“Consumers and salon workers should be able to trust labels that claim products are free of toxic chemicals, but this report shows that’s just not the case,” said Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D., senior scientist with Environmental Working Group. “Salons shouldn’t expose clients or employees to substances that could have profound health effects on themselves or their children.”

Though several labels said “non-toxic,” investigators with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control found dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde, commonly called “the toxic trio,” present in several of the 25 randomly-chosen nail polishes from 6 distributors that sell to many of the 48,000 salons in California.

According to the state’s report, 10 of 12 polishes that claimed to be free of toluene contained the substance. It helps give polishes a flat and even finish and keeps the color from separating in the bottle. Even low levels of toluene can, if inhaled, cause nausea, memory and hearing loss and weakness.

Five of seven of the products that claimed to be free of all three chemicals were found to contain one or more of the chemicals at elevated levels, according to investigators.

In November 2000, EWG researchers surveyed a number of cosmetics products for toxic ingredients and discovered 37 nail polishes from 22 companies contained dibutyl phthalate, also known as DBP, a plasticizer that increases the flexibility and shine of the polish. In September 2000, researchers at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that all 289 persons tested for DBP carried the compound in their bodies. Dibutyl phthalate causes a number of birth defects in lab animals, primarily in male offspring. These defects include testicular atrophy, reduced sperm count, and abnormalities in the structure of the penis.

Women of childbearing age appeared to receive the highest exposures to DBP. Estimates based on data published by CDC researchers in October 2000 indicate that DBP exposures for 3 million women of childbearing age may be up to 20 times greater than for the average person. Children born to these women would receive considerable exposure while in the womb, undergoing the most sensitive period of growth and development.

The third chemical to make up the “toxic trio” is formaldehyde, labeled a known human carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Federal and state authorities have warned salon employees and clients against exposure to formaldehyde-based hair straighteners. In nail products, formaldehyde acts as a hardener and a preservative. Exposure to formaldehyde damages lung tissue and can cause asthma.

“Whether cosmetics products are mislabeled or not, the truth is many personal care products are delivering a number of highly suspicious chemicals into our bodies,” said Sutton. “The industry is largely unregulated, allowing cosmetics companies to use any mix of chemicals they choose. Professional products found in salons are not required to provide consumers with even the most basic information on their ingredients.”

While many will enter this contest, one talented vlogger will have the chance to win* and their video will be featured on the Destination Beauty channel in the company of 10 of the Internet’s most popular beauty vloggers. The contest has officially kicked off and runs through February 29th 2012. One lucky beauty aficionado will also enjoy a trip for two to New York City for some pampering at L’Oreal USA and a year’s supply of L’Oreal Paris cosmetic, hair care, hair color and skincare products to support their “how-to” video efforts.

Top Destination Beauty vlogger Kandee Johnson is a former Hollywood makeup artist who started making online “how-to” tutorial videos because of her love of all things beauty. Today she is a YouTube sensation and one of Destination Beauty’s most widely viewed personalities.

“It is such an honor to represent all of the Destination Beauty vloggers to kick off this contest with L’Oreal Paris!” said Johnson. “Makeup has always been a true passion of mine and my fans tell me that learning how to do certain looks doesn’t only make them look good, but it makes them feel confident too.”

“I’m thrilled that Destination Beauty is expanding the roster of people who love to do beauty tutorials. This is such a huge opportunity to share tips and tricks and make women everywhere feel more confident and really feel beautiful,” explained Johnson. “A little makeup and hair can bring out the inner beauty in a person that has just been waiting to come out – and I love that!”

For those gurus who think they have what it takes, time to sharpen your eyeliner and take notes on the criteria and requirements necessary to help your video submission(s) stand out from the rest.

As both men and women become more tuned-in to their skin’s appearance, there is a boom with those over 25 paying closer attention to their skin’s moisturizing and anti-aging needs. Irritation from harsh weather of the winter months, daily shaving routines or anti-aging treatments, is quickly alleviated through a strong elixir of ingredients such as Hydromanil™, and Vitamins C and E. Dry Erase works immediately to leave skin visibly more radiant, deeply hydrated and positively ageless.

