I heard Dr. Christine Northrup, my new hero, on the radio the other day give the pithiest and soundest advice I have heard since Emil Coue’s advice to say 15 times daily: “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.” I will paraphrase Dr. Northrup as I don’t remember her exact words, but the gist of it was that you look in the mirror and you say: “I accept you, as you are right now, unconditionally.”

The chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA for short, is in the news again. A recent article in the New York Times, In Feast of Data on BPA Plastic, No Final Answer, discloses that after ten years of research with hundreds of studies completed and millions spent, government health officials still can’t reach a decision on the safety of this substance that is used to line food and drink cans and make clear plastic containers as well as a host of other products.

There are alcohols and then there are alcohols, especially when it comes to skin care ingredients. Chemically, alcohols are carbon chains with a functional hydroxyl (OH) group attached. On an ingredients list they will usually be the ones ending in an “ol”, as in ethanol, methanol, panthenol. While alcohols are used in skin care for their anti-bacterial properties alcohols like isopropyl alcohol, SD alcohol and ethanol can be drying and irritating to the skin. However, the fatty alcohols are a different category altogether, with some definitely offering skin benefits such as skin permeation, moisture retention and anti-aging support. Fatty alcohols are a mixed bag, though, as even ones known to be beneficial can cause skin irritation and should be used with caution.

This week has been interesting, to say the least, with articles ranging from the increasing market for men's cosmetics and tips on decreasing your child's carbon footprint to recent news of Cheryl Crow's new Breast Cancer Center.

Here is an excellent question from Viva Woman that I wanted to answer since it is a well-stated version of what is certainly one of our most frequently-asked questions.

Q: I noticed that other than your sunscreens, most of your products are either oil based or serum based. If I'm not wrong, I don't see one that is cream based. Is there a reason for this?