Best for summer

Win a set of iconic anti-ageing hair products from John Freida – NOW CLOSED!

John Frieda’s first salon opened on New Cavendish Street, London, and soon became the place to go for anyone who wanted great hair styling. Three decades later and John Frieda® Hair Care products are one of the best-selling brands worldwide. John Frieda was almost famous for marrying the singer Lulu.

We have a set of John Freida Frizz Ease products to give away in our competition – just answer the simple question below for a chance to win them.

The four products, worth a total of £40, in our competition are:

John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Shampoo – 250ml, normally costs £8.99
John Freida Smooth Start Shampoo
Nourishes each and every strand of hair to replenish lost moisture and restore the hair’s natural defence against frizz.
Contains Frizz-Mending complex and natural olive oil.
Fights all levels of frizz with added nourishment and a moisture-boost.
Leaves parched tresses silky, shiny and highly manageable.
Ensures hair is given the optimal smooth start leaving parched tresses silky, shiny and highly manageable, without residue.
Lightweight formulations that won’t weigh the hair down but deliver exceptional results.

John Freida Frizz Ease Smooth Start Conditioner – New Salon size 500ml, costs about £16.99

John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Conditioner

This formula replenishes moisture and restores hair’s natural frizz defences. Contains a patented Frizz Mending Complex and olive oil.

John Freida Frizz Ease Extra Strength 6 effects Serum – 50ml, Costs £6.29

John Freida Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum
Award-winning formal that instantly eliminates chronic frizz and repels humidity for glossy smooth styling.

John Freida Frizz Ease 100% Shine Glossing Mist – 75ml, costs £5.99
John Freida Frizz Ease shine Glossing Mist
Delivers bursts of high-gloss shine and glistening finish to any style, anytime.Ultra-light, non-greasy formula smoothes frays, frizz and flyaways.Non-greasy formula revitalizes shine in between shampoos.

WINNER INFO
The winner was LIsa Brown, from Swansea, Wales.

Answer the simple question below to win. If you can’t wait you can buy John Freida Frizz Ease products online atBoots.com


Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com – See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/set-john-freida-frizz-ease-anti-ageing-hair-products-worth-%C2%A340-0#sthash.iunQCob1.dpuf

Win Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum worth £24.95

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced anti-ageing Serum disappeared off the shelves at Boots stores all over the UK following its recent launch.

Elixir has one sample of this amazing wrinkle blaster which is suited for those of us aged 35-45 (£24.95 for 30ml) for deep lines and wrinkles and contains hyaluronic acid.

The new serums contain advanced peptides which boost the power of the original product. In tests on real woman 80% who already  used the original products said they saw an even better result from the new serums.

No& Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum 35-45

The two new serums contain advanced peptides which boost the power of the original product. In tests on real woman 80% who already  used the original products said they saw an even better result from the new serums.

The new advanced serums were tested against the previous best-seller, which sold out after scientists proved it was as good as the best professional skincare.

So what are the key ingredients in the new products?

The new No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums contain ingredients that  build on the existing, clinically-proven formulas of the original No7 Protect & Perfect Serums and improve them in order to achieve the maximum effects in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, with ingredients carefully chosen for their ability to repair, enhance and protect the skin.

The new repairing ingredients are specialised peptides. A peptide is a string of amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins) and in very specific combinations, they have particular functions in the skin.

Boots say that new peptides improve the repairing function of the major ingredient in the original formula Matrixyl 3000 which is now present in increased amounts in the new serum.

Research carried out with The University of Manchester proved that No7’s blend of peptides drives repair of fibrillin in the skin.

The newly added Acetyl di-peptide helps reduce crosslinking in skin, a factor that gives rise to stiffer, less supple skin as it ages. Put together with Matrixyl 3000, it forms a unique peptide blend that stimulates collagen and fibrillin repair in the skin. In total the new combination of Matrixyl 3000 and di-peptide results in more than 30 times the repairing peptide concentration in both of the new No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums when compared to the original serums.

