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• Posted in Very. Important. Questions. |  No Comments »

  Seventeen Contest: $500 Shopping Spree!

  By Lori Culwell

  Well well well– see, it’s totally worthwhile to read this blog, because sometimes I have information about giveaways (as well as the other all-important beauty information of course).  This month you can win a $500 shopping spree from ZENO.   Here’s some more about it!

  Wish you could buy all the beauty products you want this fall– including HEAT TREAT?  ZENO is offering one winner a $500 shopping spree to CVS/pharmacy!  To enter, become a fan of My ZENO on Facebook and post “Take me shopping!” on the wall.

  Official Rules

  Eligibility: In order to submit entries, individuals must have a valid Facebook account and be a fan of the My ZENO Facebook page.  One entry per person will be allowed with multiple entries leading to disqualification.  Individuals who have, within the past six months, performed services for ZENO or any organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the contest or supplying the prize, and/or their respective parent, subsidiary, affiliated and successor companies are not eligible to enter or play.

  How to enter: (1) Become a fan of the My ZENO Facebook page (available at www.facebook.com/myzeno) and (2) Post “Take me shopping!” on or before 10/31/10. All contest entries become the property of ZENO and may be used by ZENO for any purpose and in any media in perpetuity.

  How to win: The Grand Prize winner will be selected randomly from all qualified entries on or about the week of 11/1/10.  In the event that the original Grand Prize winner does not meet Official Rules or eligibility requirements, or he/she or parent or legal guardian forfeits the Grand Prize, ZENO Corporation will award the prize to the first alternate. The process will continue until the Grand Prize is awarded.

  All entries must be received on or before 10/31/10. The selection will be held the week of 11/1/10. Decision of the judges and ZENO is final. The Grand Prize winner will be notified through a Facebook message and must meet all eligibility requirements.

  Grand Prize: One Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 shopping spree to CVS/pharmacy.  There are no other prizes.

• Posted in Talk About Beauty |  2 Comments »

  Pretty Ugly?

  By Lori Culwell

  Every once in awhile a trend comes around, and while initially I reject it as being too hideous to even try, for some reason it grows on me and eventually I end up adopting it.  Maybe it’s just because I see it everywhere and my mind accepts it.  Who knows?

  This year’s culprit?

  Boyfriend jeans.  Remember when celebrities started wearing these last year (the more ripped and baggy the better), and everyone was wondering when this trend would go away?  Well, not only did it not go away, but I now own at least two pairs of these, one of which I am wearing as I write this.  Yes, they have holes, and I’m pretty sure they’re not that flattering.  But—oh my gosh, so comfortable!  They are the anti skinny jeans, I tell you.  I have done a complete 180—I hope this trend stays around forever.

  Of course, that’s what we always think about trends—remember those big bangs you had in high school?  You loved them, and now when someone puts a picture up on Facebook, you cringe, untag yourself, and wonder how on Earth it ever got to that point.  Like, how did you get up every morning and hairspray yourself into oblivion, all the while thinking this was a good idea?

  Here are some more trends that I have initially found questionable, but then I either adopted them myself or saw them on my friends.

  –Black nail polish.   I have to admit, I am still sometimes doing this (mostly on my toes, in the winter, but still).  Initially repulsive, then really cool.

  –Mismatched prints.  I just read in the super huge fall Vogue that this is coming back (like, plaids and florals), and I will be the first to admit that I cannot pull this off.  My fashion-forward friend in San Francisco is really into it, though.

  –Shoulder pads.   Apparently this one is coming back too (I have seen several photos of celebrities at awards shows wearing them, which means designers will be releasing them to the general public within the year), and I can honestly say I’m not doing this again.  My shoulders look fine, and shoulder pads make me look like a space alien.  There are people who can actually pull this off, though—Cate Blanchett looks great in them.

  So—what about you?  Any beauty trends that, while you initially found them hideous, you now find yourself embracing?  I’m talking to you over there, skinny jeans wearer!

• Posted in Talk About Beauty |  2 Comments »

  The Eyes Have It?

  By Lori Culwell

  Is it just me, or is everyone these days coming out with an eyelash-boosting product ? It started last year when I noticed a commercial for a product that apparently grows your eyelashes (or plumps-up the always-wimpy ones). I’ve always had less-than-stellar eyelashes so I’m no stranger to the longing for thick and lustrous lashes, and even I was reluctant to put this on my eyes. That’s just me though—if you’re using a lash-growing product, more power to you, and I would love to know how it’s working for you!

