The increasing popularity of long-lasting gel nails in the past few years have led to safety concerns over the ultraviolet (UV) lamps that are used to "cure" the polish. Gone are the days of the "press-on nails" that seemed so glamorous at one time. Many women now regularly visit their local nail salons for artificial nails that require not only exposure to UV light in order to seal the polish to the natural nail bed but also soaking in acetone to remove the old polish.

But what price beauty? And are skin cancer concerns over the use of UV lamps justified?

Although the risk of using UV nail lamps is low, it seems to be significant enough for the Skin Cancer Foundation to issue a warning . The risk appears to be greatest for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most commonly diagnosed form of skin cancer after basal cell carcinoma. The Skin Cancer Foundation's position seems to be based on the case of two women who developed SCC on their hands and around their nails after repeated exposure to UV nail lamps. In both cases, the women did not have any family history of skin cancer nor did they have jobs that required them to be outdoors for extended periods of time.

Those in the professional beauty and nail salon industry, however, disagree with the warning, maintaining that the UV exposure by nail lamps is very minimal and does not increase the risk of developing skin cancer. A study evaluating the safety of UV nail lamps published in the spring of 2013 seems to support that. Independently co-authored by two well-respected scientists, one of whom is the co-inventor of the SPF sunscreen rating system used in North America today, the study concluded that UV nail lamps were less hazardous than previously believed and that even using a UV nail lamp for 25 minutes a day would be under internationally accepted safety limits for daily workplace UV exposure. Most gel nail treatments require less than 2 minutes under a UV lamp to seal and dry the polish.

Both sides agree on  taking preventive steps to minimize the risk of UV exposure:

*Apply a sunscreen  on your hands before starting the manicure  

*Wear fingerless gloves to minimize the amount of skin being exposed to the light  

*Ensure that the nail salon is properly maintaining the lamp with the correct wattage bulbs  

*Opt for a service that uses LED lamps instead  

One thing to keep in mind: if you are currently on medication that recommends limiting exposure to sunlight, you may want to forego the gel nail treatment and choose a regular manicure instead.

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com 

For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

Winter is the perfect time to talk about the magic of urea.   Even though you may have never heard of it, urea is a common ingredient in many skin care products and is a natural moisturizer found within the skin itself.  Unlike applying topical collagen in a futile attempt to boost skin's collagen levels  using a lotion or cream containing urea will in fact improve our skin's condition.  In fact, studies show dry skin has lower levels of urea than well-hydrated skin.

The magic of urea is two-fold. Firstly, when it comes to skin care, urea is part of the skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) – a natural defense system of sorts. Urea has humectant properties, helping it to attract moisture to the skin.  This water-binding ability allows the skin to maintain a healthy moisture balance and to keep the skin's protective barrier strong to resist external irritants and bacteria.  Secondly, urea has natural exfoliating properties, helping to remove dead, dry skin cells and allowing new, healthier skin to show through.  The result is smooth, soft, and hydrated skin.  Not bad for one little ingredient!

Although urea is beneficial to dry skin, it can also cause irritation so take care when introducing it to your regimen. If you have sensitive skin you may want to consider a product with a lower concentration of urea and do a patch test first. Introduce it gradually, carefully watching for any reaction, and you'll soon be saying goodbye to rough, dry winter skin.

You'll find urea in these hardworking products:

*Uremol  available in concentrations of 10 and 20 per cent creams and a lotion to best suit your dry skin needs.  

*Eucerin Smoothing Foot Cream  containing 10% urea, this foot cream is the ideal for softening rough heels and callouses.  

*Dermal Therapy Hand Knee and Elbow Cream  when you need to get serious with severly rough, dry and problem skin.  Dermal Therapy contains 15% urea as well as silk protein to improve skin tone and leave it looking smooth.  

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com 

For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

Whether you're in your 20's, 50's or somewhere in between, aging skin is caused by changes in the deeper layers of the skin resulting from UV damage, collagen loss, less active sebaceous glands and a decrease in skin cell turnover.  These are the 7 signs generally accepted:

1. Fine lines and wrinkles

2. Uneven skin tone

3. Loss of elasticity/sagging

4. Age/sun spots

5. Dull complexion

6. Uneven skin texture

7. Enlarged pores

Some of these changes are intrinsic – a result of the passage of time or genetics – things over which we have little or no control.  Other signs of aging are due to extrinsic factors such as unprotected sun exposure, poor diet or neglecting the basics of skin care like cleansing and moisturizing each night. Thankfully, we can exert some influence over extrinsic factors.

