Stop the Presses: Alchimie Forever Is Coming to QVC

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!

Alright, so I'm a little excited. One of my favorite skincare brands in the whole wide world is coming to QVC. Well, at least one of their delightful product offerings will be available at this time. Of course, I'll be pushing for them to offer more there - for instance their Kantic mask and moisturizers -- yoohoo, anyone listening??? lol!

Alchimie Forever, a swiss brand of gorgeous skincare from the Polla family, is the result of 20+ years of clinical experience in dermatology and biomedical research on antioxidants and the aging process. Alchimie Forever products combine some of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Extracted from herbs (rosemary, basil), plants (green tea, watercress, turmeric), and fruits and vegetables (blueberries, grape seeds, tomatoes), these antioxidants have complementary effects that strengthen, protect, and promote healthier, more youthful-looking skin. These products are as scrumptious as they are effective. You'll always find several of their products in my bathroom. (read more of my items on Alchimie Forever here.)

So, I've just learned they bringing their Diode 1 + Diode 2 Age-Defying Serums to QVC. Join Ada Polla as she brings Alchimie Forever to the masses for the first time on Wed., 4/22 at 4 am EST. Too late or too early to watch, that's okay, you can also view the fab deal they're offering to introduce the products on the QVC website directly.


Yayyyyyy, Ada! You're going to do great ... I'm going to set my alarm to watch "in person". This is so exciting. xo

WINNER: Alchimie Forever Excimer+ Facial Scrub

AND THE WINNER IS ...

Judy

Congratulations, Judy!! The scrub will be packaged and sent to you at the mailing address you provided to me this week. Hope you enjoy!

Look for more giveaways from For the Love of Beauty coming soon!

Winner chosen thru random # generator at mathgoodies.com

CONTEST + GIVEAWAY REMINDERS

Alchimie Forever Excimer+ Facial Scrub Giveaway by For the Love of Beauty

Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Sun., 5/11/08

Enter Here

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TotalBeauty still has their marvelous Totally Green Sweepstakes going on, and prizes are given out all day. Check 'em out by clicking the bar above.

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My friend Daneen over at Spoiled Pretty is giving away the Motherload in honor of Mother's Day. Included are products from Stila and Cynthia Rowley. Entries accepted thru midnight on Sat., 5/10/08.

Enter Here

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Lipstick Powder 'n Paint has a Biotherm giveaway going on thru May 31st, 2008. Products include: RIDES REPAIR - wrinkle repair Day cream for Dry Skin, RIDES REPAIR SERUM - Ultra-smoothing serum, RIDES REPAIR EYE - Eye contour smoothing. For more info and to enter, click here.

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Backstage Beauty Giveaway by Allure

Fashion lovers look to a select circle of designers for the latest trends every season. The beauty world relies on one woman in particular: makeup artist Pat McGrath. A backstage star at the biggest shows, McGrath is a major trendsetter. All this month, enter to win some of her favorites from the fall 2008 fashion shows. You could receive a basket filled with more than $650 worth of makeup from Cover Girl, Max Factor, Nars, Benefit, and more.

Enter Here

You can check out OTHER Allure giveaways coming soon - here.

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For Glamour Magazine giveaways from Goody Beauty Rx, Kipling, Kohl's Bridal and Nivea, click here

BRAINS & BEAUTY: Ada Polla Tray of Alchimie Forever

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in the Polla family. Ada Polla Tray, co-creator of the cosmeceutical skincare line Alchimie Forever, launched the antioxidant skincare line in North America in 2004 and is leading its further development stateside and in Europe. Created by Ada's parents, Drs. Luigi and Barbara Polla, in 2000, Alchimie Forever first launched in Geneva, Switzerland. This is a family that has devoted itself to the science and care of skin. Luigi Polla, MD is a world-renowned dermatologist and European leader in the field of cosmetic laser therapy. Barbara Polla, MD is a leader in biomedical research on antioxidants and stress proteins. Both are specialists in cellular aging. Their skincare line is based on a combination of powerful natural antioxidants including green tea, rosemary, basil, turmeric, blueberries, grape seeds and tomatoes.


Known for their love and promotion of art (they have the Analix Forever Art Gallery in Geneva) as well as science, the Polla family is without a doubt making their mark.


You may be thinking, "...sure, Ada just had everything spoon-fed to her". Wrong! This sassy, ambitious woman is forging her own trail here in the USA. Ada followed up her undergrad degree from Harvard (magna cum laude at that) with an MBA from Georgetown and travels extensively to promote the skincare line. Her efforts have landed the company's high-end anti-aging products in the pages of French Vogue, InStyle, Vivre and more.


