It’s not a piece of news that people want to hear, especially on National Sun Protection Day (which is also known as Don’t Fry Day). But a recent FDA study points out that many sunscreens that people have been using for years — as many as over 500 products — can actually cause cancer.

This finding encompasses all forms of sunscreen: ointments, sprays, creams, lotions. In its annual report to consumers on sunscreen, the FDA said that only  39 out of the 500 products they tested were really considered safe and effective.

The hormone-disrupting chemical called oxybenzone may penetrate the skin and disrupt the validity and claims of the SPF label. But the biggest shocker finding was the fact that Vitamin A and its derivatives , retinol and retinyl palmitate may speed up skin cancer.

It sounds to us a case of classic media scare tactics (remember that study about how carcinogenic parabens are? Well, parabens have been around for years!). But Vitamin A has long been considered as a dangerous anti-oxidant that slows down aging. And studies are shedding light that it may be a snake in the grass.

Over zealous claims? May be, but it is prudent to keep this finding in mind, especially on Don’t Fry Day.

For the New Yorkers who love to shine and shimmer, dig this! Danielle Monaro from Physicians Formula will be at two Duane Reade locations in the city, giving bronzing touchups, tips and coupons. Be part of the cool (yet tan) crowd!

Where: Duane Reade, Thursday May 27th (Union Square at 24 East 14th Street, bet Union Square and Fifth Avenue) from 2:30-3:30pm

Herald Square Duane Reade at 1270 Broadway (between 32/33rd Street) from 4-5pm.

Because a New York gal should always shimmer like you’re a cast member of Sex and the City.

Skin cancer is on the rise, and I bet you knew that. But did you know that this type of cancer actually is the #1 cancer in America, beating out  breast, prostate and lung cancer?

This Thursday, May 27th, is National Sunscreen Protection Day, girls! So make sure you give your skin some good veil.

According to the the Skin Cancer Foundation, around 2 million cases of cancer are diagnosed every year, worldwide. La Roche-Posay, a skincare line that we love because of its gentle formulations, has created a campaign called SaveOurSkin, which allows you to purchase an Orange Ribbon Pin to show your support for skin cancer victims. For only $5, you will benefit both the SaveOurSkin foundation and the Women’s Dermatologic Society.

What’s more, you’ll get a gift certificate redeemable toward the purchase of any Anthelios product.

Now, are you going to wear sunscreen on Thursday? If so, you must stay tuned for our next post, about which sunscreens are safe for you and which are not.To find out more, visit www.SOSSaveOurSkin.com.

When The Apprentice ex-contestant Erin Elmore heard the fateful words “You’re fired,” a beauty entrepreneur was born. Using her own insecurity about the scars she had as a springboard, Elmore decided that inventing an effective scar serum would be her next quest.

She teamed up with Dr. Shareef Jandali, Chief Plastic Surgery Resident at the University of Pennsylvania, and together they conceived and created a potent “cocktail” for scrapes, cuts, surgical incisions, burns, stretch marks, and acne scars called Scartini.

Being sick and tired of those awkward silicon strips that have to be cut to size and keep peeling off, we received our complimentary sample with open arms. It had a convenient rollerball applicator that only took a second twice a day to dispense the product on a couple of scars of our own. While the silicon strips make you wait six weeks to see any results, we saw changes within days when we started using Scartini.

Centella Asiatica and Lychee Extract are Scartini’s powerhouse ingredients. Centella Asiatica is a plant extract that decreases redness, speeds scar healing and boosts collagen production.

Likewise, Lychee is a moisturizing antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties that decrease redness and promote skin cell repair. There are even anecdotal reports that Lychee promotes long-term skin hydration, encourages skin rejuvenation, prevents hyperpigmentation, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

One fan confirmed that after using Scartini as a makeup base, her skin looked more flawless and she saw a dramatic improvement in the fine lines around her eyes.

Scartini comes in a 7.5ml bottle and retails for $29.99 at www.Scartini.com. To win a bottle, tell us why you should win a bottle and we’ll pick the winners within one week!!

If you want a bunch of beauty offerings to put a smile in your day, then look no further than your local Walgreens. On Saturday, Neutrogena and the drugstore are offering a beautiful, blissful partnership — and the focus is on YOU.

Been a little curious about the Neutrogena Clinical line? Now, here’s your chance to ask your local beauty advisor what your skin really needs, and how you can have the skin that is as beautiful as a baby’s. Plus Walgreens Beauty Advisors will be able to tell you what items are new from Neutrogena — from the lipglosses to the eye brighteners.

And not to be missed are the perks that will brighten any girl’s lashes and her wallet. You will receive a free Healthy Lengths Mascara with any Neutrogena Clinical or Cosmetics purchase (a $8.99 value). Which means you can use that purposefully on another latte, right?

And say that you’re in the New York City area, visit the Flagship Walgreens store in Times Square for free Neutrogena Clinical Product Samples.

Whatever you do, or wherever you may be this Saturday, stop by and check out the buzz!

MAC Cosmetics is partnering with Disney to launch a collection in September 2010 called Venomous Villains, according to a story from WWD. No characters have specifically been named but we are all eagerly waiting to see which four Disney Characters will come to life in richly pigmented MAC fashion.

The collection will feature lipstick, powder, lip gloss and blush shades ranging in price from $12 to $29.50.

We are simply thrilled at this Good Fellas approach from MAC, and we expected nothing less. Disney was about time too (I felt the company had a good opportunity with the Alice Collection and was a bit surprised to see that Disney had not approached MAC for partnership).

