The Buzz on BB Creams


BB Creams are a huge thing in beauty right now, they’re advertised everywhere….but what IS a BB Cream anyway and what’s so great about it?

Like a tinted moisturizer with added benefits, multi-tasking BB creams are a blend of sunscreen, moisturizer and foundation. They’re everything combined into one easy step – they make your skin look flawless while delivering amazing skincare benefits too. Originally developed by a German dermatologist to hydrate the skin after laser treatments, BB creams are now geared toward those who want to streamline their skincare regimens and achieve a natural-looking glow. They are well-suited to women with busy schedules who don’t care to apply multiple products.

What’s behind the hype?
It’s really a phenomenon that the beauty industry has not seen in a long time. Unlike tinted moisturizers that replaced the cakey makeup of years past, BB creams feature anti-aging skincare properties and protection.

The challenge for consumers is to find the best fit for their particular needs. Some BB creams are lightly pigmented to provide luminosity, while others offer heavier coverage. Some are better for dry skin, others more effective on oily skin. It all depends on what you’re looking to achieve. For some it’s hydration, for others it could be the treatment of hyper pigmentation. If the product doesn’t have the appropriate ingredients, you won’t get the results you want. That’s why it’s so important to check the labels. While no products will be a miracle in a bottle for everyone, aestheticians can help you choose the right BB cream for your needs.

The Beach Plum Spa uses Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream because of the high quality, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that are proven to be effective. Women with mild to moderate sun damage appreciate these creams and benefit from them greatly. Here are some features and benefits that set the Jane Iredale BB Cream apart from other mainstream BB creams:

  • Broad Spectrum SPF 25
  • Available in 6 shades for a spectrum of skin tones
  • Grapefruit Extract tightens pores and minimizes wrinkles
  • Apple Extract is a skin smoothing antioxidant that exfoliates
  • Aloe Leaf Juice soothes and calms the skin
  • Sunflower Extract is a moisturizing vitamin E
  • Iron Oxides are natural earth minerals that provide color without dyes
  • Non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, sensitivity tested, clinically tested, dermatologist tested

Visit our Beach Plum Spa to test this amazing BB cream for yourself!

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Lose Inches Easily and Effectively with i-Lipo

Finally, an FDA approved non-invasive, non-surgical solution to lose inches and contour your body safely and effectively with no needles, no pain and no down time! Sound too good to be true? Think again!

The i-Lipo, now at Beach Plum Spa & Med-Spas, emits low levels of laser energy, which creates a chemical signal in the fat cells, breaking down the stored triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol, and releasing them through the cell membranes.  The fatty acids and glycerol are then transported around the body to tissues that will use them to create energy. As you metabolize the freed fatty acids through a period of exercise post treatment, they are completely eliminated from from your body.

How Does It Work?
The i-Lipo uses proven low level laser technology to stimulate the release of fat within the treatment area, thus melting off inches from your waistline, thighs, arms, etc. immediately and measurably after only a single session.

The beauty is its simplicity – the i-Lipo essentially tricks your body into performing a natural function, providing visible results consistently.  “This device is unique in that it safely induces a biochemical change inthe fat cell at depths up to 2cm below the surface, encouraging adipocytes to eliminate fatty acids and glycerol as if responding to a natural need such as hunger or exercise. The resultant material is then readily available for use by the body” explains Maxwell S. Murison, MD, a plastic surgeon at Morriston Hospital in Wales, who has studied the i-Lipo extensively in clinical trials.

Studies prove that exposing living fat cells to these relatively low wavelength energies will result in the cells emptying themselves within about tem minutes.  There is no cell destruction and this allows specific areas for fat reduction to be targeted, according to Dr. Murison, which normal diet and exercise cannot predictably do.

Immediate and Measurable Results

i-Lipo Before and After 8 Treatments

On average, people lose from .5 to 1.5 total inches per session, which adds up over the recommended 4-week 8 treatment regimen.  After treatment you return to your daily routine – no pain and no down time.  Simply exercise within a few hours of treatment to burn off the released fat. That’s it! Immediate gratification.

Unlike liposuction and other tissue destroying fat reduction mechanisms like cryolipolysis and ultrasound cavitation, i-Lipo prevents long-term issues by keeping the cells intact and available to be filled with new fat in the future should that occur.  If the cells are destroyed as in the other methods, future fat storage will be directed to wherever there are remaining adipose cells, resulting in undesirable and unusual anatomical deposits.

