Howard Murad's Blog, page 19

Korean Skincare Trends

If you’ve read any skincare blogs or beauty magazines lately, you’ve probably come across articles on Korean skincare trends. K-beauty regimens are taking the skincare world by storm, and we want to show you how you can take advantage of this trend using products you already have at home. Kristine from Murad’s International Marketing Team shows us how it works in this video tutorial.



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Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture

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Hydro-Dynamic® Quenching Essence

$78.00

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How to Use Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence

By Jon Peden, Murad Manager of National Retail & Esthetic Education

Essences are the hottest new skincare must-haves! Essences are in a category of their own; not quite a serum but more than a toner. The idea behind an essence is similar to that of a softening lotion. They prep and prime the skin, provide hydration, and optimize any other moisture layered on top.

Murad has not only added an essence to its collection, but it has perfected the art of the essence with Hydro-Dynamic® Quenching Essence. Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence contains Blue Agave Leaf Extract, which is a self-sustainable, desert-based plant that holds onto moisture for dear life! Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence also contains a blend of watermelon, apple and lentil to give the skin the “drink of water” that it needs, while also maintaining that level of hydration. If your skin looks a little lackluster or depleted in these drier, colder months, then try pairing our essence with Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture. Used together, Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence and Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture can deliver 5x the hydration. Here are some quick tips to make this duo do the most for you.

Follow these steps when using Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence:

Pump Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence onto the tips of the middle and index fingers. Quickly touch coated fingers to the middle and index fingers of the opposite hand to distribute product. To avoid over-absorption by fingers, do not rub.


To apply to the face, use 4 coated fingers to dab the product from forehead to chin and from nose to ears.


Use the same 4 fingers to lightly and continuously tap the product into the skin, working from the center of the face to the edges.


Continue tapping until the product has been completely absorbed and optimal hydration has been achieved.


Apply Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture to the entire face and neck, concentrating on your driest areas.

 Learn more about the Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence.

Jon Peden is an educator for Murad, a makeup artist, and a self-proclaimed “product junkie.” He has been in the industry for over 10 years and is obsessed with creating and maintaining flawless skin. Jon has empowered men and women to enhance their outer beauty to match their inner beauty. He believes that a healthy look can create, activate and cultivate healthy self-esteem.

 

 

 

 

SHOP THE STORY

Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture

$72.00

Shop Now

Hydro-Dynamic® Quenching Essence

$78.00

Shop Now

The post How to Use Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence appeared first on Face Forward.

Quick and Easy Beauty Hacks

We all have days where we need to get out of the house fast. Celebrity makeup artist Nikki DeRoest shares some of her favorite beauty hacks when time is limited, but you still want to look your best. This tutorial is all about brightening up your skin. From properly prepping your face to highlighting your eye area in a snap, check out Nikki’s best beauty hacks for the busy gal on the go.

SHOP THE LOOK

Renewing Eye Cream

$80.00

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Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips

$24.00

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Advanced Active Radiance Serum

$90.00

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Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture

$72.00

Shop Now

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Introducing Murad Wish Lists

This holiday season, make it easy for friends and family to find gifts you’ll love by building a Wish List on Murad.com. Simply register for an account to start adding all your must-haves and favorites to your Wish List.

Besides giving you easy access to all your skincare favorites, Wish Lists are great for bookmarking products you might want to buy for yourself later. You’ll also enjoy faster checkout and access to special promotions.

Here’s how to start your Wish List:

Step 1: Click here to register for an Murad account if you don’t already have one or to log into your existing account.

Step 2: Select your favorite items on Murad.com and click the “+ Wish List” button.

Step 3: Click the button again to view all your favorites, or continue adding items to the list.

Step 4: Click “Email My List” to send your Wish List to your friends and family.

(Note: This sharing function currently works from your desktop computer, we are currently working on adding it to our mobile experience. Thanks for your patience!)

Start your Wish List today and enter for a chance to win our Win Your Wish List Sweepstakes. Once you’ve created your Wish List, enter here by Dec. 16, 2015. One grand prize winner will receive up $1000 worth of prizes from his or her Wish List. Four first prize winners will receive our 2 new, super-hydrating products that launch later this month. Good luck!

 

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Holiday Wishes for 2015

The holiday season means something different for each of us. For some it’s a time for gathering; for some it’s a time for traveling. Some of us will celebrate by wrapping gifts, while others will find satisfaction in getting organized and wrapping up the loose ends of another year. Some will worship, some will sing, and some will revel in the simple splendor of silence.

