skin-and-body

Your daily Starbucks run may do much more than perk you up each morning and set you back five bucks. It may actually protect you from getting skin cancer.

A new study backs up previous research that shows caffeine may be an effective weapon in the fight against skin cancer-the most prevalent type of cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

In the study, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, two groups of mice-one genetically modified to block a certain protein called ATR, the other a control group-were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The researchers found that the genetically-modified mice remained tumor-free for significantly longer and after 19 weeks of UV exposure, had nearly 70 percent fewer tumors than the control group.

MORE: Green tea also has health benefits

The research helps shed some light on how caffeine is able to decrease the risk of sunlight-induced skin cancer. Caffeine appears to inhibit the ATR kinase pathway, which plays a major role in how the body responds to DNA damage brought on by UV radiation. ATR obstructs cell division and allows DNA repair to occur rather than letting damaged cells die.

This sounds like a good thing, but, "not all repairs are successful and some cells can still go on to develop cancer," explains study co-author Allan Conney, the director of the Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research at Rutgers University School of Pharmacy. "The study we did with colleagues at the University of Washington identified the ATR kinase pathway as being inhibited by caffeine." The result? More DNA damaged cells are killed off, potentially preventing non-melanoma (basal or squamous cell) skin cancer from ever developing.

But caffeine doesn't only inhibit this important protein. Caffeine itself also acts as a sunscreen, absorbing harmful UV rays, according to Conney. So will your sunscreen contain a shot of caffeine one day? "I would think that's a real possibility," he says.

QUIZ: How healthy is your skin?

Until that day comes, there's some good news for coffee drinkers: You're already getting some sun protective benefits from your daily cup of joe. A 2007 study of nearly 94,000 women found that those who sipped caffeinated coffee daily had an almost 11 percent lower risk of non-melanoma skin cancer. Women who drank six or more cups of coffee on a daily basis saw a 30 percent reduction in risk.

(To put that in perspective, a venti size at Starbucks is two and a half cups of coffee.)

Just don't skip the sunblock. "Let's put it this way-you shouldn't start depending on your local Starbucks for sun protection," says Dr. Howard Sobel, a cosmetic dermatologist in Manhattan. "The same general rules apply when it comes to sun protection. Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a SPF of 30 or more to all exposed skin. Look for broad-spectrum on the label, as it provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating. Avoid tanning beds, and have your skin checked regularly by a dermatologist."

By: Rachel Grumman Bender

Hyperpigmentation and dark spots have often forced me to layer on cream-to-powder foundation to avoid embarrassing glares. I've also tried fading creams, facial peels and good old cocoa butter to renew my dark skin.

While I've seen improvement over the years, very few skin care products have landed on my desk and produced eye-opening results like Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK.

This liquid gem is formulated with five key ingredients: Kinetin, the brand's super anti-oxidant plant complex which exfoliates and diminishes fine lines and wrinkles; Sepivinol, a red wine extract that helps to prevent future aging; hyaluronic acid, a known natural moisturizer; Sephiwhite MSH, an inhibitor that blocks pigmentation and SymWhite, a potent lightener that targets UV-induced skin coloring.

While the blend instantly reads impressive, it only took two weeks of applying tiny drops to my face each morning post-cleansing to notice unblemished skin. Discoloration on my forehead and cheeks have lightened and my complexion is supple and radiant, making me feel more confident to step out sans cover-up.

Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK, $33, drlewinnbykinerase.com

This summer, Australian bodycare line Aesop has landed stateside, setting up shop in Grand Central Terminal -- with three brick and mortar stores to open later this year. In honor of the new Graybar Passage kiosk, the line has collaborated with the contemporary art institution Dia to create a one-of-a-kind travel set available only at this location -- with all profits from the sale of the kit to be donated back to the organization. And in even better news: With every Jet Set kit purchased from its Grand Central location, you'll score two tickets to Dia: Beacon in upstate New York. It's a win-win, really, especially considering all the awesome products this kit contains.

The set -- perfect for summer weekends -- is packed with Aesop classics: Their Gentle Scalp Cleansing Shampoo, Revitalising Hair Sealing Conditioner, Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser and Rind Aromatique Body Balm. The TSA-friendly bottles, with their old-timey apothecary labels, are packed into a small recyclable cardboard box.

The promotion will be effective until they sell out. And the last time we checked they had about 200 tickets still up for grabs. Once you've picked up the kit (and your tickets), you might as well hop a train north to Beacon -- since they depart from Grand Central!

Aesop Dia: Beacon Jet Set Kit, $35, aesop.com

That's exactly what happened to Brooke Burdine after she popped into her local nail salon for her weekly manicure.

"The next morning my boyfriend looked at me and said 'You look like you got punched in the face," says the 25-year-old marketing exec in New York City, who speed dialed her dermatologist. "The skin around my eyes was reddish-black, and also dry, irritated and itchy."

The diagnosis: an allergic shiner. This not-so-common allergic reaction occurs when blood around the eyes is unable to drain so it stays put and causes the appearance of a bar-fight-style black eye.

Usually it's from an out-of-control pollen count that causes sinuses to swell, not from getting your nails done. "The doctor asked me what new products I was using-cleanser, eye cream, makeup, detergent-and I couldn't think of anything in my routine that I'd changed," Burdine says. "But the possibilities seemed endless because he also explained that I could not be allergic to something and then develop an allergy overnight."

After discussing a laundry list of suspects, Burdine's doctor glanced at her freshly painted nails and noted that he has a lot of women come in because of allergic reactions to polish, which are laced with potentially toxic chemicals including formaldehyde.

