty Blog

Holidays are over and now it’s time to assess the physical damage to the ol’ gutsky!

Now that the holidays are half way over you might want to start forming a fitness regime that includes losing all the holiday food you have been scarfing. I find that many of the over the counter brands make me feel dizzy, sweaty and very well… “cracky”. (For lack of a better term..)

Well one of my friends recently told me about some sort of apple-vinegar pills that helped her shed some weight and were healthier. I haven’t tried it, but it seems interesting.

Here are the claims:

1. Suppresses the appetite so you eat less
2. Enhances calorie and fat burning
3. Encourages weight loss when used along with a healthy diet and exercise plan
4. Binds bile acids in the small intestine and then facilitates its elimination from the body
5. Helps maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels already in normal range
6. Supports healthy circulation of blood and oxygen throughout your body
7. Provides superior support to your entire cardiovascular system
8. Promotes joint health, comfort, and flexibility
9. Promotes better digestion and relieves occasional heartburn
10. Regulates the pH balance in your body so it is not too acidic or too alkaline
11. Breaks down fat faster so it moves out… fast!
12. Provides life-giving minerals, trace elements, and vitamins to every cell

Hmmm, seems like something worth trying! I’ll give it a go and let you guys know how it goes..

If you are interested in checking out APPLE CIDER VINEGAR PLUS 90, click here.

Price $13.29

Don’t like this brand here are more Apple Vinegar Weight Loss Supplements, click here. 

Lopez partnered with perfumers Jim Krivda and Ellen Molner to come up with Deseo, which means desire, and is said to have notes of bamboo leaves, jasmine, geranium and warm amber. She is dabbling in MENS FRAGRANCES…

Blah, blah… that’s fine and dandy. What I really wanted to bring up was how “beat” JLo is looking? Right? Turns out she is not one of those chicks that can get preggos, bounce back and look smashing, seems to me those twins sucked the beauty juice out of her.

(Source of image and topic: CelebrityBrands.net)

Came across this image of Donatella Versace hocking her perfume from Blogdorf Goodman. Two questions sprung to mind:

1. Anyone smell this stuff? Is it nice?
2. I imagine it smells like tanning beds and peroxide? Ha!

While in the land of Smarter Beauty Blogs:

Tip for people brave enough to let mall make-up artists paint on your face, make-up application on paper does not always translate well on human faces! 

Our first post from the lovely guest beauty blogger Andie Smith, she embarks on her Mission for Perfect Hair!

Karley enlightens all of us about the pitfalls and perks of GLYCONUTRIENTS complex. (Try saying that word 3x fast)

I admit it: Whenever I hear the word “glyconutrients” I cringe. Four years ago, my dad was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and given 3 months to live. He lived 3 months, passing away at 56. When you have Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, you have less than a 1% chance of surviving a year. With this diagnosis came a lady from a multi-level marketing scam which has been featured on 20/20 before for preying upon terminally ill people. I can still hear here today: “If you take as many of our glyconutrients as you can afford to buy, your cancer will most likely be cured!”

When I hear about glyconutrients, I usually picture that woman in my dad’s foyer.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when I was looking for CoffeeBerry supplements to see what effect they would have on my skin. CoffeeBerry has had lots of press lately, and rightfully so. It is an anti-oxidant powerhouse, and has been touted as one of the most promising ingredients in years in the war against sagging skin. If the hype about this whole fruit of the coffee plant is true, then green tea and other well-respected antioxidants are going to have to start hanging their heads in shame.

I am new to the Smarter beauty blog, so you don’t quite know me yet. I am a former makeup artist and aesthetician turned full-time Mom to 2 wild little boys, as well as a small business owner. I am very interested in the connection of the mind, body and spirit. I do Pilates and Yoga. I practice the healing art of Reiki and in 2005 completed my Master/Teacher training. I also am a certified aromatherapist and like to incorporate a holistic approach to all areas of my life to balance things out. I take wonderful care of my skin and try to treat my body with just as much respect.

I firmily believe that whether you use skin care from a drugstore or from a high end boutique, you need to start treating it from the inside out. For starters, I drink NOW Certified Organic Aloe Vera Juice daily. Not only do I believe it is an immune booster, but I believe it soothes and brightens my skin. I drink one cup a day and have for 3 years. I also take vitamin C, D, and calcium in addition to my multi-vitamin. I had been pondering adding CoffeeBerry supplements to my nutritional support regimen and came across NOW Foods Glyconutrient Complex . It is billed as an immune booster. It blends CoffeeBerry with Glyconutrients and its potential for my skin was enough to make me place an order.

You might ask what exactly a Glyconutrient? Glyconutirents are plant-derived nutrients which are thought to nourish cells. They are made of 8 essential sugars: mannose, glucose, fucrose, xylose, galatose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-aceytlneraminic acid and N-aceytlgalactosamine. Scientists say that most people are deprived of these nutrients.

With a reputable brand like NOW offering this supplement with such a high concentration of CoffeeBerry, I knew I wanted to try it. NOW doesn’t mention any relationship between their supplements and skin benefits, but I thought with the CoffeeBerry that it might have potential. It’s been about 6 weeks of daily use (1 tablet) now. Has this had an affect on my skin? For starters, I think so. Like I said, I already treat my skin very, very well. I cleanse, freshen, moisturize, use a serum, wear paraben-free sunscreen daily, eat well and don’t smoke, That’s helpful! I am sleep-deprived, though. Between my business and my boys, I sleep no more than 6 hours a night and I am almost always tired.

My skin feels wonderful and it looks great. One thing I have noticed may just be a fluke. Since I am always tired and have red eyes from being tired, I often need to reach for the eyedrops. Not now. My eyes are bright and white. My skin looks fantastic. No ruddiness, no irritation. The results are not dramatic at all in terms of my skin, but I believe the supplement has had an effect.

The biggest difference is in how I feel. I get horrible colds this time of year. When I got one recently, it went away very quickly, which never happens. I feel more energized and awake. I just feel healthier and stronger in general.

I spent $12 and change on this supplement and it will last 3 months. $4 a month to feel better and have small skin improvements is so well worth it! I bought mine at Lucky Vitamin for $12.47 . I’d love to hear if anyone else has tried this blend with any positive effects on the skin. Let me know if you have!

If you would like to shop for discount Nutrition Supplements, click here.