As we head on into the weekend we thought we’d get you in a weekend spa mood by sharing more interviews from the 2009 Face & Body Expo. So far we’ve shared our interviews with Danielle Farnan of GoSmile and Lisbeth Boger of Eminence Organic Skin Care. Next up are Sanitas Skincare and Sparitual.
Josie Dembikzak of Sanitas Skincare talked to us about the importance of having good skin and how it comes from the inside out. Sanitas skincare has both nutritional and topical skincare products. And we got to throw back a couple of shots (no, they didn’t contain alcohol) with Josie, check it out:
In the video below, Anya Whisenhunt of Sparitual shares with us the Sparitual philosophy of creating eco-friendly products, and she talks about a few of their vegan products from nail polish to bath salts. Sparitual nail care and spa product formulations are naturally colored and free of unhealthy ingredients such as synthetic dyes, formaldehyde and toluene, which are common ingredients found in most mainstream nail polish brands.
Sanitas has not jumped on the social media bandwagon and does not have a twitter handle or Facebook fan page (maybe after reading this they will engage). However, we did find an active Sparitual Facebook fan page and a Twitter handle (@SpaRitual), but no tweets. I suspect that the company didn’t create the Twitter handle. However, they should claim it because they have lots of customers and fans talking about them on Twitter.
The next time you’re at the spa, perhaps this weekend, ask about Sanitas Skincare and Sparitual.
A few weeks ago we shared our interview with Danielle Farnan of GoSmile from the 2009 Face & Body Expo. Next up is Lisbeth Boger of Eminence Organic Skin Care. Boger shares with us the history of Eminence, how they make their organic skin care products and she shows us the Sour Cherry Whip Moisturizer, which is great for those who have large pores and want to reduce pore size.
Eminence is a Hungarian company that handpicks only the finest organic ingredients for its products. What sets it apart from mainstream skin care brands is that Eminence products are not mass-produced and are made by hand in small batches without any heating or hydrogenating processes. This keeps the integrity and efficacy of the ingredients.
Another unique aspect is that they take a farmers market approach in that they come out with new products every three months, which makes sense since fruits and vegetables are seasonal. If you’re going to eat seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, why not also use seasonal fresh organic skin care, too. Because what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body.
Eminence is a very popular skin care line for those who want a higher end organic line that produces results. They have products for all skin types and have a wide range of products. Since it’s a professional skin care line it’s only sold in spas and salons. To find out where you can buy Eminence in your area, visit their site at http://eminenceorganics.com.
Sadly, they are not a brand that’s hip to social media and do not have a twitter handle, nor do they have much activity on Facebook or other social networking sites. Hopefully, they will soon engage in the social economy because they sure have a lot of fans (their booth was packed); but until then, check them out at the Eminence Web site and watch our interview with Lisbeth.
And lastly, we have to say that Eminence wins for cutest booth because the booth was an adorable fruit stand surrounded by great smelling cleansers, moisturizers and scrubs. The products smelled so good that we could almost taste the fruit in them.
Last year the FitBit debuted at the 2008 TechCrunch 50. I read about it and instantly wanted one. This little gadget would help me with my neverending (and seemingly fruitless) quest for weight loss. Before I tell you about it, let me tell you about how I just now got my hands on one. I have a definite case of “early adopter syndrome.” Knowing this, my husband immediately pre-ordered a FitBit for me last September, assuming it would be a Christmas present. The FitBit date was pushed back multiple times (birthday, Valentine’s, Easter, anniversary) until he finally presented me with it yesterday. (“Happy, um Sweetest Day, honey!”)
It’s hardware, which always takes longer than software to create. Additionally, they’ve apparently had some firmware issues along the way that they were unable to reproduce consistently. But on Tuesday it arrived in the mail – one for each of us actually – in a very tiny package.
The FitBit itself is about the size of a USB stick. This has me a little nervous, because although the FitBit can actually be clipped to my clothing, I have a superpower for losing USB sticks. Cross your fingers I don’t lose this.
The FitBit monitors my steps – yep, it’s a high-end pedometer with a fancy blue OLED. But additionally, it monitors how many calories I’m burning and, most intriguingly, it monitors my sleep habits. You place the FitBit in a soft wrist pouch while you sleep and it tracks when you’re awake and when you’re getting the most sleep and how much. I’ve only done this one night, but I apparently woke up 15 times throughout the course of the night and ended up getting about 7 hours sleep despite being in bed for 9 hours. Consistent sleeping habits are key for weight loss and I’ve never really been able to monitor my own before.
