Save the Date for Valentine's Day

Brazilians celebrate Valentine's Day Jun 12th.

While everywhere else it's celebrated in Feb 14th. to celebrate friendship, in Brazil, it's all about LOVE.

Why 12th. of June? Brazilians celebrate the day before June 13th., Saint Anthony's day, this Portuguese Saint, popularly known to help lovers that wanted to get married. Brazilians have twisted the tradition a bit and made it their own: to get married, one should turn the image of St. Anthony upside down, facing the wall or even put in the water until the wish comes true.

In any event, Dia dos Namorados is a very popular date in Brazil, since in Brazil, it's all about LOVE! Prepare your spirit to celebrate Valentine's Day by planing a nice dinner, put some fresh and nice clothes on and call your loved one for a romantic evening. It's a great recipe for the skin!

Be good and Be Healthy!

Mother's Day Special Give Her Something to Brag About

This Mother's Day, be good to your favorite gal.

Bossa Beauty moisturizer natural formula reverses the sun damage and prepares the skin for another hot Summer.

Bossa Beauty special Mother's Day - Get 30% off MSRP when you order the Açaí Body Moisturizer at order@BossaBeauty.com.

WHEN: 04/25/2011- 05/10/2011. All orders will have FREE gift wrapping. Cannot be combined to any other promotion. USA only.

USA Distribution - Milestone - Miami, SoBe

USA Distribution Milestone - Miami - South Beach

Bossa Beauty announces the new manager for the USA Distribution. Andy Eli will be handling our USA wholesale efforts.

Andy is strategically based in the swank district of South Beach, Miami and promises a brand new approach for Bossa Beauty USA.

For wholesale inquiries, call 305-280-6237 or email ANDYG1008@gmail.com - attention to Andy

Miami Heat

Bossa Beauty is following the heat and getting all ready for the Summer.

We are heading to Miami - party-style!

GET 10% off when you order the Acai Body Moisturizer by email at ORDER@bossabeauty.com.
WHEN: 07/01/2010 - 07/31/2010.

All orders will have FREE gift wrapping. Cannot be combined to any other promotion. USA only.

Celebrate Mother'r Big Heart

Celebrating Mother's Big Heart

Bossa Beauty in anticipation of Mother's Day

GET 10% off when you order the Açaí Body Moisturizer by email ORDER@bossabeauty.com

WHEN: 04/11/2010 - 04/25/2010. All orders will have FREE gift wrapping. Cannot be combined to any other promotion.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Water out doesn't mean...

Water is essential to our body functions to perform well - and we want it to have it 'IN' to show a skin that is moist, child-like tender and moisturized.

However, just putting water on the skin can't resolve the issue - to guarantee that the water in is kept in, we can use a good moisturizer that gently locks the water in without clogging the pores.

Using a gentle moisturizer with good quality ingredients does the work - and if you consider extra benefits like the presence of antioxidants, it's like the icing on the cake!

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

save the date

Acai Body Moisturizer -- Bossa Beauty Valentine's special promotion 'Better than Chocolate'.

GET 10% off when you order the Acai Body Moisturizer online.

WHEN: 01/28/2010 - 02/05/2010.

To redeem online, enter the promotion code AMOR10 at checkout.

All orders will have FREE gift wrapping. Cannot be combined to any other promotion.

Bells in the Air - Stay Beautiful

The Holiday Season is in the air!

In order to stay healthy and ready for the marathon of parties ahead:
1. Keep a good workout log
2. drink plenty of liquids and
3. keep your skin protected with a good moisturizer.

This Holiday Season - FREE GIFT WRAPPING.

Enjoy the season- be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Got Alcohol?

Alcohol is known to dehydrate anything that gets in contact. For this reason, it has been banned from many cosmetics.

How alcohol dehydrates the skin
Considering the molecular level, the alcohol structure captures water decreasing the water available, necessary to keep the skin moist and hydrated.

Alcohol use
Alcohol is highly used as a solvent to active ingredients, as commonly seen in acne treatment pads, hand sanitizers, body moisturizers and many other products used to disinfect and to refresh the skin.

If the skin dehydrates, we have a dull, hard and unhealthy look. In some cases, the alcohol can trigger an inflammatory response, called dermatitis, causing redness and irritation on a sensitive skin.

For a dehydrated skin, drink more water and use a good moisturizer to compensate the lack of available water.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Detox, anyone?

