India's top court dismisses Novartis plea for Glivec patent
By Suchitra Mohanty and Kaustubh Kulkarni NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's top court has dismissed Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's attempt to win patent protection for its cancer drug Glivec, a serious blow to Western pharmaceutical firms who are increasingly focusing on India to drive sales. The decision also sets a benchmark for several intellectual property disputes in India, where many patented drugs are unaffordable for most of its 1.2 billion people, 40 percent of whom earn less than $1.25 a day. ...
Are Easter Eggs Good For Hair And Skin? Today is Easter so we’re re-running one of our favorite Easter posts. Spring is here and today is the day the Easter Bunny leaves a little surprise on your doorstep. No, we don’t mean rabbit pellets, silly, we’re talking about Easter eggs! To commemorate the occasion, here are our top 5 favorite facts about eggs [...]
Today is Easter so we’re re-running one of our favorite Easter posts.
Spring is here and today is the day the Easter Bunny leaves a little surprise on your doorstep. No, we don’t mean rabbit pellets, silly, we’re talking about Easter eggs! To commemorate the occasion, here are our top 5 favorite facts about eggs in cosmetics.
1. Beware Botox
The popular wrinkle paralyzing treatment, Botox, is packed in egg albumin to increase its stability. So if you have an egg allergy – beware the Botox!
2. The awesome ovum
The French company, L’Avenir, has launched a line of products using special technology that allows them to include whole eggs in topical cosmetic formulations. Until now, egg yolks couldn’t be used in creams and lotions because they could cause spoilage.
3. Oily eggs
We recently blogged about Phyto Phytonectar Oil Treatment. Did you know one of its ingredients is egg oil? Did you even know you could get oil from an egg? It’s true: eggs are rich in cholesterol-type compounds which can be extracted to yield rich emollient oils.
Finally and most famously, there’s egg shampoo. Our favorite is Mario Badescu’s Egg Shampoo. It contains only 4 ingredients: Deionized Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, and Egg. Mmmm, I bet that smells good!
BEIJING (AP) — Two Shanghai men have died from a lesser-known type of bird flu in the first known human deaths from the strain, and Chinese authorities said Sunday that it wasn't clear how they were infected, but that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
BEIJING (AP) — Two Shanghai men have died from a lesser-known type of bird flu in the first known human deaths from the strain, and Chinese authorities said Sunday that it wasn't clear how they were infected, but that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
NEW DELHI (AP) — India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday on a landmark patent case involving Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG that focuses on demands by major companies that their investments be protected, against Indian companies that say they should be allowed to continue producing cheaper generic versions of many lifesaving medicines.
Easter is a day of celebration and indulgence in wine, red meats, and sugary sweets. While it's easy to go overboard in the Easter feast, it's all about balance. Yes, you are allowed your Cadbury Creme Eggs, but use these tips to keep you from completely falling off your diet plan.
Start with the real breakfast of champions: You may not be able to control what's served at the brunch table, but you certainly can control what you eat when you wake up. Make a giant green smoothie or juice, to load up on nutrients and filling fiber.
Fill up on veggies: Before you dive into the cheese plate or Easter basket full of candy, munch on a plate full of veggie sticks or salad. The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff.
Remember your serving sizes: Serve half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein. If you prefer stricter measurements, forget the cups and teaspoons, and use your hand as a measuring cup. One thumb equals one serving of cheese. An open palm equals one serving of meat. A closed fist is one serving of fruit or vegetables. A cupped hand is one serving of grains.
Enjoy bread and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jellybeans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.
By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The number of Americans diagnosed with celiac disease continued to rise over the past decade but leveled off in 2004, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data on a small but representative sample of people living in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and found that between the years 2000 and 2010, the number of new cases of celiac disease increased from about 11 people per 100,000 to about 17 people per 100,000. "We're finding a lot more celiac disease," said Dr. ... Credit of the story
Sony, Olympus delay medical venture as regulatory approval on hold
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp and Olympus Corp have again delayed the start of a joint venture to develop medical equipment because they have yet to gain approval from some regulators. "The examination by the relevant authority is taking longer than expected," the two companies said in a statement. They did not set a new date for operations to start. Plans by the Japanese companies to establish a joint venture to design and build medical devices have struggled to win approval in China, according to a source at one of the corporations familiar with the matter. ...