Will i-Lipo Work for Me?

Chances are that, yes, i-Lipo can help you lose inches and sculpt your body.  Request a free consultation with a Beach Plum Spa aesthetician for more details.

Have you already tried i-Lipo? Share your experience in the comments below!

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Top 5 Holiday Stress-Busters

This festive, most-wonderful-time-of-the-year can also be a time of heightened stress for many of us!  Making all the magic happen while still juggling our day-to-day responsibilities can induce an occasional “bah-humbug” or two.

According to a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the effects of psychological stress can weaken immune function and trigger inflammation, raising the risk of autoimmune disease, coronary artery disease, and depression.

There is still time to regain your jolli-tude!

Try our 5 favorite Holiday stress-busters to keep more joy in the joyous season:

 5. Healthy Diet – Yes, we know all those festive gatherings, cookie swaps, and glasses of eggnog make it tough to maintain a healthy diet during the Holidays, however, you can offset those indulgences through calorie-averaging. Go ahead and enjoy a little of your favorite special treats, but balance it over the next day or two by scaling back on your calorie consumption.  As always, be sure to drink plenty of water!

 4. Limit Alcohol – You already know this one. In addition to the calories in your cocktails; alcohol consumption reduces inhibitions and can cause over-indulgence in all those nibbles and bits! Share a toast and good cheer – less toasting and more cheering!

 3. Exercise – All the hustling and bustling can definitely cut into your workout time, so be sure to set boundaries where you can to give yourself time for fitness. It’s OK not to volunteer for every round of caroling or to skip a “Yankee Swap”. Sticking to your exercise routine will keep the happy neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline flowing, too!

2. Get Your Zzzz’s – With all the prepping, shopping, wrapping, and reveling, you may find yourself skimping on sleep. Nix the idea that you must be the symbol of perfectionism. A well-rested elf is more cheery!

 1. Enjoy a Massage – One of the very best ways to refresh and rejuvenate is through therapeutic massage. There are numerous Health Benefits of Massage. Along with relaxing your muscles, a therapeutic massage will also increase circulation, release feel-good endorphins, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and improve your body’s natural immunity.

What are some of your favorite ways to de-stress the Holidays?

Wishing you Health and Happiness this Holiday Season!

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Non-Surgical, Non-Chemical Facelift that Rejuvenates Mind, Body, and Spirit


Acupuncture defined

Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi (pronounced CHEE) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.

Welcome Kenneth Lockwood

Beach Plum Spa now offers our clients Acupuncture Services with esteemed practitioner Kenneth J. Lockwood, LAc., B.P.S., M.S. NCCAOM Diplomate.  Kenneth studied Classical Acupuncture at the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences in New York City under the teaching of Master Jeffery Yuen, 88th generation Taoist priest of the Jade purity school / green dragon sects.  He also studied Facial Rejuvenation at TCM University, Beijing, where he completed the condensed five year Masters program.  Kenneth began his practice in NYC three years ago, and fortunately for all of us on Cape Cod, he recently relocated to the Cape.

Acupuncture by its very nature is a preventative medicine.  Since the glorious time of its inception it has successfully treated billions of people over thousands of years.  Its benefits from the Classical perspective treat the physical, spiritual, and emotional condition of the human being.

Ken says “Ultimately what I learned in my studies with Master Jeffrey Yuen are the virtues of the middle way.  The mind, body, and spirit in balance create the greatest affect for achieving health, happiness, and longevity.  The manifestation of this teaching is the bulwarks of the Inner Tradition of Chinese medicine, and the Taoist Philosophy.  This conscious practice, or awakening to oneself is the action of one’s own breath to the Acupuncture needle as the lightning rod for becoming present…all good gifts of life, love and happiness.”

Acupuncture – The New Facelift

Cosmetic acupuncture is an excellent alternative for women or men who don’t want the side effects associated with a surgical facelift.  Initially with the first few treatments skin becomes more delicate and fair, with fewer wrinkles. Treatments also result in an erasing of fine lines and a reduction of deeper lines, less sagginess, a lifting of droopy eyelids, and a clearing or reduction of age spots. And, as an added bonus, there is an overall rejuvenation that is not confined to your face.

Positive effects from Facial rejuvenation Acupuncture as well as full body Acupuncture can include greater circulation of blood, fluids, and qi in the face and body; strengthening of the immune system; stronger, tighter and more firm tone of the muscular, dermal and epidermal tissues; and cellular support for the production of collagen and elastin.

