Howard Murad's Blog, page 9

Connected Beauty Launch

If you can’t get enough of our visionary founder, Doctor Murad now has a monthly column on the Huffington Post.

Click here  to read his latest offering and view his recap of the incredible line-up of inspirational speakers from our first-ever Connected Beauty Summit in New York City last month. For each speaker, Doctor Murad provides an insight and tip for readers to incorporate into their own lives.

And if you haven’t had a chance to watch the broadcast from the Connected Beauty Summit, you can still check it out on our Murad Facebook page here.

Enjoy!

The post Connected Beauty Launch appeared first on Murad Blog.

Love Yourself First

Summer is officially behind us, which means a nonstop calendar of year-end events is on its way. If this means switching into constant go-go-go mode, it is important to take a breather and enjoy some ‘you’ time. Dr. Murad is passionate about making ‘you’ the most important person in your life because, in order to truly help others and share happiness, you need to start with you!

Read on for five easy tips to celebrate and empower yourself and make yourself your number one priority. Added bonus: Taking care of yourself will ease some of that cultural stress and make you better able to give more back to others in your life.

Go On A Solo Date.

Whether you’re single or married, book a date with yourself to attend a new exhibition (there’s lots of free ones!), go on a hike or catch a showing of that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Going on a solo adventure is fun, empowering and confidence-boosting. Plus, being able to sit alone in a restaurant or café while you enjoy a meal or cup of coffee is a great test of your ability to love your own company.

Turn Off Your Phone.

Did you know that the average person checks their phone between 110-150 times each day? That’s terrifying! Mobile phone addiction has been proven to negatively affect our emotions, increase stress levels and impact our overall health – so try this. Step One: Pick a day or period of time to go off the grid. Step Two: Turn off your phone. Step Three: Look up and see what is out there! With a little practice, this time will help you feel present and focused while you reconnect with the world around you.

Indulge in a Spa Day.

Book an appointment at your local spa to bring your energy to a place of beauty and well-being. The simple act of taking an hour or two to unwind releases stress so you feel better and look younger. It’s a win-win! If a busy schedule gets in the way of a spa day, grab your fluffiest towels, draw a bath and create a pampering environment in the comfort of your own home. Our Detoxifying White Clay Body Cleanser and Firming Peptide Body Treatment are the perfect duo for head-to-toe hydration, while the InstaMatte™ Oil-Control Mask makes for a wonderful at-home facial. While the treatments are at work, spend this time thinking about all the things you are proud of yourself for. You will be amazed at how much confidence you can build by just taking a few minutes to focus on your qualities and achievements.

Buy Yourself Flowers.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on an elaborate bouquet— even a single bloom in the entryway or on your nightstand will add a touch of unexpected beauty to your day.  If you don’t like flowers, treat yourself to something little that makes you happy and is for your enjoyment. It’s the little things, right?

Declutter your home.

Put a timer on for fifteen minutes to quickly clean up your desk or put away clothes. This might not sound like much fun, but giving yourself the gift of a tidied space will help to clear your mind and allow you to focus on yourself without the distractions of mess.

What is your favorite way to reconnect with yourself? Share in the comments below.

The post Love Yourself First appeared first on Murad Blog.

The Upside to Stress

Yes, you read correctly: there is an upside to stress. There are two popular mindsets when it comes stress, the more widely known notion being that it’s toxic and can manifest in not-so-positive ways. The latter defies popular opinion: It enhances performance.

Dr. Murad came across this fascinating read in The Economist, which touches on exactly this.

Scientists have changed the dialogue to not just the level of stress, or even its type, but how it is perceived. In a 2008 study by Alia Crum and Shawn Achor (author of The Happiness Advantage), 400 bankers were split into three groups at the height of the financial crisis. The first watched a video that reinforced the idea that stress is toxic. The second group watched one that communicated that stress could enhance performance and the third watched no clip at all. One week later, the second group reported greater focus, higher engagement and fewer health problems than before, while the other two groups reported no changes.

Mr. Achor goes on to explain that when you “Google images of stress and you’ll see a guy with his head on fire. We’ve internalized that idea.” He is changing the notion of stress by comparing it to the strength you gain from going to the gym and pushing yourself beyond what feels easy (allowing for ample recovery time). This analogy suggests that workplace-related stress may be performance-enhancing, but should be followed by rest in the form of taking vacation time, stepping away from emails on weekends, or going for a mid-day walk.