The products marry anti-aging technology with botanicals. Aside from what's already at top, what other ingredients can you find in the line? Yummy, fabulous, good for the skin ingredients like oats, wild pansies, jojoba and shea butters, watercress, willowbark, papaya, cucumber, grapefruit, vitamin E. In some of their body products (Q-Switch for instance), you can also find infusions of caffeinated mate' leaves, Amazonian guarana, ginger, and marine algae for toning effects.

Controversially, perhaps, what else will you find in some Alchimie Forever products? Parabens.

Ada offers no apology for using parabens. She believes that studies indicting parabens as cancerous are deeply flawed. "We don't know if parabens are implicated in cancer because the researchers did not study this. We need large-scale studies to prove or disprove causation, and there hasn't been a single one." Until there's an antibacterial agent that's equally effective and doesn't irritate the skin, Ada says Alchimie Forver will continue to use parabens (noted: albeit at very low, fractional percentages) and "not using them with our natural ingredients would pose a health risk".

What I can tell you of the products I've tried from Alchimie Forever is I completely adore them! They feel wonderful on the skin, are incredibly effective, their light, fresh aromas are a treat to the senses and a joy to use.

GIVEAWAY

Sooooo . . . to close out our wonderful week of Earth Day explorations, we're giving away a jar of Alchimie Forever's new gentle antioxidant facial scrub: Excimer+.

This isn't just any scrub, this is an ultra-gentle creamy exfoliant with cranberry and jojoba beads that work synergistically to remove dead skin cells and brighten the skin, while papaya enzymes exfoliate. Lychee extract rejuvenates and brightens as rosemary works to calm inflammation and prevent breakouts. Shea butter hydrates, ensuring this scrub is gentle enough for the most sensitive skin types.

TO ENTER:

• 1) Post a comment to this feature letting what your favorite skincare ingredient is;
• 2) Send me an email with GIVEAWAY in the subject line, and include your email address and US mailing address (failure to send this information will prevent my being able to send you the product, thus disqualify entry)

That's all there is to it! Some restrictions may apply. Contest open to US residents only. Winners will be chosen at random from among entrants. This giveaway is limited to one winner. Duplicate entries will not improve your chances of winning. Giveaway sponsored by Alchimie Forever and by For the Love of Beauty. Entries will be accepted through 11:59 pm on Sun., 05/11/08.

Alchimie Forever - Skincare You Can't Wait to Get Home to Apply

Have been so glad to hear from so many of you about your love for Alchimie Forever. Others have emailed wanting more information. Happy to go on and on about this gem of a skincare company, but will try and keep your interest with the important points. I don't quite remember how I stumbled upon them a little over two years ago, but for sure I have loved everything I've ever tried.

Husband and wife team, Dr. Luigi Polla and Dr. Barbara Polla, created the Alchimie Forever skincare line to advance and extend the healing and preventive benefits achieved through their Swiss based medical spa in Geneva, Forever Laser Institute. Dr. Luigi Polla, a dermatologist and European leader in the field of cosmetic laser therapy, is an expert on skin aging. Dr. Barbara Polla, a leader in biomedical research on antioxidants and stress proteins, is a specialist in cellular aging. You can see how their joint expertise would produce a remarkable line of products in skincare. In addition to wonderful products, you can expect excellent customer service from Alchimie Forever. As president of the company, their daughter, Ada, has been wonderfully interactive in reaching out to consumers, personally answering questions, and really helping folks understand the benefits and the science behind her family's products. Any doubts? Look at the skin of this beautiful family.

Dr.'s Luigi and Barbara Polla

Ada Polla Tray

Rachel Polla

Alchimie Forever offers a full line of skincare, addressing the needs of women, men, and body. You'll delight in the "luscious-ness" of these products; an experience for all the senses! Among my favorites so far:

Kantic Mask

Brightening moisture mask

Blueberries, wild pansies, oats, grapes, vitamin E

This creamy, soothing mask is packed with antioxidants and oat extracts to soothe, protect, and brighten dull skin. Blueberries help to quell redness, oats and wild pansies combine to speed the recovery of dry, distressed skin and calm irritation, while grape extracts combat free radicals and repair the look of past skin damage.

Weekly use helps reduce the appearance of redness, fine lines and wrinkles, restoring the skin's healthy glow.

Kantic Lights Off

Calming evening cream

Blueberries, jojoba, grape seeds, vitamin E

Increase the beneficial effects of beauty sleep with this midweight night cream that nourishes, renews, and brightens the skin, leaving it soft and silky the next morning.

Packed with antioxidants derived from blueberries, grape seeds, and vitamin E, this cream revives tired, dehydrated skin and helps minimize the signs of stress and fatigue. Daily use softens the appearance of fine lines and quells redness, leaving the skin soft and radiant.

Q-Switch

Optimizing body contour gel

Maté, guarana, marine algae, ginger

This slimming gel is infused with caffeinated maté leaves and Amazonian guarana, and stimulating ginger and marine algae, to visibly lift and tone the skin.

