Author: sugar

So you already know that bamboo is one of the most sustainable resources on the planet. But you might be surprised to learn that panda food is making inroads in your closet.

Bamboo fabric, a soft, rayon-like material made from the pulp of bamboo grass, is cropping up in clothing stores around Charlottesville. Stephanie Finn, manager of The Hip Joint, sells bamboo yoga-wear from brands like OMALA, be present, and Avani. “It’s really nice to wear to workout because it’s really wicking, so it pulls moisture away from your body,” says Finn. Since bamboo is naturally antimicrobial, its fabric is hypoallergenic and even helps mitigate body odor.

On top of being wearer-friendly, bamboo is a more eco-friendly crop than cotton. But, like most cotton blends, converting bamboo into fabric usually involves a chemically intensive process that is less than sustainable.

Even so, “A lot more is made from bamboo than you realize these days,” says Sarah Stacy of EG clothing store. She’s right. Blue Ridge Mountain Sports carries North Face bamboo liner gloves. You can even find bamboo socks and sheets at Target. Just watch out for hungry pandas.—Kathryn Faulkner

When a painter and a chef try their hands at soapmaking, is it any wonder that the results are beautiful both to see and smell? If you’d approached Emily Hunt’s table at the Nelson Farmer’s Market this summer, you’d probably have been attracted by the striking greens and yellows of her wares and seduced by their scents: delicate lilac, perky grapefruit or earthy sandalwood.

After experimenting along with her friend the chef, Hunt (the painter of the pair) turned soapmaking into a solo business under the name Slippery Hippo, now emblazoned on bar soaps and fetching little tubs of body butters. “I decided I liked the pureness of vegetable-derived glycerin, rather than cold-processed soaps that involve lye and animal fats,” Hunt explains.

The scents of her concoctions derive from essential and fragrance oils. For example, the clean and lovely smell of the ginger lime body butter I tried is, Hunt says, one of her most popular, and when I rubbed it onto my hands I spent a couple of minutes ecstatically sniffing, savoring the total lack of chemical undertone in the scent.

If you want to smell for yourself, catch Hunt at the indoor market at the Rockfish Valley Community Center on December 6, or e-mail her at ekhuntdesign@earthlink.net.—Erika Howsare

It’s not easy being beautiful. Luckily, a make-up mecca has landed in our own Fashion Square Mall. Open less than two months, Sephora doesn’t boast much square footage, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in merchandise: perfume-lined walls and display upon display of concealers and foundations.

Stepping into Sephora (and its cloud of yummy smells that, happily, stick with you for hours after you leave the store), makes you yourself feel expensive. If you do in fact spend $100 or more, you tap into a raft of rewards through the Beauty Insider program. Then again, if you’re feeling a little low on cash and overwhelmed by the hefty price tags, you can get a custom sample made for almost anything you’re interested in.

The bottom line: It’s not nearly the scale of, say, the flagship store in New York’s Times Square, but has just as much to offer. And, as every lady who’s ever wielded a blush brush knows, less is more.—Caite White

Job search got you quaking in your pumps and pencil skirt? We’ve all had that “showing up nude to the interview” nightmare, but to bump up your confidence and your look, consider an image consultant. After 15 years in the skincare and cosmetic business and experience as a recruiter, Bonnie Rogers (326-1115) is one such Image Maven who knows the power of a first impression to set the scene, on both a professional and personal level.

Working with both corporations and individuals to tailor programs for image improvement, Bonnie looks at everything from clothing fit to etiquette, with a focus on developing “image, impact, and income.” She knows how quickly first impressions are cemented, and has seen it all when it comes to job-seekers’ mistakes: short shorts, cocktail dresses, and baby carriages, to name a few. Considering that it takes only seven seconds to give a lasting impression, there isn’t much time to lose with fashion faux-pas. Just a few tips from Bonnie: Pay attention to little details like chipped nails and exposed roots, think about what your clothes are saying, and ditch the gum.

But don’t think that it’s all about the office. “When a woman looks in the mirror and changes her outward appearance, it changes how she is feeling on the inside,” Bonnie says. “There’s a lot of power to be gained from creating a powerful image.”—Lucy Zhou

Massage therapy should make you feel better, not worse. And most of the time that’s the case. Sure, you may feel sore afterwards—because working the muscles releases toxins into your bloodstream—but “you should never be in pain during or after a massage,” says Samantha Burton of Cityspa.
 