By Catherine Hornby ROME (Reuters) - Scientists have criticized an Italian government decree allowing a group of terminally-ill patients to continue using an unproven stem cell treatment, saying such therapies may cause harm and risk exploiting desperate people. The treatment, created by the privately-owned Stamina Foundation, was banned by Italian medicines regulator AIFA last year after it inspected their laboratories, leading to a series of legal challenges by families of patients. ... Original Source
Brazilian doctor charged with 7 murders, may have killed 300: investigator
By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Brazilian doctor who was charged with killing seven patients to free up beds at a hospital intensive care unit may have been responsible for as many as 300 deaths, according to a Health Ministry investigator. Prosecutors said Dr. Virginia Soares de Souza and her medical team administered muscle relaxing drugs to patients, then reduced their oxygen supply, causing them to die of asphyxia at the Evangelical Hospital in the southern city of Curitiba. ...
By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The menus offered to children by most U.S. restaurant chains have too many calories, too much salt or fat, and often not a hint of vegetables or fruit, according to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group, which has agitated for everything from healthier popcorn at the movies to calorie labeling in supermarkets, found that among almost 3,500 combinations surveyed, kids' meals failed to meet nutritional standards 97 percent of the time. ... Click here to read the rest
How Happiness Affects Your Health By Dr. Anjuli Srivastava In recent years, physicians, psychologists and economists have embarked on a journey to illuminate the connection between joy and wellness. Fascinating research exists, and there is value in understanding the effect of happiness on our lives. To start a conversation about... Source: abcnews.go.com
Being a yoga purist might not be doing your body justice. A consistent yoga practice lengthens and strengthens muscles with time, but if you're ready to feel stronger in class now, a little cross-training goes a long way. Challenging your muscles outside of class will help you feel more comfortable and confident in new poses; maybe you'll even feel tough enough to try that Handstand Scorpion someday!
If you're a committed yogi, moving through these exercises might seem a little foreign at first. Trust that they'll only deepen your relationship with the asanas.
Record gene haul points to better cancer screening
By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - New research has nearly doubled the number of genetic variations implicated in breast, prostate and ovarian cancer, offering fresh avenues for screening at-risk patients and, potentially, developing better drugs. The bumper haul of 74 gene changes that can increase risks for the three hormone-related cancers, announced by scientists on Wednesday, is the result of the largest ever study of its kind. ...
Michigan official seeks grand jury to probe meningitis outbreak
By Dawson Bell LANSING, Mich (Reuters) - Michigan's attorney general on Tuesday asked state courts to authorize a grand jury to investigate whether a company linked to a deadly outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections broke any state laws. The outbreak, linked to tainted steroids shipped in 2012 by the Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center, has killed 51 people and sickened 730, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A representative of NECC declined to comment on the Michigan attorney general's announcement. ...
Study Clarifies Link Between Fertility Treatments and Neurological Problems In Kids Children born from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments have shown a higher risk of developmental problems, but what is responsible for the heightened risk? Source: news.yahoo.com
BOSTON (Reuters) - The crackdown on specialty pharmacies that compound drugs into customized doses on Monday yielded another recall after an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration. Pallimed Solutions Pharmacy, which specializes in treating erectile dysfunction, said it issued a voluntary recall of 16 sterile compound products, including injectable testosterone. Pallimed of Woburn, Massachusetts, also said it agreed to stop all sterile compounding activities. ... Get the complete story
The best beauty looks at the 2013 Kids’ Choice Awards Forget the red carpet—for the Kids’ Choice Awards on March 23rd in Los Angeles, it was all about the orange carpet! On it walked teen and adult celebs, including top-paid female actress Kristen [...]
Forget the red carpet—for the Kids’ Choice Awards on March 23rd in Los Angeles, it was all about the orange carpet! On it walked teen and adult celebs, including top-paid female actress Kristen Stewart; Justin Bieber’s ex, Selena Gomez; and pregnant pop star Fergie. We’re taking beauty notes on a few key looks: Victoria Justice’s effortless waves, Lucy Hale’s hot pink lips and Jessica Alba’s hit of emerald green liner. Click through the pics to see all the looks (and when you get to the end, can you help figure out why Karina Smirnoff is doing that to her lips?). Fun times!
Early number sense plays role in later math skills
WASHINGTON (AP) — We know a lot about how babies learn to talk, and youngsters learn to read. Now scientists are unraveling the earliest building blocks of math — and what children know about numbers as they begin first grade seems to play a big role in how well they do everyday calculations later on.
