Vichy has created a little wonder that helps reduce eye puffiness and freshens the eye area – and is like carrying your own little bag of ice with you where ever you go!

Vichy has combined Citrus Plyphenol, a powerful anti-oxidant which works to combat stress in the skin (e.g. puffiness and dark circles), along with their classic Vichy thermal water in a solid eye treatment stick you simply swivel up and apply.

About the Author

Risi-Leanne Baranja is the editor-in-chief of Palacinka (pal-a-chink-ah) Beauty Blog. She created the blog 4 years ago, after having a successful career in beauty advertising with Saatchi & Saatchi and Bates Worldwide Agencies, as well as online luxury goods e-commerce, with Vivre.com.

She has been featured in many publications on all aspects of the beauty industry and cosmetic products, such as Glamour, More Magazine, The Washington Post, Forbes Magazine, AOL Celebrity Beauty and more. Palacinka Beauty Blog was picked as one of Allure Magazine’s favorite beauty blogs and Risi-Leanne was recently chosen as one of 2010′s “Beauty Influencers” by (Proctor&Gamble) P&G Beauty. Risi-Leanne will also be featured in the upcoming beauty book “The Globetrotter’s Get-Gorgeous Guide”, by Debbi Karpowicz Kickham, out Fall 2010.

There’s still not a lip gloss that she won’t try….

Risi-Leanne can be reached at twitter.com/palacinkabeauty

Dr. Dennis Gross is our resident beauty expert for the week, and he is on tap to answer your most burning skincare questions for your chance to score one of the brand new sunscreens from DG Skincare.

What do you have to do to win? It’s as simple as riding a bike (or using sunscreen!):

1. Post your question to our Facebook page so everyone can view the answer. There is a limit of one question per person, per day for the next five days (no cheating )

2. Winners will be chosen at random and announced in the Comments section of this post, daily. So make sure you check back to see if you’ve won.

3. Make sure you spread the word and the giveaway love! Tell your friends and family and make them a fan of BeautyStat on Facebook.

Good luck! With the sun coming out and dancing during the summer months, we’ll all need to benefit from some good, solid SPF love. And how often do you get to pick the brain of a well-known derm AND possibly snag some sunscreen, right? So ask, share and score! You’re welcome!

- Charu Suri

We asked you if you could have any type of beauty expert (skin, hair, makeup artist, etc) cornered in an elevator for 30 minutes, what kind of expert would you want and what would you ask him or her?  Many of you had questions for a dermatologist so we brought in our resident dermatologist, Dr. Ellen Marmur to help.

What is the best skin care advice that you give to your patients?

My best skin care advice to my patients is to simply simplify! Know what skin does, how it works, and it’s basic architecture first. Then shop for your skin care products knowing more than anyone selling them so you chose based on good knowledge over marketing.

What is the best way to treat very sensitive skin that needs both early anti-aging intervention AND treatment for breakouts around the jaw line and chin? Thank you in advance!

In my book you can read my tricks for how to do exactly what you asked. Sensitive skin does not disqualify you from anti-aging products (yeahhh!!) but you need to use them wisely. First, be sure your sensitivity isn’t actually an allergy—ask your dermatologist for an easy, painless patch test. Then try using Epiduo or for your breakouts twice a day to the spots as necessary. For anti-aging try a product with a retinol. Refissa CR (prescription) is new—it has a medium strength retinoid plus a strong emollient to prevent dryness and irritation of the skin. Give it a shot!

What is the best cure for under eye bags? Collagen? – Vanessa M.

Dear Vanessa—Big bags or little bags? Right under the lashes? Or down above the bony rim of the orbit? Some bags can be camouflaged by using fillers around them. Collage is no longer used. The best filler for this area is called hyaluronic acid. It is considered an off label use and should be injected only by core cosmetic physicians—dermatologist, plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, and ENT surgeons. But it’s absolutely beautiful when done for the right person. If you have bigger bags under your eyes, you may be a good candidate for eyelid surgery called blepharoplasty. Ask your dermatologist for advice, but don’t worry, there are ways to fix the bags! Otherwise, topical creams may not be satisfactory to you so save your money for the right procedure.

I recently noticed that the pores on my checks that are closer to my nose are more prominent than the rest of my face (they are on both sides of the face). Can you advice what I can do to minimize or shrink my pores? It is more noticeable when I use powder foundation, the skin looks dry and rough.

Help! I have great skin and now I am starting to freak out.