In the formula for skins aged 25-35 salicylic acid has been added to helps exfoliate the skin by gently dissolving the bonds that hold old dead skin cells in place on the skin’s surface.

This helps to keep pores clear, resulting in clearer and blemish free skin, important benefits for the younger consumer just getting into anti-ageing.

The new ingredient in the serum for those aged 35-45 is hyaluronic acid, a natural component of the skin, responsible for providing volume or ‘stuffing’ in the skin by helping to bind water into the skin.

Once again Boots has tested its new serums on real woman. The tests were carried out on 373 existing No7 users and revealed that 80% of them saw their best anti-ageing results ever.

Before & After

No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum used for 3 months shows a real decrease in lines and wrinkles

And above is the before and after results of a 27-year-old using the serum for three months.

If you would like the chance to win one of these samples please answer the competition question and fill in your name and email address. Goodluck!

And if you can’t want there is currently a special 3 for 2 offer at Boots.com

OUR WINNER WAS SUZIE STRAY

Boots Protect & Perfect 3 for 2 offer


Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com – See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/boots-no7-protect-perfect-serum-worth-%C2%A32495#sthash.19nWHv5F.dpuf

50%+ discount on Joules Blooming Brilliant Weekend Toiletries Bag

Whether they’re heading away on a country jaunt or weekend trip to the city, the Joules Blooming Brilliant Weekend Toiletries Bag makes cultivating cleanliness easy! It contains everything a loved one needs to stay fresh and pampered while travelling and the six products are generously sized.

The gorgeous floral bag will become a wardrobe favourite; it fastens with a press-stud and can be used long after the toiletries have been used up.

Includes:

  • Fabric weekend bag
  • Hand wash 250ml
  • Foaming bath soak 250ml
  • Body wash 200ml
  • Body scrub 125ml
  • Hand cream 125ml
  • Body lotion 125ml

Jules Blooming Brilliant Weekend Toiletries Bag

Buy at Boots.com

The way to a megawatt smile without paying mega bucks

Prolight

£49.99 at Boots.com

We all want a whiter, brighter smile but with professional whitening treatments at the dentist costing up to £700 a time, they aren’t within everyone’s reach.

This month, however, sees the launch of a groundbreaking teeth whitening system set to change all that. Based on the same light activating technology used by dentists but in a portable kit for use at home, Luster Pro Light promises whiter, brighter teeth in as little as 30 minutes and with no tooth or gum sensitivity which can be a common and unwanted side effect of other DIY whitening treatments.
Already a best-seller and close to becoming the No1 teeth whitening system in America where it first went on sale, Luster Pro Light is the UK’s first complete DIY teeth whitening system to use the same paint-on gel and activating ‘blue light’ technology used by dentists. Professional laser treatments, where this laser light is used to activate bleach applied to the teeth, are considered the safest route to a brighter smile but are also the most costly.
Priced at £49.99 the Luster Pro Light system costs a fraction of the price of professional treatments and it already has a pre order waiting list when it goes on sales at Boots.com this month.

Up until now, trays and strips have been the most popular DIY treatments. Trays come with a whitening agent that you attach to your teeth but can be fiddly and because the trays aren’t custom-fitted they can cause uneven distribution of bleach and spotting on the teeth. Whitening strips are also popular but can only whiten the front teeth.
The three-step Luster Pro Light kit carries some of the strongest claims on the market and is based on an easy to use rinse, brush and light regime that visibly whitens teeth in half the time of other trays, strips, gels and rinses. Most importantly, it won’t cause teeth or gum sensitivity and soreness, symptoms often experienced with other home whitening systems. In as little as 30 minutes, users reported teeth whitening of up to six shades lighter than their original shade.
How Luster Pro Light works:
Step 1: Rinse with the mouth wash for 10 seconds.
Step 2: Brush the whitener gel on your top and bottom teeth.
Step 3: Hold the whitening light about six inches from your teeth for 2 minutes. There is a built-in timer, so no need for a stopwatch. Repeat the process 10 times and the treatment is complete.