  After the first wave of “lash builders” that you must get from a doctor, I guess the “lash envy” trend caught on, because next I started seeing a ton of lash-building products in the drugstore (these are the ones that look like mascara, but they’re white or clear). Out of curiosity I tried one of them, and while it did seem to increase the volume of the lashes themselves, I don’t think it was any more special than the mascara bases/undercoats that have been around for years. I decided that this type of product doesn’t appeal to me for a few reasons:

  1) I lack patience and hate waiting for these types of products to dry. Literally, I have never left a manicure salon without already having a chipped nail.

  2) This product (at least the one that I tried) makes my mascara wear off faster. This leaves me with a “quantity vs. quality” problem—would I rather have totally fab lashes for a few hours, or half-fab lashes all day? I also have this issue with eye shadow when I use those “primer” products – especially when it is super-hot and humid outside.

  3) I have sensitive light blue eyes that tear up when certain types of chemicals are near them. This makes me not want to spend money on trying lots of these products, because I might end up throwing them out.

  So—here’s my dilemma. On the one hand, I am the original target audience for “people who have wimpy lashes,” but so far all the solutions I’ve seen to address this problem have not worked, and I’m not brave enough to put a prescription product on my eyes. What to do? More trial and error, or stick to my “eyelash curler and two coats of fast-drying lash lengthening mascara” ritual?

  Have you tried any of the new lash boosters? Have you been blown away?

• Posted in Out and About |  6 Comments »

  Designers for Less

  By Lori Culwell

  I think I’ve mentioned before that I am totally the type of person who will bargain shop if there are bargains to be had. I don’t use coupons or go to dollar stores (not that there’s anything wrong with that—I just don’t do it) but I love buying shoes on sale. I just like a good deal while I am being fashionable, ok? I’ll spend big money on something I consider to be a long-term purchase, but then I’m likely to offset that by trying to find a really good deal on something else. Maybe it’s retail therapy bargaining, who knows?

  Actually, and I know some people are going to find this mortifying – I don’t really spend big money on shoes because I know how hard I am on footwear. I walk everywhere and I have never been able to keep a pair of shoes alive for more than a year, so it would be insane to spend $600 on one pair. Handbags, on the other hand, I keep forever, so it makes sense to buy high-quality pieces.

  This brings me to the subject of big-name designers doing clothing/handbag lines for stores like Target, JC Penney, and H&M. I always try to check-out the lines because I love seeing how the designer has interpreted their style for a mass-market audience, plus I can usually find a few pieces to offset my big-ticket handbag purchases. I actually did a review for another magazine a few years ago, of the M by Madonna line for H&M—I liked it, but unfortunately it sold out really quickly because the stores didn’t have enough inventory to last very long.

  Limiting the number of pieces is a common practice (unless the designer has a long-term design engagement with the store, like Mossimo Giannulli’s “Mossimo” designs for Target) and really, it’s the only problem I have with these lines (with the exception of the Charlotte Ronson for JC Penney collection, which simply did not appeal to me). The stores never seem to have enough and the smaller sizes sell out by the time the word gets out that the store is carrying the line. This happened with Stella McCartney for H & M, with Alexander McQueen’s “McQ” line for Target, and with several others. Perhaps it’s a clever strategy to create demand.

  What about you? Have you checked out and/or bought any of the designer pieces from these big stores?

• Posted in Ask the Doctor |  No Comments »

  Q: I am diabetic and have breakouts. Is the ZENO HOT SPOT safe to use?

  By ZENO Skincare Experts

  A:  Yes, the Zeno Hot Spot is safe to use on simple acne, even if you’re diabetic. However, it is not meant to treat any other aspect of diabetes.

• Posted in Talk About Beauty |  5 Comments »

  Something Worked, and I Must Tell You About It

  By Lori Culwell

  OK, this might fall under “totally weird and only works for me,” so definitely take it with a grain of salt, but since this is a beauty and skincare blog, I feel I would be totally lacking if I didn’t share my latest beauty secret that is working like a charm:  lemons.