MORE: 6 signs of a sketchy nail salon

And since Burdine wears contacts and is often touching her eyes, the polish could be the culprit. "That's when I realized that although I've always gone to the same salon and use the same brand of polish, that time I grabbed one from a company I've never used before," she says. Her doctor told her to take the polish off asap and apply Desonide, a prescription steroid cream, around her eyes to reduce the swelling in that area. "In two days I was back to normal," she says.

According to Julia Liou, cofounder of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, a public-advocacy group for salon safety, Brooke isn't alone. The fight for safe nail practices and products for both technicians and customers is crucial because of a slew of health hazards -- sure, a freaky black eye is one, but extreme medical conditions such as reproductive issues and cancer may also be real concerns.

Although the dangers of many chemicals used in nail products (including remover, base and top coat as well as polish) are proven and many brands are going 3 and 4-free, experts say there's still good reason to think twice before test-driving a neon pink half-moon manicure.

MORE: 3-free and 4-free nail polish, explained

"Companies are saying they're taking the harmful chemicals out-formaldehyde, toluene and DBP-but no one is regulating whether or not it's true," says Liou, who estimates about 40 percent of polish on the market are 3-free, while the other 60 either aren't or have varying levels of toxic ingredients.

It's this nail industry "he-said, she-said" along with the fact that cosmetic companies aren't required to get the green light on safety from the FDA, and most nail brands don't list ingredients on their bottles like say, shampoo, that has many organizations pushing for the Safe Cosmetics Act.

This bill would demand pre-market safety assessments of all personal care products-not just nail polish. (As of right now, the Safe Cosmetics Act is expected to pass early next year.)

MORE: The Safe Cosmetics Act and what it means for your makeup bag

According to Cora Roelofs, an occupational health researcher at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, who has studied the long-term effects nail chemicals and fumes have on salon workers, many report rashes on their cheeks and hands-possibly as a result of sensitization (like getting an allergy) to acrylic compounds such as ethyl methacrylate, the main ingredient in artificial nail liquid-but all solvents such as isopropyl alcohol as well as acetone can cause rashes just by taking the natural protective oils out of skin. She also adds that nail technicians experience an abundance of respiratory problems including coughing, nose, throat and lung irritation, asthma and wheezing.

Could second-hand nail service fumes be the new second-hand smoke? Clearly, the salon workers exposed to hazardous chemicals and fumes 10 hours a day are at the most risk, but a weekly half-hour polish pit-stop can add up. "A salon might be using 3 and 4-free brands, but there are still so many different kinds of solvents in formulas as well as a lack of fresh air and a lot of dust," says Roelofs.

According to the experts interviewed, Burdine's black eye is definitely not the norm, however, doctors agree that allergic reactions from nail products and services are not only possible, they're common. "Typically, people are most allergic to chemicals in acrylic nails-from the polymers in the nails themselves to the gel and glue-which might be laced with poisonous methyl methacrylate liquid monomers (MMA), but also formaldehyde in nail hardeners and polish as well as fumes from acetone," says D'Anne Kleinsmith, M.D., a dermatologist in West Bloomfield, Michigan. "These chemicals might cause contact dermatitis-the skin right around or underneath the nail can get red, itchy or scaly."

MORE: The best non-toxic nail polishes

But eyes are also at risk. "The eyes are a sensitive, exposed organ," says Elise Brisco, M.D., an optometrist in Los Angeles and founder of the Rehabilitative Vision Clinic at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. "Bacteria, viruses, allergies, pollen and chemicals all stick to the wet, mucous-y surface which is very absorbent-and what's scary is that the eye is essentially an extension of the brain." Brisco suggests that if you have any pain in or around your eyes, blurred vision, stinging, swelling or redness for more than a few hours after leaving a nail salon, to see your doctor.

Now, take a deep (fume-free) breath: Experts insist that you don't have to ditch your weekly mani and succumb to hiding your bare, chipped nails in shame: "Common sense and precaution says that if it's not necessary to be exposed to toxic chemicals (and it's hard to imagine when it is necessary) then these chemicals should not be in products at all," says Roelofs. "But in the mean time, choose a well-ventilated salon if you're concerned."

QUIZ: How healthy does your skin look?

Also, be aware of what products the salon you're frequenting is using. "I've seen a tremendous change in the nail industry," says Jin Soon Choi, a manicurist for 20 years and owner of Jin Soon Nail Salon in New York City. "The old style strong-fumed acrylic is almost gone, non-acetone nail polish remover is ubiquitous and there are amazing 3 and 4-free polishes."

And of course ladies, (you gotta) fight for your right (to a healthy manicure). Take action at safecosmetics.org.

By: Genevieve James

Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl empire is getting bigger and bigger!

The tell-it-like-it-is reality star and entrepreneur built a booming brand portfolio consisting of cocktails, books and shapewear, and now she's making her foray into the beauty industry this fall with a skin care and body line, WWD reports.

Frankel has partnered with beauty firm Lotta Luv to offer the masses products that yield honest results.

"[Promises like] 'you're going to look like Heidi Klum in two days' or 'like you had a face-lift' have always bothered me," she told WWD.

The Skinnygirl Face & Body Solutions line will be comprised of four categories -- lip treatments, face solutions, body solutions and gift sets -- and include beauty fix-it staples like a Shimmer Plumping Lip Gloss, Detox Face Mask and Gradual Tanning Body Shimmer. There's also a Skinnygirl Mommy collection with a Cooling Foot Spray, of course.

And you can rest assure that everything has "The Real Housewife's" stamp of approval. "I'm obsessed. I use everything, I named every single product. I created the packaging and the logo," Frankel explained to WWD.

Skinnygirl skin care (all items retail under $15) will roll out to select Wal-Mart stores in November.

Will you be adding Frankel's beauty products to your routine this holiday? Tell us in the comments section and click here to find out which star skin care ingredients really work.