The Power of Pomegranate Skin Care

Photo by johannrela

Pomegranate seeds look like precious rubies. They possess a vibrant garnet color, glisten in the sunlight and, most of all, make us feel good. You could call them nature's bling bounty.

Known as the "jewel of winter," the pomegranate has served as a symbol of romance, longevity and fertility in some cultures. Today, the oil and extract from this succulent super fruit appear as key ingredients in many skincare formulations to minimize signs of aging and promote youthful radiance. Vitamins B and C, polyphenols and anthocyanins provide more antioxidants than red wine and green tea.

Discover the hidden treasures of this natural gem. The following formulations improve skin health by utilizing pomegranate as a prominent ingredient. 

SHINE: Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion. BEAUTY: Pomegranate and wild yam root extracts, and sunflower seed oil help fight free radicals responsible for the breakdown of collagen and elastin. BEACON: No animal testing. Also free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and petrochemicals.

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Cranberry Pomegranate Masque. BEAUTY: Pomegranate purée and juice, cranberry purée and juice, gooseberry extract and sesame oil assist with moisture retention. BEACON: Supports the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and The Cinderella Project.

SHINE: Pomega5 Or de Nuit Illuminating Lifting Serum. BEAUTY: Pomegranate seed oil, aloe vera leaf juice, colloidal gold and blue green algae extract promote cell renewal and collagen production. BEACON: Cruelty free. Also contains no parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances or dyes.

SHINE: Weleda Pomegranate Firming Serum. BEAUTY: Organic pomegranate juice and millet seed extract help strengthen and support skin regeneration. BEACON: Free of synthetic fragrances, colorants, preservatives and raw materials derived from mineral oils. Also supports Conservation International. 

Healing Halloween Facial Masks

Mwahahahaha... The witching hour has arrived!


Halloween evokes images of masked mythical creatures and monsters. Favorite disguises include goblins, ghouls, vampires, mummies, werewolves and zombies. It's an annual fright fest of spooky chic.


However, at the end of the evening, a monstrous task awaits. How will you revive your skin to make it look more alive? We'd like to suggest a healing facial beauty mask, which offers deep nourishment and cleansing benefits.


May your dead skin cells rest in peace.

SHINE: Elizabeth Grant Biocollasis Complex Regenerating Mask contains marine collagen and peptides to help restore smoothness to the skin's surface. BEAUTY: Deeply moisturizes to help eliminate fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports the World Society for the Protection of Animals, World Wildlife Fund and Sick Kids Foundation. 

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Calm Skin Arnica Masque detoxifies the dermis, and reduces irritation and inflammation. BEAUTY: Calms the appearance of redness and hyperpigmentation. BEACON: Supports National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and American Cancer Society.

SHINE: Environ AVST Hydrating Exfolient Masque removes excess oil from the skin’s surface. BEAUTY: This ultra-fine granular exfoliant also contains kaolin, mineral oil and vitamin E to help hydrate and soften skin. BEACON: Supports Light4Life.

SHINE: One Love Organics Brand New Day Microderma Scrub & Masque utilizes silk peptides and milk powder to smooth skin. BEAUTY: Pineapple enzymes slough dead skin cells while also protecting new ones. BEACON: Cruelty free. Also supports Children’s Scholarship Fund. 

SHINE: Saian Enzyme Mask removes impurities that accumulate on the surface of the skin and helps reduce the appearance of sun damage. BEAUTY: Ideal for blemished skin, blackheads and cystic acne. BEACON: Cruelty free. Also contains no artificial colorants or fragrances, parabens or propylene glycol.

Sun Kissed or Sun Dissed?

Gold and silver trump bronze at the Olympics, but not in Hollywood when it comes to tanned bodies. Many celebrities use their sun-kissed skin as a status symbol. 

Charlize Theron

Audrina Patridge

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

However, as we learn more about the damaging effects of the sun, bronze bodies no longer represent health and wellness. Overexposure to ultraviolet rays often leads to premature aging and hyperpigmentation, or even worse--skin cancer. In fact, about 65 percent of melanoma cases can be attributed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

As we celebrate National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, check out the latest sun protection factor (SPF) products.