By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca has seen off a remaining threat to its top-selling cholesterol drug Crestor by settling a U.S. legal case with generic firms Watson Laboratories, a unit of Actavis , and Egis . The settlement follows a U.S. appeal court ruling in December involving other firms upholding the patent on the medicine, which AstraZeneca is relying on as sales of other products tumble. AstraZeneca said on Monday that Watson and Egis had both conceded the Crestor substance patent was valid under the latest deal. ...
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Have a heart problem? If it's fixable, there's a good chance it can be done without surgery, using tiny tools and devices that are pushed through tubes into blood vessels.
Is fluoride toothpaste giving me cancer? Michelle says: I am not even sure I trust the dentists to do the teeth whitening. They say they can carefully control the application, but I am still really skeptical that the H2O2 itself cannot do long term damage to the enamel – and if one wants to be cynical – more business for them [...]
Michelle says: I am not even sure I trust the dentists to do the teeth whitening. They say they can carefully control the application, but I am still really skeptical that the H2O2 itself cannot do long term damage to the enamel – and if one wants to be cynical – more business for them in the future in terms of cavities. After all this is still a profession that gives patients high dose fluoride treatments when the ex-head of the EPA under Clinton stated that when they did their internal testing, there was no more potent carcinogen than fluoride, and informed governments around the world are starting to remove it from the water supply.
The Beauty Brains respond:
Michelle’s comment comes from our recent post on using OxyClean to whiten teeth and we felt it deserved a quick rebuttal.
Is there a link between fluoride and cancer?
Fluoride and tooth decay share a long and interesting history. It all started with the discovery that people living in areas with water supplies with naturally occurring fluoride had lower incidence of cavities. This knowledge led to the addition of fluoride not only to toothpastes but to public drinking water. The latter prompted rumors of a Communist conspiracy which, mostly, have faded away. Health concerns associated with fluoride remain but there seems to be little data to indicate there’s really a problem in regard to cancer. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, adding fluoride to water supplies has been “one of the greatest achievements in public health in the 20th century.”
More importantly, multiple animal and human studies have failed to show a link between fluoride and cancer. Researchers reviewed over 2.2 million cancer death records and 125,000 cancer case records from places where fluoridated water is used and found no indication of increased cancer risk. You can read all the details at cancer.gov.
Are governments removing fluoride from water supplies?
Michelle’s comment about “informed governments” removing fluoride from drinking water is interesting but we could find no evidence to support that notion. It is true that too much fluoride can cause a condition called fluoridosis which can initially cause teeth to turn mottled and brown eventually cause irreversible skeletal and nerve damage. This condition is a problem in parts of the world which have high exposure to fluoride due eating food grown with fluoride-containing fertilizers, drinking ground water contaminated with excess fluoride, or breathing fumes generated by burning fluoride-containing coal. In those areas where this problem exists UNICEF is working on de-fluoridation programs with local governments. However this has nothing to do with cancer risk and it does NOT mean that governments are eliminating water fluoridation programs in areas that need it (in other words, areas that have low levels of naturally occurring fluoride.)
The bottom line
At the time of this writing, Michelle just posted an additional comment with some references that make a case against fluoride. You can read it here. If you time to jump down the rabbit hole, we suggest you read this reference she provided. We responded with additional references from skeptical websites that basically repeat what we’ve said above. It looks like this controversy rages on and while we appreciates Michelle’s point of view we’re not convinced. Hopefully, if fluoride really is dangerous, something will turn up in the mainstream, peer-reviewed scientific literature. In the meantime we’ll keep brushing with our Colgate with fluoride.
New York City health officials are urging some men to get vaccinated against meningitis amid an outbreak that has sickened 22 New Yorkers and killed seven. The dangerous strain of bacterial meningitis appears to be spreading through sexual encounters between men who meet through websites... Click here to read the rest
Adding hair removal to the list of things lasers are useful for is now a reality. If you're tired of having to constantly shave and or use tweezers, or never want to suffer through the pain of waxing again, lasers are an alternative worth considering for hair removal. Laser hair removal is becoming the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure in the States as more and more people warm up to the thought of it. Source
By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday over whether big drug companies can settle patent litigation with generic rivals by making deals to keep cheaper products off the market. U.S. and state regulators say the practice costs consumers, insurers and government billions of dollars annually. The Federal Trade Commission, which has dubbed these arrangements "pay for delay," has fought them in court for more than a decade with mixed success, culminating in the case now before the Supreme Court. ...
