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Beauty Byte
Gangbangers Go Gruesome in the Name of Beauty
You might not want to read this story while eating your lunch. (And even if you're not chowing down, this news could make you sick to your stomach.) In a horrifying move seemingly plucked from the plot of Fight Club — you know where this is going — a gang in Peru has been killing people, draining the fat from the corpses , and attempting to sell it on the black market for use in cosmetics.
Police suspect that the fat in question was sold to European cosmetic companies, but there's been no solid confirmation so far.
Could Radiant Skin Be the Best Indicator of Beauty?
You know how we're always hearing that face symmetry indicates how attractive a person is perceived? There's even software available so that you can determine your own facial evenness. (As if we really need that.) Now, researchers are hinting that it could actually be facial radiance that determines beauty.
Australian Schools Let Companies "Teach" Makeup
I know that marketing in schools is nothing new, but a program in Australia is taking things to a new level. A program called Fashion Roll Call, which is sponsored in part by makeup brand NP Set Cosmetics, is touring all-girl schools around the country. Their goal is to educate girls in fashion and beauty industry careers by presenting a "lunch-time fashion parade" followed by makeup application tutorials taught by makeup artists who work for NP Set.
Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga Get Lippy
Following in the footsteps of people such as Ru Paul, Fergie, and Mary J. Blige, Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga are the next faces of the MAC AIDS Fund. Founded in 1994, the fund has raised more than $150 million to support AIDS research, treatment, and prevention initiatives.
Have Scientists Found a Way to Turn Back the Gray?
Did you ever think it might be possible to actually reverse gray hair, turning it back into the natural color it once was? It does sound rather outlandish — even fantastical — but according to scientists at L'Oréal's research and development center near Paris, the treatment could be just about 10 years away from coming to fruition.
"When hair goes gray, there is a progressive disappearance of the melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) from the hair.
Beauty Byte: You Can Inherit Skin Cancer
This isn't shocking, given the genetic component in so many diseases, but it's another piece of news to make you wear your sunscreen and ask if someone in your family has had skin cancer. Melanoma, as well as other skin cancer types, have been proven heritable. Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia found that if one twin in a set has melanoma, the other's risk increases 10 fold, while a fraternal twin's risk more than doubles if one has had it.
Nars Celebrates 15 Years With 15 Stars and a Book
When couples celebrate their 15-year anniversary, the traditional gift they might give their mate is crystal. But when François Nars celebrates his company's 15th anniversary, he makes a book, with all proceeds going straight to charities. And as you might expect, it's not your ordinary coffee-table publication.
Ads Finally Just Replace Content in a New Beauty Mag
In a story that, in another era, would perhaps have been a piece in The Onion instead of one in real life, Procter & Gamble is starting its own health and beauty mag called Rouge. Along with offering coupons, the magazine will be about 60 percent P&G "branded editorial coverage," meaning stories that advise you while also endorsing brands such as Cover Girl and Olay.
The surprising twist on this news is that when P&G was researching the viability of the idea, their studies showed that "80 percent of readers found Rouge to be comparable to fashion titles such as Marie Claire and Allure in 'quality and design.'" That's great news for Rouge, but yikes, what does that say about people's opinions of regular magazines these days?
The Sunscreen in Your Foundation May Not Actually Work
A lot of us rely on the sunscreen in our makeup to protect us during the day, but the Daily Mail is reporting that, in the UK at least, one in five cosmetics with SPF isn't up to par with the EU sunscreen guidelines and doesn't give any protection against UVA rays — the ones responsible for aging. Even more worrisome, the researchers also found that three out of four products weren't completely effective just two hours after application — meaning that if you put your foundation on in the morning, you're no longer protected by the time you take your lunchtime stroll. That also means reapplying your foundation four times in the course of a normal workday, which I think is just absurd.
After 30 Years, Prescriptives to Bid Adieu. Boo.
Well, this is a disappointment. After 30 years in the cosmetics business, Prescriptives — the makeup company known for its "colorprinting" approach to matching skin tones — will be shuttered by Jan. 31 of next year.
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