Make-up hazardous for young girls

Courtesy of Getty Images

Mascara, eye shadow and foundation are among beauty products which are thought to contain chemicals which have been linked to health problems such as infertility, cancer and hormone imbalance.

The study by The Environmental Working Group, found the younger a girl is when she starts wearing make-up, the more risk there is.

The majority of British girls don’t wear make-up until the age of 11, but there are salons and products which are marketed to a younger audience, as young as six.

The Sun reported the EWG study on girls, aged between 14 and 19 found all the beauty products they tested contained chemicals which could be dangerous, such as triclosan, parabens, phthalates and musks. 

Not only have these chemicals been linked to cancer but scientist have suggested that they may end up being connected to depression. 

The EWG is based in Washington, and has discovered that young teenagers use around 17 beauty products a day, such as hair dye and nail polish, while adults use approximately 13.

Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, told The Sun: “By the time most girls become teenagers many have a daily make-up ritual.

“As the layers add up so does exposure to dangerous chemicals and that’s very bad news for a young girl’s health.”

ASA finally Twigged

Olay's original ad

An Olay advert which features Britain’s favourite old dear, Twiggy has been banned from magazine because it’s had over 700 complaints.

Advertising Standards Authority has binned the magazine advert after it received two complaints because the advert was misleading because it had been digitally retouched. MP Jo Swinson then forwarded 700 more complaints which were gathered via her anti-airbrushing web campaign.

The advert features Twiggy promoting Procter & Gamble-owned Olay Definity eye illuminator. Alongside her picture a quote reads: “Olay is my secret to brighter-looking eyes. Because younger-looking eyes never go out of fashion … reduces the look of wrinkles and dark circles for brighter, younger-looking eyes,” the ad continued.

Those who complained, according to the Guardian said that the ad could have a “negative impact on people’s perceptions of their own body image”.

MP Jo Swinson posted on her site: “I hope this decision marks the first step in really getting airbrushing in advertising under control. If advertisers think that someone as beautiful as Twiggy needs to be so heavily airbrushed, the what hope is there for the rest of us

“Experts have already proved that airbrushing contributes to a host of problems in women and young girls such as depression and eating disorders,” she adds.

The paper reported that in its ruling, the ASA said it considered the Photoshop-ing of the ad, in the eye area could give consumers a “misleading impression of the effect the product could achieve”. (Like the Dove beauty campaign I posted about!)

The ASA said denied that the ad was socially irresponsible and stated: “We concluded that, in the context of an ad that featured a mature model likely to appeal to women of an older age group, the image was unlikely to have a negative impact on perceptions of body image among the target audience and was not socially irresponsible.”

P&G argued that there would always be an obvious difference between unflattering paparazzi pictures and professional beauty photos.

Covers eyes for a reason perhaps...

The company added it was “routine practice to use post-production techniques to correct for lighting and other minor photographic deficiencies before publishing the final shots as part of an advertising campaign”.

P&G also added that the retouching around Twiggy’s eyes was inconsistent with its own policies. It had caused the company to withdraw the original advert and replace it with one without post-production work around the eyes, opting for a more natural image.

Collagen fillers to avoid sore feet at Christmas

Hot heels

Forget stocking fillers this year, apparently women are asking for ‘feet fillers’ to combat sore tootsies! Collagen fillers are being used as a solution to sore party feet just in time for the Christmas season. 

According to reports, doctors have suggested that collagen feet fillers has increased five-fold this year.

The surgery costs around £240 for each foot to be injected with protein. The effects last between two to three months.

Cosmetics surgeons have reported a growth in numbers of ladies looking to avoid sore feet in the run up to Christmas.

Dr Nick Milojevic, of the Harley Medical Group, said: “Patients commonly have pre-Christmas fillers and treatments in the run-up to Christmas, to get them camera-ready for the festive season.

But this year we have received increased enquiries for foot fillers to pad out the ball of the foot to reduce the pain caused by more vertiginous heels.” (Clearly the economic climate hasn’t had an effect on certain folk…)

The ball of the foot is injected with collagen, which is a natural protein found in the skin. This breaks down over a period of time – varying from each person – and it can be replenished with fillers. (Like the procedure Gordon Ramsey had).

According to medical advice, it doesn’t need to be removed or altered once it has been injected and the side effects generally last less than 48 hours.

Are they worth it?

Harley Medical Group, director, Liz Dale said: “Foot fillers have been popular in America, but are only just taking off here, as women realise that non-surgical treatments can help them with more than just their appearance.”

“The injections are integral padding and last just the right amount of time for the party season. Though there’s nothing to stop women having top-ups to keep the comfort going,” she added.

Would you consider having feet fillers for a more comfortable experience when wearing high heels? I think although I’d be more happy wearing ballet pumps and Uggs than shoving needles into my feet, followed by some protein – I can see why some people would go down this route…but is it all too much?

Men: Cosmetic surgery procedures increase

Male botox

According to a survey there has been an 82 per cent rise in men going under the knife for cosmetic surgery since 2009.

The survey carried out by www.thegoodsurgeonguide.co.uk showed that the most popular areas where men were having the surgery was in London (obviously) but also Cardiff and Swindon.

Gordon Ramsey, celebrity chef, has featured in the papers recently for having sampled some fillers for those deep canyons he once had. The survey said 64 per cent of the 3,015 men asked agreed that they could follow his lead.

Areas such as Glasgow, Manchester and Dublin showed a lower percentage. One in 20 men said that they have had surgery or a cosmetic procedure.