But what if you feel that massage therapy has, in fact, caused or aggravated an injury?

First, do your part to prevent that from happening. That means getting your doctor’s permission to treat any known injury or chronic condition with massage therapy. Acute injuries probably shouldn’t be treated with massage, and most therapists won’t work on them.

Next, go to a certified massage therapist so that you have recourse with the state licensing board (here in Virginia, that’s the Board of Nursing) in the event of injury. The Board of Nursing maintains codes of conduct for massage therapists and files complaints on clients’ behalf.

Finally, know that injury caused by massage is extremely rare. Take responsibility for your pre-existing health conditions, and enjoy that feeling of “aaahhh.”—Kathryn Faulkner

You’ve heard of lasers being used for eye surgery and hair removal. Well, now there’s laser dentistry, a new, high-tech approach to teeth and gums aimed at reducing the dental chair squirm factor. Aesthetic Dentistry of Charlottesville (ADC) advertises the service on its website (cvillesmiles.com) as “requiring fewer shots and less anesthesia and replacing the drill in many cases.”

Indeed, laser technology can make a few dental procedures, including crown lengthening, frenectomy, and some fillings, less invasive and nearly pain-free. Its popularity is spreading among patients who hear “no needle” and increasingly request a laser. Dr. Anita Neel of ADC adds, “It’s especially great on kids…and it costs exactly the same.”

Still, lasers have a ways to go. Dr. Terry Dickinson of the Virginia Dental Association estimates that only 15-20 percent of dentists have adopted laser technology, which uses heat produced by splitting apart water and air molecules to penetrate soft or hard tissue. Risk of heat damage hasn’t been fully explored, say some dentists not yet on the laser train.

Despite limitations, Dickinson thinks we’ll see “more of these [laser] devices used for more and more things.” According to him, the future of laser dentistry is “a rosy picture.”—Kathryn Faulkner

Goodbye, dog days—hello, chill: wintertime means a slew of new nutritional challenges, with darker days, falling temperatures, and the departure of summer produce. Still, no need to pine for your zucchini. Here are four winter picks to get your immune system kicking!—Lucy Zhou

What to eat: Pumpkins and other winter squash
What’s in it: Vitamin A (from Beta Carotene) and Vitamin C
Why you want it: Everybody knows Vitamin C shows a cold who’s boss. But when it comes to disease defense, Beta Carotene, converted to Vitamin A by your body, is your immune system’s best ally.

What to eat: Garlic
What’s in it: Allicin (a sulfur-containing compound responsible for the smell)
Why you want it: The allicin contained in garlic has been found to deactivate viruses, bacteria, and disease-causing fungi. Anti-vampire properties are just a perk.

What to eat: Kale
What’s in it: Vitamin K
Why you want it: K doesn’t just stand for Kale: Involved in calcium formation, this vitamin is essential to proper blood and bone health, as well as fighting cancer-causing free radicals.

What to eat: Brussels sprouts
What’s in it: Folate
Why you want it: Childhood dinner trauma aside, as a source of folate, Brussels sprouts support blood cell production, and serve a crucial role in protecting nerve function.
 

To vaccinate, or not to vaccinate? Not Hamlet’s dilemma, but one that’s been getting a lot of press these days with Virginia’s controversial ruling requiring that all sixth grade girls receive the Gardasil vaccine. Relatively new to the market, Gardasil protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is believed to cause 70 percent of cervical cancer, which kills 4,000 women a year; it also causes (yikes!) genital warts.

Gardasil sounds too good to be true, and maybe it is. Two problems: the price tag ($350 for a series of three shots), and a recent outpour of reports that the vaccine is causing dangerous side effects, and even death. If you’re asking yourself whether it’s worth the risk, here are some things to consider before dashing to your gyno.

The pros: Attempting to get to girls before HPV does, the vaccine is geared towards girls as young as 9; but if you’re 26 or younger, you’re part of the target market, believed to be most at risk for contracting the HPV virus.

The cons: Gardasil’s website reels off a handful of nasty side effects, including fainting, nausea and vomiting, but independent research adds seizures and debilitating migraines to the mix. City Councilor and registered nurse Holly Edwards recently said at a panel meeting that she wasn’t convinced she should have her teenage daughters vaccinated.

Cancer cure or health risk, the HPV vaccine is still new enough to the market that it’ll be a while before we really know its long-term effects. In other words, talk to your doctor and tally your personal pluses and minuses if you plan on getting the shots.—Lucy Zhou