– Kristina

Dear Kristina, Did you know that these may not be pores but my actually be hair follicles?? The density of hair follicles is greatest in the midline of the face—the nose and the medial cheeks. Tiny, almost invisible hairs grow there and and often we think they are pores. The good news is you can definitely minimize the pore size by doing several things. Exfoliate twice a week with a creamy exfoliator, use a retinoid at night, be excellent with sun protection everyday, moisturize with your favorite gentle creams twice a day, and try the pore strips (Biore)! They will remove any protein, oil, or dead skin from the top of the skin and allow the pore or opening of the follicle to constrict tightly. The Rolls Royce of treatments you can do for large pores is a series of Fraxel laser resurfacing procedures. This will plump up your collagen and build up your elastin—both have the effect of tighter pores and a smooth complexion.

I am constantly trying to create that perfect dewy look that all the celebrities seem to wear so effortlessly. While I have tried many of the suggested techniques (mixing a shimmer in with moisturizer or foundation, cream blush, etc), I am really searching for a few all-time favorite products that can help one achieve such a glamorous glow! What specific beauty finds would you recommend?

– Jody

Dear Jody—This is actually easier than it sounds. Rule #1—simplify. The last thing you need is dry, irritated, over-exposed skin when trying for the dewy look. Rule #2—exfoliate, moisturize, protect with sunblock. Rule #3—use self tanner (Clarins is a favorite.) Rule #4—use a serum. Serums have illuminators in them that give a dewy sheen. Rule #5—keep your make-up light and sheer (try Laura Mercier for the natural look. She has wonderful sand colored eyeshadows and bronzers that may be great for you!)

Do fat cells create oilier skin? In other words, is it true that the fatter you are the oilier your skin?

- Suzette

Dear Suzette—it is sooo not true that more body fat causes oilier skin! Oil glands are very much genetic and hormonally stimulated. Yes, hormones are related to obesity, but there is no data to support that oily skin is more common in people with higher percentage of body fat. If you want help with oily skin, your dermatologist has great tricks for you. Accutane (very low dosage) helps, Plexion pads twice daily are great, and oil free mineral makeup is good for oily skin types.

How do you treat milia? When I look it up it seems more common for newborns but I am referring to milia associated with acne. Any reason why it develops? Thanks!

- Yvette

Dear Yvette—milia with acne are actually called closed comedones. They are little cyst under the skin. Open comedones look black because the air oxidizes the protein in the cyst thus the dreaded blackheads. Comedones are partly due to a problem with skin turnover, meaning retained skin on the surface, leading to clogged pores and cysts. You should see your dermatologist first to confirm this diagnosis. Then you should come up with a simple routine that can protect, enhance, and troubleshoot! My favorite new product for your issue is Epiduo cream (prescription). Try to do 2 chemical peels a year and use non-comedogenic products to maintain your perfect skin!

I’m confused about chemical sunscreens vs. physical sunscreens. Are you better protected from sun damage when you wear a broad spectrum chemical sunscreen or when you wear a physical sunscreen? For maximum benefits, should you layer physical sunscreen over a chemical sunscreen? Are there products on the market that combine both types of sunscreen in one product? Thanks for your help!

- Vanessa Eliana Rivera

Dear Vanessa, There are chemical sunscreens and physical sunblocks and yes, use them in combination for the best protection. Sunscreens are chemicals that intercept the UV ray and turns it into heat so it evaporates off the skin’s surface without penetrating and causing havoc. But sunscreens get used up the more sun it converts, like gasoline in a car runs out the more you drive. So reapply every 1-2 hours. Physical blockers literally rest on top of the skin and block the sunlight from penetrating through them. Zinc and titanium oxides are two examples. They don’t run out or get used up like sunscreens but they wipe off due to water or sweat, so they need to be reapplied every 1-2 hours, too. Each chemical has it’s strengths and limitations so a combination is the best way to go. Unless you invent the ideal sunscreen with one molecule that perfectly protects the skin from the sun, use a combo of sunscreen and sunblock.

When should you start using more aggresive treatments like AHA’s and peels?

- Marisa Bradford

AHA’s and chemical peels are superb in young people with acne, or very, very old people over the age of 30 who need a little help with pigmentation from hormones or fine lines. Peels can be very light to very strong and I love them, but only let a very experienced doctor do them for you.

I need advice for Baby Boomer skin! How can I reduce the signs of aging skin?