Luster Pro Light is part of the Luster Premium White range, a daily oral care whitening regime which has become a runaway success since its launch. Close to becoming the most popular home whitening system in America, the range also includes whitening toothpastes and mouthwash that can be used daily to maintain the results of the Pro Light system, keep teeth white, gums healthy and to freshen breath.
The range includes Luster Premium White Luster NOW! Instant Whitening Toothpaste 3 x 45 ml Tubes £11.99

Developed using a breakthrough whitening complex, the Luster NOW! Instant Whitening Toothpaste will instantly whiten teeth after just ONE Brush. This convenient 3-pack is perfect for work, home and for travel and this daily anti-cavity toothpaste gentle enough for daily use.
Top 5 tips to keep teeth whiter than white
1. Use whitening toothpaste in conjunction with a teeth whitening system to keep the shine from fading and stains at bay.
2. Use a whitening floss to reach the plaque-heavy areas between teeth that soak up colours
3. Invest in an electric toothbrush to keep your smile cleaner and whiter. A high quality electric brush will remove most stains from the surface of the teeth which, over time, will help take teeth back to their original colour.
4. Crunchy, crispy fruits have an abrasiveness that can help to lift stains from the teeth and give the illusion that they are whiter. Try munching on apples, celery and carrots, which have enough abrasiveness to clean the tooth surface without harming the enamel.
5. Watch the tea, coffee, juice and wine – they’re all oral-bling killers.

Luster Pro Light goes on sale at Boots this month. It will be available in larger stores nationwide and also from Boots.com

Bouncy blow dry – how to get it whatever your hair type

Who says a professional salon blow dry is only for A-listers? With the right products, you can recreate that gorgeous salon finish at home.

To keep hair feeling smooth and healthy, first use a heat protect spray to shield it from heat damage, then begin to rough dry. Use a large barrel brush for extra oomph and volume and add a spritz of an extra strength hairspray to keep in it place.

Here are some of the products that you will find useful to achieve this look – all available online at Boots.com

Simple steps to bouncy hair

1. Wash your hair – Charles Worthington has some great products that strip away residue from dull flat hair – see the video below.

  • Towel dry and apply a volumising mouse such as Umberto Gianinini Glam Hair Massive Mouse
Umberto Giannini Glam Hair

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Massive Mouse costs £6 at Boots

2. To encourage volume and texture dry with a defuser such as the one that comes with the John Frieda Salon Shine 5125BU AC hairdryer

John Freida dryer

This ionic hairdryer uses advanced ionic technology to control frizz, this powerful hairdryer will leave hair looking and feeling smooth and shiny.

For over 20 years the John Frieda hair care professionals have been defining style. Now the leaders in transformational hair care have helped to inspire a range of professional appliances with advanced ionic technology for a salon shiny finish.

The John Frieda salon shine ionic hairdryer releases a stream of ions to surround and condition each strand of hair, neutralising static, smoothing the outer layer of the hair cuticle and controlling frizz.

  • Leaves hair looking and feeling smooth and shiny.
  • John Frieda salon shine ionic hairdryer features:
  •  Advanced ionic technology controls frizz for a high shine finish
  • 2200W high heat for fast drying
  • Long life professional AC motor generates powerful airflow for fast drying
  • 3 heats and 2 speed settings for drying control
  • True cold shot to set your style
  • Slim salon concentrator nozzle

3. A curling wand can add different types of textured curls.

Try curling away and towards the face for a tousled look.

Mark Hill Wicked

Mark Hill Salon Professional Wicked Wave Zebra costs £59.99 at Boots

Mark Hill Salon Professional Zebra Wicked Wave which is exclusive to Boots has a unique barrel shape that means each curl is different.

Ceramic barrel.
Variable temperature up to 200ºC.
Automatic shut-off.
3m cord.

