Since sarcasm can’t be detected in print, I need to point out that the “dirty little secret” part is dripping with it.

I think that Truth In Aging should have done a little more research before slapping down this tiny company. And they need a better understanding of Private Label as well as the costs associated with product formulation.

Private Label? Is that like Members Only (heh remember those jackets)?

Private Label is essentially when a cosmetic company purchases and fulfills their products from an outside lab. The products are branded with cosmetic company’s logo and information, and to consumers it does not appear to come from any source other than the company they are purchasing from.

Because the costs for R&D are astronomical and many companies–from well known brands to tiny start ups–need the Private Label manufacturers to curb the outsized costs of product development and fulfillment.

Private Label can mean many things depending on your budget. You can work with the manufacturer to create a custom blend, which is pretty expensive but guarantees that the product is uniquely yours. Or you can purchase whatever stock blends they carry, clearly a much cheaper option.

Back to the bruhaha

I don’t know either company involved in this little bruhaha, or this particular product. That they use Private Label, or that they use the same Private Label source, is purely speculative. However, I found a Private Label source offering the formulation  found in both the products. And I found other brands that are using the formulation. And if TIA found the 100% markup shocking between the two brands they cite, they should have done a bit more sleuthing. I found the same formulation retailing for $80.

So, what’s the deal?

My best guess: packaging.

Most Private Label companies offer their own consumables for bottling. Or you can send them your own containers to fill, which is subject to additional charges for all sorts of testing. They need to ensure compatibility between the product and the packaging.

Repackage and your liability goes up

This particular Private Label company apparently also sells their product in wholesale containers. Companies buying from them could repackage on their own. By not having the original manufacturer bottle the product for them, this opens up the cosmetic company to law suits should something go horribly wrong. Companies that do their own packaging must carry their own insurance as a safeguard. And liability insurance on cosmetics products is damn expensive. When the Private Label company packages the product, the liability is remains with the Private Label company doing the packaging.

Was the $25 price outrageous?

The median price for this formulation appears to be in the $20 – 25 range, so I don’t think the “overpriced” company was trying to screw over their customer. Often Private Label companies give a “suggested retail price” based on whatever costs the cosmetic company is incurring.  Since the norm was in that range, my guess is the company went with the price suggested to them. All of the bottling with the products that fell in that range were rather unique, and did not look like standard “Private Label” issued packaging, which would bring the cost down.

Incidentally, I do feel like the $80 bottle was overpriced, but that’s not the company that was called out publicly.

The $25 product that Truth In Aging cited did not have product images available, so I could not see the packaging. But based on TIA’s original (and favorable) review of the product, it would appear that this company offered something unique–they put the serum in two smaller bottles rather than one large.

Why would they package this in two bottles? Oxidation.

The main active ingredient in the formulation is Vitamin C, which is highly unstable and oxidizes quickly. Vitamin C, even in ester form (and this formulation uses both), will turn a brownish color when exposed to air. By packaging in two separate bottles, this company is at least attempting to minimize the oxidation process. Oxidation does not necessarily impact efficacy, but it certainly would lead consumers to toss out the product when it discolors. My best guess is that they is trying to curtail that, as well as the costumer complaints and bad word of mouth that accompany tossing a product into the bin.

Back to the price gouging question

It does not appear that TIA tried to contact this company to get to the bottom of the situation. There are endless of factors that go into product pricing beyond the cost of the product itself.

And while TIA may be doing a service to their readers by finding the same product at a cheaper price, I don’t think it was terribly fair to call a company out as a price gouger. In my opinion, just about every company that sells any product is guilty of that. I would have loved to see a response from any of the companies TIA called out for “duping” consumers with Private Label.

Private Label is done by many well known brands

TIA treats Private Label companies like a big old cystic zit on the face of the cosmetics industry. However, several of the top niche brands in the market come out of Private Label labs. (And I am not talking about the celebrity lines either–the famous industry faces behind these companies aren’t cooking up formulations in their kitchens!) One of the largest personal care manufacturers in the US offers a Private Label service.

How do I know?

I have been researching Private Label companies off and on for the past two years. For smaller spas and estheticians, Private Label is becoming an important and viable option for cost effective retail products. Cosmetic companies that once sold exclusively to spas and salons are expanding into the mass market. These companies often sell their products at a discount to large retailers, which allows the large retailers to discount to the consumer with no effect on their bottom line. Smaller companies cannot financially compete with what is essentially the WalMart-ization of the beauty industry.