With continued use, these natural botanicals minimize the appearance of cellulite and water retention, resulting in smoother, firmer-looking skin and more beautiful feminine contours.

alchimie-forever.com

Favorite Things 2007

As a new blogger I am delighted to participate in this year's "Favorite Things" and only wish I had reviews in my blog of all the items I'll name in the listing. I do, however, look forward to adding LOTS more and only hope that some find the ramblings as amusing and fun as I do. Oh, so much to say, so little time ... I look forward to comments, so please don't be shy! Would love to know what YOUR interests are, even when we disagree on products and such ... xo

Right, off to the list:

1. FRAGRANCE: Don't hold this against me, but I must rest with a tie for this category

For special occasions: Strange Invisible Perfumes ~ L'Invisible. Description of this fragrance is best given by its creator and so I will quote for your own imagery delight, "Oak moss and a bouquet of resins lay in the shade of ylang ylang and blood orange; coursing through its heart is a redolent fusion of hibiscus and vanilla that coils through dimly lit veils of Moroccan red rose and Sicilian lemon" L'Invisble is the namesake fragrance of SIP and is the aromatic incarnation of something that is material yet hidden from sight; inhabiting the french verb sentir, which means both to smell and to feel. Treat yourself to a bevy of sensual experiences simply by visiting the website.

For everyday and more: REN ~ Rosa Maya. Brought back in December after discontinuing the fragrance, the UK company deservedly received much appreciation for its return - yea!!! Rosa Maya honors the beguiling sensuality of the rose with its complex and intriguing fragrance having a fresh, floral, citrus top note; a heart of rose, slightest hint of jasmine, and osmanthus; and a sensual base of woods (sandalwood in particular), spices and musks. The fragrance is a Clean Product containing only natural and nature identical ingredients.

2. SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER: PureOlogy ~ NanoWorks.

A bit pricey, but so worth it for fabulously shiny, healthy, color-maintained locks. Rich, yet extra-mild, zero-sulfate, anti-aging haircare.

3. FACIAL CLEANSER: Philosophy ~ Purity Made Simple.

This is a liquid crystal cleansing emulsion and skin purifier that removes dirt, makeup, oil and debris in one step; gentle enough even for sensitive skin types.

4. FACIAL EXFOLIANT: Rodan + Fields ~ REVERSE Microdermabrasion Paste.

During 2007, I've tried many a varied exfoliators, microderm and peel products only to return to this product each and every time. Why? Quite simply, it works; it's gentle; it's effective! My almost 40 year old skin has never looked better.

5. FACIAL MASK: Alchimie Forever ~ Kantic Mask.

I love this line of skincare; if you've not tried Alchimie Forever, you should treat your skin to this luxury! The Kantic Mask, with its creamy texture and anti-oxidant rich ingredients of blueberries, wild pansies, oats, grapes and vitamin E, truly reduces redness, brightens and hydrates skin to a healthy, refreshing glow.

6. FACIAL SERUM: REN ~ Revivo Lift H11 Intensive Night Serum.

The ONLY product I've found to actually reduce and diminish lines and wrinkles for the long haul. You can actually see the results of this product upon first application. It's like my miracle wrinkle-reducer! [REN decribes this wonder as a concentrated bio active serum formulated to intensively restore skin's elasticity, firmness and vitality; patented hexapeptide liposomes together with native peptides smooth fine lines and wrinkles; myrrh resin firms, vitamin C brightens skin tone and hyaluronic acid boosts hydration]

7. FACIAL MOISTURIZER:

DAY: Clarins ~ Hydra-Matte Day Lotion.

Perfect for my combination skin, keeps oil at bay for the entire day yet replenishes and hydrates my skin to a smooth finish - love the botanicals.

NIGHT: Sisley Paris ~ Sisleya Global Anti-Age.

Decadent, but gentle enough that my combination skin can enjoy the rich benefits without clogging; renders the skin healthy.

8. FACIAL PRIMER: Thought long and hard on which I would actually name as my favorite for 2007, as I really, really love Smashbox Photo Finish, I'm going to go with this one, which I love equally as much, only because it is lesser known and I wish for people to really appreciate the benefits and effectiveness of this wonderful product that is healthy for the skin. Colorescience ~ Line Tamer Smoothing, Soothing, Skin Brightener.

I urge you to take a look at the ingredients and try it!

9. FOUNDATION: Giorgio Armani ~ Luminous Silk Foundation in #2.

With its varied shades, oil-free formula, lightweight, luminous texture, this is hands down the #1 foundation out there for a true air-brushed looking finish without all the mess and fuss. I get compliments on my skin every time I wear this!