4. Spritz your hair with a styling product.

Toni & Guy’s Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray  gives texture and light hold with a beach look.

Toni & Guy Seal Salt Styling Spray

Toni&Guy Casual Sea Salt Styling spray costs £7.49 at Boots

5. Add height and bounce with a volumising spray

Charles Worthington Salon at Home has a number of products that will help to give you ‘red carpet hair”.

Charles Worthington Volume & Texturising Spray

Charles Worthington Volume & Texturising Spray costs £6.99 at Boots

 

Whether boosted from the roots, or given bounce and body in the mid-lengths, some of the most glamorous red-carpet styles rely on volume for serious impact.

For bigger hair in an instant, this dry, non-greasy formulation works invisibly to give height, texture and volume to hair. Simply shake and spray onto dry hair, concentrating on areas that need more volume or texture – Charles recommends spritzing directly onto the roots for the ultimate back-combed effect without any damage – then ruffle the hair to give a tousled and texturised finish.

Charles Worthington Salon at Home – Salon-inspired formulas for hair that’s always in red carpet condition.

How to Use

Spray evenly from root to tip, on towel dried or dry hair and work though to create tousled waves

Shake can before use. Spray onto dry hair. Ruffle the hair with your fingers for a tousled mane.

Charles’s Salon at Home Tip:

Spritz directly onto the roots for the ultimate back-combed effect without any damage – then ruffle the hair to give a tousled and texturised finish.

All products available to buy at Boots.com

New for autumn – green with envy nails

Nails are the perfect canvas when it comes to trying out a bold statement look and beauty. And its all about experimenting with the latest trends – so why not be adventurous and try out this season’s hottest hue, green!
photo
Make everyone green with envy and opt for No7 Gel-look Shine Nail Colour in Mint or for a more subtle look why not try Essie Turquoise & Caicos Nail.

No7 Gel-look Shine Nail Colour

Boots No7 Gel-look Shine Nail Colour in Mint

No7 Gel-look Shine Nail Colour in Mint – £7

No7 uses patented technology to make the polish tough and flexible to help prevent chipping and improve ease of application to help acheive a streak free finish.

Complete coverage in just one stroke, with outstanding and durable gel look shine. Helps to smooth and plump nails so natural ridges can’t be seen, for best results use in combination with the top coat.

Rich Colour, pay off in one coat. Plumps and volumises in 2 coats

How to Use

1- Apply No7 Stay Perfect Base coat

2- Use a small amount of Polish and paint down the centre of the nail. You may need to paint down the sides of the nail too. The nail should be completely covered in 3 strokes.

3- Finish with Gel Shine Top Coat applied all over the nail to help the nail Polish last longer

4- Ta-dah!

Ingredients

Butyl acetate, Ethyl acetate, Nitrocellulose, Acetyl tributyl citrate, Adipic acid/neopentyl glycol/trimellitic anhydride copolymer, Isopropyl alcohol, Styrene/acrylates copolymer, Stearalkonium bentonite, Silica, N-butyl alcohol, Diacetone alcohol, Trimethylpentanediyl dibenzoate, Polyethylene, Phosphoric acid, Benzophenone-1, [+/-(May contain) CI 77891 (Titanium dioxide), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 lake), CI 77499 (Iron oxides), CI 74260, CI 74160, CI 77510 (Ferric ammonium ferrocynanide), CI 15880 (Red 34 lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 lake), CI 15850 (Red 7 lake), CI (Red 6 lake)]

Essie Nail Polish

Essie Turquoise & Caicos Nail Polish

Essie Turquoise & Caicos Nail Polish – £7.77

If you love colour, you’ll love essie. For nearly 30 years essie has provided an infinite pallet of shades for high quality professional manicures, establishing the brand as USA’s nail salon expert. Out of all the eye-popping colours made famous in the salon line, we have hand-picked the absolute can’t-live-without shades now available for use at home.