By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday over whether big drug companies can settle patent litigation with generic rivals by making deals to keep cheaper products off the market. U.S. and state regulators say the practice costs consumers, insurers and government billions of dollars annually. The Federal Trade Commission, which has dubbed these arrangements "pay for delay," has fought them in court for more than a decade with mixed success, culminating in the case now before the Supreme Court. ...
By Trevor Stokes NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Long-term constipation doesn't raise risk for colon and rectal cancers according to a new analysis of the existing evidence. Past studies had suggested a possible connection, but researchers said those results may have been skewed by poor study designs. "Someone who's got chronic constipation is unlikely to be associated with colon cancer now or in the future," said study author Dr. Alexander Ford, senior lecturer at the St. James's University Hospital's Leeds Gastroenterology Institute in the UK. ... Get the complete story
Why do fingernails grow faster than toenails? One of our favorite daily pleasures is reading the post of the day from Today I Found Out. It’s a hodge-podge of esoteric information that never fails to entertain. Case in point – they recently addressed the question “Why don’t fingernails grow at the same rate.” Nail knowledge You should really check out the full answer, [...]
One of our favorite daily pleasures is reading the post of the day from Today I Found Out. It’s a hodge-podge of esoteric information that never fails to entertain. Case in point – they recently addressed the question “Why don’t fingernails grow at the same rate.”
Nail knowledge
You should really check out the full answer, but here’s a quick recap. In case you never thought about it, the nails on your fingers and toes do grow at different rates. For fingers that rate is about 3.5 millimeters per month and for toenails it’s about 1.6 mm per month. No one knows for sure why this is true but there is a good theory that explains why nails grow at different rates. It involves the idea of “micro-trauma.”
Nail growth is determined to a large extent by blood supply. So, all other factors being equal, the nails that get the greatest supply of nutrients from the blood will grow the fastest? Interestingly, increased blood flow can be triggered by injury. (The body’s natural reaction is to send more blood and nutrients to damaged areas. Because your hands are constantly interacting with the environment your finger nails experience a greater degree of tapping and bumping than your toenails do (since they’re tucked away in your socks and shoes.) It’s thought that this constant barrage of “micro-trauma” is enough to trigger the body’s defense mechanism. So, more stress on the nail results in more blood flow which leads to more growth. Clever, huh?
Should science on brain injury inspire a ban on boxing?
By Kate Kelland, Health and Science Correspondent LONDON (Reuters) - When Ireland's Katie Taylor was taking hits and striking blows for boxing's Olympic debut in an east London ring last year, John Hardy did not want to look. To this leading neuroscientist and molecular biologist, a boxing bout is little more than a session of mutual brain injury. He was horrified to see women boxing at Olympic level for the first time at the London 2012 Games. ...
NEW YORK (AP) — A government survey of parents says 1 in 50 U.S. schoolchildren has autism, surpassing another federal estimate for the disorder. Click here to read the rest
You know you've got to change your diet, but you're not sure where to start. We asked three nutritionists for their tips on how to evaluate eating habits to see how diet, good or bad, affects you. Read their tips below.
1. Ask Yourself These Questions Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian and author of S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim, recommends clients ask themselves five questions so they can realize how off track they are. "If you answered no to any of these questions, you may be missing some things. However, you may already know this! The trick is finding ways to fill in the gaps each and every day," she explains.
Do you eat at least two servings of fruit and three of veggies every single day, one serving being a cup, about the size of a tennis ball?
Do you eat only or primarily whole rather than refined grains (brown or wild rice instead of white, whole-grain versions of bread, crackers, pasta, etc.)?
Do you eat lean protein at every meal (beans, lentils, poultry, seafood)?
Do you include healthy plant-based fats in each meal (avocado, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil)?
Do you drink water with every meal?
2. Take a Blood Test Blood work can help you recognize exactly what your diet is missing, says nutritionist Melissa Costello, founder of Karma Chow. In addition, just the act of eating cleaner will help your body understand what it does and doesn't need. "The cleaner we eat, the more the body will want clean food and begin to push out the bad foods," Melissa says. "It's a process, and can take time, but our bodies are so intuitive, and if we learn to listen to them, they will get what they need."