What do you think – are there a positive ways to interpret stress? Our gut feel is that a little stress can indeed increase performance and can even be arguably good for you.  However, the world we live in now is experiencing an ever increasing type of stress – the stress of modern living.  This stress is constant and effects every part of your life. This means that you need to work very hard to counterbalance stress in order to receive the benefits stress can bring to the table.

The post The Upside to Stress appeared first on Murad Blog.

Stressed out? We search for solutions.

Fact: Stress happens. And it can be caused by so many things happening in your life. From work and money to family and health, stress is on the rise for Americans. According to a Stress in America survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 1 out of 5 Americans reports feeling extreme levels of stress and more than a third say that their stress has gone up in the past year.

Over the past decade, Doctor Howard Murad has also seen stress rising through his patients and refers to this stress as Cultural Stress – the stress of modern living.  This type of stress is constant and reflects the society we live in today.  So, how do you address it in a healthy and productive way?

The best way to manage stress is to be ready for it and have the ability to recognize it when it comes up. Do you have a particularly stressful week coming up at work? Are you going into a tense situation with family or friends? Be prepared with a couple tricks to fall back on, like going for a mid-day walk, using essential oils, and meditating. By preempting your stress and tackling it head on, you ultimately take control of your stress.

It’s scientifically proven that exercise helps reduce stress too. Whether it’s running or yoga, physical activity releases endorphins in your brain which are the hormones that fight stress. Doctor Murad calls this awakening your body and says that the best way to keep exercising is to find something you enjoy – try thinking outside the box and try new classes to explore all your options.

Consistently eating healthy nutritious meals and making sure you get enough sleep are imperative since stress can physically wear out your body. Water-rich fruits and vegetables will help to hydrate your body since stress has dehydrating effects on the body.

Stay positive.  Stress feeds on stress. While it is easier said than done, try to focus on the good things in your life.  Try Doctor Murad’s Inspirations app to simply read and reflect on one each day and kick-start your new approach.

This might seem like a tricky one, but try to stay objective about the source of your stress and whether or not it’s manageable. When it begins to affect your ability to focus on day-to-day tasks, then it may be time to reach out for additional support from a professional. With stress on the rise, the good news is that stress education is also on the rise and it is important to remember that you are not alone.

The post Stressed out? We search for solutions. appeared first on Murad Blog.

DIY Flower Arrangements

By Carolyn H. Brown, Founder of THE CROWN COLLECTIVE

Flower arrangements can be playful, romantic, simple, or created to make a statement. That’s the great thing about flower arrangements; you have the creative freedom to make something that is a reflection of you and what you like. However, it doesn’t hurt to know a secret or two that will help with your overall design and texture of your next arrangement.

Let’s get started!

Select Flowers. First and foremost, and the most important step to flower arranging, is selecting the flowers and foliage that you want to use. Make sure that you select the three essentials that are needed for an arrangement, which are a focal flower (blooms that are your main focus in your arrangement), filler flowers (softer blooms and textures to fill in the space) and foliage (greenery, such as herbs, ferns or eucalyptus).

Establish a Mood. You want to make sure that you use flowers that reflect a mood or energy that you wish to create, so if you are looking to establish a put-together look, find focal flowers that are more structured, such as calla lilies, roses or peonies. For a wild, bohemian look, café au lait dahlias, sunflowers or garden roses are some options to work with.

Select a Vase. Next, find the right vase. There are many options to choose from: short, tall, square or circle. When you are first learning to create your own flower arrangements, I recommend using a rectangle- or square-shaped vase if you are looking for a structured look, and a circular vase if you’re going for a more bohemian look.

It’s All About the Angles. Always cut at an angle. Cutting at an angle allows your flowers and foliage absorb water better and last longer.

Foliage First. Start building your bouquet with foliage. You want to cut them at different lengths, make sure that you take off any leaves, and clean up the stems before putting them into your vase. Bacteria builds up quicker on the leaves, so cleaning the stems will help your arrangement last longer.

Focal Flowers Second. Next, add your focal flowers. You want to cut the flowers at different lengths to create depth and texture in your arrangement. Blending different colors and focal flowers, and filling in your arrangement is where all the fun is.