Regardless of why your skin ages, there are happily many products and active ingredients that we can use to minimize the signs of aging:
•Retinoids: It is certainly no secret that retinoids are the stars in the world of anti-aging skin care. Retinoids get rid of fine lines and wrinkles, unclog pores so that they are less visible, lighten dark spots, exfoliate, eliminate blemishes and increase the production of collagen. Is there anything that retinoids cannot do? If you're looking for a gentle way to introduce retinoids to your skin, consider Apothekari A is for Anti-Aging retinal serum. It contains retinaldehyde, the least irritating yet extremely effective form of Vitamin A.
•Sunscreen: Whether you use a dedicated sunscreen or one that is combined with a moisturizer, it's essential to choose a stable, broad-spectrum formulation every day, rain or shine, summer or winter. The UVA rays that cause photoaging (as opposed the the UVB ones that cause burning) are just as strong in the warm seasons as in the cold ones. Although prevention may be the best policy, a recent study has shown that it's never too late to start.
•Skin lighteners: Hydroquinone may be the most well-known skin lightener and considered the gold standard, but there are certainly other botanical based lighteners for those who may not be able to tolerate hydroquinone or who are simply looking for an alternative. Kojic acid, bearberry, rumex and arbutin have all shown to be effective in inhibiting the production of melanin and reducing the look of dark spots.
•Alpha hydroxy acids: Exfoliators like glycolic acid, malic acid and mandelic acid work to slough away the old, dead skin cells in order to reveal the newer, more youthful skin underneath. They also work to remove the barrier that may slow or stop the absorption of other skin treatments like serums and moisturizers.
•Antioxidants: The primary function of antioxidants is to prevent damage by neutralizing free radicals. Used regularly, an antioxidant serum can reduce premature aging of the skin. Your skin will profit by becoming noticeably brighter, firmer, more evenly toned, and healthier. Vitamin C is a powerful and popular antioxidant that's used in serums, creams and lotions. Look for concentrations of at least 10% L-ascorbic acid, the stable form of Vitamin C, in order to reap the most benefits. Our customers love Apothekari Undercover Agent Serum .

When it comes to aging skin, we may not be able to stop the hands of time but being able to slow them down is a pretty good alternative.

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti-aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com .
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

New and just in time for the holidays: Apothekari Natural Soy Candles  are now available!

You'll want to put our new all natural Apothekari Soy Candles on your wish list this year! Hand poured in a wind powered green facility in the Pacific North West and hand wrapped and packaged in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, these luxurious candles feature pure essential oils and non-toxic fragrances that are dipropylene glycol and phthalate free.

Apothekari Soy Candles are made from soybean wax, a non-toxic, naturally-occurring, biodegradable and renewable sustainable resource. A 100% soy candle burns cleaner, cooler, slower, and more evenly than traditional petroleum-based wax candles. Free from potentially harmful dyes these candles contain a 100% cotton wick.

Each candle is wrapped in tissue paper and packaged in a beautiful white box hand tied with grosgrain ribbon.  Each 7 oz candle burns for about 35 hours.

Choose from these 5 intoxicating scents:
•Lavender Essential Oil
•Lavender Peppermint Essential Oil
•Lemongrass Essential Oil
•Pomegranate Cassis Natural Fragrance
•Rosemary Essential Oil

They make a perfect gift for anyone who deserves a special treat during the holiday season. Or maybe a little something to pamper yourself.

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti-aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com .
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

Given my interest in skin care products, I'm always more than happy to discuss the latest and greatest with friends, and one of the questions that has come up recently is: Do you need to change skin care products regularly?

It's a myth that the skin simply gets used to the product or somehow becomes immune to the active ingredients. Skin can get accustomed to certain ingredients such as glycolic acid or retinoids , making it less sensitive when applied. This, however is not the same as becoming immune to the benefits. If ingredients are good for your skin, they will always be good for your skin. You may not notice the substantial improvement you received when you first started using a treatment, but it doesn't mean it's becoming ineffective. It is doing its job to maintain your skin's healthy condition.