“With the launch of Dry Erase Ultra-Calming Face Cream, we’re providing a potent moisturizer that can easily fit into any no-nonsense routine,” said Patricia Finn, Vice President of Marketing.

Key Ingredients:

• Hydromanil™ (10%): Shows up to 21% increase in immediate moisturizer actions after 4 hours and with continued use, 12.5% in long-lasting moisturizer action after 3 weeks*
• Aloe Vera Leaf Juice (10%): A natural emollient with hydrating, softening and anti-inflammatory properties.
• SymRelief™ (.2%): Naturally combats irritation and redness caused by environmental and chemical damage.
• Rice Bran Extract: A super antioxidant that naturally provides soothing and smoothing benefits to skin
• Vitamins C & E: Potent antioxidants that help repair environmental damage and discourage collagen degradation.

The PureScience® formula is dermatologist tested and locks in nature’s best elements, agreeable for even the most sensitive skin, using certified organic ingredients with no fragrance, parabens or colorants. Jack Black Dry Erase Ultra-Calming Face Cream retails for $38.00 (2.5 oz tube) and is available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and getJackBlack.com.

The Scalp Rescue range (seven products retailing for $13 – $20) is unique because it performs across the spectrum of all hair types, ethnicities and offers amazing help for scalp problems. Launched in 2005 the salon-quality products with unisex scent exclude petrochemicals often found in other “natural” salon products like polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or silicone. Its proprietary organic herbal base is excellent for helping with scalp issues and organic macadamia, shea butter and olive oil nourish hair and scalp to make it a winning range for all.

“Salon owners and stylists are increasingly aware of possible hidden dangers of ingredients in products they use all day every day,” said Dave Karlak, President of MGA. “We encourage salons and stylists to test our Scalp Rescue products with their customers and come clean. Every day I hear from salons that our Scalp Rescue products have become their go-to products because they work across the board and often exceed the performance of conventional products.”

Julie Ebner, owner of award-winning Juju Salon and Organics in Philadelphia, has used Max Green Alchemy products in her salon for nearly seven years because “pure ingredients, price point, excellent styling capabilities and its ability to work with literally every hair type and hair condition. It’s my top selling product range 4 years running.”

Stefania Buonomo, owner of Metro Salon, Rochester, NY, exclaims, “We love MGA! Our salon is passionate about an all-natural approach to beauty and MGA dovetails perfectly with our philosophy. It works wonders on all hair types – leaving the hair shiny, healthy and easy to manage. We’ve seen incredible results with clients with problematic scalp conditions. In many cases we’ve been able to restore scalp health using MGA shampoo, conditioner and styling products. All told, MGA is one of our biggest sellers.”

With the help of Suave Professionals® Keratin Infusion System, Richie will be red-carpet ready starting at the first award show in January through the last. Consumers will have a chance to see first-hand how easy and manageable Richie’s red carpet look can be with the new Suave Professionals^® Keratin Infusion™ System. “One of my biggest red carpet rules is making sure my head-to-toe look is perfect, and that includes one of the most important elements of style – the hair,” says Richie. “With the new Suave Professionals^® Keratin Infusion™ System, I can get a manageable and smooth look all night!” From prepping with the Suave Professionals^® Keratin Infusion™ Smooth & Shine Serum to freshening her look throughout the night with Suave Professionals^® Keratin Infusion™ Dry Shampoo, Richie knows that her look will stay smooth and manageable throughout the night.

“Working closely with the Suave Professionals® Celebrity Stylists and our Research and Development team, we’ve not only unlocked the secret to smooth, beautiful hair with the help of keratin but we’ve also made it  available at an affordable price,” says David Rubin, Unilever Marketing Director, Hair, U.S. “With the Keratin Infusion™ System, we are thrilled that Suave Professionals® continues to move to the next level with top performing products and we look forward to delivering on consumers’ needs with more exciting product developments.”