How to Use

Apply one layer of essie Base Coat. Follow with two coats of essie Colour. Finish with your chosen essie Top Coat to prevent the colour from chipping.

Ingredients

“G2025 1: ETHYL ACETATE, BUTYL ACETATE, NITROCELLULOSE, PROPYL ACETATE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, TRIBUTYL CITRATE, TOSYLAMIDE/EPOXY RESIN, ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, BENZOPHENONE-1, POLY (1-HYDROXY-1-PHENYL-PROPYLENE), ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE, DIMETHICONE, PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE/GLYCERIN/GLYCIDYL DECANOATE COPOLYMER, ISOPHORONE DIAMINE/ISOPHTHALIC ACID/TROMETHAMINE COPOLYMER, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE, SILICA, CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, ETHYL TOSYLAMIDE, OXIDIZED POLYETHYLENE, COLOPHONIUM / ROSIN, ALUMINA, SILICA [NANO] / SILICA, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, TIN OXIDE, POLYURETHANE-11, POLYACRYLATE-4, CI 77002 / ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE. F.I.L Code D48596/5

MAY CONTAIN

CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CI 19140 / YELLOW 5 LAKE, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES, MICA, CI 15850 / RED 7 LAKE, CI 15850 / RED 6 LAKE, CI 77120 / BARIUM SULFATE, CI 15880 / RED 34 LAKE,

CI 77163 / BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE, CI 77510 / FERRIC FERROCYANIDE, CI 77400 / BRONZE POWDER, CI 77266 [NANO] / BLACK 2, CI 77000 / ALUMINUM POWDER, CI 77288 / CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS, CI 42090 / BLUE 1 LAKE, CI 45410 / RED 28, CI 60725 / VIOLET 2, CI 77400 / COPPER POWDER, CI 75470 / CARMINE, CI 45370 / ORANGE 5, CI 45380 / RED 21, CI 15850 / RED 7”

For an amazing selection of green nails and inspiration go to Boots.com

Berry Best lipsticks

Wow!

Bobbi Brown Hot Berry

Bobbi Brown’s Bobbi Brown Lip Colour in Hot Berry is hot, now and classy – and great for all skin types. This creamy, semi-matte lipstick gives lips instant polish with rich, full coverage.
Costs £19.50 – buy online at our favourite store House of Fraser

Meow!
Bourjois Frambourjois
And so beautiful this mouth-watering colour from Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet – called Frambourjois – and is only £8.99. Get is now atBoots.com

Look younger – get berry juicy lips!

Finding a new shade of lipstick that flatters skin tone can be a tough beauty challenge – especially if you are older – which is why many woman avoid wearing it in the first place.
Berry Lips

But thanks to the new No7 Match Made Lipstick Service, women can now discover a while range of lip colours that have been specifically created to flatter their skin tone.

So go on, give it a go and find out whether a Pink Blush or a Hot Copper is the perfect change.

How you can see how to perfect the new berry lips – which look fantastic on nearly everyone in the video below. There are some great berry colours to buy online from Boots No7, Rimmel and Borjois at Boots.com

Boots new No7 anti-ageing serum boasts mega wrinkle-blasting peptides

Boots No7 today unveils two new anti-ageing serums which it claims are even better than those that flew off the shelves a few years ago after research found them as good as professional anti-ageing creams.

The two new serums which go on sale later this week contain advanced peptides which boost the power of the original product. In tests on real woman 80% who already  used the original products said they saw an even better result from the new serums.

No7 Protect & Perfect “Advanced” Serum will be available in  two different formulas – for age 25-35 to target fine lines and includes salicylic acid (£23.95 for 30ml).

No& Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum 25-35

No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum

And a second for age 35-45 (£24.95 for 30ml) for deep lines and wrinkles containing hyaluronic acid. They will both go on sale Boots stores and online from 14 May.

No& Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum 35-45

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum contains new advanced peptides

The new advanced serums were tested against the previous best-seller, which sold out after scientists proved it was as good as the best professional skincare.

