MAC Cosmetics Wholesale ?!

Let’s face it, reputable MAC cosmetics wholesale suppliers are few and far between. Finding authentic MAC wholesale makeup is the holy grail for all high end cosmetics sellers. There are a lot of sites selling fake MAC cosmetics that you need to beware of.

Anyway, here is the lowdown…

Only MAC sells MAC products. Luckily, with any brand there is always some overrun/discontinued/shelf pull stock that ends up on eBay or other discounted websites. Because MAC is so popular, there is even less of this type of stock to go around. Have you ever seen a sale on at your local MAC counter? Wow, never? See – that is exactly my point!

MAC also often have special edition product lines that are only available for a short amount of time. Discontinued items that end up being made available on the cosmetics wholesale market, have a rarity value that increases their value sometimes way above the original selling price. Super low cost + high demand and low supply = super high profits. That is why any cosmetics business owner worth their salt wants to get hold of authentic MAC wholesale makeup at any cost.

A final point to mention is that wholesale makeup suppliers offer new stock to their best customers first. That makes it even harder for newbies to get started. So always build a good relationship with your supplier. Small but regular orders are a good way to build up your profits and reinvest in your business, while at the same time showing suppliers that you are a reliable customer with staying power.

A Guide to Choosing Non Surgical Cosmetic Treatments

If you want to improve your physical appearance without having an invasive surgical procedure there are many cosmetic treatments available today that are designed to improve your skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles simultaneously. Whether you want plumper lips or younger looking skin the possibilities are endless with the latest cosmetic treatments.

Facial Peels – Getting a facial peel can do wonders for individuals who suffer from acne. If you want your skin to be glowing a facial peel can improve the appearance of your skin and take years off. Skin is rejuvenated after one simple treatment. You can purchase a course of treatments for ultimate results.

Dermal Fillers – This is a great option for those who want to look younger without undergoing surgery. Dermal fillers can smooth out those unwanted wrinkles from the facial area leaving you looking younger around the eyes, lips and chin. Dermal fillers can also be used to achieve plumper lips. If you would like to enhance your lips these injections work instantly.

Eyelash Extensions – If you want to enhance your look in an instant try eyelash extensions for ultra long lashes. Semi permanent lashes will be applied to your own lashes to create length and thickness. This type of treatment gives you natural looking lashes that don’t require mascara.

Botox – This is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments available at present. Botox can reduce the appearance of lines around the eyes, forehead and mouth. A protein is injected into the affected area and relaxes the muscle to reduce frown lines.

Phthalates and Cosmetic Products

What are phthalates?

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in hundreds of products, such as toys, vinyl flooring and wall covering, detergents, lubricating oils, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, blood bags and tubing, and personal care products, such as nail polish, hair sprays, soaps, and shampoos.

What phthalates are used in cosmetics?

The principal phthalates used in cosmetic products are dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP). They are used primarily at concentrations of less than 10% as plasticizers in products such as nail polishes (to reduce cracking by making them less brittle) and hair sprays (to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair) and as solvents and perfume fixatives in various other products.

Do phthalates affect human health?

It’s not clear what effect, if any, phthalates have on health. An expert panel convened from 1998 to 2000 by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), part of the National Institutes of Health, concluded that reproductive risks from exposure to phthalate esters were minimal to negligible in most cases. . In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report on March 21, 2001, entitled “National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.” The report described a survey of a small segment of the U.S. population for environmental chemicals in urine. One of the chemicals surveyed was phthalates.

In 2002, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reaffirmed its original conclusion (reached in 1985) that DBP, DMP, and DEP are safe as used in cosmetic products. The panel evaluated phthalate exposure and toxicity data and conducted a risk assessment for dibutyl phthalate in cosmetic products. The panel concluded that exposures to phthalates from cosmetics are low compared to levels that would cause adverse effects in animals. (The CIR is an industry-sponsored organization that reviews cosmetic ingredient safety and publishes its results in open, peer-reviewed literature.) (See “Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments 2002/2003,” International Journal of Toxicology (Supplement 1), 1-102, 2005.)