Men aged between 20 and 35 were more open to the idea of cosmetic surgery, with one in five admitting that they were open to the idea of a procedure. A shocking 91 per cent of those who said they were planning it for the future said that they were influenced by male celebrities.

Gordon Ramsey

Co-founder of thegoodsurgeonguide.co.uk, Christiana Clogg said: “Celebrity men are popping up everywhere talking about their procedures. The shame that once accompanied men having treatments such as Botox is rapidly disappearing; men are now planning it for their futures and openly talking about it.”

Tattoo removal hope to erase disasters

Tattoo'd up

A competition has been launched to give two lucky winners a chance to get rid of their tattoo faux-pas without the use of painful laser surgery, skin grafts or Dermabrasion. 

Tattoo Erase International AG (Tattoo Erase) have launched “Tatts Off 2010”, which is a UK search for a boy and girl who want rid of their tattoos for good.

The winners will be picked by a panel of experts, and their efforts will be judge mainly on the story behind the tattoo and why it should be removed, and the feasibility of the tattoo removal.

Tattoo Erase’s managing director, Richard Simpson-Birks said: “Tattoos are everywhere and on everyone. It isn’t for us to say what’s right or wrong, what’s fashionable or faux pas but we do have the technology to remove unwanted tattoos naturally and that is a choice people should be able to make.”

Tattoo Erase is a natural process which claims to restore skin to virtually its pre-tattoo condition. It is also effective at removing colours including reds, greens and yellows.

Until now, only laser treatment and Dermabrasion (wearing away of the skin with an abrasive tool) were the only method of removal and both of these treatments have their limitations.

They might regret that...

According to Simpson-Birks, people have been approaching the company already with deserving tales. He said: “Many different people come to us with a huge range of reasons for having their tattoos removed, be it simple regret, the break-up of a relationship, a new start in life or for pure cosmetic reasons.”

Here are a couple of examples of people who may think about entering the competition (please check out the man with STUPID on his head under – comedy value!) :  Tattoo disasters

To find out more about “Tatts Off 2010″ or to enter the competition click here

Suri Cruise wears high heels, doesn’t every girl?

Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise

Suri Cruise, the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wears heels.  So what!? She’s three years old. Oh, right. There are several things wrong here, or am I taking this all too seriously?

Apparently ‘Suri likes to wear heels’, Katie supposedly pleaded in defence as critics rushed to call her a bad mother. Well, some three-year-olds like to stick their jammy little fingers in sockets and eat mud-pies but does that mean the world should let them? Nope – probably not advisable is it?

Katie and Tom are Suri’s parents and can allow their daughter to wear whatever it is that they want her to. But, heels – which were reported to be less than an inch high – (I should hope so, because surely she’s only 12 inches herself!) have been said for years to give wearers problems with joints, back pain and the dreaded bunions! Not hard to imagine what they might be doing to a child that is growing every day.

Killer heels

So why would the former Dawson’s Creek star allow Suri to parade around in a pair of killer kindergarten heels!? Because she wanted to. And what Suri wants she gets. Great lesson in life. It’s probably a good thing she doesn’t have to live in the real world, where life isn’t always about getting ‘papped’ and eating cupcakes. It also might be a good time to tell her celeb Mum that she isn’t ‘like every little girl’.

Martini advert ‘claimed drink enhances beauty’

Source: ITN News

No more beer goggles then...

A leading drinks supplier and a high street bar chain were today criticised for running a drinks promotion that claimed drinking Martini could enhance attractiveness.

An emailed advert for the Pitcher and Piano bar in Didsbury, Manchester, invited drinkers to “Stay beautiful with Martini”.

The text of the email stated: “Stay beautiful with Martini and Pitcher & Piano Didsbury this week to celebrate their new Martini.

“Martini have joined with Pitcher & Piano Didsbury to bring you an evening of beauty, with complimentary samples of the fabulous summer rose and opportunities to pamper yourself with great beauty prizes.”

A complainant to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) challenged whether the email irresponsibly implied that alcohol could enhance attractiveness.

The bar chain and the drinks supplier said the promotion reflected the Martini ‘Stay Beautiful’ campaign by communicating to customers, through the choice of models and creative treatment, the importance of staying in control by promoting moderate alcohol consumption.

 Original story click here

Beauty queen died from plastic surgery

Solange Magnano

The former Miss Argentina, Solange Magnano has died after undergoing cosmetic surgery to get firmer buttocks.

The mother of eight-year-old twins, 38, died of a pulmonary embolism after undergoing a gluteoplasty in Buenos Aires. The normally routine procedure involves placing implants in the buttocks to give them a firmer outline.

Ms Magnano won the beauty crown in 1994 and died on Sunday after three days in a critical condition. According to papers, Roberto Piazza, a close friend, claimed that the procedure also involved injections and the liquid “went to her lungs and brain”.

“This woman who had everything is dead because she wanted to have a slightly firmer behind,” said Mr Piazza, a fashion designer.

Gluteoplasty has grown in popularity recently as women attempt to replicate the curvy shapes of music and film stars such as Jennifer Lopez. According to a survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, J-Lo’s rear is rated number one by plastic surgeons’ patients seeking to remake their buttocks.

The model was said to have undergone the fatal surgery on Thursday. She was was rushed to hospital with an acute respiratory deficiency the following day. Her condition deteriorated until she suffered the embolism and died on Sunday.

A close friend of Ms Magnano’s has said that she underwent the surgery because it was not a big deal.

It has been suggested by Juan Carlos Seiler, the former president of the Buenos Aires Association of plastic surgeons that the doctor who performed the procedure might not have been “a real professional” from an approved cosmetic surgery centre.