Reposting how to Enter the Summer Blog Tour Giveaway… date of drawing, July 21st July 14, 2010

Hello all,

Living my MoMent is featuring a 60 day blog tour this summer.  I think we’re about halfway through the blog tour, so there’s still plenty of time for you to check it out.  Most of the small businesses featured are giving away some really great gifts throughout the blog tour.  Check it out here:

http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour

Now for the second Golden Standard Gift Set (winner chosen on July 21st, 1st winner of these two giveways was chosen June 12th).  If you want to enter for your chance to win a second fabulous Golden Standard Gift Set from Return to Eden Cosmetics, please:

1) e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com with subject line Enter Summer Blog Tour Giveaway and tell me which of the following (step 2) you are doing (yes, this does mean you get one additional entry for each additional thing you do from the list…so you can get up to ten entries in the drawing pool)

2) AND, do one of the following (each one of these gains you an additional entry, please let me know in your e-mail which you’ve done):

• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Fort-Collins-CO/Return-to-Eden-Cosmetics-LLC/195425233430?ref=ts&__a=8&ajaxpipe=1
• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Twitter:  @returntoedencos

• Schedule and receive a facial with Luminous Skinn, 140 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 970-493-0362 between now and July 20th
• Buy some product (Return to Eden, of course), from the website or from Luminous Skinn (address above) between now and July 20^th
• Comment on ANY of my blog posts: www.returntoedencosmetics.wordpress.com

• Schedule a Return to Eden Cosmetics party (driving distance only, please…i.e. Denver or closer to Fort Collins, between now and July 20^th – date of party can be anytime, does NOT have to be before July 20^th, but the date of booking MUST be before July 20^th –e-mail returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com if interested)
• Review ANY of our products (send review to returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com)
• Have a friend buy some product between now and July 20th
• Comment at http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour
• If you own your own business, blog about Return to Eden Cosmetics,… yes, I offer samples for review…again, between now and July 20th (please include a link to the blog in your e-mail)

For each of these 10 bullet points, receive an additional entry into the drawing for the Golden Standard Gift Set to be given away on July 21st (that’s right, you can receive up to 10 entries into the drawing for this gift set)

Just remember to e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com to tell me which of these 10 actions you have completed.

For those of you who don’t live close enough to book a party or have a facial at Luminous Skinn, pitch Return to Eden Cosmetics to ALL of your friends – I’ll allow one entry for each friend (up to 3) who purchases Return to Eden Cosmetics products for the out-of-range folks between now and July 20th (to even your odds against those who have the chance to host a party and receive a facial).

Oh no! I forgot the sunscreen!! July 11, 2010

Now that we are in the full swing of summer, the obvious question is:  Are you using sunscreen?  And, your question back is:  Yes, but still, what do I do if I overexposed myself to the sun?

In spite of common belief, you CAN treat the effects of sunburn, reducing the pain, speeding the cure time, etc., but reducing ALL of the effects (namely the age damage you’ve subjected yourself to) is probably not a reality.  But, in reality, we all do it… leave the sunscreen at home, splurge a little too long in the sun when it’s FINALLY nice out, etc.

So, how do you reduce the effects of sunburn?

1)      Minimize the inflammation

Aloe vera, oatmeal baths, calendula extract, Vitamin E – all are great anti-inflammatory topical agents that can be applied to sunburn.  AND, they are all treatments you can try at home.

2)       Promote healing

It’s a well known fact.  Sunburn causes DNA damage.  While there are a few topical agents, among them diaminopropionyl tripeptide-33, which can be found in several products in the Toujours Jeune line, that aid in repairing DNA damage after the fact, I know of no ingredient that will fully reverse the DNA damage caused by overexposure to the sun.

You must rely on your body’s own healing ability to fully repair DNA damage.  And, indeed, if the DNA damage is bad enough, the affected cells have inbuilt mechanisms to prevent becoming cancerous, namely, cell suicide (apoptosis) or loss of their inability to divide (cell senescence).

However, DNA damage isn’t the only cellular damage experienced upon exposure to UV rays.  UV promotes formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which can attack many things within the cell, damaging (among other things) the lipid bilayer and mitochondria (source of the cell’s energy).  And (as if that weren’t bad enough), UV radiation, which promotes free radical and ROS formation, damages extracellular matrix components such as collagen and elastin.

Additionally, though UV exposure promotes the production of melanin (an excellent anti-oxidant), the body is at the same time depleted of other anti-oxidants (for example, Coenzyme Q-10 and glutathione).

And, as we age, our bodies own ability to produce these natural anti-oxidants such as Coenzyme Q-10, glutathione, and, yes, even appropriate and even levels of melanin declines.

So, after overexposure to UV, it’s important to promote collagen synthesis and to replenish anti-oxidants.

Of course, Return to Eden Cosmetics offers several products to help you do both – many of the Toujours Jeune face creams contain collagen promoting peptides and our entire line of Golden Standard face creams contain Coenzyme Q-10.

We can also help our bodies from the inside out.   You see, sunburn isn’t always localized.  If the burn is bad enough, you can feel the effects systemically (low grade fever, general feeling of malaise, etc.), but even when it’s not THAT bad, an immune response is still triggered, and the level of prostaglandins, interleukins (a group of cytokines), and histamines can be increased throughout the body.  Increased levels of cytokines can actually promote oxidative stress and inflammation.

So, to decrease added oxidative stress as much as possible, you’ll want to be sure to incorporate extra anti-oxidants into your diet.  Say hello to leafy greens, fresh fruits, and wine.  Also, omega-3 helps reduce oxidative damage in the body, so fish is your friend.*

*Omega 3 fatty acids actually vie with the metabolic pathway known as the arachidonic acid (an omega-6) cascade.  During an inflammatory response, the arachidonic acid cascade produces eicosanoids known for increased inflammation.  Omega 3 competes with the arachidonic acid cascade lessening the effects of the inflammatory response.⁺

⁺One of the perks of being married to a guy who studies metabolic pathways for a living is first gaining knowledge of these pathways due to his work in the area, and second, being able to discuss what the effects of these pathways mean for the body and for disease.