Howard Murad's Blog, page 31
March 25, 2015
What is a Shade Structure and Why is it Important?
Approximately one out of five children in the United States will grow up to develop some form of skin cancer. Children are highly sensitive to UV radiation, and it takes less than 10 minutes for their unprotected skin to burn. And while sunscreen is absolutely essential, it is not always enough, especially for children who spend a lot of time outdoors.
Shade structures provide the extra protection children need. They are permanent installations, similar to canopies, built to create shade in outdoor locations that are unprotected from the sun, such as playgrounds, pools or recreation spaces.
Shade structures block most of the sun’s harmful UV rays, as well as keep the area beneath them up to 20 degrees cooler, so kids won’t get burned from hot playground equipment. In fact, shade structures are so effective that they prevent more than 90% of skin cancers and almost 100% of playtime burns.
Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in the United States, with more than one million new cases diagnosed each year. That’s why Murad and the American Academy of Dermatology have teamed up to create Shade America™, a program that will safeguard one million children over the next five years by building shade structures in parks and playgrounds across America. By providing shade and sun safety education programs, Shade America™ will be helping to protect a new sun-smart generation from sun damage and skin cancer.
Visit Murad.com/Shade, like Murad on Facebook, and follow @MuradSkincare on Twitter or Instagram for more information on the most promising ways to reverse the skin cancer epidemic. We want to hear from you! Share how you prevent skin cancer with the hashtag #ShadeAmerica.
A Recipe for Hydration
I have spent decades researching the role that cellular hydration plays in overall health and aging. My studies, which I have described in my published works, most notably The Water Secret, have conclusively shown that strong cells which can hold an optimal amount of water are the key to real wellness.
With water so central to health, it is no surprise that our bodies are composed of up to 60 percent water. In extreme cases, dehydration can lead to a whole slew of health problems including respiratory and circulation issues, headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Consequences of chronic low level dehydration are less catastrophic, but still include low energy, constipation and dull, dry skin.
I believe the best way to avoid chronic dehydration is to keep a reservoir of water inside you by “eating” your water—the water encapsulated within foods. You can “eat your water” by incorporating 4 – 8 servings a day of raw fruits and vegetables – you won’t be running to the bathroom as often, the hydrating elements will stay in your body longer and you will get all the nutritional benefits of the fruits and vegetables as a bonus.
Here’s a recipe I’d like to recommend that will help you “eat your water:”
Avocado Fruit Salad
Ingredients
1 grapefruit
1 pear
1 orange
1 avocado
1 mango
10 strawberries
1/2 lemon, juice squeezed
1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chia seeds
Directions
Wash, peel+core+remove seeds from fruit (if necessary) and cut into desired size piecess. Add to a bowl.
To make the dressing, in a separate bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla extract and chia seeds. Pour over the fruits and mix just enough to combine. Serve chilled.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Stir gently before serving to lift the juices from the bottom of the bowl.
Enjoy!
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.
March 22, 2015
8 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Health
Spring cleaning traditionally refers to a deep and thorough house cleaning, but what about spring cleaning your health? It can be just as important – if not more so – than washing windows and cleaning out the garage. Here are 8 tips for spring cleaning your health to help you look, live and feel #BetterEveryDay.
Organize your pantry. Take stock of your cupboards and get rid of foods that might hinder your health goals. Throw out store-bought cookies, sugared cereals or anything with lots of sodium. Then restock with healthy staples like whole grain pasta, olive oil, quinoa, nuts, oats, lentils and brown rice.
Plant spring flowers or a veggie garden. Go outside and get in touch with nature by planting some spring flowers or starting a vegetable garden.
Shop seasonal produce. Springtime means the arrival of tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fill your fridge with seasonal produce like strawberries, asparagus, artichokes and cherries.
Clean out your medicine cabinet. Go through your medicine cabinet and throw away expired medicine. This includes prescriptions as well as over-the-counter medication like cough syrup.
Clean out your makeup drawer. Many women don’t realize makeup has an expiration date. Toss those old mascaras, foundations, eyeliners, and lipsticks, and replace them with non-toxic brands.