I am currently following some friends that say an occasional detox diet is great for many reasons and got incredible results so far. Detox promote a beautiful skin from inside out -- also, make sure to hydrate your skin well with a great moisturizer packed with antioxidants, like our Acai Body Moisturizer.

I'm going to explore the subject in a couple of postings. A question for now: have you ever tried homemade beet with carrot, apple and orange juice? It's a Brazilian recipe to get ready for the Summer with a beautiful skin. Let me know if you have a yammy juice recipe to share.

Be good and Be Healthy!

Vanessa

Quick Tips for a Healthier Skin

LESS is MORE, especially when we talk about health of the skin.

Here are Quick Tips for a glowing skin:

1. Use a GOOD sunscreen to protect from the harmful UV rays
2. Eating healthy food: it will benefit inside and out
3. remember to have an annual check-up: check with your Family Physician the ones that you should not neglect based on your age, gender and life style
4. Workout: you can immediately feel the benefits of a good workout: the skin glows after a little sweat
5. Hydrate well - drink more water (juices, decaffeinated teas, etc.) especially if you drink coffee and alcohol.

The benefits are enormous if you aim to take care of your skin. HYDRATE, drink LESS coffee, eat WELL, and CONSULT your DOCTOR for vitamins/supplements.

Be Good and be Healthy!

Vanessa

Here Comes the Sun... Again

The sun is coming out, and the Season with long days and shorter nights is in.

It's time to talk to your Dermatologist about giving a break on skin treatments -- Treatments to correct the damage caused by the sun exposure for a smooth and even skin tone are risky with so much sun exposure.

The use of exfoliation and chemicals might cause irritation and discoloration to a skin sensitive to the sun. Always use sunscreen, hydrate well, use a good moisturizer and the skin will be good to a show. http://www.bossabeauty.com

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Vitamin C

VITAMIN C can be found in many sources - it's an unstable substance but its benefits can be clearly seen if used inside and out, as an ANTIOXIDANT.

Acerola (pic) is a fruit with high concentration of VITAMIN C.

Sure enough, our Bossa Beauty Acai Body Moisturizer contains vitamin C.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Wear RED day - Heart Disease Awareness

National Wear Red Day-February 6, 2009

TODAY is a day when Americans nationwide will wear red to show their support for women's HEART DISEASE AWARENESS.

Do you have your RED on, girl?

Be Good and be Healthy.

Vanessa

Carnaval in 2009

Carnaval is around the corner! It's Summer down the Equator - and in Brazil, they are warming-up the instruments for the most spectacular show ever!

Carnaval date
The calculation is based on the Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday - 46 days prior Easter Sunday is the Ash Wednesday and 4 days prior (or 50 days prior Easter) is the beginning of the Carnaval.
Carnaval in 2009 is in Feb 21-24, in 2010 Feb 13-16, and in 2011 in Mar 5-8.

Celebrating Carnaval or not, remember to hydrate well, workout and to use our great moisturizer for a healthy skin.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Winter Skin Treatments

The sun is out, and the Winter with its long nights is in - it's time to start skin treatments to correct the damage caused by the sun exposure for a smooth and even skin tone.

The use of exfoliation and chemicals can be helpful to even the skin tone. Since those treatments might cause irritation to sensitive skin, make sure to follow your Dermatologist's instructions.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

A Center for Healing

Bossa Beauty Acai Body Moisturizer can now be found at the "MOKSHA LIFE CENTER" in the Financial District, San Francisco - a "healing oasis located in the heart of San Francisco's financial district.

Moksha is Sanskrit for 'liberation' and Moksha Life Center is a place to heal and care for ones body and well being."

Pumper yourself with an awesome BRAZILIAN YOGA with FABIANA OZAKI and make sure to take our super Açaí Body Moisturizer home.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Holidays on the way - Protect to Prevent

Snowfall is already visible? Make sure to be warm and wear layers this winter.

Remember this is the time of the year we eat more than we should. Simple rules will keep you healthy and ready for the marathon of events at least until the end of the year. Keep a good workout log, drink plenty of liquids and keep your skin protected with a good moisturizer.

Enjoy the Holidays - be good and be healthy!
-Vanessa ;)

Any Skin can be a Sensitive Skin...

There are ways to minimize exposure to potentially irritating substances/products and avoid dryness of the skin or allergic reactions.