We asked some of our Murad employees to share what the holiday season means to them. Here’s what they said:

Jen Harmatz

Director, National Retail Education

“There seems to be a bit more magic in the air. I love the glittering lights and the music. I love that families and friends get together to celebrate their connection to one another. It’s also a time to remember others – for me this is the time of year I try to focus on giving back. I volunteer more, donating my time and items that are needed to causes that are important to me. I reflect on what I have, what I can share and what I can give to those who have less than I do.”

Kristen G. Robinson

Director, New Product Development

“The holiday season is a time to remember, share and enjoy family traditions; to value, appreciate and honor the moments of your past and present that fulfill and enrich your life. The holidays are about embracing your faith and heritage while creating new traditions and making memories of your very own. Every holiday season, I look forward to filling my house with the sounds, smells, tastes, and activities that I loved from my childhood Christmases: listening to my grandmother’s favorite Christmas song (Silver Bells), watching holiday favorites on TV (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street), and preparing specialties of my heritage (Holupki and Pierogi) to share with friends and family.”

Heather Lord

Human Resources Generalist

“The holiday season means to me: spending quality time cuddling up with a warm blanket and my handsome sons, festive decorations, and lots of cooking. When I think of the holiday season, I think of warm, spicy tamales and family. Wishing everyone a season full of love.”

No matter what the season means to you, we hope that this beautiful and rewarding time brings you joy and inspires you to live well in 2016.

 What does the holiday season mean to you? Share in the comments below.

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Foods, Fads and Facts. What’s Right for You?

Looking at the broad sweep of human history, we who are lucky enough to live in the developed world are surrounded by an unprecedented abundance of food and food choices. Freed from the struggle to find enough food to survive in our immediate environment, a struggle that has marked most of human existence, we have the luxury of declining to eat certain foods that our ancestors would have gladly eaten. This freedom from want allows us to make informed choices to improve the nutritional quality of our diet, but it has also fueled the demonization of foods like wheat and dairy that have long been valued as wholesome and the exaltation of foods like kale and quinoa, which have long lingered in comparative dietary obscurity.

So how are we to make the most of our food freedom when we are constantly bombarded with new revelations about heroes and villains lurking in our kitchens—only to have those revelations revealed in turn as the work of publicity seekers pedaling bad science?

Here are a few simple suggestions for making good food choices.

Don’t Make Any Sudden Moves

Radical shifts in your diet, or any other aspect of your life, are rarely a great idea. Unless a food or product is the subject of a recall because it is contaminated or unwholesome, you can generally continue to consume it while you are learning more about the pros and cons of including it in your diet.

Consider the Source

This is true both for the source of your food and the source of your information about food. The gold standard for both would be clean and ethically produced. If food is sourced from someplace where agricultural products are not inspected, there are no restrictions on the use of pesticides, and working conditions are unsafe and unsanitary, you probably shouldn’t consume it. Similarly, if food “science” comes from a “dirty” source with an economic or political interest in the “story,” you probably shouldn’t consume it either. While no single source of information is entirely reliable, the editorial standards for publication in established medical journals are fairly high and provide some level of screening to help filter out some of the junk science.

Look for Corroboration

Real science takes time—and generates results that can be repeated. A tremendous amount of research and peer review of that research is needed to start to tease out the truth about any subject. Many of the tantalizing or horrifying food stories that we read, especially those stories that bubble up in the unedited wilderness of the Internet, are based upon things suggested by early findings and small studies.

“Listen” to Your Body—and Your Doctor

Trust your experience. If something hasn’t bothered you in the past, it probably isn’t going to be a problem in the short term while you are deciding whether it is a good choice for you. Don’t forget that you are unique—from your smile to the curves of your digestive tract. If your best friend is one of the very small number of people who cannot tolerate gluten, that doesn’t mean your health will improve if you eliminate certain grains from your diet. But if you are experiencing some symptoms of a food allergy or intolerance, most often digestive and dermatological issues, it is important to talk to your doctor about how to identify a problem food and eliminate it from your diet.

Miracle Foods

Goji berries? Acai berries? Coconut water? Kale? Each of these foods is wonderful in its own way, but there are no magic berries, leaves, teas or juices that will change your life. All plant-based foods, in their whole, natural, unprocessed state, are truly miracle foods packed with antioxidants, vitamins and other healthful phytochemicals. Enjoy them in as fresh and unprocessed a state as you can, and enjoy them as a diverse assortment. Humans have evolved to be quite successful as omnivores, and we thrive on a varied diet. Dietary diversity really is key, because when it comes to foods, we really can have too much of a good thing—and the current kale craze provides an excellent example. Doctors are seeing people in their offices with digestive issues and symptoms of severe thyroid gland suppression as a result of obsessive over-consumption of kale.