- Barbara Moon Webster

Ok, so baby boomers are in their 40’s and 50’s right? And therefore, your skin aging is showing up as brown spots, wrinkles, and perhaps a little laxity of your cheeks. This is a great question and I wrote an entire chapter on it in my book (SSB). Essentially, your routine must focus on protection, moisturizing, and trouble shooting. Protect with sunscreen every day of the year, moisturize twice a day, and trouble shoot away those signs of aging. Laser or peel off the brown spots and wrinkles. Use a retinoid to prevent new ones. And simply, you are good to go!!!

How does one get rid of whiteheads for Baby Boomer Skin? Mostly cheek bones area?

- Kim Snyder

Kim—I have those too! They are called milia—little, white, closed cysts that are just under the skin. If you have just a few, then yes, professional extraction is the easiest thing. If you have a lot, then you need a master plan. Exfoliate daily with a gentle exfoliator (like Sanitas lemon creamy exfoliator), use a retinoid at night (the new Refissa cream looks amazing, it’s a prescription), have one good chemical peel with your doctor or a Fraxel resurfacing treatment, and be sure to remove make-up from your skin at night (Clinique’s milk creamy make up remover is nice!)

These can result from sun damage, make up, or injury to the skin. Good luck!

I have a question strictly about redness in the skin. I have redness more around my nose and on my cheeks. Is there a treatment I can do to get rid of it?

-Stephanie

Hi Stephanie—all redness is not created equally. If you have any other issues like flakey skin, pimples, or symptoms like itching or burning along with the redness, you should ask your dermatologist to you make a diagnosis. Rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and allergic or irritant contact dermatitis can look red. Sometimes—rarely—it can be more serious. So have that redness checked. But, yes! If it is just lucky red skin, then we can treat you with intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser! Some people uses anti-inflammatory creams like Finacea or metrogel to help reduce redness too. I’ve had good luck using Fraxel laser to reduce redness as well—which also replaces sun damaged skin with new, healthy skin, and helps tighten, smooth, and lift the skin.

Ellen Marmur, M.D., the author of Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin wants to know YOUR candid questions.

Dr. Marmur is the Chief of Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and specializes in skin cancer surgery, cosmetic surgery, and women’s health dermatology.

Her hair was done in a super chic updo, created by TRESemmé Celebrity Stylist Mara Roszak. Roszak wanted ”an editorial look because she was wearing Givenchy. We also didn’t want the hair and make up to compete with the dress so we created an elegant but effortless look.”

Here’s how you can recreate Saldana’s Oscars 2010 red carpet ‘do:

1. It’s all about prepping the hair with mousse! I am a huge fan of the TRESemme Naturals line, and was pleased to find that Roszak had prepped damp hair with TRESemmé Naturals Lightweight Mousse. Then she blow dryed her hair upside down.

2. Roszak separated the crown from the rest of the hair and pulled back the sides into a tight pony. Then she pulled the hair almost all the way through but left the ends tucked into a ponytail holder. Note that it wasn’t a PERFECT ponytail, with a few pieces left outside the bun for a slightly messy look.

3. Then she teased the top part of the hair and criss crossed bobby pins to hold the hair in place securely. She also sprayed Saldana’s updo with TRESemmé TRES TWO Extra Hold Hair Spray.
4. Here’s a stylist secret! Spray hairspray on finger tips and gently pull the hair around the face with your fingers to loosen the hair, giving it an organic effortless look.

(Sabrina from AOL, myself, and PJ Gach from BettyConfidential)

Honestly, I was thrilled to hear about the steam activated cleanser. I always clean my face in the shower (and according to Biore, about 60% of Americans love to, as well). The steam cleanser is oil free and contain tiny SteamActif beads. The aim is to – naturally – dissolve all your makeup, oil and make your skin cleaner and more radiant than the Swarovski crystal.

Well, I tried this steam activated cleanser immediately when I got home, and my skin indeed felt super clean without feeling too taut. I also loved the cool mint extract in the product (no terrible tingling – just a zingling feeling). It also has Green Tea extract which, as you obviously know, has antioxidant properties. I’m kind of married to it already!

Now, the other product is already the love of my life. I’ve never been obsessed with any makeup removing towelette, mostly because it rarely is able to remove the layers of eye makeup that I religiously wear each morning (think two coats of Rimmel or Maybelline mascara over a layer of primer, an eyeliner and eye shadow to boot). But these Makeup Removing Towlettes really do the job, and studies have proven they don’t really leave a nasty residue on your skin like some other brands. Take a look at the before and after (after just two swipes):

Best of all, the towelettes are made from 100% renewable resources, like cotton, but they are tough enough to even catch a kitten if you were to make a trampoline out of them.