Which characters do you think will make the cut? Pluto, of course, is off the radar here, but the Cheshire Cat and the evil queen in Snow White may well be coming to a cosmetics store near you.

Who do you think deserves to be a MAC villain?

We’ve all shared that really pesky problem of chipped nails. It seems that no matter what, nail polish just can’t stay on past a few days (the same duration as your average salon hairstyle). And no girl just wants to keep doling out her hard-earned dollars to the manicurist only to see her hard work disappear quicker than the blink of an eye.

Well, say hello to CND’s Shellac, the first Hybrid Nail Color. This product applies like polish, and stays on beautifully for as long as 14 days. SERIOUSLY! 14 days, which makes it perhaps the longest lasting polish on the planet, unless the martians have discovered one themselves.

The shellac paints on like real polish, and has a base coat and a top coat that cures in a UV light setting so that there is absolutely no drying time. I was very fortunate to speak to Jan Arnold, the co-founder of CND, who said that the R&D process for this nail lacquer was five years. And this is a glory song for all housewives out there – who do the dishes and keep the house sparkling clean while wanting something totally chip free.

You dry your nails under a special CND UV Lamp, which also accommodates the feet. Now, note, this is a professional treatment and only available in salons worldwide starting May 2010. The retail price is so reasonable that you’ll be tempted to indulge in both a mani and pedi and reap the rewards of a lengthy relationship. At least on your toes and fingers that is!

The polish is 3-free, which means no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP. Plus there are 12 varieties of shades, ranging from natural colored nails (the French mani variety) to the dark claret and cappuccino colored varieties. Shown above is a shimmery red shade called Red Baroness.

- Charu Suri

It’s that age old problem of how you find the right foundation and concealer shade. It’s a pesky trouble that is as old as a folk tale, but this is 2010, and we are after all moving forward.

Isn’t it time that your concealer and foundation regimen really stood up to the test? And — hello – isn’t it time that they were both joined at the hip? YES, it’s about TIME. And for many of you who know me, and my obsession with some of the LUSH products (I cannot live without my Jasmin & Henna Fluff Eaze Treatment), I was really thrilled to find a pot of color that not only cover up those raccoon eyes beautifully, but also can be thinned with your favorite moisturizer to become a foundation that covers imperfections.

These pots of color are made with red rose petal infusion to calm redness and glycerin to give your skin a boost of moisture. These Colour Supplements (yes, note the spelling since the company IS British) are also mineral-oil free.

They are four different Colour Supplements, and cover all ranges of skin tones and color. Mine was the Dark Pink Colour Supplement (the darkest shade).

The truth is, you only need a tiny dab — less than a pea size amount — for each eye. The color is thick and gooey, almost marshmallow-y in texture, and it thins beautifully when complemented with a moisturizer. And all zits and blackheads and spots conceal brilliantly.

Best of all, it’s only $13.95 a pot. Seriously, this is powerful stuff, and I may have found my new BFF. Go and get it, gals — end of story.

- Charu Suri

If you don’t know where to start when picking out a beauty regimen, the aisles of CVS and Sephora can be an overdose of sparkle and shine. But even if you’re a serious cosmetic aficionado, sometimes it’s hard to separate the trash from the treasures. That’s why we’re obsessed with Beautyfix, the one stop shop that lets you customize your cosmetic choices based on your skin and beauty needs.

For a flat fee of $50, Beautyfix allows you to pick and choose products from a diverse list constructed by the company’s beauty panel, which is made up of a group of makeup artists, hairdressers, dermatologists, and others pros in the field of looking good. Some of our favorite picks include Redpoint Kabuki and eye shadows brushes, and the iQ Derma Hydrating Gel Mask, an icy, soothing treatment best enjoyed in a luxurious bubble bath. Some products are full size, while others may arrive in smaller portions, so keep your eyes on the products’ weight to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Either way, ten products and amazing member benefits for $50? That definitely satisfies our craving.

For more information, visit www.beautyfix.com.

So we took a short break from the Blogger-Publicist marriage series for a while, but we’re back with an interview from the fabulous Lori Diamond of THE COLLECTIVE PR. Here are her candid comments on working with bloggers, her likes and her pet peeves.

BD. What do you like about working with bloggers?

I’m not sure I can say it better than those who’ve come before me, but there’s a lot to like about this medium: for starters, bloggers are genuinely appreciative about receiving pitches and products (they let you know that deliveries in fact arrived, and for the most part, when they plan to post!) Refreshing for PR’s who are constantly chasing down stories.

Of course, you can’t beat the immediate gratification factor – and the relative translation to web traffic and sales, and the fact that reviews live online forever (a particular bonus when they’re positive!), and help with SEO.

I personally like my info in snippets – short and sweet. Get in and get out, but delivered with personality.

To this point, I enjoy reading about bloggers’ first-person accounts with products – and not just how the product performed – but the context in which it was applied. I love the humor, the snarkiness, and let-it-all-hang-out style of some of these girls. I find it adds texture to the product experience, and helps readers (and potential new customers) connect better to the product benefits relative to their own beauty concerns/issues.

I’ve mainly had positive experiences with bloggers, but I’ve heard about the impact of some zinger reviews. I guess there’s a risk-reward paradigm at play here – but for the most part, I’ve found an underlying respectful quality – a balance – to most posts, even when there’s some skepticism (relative to price or excess packaging or certain ingredients).

Oh – and I like their willingness and ability to correct misinformation quickly.

BD: What are your pet peeves?

(more…)