Transition to spring skincare. Your skin needs a different regimen as we say goodbye to winter and hello to spring. From cleansing to moisturizing to amping up on SPF, Murad Flagship Store Manager Miranda Rios offers these excellent tips to help you transition to spring skincare.
Refresh your workout. Now that temperatures are warming up, head outdoors for your workouts. A few ideas include brisk walks, bike rides, or hikes.
Visit your doctor. Yes, this takes up a lot of time and costs money, but preventative medicine is so important. Make doctor appointments with your primary care physician, dentist, gynecologist and dermatologist to take care of your annual check-ups.
The post 8 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Health appeared first on Face Forward.
March 20, 2015
Get the Look: The Perfect Matte Red Lip
You may have heard this before but skincare is the key to great makeup application. When your skin is treated and prepped to look its best, makeup is just the cherry on top. Women will use up to nine pounds of lipstick in their lifetime, so it’s important to make sure your lips are smooth and plump prior to lipstick application.
There are many lip colors to choose from, but a vibrant red lip color will add a pop to any simple outfit, making you feel confident, put together and ready to seize the day.
Here’s how to achieve the perfect matte red lip in 5 easy steps.
Step 1: Plump the Pout
Apply a thin layer of Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips and let it absorb for 2 minutes. This will keep your lips soft and supple longer and give a plumper, fuller look.
Step 2: Line the Lips
Apply your favorite red lip liner.
Pro tip: Fill in your entire lip with your lip liner underneath lipstick for long-lasting color.
Step 3: Paint it Red
Apply your favorite matte red lipstick.
Pro tip: A red lipstick with a blue undertone makes your teeth look whiter, while an orange undertone will make your complexion look more sun-kissed.
Step 4: Touch it up
Clean up the edges of your lips with a small angle brush and your favorite concealer.
Pro tip: If you choose a concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin tone, it can create a highlighting effect.
Step 5: When the Party is Over
Before bed, use Renewing Cleansing Oil on a cotton pad to clean your lips. Apply Soothing Skin and Lip Care to keep your lips hydrated all night.
Click the infographic below to view it on Pinterest and pin to your own board for future reference!
The post Get the Look: The Perfect Matte Red Lip appeared first on Face Forward.
March 19, 2015
Join Us for the Murad/Massage Envy Twitter Party
Do you have any skincare questions? Now is your chance to ask the expert. World-renowned skin health expert, Dr. Howard Murad, is teaming up with Massage Envy on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. (PST). Discover everything you need to know about achieving healthy skin at this Twitter Party. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
As an extra incentive to join, several FREE Massage Envy Spa gift cards will be given away to participants who tweet questions with the hashtag #HealthySkin4ME.
The post Join Us for the Murad/Massage Envy Twitter Party appeared first on Face Forward.
How Joan Lunden Makes Her World #BetterEveryDay
TV personality and health advocate Joan Lunden continues to inspire us with her courage and strength in the face of a life-threatening health crisis. She recently completed a nine-month treatment regimen after being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer last summer. She’s now become an advocate for breast cancer awareness, empowering women to take control of their health and happiness. Joan says it starts with maintaining a positive attitude, surrounding yourself with loved ones, and building plenty of “me time” into your schedule.
It’s so important to take time out for ourselves. Draw yourself a bath, put on some music, light a few candles and just breathe.
Spending time in nature with my family always lifts my spirits and helps me relax.
Don’t have time in your busy schedule to visit the spa? Try an at-home spa treatment.
Whether it’s curling up with a magazine or watching your favorite cooking show, give yourself permission to slow down and do the things that bring you joy.
Seeing the world through my granddaughter’s eyes gives me fresh perspective. Tapping into that sense of wonder is invigorating.
Make healthy “spa water” in your own kitchen. A great tip from Dr. Murad and it helps me stay hydrated all day long.
https://twitter.com/JoanLunden/status/571369462059937792
You deserve to pamper yourself and feel pretty. Make some time for a manicure or a pedicure.
Traveling can really stress out my skin. That’s why when I’m on the road, I always bring my favorite Murad products along.
We want to hear from you? What helps you relax, brings you joy, and makes your world #BetterEveryDay? Let us know in the comment section below.
The post How Joan Lunden Makes Her World #BetterEveryDay appeared first on Face Forward.