In order to help all women discover the benefits of keratin, Richie has teamed up with Suave Professionals® to give away 50,000* Suave Professionals® Keratin Infusion™ products. Women can log on to the Suave Beauty Facebook page for a chance to win. With eight different products in the system, there is a product for everyone and can easily be found by taking the “Is This Product Right for Me” quiz on the Facebook page.  In addition, women can read more about Richie’s personal experience with the product line and see how she achieves salon-quality style for the red carpet with Suave Professionals^®. Consumers can also log on to check out behind-the-scenes footage from Richie’s Keratin Infusion™ shoot, view how-to videos with the Suave Professionals® Celebrity Stylists and more.  And, starting in February, Richie will be inviting women to join the Keratin Collective and share how their look has transformed to sleek, more manageable perfection. By sharing their transformation stories, women can enter for the chance to win a fabulous trip for two to celebrate their gorgeous new look. To top it off, Suave Professionals® will donate $10,000 to the Richie Madden Children’s Foundation, so by liking the SuaveBeauty Facebook page, consumers can support the foundation and celebrate their style transformations.

Consumers have trusted the Suave brand for over 70 years and it’s used regularly in over half of American households, more than any other brand in the U.S.  And with the new Keratin Infusion™ line, consumers can say “goodbye” to frizzy, unmanageable hair and discover this new transformational power of salon-inspired range of products formulated to transform hair into sleek, smooth perfection. Formulated with unique Keralock™ Technology, this breakthrough products condition hair and make it easier to style. Suave Professionals® Keratin Infusion™ is proven to work as well as top salon brands, so now consumers can get all the benefits of keratin at home.  The collection features eight products, including the Keratin Infusion™Dry Shampoo, Smooth & Shine Serum, and the 30 Day Smoothing Kit. Women can log onto Facebook.com/SuaveBeauty to take the Keratin Infusion™ ”Is It Right For Me?” quiz to see if the kit is right for their hair.

The line, which currently includes 16 specially formulated products for skin, hair and body, is grounded in a philosophy and approach that utilized only well researched and substantiated ingredients in each product, the result of several years of development and refinement. Nutritious vegetable oils, rich exotic butters, specially selected botanicals and enhancing essential oils are combined with performance proven skin actives and antioxidants to create a healthy and balanced approach to skin care that positions Aesthete among the highest quality skin, hair and body care lines available on the market today.

As an added bonus, salon owners who request a copy of the information pack will receive Custom Airbrush Solution’s report: “The Seven Most Common Mistakes Salon Owners Make” absolutely free.

“The Natural Glow Special Information Pack is our proven formula for running a successful sunless tanning business. The information contained in the pack provides salon owners with everything they need to know about Natural Glow Sunless Tanning products and addresses the challenges of running a sunless tanning business head-on,” noted Jeff Ellis, CEO of Custom Airbrush Solution (www.naturalglowsunless.com/).

More than just a product distributor, Custom Airbrush Solution provides ongoing support, training and sales and marketing assistance to all of their clients. The company is currently running a Special New Year’s Offer of $25 off all spray tan gallons. The offer runs through January 31, 2012.

“Our products speak for themselves which is why the pack contains testimonials from our own clients. Salon owners can hear from the product users directly. With the promotion we’re running, our 12 month equipment warranty and our 13 month solution guarantee, salon owners have nothing to lose and only business to gain by contacting us,” explained Ellis.

About Custom Airbrush Solution And Natural Glow Sunless Tanning Products: Offered by Custom Airbrush Solution HQ International, Natural Glow Sunless Tanning Products (http://www.naturalglowsunless.com/) are a high quality and cost effective tanning solution used by more than 1,000 airbrush tanning business owners worldwide. More than 18 years of experience in the tanning industry has allowed custom airbrush solution to offer extremely personalized training and service, to help spray tanning businesses and tanning salon owners find success.