Competition is healthy, and important

Private Label is not the scourge of the beauty industry. Are there shoddy labs out there? Sure there are. But there are some seriously kick ass labs out there as well. With the right lab, Private Label can yield some spectacular products.

Plus it keeps competition going with the big brands by offering aspiring brands a cost effective opportunity to bring products to the market– and this competition is healthy and it matters. Over the past 10 years, these large brands went on a buying spree and snatched up a lot of the boutique products that were gaining market share. Without competition in place, your choices on products would be limited. And less competition means more opportunity for the biggest players to raise their prices.

I decided to withhold the brand names cited in TIA’s original post. If you are curious, you can find the names on their site. I don’t feel comfortable calling any company out in a public forum without knowing beyond a reasonable doubt what they are or are not doing in terms of their formulation and pricing. And, frankly, price is ultimately based on what the customer is willing to pay. There are clearly consumers out there willing to pay $350 for Cream de la Mer, and more power to them.

And with that, I leave you with this Dirty Little Secret. Enjoy!

The ladies at The Gloss tried out skin enhancing beverage additive Glowelle. In their words, “beautiful skin tastes awful.”

Fitness pro Lisa Johnson blogs about Oscar fashion in an entirely unique way. She spots the trends that bare certain body parts and matches it with  exercises to buff up the area. Fun!

Another great post on Lisa’s blog. She rants about Biggest Loser Jillian Michaels’ lack of fitness credentials. Like every other industry, celebrity sells, even if the “guru” has no education or experience. The problem with the marketing tactics of the fitness industry (and to a certain degree, the beauty industry) is that bad advice can be downright dangerous.

This time of year I am always so excited about the prospect of warm weather that I start dressing like it’s 70 degrees. Of course, I spend the day like a shivering fool. So hold off on your warm weather skin care regimen for a few more weeks. (You do have one of those, right? Right?) While we may not see below freezing temps for another 6 months, the weather is still just cold enough to dry out your skin.  Candy Dye has an extensive post about winter dry skin. She breaks down the causes and offers some solutions.

Have a fantastic weekend! Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead on Saturday night. Longer days are finally coming!

Jurlique's Age Defying Night Lotion contains licorice to fade discoloration

Manly Man Husband emailed me a link to a website that sent me into a rage. It was selling Obagi C-Clarifying Serum, and a quick google search showed that loads of internet retailers were doing the same.

What’s the big deal, right, it’s just a serum. The big deal is that it contains 4% hydroquinone, which is a prescription strength cosmetic ingredient. Seriously, my friends, you don’t want to play around with this stuff without consulting an MD.

The Skinny: What Is Hydroquinone?

Hydroquinone is a highly effective skin lightener. For those with the tell-tale signs of sun damage (dark spots), hydroquinone is certainly a miracle in a bottle. However, most OTC formulations with hydroquinone use 2%. To obtain a topical with 4% or above, you need to see a doctor.

What’s So Bad About It?

In scientific circles, there’s the usual argument about the safety of the ingredient. Some say it’s a proven carcinogen, others say that it’s never been proven to cause cancer. However, it does appear that long term use of hydroquinone causes cytotoxicity. Hydroquinone is banned in several countries, including the EU and Japan.

An Appeal to Vanity…

Health matters aside, let’s appeal to vanity. Misuse of hydroquinone can cause dermal pigmentation, and you so don’t want that.

Wait, let’s go back for a second and talk sun damage…

The usual, run-of-the-mill sun spot damage is generally epidermal hyperpigmentation, which is on the surface (dead) layer of the skin. Regular topical treatment with natural products (or yes even hydroquinone) inhibits the melanin production in that area.

Dermal pigmentation, on the other hand, is discoloration at the dermal level, the area of live skin. In addition to the discoloration, dermal pigmentation eats away at the collagen and elastin fibers. Dermal pigmentation is spectacularly difficult to treat. And studies have shown that extensive use of hydroquinone creates exactly this sort of damage.

Other options.

Personally, hydroquinone makes me very uncomfortable, particularly when there are other fantastic, completely safe yet effective ingredients to use, although the results may take longer to achieve. I have had fantastic results lightening sun spots with just regular AHA-based peels. For your everyday skin care products, look for ingredients like azelaic acid, kojic acid or licorice extract (found in Jurlique’s Purely Age-Defying Night Lotion). (Amazon Affiliate Link)

It’s important to note, once you stop using either any of the natural lighteners, or hydroquinone for that matter, the hyperpigmentation will return.

