Posted by Reporter on Friday
I have to say if you like chocolate, check out this Deep Dark Chocolate Tart recipe. I discovered it today visiting one of my favorite recipe blogs, The Nourishing Gourmet. The ingredients are mostly crushed almonds, unsweetened chocolate, honey, coconut oil and vanilla. Some others, too, but in all, this appears to be a very easy recipe.
As I read the ingredients, I have to admit a little anxiety set in. Why was I feeling so anxious? Lack of the necessary ingredients? Then all of a sudden, it hit me. All my husband wanted for his birthday in June was Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake and I didn’t come through. I won’t blame it on moving or not having any of my cooking supplies near me. I also won’t blame it on not knowing where the nearest grocery stores were at the time, AND being on foot only. I wished I had a better scapegoat, but the truth was, I just didn’t do it.
Sometimes it is extremely difficult to make a time-intensive, sugar-laden dessert when I know I can’t even lick my fingers in the process. When I’m crushing Oreos for the crust, I want to be eating them, too. I always have in the past, and even though I’ve gone this long (1 year and 7 months!) without sugar, sometimes certain things make me feel resentful. It’s not that I feel this towards anyone, but that I got off sugar in the first place. I actually think there may be a little sugar fairy living in my psyche stimulating the pleasure center of my brain just enough to make me feel tempted to eat sugar. The pleasure juices of my brain start flowing and I can easily anticipate how pleasurable it would be to indulge. Knowing there are a floodgate of opiates just around the corner, ready to release in my brain if I indulge, I have to admit is pretty tempting.
So, sometimes I just don’t want to struggle with the temptation. I KNOW I’m not going to give in, but having the choice at my fingertips, ON my fingertips, is sometimes very frustrating.
All this to say that I am very pleased to find a chocolate tart recipe that I know my husband will enjoy very much, and I will enjoy preparing because I can lick my fingers.
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ShopNBC, the premium lifestyle brand in electronic retailing, today announced that Mastic Spa, a unique line of Greek beauty products, will debut on ShopNBC Friday, July 31. As the only skincare line based on mastic — a timeless and treasured Greek ingredient — Mastic Spa provides a plethora of health and beauty benefits. Two premiere shows will air at 7:00 am and 2:00 pm EDT. ShopNBC is available anywhere: cable and satellite TV, mobile devices (iPhone and iPod Touch), online at www.ShopNBC.com, and streamed live at www.ShopNBC.TV.
Mastic Spa is a skincare line created by Sodis Labs, which was established in 1875. Sodis Labs has earned a reputation for making ground-breaking discoveries in the development of natural mastic resin based products since the early 1980s. Mastic resin, the key ingredient in all Mastic Spa products, is known for its medicinal properties and therapeutic benefits to the skin. This elixir, which seeps from the mastic tree, is extremely rare and found only in the southern region of the Greek island, Chios. Eleni Zannikos, part of Mastic Spa, will be the special on-air guest for the show’s debut.
Sodis Labs’ George Sodis, pioneer and visionary, said: “Our collaboration with ShopNBC is quite special. From a channel that sells premium lifestyle merchandise, the launch of our skincare line is an honor, reward, and recognition of the extraordinary properties of our mastic-based products. We believe that the unique value of mastic and its properties will enthuse the American public, and we expect that Mastic Spa will earn a place in their hearts and minds as a new discovery and their new beauty choice.”
Donna Tarantino-Loyle, Director of Health & Beauty at ShopNBC, said: “We are excited to bring this head-to-toe, indie beauty line to our channel. Mastic Spa has taken natural, indigenous ingredients and blended them with science to create exceptional products exclusive to Greece. We are very much looking forward to bringing the romance of Greece to our customers through Mastic Spa products.”
Suzanne Coppenrath, CEO of The Rana Group, Mastic Spa’s representative for U.S. television, said: “We are proud to represent Mastic Spa in their first ever television appearance in the United States. ShopNBC provides a wonderful platform to introduce the ancient and mythical mastic, which has been used for centuries by Greeks in medicinal and cosmetic applications. We are confident that viewers across the country will be enchanted with this magnificent product line of cosmetics, bath, and body.”