  Yes, lemons.  I know, nothing spectacular, but you should see my skin!   A couple of weeks ago (while doing research for this column, actually), I came across an article that made the claim that drinking water with fresh lemon was great for your skin.   Being the vigilant journalist that I am, I decided to give this one a try, and OH MY GOSH, my skin has seriously never looked better.

  Maybe it’s because of all the extra water I’ve been drinking because it’s summer, but honestly, when I stop drinking it with lemon, it does seem like my temperamental skin starts to act up again, so I’ve been strictly adhering to the “lemon solution.”

  There’s really no rhyme or measurement to it—I just use one of those $ 2 hand-juicers from the drugstore to smash up a fresh lemon into water, which I then drink.

  Here are some answers to the questions I know you probably have about this:

  –Yes, it is sour.  SO SOUR.  Usually I hold my nose while I’m drinking it.  No, I don’t put sugar in it.  Seriously, you should see my skin.  I don’t even need concealer.

  –Yes, lemons are said to erode tooth enamel, so I rinse with water after drinking my special lemon concoction.

  –Apparently this works because the lemon detoxifies your system.   Um, ok.   Again, all I know is that it works and as long as it continues to work, I am doing it every day.

  Obviously, I am not a doctor, and if you have some special condition that prevents you from eating lemons, you should check with your doctor before putting my wacky solution into motion.  If you do try it and it works for you, let me know!

  Yes, I know—it’s really sour.  And yes, I am still using the ZENO HOT SPOT for the occasional breakout.

• Posted in Talk About Beauty |  2 Comments »

  Who Are Your Beauty Influencers?

  By Lori Culwell

  I just finished this month’s Vogue magazine—the one with Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover?  I will shamelessly admit that not only did I buy the magazine because Paltrow is a total fashion and beauty inspiration to me (I also subscribe to her newsletter, GOOP—go ahead and make fun of me if you want to).   The Vogue article about Paltrow and her upcoming cookbook was pretty interesting, but I actually noticed something totally different while I was leafing through the issue– I am a sucker for magazine ads!  I probably have bought more beauty products because of celebrity endorsements than anything else.

  Take Cate Blanchett, for instance.  She has my same coloring, I think she’s a great actress, and now I am dying to try the anti-aging cream that she supposedly uses, because her skin is just so beautiful.  What can I say?  Her skin is flawless, and she’s older than me so it’s worth a try!

  I don’t really compare beauty notes with my friends (except for the occasional Facebook request for suggestions), so these days I kind of go with trial and error, and of course, what I see in magazines.

  Oh!  I am also a shameless detective when it comes to things I like – I will ask ANYONE about ANYTHING, from haircuts to handbags to jeans.  I’ve found so many cool things this way.  Hey, you’ll never know unless you ask, right?

  So—who are your beauty influences?  Are you into cool advertising like me, do you have a fashion-forward sister or best friend, or is there something else I’m not thinking of?  Do tell!

• Posted in Ask the Doctor |  No Comments »

  Q: What’s the difference between the “mild to moderate acne” treated by the ZENO HOT SPOT and whiteheads/ blackheads? If I can’t use the HOT SPOT on them, what’s the best thing to use?

  By ZENO Skincare Experts

  A:   Blackheads and whiteheads are respectively known as open and closed comedones. In this case, you need to see your dermatologist so he/she can extract them by performing acne surgery, using a needle and a comedone extractor. They are a collection of dirt and oil on the skin and can not be treated with ZENO. Retin-A is effective at preventing them and peels are generally helpful as well.

• Posted in Ask the Doctor |  No Comments »

  Q: What is the worst season for your skin? Is it worse in the summer because it’s hot or is it worse in the winter because it’s cold?

  By ZENO Skincare Experts

  A:  Typically acne is worse in the summer times, although exceptions do exist. Some may confuse acne with folliculitis, but in general, we are more prone to acne in the summer since we tend to do more things during that period which exposes us further to bacteria, such as sports.

• Posted in Ask the Doctor |  No Comments »

  Q: I have tried a ton of different acne medications and nothing seems to work. Even my dermatologist is stumped. What else can I try?

  By ZENO Skincare Experts

  A:  You can try Levulan treatments, Accutane, Fruit acid peels, Salicylic Acid peels, Microdermabrasion, and/or Laser Toning. You can always use the Zeno Hot Spot for individual pimples.