March 18, 2015
Spring Skincare Tips
By Miranda Rios, Murad Store Manager
Now that spring is finally here, I’m switching up my skincare and eating habits. The change in weather makes it necessary to make minor adjustments to both my day and night regimens.
I’m a huge fan of the double cleanse, and I believe this has drastically helped my dry skin. I start with our Renewing Cleansing Oil to remove makeup and excess oil, and to add some hydration to my skin. After massaging it in and rinsing with water, I do a second cleanse with Essential-C Cleanser. Anyone who lives in a region with moderate or high levels of air pollution will definitely benefit from this method because it removes all of the debris and grime buildup.
My goal for my skin is for it to look hydrated, smooth and healthy throughout springtime. A gentle exfoliator is a great way to achieve this, and it will absolutely transform your skin. I recommend Murad’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser twice a week. Exfoliation helps with skin renewal and deep cleansing, while giving you a nice canvas for your makeup and skincare products.
If there’s one thing I can’t live without it’s my SPF! I love our Essential-C Moisturizer with SPF 30. It has a lightweight texture that’s perfect for the warmer months, and it gives great antioxidant protection. I also take our Pomphenol® Sunguard Dietary Supplement for an extra layer of protection since our flagship store is located on a sunny street in Los Angeles.
At night, I alternate between Age-Balancing Moisture and Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture. They both give me just the right amount of hydration so my skin feels healthy, but not too greasy, before bed. If you want to give your skin a little extra TLC, I would recommend seeing an esthetician and getting a professional facial. It’s a great way to jumpstart your skincare for spring. The team at our Murad Inclusive Health Spa® and at Massage Envy and professional spas are amazing when it comes to keeping your skin hydrated and glowing. Find a spa near you.
Besides adjusting your skincare, you can also switch up your daily eating habits come springtime. I replace my afternoon coffee with a green juice, and I keep an assortment of veggies with me at work to snack on throughout the day.
I love the change in seasons, and spring is the perfect time of year to begin healthy habits that will help make your skin glow all year long!
Miranda has worked in the cosmetics industry since 2007 and is the manager of our Murad Flagship Store in Los Angeles.
The post Spring Skincare Tips appeared first on Face Forward.
What is Blur Skin Care?
Blurring is a new trend that’s taking the beauty and skincare world by storm. It’s a product that gives your face an airbrushed look, instantly smoothing out fine lines and pores and “blurring” imperfections. The popularity of blurring products makes perfect sense, since many women wouldn’t dream of posting an unfiltered photo on social media!
One of the great things about blurring products is that they deliver a flawless look without any tint or color. Instead, an anhydrous (i.e. not containing water) formula is used to mask (“blur”) imperfections in just one step. Blurring is truly one of 2015’s beauty success stories. Professional makeup artists swear by it for photo shoots and red carpet events.
Here at Murad, we’ve developed our own blurring product, however, we’ve taken it one step further by incorporating an anti-aging treatment and a sunscreen. It’s called Invisiblur™ Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30, and it’s getting rave reviews.
FITNESS Magazine said, “This one-and-done treatment literally blurs imperfections, acting like an Instagram filter for your face.” Refinery29 writer Maria Del Russo said, “Murad is essentially poised to reinvent the entire game with its new invisible sunscreen.”
You can wear Invisiblur by itself for a natural, fresh-faced look or use it over your regular moisturizer as a skin finisher and primer for flawless makeup application. Either way, it evens out skin texture and leaves skin soft, hydrated and free of visible imperfections without any tint.
Invisiblur does all this while also offering invisible SPF 30 sun protection that blends instantly without residue or ashiness, while the power of Mushroom Peptides fight the signs of aging. This multitasking, multifunctional skin perfecting shield is ideal for the on-the-go gal looking for a time-saving solution.
71% saw fewer fine lines and wrinkles.*
94% saw improved smoothness and texture.*
* In a Murad sponsored study. Individual results will vary.
Treats. Blurs. Protects.
The post What is Blur Skin Care? appeared first on Face Forward.
March 17, 2015
What Does it Mean to ‘Go Green’?