How does all this information get shared? The FitBit comes with a tiny wireless base station. If I’m anywhere near it, the FitBit transmits my latest information, which is then uploaded automatically to FitBit.com. At any point in my day, I can log onto my account and view my progress. The site itself is reminiscent of Weight Watchers online. You can enter information into a daily food journal, as well as add specific activities. In my case, the FitBit knew I’d taken rapid steps for an hour, but I was able to specifically adjust the calories burned for ballroom dancing. Of course, there’s also a weight tracker and a few other tracking charts.
How does all this help you lose weight? It is, after all, a fancy pedometer. Well, it makes you very aware of your habits. By being more aware of how many calories you’re burning per day, even with regular movement, you can more easily figure out what changes you need to make to get healthier. Will it work? Well, I’ve only had the FitBit a few days. In fact, as you’re reading this, I’m on vacation, walking around the Epcot Food & Wine Festival at Disney World in Florida. After wearing the FitBit through vacation (and hopefully not losing it), I’ll report back and let you know.
The FitBit is finally available and retails for $99, including use of the web site. You can, however, use the web site without purchasing a FitBit.
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Cheers!
Tweet Michelle @writetechnology, send her technology news at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, visit her wine blog when you’re thirsty, and drop by her day job.
We attended this year’s Face & Body Expo to see the latest and greatest in lotions, potions and more! Although the show was aimed at salon and shop owners, most companies were more than happy to chat with us and show us their goods. First up is GoSmile, where we tested several products on and off camera including their Touch Up ampoules, FlashLites Smile Touch ups and AM/PM Toothpaste duo.
GoSmile differentiates itself from the pack by eliminating the pain and “mess” that usually comes along with teeth whitening. Here’s my assessment of the items I tested:
Touch Up ampoules: I tested original mint flavored ampoules and my first thought was that they’re not very minty. Other than that, I like how the ampoule makes it easy to put the solution on all of your teeth and on some more than others if needed. It’s not messy and or goopy and can be done after lunch and then just left on. Very easy and there was no pain after using them for the week.
FlashLites Smile Touch ups: These were very similar to the Touch Ups, but are more for “instantly erase everyday stains caused by coffee, red wine and more, before they set.” Great to keep in your purse or car.
AM/PM Toothpaste Duo: I’ve been using the same toothpaste for awhile now, so these tasted very strange at first, but I did get used to them. The best way I can describe it is that they taste more herbal-y. The AM is formulated with essential oils including lemon, lime, orange, and mandarin, and is infused with peppermint. The PM has essential oils like chamomile and lavender, valerian root, and a dash with vanilla. Sounds more like a recipe than a toothpaste, but they both contain white cranberry extract (to whiten) and fluoride to prevent decay.
On a recent episode of my favorite guilty pleasure, What Not to Wear, makeup artist Carmindy recommended sugar as a daily facial scrub. Yes, the kind often used to stabilize rocky tables. So, I decided to try it out and compare it to some other facial scrubs – one drug store brand and one higher-end scrub. Let the games begin!
C&H Pure Cane Sugar
Price: Cheap
Trial: First up is sugar. This is the brand we have for coffee, etc. so I went with that. On the show, she just added a little bit of water to make it into more of a paste and voila! I used about half of a packet for my whole face and I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. It was grittier than I realized, which I prefer – a scrub should scrub in my opinion. It left my skin incredibly soft and fresh feeling. The only downside for me is that it’s totally fragrance free, but if you get a little in your mouth it certainly doesn’t taste like a normal scrub or face wash.
St. Ives Apricot Scrub
Price: Typically $4-$5
Trial: Although I do appreciate the new packaging, I’m not a huge fan of this scrub. I actually prefer it as a body scrub. It does the trick and leaves skin feeling pretty smooth, but it’s missing that “wow” factor for me.
C.O. Bigelow Brown Sugar Crystal Face Polish
Price: $19.50
Trial: This scrub has the best scent by far, which I think is partially because of the strawberry seeds (0.03%). I would recommend it if you have dry skin as it has a thicker consistency and can also be used as a mask. The exfoliants/granules are not always perfectly round though and can feel a bit sharp on the face, but it’s very soothing overall.
Now, drumroll please…the winner is…sugar! I was a little shocked by my decision since I’m usually drawn towards fancy packaging, but for the price and results, I don’t think it can be beat. So go ahead and ask your neighbor for a cup – just don’t tell them what it’s for.