It is important to limit the contact with agents that can be irritant as much as possible and to minimize skin exposure. Use protective gloves when using harsh cleaners, solvents or disinfectants - wash it well and apply a good moisturizer afterward.

Harsh chemicals damage the skin by removing its natural oils and cause skin dryness. Dry or irritated skin becomes more susceptible to penetration of ingredients that would normally be unable to pass through the natural barrier of the skin’s surface.

Prevention is the best way to protect.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

The Cosmetic Acne Curse -- Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner -- and even GUYS are less shy and put some make-up on! If you think about it, we tend to put on all that old make-up that came with the costume... White foundation, purple lipstick and eye shadows... anything that looks creepy, it's the right color to use.

It's very important to remember:
1. OLD cosmetics can be rancid or contaminated (bacteria, mold, etc)
2. not suitable for your skin (comedogenic cosmetics that clog the pores)

Bottom line: with all the risks involved, better to buy new make-up -- otherwise this Halloween might come with the COSMETIC ACNE curse -- not a fun one.

Last thing: once the party is over, throw away everything you know you will not be using for at least another year -- to not feel tempted to use old stuff few years to come.

Be good, be healthy!

Vanessa

The Secrets about Beauty and Caffeine

Caffeine is present in coffee, Cola soda, and a lot of teas, including black tea. The substance caffeine is not a stranger to beauty products.

Caffeine is highly used in specialized creams for the eye area, to brighten tired eyes - the property of the substance is to constrict those most superficial and tiny blood vessels, a cause of dark eye circles, minimizing their appearance.

The deal with coffee and beauty is to not drink too much, since it dehydrates the body and stains the teeth. If you think about it, the same principle can be applied for red wine.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Our SKIN - Our Health & Beauty Meter

Sometimes LESS is MORE, especially when we talk about health of the skin - the rules are simple and straight forward if you want to prevent skin discoloration, and keep the health of your skin.

1. Use a good sunscreen to protect from the harmful UV rays
2. Eating healthy food will show inside and out - remember to have an annual check-up; check with your Family Physician the ones that you should not neglect based on your age, gender, life style;
3. Workout: you can immediately feel the benefits of a good workout -- the skin glow will show
4. Hydrate well - drink more water (juices, decaffeinated teas, etc.) especially if you drink coffee and alcohol.

When you take care of your skin you may reach other areas. HYDRATE, drink LESS coffee, eat WELL, and CONSULT your DOCTOR for vitamins/supplements.

Be good, be healthy!

Vanessa

OLIVE oil - Resources available at Home

A friend suggested to use OLIVE oil for a healthy skin - great idea, considering that this is a highly nourishing oil.

Have you tried yourself? I got my own OPINION but I'm curious to hear yours. Let me know WHERE you used it and overall FEEL.

In my experience, it was great to know the properties of the olive oil. it contains antioxidants and important substances, such as Vit. E-- aside of it, the smell is not pleasant and the feel is rather too oily. It makes more sense if it's in cosmetics.

OLIVE oil label - the better oil has the grade "VIRGIN" - Extra-Virgin is the absolute best oil - it contains LOW acidity (< 0.8%) and it comes from cold pressing the olives. In cooking or Cosmetics, the better oil is the less processed, virgin oil.

Tips: 1. to help remove make-up, use pure olive oil -- let it soak the area for a minute, take it out with cotton and warm water. It's better than soap/detergents ;^D
2. use pure olive oil on the cuticles after doing your manicure. The healing properties and the nourishing oil help to strenghten the nails.

Be goood, be healthy!

Vanessa

Independence Day - September 7th

Today is the most important date of the BRAZILIAN calendar - at least officially... Brazilians celebrate the INDEPENDENCE DAY from Portugal (SEPTEMBER 7, 1822)

Brazil was a colony of Portugal since 1500 until its independence in 1822 - it had an empire, a monarchy and an unique bloodless independence from Portugal.

As you can find many Brazilian parties in your town, remember to hydrate well.

Be good and be Healthy!
Vanessa

Correcting the Damage caused in the Summer

Summer is almost over - if you are sure you will not have excessive sun exposure, it's time to start skin treatments to correct the damage caused by the sun exposure for a smooth and even skin tone.

Among those treatment options, we got exfoliation and chemicals that can be used to even the skin tone, if done correctly. More later...

Be good and be Healthy!