Here’s a powerful truth: everything we do every day has an impact on the planet – good or bad. If you recycle your water bottles and shut off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth, you’re making a difference! So what exactly does it mean to “go green”? It means changing your behavior and lifestyle to reduce the amount of pollution and waste you generate. Here are 10 simple tips to add some eco-love to your everyday routine.
Swap out bulbs. Installing a compact fluorescent bulb is the quickest, easiest way to save energy and money. They consume 75 percent less electricity and last 10 times longer. If every household in the U.S. replaced one regular light bulb with one compact fluorescent bulb, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road.
Get around green. Not many of us can realistically live without a car. But if you can, consider carpooling, public transportation, riding a bicycle, or even walking. If you’re in the market for a new car, check out a hybrid or an electric vehicle.
Support local farmers. Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Typical grocery store produce travels nearly 1,500 miles before it ends up on your plate . Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers markets. This way, you can reduce the amount of pollution created when products are flown or trucked in.
Go meatless on Mondays. Adding one meat-free meal per week (for a family of four) has the same impact as driving a hybrid car. Raising livestock produces a large amount of greenhouse gases, so cutting back—even one night a week—makes a big difference.
Look for the Energy Star® label. When it’s time to replace a household appliance, choose a product with an Energy Star label. Sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy, Energy Star guarantees that products are energy-efficient. A household with Energy Star products uses about 30 percent less energy than the average household—an annual savings of about $570.
Do full loads. Whenever you wash just a few articles of clothing or dishes at a time, rather than waiting for a full load to accumulate, you’re wasting water, power, and money.
Bring your own shopping bags. Each year, the U.S. uses 84 billion plastic bags. They are not biodegradable, so they’re making their way into our oceans, and subsequently, the food chain. Reusable bags are an inexpensive and a readily available option to cut back on plastic bags.
Give up bottled water. Nearly 90 percent of plastic water bottles are not recycled, taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water. The EPA’s standards for tap water are more stringent than the Food and Drug Administration’s standards for bottled water.
Cut down on junk mail. The average American receives 40 pounds of junk mail each year, destroying 100 million trees. There are many free online services that can help reduce the clutter in your mailbox.
Recycle. By now, this should be a no-brainer. Through advances in recycling technology, you have more options than ever. Here’s what you can recycle: water bottles, cans (aluminum, steel, tin), glass, plastics, batteries, cellphones and paper (newspapers, magazines, cardboard). Recycling just the Sunday paper alone would save more than half a million trees every week.
When you follow these simple tips for green living, the small changes you make daily can add up to big changes over time, so we can all live #BetterEveryDay.
The post What Does it Mean to ‘Go Green’? appeared first on Face Forward.
March 15, 2015
Simplify Your Skincare Regimen with Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Between balancing the demands of our personal and professional lives in our busy, 24/7 culture, it’s no wonder most of us barely manage to slap on any type of skincare product before we run out the door in the morning. Until now. New Invisiblur™ Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is the ultimate multitasking skincare formula that treats lines and wrinkles, blurs imperfections, protects against UVA/UVB rays, and primes skin for ideal makeup application—in just one step.
How does it work? Mushroom Peptides help restore youthful firmness and skin resilience, while Soft-Focus Complex instantly smooths skin and blurs imperfections to create an ideal canvas for makeup application.
71% saw fewer fine lines and wrinkles*
94% saw improved smoothness and texture*
*In a Murad sponsored study. Results after 1 week. Individual results will vary.
This super-velvety, lightweight formula goes on alone or under your makeup to give your skin a smooth-looking, flawless finish. This breakthrough product features 100% invisible SPF 30 sun protection technology, and it’s good for all skin types and skin tones.
See what the press said about Invisiblur Perfecting Shield:
“This one-and-done treatment literally blurs imperfections, acting like an Instagram filter for your face.” – Fitness Magazine
“Murad is essentially poised to reinvent the entire game with its new invisible sunscreen.”
– Maria Del Russo, Refinery29.
“One pump of Murad’s new blurring serum-SPF hybrid is all it takes to soften imperfections, treat wrinkles, and protect your skin from UV damage.” – Byrdie.com
Invisiblur Perfecting Shield is now available for purchase.
The post Simplify Your Skincare Regimen with Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 appeared first on Face Forward.