Savor the Flavors of Life

No matter what food choices you make, don’t let food be one more source of stress and anxiety. Try to follow a simple 80/20 strategy to build the bulk of your diet; 80%, from whole foods with a special emphasis on colorful, water-rich fruits and vegetables and 20% from foods that you love, regardless of their inherent healthfulness. Sharing foods you love with those you love will give a bigger boost to the health of your heart than you’ll ever get from a bowl of chia seeds.

Article by Howard Murad, M.D., FAAD, a world renowned skincare expert and founder of the Inclusive Health movement. Click here to learn more about Dr. Murad.

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6 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season

We’re about to enter the busiest season of the year. Are you ready? In the weeks ahead, many of us will be shopping, cooking, entertaining and creating memories to last a lifetime.

But for some people, this time of year can also be stressful. Holiday stress may be related to family, travel and so on. As we head into this busy time, here are our six tips for a stress-free holiday season.

Count your blessings. At the very root of this holiday is gratitude. Being appreciative and thankful for all the blessings in your life helps put stress in perspective. Gratitude is a powerful tool to expand your happiness, improve your health, and, yes, cope with stress.
Stay organized. Create to-do lists so you can be efficient and make the best use of your time. Delegate tasks so you don’t have to do everything yourself. Stay on top of your budget so financial stress won’t surprise you come January. Are there any Thanksgiving dishes you can prepare ahead of time?
Schedule time to pamper yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. You can give yourself an at-home facial, get a massage or curl up with a good book. Take a walk and breathe mindfully with each step. Be present in all that you do.
Take care of your body. It’s okay to splurge on stuffing and pumpkin pie on the big day, but make sure to squeeze in some exercise, too. Do your best to eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. Listen to your body; you know what it needs.
Give back. Many people don’t have a Thanksgiving table to gather around. The holiday season is a wonderful time of year to do something nice for others. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate winter clothes to a homeless shelter or bring canned goods to a food pantry.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t try to “Keep up with Joneses.” If you overcook the turkey, let it go. If someone says something unkind, don’t take it personally. If going to the mall for those Black Friday sales stresses you out, consider shopping online instead. Being kind to yourself will help diffuse potential stressors that may arise.

Thanksgiving is not something that should be restricted to just one day. Giving thanks on a daily basis is something we should all strive for. Speaking of gratitude, we’d like to thank YOU, our amazing community of fans, for reaching for our products and turning to us for advice on how to live more beautifully. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

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What Is Essence Skin Care?

By Jen Harmatz, Murad Director of National Retail Education

Essences come in all shapes and sizes…especially in the world of K Beauty. Korean skincare leads the market in terms of the sheer amount of different products to be layered on the skin. Some of these regimens include anywhere from 8 layers up to 17 layers of different skincare items. So this begs the question: what is an essence and why do I need it?

Back in the day, an essence was a water-like, lightweight lotion; however, due to advancements in skincare, many products are distorting the lines. Nowadays, technology makes it possible to create multifunctioning essences that do so much more for you. You can find all different textures in the essence category, which run the gamut from that water-like lotion to a gel to a more serum-like texture, depending on the desired result and what is put into it. The more luxurious ingredients in an essence, the more it does, and that’s usually reflected in its pricing.

The thing to remember and know about an essence is that it’s highly concentrated with active ingredients to go deeper into the surface layer of the skin to help affect change from your serum. Used on freshly cleansed and/or toned skin, an essence has the opportunity to penetrate deeper into the skin to help prepare it for the next step. This means that your serum will have better absorption, making it work even harder for you, so you’ll see results faster.

There is an essence for every skin type, whether you’re oily, dry, sensitive, or you have rough patches. The world is now your oyster with so many options to choose from. They can include vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, acids and hydrators. Explore which one will give you the skin you’ve been dreaming about and add it to the mix!

This is just a teaser for you. Check back with us in a few weeks to see Murad’s newest and most innovative product that will help change the way your skin looks and feels!

Jen Harmatz is a seasoned makeup artist and skin specialist who has worked on the GRAMMY Awards and the Oprah Winfrey Show. She knows from experience that perfecting the “canvas” lets you put your best face forward. She has created education initiatives to empower people across multiple channels to improve their skin, life and overall well-being.