Vanessa

Summer to Fall

Getting back to my weekly BEAUTY postings: let me know if there is any SPECIAL beauty concern to address.

SUGGESTION: chat about the damaging effect of the SUN and preparing for the AUTUMN - what do you think? The discussion can address damaged hair, uneven skin color, overall style.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Capoeira - Brazilian Fitness Secret

COUNTDOWN for BossaBeauty Launch JULY 30 - 5 DAYS left

More about BRAZIL: CAPOEIRA is a martial art coming from Brazilian slaves in the colonial times - it builds incredible strenght and flexibility. Many athletes complement their workout with CAPOEIRA.




Be good and be healthy!


Vanessa

Countdown - July 30th. - BossaBeauty Launch

It's the COUNTDOWN for our BossaBeauty Launch July 30th.

7 DAYS for more NATURAL. BEAUTIFUL. BRAZILIAN.

and the natural antioxidant protection of our ACAI BODY MOISTURIZER - read more on http://www.bossabeauty.com/

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Forum - Let's Vote

Forum - let's vote (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in which order) --

What is the PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT you would pay most (Dollar amount):
1. Face moisturizer (for wrinkles)

2. Body moisturizer

3. Anti-cellulite

4. Sunscreen or

5. Hand/Foot moisturizer/exfoliator

6. Other

If you pick sunscreen - are you willing to pay most for your sunscreen compared to any other option?

Skin Treatments in the Summer

If you are above the Equator, SUMMER is here!
No time to mess around with skin treatments that will exfoliate the skin (microdermabrasion, salycilic acid, retinoic acid, etc.) - the skin will be much more sensitive to the UV rays from the sun.

Keep in mind that SKIN treatments are potentially dangerous with the SUN EXPOSURE.

The rule is to have such formulas (acne, wrinkles, etc.) any season that the sun rays are not as intense, to minimize the harmful effects on the sensitive skin. In case you are still under treatment, make sure to have extra SUN protection.

Apply SUNSCREEN and a good MOISTURIZER often to prevent burns, wrinkles and spots.

Enjoy the sun, be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Feliz Dia dos Namorados

Brazilians celebrate Valentine's Day Jun 12th. - Happy valentine's Day!

While everywhere else it's celebrated in Feb 14th. to honor friendship and as an expression of affection - in Brazil, it's all about LOVE.

Why 12th. of June? Brazilians celebrate the day before June 13th., the day of Saint Anthony, this Portuguese Saint, popularly known to help lovers that wanted to get married, probably due to his approach to family unions.

In any event, Dia dos Namorados is a very popular date in Brazil, since in Brazil, it's all about LOVE!

So... just have a long shower, put some fresh and nice clothes on, prepare a nice dinner and call your loved one for a romantic evening. It's a great recipe for the skin!

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Elbows and Knees - Not Forgotten

Elbows and knees are not the center of our attention and because we don't really have time to get to those details, they are often neglected. As we age, the skin of these areas get hard and darker.

A simple, natural homemade recipe to give a nice treatment to your ELBOWS and KNEES is to make a little paste made with sugar, lemon juice, olive oil and rub it on. It helps to slightly exfoliate, bleach and add some oil - wash it afterwards. You can instantly reveal a lighter and smoother skin.

Important to note - because is has lemon juice, avoid sun exposure! =)

Apply a good moisturizer and sunscreen during the day, as you would do for other parts of your body. The Açaí Body Moisturizer would be perfect for it - to be launched by July 1st -- keep that in mind.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Sunburns - Managing the Pain

Use sunscreen at all times during the day, especially if exposed to the sun to prevent sunburns. Even with care, it's possible that it happens.

SUNBURNS are red, painful, and sometimes develop blisters on the skin. There are different degrees, depending on how deep it affects the skin.

Here is a good tip to manage the superficial ones: Use a strong CHAMOMILE tea as a NATURAL anti-inflammatory. Heat a little water, add the flowers/tea content to water. Allow the hot water to extract the active ingredients - Brew the tea, COOL it down, pour it into a spray bottle and SPRITZ on your skin to SOOTH it. It feels so good!

Keep the tea refrigerated for a day only - remember that it might get bad, like any food.

Use sunscreen and - if a more serious sunburn occurs - seek for professional help.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Time for Sunscreen

*SUNSCREEN* contains ingredients that will prevent harmful SUN RAYS to reach the SKIN structures -- it's essential to REAPPLY it every 20 Min to make sure your skin is always PROTECTED.

