Further Information on Resveratrol

In our last post, we gave you some information on Resveratrol.  Since then, we’ve been asked for more information.  Well, more information on the way!  A new study white paper completely exploring resveratrol has been published, and it’s a fantastic document with informative links to outside sources and, we feel, is a fantastic source for information on the subject.  For example:

Resveratrol and Heart Disease:

Numerous in vitro and animal studies have supported the therapeutic potential of resveratrol in coronary heart disease. For example, a 2000 study in Taiwan (Hung et al.) showed that resveratrol’s antioxidant activity and the increase in nitrous oxide production it caused protected rats from arrhythmia (variation from the normal rhythm of the heartbeat) during ischemic reperfusion (the restoration of normal blood flow to an area experiencing obstruction of blood flow). In 2001, a study from the New York Medical College (Wu et al.) described the mechanisms that may enable resveratrol to protect the heart. Other studies have demonstrated that resveratrol can help lower levels of “bad cholesterol,” or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which causes atherosclerosis. A placebo-controlled Greek study in 2005 (Lekakis et al.), one of the few studies of resveratrol and CHD to use human subjects, demonstrated that an extract of red-grape polyphenols (including resveratrol) caused a significant improvement in cardiac endothelial function.

Resveratrol and Cancer

In describing the connection found between resveratrol and cancer, Brown says that high doses of resveratrol increase “the process of apoptosis or programmed cell death to remove cellular debris… high-dose resveratrol prevents cancers.” Apoptosis is defined as “a form of cell death in which a programmed sequence of events leads to the elimination of cells without releasing harmful substances into the surrounding area.” Sometimes called “cell suicide,” apoptosis enables the human body to replace something like one million cells per second. The process gets rid of old or unhealthy cells, as well as cells that are unnecessary; but to maintain health, it is critical that just the right amount of apoptosis should take place. In this way, a high dose of resveratrol prevents cancers by tipping the delicate balance of apoptosis and killing cancerous cells.

Resveratrol and Aging

It may be overly simplistic to say that resveratrol slows aging. However, there is mounting evidence that as a potent sirtuin activator, resveratrol is likely to be effective against one or more of the diseases that make aging difficult and unpleasant for many people. A person who is 80 years old, taking a resveratrol dosage prescribed by a doctor, and totally free of any of the “aging diseases,” might be living life with as much zest and energy as a person of 40! In such a case, that person might feel justified in insisting that resveratrol does slow aging.

Resveratrol and Alzheimer’s Disease

Ongoing research strongly supports the idea that for many diseases associated with aging – including Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s – resveratrol may have the potential to slow or stop disease progression. Such research also offers the possibility for developing powerful synthetic analogs – drugs based on resveratrol, and possessing resveratrol’s neuroprotective power. These analogs may provide us in the near future with a way to reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Resveratrol and Weight Loss

Although clinical trials in humans have not yet been conducted for resveratrol as a treatment for obesity, animal studies continue to suggest that resveratrol might assist in weight loss. If it mimics “the positive effect of calorie restriction” – read calorie-reduced dieting – and it also increases physical stamina, thus making it possible for overweight and obese individuals to exercise more… it certainly seems plausible that resveratrol could be beneficial in this way. Talk with your physician if you’re considering taking resveratrol for weight loss, as you would before taking any other non-prescription health preparation.

Resveratrol Supplements

If you’re careful about the resveratrol supplements you select; read the labels carefully and know what you’re looking for; and if you avoid being too credulous of the ads you’ll see on television and the World Wide Web, you should be able to locate high-quality resveratrol supplements. And if you take them as directed, you may find yourself feeling better, more energetic, and confident that you’re doing something that recent research shows to be beneficial and healthful.

Resveratrol and Quercetin

Some recent research has suggested that quercetin boosts resveratrol. Impressive as the effects of resveratrol may be alone, it seems they may be enhanced by working together with quercetin. Although resveratrol shows a high rate of absorption when taken orally, its bioavailability is relatively low, because it is metabolized and eliminated very rapidly. Several in vitro studies point to the flavonoid quercetin, which inhibits some of the enzymes that enable the conversion of resveratrol to its metabolites in the body. In addition, quercetin appears to prevent the sulphation (conversion to a salt of sulphuric acid) of resveratrol within the gut. Both of these actions increase the rate and amount of the compound that is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.

Although in depth studies of resveratrol have just begun, the excitement generated by this natural substance is increasing daily.  We will try to have more information on resveratrol as soon as possible.

Resveratrol and You

We’ve been looking at a relatively new natural substance called resveratrol.  After seeing videos on Good Morning America and reading up a bit on Wikipedia, we’ve found a lot of awesome benefits of this substance that we feel are beneficial to beauty and health in general.

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is an antioxidant plant chemical found in the skin and seeds of red, purple, and black grapes, as well as in some dark-colored berries, pomegranates, and peanuts.