3. Keep a Food Journal
The best way to recognize holes in your diet, says registered dietitian Erin Palinski, is to journal everything you eat for three days. You might be surprised at how little produce you are actually getting. "On average, only one in three people get two or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This means your diet would be lacking in essential fiber and many nutrients, especially magnesium and potassium, which help to regulate healthy blood pressure levels," Erin says. "With heart disease being the number one killer of women and high blood pressure being a major risk factor for heart disease, it's critical to evaluate your diet and make sure you are getting in enough of these essential nutrients." She recommends getting potassium and magnesium from foods like tomatoes, whole-grain bread, and yogurt.
What kind of product is John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer? LynCaf asks..This Flyaway Tamer stuff works really well at doing what it’s supposed to do. It flattens out flyaways without leaving anything heavy or sticky behind, and they stay in place all day. But $7-9 for 0.5 fl oz seems a little steep. I was thinking that I could refill the container (which is like [...]
LynCaf asks..This Flyaway Tamer stuff works really well at doing what it’s supposed to do. It flattens out flyaways without leaving anything heavy or sticky behind, and they stay in place all day. But $7-9 for 0.5 fl oz seems a little steep. I was thinking that I could refill the container (which is like an extra large mascara tube) with something else once I use it up. But I can’t figure out what would work like this! It’s thicker than hairspray, but it’s not sticky like gel or liquid gel. Any ideas?
The Beauty Brains respond:
Let’s take a look at the ingredients to see what makes this thing tick.
It so happens that Frieda’s Luminous Color Glaze product has essentially the exact same ingredients! The Full Repair product sells for about $7-9 per 0.5 ounce (or about $16 per ounce) but the Color Glaze product costs about $6.00 for a 6 ounce bottle which makes is $1 per ounce.
One word of warning
We’ve seen two or three different versions of this product online and they all have different ingredients. One has dyes added to provide highlights and another has completely different chemistry. Make sure you get the clear one and the one that matches this ingredient list. Here’s a link to Meijer’s site where we found it.
Assuming you can find the right version you should have no problem transferring it to a smaller bottle for use on the go. Think of all the money you’ll save!
NEW YORK (AP) — A government survey of parents says 1 in 50 U.S. schoolchildren has autism, surpassing another federal estimate for the disorder. Original Source
As a kid, did you ever sit and watch your mother remove her makeup with a bit of cold cream right before bedtime? It didn't make much sense at the time, but now of course it's easy to see that to mom, aging gracefully was just as important a priority as it is to you today. Source
By Benjamin Kang Lim and Nick Edwards BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday ensuring economic growth was the top priority for his government, pledging to fight graft, tackle vested interests and calling for an end to a cyber-hacking row with the United States. Li's first news conference as premier, at the close of the annual meeting of China's rubber-stamp parliament that confirmed his appointment, covered topics that have been the principal focus of recent government rhetoric, with a strong emphasis on the necessity of reform to deliver long-term economic stability. ...
By Laura L. Myers SEATTLE (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier charged with killing 16 civilians, most of them women and children, near his Army post in Afghanistan is set to undergo a medical review on Sunday to determine his state of mind at the time of the killings and ability to stand trial. The review, known in the military as a "sanity board," will be conducted by three doctors at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, and will be completed by May 1, according to a U.S. Army spokesman. ...
Many of us only begin to wake up with the help of our morning drink, and luckily many of our favorite breakfast beverages have a variety of health benefits. That can't-miss cup of coffee, for example, reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, among other diseases, while drinking tea has been shown to do the same. And yet another study recently showed that drinking coffee or green tea every day may reduce your risk of stroke.
It's not just warm drinks that can help you out; starting your day with a pressed juice, healthy smoothie, or glass of water with lemon can help you get much-needed nutrients and detox at the same time. So tell us: what's your favorite breakfast drink?
Panasonic considers sale of healthcare business: sources
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Corp is considering selling its healthcare business to raise cash as the consumer electronics maker fights to end losses with flat-panel televisions, two sources familiar with the matter said on Sunday. The troubled consumer electronics company has been selling assets, including real estate, to strengthen its finances. "As a part of our growth strategy, we are considering a number of options," a Panasonic spokeswomen said. Panasonic was planning to sell the profitable healthcare business for about 100 billion yen ($1. ...
By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - The European Union's plans for tough new anti-smoking rules would break international trade rules, Malawi has told the World Trade Organization, signaling a potential legal challenge from the developing world. Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries, is concerned that EU plans to make cigarettes less attractive to new smokers will hurt a sector which provides more than 60 percent of its foreign exchange earnings, according to a WTO survey in 2010. ...