Filler Flowers Third. Lastly, add your filler flowers. Using filler flowers, such as wax flowers, baby’s breath or emile, is a great way to give your arrangement some texture and fill in the gaps between your focal flowers and foliage. Make sure that your filler flower is shorter than you focal flower.

Have Fun. From there, just have fun with it, and if you think your arrangement needs an extra sprig or two, go for it. Afterwards, find a great place to showcase your arrangement and enjoy!

SPECIAL THANK YOU:

Photographer // Abigail Collins Photography

Instagram: @AbigailRCollins

Flower-Arranging Tutorial // Carolyn H. Brown of THE CROWN COLLECTIVE

Instagram: @TheCrownCollective

 

The post DIY Flower Arrangements appeared first on Murad Blog.

Eat Your Water

Water-rich recipes

Today, 75% of Americans are dehydrated. Dehydration has a proven negative impact on physical and mental performance, our health, our beauty and it all shows in our skin.  Staying sufficiently hydrated for whole body health isn’t about drinking eight glasses of water a day. When we eat more water-rich foods, we absorb water more slowly because it is trapped in the structure of these foods. That slow absorption means that water in food stays in our bodies longer, with a multitude of additional benefits.  To keep your water-rich cookbook up to date, we have 3 new recipes to help you hydrate.

Cellular Water Secret Smoothie

Dr. Murad has created a special smoothie to give your cellular hydration a boost – it’s delicious!

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

½ cup pomegranate juice (unsweetened)
½ cup soy, low-fat, or nonfat milk
½ cup blueberries (fresh or unsweetened frozen)
1 tablespoon lecithin granules
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons dried goji berries
3 to 4 ice cubes (or crushed ice)
Stevia extract to taste (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Pour into a glass – sit back and enjoy.

Avocado Fruit Cup With Chia Yogurt Dressing

Grapefruit, blueberries, pear, orange, mango, and strawberries, are all water-filled fruits (75% + when it comes to their water content) . Greek yogurt also sits around the 80 percent water mark, and chia seeds help the body soak in all of that water! Avocado adds some healthy fats to fill you up (but it is delicious without as well).

Serves: 6 (you can also eat all 6 servings yourself)

Ingredients:

1 avocado
1 grapefruit
1 pear
1 orange
1 mango
2 handfuls of blueberries
4 handfuls of strawberries
1/2 lemon, juice squeezed
½  lime, juice squeezed
1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt
5 finally chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup chia seeds

Directions:

Wash, peel, core, remove seeds (if necessary) and cut into desired size pieces fruits. Add to a bowl.

To make the dressing, in a separate bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon and lime juice, chopped mint and chia seeds. Pour over the fruits and mix just enough to combine. Serve chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Top Tip: The longer you leave the chia seeds, the more they soak up the water.  This also provides an interesting texture to the dish and is well worth a try.

Pea, Spinach and feta salad

After a summer of salads, we went in search of a fresh new taste… And found it here! A simple but zingy salad to bring a smile to your face.  Top tip -try adding a pomegranate for an extra burst of goodness.

Serves 2 as a main (or 4 as a side dish)

INGREDIENTS:

2 handfuls freshly shelled peas
6 handfuls baby spinach
Olive oil to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
6 ounces feta cheese

Directions:

Shell the peas and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until bright green but not too soft. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Wash the spinach well, then dry it in a salad spinner or on towels. Combine the spinach and peas in a serving bowl and add olive oil until lightly dressed, then add about half as much lemon juice and toss gently, adjusting the dressing if need be. Top with crumbled feta.

Discover more recipes here.

The post Eat Your Water appeared first on Murad Blog.

In-Flight Skincare

Tips to hydrate from the inside out

We all know that airplanes dehydrate our skin, but why? Here’s a science experiment to try: Drink half of a bottle, close it, and leave it there during your flight. Upon descending to a lower altitude, you’ll see that the bottle has shrunk and it’s the same thing with your skin.  And it doesn’t look (or feel) good. How’s that for a mini physics lesson! Read on for couple ways to keep your skin hydrated from takeoff to touchdown.

Eat your water. Make a point to eat water-rich vegetables and fruit before and during your flight. By eating your water – rather than drinking it, your cells will retain water for longer.  This optimizes your hydration.   Also, avoid drinking alcohol before or during your flight as it will dehydrate your skin even more.