FDA reviewed the safety and toxicity data for phthalates, including the CDC data from 2001, as well as the CIR conclusions based on reviews in 1985 and 2002. FDA noted that the CDC survey report in 2001 was not intended to make an association between the presence of environmental chemicals in human urine and disease, but rather to learn more about the extent of human exposure to industrial chemicals. While the CDC report noted elevated levels of phthalates excreted by women of child-bearing age, neither it nor the other data reviewed by FDA established an association between the use of phthalates in cosmetic products and a health risk. As a result, FDA determined that there was insufficient evidence upon which to take regulatory action.

What does FDA currently know about infant exposure to phthalates?

Infants, like all consumers, are exposed daily to phthalates from a number of sources, including air, drugs, food, plastics, water, and cosmetics. We are currently beginning a survey of infant/children cosmetic products to determine the levels of phthalates so we can more accurately assess infant exposure.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has published an article stating that infants exposed to infant care products, specifically baby shampoos, baby lotions, and baby powder, showed increased levels of phthalate metabolites in their urine (see “Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure,” S. Sathyanarayana, Pediatrics. 2008, vol. 121, pp. 260-268). Like the CDC report, this study did not establish an association between these findings and any health effects. In addition, levels of phthalates (if any) in the infant care products were not determined.

How do I know if there are phthalates in the cosmetics I use?

Under the authority of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), FDA requires an ingredient declaration on the cosmetic products sold at the retail level to consumers. Consumers can tell whether some products contain phthalates by reading the ingredient declaration on the labels of such products.

However, the regulations do not require the listing of the individual fragrance ingredients; therefore, the consumer will not be able to determine from the ingredient declaration if phthalates are present in a fragrance. Also, because the FPLA does not apply to products used exclusively by professionals–for example, in salons–the requirement for an ingredient declaration does not apply to these products.
What is FDA’s role?

FDA continues to monitor consumers’ potential exposure to phthalates from the use of cosmetic products. FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) included the following two projects among its program priority items for 2004: (1) Develop an analytical method for the determination of phthalates in cosmetic products, and (2) conduct a survey of products to determine the contribution of phthalates to human exposure. FDA has completed both of these projects and published results in the article, “Analysis of Consumer Cosmetic Products for Phthalate Esters,” J.C. Hubinger and D.C. Havery, Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, (2006) vol. 57, pp. 127-137.

At the present time, FDA does not have compelling evidence that phthalates, as used in cosmetics, pose a safety risk. If FDA determines that a health hazard exists, the agency will advise the industry and the public, and will consider its legal options under the authority of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act in protecting the health and welfare of consumers.

What is Your Skin Type?

The type of skin that you have plays an important role in how acne will affect you and also in how you should treat it. Different skin types need different types of treatments in order to effectively handle acne.

One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to acne skin care.

There are four basic types of skin, oily, normal, dry, or combination skin, a combination of two of them. Combination skin may be normal-to-oily or normal-to-dry. For each type, a different skin care regimen is needed. Skin types also change over time, skin that may have been combination normal/oily may become more normal or dry as the skin ages. Changes in skin requires adjust of skin care routines to maintain a healthful appearance.

Five Questions To Ask Yourself.

First, start with some basic questions in order to determine your skin type. The answers to these questions will help you to decide what type of skin you have.

1. How frequent are your breakouts?
2. Do you have blackheads?
3. Do you have large pores?
4. How does the skin feel after it has been washed with soap and water?
5. Are there facial lines?

The answers to these questions help determine the type of care your skin will require to look its freshest.

Basic Descriptions of Skin Types

Each skin type is determined by several factors such as the amount of oil produced, texture, and the frequency of acne breakouts. Skin tones often seem to coincide with certain types of skin, but skin tone is not a determining factor in what type of skin you may have. Quite fair skin may also be oily, while dark tones may be dry. Therefore, skin color is not a good metric to use when determining what type of skin you may have.

People with dry skin usually have few breakouts and seldom experience blackheads. The reason for this is that excess oil blockages are what form blackheads, and dry skin is not prone to excess oil. This generally means that acne breakouts are rare for this skin type, although other problems may exist. Dry skin generally has few if any visible pores, and the skin will feel tight and/or dry after cleansing. Those with dry skin are usually fair-skinned and often develop facial lines early in life. This skin type may sunburn very quickly.