Metamorphosis Day Spa in NYC, like many other spas, are catering to those special needs that arise every year around this time. Right now they are offering an additional 40% off some of their services that will make a difference in how your body and skin will feel this winter. Winter specials include a variety of facials and massage therapies that will target those body and skin issues that will relieve the stress that has built up in the body following the holidays as well as make the skin healthier and more resilient in the weather that can do a lot of damage to the skin. Specials start at $95. Facial services include complimentary use of Emerge Labs products such as their Daily Defense SPF 30, Moist 24 Hydrating Moisturizer, Purifying Mask and Tea Tree Scrub and more!

The company’s U.S., European and South Pacific markets begin the rollout this month with the introduction of the ageLOC Galvanic Body Spa system, while Japan and Korea are both launching ageLOC R2 (R-squared). The products will continue to roll out in additional markets with ageLOC R2 (R-squared) set to launch in the company’s Greater China and Southeast Asia markets later this year.

“We are proud to present the latest in ageLOC innovation to our customers and distributors as we continue to solidify our position as a global leader in the anti-aging industry,” said Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer of Nu Skin. “As we launch these new ageLOC products in the United States, Japan, Korea, Europe and South Pacific this month, we continue to see great consumer demand for the ageLOC Galvanic Body Spa and ageLOC R2 (R-squared) and expect the momentum to continue to build through the year.”

Both the ageLOC Galvanic Body Spa system and ageLOC R2 (R-squared) were developed utilizing Nu Skin’s proprietary ageLOC science that enables the company to identify unique groups of genes specific to the aging process, called Youth Gene Clusters (YGC), and then target and reset them to more youthful patterns of activity. Previous products born out of Nu Skin’s exclusive ageLOC science include the ageLOC Galvanic Spa and Gels for the face and the Nu Skin ageLOC® Transformation daily skin care system. The ageLOC super class of anti-aging products has proven to be a tremendous success for Nu Skin, generating sales of more than $700 million over the past three years.

“Our ageLOC scientific approach has brought us to this moment where we can offer people the ageLOC super class of anti-aging products, and our sales are just more proof of how effective people find these products,” said Joe Chang, Ph.D., Nu Skin chief scientific officer. “What’s more, we believe we have yet to even scratch the surface on what ageLOC is truly capable of in terms of anti-aging science. While we celebrate the introduction of these products, and our recent acquisition of LifeGen Technologies and their more than thirty years of anti-aging genetic research, we are also greatly looking forward to the innovation that lies ahead.”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a doctor around when you want her? Someone you could trust and call on, like a best girlfriend? Someone who would share her priceless insights with you and tell you knowledgeably (but gently) what you need to know and when/if you’re ready for a tune-up? Dr. Michelle Yagoda is that doctor.

Keep Dr. Yagoda close at hand wherever you go.  As interactive as the reader wants it to be, DrYagoda.com can be read when you’re curled up by the fire alone with an iPad, or when you’re out with a group of friends.  Organized by parts of the face (from brows, eyes, neck, and more in the facial plastic surgery section to ears, nose, throat, head and neck in the ENT section), this v-book is a well-organized precious resource for anyone seeking a surgeon’s unique integrative take on beauty, health and wellness.

Distinctively practicing an integrative approach to beauty, health and wellness since 1995, Dr.  Michelle Yagoda was trained in Facial Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology (ears, nose and throat) medicine and surgery at New York City’s finest hospitals. Dr. Yagoda believes that beauty is the external reflection of inner health and wellness, and she understands how structure and function of the face, neck, and voice are interrelated with aesthetics.

Whether it’s the synthesis of ENT with facial plastic surgery, or uniting the talents of a voice doctor, vocal coach, singing teacher, and speech pathologist to function as a voice care team, or integrating the science of Western medicine with mind-body practices, Dr. Yagoda believes that more expertise translates into optimal health, extraordinary aesthetic results, and yes, total wellness. With DrYagoda.com, knowledge is power!

What are you waiting for?  The doctor will see you NOW!