Moisturizing is major. Keep your skin looking fly (pun intended) by moisturizing before and after with our Hydro-Dynamic Moisturizing Duo. No travel kit should be without these extraordinary products that work to hold onto moisture by plumping the surface to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Pack healthy snacks. We know it’s tempting to get a burger and fries at the terminal, but those high sodium and fatty foods cause jet bloat. Unsalted almonds, walnuts and dried fruit are great options (and of course, water-rich fruit and vegetable snacks). Decaffeinated herbal teas are great too!

Spritz on some face mist. Revive your complexion with a  hydrating facial toner. It’s an easy and mess-free way to treat your complexion a refreshing drink of water. Plus, it’ll make you say “ahhh.”

Get in some Zzzzs. Even if it’s a day flight, try to get some shut eye. Sleeping helps avoid dark circles, under-eye bags, and a dull complexion in general. Treat yourself to an eye mask with a lavender scent (and ear plugs!) to soothe yourself into an in-flight slumber.

 

Hydrating Toner

$28.00

Shop Now

Hydro-Dynamic Moisturizing Duo

$150.00

Shop Now

The post In-Flight Skincare appeared first on Murad Blog.

Working with Water

Innovative Water Solutions

To put it simply, water is the core of Murad and everything we do revolves around it. We know just how important this element is our world and our health. It’s safe to say we’re obsessed with it – from its source to how it works into our skin care formula – and we’re aren’t the only ones that are H20 fanatics. Here are three companies that are making waves and creating innovative ideas and solutions to conserve our most sacred resource.

NextDrop

This extraordinary startup informs its users exactly when water will be supplied in their area. The India-based company uses cell phones to collect real time water delivery information from water operators and informs the people in the community when it’s ready. This saves time and reduces the daily stress of unclean water.

DyeCoo Textile Systems

Conventional approaches to textile dyeing require a tremendous amount (25 to 40 gallons for every two pounds of fabric). The technology from DyeCoo uses a carbon-based process to get the same product and reduces dyeing time by 40% and energy use by around 60%.  Used by some of the largest brands in the world, like Nike and adidas, this company has made significantly reductions of water in clothing manufacturing.

WaterFX

Agriculture uses a tremendous amount of water and this San Francisco-based company is really thinking outside the box for new ways to conserve it. WaterFX uses solar panels to remove salt from drainage water from farms in California’s Central Valley and it’s the test facility can produce up to 8 gallons per minute of pure water from the saline discharge. Their goal is to expand to farmers to reduce their usage on municipal water facilities and try their new method of desalination.

The post Working with Water appeared first on Murad Blog.

The Healing Power of Cucumbers

Doctor Murad tells all.

Studies indicate that cucumbers have numerous benefits internally, externally and even emotionally.   Doctor Murad recently wrote a paper to share the findings on this incredible fruit (Cucumbers are not vegetables) and has given us a few takeaways for skin health and emotional care.

As a food, cucumbers offer superior hydration, as they are about 95% water.  Cucumbers have long been associated with the spa world and topical skin treatments. When you think of cucumber slices placed gently over the eyes, they are doing far more than just having a cooling effect on the skin. Cucumber slices offer many benefits to both the eyes and surrounding tissues through their hydrating properties, which work to reduce dehydration by their high levels of vitamin K that help to reduce dark circles, and the lignans they contain reduce inflammation. Additionally, cucumbers have been uses to treat wrinkles, sunburns and have been used as a moisturizer and skin brightener.  The benefits of cucumbers are not just relegated to topical treatment.  In fact, abundant research has shown what can happen when the fruit is consumed.

Cucumbers are related to melons and are a relatively low-calorie food at just 15 calories per cup.  They contain high levels of powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. With such a high level of water content and the added bonus of naturally occurring nutrients and trace minerals, cucumbers could be great supplements to drinking water or even serve as an alternative to consumer sports drinks.  As I always say, the best way to replenish the body and quench thirst is to by consuming water through foods.   Choosing foods with a high water content and offers the cells in our bodies, the much-needed hydration they require for basic everyday functioning as well as the vital nutrients to repair and strengthen the cell walls. Studies now suggest that cucumbers don’t solely hydrate, they provide added elements that your body needs to fortify and regenerate itself.   Researchers also identified that cucumbers could act as free radical scavengers (which help against skin damage) and could also potentially act as a SPF (value of 0.2).  Studies show that cucumber extract may decrease melanin and sebum, resulting in skin whitening and anti-acne effects.  How exactly the cucumber does this, is not clearly understood, as yet but, the cucumber holds an exciting future in skincare.