During Mastic Spa’s two premiere shows on ShopNBC, a variety of skincare products will be featured:
Mastic & Wine 3-Piece Skincare Set (C37000) — This potent anti-aging line from Mastic Spa combines wine with mastic to address the free radicals of our skin with antioxidants. The set includes the Mastic Defense Cleansing Milk, Mastic Defense 24 Hour Moisturizing and Rejuvenating Cream, and Serinkle Rapid Acting Wrinkle Serum.
Mastic Soap 4-Pack (C37006) — Mastic Spa was honored with Shecky’s “Best of the Best All Natural Face Soap” in 2006. This all natural 4-piece collection comes with Chocomastic, Emporios, Merikounda, and Agia Markela soaps.
Mastic Body Sets come in a number of different formulas, including Mastic & Honey (C37003) to achieve relaxation and Mastic & Olive (C37005) for deep hydration. Each 3-piece set includes body milk and two other products centered around its unique ingredient.
To learn more about these and other Mastic Spa products available at ShopNBC, please visit www.ShopNBC.com.
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Posted by Reporter on Thursday
What Should You Pay For a Properly Formulated Shampoo
This topic has surfaced more than a half dozen times lately – which brings me to flag it, to write a POST. After just passing 1000 members in our little HAIR CARE FORUM/GROUP, I guess I will never again run out of subjects to write about. “Sulfate-Free Shampoo” continues to be the number 1 subject queried about on the KillerStrands site, which continues to puzzle me, as soon as I feel like I have written about every single angle there is on the subject, I can now see what writers must battle with who write for newspapers/magazines when they have one subject people want to keep hearing about…..no matter how much is written (and they are talented writers).
Many of you have been on the trail of the “PERFECT” Sulfate- Free Shampoo and although I am not one that juggles 
shampoos around any longer ( I find a great one, buy the king size version– which knocks the cost wwwwway down & I’m set for the year), I can understand how many of you do…. I used to. It wasn’t until I learned cosmetic chemistry that I learned to settle down with 1 great shampoo. Maybe you will one day as well. 
What seems to be a constant sentiment is the disappointment in L’Oreals newest entry into the SLS-Free world, EVERPURE. Now I have heard disappointing comments across the board, sometimes I wonder if there are happy consumers of it and they just don’t write in. I mean it truly amazes me that I never hear any compliments about L’Oreal Hair products of any kind. They are a HUGE conglomerate……..Huge….they have to be huge for some reason. But I will be perfectly honest here as I always am. . . . L’Oreal is on the bottom rung as long as I can remember as far as the quality of their products, so I would stay away from them, until they do some re-formulating . . . which can very easily be done. 
Continually the disappointing news comes from Sulfate-Free Shampoo’s purchased in Drug Stores, Grocery stores and Discount stores I’m sorry to say. I would say about 50% of you are OK with the ORGANIX line http://www.organixhair.com/. So if you absolutely insist you can only spend $6.00 on your shampoo, to date, I would say that is your brand.
Here is my issue . . . for years I would battle my clients in “my chair”. . . yes, even a portion of Malibu clients had this thing for not wanting to spend much on a shampoo (not all – ‘some’- I need to be careful to say)… It “was” and “IS” a puzzle to me, so the fact that I continue to hear this from Killer Strand readers, reminds me of back-in-the-day. My hesitation at believing people can’t afford a shampoo that costs anymore than $6.00 is based on my experiences with all of my clients throughout the years, many of whom were wealthy beyond all of us. 
There is some sort of weird stigma – though — at least 50% of Americans think that shampoo should be the cost of a bar of soap, because basically that is all it does, is clean the hair. Soap is cheap, why not shampoo . . . was the sentiment I would hear most often.
I would always end up asking how much they spend on their face, both in skin and face products, in make-up and make-up supplies. The numbers were always – very VERY high… I would ask why they weren’t willing to take care of their hair nearly as well as their face . . .which would always reveal a puzzled look on faces of all types and ages, with most claiming to never have thought about it that way. Because when asked which was more important their hair or their skin – people have a very hard time choosing one over the other. Both are JUST as Important, which leads me to believe that spending the same amount on both should be the norm, well, it wasn’t.