Why it doesn’t last forever…

These ingredients (hydroquinone included) are known as tyrosinase inhibitors. Tyrosinase is an enzyme that causes an oxidation reaction that, for example, turns fruits brown when exposed to air. In the skin, tyrosinase has the same effect. So these inhibitors block the oxidation process that leads your skin to create pigment. Once you remove them from your regime, the tyrosinase is free to oxidize it’s heart out, and generate pigment again.

Where would we be without a little SPF wrap up?

And sunblock? Very important when treating hyperpigmentation, particularly if you are using hydroquinone. But I don’t really need to remind you because I know you are wearing your it religiously, right? Right? Just in case, please wear your SPF. You can’t beat the hyperpigmentation without it.

What I do know, however, is that groovy natural body care company Plum Hill took part in the famous Celebrity Gifting Suite. According to Plum Hill owner Jeanne Kissman, celebs sampled from Plum Hill’s tantalizing Sugar Scrubs and their hyper-moisturizing Body Butter (loaded with super hydrators like shea butter, olive oil, almond oil and coco butter). Like the terrific Cactus & Ivy line of products, Plum Hill’s product line is paraben free and cruelty free. Check out their website for the different fragrances available. The Coconut and Lime Sugar Scrub sounds perfect for the upcoming summer months!

Inclusion in the Celebrity Gifting Suite is a competition like no other. Congrats to Plum Hill for being chosen to keep our celeb’s skin glowing!

Luckily, it was not me. But a fellow esthetician tried out a fairly low percentage glycolic that left her scabbed. In trying to deduce why the peel did that (and she is the peel queen so it had nothing to do with lack of experience), it came up that her skin was probably sensitized to the acid, which created the reaction. She peels every other week or so, and uses AHAs in her basic skin care routine, so the glycolic was just too much for her skin.

I am not saying that your product is going to scab you–that’s really extreme–but sometimes when you have been using the same product with the same ingredients over time, your skin rebels.

The moisturizer you once loved to pieces may just not work as effectively anymore. That’s your skin saying ho hum.

Or you suddenly experience a lot of redness and sensitivity to a serum you have used faithfully for years. This happens a lot with AHA products. That’s your skin saying, no no more, I can’t take it anymore!

So you need to move on. Give your skin a break. Try a new line, try new active ingredients–don’t go from one Vitamin C product to another, try one with Pomegranate power instead.

I recommend switching up your products at least twice a year, late spring and late fall, to protect it from different weather extremes. How often do switch it up?

Beautiful With Brains has a great breakdown of antioxidants–what they are, how they work and why you need them.

Girl Gloss test drives the new MAC lip shades Viva Glam Cyndi and Viva Glam Gaga. I just love that MAC chose Cyndi Lauper is one of the spokesmodels! Some 20 plus years after Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, she still looks amazing.

My neighborhood is completely snowed under and everyone has a snow day. Snowball fights commence this afternoon! Have a great weekend!

Lisa Rodgers is an inspiration. She left the financial security of a Fortune 500 job to make soap. Nine years later, her company Cactus & Ivy bubbles up the best organic bath and spa products in the indie beauty market. Her hand-blended (yes, hand blended!) goodies are cruelty free, Vegan and are tested on humans, not animals. Cactus & Ivy also formulates exclusive products for upscale spas, using indigenous ingredients based on their location, which is really cool.

BeautyOlogy recently did an email Q&A with Lisa about the inspiration behind Cactus & Ivy, her products and being a stand-out leader in the indie beauty brand community.

Want to recreate a spa experience at home with her incredible creations?  She’s offering BeautyOlogy readers an exclusive 15% discount, on top of her already insanely reasonable prices. Visit Cactus & Ivy online and use code BEAUTY10 at checkout. Speed on over there–the offer expires on March 31.

• What sparked you to create Cactus and Ivy?

I got started in natural spa products after I left a micro manged job to persue something on my own but what that was, I didn’t have a clue.  I was interested in natural products and curious as to how they were made.  I started selling/making natural soaps for a company in Seattle that was in need of independent reps. Later, the owner was no longer interested in the business so I decided to create Cactus & Ivy.  Now, here I am, 9 years later. I am still learning and taking it all in.  Going into business for myself was the best move I’ve ever made.  Well, second to my marriage.  I wouldn’t be in this business had it not been for the love and support of my husband.

• I have this fantastic mental image of you in a kitchen elbow deep in ingredients! Did you formulate on your own? How did you learn about the process?