There are many different substances that act as a sunscreen. There are also different categories that work as sunscreens - PHYSICAL filters will work reflecting the sun rays and CHEMICAL filters react with the sun rays to prevent it to reach the skin structures.

Sun rays are important for many natural biochemical reactions, important to the skin and bones, as an example -- but the excess might cause burns, photoaging and more serious damage to healthy skin structures.

Drink lots of WATER and ENJOY the sun.

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Antioxidants in Nature

Have you heard about açaí [asa'i] - nature's highest antioxidant fruit found in the Brazilian rain forest. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals preventing premature aging and other conditions.
Acai is one of the world’s most nutritious, powerful fruits - it comes from an Amazon palm tree. Beneath its purple pigment is a berry packed with antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids - with one of the highest antioxidant levels found in nature, açaí was named one of nature’s 10 superfoods.

Researchers are investigating its actives to be use against conditions, such as cancer.

The pulp is served in Brazil as a frozen smoothie with banana and granola, I always thought it tastes like eating earth with banana -- but became addicted to it just because it's great to your health -- I really like the version sold at JambaJuice... mixed with other fruits - it's good for you and super yammy!

Be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Preparing for the Summer

The SUN is out - it's time to prepare the body and soul and GET READY for shorts, bikinis, sandals, beach, sports, and the outdoors. I'll be posting BEAUTY tips WEEKLY that will help us to get ready for the Summer from HEAD to TOE.

Be healthy and be good - see ya!

Vanessa ;^)

Spring time Hair

Chlorine from the swimming pool, sun exposure and dying products will have a damaging effect on the hair. Once damaged the last thing to do is to cut the damaged portion.

To prevent damage from chlorine, you can use a product with silicone and a swimming cap before going to the water. Wash the hair thoroughly with a good shampoo and conditioner afterwards. There are shampoos specific for swimmers in the market.

Preventing the damage is possible, with the use of the correct product and avoiding excessive heat and sun exposure.

It will help if you use a hat, and a routine with a good shampoo & conditioner specific for your hair type.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Spring Time

The increase of the temperature and light on the northern hemisphere causes the new plant growth to "spring forth", giving the season its name.

The first day of spring this year (2008) is March 20 - more precisely at 5:48 GMT. Most flowering plants bloom this time of year, in a long succession and continuing into early summer.

In general, the four seasons correspond to the relative position of the Sun to the earth. The determination of the Spring season is calculated when the Sun passes through the equatorial plane.

When going from Winter to Spring, the Sun is moving North, and as soon as the Sun crosses the equator, we call it Spring.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Here comes the Sun

Winter is almost over and the flowers and warm breeze of the Spring time are just around the corner - on and off.

With so much cold/warm transition, the body may feel a little more - keep the vitamins intake and wear layers - be prepared for ocasional change in the temperature.

Be good and be healthy.



Vanessa

Bossa Nova - 50 years of Bossa

Bossa Nova is the Brazilian music style that was born in Rio de Janeiro, out of the melodies by Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes.

In 1969, Gilberto's new musical style reached a worldwide audience with the release of "Girl from Ipanema," one of the greatest hits of bossa nova. Different from samba, a popular music style in Brazil, bossa nova is more upscale and often speaks of love, the beach and beautiful women. It is worldwide spread and it's common to be heard in hip lounges and bars throughout the world.

The expression Bossa Nova does not really have a translation - Nova means new and Bossa means trend - but to do something with Bossa is to do it with a special flair... It is definitely an easy going and elegant music style that works really well with a romantic setting... Love is in the air...

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Contact Dermatitis - an unpleasant itch...

Contact dermatitis is an irritation of the skin caused by contact with a substance that causes the reaction. It results in a localized skin burning and itchy rashes that can take up to weeks to heal.

Facts:

• Superficial regions of the skin are affected


• Inflammation of the affected tissue is present in the 2 superficial skin layers


• It takes days to fade away


• It fades only if the skin no longer comes in contact with the allergen or irritant.


• It is essential that the agent that caused the contact dermatitis is removed – even when the agent removal, a chronic contact dermatitis can still develop.

The causes of irritants related to contact dermatitis are various and so it’s their mechanism of action.

