Monday, April 26, 2010

Raising the Bar - NYT Style

Our feature in the 4/5 issue of the New York Times Style magazine:

Samurai Shopper | By S.S. FAIR | April 5, 2010


Anyone out there remember soap? The Samurai Shopper does, and admits a sentimental affection for soap’s plain-Jane properties. Soap may not be the most voluptuous product you’ve ever used, but it is efficient, disposable, a marvel of minimalism. I, like many others, traded up to fancy-pants facial gels, foams and creams that smell expensive — and are. But washing with emulsions of Meyer lemon or fig makes me think: what do figs smell like anyway, and should I smell like one?

The Samurai Shopper won’t revert to gratuitous, self-mortifying austerities even now, but a bar of soap seems tempting, especially when packing for a trip. Watch me clumsily funnel product into teeny bottles, cursing those who’ve made air travel liquid-lite. And I share the melancholy in my native land: people pining for their what-me-worry past when beauty began and ended at the bathroom sink. Grab soap, wash face, pat dry, move on. It’s a Doris Day movie.

Of course, soap, along with hygiene, had barbarous beginnings and is still possessed of a crude alchemy: fatty acids — melted-down animal fat, usually beef — treated with sodium salts extracted from lye. (That’s sodium tallowate in mass-market parlance.) Cheap soaps do banish dirt; the trouble is they mess up the skin’s pH (acid/alkali) balance, which keeps skin supple.

We’ve bought the propaganda that all soap is bad from the neck up, but that’s a crock. Fine soaps use plant-based oils that have less detergent and are less drying. My face likes olive-oil-based soaps from Castile in Spain and Marseille in France that have been around for centuries. They’re mostly fragrance-, preservative- and animal-fat-free. They also have history and provenance. Whole Foods has a bevy of modern bars made the old-fashioned way that clean, exfoliate, brighten and moisturize with pure oils and butters, plus the occasional shot of milk, vitamins and herbal essences.

Mountain Ocean’s Skin Trip — under $5 — is ridiculously good for face, hair and body; use it and save up for the higher-priced spreads that stay on your face all day and night. Though I can’t claim any Nubian Heritage, that brand’s Carrot & Pomegranate and Coconut & Papaya Soap With Vanilla Beans (both $3.80) are superfatty, supergentle. One With Nature’s Almond Soap — under $5 — is invigorating. Ditto Alaffia’s Shea Butter & Goat’s Milk Daily Toning Facial Soap at about $4 — in travel-friendly three ounces.

Unless you have serious dermatological issues, dry-skin panic is just that. After washing your face, you know the drill: apply serums and emollient creams, and you’ll seal in moisture and replenish oils. And if you don’t do this, why not? New Yorkers with supersensitive skin and a 21st-century conscience can support local business with a perfect soap from 3Lab, based in Englewood, N.J. It’s called One Perfect Soap ($15), and it is. The Brooklyn-based McBride Beauty gets respect for its Soy & Coconut Cleansing Bar ($12), with six elementary ingredients.

Less-than-perfect soaps can leave a film that doesn’t wash off readily in hard water, ergo the dreaded “soap scum.” But whatever your water’s texture, Erno Laszlo’s devotees can work it. Laszlo’s iconic Sea-Mud soap ($39) has ruled the roost since Garbo, the Duchess of Windsor and Marilyn Monroe were clients. Washing with Laszlo soaps means following his splashing technique: 20 rinses with soapy water (formerly 30), plus 10 in clear water. A tad boot-camp-ish but not silly, since rinsing well removes soap scum and rinsing some more adds insurance.

Animal-righters are missing a real gem in Lanolin Agg-Tval Eggwhite Soap from Sweden. A single bar from New London Pharmacy ($4.50) used with Jane Iredale’s Magic Mitt ($15) will astound. The Magic Mitt removes makeup without cleansers — hence, magic — but I’d rather lather Agg-Tval, then circle with the Mitt to loosen any embedded debris.