Resveratrol and Anti-Aging

In certain animal studies, the use of red wine resveratrol has shown evidence of working with the enzymes in the human body to “kick in” and add energy to failing body processes, especially in the cases of aging blood cells, where this function slows considerably with age.

Resveratrol and Cancer

In a study by Lindsa Brown, conducted at Queensland University, found that “the process of apoptosis or programmed cell death to remove cellular debris… high-dose resveratrol prevents cancers.”  Although the study is still continuing, most researchers agree that the current evidence is very exciting.

Resveratrol And Weight Loss

In a study performed by Dr. David Sinclair on mice, resveratrol showed to have activated a gene in the mice that increased energy and promoted weight loss.

Research on resveratrol continues at the Harvard Medical School and other prestigious universities. If you are interested in resveratrol supplements and the potential benefits of resveratrol in your own body and your own life, it is most important that you research thoroughly all available options.

Kerastase and J Salon “Our Treat” Event

“Our Treat” was an unprecedented nationwide event that occured on May 20th, that offered hair aficionados the opportunity to indulge in a complimentary treatment and blow dry service at J Salon. This escape into the unique promise of Kerastase will include:

• Hair transformation with immediate, visible results
• The latest innovations from la Recherche Avance L’Oral
• Tailor-made treatments for every hair and scalp need
• Personalized hair and scalp diagnosis by trained stylists
• Comprehensive professional service for the ultimate salon experience

Since the brand’s debut in 1964, Kerastase has attracted a loyal following of clients thatdepend on the brand for its personalized approach to haircare.  Innovative, results-oriented formulas that transforms hair as been their trademark.

Tussled Locks in today’s Economy.

Awesome write up from the folks and Beautyvice on easy tussled locks.

Every woman knows her hair. Every woman can appreciate a good style that is both easy and affordable to maintain, these looks are for the single, the married and the moms. Easy on the pockets saving you the trouble of maintaining your split ends. Straight hair always draws more attention to fine details such as dry and split ends while curly natural looks help compensate for the time most women don’t have to upkeep their ends every 2-3 months for a routine trim. Simplicity and practicality are the dominating trend for 2009.

Spotlight On Kim Vo

To say that Kim Vo knows color is like saying Apple know ipods. Some of that knowledge is bound to come from his experience as a painter. But years of training at New York’s The Spot, and then moving on to some of the most exclusive salons on the west coast, like Cristophe and Privé, where he got to work figures like Hillary and Bill Clinton.

With celebrity clientele like Terri Hatcher, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and Pamela Anderson firmly in his roster, he opened B2V Salon in 2000, where he pioneered in-vogue techniques like American Tailoring and Hair Dusting.

Today, he’s a star in his own right. He’s authored hundreds of articles, and has appeared on Extreme Makeover, Daily 10, and Tease. But his work on Shear Genius has really set him apart.

Kim has recently released his own line of hair care products.

Kim Vo

Appearing in the August Edition of Allure Magazine, Kim has some really great picks and GOLDEN RULES for hair care.

Top Product Picks:

*Your colorists skills are worthless, says Vo, with the right bottles in your shower.

• Kerastase Luminous Softening Shampoo – Kim’s take “This gentle shampoo makes hair really shiny”
• Kim Vo Replenish Moisturizing Masque – Kim’s take “After you shampoo, work this in, them wait – I’ll step out and drink a cup of green tea- before rinsing”
• Nexxus Phyto Organics Canopy Thermal Protection – Kim’s take “This puts a barrier between hair and a hot tool.”
• Kim Vo Perfect Polish Dry Serum – Kim’s take “It’s great at taming flyaways.”
• John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze in Sheer Blonde – Kim’s take “Blondes should use this- gold tones fade in summer.”

Kim’s GOLDEN RULES

*Vo has celebrity clients that bounce from color to color until hair starts to break off.  “Starting with strong hair is my first rule,” he says.  But he’s got 4 more:

• Go Low – “Hair color fades faster in the summer, so I do half lowlights and half highlights to make sure it keeps tis dimension.  For blonds, mix in some caramel shades; for brunettes, try chestnut hues.”
• Learn the Lingo – “When conveying how thich you want your highlights, avoid subjective words like ‘natural’ or ‘bold.’  I like pasta analogies-truly.  My New York clients like highlights the width of angel-hair, my L.A. clients like spaghetti, and my Vegas clients like lasagna.  Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of fettuccine highlights around the part.”
• Take Cover – “I actually like facial sunscreen sprays for hair- they won’t weigh hair down.”
• Get to the Root – “If you need to touch up your roots, buy a hair color in your natural shade – not your highligted color- and smudge it on the roots for 30 seconds.  This will take the dullness off of the regrowth.”

*From INSIDER’S GUIDE in Allure - August 2008

Bumble And Bumble Curl Conscious

What do you do when you’ve got hard to manage curly hair?  You tame it with the Bumble And Bumble Curl Conscious line of course.  Bumble And Bumble specifially created the Curl Consious Products Line to deal with dry, frizzy or out of control curly hair.   They’ve even built a community site at www.curlconscious.com which is dedicated to those with curl hair.