What I can share with you is the fact that I get almost ZERO complaints on any of the Sulfate-free shampoos that sell for $15.00 and up. When a Shampoo is formulated correctly, which means using multiple surfactants ( the cleansing agent), not one – the product then requires you to use ‘HALF” as much of the amount of shampoo PER Wash….what does that mean? 1 bottle will last twice as long. So if you are getting twice the use out of 1 bottle of shampoo – the price therefore is definitely going down – way – way down. Maybe that’s not the best marketing strategy, but with a little research and a little experimentation you can find this out for yourself — OR……trust me & believe in my facts. Its very hard to –re-train consumers…. once you have been used to using a certain amount of shampoo . . . you keep reaching for that same amount. BUT…..BUT, I am hoping many of you will listen and learn this time out.
Try it, put a tiny cup ( glad to enclose with purchase of shampoo from http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/collections/sulfate-free-shampoos - just ask) in your Shower – pour the shampoo in the cup to assure yourself you are only using the tiniest of amounts. I am fairly certain the reason for the dislike of the inexpensive Sulfate-free shampoos stems from not using multiple surfactants and not using better ones. I fully understand keeping ‘costs’ down, but what good is any product if people don’t like it and won’t buy it ?
I will bet as soon as P&G steps into the sulfate-free shampoo arena you will find your first “best of ‘ALL’ worlds” product. They are pretty smart with their hair empire….and won’t want it tarnished with the release of a premature sulfate-free shampoo dud….I just cannot see that happening. The requirements as I understand them from all of you are this:
You want a Sulfate-Free Shampoo that:
- has Lots of bubbles
- cleans hair sufficiently
- is a reasonable price
- you can find easy enough
Is there anything I am missing? From emails I have received, and I promise you I receive a ca-zillion, these are your requirements.
While you wait for that perfect inexpensive SLS-Free Shampoo, please give one of ours a shot. What I am going to offer you my readers a shot at this weekend only – July 30 thru August 2 – which you will only be given if you are reading this is: FREE SHIPPING AND 20% OFF ALL KillerStrands SHAMPOOS, place the order- put the code word “WomanInTheMirror” in the box at the end of the checkout process.
When I receive the order I will refund the shipping and the 20 % –> PROMISE ! This can be a huge savings to you available this weekend only July 30 thru August 2, 2009 – so here is your chance to try any of the more expensive shampoos with excellent properties I am fairly certain you will find are exactly the same as the shampoos WITH sulfates. Only without the terrible traits of causing: hair loss, hair thinning, and scalp conditions. A shampoo does not need to create such horrible problems and I have proven over and over that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is the stem of those problems in people of all ages,races and sex’s. If you haven’t quit yet . . . please quit today.
There are people’s hair dying all over the world and we need to make it a better place. Make a change. Please, I’m giving you a great deal on getting started
If you want to make the world a better place, take a look in the mirror
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Posted by Reporter on
What a load of *$!@*! Someone shared THIS article with me and I froze.
What angers me about this article is that it is written by somebody who obviously has a problem with organics (who could this possibly be, except a giant corporation that shall remain unnamed, trying to patent, genetically modify and control our food system?) in the first place.
Excuse me for being naive, but aren’t there a million OTHER reasons we are eating organically? I almost have the nerve to say (okay, I have the nerve) that if for some very strange reason organic food was LESS healthy, I would still support the organic industry. Why?
Health is certainly a very good reason to eat organically, but how about the ethics of treating our environment with integrity so that we can continue to have a symbiotic relationship with the earth? I’m not a tree-hugging hippie (okay, I hugged a tree once, but it was the most beautiful Redwood Tree I’ve ever seen in my life) but I am concerned about farming being done RIGHT and with integrity. We only get so much land.
The reason “they” started using pesticides in the first place was to amp up production, which equals amping up sales. I’m pretty sure nobody was thinking about our health. I’m also sure that long-term studies were NOT done on the chemicals long before they were used.
How about cleaner air, water and soil? How about not fudging chemically with our plants so we don’t scare off the bees? (Whoops, might be too late on this one. Bees are now shipped to farms…)
I’m not sure how anyone can claim at this point that eating organically is no healthier, especially just using common sense. Organic produce frees me from being exposed to harsh chemicals. What if the chemicals don’t harm us? The point is that I don’t want to be exposed to chemicals in the first place….not on my FOOD! (My great grandfather, a mighty farmer, would sit up in his grave if he knew what was going on).
Check out this “Why Buy Organic” article to read more reasons to choose organic produce over conventional.