However, if your skin care products are not giving you the results that you want, are making you break out, drying or irritating your skin, then it's time to consider a change. Here are some reasons we may want to reassess what's sitting on our bathroom counters:

1.Season – Unless you're lucky enough to live in a warm climate all-year round, winter brings cooler, drier temperatures. Indoor heating also sucks the moisture from our skin. This may be the perfect time to switch to a heavier moisturizer. What doesn't change, regardless of the season or weather, is the need for a stable, broad-spectrum sunscreen , every day. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is the #1 thing you can do for your skin.

2.Changes in skin type and condition – Like puberty, menopause and perimenopause bring their own skin changes and hormone fluctuations. Even though your loyalties may lie with your tried-and-true moisturizer or cleanser, changes in your skin type or condition will dictate what you need now.

3.Shelf life – So, how long have you really had that night cream? Most skin care products have a shelf life of about 12 months after they have been opened. Factors that can influence the efficacy of active ingredients include storage temperature, light, preservatives and contamination from handling. Changes in color, consistency and/or smell are all signs that it's time to get rid of it even if it's been less than a year. You know what they say: When in doubt, throw it out.

4.Curiosity – None of us are immune to the persuasive power of advertising. Sometimes, we see something that piques our curiosity, or a friend has been using something that makes her skin glow. As long as the product is appropriate for our skin type, there's nothing stopping us from trying something new! And the skin care industry is constantly developing new formulations and using cutting edge scientific breakthroughs to bring us that much closer to getting the skin we want.

The bottom line? There's no need to change your skin care products just the for the sake of changing. Stick with what works well for your skin and makes you look and feel your best. But whatever you use, give it time to work because even "miracles" don't happen overnight.

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti-aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com .
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.

We are pleased to introduce Apothekari Argan Oil , a 100% pure, wild-crafted product that is hand-picked by a woman's cooperative in Morocco. Sourced from trees grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals in the hilly area indigenous to the region, this argan oil is cold expeller pressed (unrefined) in Italy using a charcoal filtration process to remove sediment, odor and color while still retaining the wonderful properties of argan oil. Excellent as a daily moisturizer or to strengthen and condition nails and hair. Apothekari Argan Oil retains a subtle nutty odor and is light, penetrating and non-greasy. We think you'll love it!

For centuries, women in Morocco have harvested the nuts of the argan trees and milled them into what's been called "Liquid Gold". The finished product, argan oil, was then used for food, hair care, skin care and medicine. It's not surprising that argan oil found so many uses as it is naturally rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, ferulic acid, sterols, polyphenols, vitamin E and squalene. Together, these elements help to heal skin, reduce inflammation and fend off free radicals.

Argan Oil offers a multitude of benefits:

Moisturizes and protects skin
Neutralizes free radicals
Strengthens and conditions brittle nails
Conditions and restores shine to hair; helps tame frizz

Not sure how to incorporate Argan Oil into your routine? Consider the following:

Face Moisturizer. Massage a few drops of argan oil directly onto your face and neck to moisturize and protect. It absorbs quickly and is not greasy.
Face Glow. Add a drop or two of argan oil to your foundation, bronzer or tinted moisturizer for a dewy, luminous glow.
Leave-on Conditioner. After the shower, while your hair is still wet, add a few drops of argan oil to your hair, ends and scalp to hydrate and moisturize. It's especially nourishing if your hair is dry from daily use of a blow dryer, straight-iron or curling iron.
Hair Styling Shine. When your hair is dry, use as a styling product by adding a few drops of argan oil to the palms of your hand. Rub your hands together and run your fingers through your hair to create shine and tame frizz. You only need a small amount. It lasts a long time.
Overnight Hair Treatment. Massage a generous amount of argan oil into your hair, ends and scalp. Wrap your hair and leave it on while you sleep. In the morning, wash your hair and you'll have luminous, soft locks.
Cuticle and Heel Softener. Massage a few drops of argan oil into your cuticles to soften, moisturize and encourage nail growth. Use as an overnight treatment to nourish cracked heels by working a good amount into your feet and toes. Cover with socks and wake up to supple feet. This is especially timely as winter approaches.
Body and Bath Oil. Add a few drops of argan oil directly onto your skin, into the bath or body lotion. It's safe to use on a baby and to soothe a pregnant belly too.
To see our complete range of the Apothekari products, including 100% Argan Oil, click here .

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti-aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at PharmacyMix.com .
For a limited time, Fabulously 40 members save 5% off all purchases. Code fab40 at checkout.