People with normal skin and with combination skin suffer occasional breakouts, with mild-to-moderate blackheads that occur for the most part in the “t-zone.” The t-zone is the area which runs across the forehead and down the nose and mouth area, it also includes the chin. Pores are often larger and more noticeable in the t-zone area but are usually not as large as those that appear in oily skin. The skin may feel dry and tight immediately after cleansing but will soon feel more lubricated. The skin tone for normal skin usually is fair to medium, and a few early lines may appear around the eyes. This skin type usually will sunburn when first exposed to the sun, but then will tan. Prolonged sun exposure can produce temporary dry skin conditions.

Oily skin is characterized by more frequent breakouts and the presence of comdones or blackheads. The pores are enlarged and visible. After washing the face quickly becomes oily, the nose and forehead quite rapidly growing shiny due to increased oil production. The skin tone is frequently olive or dark. Facial lines are not very prevalent with this type of skin; oily skin tends to be resist aging longer than the other skin types. Therefore, over the long term, oily skin stays youthful for a longer period of time than the drier types of skin. Oily skin rarely burns when exposed to the sun and usually tans easily.

A Final Word

Determining what type of skin you have should enable you to make better choices when it comes to skin care products. There are numerous products on the market that are designed to improve skin quality. For improving your acne, choose products that won’t cause further problems for you by basing your choices upon the type of skin that you have. Adjust your skin care regimen as your skin changes in order to be on top of your acne problem.

Skin Care Products For Men

Back when I was young, a long time ago, mens skin care products generally consisted of shaving cream. Skin care for men wasn’t heard of, and men couldn’t have cared less.

Now mens skincare products are hot, and selling extremely well, and for good reason. Mens fashion/grooming is part of the new paradigm for men.

All those years ago things were different. Men were men. They ate a lot of steak, went camping and shooting a lot and only visited the doctor if they were about to die. Mens skin care? What was that? I use shaving cream don’t I?

Mens fashion was a new pair of jeans. And maybe a new pair of boots every now and then, when their toes were showing through the old ones. To go with the new pair of jeans.

Men’s grooming, and mens fashion, and for that matter mens health, have come a long way. I, for one, now visit the doctor regularly for checkups, keep fit, and take care of my skin with good quality mens skincare products. My father has had skin cancer and I need to take care of my skin as much as anyone.

That’s not because I want to keep up with the latest mens fashion, I’m way too old for fashion. It’s because I recognise that taking care of our skin, for a man, is a health issue. For my part, after being burned many times before anyone even knew how bad sunburn was for the skin, taking care of my skin now may prevent fatal skin cancer.

It’s never too late.

Mens skin care is also about looks though for many modern men. Mens fashion in the 21st century is also about anti aging and youthful looks, like it is for women.

It’s not good enough now for men to use a good shaving cream, buy themselves a new pair of jeans every other year, and eat steak every second night.

There’s now available a wide range of high quality mens grooming and anti aging and skin care products. Men can take care of their hair with good hair care products, nail care products help take care of their nails, and good skin care products help men take care of their skin. Mens grooming products are slowly catching up to womens grooming products with increasing sales and increased quality.

However note that I said “high quality” skin care products for men.

The “high quality” part is extremely important. There are many skin care and anti aging products on the market that are not “high quality”.

Unfortunately big brand name mens skin care products and mens anti aging products share many characteristics with popular womens anti aging products.

They don’t work very well, or at all, and are overpriced, often by necessity to pay for all that overhyped TV advertising using highly paid big name stars.

But worst of all, many of the ingredients used in skin care products in general can be suspect or downright harmful to our health, and skin. And that includes popular mens skin care products too.

Luckily there are companies that are producing highly effective and very cost competitive natural skin care products, including mens anti aging products.

And they are highly cost competitive too, primarily because these companies don’t spend up big on TV advertising, which is why you’ve probably never heard of them.

They produce natural skin care products using natural non toxic ingredients, and these include natural mens skin care products and mens anti aging products.

So if you’re a man, or for that matter a woman who knows a man who needs to take better care for his skin, rejoice.

There are excellent natural mens skincare products available, no toxic that work extremely well.

And modern men are using them more and more, and seeing the difference.