The event, called ‘Party in the Shower’ was a lot of fun, and I got to catch up with some of my fave peeps and see some of the cool lighting in the studio (the chandelier icon is all just an optical illusion).

But the Biore products are no mirage – they definitely work, so check them out in your drugstores or online right now!

Vapour Organic Beauty really impressed me when I was introduced to it for the first time last year and this year they’re introducing some brand new products, including the Halo Body Spotlight in Moonlight, just in time for the summer.

This stick contains a creamy, chemical-free shimmer that rivals Josie Maran’s Argan Oil when it comes to body glitz. It’s subtle but not TOO subtle: this stick should absolutely be in your purse when you bare your skin and take your bikini bod to the beach. Just look at it:

This stick is a pile of total organic glitz! It’s formulated in the Vapour Organic botanical base of 70 percent certified organic food-grade ingredients. This color, called Moonlight, is perfect for all skin tones, even if you’ve recently hit the tanning bed (tsk, tsk…we won’t tell). It contains anti-inflammatory ingredients of Frankincense (sure, you can give it as a Magi gift during Christmas), Lotus Flower and Tulsi.

Check out how beautifully it came out on my hands. If you think this is glitzier than Liberace, then just go easy on the dab.

What do you think? Do you dig this new Vapour Organic Beauty offering? The Halo Body Spotlight in Moonlight retails for $34 online.

- Charu Suri

Dr. Marmur is the Chief of Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and specializes in skin cancer surgery, cosmetic surgery, and women’s health dermatology.

Ellen Marmur

As a virtual beauty expert for BeautyStat this week, Ms. Marmur welcomes any persnickety skincare question you may have, at info@beautystat.com.

At the end of the week we will post the ten top questions followed by Ms. Marmur’s answers.

You can also follow Ms. Marmur on Facebook here.

Facebook Application

Advanced Night Repair

To celebrate our launch, we are giving BeautyStat Facebook application fans the chance to win THREE full-size Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (1.7 fl. oz.) Synchronized Recovery Complex bottles (a $74.50 value). Selections will be at random and winners will be notified at the end of the week.

We at BeautyStat love this produce because it provides anti-aging benefits for all skin types: its Chronolux technology repairs past damage and helps erase the signs of time. So all your wrinkles, lines, unneven skintone appear less noticeable.

Honestly, we swear by this little brown bottle because it not only delivers what it promises but it also hydrates better than filtered Evian (through Hyaluronic Acid). Plus it also shields your skin from environmental damage (and it doesn’t matter if you’re living in New York City or Beijing …pollution is as ubiquitous as a STOP sign).

Plus that’s not all: select Facebook fans will also receive a copy of Dr. Ellen Marmur’s book, Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin(a $27 value).

Ellen Marmur

We are fortunate to have Dr. Marmur on our panel of experts. Ms. Marmur is a skin cancer surgeon (and a survivor herself), and has treated and advised countless patients on the best path to skincare and anti-aging. With her experience, she gives you the best way to take care of skin and address key concerns from anti-aging to acne to age spots. We can think of no better beauty bible to have on your bookshelf, and ten lucky readers will each win one!

All you have to do is take the quiz and become a fan of BeautyStat’s Facebook application. Join here.

The technology is simple: Avon studied how wrinkles were formed, and came to the conclusion that they are actually tiny injuries to the skin. When cuts are formed, Activin is naturally triggered to heal the rupture. Therefore it made sense to bottle this molecule into an anti-aging line — which is precisely what the Harry Potter-esque scientists did.

There is both a Reversalist Renewal Serum ($39) and a Night Cream ($27) that work in tandem. For one, the serum is as light as coconut oil — it’s very layer friendly and complements the much richer Night Cream as well as Punch complements Judy. The serum actually has 5 times more Activinol than the Night Cream.

The results are almost as impressive as Brazil getting the Olympic bid in 2016. 75% felt like they had new skin overnight, and 100% saw an improvement in discolorations.

My skin reacted beautifully: it did not breakout but remained soft as satin. Most importantly my frown lines (I call them my World War I trenches) started to fade quite powerfully….in four days I had noticed a marked improvement.

Buy this now at www.avon.com

- Charu Suri