So what are the key ingredients in the new products?

The new No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums contain ingredients that  build on the existing, clinically-proven formulas of the original No7 Protect & Perfect Serums and improve them in order to achieve the maximum effects in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, with ingredients carefully chosen for their ability to repair, enhance and protect the skin.

The new repairing ingredients are specialised peptides. A peptide is a string of amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins) and in very specific combinations, they have particular functions in the skin.

Boots say that new peptides improve the repairing function of the major ingredient in the original formula Matrixyl 3000 which is now present in increased amounts in the new serum.

Research carried out with The University of Manchester proved that No7’s blend of peptides drives repair of fibrillin in the skin.

The newly added Acetyl di-peptide helps reduce crosslinking in skin, a factor that gives rise to stiffer, less supple skin as it ages. Put together with Matrixyl 3000, it forms a unique peptide blend that stimulates collagen and fibrillin repair in the skin. In total the new combination of Matrixyl 3000 and di-peptide results in more than 30 times the repairing peptide concentration in both of the new No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums when compared to the original serums.

In the formula for skins aged 25-35 salicylic acid has been added to helps exfoliate the skin by gently dissolving the bonds that hold old dead skin cells in place on the skin’s surface.

This helps to keep pores clear, resulting in clearer and blemish free skin, important benefits for the younger consumer just getting into anti-ageing.

The new ingredient in the serum for those aged 35-45 is hyaluronic acid, a natural component of the skin, responsible for providing volume or ‘stuffing’ in the skin by helping to bind water into the skin.

Once again Boots has tested its new serums on real woman. The tests were carried out on 373 existing No7 users and revealed that 80% of them saw their best anti-ageing results ever.

Before & After

No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum used for 3 months shows a real decrease in lines and wrinkles

And above is the before and after results of a 27-year-old using the serum for three months.

Watch this space as we have already have samples of this product and we will be testing it and letting you know our results.

 

Actress Helen Mirren to front Boots new anti-ageing skincare?

image

London: BOOTS is to launch a new range of anti-ageing skincare aimed at the more mature woman in the New Year.

Boots is planning a huge TV and print campaign for No 7 Lift & Luminate which will be fronted by a new celebrity. The product is due on the shelf on January 27.

Though officially lips are sealed until near the launch date, a Boots insider let slip this week that it is a “really good actress.” In that case it would mean the lovely Helen Mirren (pictured below) must be the front runner!

The insider said that lovely actress Keeley Hawes (below right) who is the current face of Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect, is too young at 33 years. This is surprising as the product has flown off the shelf, with most purchases being made by older women, after it was given top scientific acclaim on TV for its ingredients.


Life & Luminate is the name of the new range and it contains several of the key ingredients from the Protect & Perfect range including an extract of lupin.

Boots say the difference between P & P and L & L is that the latter not only reduces wrinkles but also firms and brightens skin – and it does it in just four weeks. It also contains a patented mix of “energising” ingredients including Hawaiian Algae and vitamin C that help to make it feel younger.

There are four products so far in the skincare range – the Lift & Luminate Day Cream – pictured below (50ml, £19.50), which also contains at SPF15

Night Cream – pictured below (50m, £20.50) which also contains shea butter and glycerine

Eye Cream – below (15m, £16.50) with peptides

Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler – right- (30ml, £16) with particles fill in lines to deflect light and “blurr” wrinkles

The original Protect & Perfect Serum (30ml, £18).

Ingredients in Perfect & Protect:
Contains ingredients:Cyclopentasiloxane, Aqua, Butylene glycol, Dimethicone corsspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone copolyol, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Magnesium sulphate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Retinyl palmitate, Methylparaben, Propylene glycol, Lupinus albus, Carbomer, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Panax ginseng, Morus alba, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl pentapeptide-3.

Boots face cream does reduce wrinkles, scientists prove

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London: Scientists claim that long term use of the Boots No7 anti-aging serum reduces facial wrinkles.