Curl Conscience Community

The Curl Conscience Community has a manifesto which reads:

1. NO TWO CURLS ARE ALIKE.
2. We CELEBRATE curls for their dynamic, inherently unpredictable nature.
3. We are inspired by the fiercely curly; we recognize them as true trailblazers who have refused to adhere to the straight STATUS QUO.
4. We have crusaded to send ringlets down RUNWAYS and into PHOTO STUDIOS while others have opted for their curl-less counterparts.
5. We, as champions of better style for all, continue our COMMITMENT to raising style awareness within the curl community.
6. We will contribute more CURL CONSCIOUS stylists to the world so that curls remain in able hands.
7. We dedicate ourselves to developing a spectrum of tools and techniques that let the CURL COLLECTIVE escape the tyranny of straighteners (or blow-dryers, flat-irons, hats, hoods and other means of curl oppression).
8. It’s time to take on convertibles, rainy days, humid mornings and windy nights with BRAVE NEW CURLS, and for the curl collective to flaunt their individuality.

Some of the strongest curly hair care products are Bumble And Bumble Shampoo and Bumble And Bumble Conditioners such as:

Bb Curl Consciense Shampoo

Bumble And Bumble Curl Conscience Shampoo for Fine To Medium Hair

or

Bumble And Bumble Curl Conscience Medium Shampoo

Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Medium to Thick Shampoo and Conditioner Set

So don’t fret, curly hair control is comming soon.

AXE launches new hair care products for men

AXE has been know for it’s great body sprays, but they’ve branched out into another field where men need help.  Hair Care.   Why?  To help men.

AXE set out to prove to men that lack of attention to haircare and styling was a major turnoff to girls.  AXE conducted a national survey, which led to some pretty interesting results.  Basically, guys are clueless when it comes to what women find attractive.  The research shows that “Only 29 percent of guys think hair is very important when it comes to attracting a girl, two-thirds (63 percent) of girls say that guys with bad hair don’t understand that their hair makes a negative impression on girls.”

More from AXE:

AXE Hair includes:

Shampoos

• AXE Just Clean Shampoo provides a fresh scent and invigorating feel for a clean she’ll notice
• AXE De-Glue Shampoo + Scrub features rock crystals and removes the gunky product build-up blocking guys’ game
• AXE De-Poof Shampoo features a hydrating Kukui blend and deflates poofy hair to inflate guys’ appeal
• AXE Anti-Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner offers zinc-based dandruff control because girls don’t dig flakes
• AXE 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner combines cleansing and conditioning to speed up guys’ clean and their game

Conditioner

• AXE Just Soft Conditioner leaves hair so soft she won’t be able to keep her hands out of it

AXE Styling Products

• AXE Messy Look Paste gives hair a messy, just-out-of-bed look she’ll want to run her hands through
• AXE Spiked-Up Look Putty gives hair hold without all the hard crunch of gel that girls hate
• AXE Clean-Cut Look Pomade gives guys a girl-approved polished look without appearing wet
• AXE Shaggy Look Cream gives longer manes an easygoing look for hair she can’t resist

AXE Hair shampoos and conditioner are available at mass retail outlets for $4.99 for a 12-oz. bottle. AXE Hair styling aids are available at mass retail outlets for $5.99 for a 2.64-oz. jar; enough for 75 uses.

Since most men are as knowledgeable about haircare products as they are about the differences between Gucci and Pucci, AXE spells it out clearly for them.  Each product is named according to what it is supposed to accomplish: the shampoos feature names like “de-glue” and “de-poof” while the styling products are named according to the look they create from “shaggy” to “clean cut.”

And they’ve added a great video to prove the point.

Kerastase Partners with Cynthia Steffe

Kerastase and Cynthia Steffe have partnered together to create a set of luxury cosmetic cases to benefit Dress for Success®.

Dress for Success Worldwide is an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women located in 85 cities across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Netherlands and New Zealand. The professional clothing, employment retention programs and ongoing support that we provide our clients symbolize our faith in every woman’s ability to be self-sufficient and successful in her career.  from Dress for Success – Who We Are

One of the luxury cases from Kerastase and Cynthia Steffe

The three exclusive luxury cases will be available from participating retailers when you buy two or more products.  When this limited time offer is over, Kerastase will make a substantial donation to Dress For Success®

We’re Kinda-Sorta back.

A few of the banler employees have decided to keep blogging here.  You see, we keep loving beauty products and we’ve got a lot to share.  So stay tuned for some more blog posts coming soon.

Saying Goodbye

We’d like to thank all of our customers and fans for the all the help and support you’ve given us throughout our time here on the net.  We where very happy at providing luxury beauty product.   Someday you might see us again, who knows?

All the BEST!

banler