Clinique’s Facial Soap ($11) is a staple in its lineup, but I’m not a believer. Clarins’s $15 soap is unremarkable, too, but both are bargains compared with Sisley Paris’s Phyto-Pâte Moussante Soapless Gentle Foaming Cleanser, at $105. In between are lush, handmade, triple-milled possibilities that raise the bar on soaps of yesteryear. So come clean. Admit it: A soap bar is easy, and the only thing it strips away is the fussiness of skin care.


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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Cured by Common Condiments

This was an article I saw in AMNY last week, and I found it so interesting that I had to tell you guys about it!

"Who knew all those little extras we keep on hand to give our food a boost may have some serious health benefits? New research shows that certain spices, herbs and spreads not only ramp up flavor but also help curb overeating, ease digestion, prevent disease, and fight aging. Here, Prevention [Magazine] Editor-In-Chief Liz Vaccariello fills us in on a few to have on hand, with tips from the magazine's May issue, on newsstands now.





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Friday, April 16, 2010

We're on YouTube!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that we are now consistently adding content to our YouTube channel! A few weeks ago, we posted a special about the product we own which once belonged to Marilyn Monroe. The ones we show were found in her home in Brentwood where she died, and are a real treasure. We definitely feel lucky to have them! Additionally, we have started posting weekly Beauty Chats, where everyone in the Laszlo office will have the opportunity to discuss their favorite products, routines, etc. We are also open to suggestions or questions from anyone out there, so don't be shy!

We will also be posting videos of special events with which we participate, key members of the Laszlo family, and anything else we can think of. We'd really appreciate your subscriptions to our channel!!

To entice all of you a bit, here's the first in our Beauty Chat series, with my good friend Jackie talking about her daily ritual. Remember, there's more where that came from!



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Thursday, April 8, 2010

Food for Thought!

Leading dermatologists have been saying more and more often that diet affects not just the overall health of your body, but also the health of your skin. While eating properly is not the only measure one needs to take when pursuing radiant skin, we would never discourage healthy behavior! To that end, here are some of the top foods that can help to benefit your skin!

1. Avocado



Avocados are chock-full of essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin B3. Vitamin E is key here, as it is known to fight off free radicals from smoke, pollutants, and overexposure to sunlight. It is also a powerful moisturizer, which helps to stave off fine lines and wrinkles. Who doesn't want that?!

2. Fruits High in Antioxidants



These fruits would include blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and plums. I mention these in particular because they have been shown to have the highest concentrations of antioxidants out of any fruit out there. Like vitamin E, antioxidants are also capable of fighting off age-inducing free radicals. They also protect skin cells from beginning to disintegrate, so be sure to load up on these!

3. Almonds



As with avocados, almonds and other nuts are filled to the brim with vitamin E. Also, they're delicious with other healthy foods such as oatmeal and stir-fry. I honestly don't think you can go wrong here!

4. Low-Fat Dairy



Along with being a leading source of proteins, milk and other low-fat dairy products are high in vitamin A content, the benefits of which are many-fold. Vitamin A helps to regulate digestion, ensuring that nutrients ingested with other foods with be metabolized effectively, benefiting the skin and all other areas of the body. Furthermore, vitamin A has been shown to reduce the appearance of existing fine lines and wrinkles, both topically and orally.

5. Healthy Oils (ie. Olive Oil)



Oils such as olive oil are rich in essential fatty acids, which deliver such benefits as reducing inflammation, eliminating acne, moisturizing skin cells, reducing cellulite, increasing moisture, and softening the skin. They do, however, have high amounts of fat and calories, so doctors recommend that you limit oil consumption to two tablespoons per day.

6. Whole Wheats



Whole wheats contain high amounts of a mineral known as selenium. This mineral acts as a damage preventative; studies have shown that skin exposed to excess sunlight but tempered with high amounts of selenium have been less damaged than skin lacking it. Taken the right way, selenium helps to prevent both sunburns and skin cancers.

7. Green Tea



Green Tea is probably the best thing anyone could drink if they're concerned about their skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties, prevents cancer, and contains a ton of antioxidants. Seriously, it can't be beaten.

8. Water



One word on this one: Hydration!