After I was given the formulation and instructions on how to make soap for the Seattle company, I began researching other products online and in bath and body books. Trial and error of ‘this’ ingredient mixed with ‘that’ ingredient yielded a lot of fabulous products and some that needed to go back to the drawing board.

• Do you personally hand blend your products?

I personally make all of our products by hand, with the exception of our lotions and body wash.  I have not mastered the art of either product and until I do, I will not offer my customers an inferior product.  Our lotions and body wash products are some of the best on the market and we have received great reviews! Creating the other products in our line is a way for me to remain close to my creations.  A lot of love, care and pride go into every product created and nothing makes me happier than to receive feedback from a customer saying they love Cactus & Ivy!

• Were organic beauty products important to you before you created Cactus & Ivy, or did you begin to pay attention to it during your research?

I’ve always been conscious of what I put on my skin, however, I wasn’t as knowledgeable then about ingredients as I am now.  From the beginning, I knew I wanted to offer products free from harsh chemicals, artificial flavors, colors and fragrance.  I’m a lover of feedback and when customers last year indicated they would like to see products scented with fragrance oils, I obliged.  After all, the customer is your market and there are those who use products scented with fragrance oils.  We only use phalathate free fragrance oils.

• Do you find a difference in consumer’s knowledge about and interest in organic, chemical free products from when you started until now?

Customers are definitely more savvy in their ingredient knowledge than they were 10 years ago.  Natural and Organic are becoming the mainstream in the beauty industry.  As a manufacturer, I believe in complete transparency.  I can’t assume that every customer can read an ingredient label and understand it.  All of our products include a complete, easy to read, ingredient listing on the labels and website, as required by the labeling guidelines of the FDA.  We have also registered our products with the VCRP (Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program) with the FDA.  Cactus & Ivy has absolutely nothing to hide.

• As an indie manufacturer, what makes Cactus & Ivy stand out from the large scale cosmetics companies who are all going “natural”? Why is it  important to support independent product makers? What do they bring to  the table that the large company’s do not?

Since 60% of what is applied to skin is absorbed, we want our products to be as natural as we can make them while offering a longer shelf life.  When creating a product, we look at the benefits of each ingredient used and how it will compliment the products application/use.  I take pride in providing products with a purpose!

Supporting the indie manufacturer is very important not only to our economy but I firmly believe we know and understand the beauty/cosmetic customer.  We care how our products will be received and don’t see the customer as just a number.  If Cactus & Ivy became the #1 small business in the beauty industry tomorrow, I would not change my interaction with my customers.  My door is open to all forms of feedback – good, bad or indifferent.  It’s the only way I know if I am hitting the nail on the head or I need to go back to the drawing board.

Indie manufacturers bring real life to the table.  We listen to our customers and create products with a purpose and not just because it may be a fad.  Every product we create is created with the customer in mind.

• What are you most proud of in building Cactus and Ivy?

I am most proud of creating a company that is completely transparent in every aspect.  I believe good customer service is the backbone of any company and we stand tall.  I stand behind our products 100% and I would not offer a product to the consumer that I wouldn’t offer to my mother!

• Where can people find the Cactus and Ivy brand?

Cactus & Ivy products can be purchase from our website (http://www.cactusandivy.com).  We are in several specialty shops and spas.  I am working hard at gaining more shops, resort/destination/day spas as well as a distributorship in the Czech Republic.

• Do you have a particularly favorite ingredient?

Oooo, that’s a hard one.  I would have to say sweet almond oil.  I have Fibromyalgia and weekly massages are a must to keep my knots at bay.  Sweet almond oil is a great emollient for softening and conditioning the skin and hair.  It is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, has fabulous slip, a non-greasy feel, is highly moisturizing and penetrates the skin extremely well.  You can find sweet almond oil in many of Cactus & Ivy creations!

• What’s your all time favorite product in the Cactus & Ivy line?

My all time favorite product is our Peppermint Tree Foot Balm. The tingling and cooling sensations coupled with the moisturizing ingredients is a must have to keep your feet in tip top shape and feeling refreshed.  Peppermint Tree Foot Balm can be used daily to revive tired, dry feet or as an intense overnight treatment for really worn out tootsies. The oils of apricot kernel and sweet almond penetrate the skin easily, emollient and great for dry, inflamed or irritated skin. Menthol gives it the fantastic tingling and cooling kick! Antifungal properties of tea tree oil and the pick me up relief from peppermint oil, round out this fabulous product.

Follow Cactus & Ivy on Twitter or visit them on Facebook. And remember, shop at the website and use code BEAUTY10 for 15% your order, exclusive to BeautyOlogy readers! The discount is good until March 31!