Don’t be afraid to tell your primary care doctor you’re considering acupuncture. He or she may be able to tell you about the success rate of using acupuncture for your condition.

Come Learn More…

Among the services and treatments Kenneth will be offering at our Hyannis and Plymouth Beach Plum Spa locations are assessment evaluations, Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture, cupping, Tibetan bronze medical bowls, and Tui Na Chinese medical massage.

Are you interested in learning how acupuncture, or other forms for TCM may help you?  Schedule your appointment with Kenneth in either Hyannis or Plymouth to find out!

 

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Parabens: Friend or Foe

What Are They?

Parabens are a family of synthetic preservatives widely used in cosmetics around the world since the 1920′s because of their efficacy, low risk of irritation, and stability.  They are effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including most fungi and most bacteria, and prevent growth of other possible contaminants such as yeast and mold. 

Parabens are used as preservatives in many thousands of cosmetic, personal care, food and pharmaceutical products to which the human population is exposed. Beginning in 1998, studies in rats began to uncover that parabens had estrogenlike properties. Even though the findings uncovered a weak form of estrogen, it was there. Thus began the wave of media attention and debate.

At issue was the following critical point: If parabens can bind to estrogen receptors and cause an estrogenlike effect, will this contribute to the formation of cancerous cells? Most scientists agree that when ingested, parabens are metabolized and lose their ester group, making them mimic estrogen less strongly. But what happens when they are contained in topical products?

The Darbre study

In 2005, Dr. Phillipa Darbre’s, study on parabens found in cancerous breast tissue became a turning point for the causal relationship between breast cancer and parabens found in cosmetics. Her study reported that parabens were found in 18 of 20 samples of breast tumors, and indicated that they originated from something applied to the skin, the most likely candidates being deodorants, antiperspirants, creams, or body sprays.

But the researchers themselves noted some crucial facts: The study was small, there were no controls, normal breast tissue was not studied to determine comparative data, no other parts of the body were studied, and the source of the parabens was not identified – they could have been from food or medicines and not cosmetics.

It is important however to recognize that the presence of intact parabens in tumor tissue shows that these chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and accumulate in breast cancer tissue in their original form, without being degraded as what occurs when parabens are ingested.

You Eat More Parabens than You Apply

Parabens in numerous consumables, including fruits, vegetables and drinks are found in much higher concentrations than those in cosmetics. Some everyday items replete with parabens and endocrine disruptors include soybeans, carrots, peanuts, corn, strawberries, blueberries, black tea and green tea, to list only a few. Many of the parabens found naturally in foods do have an estrogenic effect when tested. Yet, parabens found in cosmetics are 100,000 times weaker than estradiol, the estrogen naturally produced by the body.

Supportive Findings

Many respected organizations—government and otherwise—have released findings supporting the idea that parabens in topical cosmetics are not a danger to consumers.

  • The ACS. The American Cancer Society (ACS) has concluded, based on its research findings, that there is not good science to support a claim that the use of parabens in cosmetics can increase an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer.
  • The FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began studying the effects of parabens in response to the outcry of their potential estrogenic effect and link to breast cancer. The FDA states that parabens are safe for use in cosmetics, and it also says that, based on the weight of all the current scientific evidence, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of products containing parabens.
  • The CIR. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an organization that reviews and assesses the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics in an open, unbiased and expert manner, consolidated more than 265 studies in The Journal of Toxicology that noted women’s daily cosmetic regimen using products that contain parabens caused no adverse reproductive effects and confirmed the safety of parabens.
  • SCANCOS. Because the issue of parabens is still a controversial one, the Scandinavian Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCANCOS) presented the latest round of studies regarding parabens in 2009. The goal was to determine if there was an estrogenic and harmful effect to humans from parabens. This study confirmed the results of a number of other research studies that concluded parabens are metabolized rapidly by the body and therefore cannot exhibit any adverse effects.

A study in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology claimed that, in order to obtain an estrogenic effect from parabens, which could be potentially harmful, the dosage would have to be 25,000 times higher than that used to preserve products.

Friendly Conclusion

The overall conclusion is that parabens are safe to use in cosmetic products at the concentrations generally used. When compared to most other preservatives, parabens have an excellent safety record.

Where do you stand on the paraben debate?

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