In a study carried out by Manchester University, tests on 60 volunteers aged between 45 and 60, showed that the serum can fight sun damage if used continuously over a period of several months.

The product flew off the shelves two years ago when a BBC Horizon programme called attention to its ability to fight against photoageing.

Now the researchers led by Professor Chris Griffiths at Manchester University, UK, has investigated the effect of the cream over a 6 and 12 month period.

The volunteers used the test product (Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum) and another 30 the product without the complex of anti-ageing actives.

Subjects were asked to apply the products daily on the face and hands for 6 months and assessments were performed at 1, 3 and 6 months.

According to the results, after 6 months there was a noticeable clinical improvement compared to base levels in facial wrinkles in 43 percent of those treated with the test product and only 22 per cent of those treated with the vehicle.

Comparisons between the groups at this stage were not significant, but with larger subject numbers 6 months could provide evidence of clinical improvement, the researchers suggested.

However, after 12 months of product use, 70 per cent of subjects using the test product experienced improvements in facial wrinkles, compared to only 33 per cent of the vehicle group; leading the researchers to conclude that the test product decreased facial wrinkles significantly in comparison to the control.

The team claim this is the first study of its kind on a commercially available anti-ageing formulation and refer to a ‘relative lack of published long-term studies to demonstrate product performance’.

“Very few over-the-counter cosmetic ‘anti-ageing’ products have been subjected to a rigorous, scientific trial to prove their effectiveness,” said Griffiths.

“Although prescription retinoids can have a reparative effect on photo-aged skin, there is scant evidence that any of the plethora of cosmetic ‘anti-ageing’ products can produce similar effects,” he added.

The study published in the British Journal of Dermatology was funded by Alliance Boots, manufacturer of the tested product.

However, the authors confirmed that the trial was properly conducted: subjects had been randomly assigned either the test product or the vehicle; and volunteers, investigators and independent statistician were blind to the assignment until after the completion of the study. In addition, Griffiths maintained the results would have been published in a peer reviewed journal regardless of their findings.

Source: British Journal of Dermatology
Published Online: Apr 28 2009. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09216.x
A cosmetic ‘anti-ageing’ product improves photoaged skin: a double blind, randomized controlled trial
R.E.B. Watson, S. Ogden, L.F. Cotterell, J.J. Bowden, J.Y. Bastrilles, S.P. Long, C.E.M. Griffiths

Boots opens UK’s first drive-through pharmacy

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London: The UK’s first drive-through pharmacy has opened for business in the Essex town of Colchesher.

The pharmacy, operated by Boots, says it will fill prescriptions in two minutes while customers wait in their cars.

Boots says it is aiming the service, from a converted MacDonald’s fast-food outlet, at mothers and commuters.

The move is a copy of what happens in the US where drive-through pharmacies are common – there are about 3,000 there.

The drive-through section is attached to a conventional walk-in Boots store selling the usual range of toiletries, cosmetics and snacks.

The drive-through service provides prescription items only throughout the store’s opening hours, 8am-8pm Monday to Saturday. Between 8pm and midnight it also sells over-thecounter medicines.

New hair loss breakthrough goes on sale at Boots

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London: UK pharmacy Boots whose anti-wrinkle cream Protect & Perfect had women queuing in the streets to buy it, has now come up with an anti-ageing treatment for hair.

Boots Expert Hair Loss Treatment Spray for Women, is according to the company, a breakthrough product, formulated after seven years of scientific research. The product contains a unique blend of natural antioxidants which thicken and grow thinning hair after three months of use.

The product is aimed at females of any age who have thinning hair that is not disease related, such as ageing or through diet or stress.

Since the product is made of natural ingredients it has not needed approval from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. It is also not being aimed at men, who in the main suffer from male pattern baldness which is hormone-related.

Boots is launching the product online at www.boots.com where you can sign up in advance for a discounted price of £14.99 (£19.99) when it goes on sale later this month on September 16. It will go on sale in shops nationwide from October 1.

