Read Time : 1 Minutes

On National Lipstick Day, are face masks leading us to kiss the cosmetic goodbye?

Linda J. Picard

“Lipstick is the best cosmetic there is,” Joan Collins once observed, shrewdly. Alas, not so much anymore – not now, when face masks are covering the lower half of our faces.

It could mean the end of lipstick as we know it. And what would we do without it, especially on July 29, National Lipstick Day?

For millennia, lip cosmetics have been one of the ways for women and men to express themselves, to lift their spirits, to make their face stand out in the crowd.

Now we’re contemplating another unhappy consequence of coronavirus: the possibility that face masks will wipe away the simple joys of lipstick. 

Perish the thought, say lipstick lovers and cosmetic makers, nervously eyeing sales figures expected to fall this year, maybe as much as 11% according to one market prediction.

Since the pandemic (and mask-wearing) started, there’s been a dramatic drop in use of

… Read More
Read Time : 1 Minutes

Exposure to phthalates may disrupt sleep for premenopausal women

Linda J. Picard

A new American study suggests a link between exposure to phthalates, endocrine disruptors found in certain plastics, and sleep disorders in perimenopausal and premenopausal women.

Plastic has become omnipresent in our daily lives since its invention only seven decades ago. Today this omnipresence is being called into question, especially those plastics which are increasingly considered toxic to the environment and our health, such as phthalates, plastic materials derived from phthalic acid, which have been identified as endocrine disruptors. They are found in plastic toys as well as food packaging and cosmetic products.

New research published in the journal Menopause indicates a possible connection between exposure to phthalates and sleep disorders in premenopausal women.

The study was carried out with data from the Midlife Women’s Health Study. The sleep quality of 760 premenopausal and perimenopausal women was compared with phthalate levels in the participants’ bodies as measured in urine samples. 

… Read More
Read Time : 1 Minutes

Beauty brand Kitty Kare Beauty debuts product for women of color to treat skin in bikini region

Linda J. Picard

Tricia Vickers and Jilyian Walcott are both from sunny South Florida, where spending time at the beach is a lifestyle. But they became fed up with having to hide behind sarongs and shorts to cover up irritating painful ingrown bumps and scars left behind in their bikini areas.

“No matter what we tried to keep them at bay, nothing worked for our skin, so we developed our own product line,” said Walcott.

Vickers and Walcott, biology and agriculture graduates of Florida A&M, worked with lead cosmetic chemist and formulation specialist Tyrick Allen to create Kitty Kare Beauty, which is spa-quality skincare for people of color looking for a solution to alleviate skin issues associated with waxing and shaving practices.

Dermatologists and aestheticians agree that skincare in the bikini region for women of color is unique in texture and tone and should be treated with specific care.

Deidra Green, a

… Read More
Read Time : 1 Minutes

Women booking nose jobs has ‘doubled following lockdown’

Linda J. Picard
One top plastic surgeon says interest in the procedure, known as rhinoplasty, has tripled. (Getty Images)
One top plastic surgeon says interest in the procedure, known as rhinoplasty, has tripled. (Getty Images)

The coronavirus lockdown has already sent us buying ‘ugly’ sandals and purchasing one particular hair serum in our droves.

But it seems increasing numbers of women are keen to make more permanent changes to their appearance as a result of hours spent on Zoom.

Those looking into having a nose job – or rhinoplasty – have tripled following the pandemic, while bookings for the procedure have doubled, according to Vogue.

The fashion bible reported that Naveen Cavale, a London-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon, has seen three times the normal number of people requesting consultations in July, August and September.

Read more: Rihanna to launch highly anticipated gender-inclusive skincare range

The surgeon added that he is now carrying out twice as many nose jobs as he had been in January.

“I’m having to open

… Read More