Cucumbers also have benefits when it comes to emotional care. Stress is a threat that is commonly recognized to have devastating effects on our health and wellbeing.  Chronic stress resulting from environmental sources or Cultural Stress (link to cultural stress articles) can lead to cell damage, one such example is inflammation.  When you have damaged cells, you also have more dehydrated cells (which can result in significant aging and illness).  Addressing water loss and inflammation with cucumber consumption could be an effective way to lower stress and fight against the aging process.

So next time you reach for that fridge snack or are writing your shopping list, make sure that cucumbers take top place.

It would also be impossible not to call out a few of Doctor Murad’s skincare products which contain cucumber:

Hydrating Toner

$28.00

Shop Now

Refreshing Cleanser

$36.00

Shop Now

Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum

$54.00

Shop Now

Clarifying Wipes

$18.00

Shop Now

Invisiblur Perfecting Shield

$28.00

Shop Now

The post The Healing Power of Cucumbers appeared first on Murad Blog.

White Brilliance

When you see a baby or a toddler what are the first things you notice about them? A few months ago I went to a party where my friend’s 2 year old was there. He was adorable laughing and playing. We commented on how free he was, his lovely curls and the beautiful luminesce of his skin.  Baby and toddler skin is so soft, supple, bouncy and pristine – free of any damage. Several of us started to lament about the state of our skin and if we knew then what we know now would our skin look and feel better?

I think the answer to this is yes. We now know how important it is to protect our skin from sun and pollution damage. When you are born your skin is the most perfect version of itself. As we get older there are many things that can cause uneven skin tone. The biggest culprits are sun damage from UVA and UVB rays, including outdoor and indoor tanning. Acne scarring, hormonal changes and certain medications can cause darker pigmentation, too. The real question is how do we get our skin closer to that toddler-like perfection?

Dr. Murad has reformulated Murad’s White Brilliance collection to help us do just that.

There is a flower grown in Asia called the porcelain flower with pure white, crystalline petals that reflect light in an almost unreal way. Its name comes from the delicate blossoms that are similar to the finest of porcelains. The porcelain flower has been used in traditional Asian medicine as a calming agent, skin lightener, and to speed recovery of wounds and burns.  It has a natural composition of phytonutrients that work together to diminish dark spots and uneven skin tone. To this I say –  gimme, gimme, gimme!

The porcelain flower is featured in every product within the White Brilliance collection. Yay!

For a luminous, rosy complexion start with the Cleansing Cream. It has a rich, creamy lather that leaves skin feeling clean and hydrated. A blend of omega – 6 essential lipids helps to strengthen the skin’s surface barrier to keep hydration within.

Next apply Luminous Essence to help soften the skin to better absorb your next products like your serum and moisturizer. This is a super lightweight, watery lotion that dries down quickly and improves the texture and tone of your skin. Red algae and Indian Fig extracts help to exfoliate and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Kunai Root extract speeds up rehydration because it is rich in electrolytes.

Follow the essence with the Porcelain Serum. It contains 4 brightening technologies to help brighten the skin.

Green Tea extract has a unique phytochemistry that helps to firm and brighten.
Hexapeptide-2 is an advanced skin brightening peptide that reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation and provides an overall even tone.
Hexylresorcinol reduces the appearance of dark spots, age spots and freckles and is known to be more powerful than other skin lighteners.
And of course the Porcelain Flower extract that helps to illuminate and brighten the skin.

Finish with making sure you are protecting the incandescent skin you are trying to achieve with Luminous Shield SPF 50 | PA ++++.  It contains Grape Seed extract to help neutralize environmental aggressors and light diffusing microspheres to diffuse the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Even with a SPF of 50 it is still lightweight can help prep the skin before makeup.

A month after I started to use the entire routine I had people telling me how radiant my skin looked and asking me what I was using. There is no such thing as a time machine to take us back to when our skin looked bright, bouncy and supple, but using White Brilliance can certainly help you get as close as possible.

[image error]

White Brilliance Full Size Regimen

$199.00

Shop Now

The post White Brilliance appeared first on Murad Blog.