Example of triggers: poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, highly alkaline substances (such as lye and other hair straighteners), detergents/concentrated soaps, cleaning products, rubbers
organic solvents (acetone, alcohol, etc).

Mechanism: Detergents, surfactants, extremes of pH, and organic solvents all have the common effect of directly affecting the barrier properties of the epidermis, while removing the natural skin oil and increasing the trans epidermal water loss.

Treatment: is based on using corticosteroid based creams and avoiding at all cost the agent that initiated the irritation.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Valentine's Day in Brazil

Valentines Day in Brazil is not celebrated in the way as it is celebrated in other parts of the world - In lieu of Valentine's Day, Brazilians celebrate "Dia dos Namorados" or Boyfriend's/Girlfriend's Day on 12th of June - This day is in memory of S. Anthony's day instead of S. Valentim.

No matter the date, it's always nice to have a reason to celebrate friendship and to demonstrate your affection to the loved ones...

Be good and be healthy.


Vanessa

Amazon

The etymology of the name Amazon is from the 16th. Century, when the European explorers reached the Americas, they were looking for the Spanish El Dorado "the golden one," name given to a country or city believed to lie in the heart of the Amazon jungle - made with gold, silver and gems.

Portuguese explorers that colonized Brazil were in a race to find the wealth of goods before the Spanish and French.

One version of the history is that the Portuguese in this seek for precious goods have battled against the Tapuyas, a local Indian tribe. The women of the Tapuyas fought alongside the men, as was the custom among the entire tribe - much different from the European culture, where women would take care of the housekeeping only. When these women fought against the European domination, they resembled the Amazon women from the Greek mythology – giving the name Rio de las Amazonas (River of the Amazon women) and to this day, Amazonas.

Next time you are in South America, don’t miss the opportunity to visit this incredible ecosystem.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

CARNAVAL is around the corner!

Very soon, officially in February 2nd, all over the world will start celebrating the Carnaval.

It's Summer down the Equator - so it is in Brazil - the country where Carnaval is known as its best. The action has already began in many places throughout the country.

A frequent question is the actual date of the Carnaval. The answer is not simple but such a popular party has its calendar calculated until, who knows, 2050!

Carnaval date

The calculation is based on the Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday - 46 days prior Easter Sunday is the Ash Wednesday and 4 days prior (or 50 days prior Easter) is the beginning of the Carnaval.

In this case, the Carnaval in 2008 happens in Feb 2-5, in 2009 in Feb 21-24, in 2010 Feb 13-16, and in 2011 in Mar 5-8.

Calculation on the side, with so many parties, it's essential to hydrate well and to rest (when you can).

Enjoy it, be good and be healthy!

Vanessa

Beauty Salons in the Bay Area - SF

Orchid is a beauty salon located in San Francisco, at Geary Street - it has a fun, positive environment, and a knowledgeable staff.

This Brazilian salon offers various hair treatments, waxing, including the Brazilian bikini waxing - manicure, pedicure, massage, facial, among other treatments.

The owner of this charming spot is Marisa - she is a beautiful blond woman from the Southern of Brazil - looking at her you wonder how mixed Brazilian culture is - she probably is a German or Italian descendant.

I did my hair and spoke with Marisa about cosmetics, treatments and options in the skincare. She specializes in natural treatments and showed me a wide experience with various treatments.

I'll certainly be back!

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Moisturizers to Prevent Skin Aging

Moisturizers are complex mixtures of agents developed to make the epidermis (external layers of the skin) more elastic, by increasing its hydration. They can be oil-water or water-oil emulsions.


The way the skin is hydrated is by:

1. building a film on the skin - locking the water in and to not evaporate or
2. using low-molecular weight substances avid for water molecules – that absorb the water surrounding the skin and keep it hydrated.

Examples of such substances are naturally occurring skin lipids, natural oils, glycerin, PCA-Na, lanolin, petrolatum, urea, lactic acid, and sorbitol. Many other substances can be added to the basic formula with a positive influence on the skin, such as antioxidants, sunscreens, etc.

The challenge is to hydrate the skin without giving the oily looks and without clogging the pores. There is a formula for each part (face, feet, hands, legs, etc) and case (normal, dry, oily skin) as well a combination of each.

Moisturizers are important to the health of the skin, helping it to keep its elasticity, repairing and protecting from environmental aggressions, and ultimately preventing it from premature aging.

Be healthy and be good.