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Meet Carly Portalupi, Murad Senior Producer

When Carly’s not climbing a mountain or whipping up a batch of her famous baklava, she’s hard at work as a senior producer here at Murad. So, in honor of National Baklava Day (yes, that’s a thing), we chatted with Carly about her secret baklava recipe, her favorite Murad products and who inspires her.

What do you like most about #MuradHQ?

There are so many great things. I love the open workspace and the high-tech conference rooms, but I especially I love the healthy vending that Murad has for its employees.

Fill in the blank: When I get bored at work, I like to…

I wish I got bored at work! When I do have a free moment, I like to stretch. Roll my shoulders, stretch my neck and take a couple deep breaths.

Who is your biggest inspiration in your life and why?

My biggest inspiration in my life would be my father. He is a very fair, honest and hard-working man. I grew up watching him rise in the ranks at his company, starting as an engineer and retiring as a global manager. His work ethic, sense of humor and ability to relate to people from all walks of life is truly inspiring. I respect him, love him and strive to make him proud in everything that I do. He’s also the coolest person I know.

What’s your favorite Murad product?

I love all the Murad masks. My favorite right now is the Intensive-C® Radiance Peel. It makes my skin just beam after I use it. Also can’t get enough of the Transforming Powder. I just mix a little bit of it with any of my cleansers for an extra exfoliating-and-smoothing boost!

We hear you bake baklava! Tell us more.

My grandmother is Lebanese. She is a wonderful cook and taught me how to make several of her traditional recipes – including her baklava. The recipe calls for a custom-made syrup (instead of honey), and whenever people try it, they say it’s the best they’ve ever had. I’ve shipped my baklava to the UK, Turkey and all over the United States!

What’s your favorite baklava recipe?

Mine, of course. I have tried variations of my recipe, using different kinds of nuts and even bacon! But I have to say, the original recipe is the best. That’s probably why it’s been in our family for so long.

Thank you, Carly, for taking the time to chat with us. We can’t wait to get a taste of your delicious baklava.

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Transforming Powder Dual-Action Cleanser & Exfoliator

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Intensive-C Radiance Peel

$55.00

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The post Meet Carly Portalupi, Murad Senior Producer appeared first on Face Forward.

How to Create the Perfect At-Home Workout

By Darren Becket, Health and Fitness Expert, Personally Tailored Fitness

Several years ago, I decided to ditch my gym membership in pursuit of a better way to use my time and money, all while staying fit and healthy. My alternative was to create a home workout that mimicked the results I got in the gym and was also tailored to my busy schedule and budget.

The truth is I found working out at home boosted my fitness because it made exercise an integrated part of my life, rather than a separate activity that I only did at the gym. When my energy flagged, I already had a ready routine that I could jump into for even 10 minutes to rev my body and mind.

Here are a few fun workout tips to make exercise part of your everyday life:

Start Every Day With Out-Loud Breathing

Five to 10 minutes of out-loud breathing upon waking can make a massive impact on your mental productivity and digestion. Find a quiet space to sit or lie down—in a tranquil spot at home or in nature. Take easy, smooth, deep breaths —in through the nose and out through the mouth. Become present. Notice the sound of your breath. When thoughts arise, let them pass as if they are clouds floating in the sky.

Turn Chores Into A Workout

You need to clean your home, so why not turn chores into a workout? It’s a great way to burn calories and make your place spick-and-span. When you vacuum, take out the trash, or even walk your dog, add in exercises that you’re familiar with and turn your chore into a workout circuit. After you vacuum the living room, do 20 squats or complete 3 sets of 10 pushups. Before and after you take out the trash, complete 20 sit-ups or hold a one-minute plank.

Take Workout Study Breaks

Whether you work from home or you simply have bills to catch up on, it’s easy to get stuck sitting in a chair for hours on end. Take a walk, jog around the neighborhood, or consider adding in a few circuit exercises. Whatever combo of exercises you choose, such as: 5 sets of 10 pushups, 10 front lunges, or 20 jumping jacks, can sharpen your focus and boost your body’s ability to burn fat.

Feel Free to Dance

Not everyone is a born dancer, but I haven’t met many people who don’t like to let loose and dance when they think no one is watching. Dancing is primal. Dancing simultaneously integrates several body functions: movement, emotion, thinking, sight, touch and hearing. Dancing also doubles the brain’s blood and oxygen levels. Simply put, dancing makes you happy and is one heck of a fun workout. Personally, I put the music up really loud.

Darren Becket is a health and fitness expert who loves helping people step into their potential for greatness. He works closely with clients to create unique programs to meet each individual’s needs.  Personally Tailored Fitness includes personal training, massage therapy, stress management and nutritional services.

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