I am so getting the Peppermint Tree Foot Balm. What are you going to try?

Here’s a snippet from a recent conversation with her about embarking on my new yoga journey.

NYCEsthy: OK, so I bought some DVDs and am going to try yoga. Again.

Nancy: You really should get into a class to make sure you are doing it right.

NYCEsthy: Yeah, but I am not sure I am ready to look like an ass in front of people. I can barely do the beginner videos. Besides, I am looking for a more transcendent experience. I need to try something that takes me out of my own head and allows me to release some stress. And I can’t get into a meditative state if I look like an ass in front of a lot of people.

Nancy: Which DVD series are you trying?

NYCEsthy: Rodney Yee’s.

Nancy: He’s HOT! No wonder you can’t concentrate!

NYCEsthy: I don’t really think it’s his hotness (but yes he is indeed hot). A few years ago, I tried to follow Gurmukh’s method and failed miserably. (Note: she’s an LA based fancy-pants yogi to the stars that was introduced to me by, natch, entertainment industry people.)

Nancy: How do you fail at yoga?

NYCEsthy: Well, the first 10 minutes or so of her DVD was crazy easy and I was all like really, this is how Hollywood actresses keep themselves in shape, ’cause I don’t feel a damn thing. And then she started doing some weird wave-your-hands-in-the-air move that kept going for like 20 minutes. And at first I couldn’t do it because I was laughing so hard, and then after a while, my arms really hurt, so at least I was getting a workout. But I didn’t find my meditative state.

Nancy: That’s because you’re judging it!

NYCEsthy: No I’m not.

Nancy: Um, yes you totally are. Stop judging it and just do it!

I love Nancy–and this is why she is such a sensational trainer. I am still trying to find my meditative state, but some days I am still totally judging it. So at least I know why, and I’m working on it.

PS: If you are in the NYC area and are interested in Pilates, leave a comment below and I will put you in touch with Nancy. She’s seriously awesome and once my finances get back on track we will be training together again. She completely returned core strength to my body after having a kid, and fixed a lot of my postural problems. I also credit her for helping with my migraines–when I was training several times a week, I barely had any headaches. She is a body work rock star.

Vintage Beauty Blog is uber sexy. She has retro beauty tutorials! And she has video of Jane Russell. Visit immediately.

Confessions of a Lingerie Addict knows her nighties. I am hoping she joins us here at BeautyOlogy for a guest post, ’cause I sleep in sweatpants and old t-shirts and could desperately use her advice.

Fitarella has a beautiful story. After conquering an eating disorder she went on to train for body building competitions. Celebrating your strength? Totally sexy.

Another non-stop crazy busy week. I have been working non stop for the past few weeks and it’s starting to show. I have to kick myself into gear this weekend and force myself to find the time to work out. And I definitely need to get some more sleep.

Curious–do you make time to take care of yourself? What’s your favorite way to recharge? Share in the comments!

With the right formulation, marine based ingredients–seaweed, kelp and the like–are highly moisturizing. Seaweed interacts with protein to form a protective layer, which keeps water from evaporating from the skin. It is rich in trace minerals and has a high vitamin content, which means it’s packed full of great antioxidants. Because it’s high in iodine and sulfur amino acid content, which are antibacterial and anti-inflammatories, it’s great for acne prone complexions.

The formulation I came up with made my face feel unprotected. Not dry, but I prefer a thicker, richer cream on my skin during the winter. Maybe someone who likes a lighter formulation would be thrilled–maybe I would love it for the summer. It certainly softened my skin’s texture. But for a winter moisturizer, or  for someone with really dry skin, it didn’t cut it.

For the next attempt, I will use even less of the active. And I am also experimenting on creating a richer, more emollient cream than the one I am currently using for this experiment. Or, I was, until I over-heated my emulsifier mixer.

I also tried the active in my hair, and was very disappointed that it dried it out. This one has me kind of stumped and I am trying to figure out a way to counteract this. This active is supposed to a terrific nourishing agent for hair and the amount it dried it out is kind of astounding. I am considering either using less of the active, or adding an oil. I am still mulling this one over.

So the moisturizer, while not a complete fail, is still not where I want it. But the hair care formulation has a long way to go before it’s even ready to be sampled by anyone other than me. (Well, me or Manly Man Husband. But he declined this morning’s offer to try the hair formulation in the shower. I was hoping to see if it had the same effect on him, or if my effect was from my color treatments. But since he can see my hair, he refused to take one for the team.)