What’s it like to go to a fragrance launch… in Paris? Behind the scenes at an over-the-top beauty editor event Not gonna lie: sometimes being a member of the “beauty media” is pretty darn sweet. Like pinch-me-is-this-really-happening kind of sweet. That’s the only way I can describe a trip I took a few [...]
Not gonna lie: sometimes being a member of the “beauty media” is pretty darn sweet. Like pinch-me-is-this-really-happening kind of sweet.
That’s the only way I can describe a trip I took a few weeks ago to attend the Paris launch of the latest fragrance from the house of Nina Ricci. I mean, it’s not every day that you get invitations like this one:
At least not in my life, as a writer for various Canadian magazines and this here website you’re reading right now! I think I literally jumped up and down, and did a little dance, when I got it.
But since this site IS called BEAUTY EDITOR—and I’m an ex-beauty ed myself—I always like to give you guys a sneak peek behind the scenes of what this weird and wonderful beauty editing world is really like. So here’s the deal: invites like this one, involving international trips, can roll in quite regularly when you work on staff for any of the big magazines. It’s an incredible, extravagant perk, and now that I have a blog I can finally “open the kimono” (as Tim Ferriss would say) and show you how it all goes down.
Which is all very nice… but what happened next was completely over-the-top. We were told that we were entering the fictional “Nina girl’s” apartment, and in each room there was a teaser where we could discover a different part of her story. This came first:
That’s right—there was a LIVE SNOWY OWL just hangin’ out on a pedastal. (You can tell by my shaky videotaping that I was in shock!)
In another room, we found an enormous life-size silver tree and dry ice swirling all over the ground.
The next room was all pretty in pink (and will you look at this chandelier?!?) and we got to watch a video on the screen to further set the mood. (It was about the Nina fairies, and you can watch it here.)
By this time, it was dawning on me through my jet lag that this wasn’t the usual beauty launch, so I grabbed my iPhone (the right way ’round this time) and got some more footage just to take it all in:
Then, we entered a room where it was all about the fragrance notes (frosted neroli, apple blossom, gardenia, white musk). So there were platters and platters of the luscious ingredients:
I really want one of these tiered bowls of sugared fruit:
And how gorgeous is this blue and white pottery?
As for the next room, well, remember this guy?
It turns out they had not one but two owls at the event—and we were invited to actually HOLD the second one, whose name is Paloma. (Why owls? There’s one in the ad campaign, which I’ll show you in a sec.)
Paloma’s handler had us wear a glove before he perched her on our forearms, where she squawked and flapped her wings. But what an amazing animal! I loved her yellow eyes and beautiful white coat. Here’s the pic they took of us:
I have to say, she totally stole the show!
After that, we entered the final room, where we got to see more of the hotel’s grand decor, and rows and rows of the fragrance itself…
Here’s a close-up of the frosted glass packaging, meant to echo the frosted neroli note inside:
At this point I should probably show you what the ad campaign looks like (you can see how the press event echoed all these elements):
That’s Swedish runway model Frida Gustavsson who’s the face, and she’s telling the story of a girl on the cusp of becoming a woman, which is what this scent is all about. (You get the symbolism with the apple, yes?) They wanted to address the question of what it means to enter womanhood, and to be discovering your powers of seduction and sensuality—but with the brand’s signature femininity, elegance and grace.
The dress Frida wears in the campaign is Nina Ricci couture, of course, and we got to see it up close and personal. (By the way, just to the left of the mannequin in this pic is the guy who created the scent, master perfumer Olivier Cresp.)
The gown is a one-of-a-kind that apparently took 15 seamstresses more than 300 hours to make. Here’s the back view (and see if you can spot a certain Beautygeek on the right):
Breathtaking. We all see these kinds of dresses on the red carpet, but when you get to view one in person… WOW.
The final touch? Plates of the most decadent French sweets:
I couldn’t resist photographing all of them because they were way too pretty:
Obviously, I left with a total sugar high.
After that, we were whisked away from Nina’s dream-world back into reality… although I could’ve stayed inside that “apartment” forever! I’m telling you, it gave me a whole new appreciation for the emotional side of a fragrance. It’s not just about the notes!
Nina L’Eau is out in April for $62 (50 mL) or $74 (80 mL) at all fine department stores and drugstores across Canada.
Tell me:
Can you believe these types of events are par for the course when you’re a beauty ed? What do you think of the campaign for Nina L’Eau? (And will you try this scent?) What’s your favourite feminine fragrance?