10. CONCEALER: Mary Kay Signature Concealer.

This creamy product covers like nothing else I've used and is surprisingly blendable. At $9.50 a tube (which lasts 4ever), just can't beat it.

11. LOOSE POWDER: T. LeClerc ~ Banane.

A soft, pale yellow powder that reflects light in a most flattering way, illuminating fair to medium complexions with pink undertones, bestows a glow lightening up skin and diminishing imperfections, even redness and dark circles.

12. EYESHADOW: MAC

Satin Taupe - The epitome of neutral elegance and a crease definer extraordinaire; Vanilla Pigment - highlights a brow bone like no other as well as accentuates and brightens the eye when applied to the inner corner of the eye; Pink Opal Pigment - Flatters almost any eye color and has multiple applications as a shadow, definer, highlighter and more.

13. EYELINER: Lancome ~ Artliner in Blueberry.

I adore how easy these are to apply, for a cat-eye there is nothing better, and the shades the Artliners come in are gorge ... plus, they last all day.

14. MASCARA: Mirenesse ~ Secret Weapon.

You will not find another mascara like this one! Other similar, "tubing" mascaras are ok at lengthening, but this one also adds volume - lush lashes, no smudging, smear-proof, literally lasts all day (until you wash it off - with water).

15. BLUSH: NARS ~ The Multiple in Sumatra.

Surprise, surprise ... as I've gone on about this in a recent post, what more needs to be said. Perfect flush, great formula, long-lasting, mutiple purpose product - love it!

16. LIPSTICK: While my favorite lipstick for formula is MAC, I'm going with this LE fashion-inspired stick for fave of this year for the beautiful red color on the lips, creativity of its developer (Gucci Westman), and the designer who show-cased it.

Lancome ~ P.S. Kiss (Peter Som/LE).

17. LIP GLAZE: Stila ~ Lip Plumping Glaze in Vanilla Mint.

This is a fair plumper, but I adore the pen-click packaging, the texture, feel and look of the product on my lips and the pleasant vanilla mint taste, so this is my fave for 2007 - yippee!!!

Thanks so much, Annie, for organizing the faves!! Annie's blog is one of the best, as you all know, the beloved Blogdorf Goodman. Check out her faves and the other beauty bloggers who are sharing their faves this year:


15 Minute Beauty
Afrobella
All About The Pretty
All Lacquered Up
Beauty 411
Beauty Blogging Junkie
BeautyTalk
Beautiful Makeup Search
Beauty Hatchery
Beauty Jones
Blogdorf Goodman
Canadian Beauty
C'est Chic
Coquette
eBeautyDaily
For the Love of Beauty
Give Me Your Eyes I Need Sunshine
Get AMPed
Grayburn
HauteMommaStuff
Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary
Makeup Bag
The Makeup Girl
Miss Whoever You Are
Legerdenez
Perfumista
Periodic Style
Platinum Blonde Life
Product Girl
Shop Diary
Slap of the Day
Steeping Beauty
The Beauty Alchemist
The Daily Obsession
The Life of a Ladybug
The Non-Blonde
Urbane Girl
Victoria's Own
We Love Beauty

And for the Best of 2007 in perfume/fragrance, see these lovely blogs:

Aromascope

Bois de Jasmin

Now Smell This

Perfume Posse

Perfume Smellin Things

Scentzilla

'Tis the Season ... for not breaking the bank

Holiday Palettes and Other Fab Deals

Sephora Beauty Fever

A purse-sized, triple-tiered palette for eyes, face, and lips, plus all the tools you need to put together endless looks $25

Ten Palette The powder (bronze shimmer/ light pink) duo bronzes and highlights in one sexy sweep to give you sleek, sculpted cheekbones. We've chosen two seductive shades for lips (sheer golden berry/ sheer plum) and complementary shades for your eyes (soft mauve/ golden taupe). We like to call it "sexy to the max." $28

The Quickie Chronicles - The Future Lovers Palette includes Blush in Peach; Eye Shadows in Deep Teal, Hot Pink, and Deep Navy; and Lip Glosses in Pink Glitter, Bronze Glitter, Gold Glitter, and Fuchsia Glitter; plus a double-ended brush and a double-ended sponge applicator $25

Foreshadow Eyeshadow Palette A collection of Urban Decay eye enhancers you won't want to live without. This exclusive Foreshadow Box palette combines Urban Decay's best-selling eyeshadow shades and a travel size brush. It's everything you need to create either smoky, seductive eyes or a soft and natural look. The slim purple faux suede and metallic mesh case flips open to reveal a mirror and shuts tightly with a magnetic closure. Shades include: Oil Slick, Stray Dog, Midnight Cowboy, Flipside $24

Glow Belle A collection of 8 glimmering triple milled miracle powders in one kit; highlight, illuminate, glow and brighten any skin tone with these super silky colors $28 CODES & DISCOUNTS

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