Vanessa

Seize the day

Happy New Year!

Time to have a fresh new start and to keep the New Year's resolution in action. Let's eat right, work-out and keep a good attitude.

Be healthy and be good.

Vanessa

Skin absorption - Validation

"... whatever you apply to your skin is absorbed and goes into your blood and goes thru your entire body. ... A lot of medications are given by patch thru the skin now. Everything from birth control to narcotics. All women should remember that when purchasing cosmetics."


My friend Sizzzle, Biology major - comment at Zannel.com, validating my research and postings. Not only beautiful, but smart too...


Be good and be healthy!


Vanessa

Mens Sana - New Year's Resolution

Oops - the year is almost over and I haven't determined my New Year's resolution (NYR) yet.

In order to to simplify things, I decided to choose among few things for this upcoming year.

1. Working towards some causes, such as AIDS, vascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, work in the community as a volunteer, green, and recycling efforts;

2. Personal achievements, such as making my cosmetics business successful yet ethical, be punctual, go out more often with my husband and friends, be more social, and periodically contact family and friends - even if they live far from me

3. Finally, to practice the idea of Mens sana in corpore sano... "Mens sana in corpore sano " is a famous Latin quotation that translates as "A sound mind in a sound body." This is one of my favorite phrase - and often use it as my motto. In this case, routinelly work-out and as often as possible bring friends along.

I am still in the final process in determining all the NYR - but am really taking it seriously this time - at least we will see in the third Month of the next year... What is your NYR?

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Condition - Doctor's Advice Needed

You have symptoms that make you believe that something is wrong - let's call it a condition. The mosaic of symptoms and its specific treatment work as a puzzle. The Doctor will collect all data and provide his expertise - resolving the puzzle - followed by his/her advice on what treatment course to take - ultimately, you are going to decide what to do next.

Condition Plan of Action:

1. Keep track of all signs/symptoms - even if you are not sure if it's relevant
2. Ask what the Doctor says the condition is - write down the name
3. Ask what the options are for the treatment
4. Ask how long the treatment usually takes
5. Ask what the side effects of the therapy are
6. Ask what can happen if you discontinue the treatment
7. Ask what is the expected time frame for the healing process - and what is the worst case scenario

Understanding and probing the reasons why your Doctor is choosing a therapy is a good way to face the problem towards a solution. In case you are not comfortable with one Doctor's positioning, get a second opinion - and avoid delaying the treatment. Some conditions should not have the treatment delayed with the risk of worsening it - sometimes with irreversible consequences.

Alternative & Natural ways can be considered, depending on what the condition is - but with a risk to delay the treatment if it's not effective.

A good and positive attitude is proven to help the healing process. Connect, send messages to your family/friends and enjoy the Holiday season.

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

Allergy

People has different reactions to some substances, and an adverse reaction can be allergy - such as reaction to polen, insect bites, allergy to some types of food, and cosmetics, etc.

What is allergy
Allergy is a defensive immune response to some substances when the body does not recognize those. The purpose of this reaction is to inactivate this foreign substance and to protect against a potential harm to the body.

Mechanism

Allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction that needs an initial exposure to the substance that causes allergy (allergen). The allergen next stimulates specialized cells (lymphocites) to produce antibody (IgE) that is specific for this allergen. The IgE is released and attached to the surface of another specialized group of cells called mast cells, present in various tissues in the body.

The next time the person is exposed to the allergen, they will specifically attach to the IgE on the surface of the mast cells and prompt these cells to release chemicals, such as histamine. Histamine will cause some of the allergy symptoms - that's why medications for allergy include anti-histamine.

Extreme Allergy cases
Allergic reaction can be life-threatening. Mast cells activation, specially when the allergen is injected - injectable drugs and insects bites - can cause a potentially fatal syndrome called anaphylactic shock. Symptoms include 1. increase in vascular permeability causing a dramatic drop on the blood pressure; 2. airways constrict, causing difficulty in breathing; and 3. swelling of the epiglottis that can cause suffocation in susceptible individuals. The timely injection of epinephrine relaxes the smooth muscle and reverses the scenario.

Anything can be an allergen responsible to trigger allergies – food, cosmetics additives, preservatives, fragrances and other substances. In case of an initial reaction, probe what might have caused the reaction and avoid products that contain such substances.

Happy Holidays and a Healthy 2008!

Vanessa