I’m aware that organic food costs more, but actually, food SHOULD cost this much. Cheap food is typically unhealthy food. Again, to refer to Food, Inc., someone complained that organic eggs were “$3.00!!” and yet they were drinking a 75 cent soda.
Is anyone else outraged by this article? It’s basically going to help people justify buying conventional food because they may be inclined to miss the entire point of organics. It’s not JUST about human health, it’s about the health of our land, air and water.
Don’t forget integrity.
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Posted by Reporter on
Tupperware Brands’ BeautiControl’s annual event, Celebration!, will be held July 30th through Aug 1st in Grapevine, Texas at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center. The much anticipated annual conference focuses on education, inspiration, and motivation for the sales force, while also taking time to recognize the past years successes of the company’s top achievers.
For more than 25 years, the company has provided women with an unparalleled income opportunity by providing customers with a relaxing in-home spa experience and premier spa quality products at value pricing. In today’s high stress world and volatile economic conditions, this business opportunity is more compelling than ever before.
“During this year’s event, over $3 million in sought-after recognition and prizes will be awarded- including jewelry, vacation getaways, and career cars (car qualifiers have the option of selecting a Mercedes or any one of four Cadillac’s) to our dedicated and deserving sales team,” says BeautiControl President, Albert Bosch. “Our sales team is the cornerstone of success in our business.”
Celebration! brings together independent consultants from the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. This years’ event is marked by a special celebrity appearance to announce the partnership of BeautiControl’s W.H.O. Foundation (Women Helping Others) and Tupperware Brands’ Chain of Confidence movement to help women change their lives by finding their source of confidence.
“I am delighted to be here at Celebration and applaud the many strong, confident women being honored this weekend,” says Rick Goings, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tupperware Brands Corporation. “It is my pleasure to be a part of this event as we express our pride and gratitude for the outstanding achievements of these growing leaders and continue to support and nurture their entrepreneurial spirits.”
BeautiControl is a beauty company that specializes in Spa treatments, Personalized skin care and Advanced Anti-aging products (SPA) through a unique at-home spa experience with an unmatched income opportunity. The first half of 2009 has seen the launch of the company’s Instant Face Lift and Manicure Treatment which has revolutionized in-home skin-care treatments by delivering phenomenal spa quality results. Attendees of Celebration will get a first look at the hottest treatment in spa today as a new product line is unveiled.
A subsidiary of Tupperware Brands, Corporation, BeautiControl supports more than 140,000 Independent Consultants who are building and living a life they love by sharing the opportunity, providing exclusive services, and revolutionary skin care, spa and cosmetic products with women throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Tupperware Brands Corporation is a portfolio of global direct selling companies, selling premium innovative products across multiple brands and categories through an independent sales force of 2.4 million. Product brands and categories include design-centric preparation, storage and serving solutions for the kitchen and home through the Tupperware brand and beauty and personal care products for consumers through the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller Cosmetics, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo and Swissgarde brands.
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Getting ready for back to school means school supplies, new clothes, new shoes and looking your best for the first day. Green and eco friendly products are hot for back to school and so is natural skin care. Girls today are green and natural savvy, demanding safer products free from chemicals that deliver results.
A September 2008 study by the Environmental Working Group revealed that teens may be unknowingly exposing themselves to hormone-disrupting chemicals during a critical stage of development. One company that is responding to growing consumer demand is Good For You Girls. Launched in 2008 by two Connecticut Mothers, Good For You Girls offers 100% natural and organic skin care products specifically formulated for the needs and characteristics of girls 9-15.
The Environmental Working Group’s study found sixteen chemicals linked to hormone disruption in the blood and urine of adolescent girls using common skin care products and cosmetics. Experts believe preteen and young teen girls may be particularly sensitive to even trace levels of such chemicals given the complex hormonal changes that take place during the transformation to adulthood.
“As mothers, we all try to protect our daughters from chemicals and toxins. It starts before they’re even born with careful lifestyle choices and the foods we eat,” says Good For You Girls co-founder Grace Hvasta-Petrarca. Most people don’t realize that even minute traces of chemicals can have adverse effects on a young bodies development.”
Inspiration for the product line came from the founders’ own experiences looking for products for their daughters. Having used only natural baby products, they wanted to continue the commitment when it came time to show their daughters the proper way to take care of their faces. In researching existing natural skincare lines, they realized most products contained additional ingredients that focused on anti-aging and were not right for young skin. Additionally, these products did not at all appeal to their daughters.