Ex-research firm executive sentenced for insider trading
By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former investment research firm executive who pleaded guilty to providing inside information to a former SAC Capital Advisors fund manager, among others, was sentenced to a year in prison Thursday. Tai Nguyen, 50, is one of 76 people charged since August 2009 as part of a broad government crackdown on insider trading on Wall Street. Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Naomi Buchwald in Manhattan to sentence Nguyen to 46 to 57 months in prison, beyond the 30 months recommended by probation officers. Nguyen's lawyer asked for a reduced sentence. ...
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp will debut a new egg-white McMuffin in the United States in April and allow diners to swap out egg whites on all of its breakfast sandwiches, catching up with rivals already offering the lower-calorie option. Dubbed the "Egg White Delight," the new McMuffin will be available nationwide on April 22, the world's biggest restaurant chain said on Thursday. ...
Nonherbal teas - those of the black, green, white, and oolong variety - contain high amounts of flavenoids, or antioxidants that help reduce the risk of getting certain diseases, boosting immunity and helping heart health. Drinking tea is a good habit to have, but are you harnessing the power of your mug? Read these tips for making sure you're getting the most antioxidant power out of your drink.
Know your steep times: Steeping draws out tea's catechins, so keep your tea in your mug longer to take advantage of these antioxidants. If you're worried about getting a high dose of caffeine in your strong cups of tea, then switch to decaffeinated - the antioxidant makeup of decaffeinated tea is still strong.
Don't add milk: Adding milk to your tea may be a treat, but if you're looking to benefit from tea's disease-fighting power, then keep it away from your cup. Studies have shown that milk strips tea of its health effects; one study found that soy milk similarly decreased the health effects of tea as well.
Add these instead: Certain items actually increase the antioxidant levels of tea, so go ahead and add them to your mug. Citrus fruits like lemon and lime, for example, have been shown to maximize the effectiveness of green tea's catechins, while cinnamon, honey, and nutmeg all are antioxidant-rich foods in their own right (and make great tea additions).
By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Doctors warn about the ethical and medical implications of prescribing attention-boosting and mood-altering medications to healthy kids and teens, in a new statement from the American Academy of Neurology. Focusing on stimulants typically used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, researchers said the number of diagnoses and prescriptions have risen dramatically over the past two decades. Young people with the disorder clearly benefit from treatment, lead author Dr. ... Courtesy of Yahoo News
LONDON (AP) — After the best-selling Irish novelist Josephine Hart died from ovarian cancer in 2011, her husband was so devastated he often went to her grave to have breakfast.
Too many drug types are compromising heart health: doctors
By Debra Sherman (Reuters) - About 80 million Americans suffer from heart disease, the nation's No. 1 killer, and most are on multiple drugs. Some cardiologists think prescribing has gotten out of hand. The criticism was voiced by a number of leading heart doctors who attended the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology, held on March 9-11 in San Francisco. They said eliminating certain drugs could potentially improve care without compromising treatment. Evidence is growing that some medications are not effective. ...
Survey Says Facilities Not Gaining in Controlling C. Diff A survey of experts says that U.S. healthcare facilities aren't gaining ground in controlling the spread of the bacterium known as Clostridium difficile (C. diff). This is despite increased efforts to stop the superbug. Source: news.yahoo.com
NEW YORK (AP) — Eateries from corner delis to movie concession stands have gotten a last-minute reprieve from the nation's first ban on big sugary drinks. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg is urging them to shrink their cups and bottles, anyway.
Aeterna Zentaris to stop late-stage cancer drug trial, shares fall (Reuters) - Canadian drugmaker Aeterna Zentaris Inc said it would discontinue a late-stage trial of a cancer drug after an independent data safety monitoring committee said the drug was unlikely to help increase patient survival. Shares of the company fell as much as 29 percent to C$1.89 on Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The committee recommended that patient enrollment be stopped and the study discontinued for perifosine, the company said in a statement. ... Source: news.yahoo.com
By Suchitra Mohanty and Kaustubh Kulkarni NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's top court has dismissed Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's attempt to win patent protection for its cancer drug Glivec, a serious blow to Western pharmaceutical firms who are increasingly focusing on India to drive sales. The decision also sets a benchmark for several intellectual property disputes in India, where many patented drugs are unaffordable for most of its 1.2 billion people, 40 percent of whom earn less than $1.25 a day. ...