BEAUTY: Eminence Organic Skin Care Caramel Latte Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25 contains shea butter and aloe vera to moisturize, and coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. BEACON: The company's ingredient farm in Hungary is powered by solar and wind energy. 

BEAUTY: First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 utilizes antioxidants such as licorice root, feverfew and white tea to help combat free radicals. BEACON: Contains no parabens, phthalates, alcohol, fragrances or artificial dyes.

BEAUTY: HydroPeptide SPF 30 features acai berry, which is said to have 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times more anthocyanins than red wine. BEACON: No animal testing, and paraben, synthetic fragrance and phthalate free.

BEAUTY: Innovative Skincare SPF 25 Treatment Sunscreen hydrates, smoothes and softens skin with aloe vera, olive leaf extract and vitamin E. BEACON: Supports Stars for Stripes and National Breast Cancer Coalition. 

BEAUTY: SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 utilizes artemia salina, a plankton extract, to protect skin from free radical damage. BEACON: Paraben free.

BEAUTY: True Natural Cosmetics Active Sunscreen SPF 40 boosts collagen with cocoa butter and jojoba oil, while aloe vera helps shield the skin against environmental factors. BEACON: No animal testing and certified by the Natural Products Association.

Hollywood Mona Lisas

Happy birthday to Leonardo da Vinci. He celebrated the big 5-5-9 this month.


Little did he know that when he painted the Mona Lisa in approximately 1505, he'd spark so much speculation about her enigmatic expression. Is she scowling or smiling? Is she radiating sassiness or serenity? 

Whether you believe she's a hellion or a heroine, her legacy continues to live on. In honor of National Smile Month and da Vinci's greatest muse, we present three celebrities who grin and wear it like Mona Lisa--and how they're creating their own legacies through charitable work.

EVA LONGORIA

BEAUTY: Desperately devilish. BEACON: Founded Eva's Heroes, a charity which helps developmentally disabled children. She's also the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer (Parents Against Cancer).

ANGELINA JOLIE

BEAUTY: Elegantly enigmatic. BEACON: Co-founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which supports Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders. Also co-chairs the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.


LADY GAGA

BEAUTY: Monstrous mystique. BEACON: Recently donated $1.5 million to Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief and the American Red Cross. 


The following products help to maximize glamorous grinning:

BEAUTY: 100% Pure Sugar Plum Sheer and Watermelon Sorbet Lip Glosses moisturize with fruits pigments from pomegranate, cherry, cranberry, blackberry and raspberry, and vitamins C and E. BEACON: Contains no gluten, synthetic chemicals, preservatives, artificial fragrances or colors, or harsh detergents.

BEAUTY: Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex restores chapped and aging puckers with cocoa butter, avocado oil and hyaluronic acid. BEACON: The Dermalogica Foundation supports S.K.I.N. (Skincare for Kids in Need).

BEAUTY: Eminence Organic Skin Care Cinnamon Kiss Lip Plumper stimulates circulation for more fullness and nourishes with pomegranate oil. BEACON: Supports National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Canadian Liver Foundation and The Cinderella Project.

BEAUTY: gloMinerals gloRoyal Lip Crayon provides long-lasting shine when worn alone or applied on top of lipstick. BEACON: Non-comedogenic, and contains no talc, perfumes and chemical dyes.

BEAUTY: Lavera Naturkosmetik Lip Gloss No. 6 (Burgundy) repairs and moisturizes with vitamin E and jojoba. BEACON: Cruelty free, and contains no parabens, synthetic preservatives, fragrances, GMO, gluten, emulsifiers and petroleum-based ingredients.

BEAUTY: Palladio Beauty Herbal Lip Gloss (Ruby Red) combats the breakdown of skin`s elasticity with antioxidants such as green tea, and vitamins A, C, D and E. BEACON: No animal testing.