Good For You Girls is a 100% natural and organic skincare line specifically created to pamper and protect young skin. The companies Complete Skin Care Kit containing gel cleaner, toner and moisturizer has been a popular choice for girls looking to start a natural skin care routine without harmful or questionable ingredients. Products are formulated with organic extracts, nourishing vitamins and healing botanicals and are free from parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates, phthalates, dyes and irritants.
Good For You Girls products do more than just protect from harmful chemicals, they help establish a lifetime of good habits. “We hope to empower girls to make safe choices,” says co-founder Kim Grustas, “For moms, our products make it easy for them to educate their daughters while making these habits fun to learn in the process.”
The company also makes an environmental commitment. Boxes are printed with soy inks and the bottles are recyclable. Good For You Girl products are vegan approved and cruelty free. Good For You Girls is a compact signer with The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and The Environmental Working Group and a member of The Natural Products Association.
To learn more about Good For You Girl products visit the company website at www.GoodForYouGirls.com or contact directly at 860-489-9912.
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Of course, true beauty comes from within, but we can all benefit from a little boost from nature!
That’s why Sibu Beauty (www.sibubeauty.com) developed a revolutionary line of nutrient-rich, sea buckthorn berry-based topical products and nutritional supplements that revitalize, renew and replenish the skin to promote beauty from the inside out and outside in.
Sea Buckthorn? What’s that?
The health benefits of sea buckthorn berries have been well documented, backed by scores of scientific studies demonstrating its ability to improve hair, nail and skin tone and texture, digestive wellness and healthy aging.
The sea buckthorn berry is an unsurpassed source of Omega-3, 6 and 9 and is also a rich source of the elusive essential fatty acid Omega-7, a naturally occurring component of healthy skin, hair and nails that keep free radicals at bay and is an essential fatty acid vital to the production of collagen.
Sibu Beauty’s four-part beauty system includes a beauty drink, dietary supplement and facial products that are based on the sea buckthorn berry, a distinctive, powerful whole food source.
Products in the spa-grade Sibu Beauty system include:
- Revitalize & Renew beauty drink: loaded with essential omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9, as well as omega 7 fatty acids, a rare and vital component for healthy hair, skin and nails ($29.95 for 25.35 fl. oz)
- Cellular Support antioxidant & omega 7 complex gel caps: soft gel supplement dense in the elusive omega 7 complex that nourishes and protects the body and promotes healthy hair, nails and skin from the inside out ($29.95 for 60 soft gels)
- Repair & Protect facial cream: contains the fatty acid omega 7 to help boost collagen production and create a barrier to moisturize, rejuvenate, repair and protect the skin ($19.95 for 1 fl. oz)
- Cleanse & Detox facial soap: cleanses and moisturizes while repairing the skin and creating a protective barrier against UV rays and cell-damaging free radicals ($5.95 for 3.5 oz bar)
Each of the products in the Sibu Beauty system are 100 percent natural, contain no preservatives, dairy, wheat, gluten, sodium or yeast and are also paraben-free and cruelty-free. Sibu Beauty products are manufactured using only wild harvested sea buckthorn berries that are sourced through a fair trade agreement with local harvesters in Tibet to promote a healthy and safe work environment.
The entire line is packaged in compliance with standards set forth by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a non-profit organization that is devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests. Trusted environmental organizations including Greenpeace, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and the World Wildlife Fund all support and encourage FSC certification.
“We believe that beauty comes from the inside out and employ the same beliefs in our business practices,” says Bruce McMullin, founder of Sibu Beauty. “As we keep our customers looking and feeling younger and more beautiful with our nutrient-rich beauty systems, we also strive to respect the earth’s fragile resources and the people responsible for making our products. Our gift back to nature is exercising great care to have little impact on our planet, while practicing in fair trade policies with the villagers who harvest our products.”
Sibu Beauty products can be purchased online at http://store.sibubeauty.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=20 or can be found in the aisles of many leading retailers including Whole Foods Markets, Akins Natural Food, Chamberlin’s Market, Sprouts, New Seasons and soon, Sunflower Markets.
For more news updates, information and special offers, follow Sibu Beauty on Twitter @sibu_beauty and become a Facebook fan at http://www.facebook.com/sibubeauty.
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