The active ingredients include substances from green coffee beans from Costa Rica, centella asiatica (Indian Pennywort) and antioxidants which slow down hair thinning, encourage thicker hair right fromt the hair follicle and across the scalp, and boost the overall feel and condition of the hair.

The topical spray is applied to the roots of damp hair twice daily, and after rubbing in, the hair can by styled as normal. Seven squirts per application are sufficient, and results are seen within three months.

It works by calming the immune system and reducing inflammation of the scalp.

Any damage to the scalp can cause follicles to shrink or even close up, causing hair to thin and fall out.

Rigorous consumer trials were conducted in the development of this treatment. In one study, women were given the product to use at home twice daily. The study compared the active product against an identical looking placebo and every three months their hair condition was examined by a qualified trichologist.

For those on the active product there was a significant improvement in hair growth measured in 80% of volunteers, and each candidate completed questionnaires regarding their experiences. 81% of those who tested the product said that their hair was thicker as a result of the treatment and 73% agreed that they lost less hair when combing or brushing.

Reserve your Boots Expert Hair LossTreatment Spray for Women at www.boots.com

Boots wrinkle cream sells out, after scientists prove it banishes wrinkles

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London: No 7 Protect & Perfect, a modestly priced product $34 (£17, €25) has been flying off the shelf of UK pharmacy Boots after an independent study carried out by experts at the University Manchester revealed that it was just as effective at reducing sun damage, a major cause of skin ageing, as products only available on prescription from a doctor.

The study compared Protect & Perfect with the performance of a retinoic-acid or Tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative available on prescription to treat acne and severe damage of the skin. Professor Chris Griffiths an eminent dermatologist said the study showed that the formulation repaired photo-aged skin and improve the fine lines and wrinkles associated with sun damage. Boots is now keeping a waiting list for this product after supplies ran out.

The company says that it delivers a younger looking skin after only four weeks of use. It contains silicone which it says enables skin firming and brightening. It also contains an A-list of ingredients including vitamin C, mulberry and gingseng which health experts says mops up free radicals which damage the cells. It also contains lipo-pentapeptide, created from amino-acids grown in laboratories. These are essential to the functioning of cells. It also contains a serum extracted from the white lupin which slows down production of collagenase, a substance which is linked to sun damage.

Demand for herbal remedies grows in UK

London: Following a surge of consumer interest in herbal remedies, leading high street pharmacy Boots has sold out of their own-label peppermint oil in over 1,000 of their 1,400 stores nationwide and have had to put in emergency orders to keep up with consumer demand.

This is the second time Boots have witnessed record sales of herbal products this week, with traditional remedy Echinacea already flying off the shelf at a rate of nearly one pack per minute – that’s nearly 7,000 packs per week.

Although the evidence supporting many herbal remedies is currently under debate, with some scientists claiming that many herbs provide little or no benefit to users, consumers are continuing to purchase herbal remedies for their safe and natural action.

Scientists have dismissed Echinacea’s efficacy as an immune booster for those people suffering from respiratory ailments like coughs and colds. But herbal experts claim that the evidence is irrefutable and continue to defend use of the healing herb, citing the hundreds of studies that have demonstrated its efficacy and sales have risen as a result. Peppermint oil has also received media attention due to its use as an alternative remedy for helping relieve digestive discomfort, a common occurrence for many people during the winter season’s over-indulgence.

Herbalist and nutritional consultant Dr Ann Walker says: ‘There is a huge amount of evidence to suggest that herbal medicines are a natural and safe way to self-treat many health conditions, so it is no surprise that sales are rising as people cotton on to the fact that they don’t always have to choose the pharmaceutical route’.

Boots pharmacist Angela Chalmers says: “People are increasingly embracing a more natural lifestyle and using herbal remedies is part of that way of life. Always talk to your Boots pharmacist if you need advice on which herbal remedy to take.”