Health and Beauty News June 2009 Week 2

June 2009 Week 2

Chanel counter

Fragrance spending increasing
A fragrance can complete any outfit - be you a fan of Chanel or Victoria Beckham, there is a scent for everyone and for any occasion.

Now, it appears, that UK sales of fragrances are about to burst through the roof, with £1 billion forecast to be spent on them by September 2009.

Lisa Hipgrave, the director of the British Fragrance Association, has suggested many are turning to perfumes during the current financial situation.

"As the credit crunch hits the UK many might be reigning back on holidays or large spending perhaps eating out less often – but increasing the smaller cheaper luxuries like spending money on fragrances.

"Grooming is also generally on the increase," she concluded.

The figures come from a recent survey by GfK Retail and Technology, which shows that £768 million was spent on perfumes from October 2008 to the end of March 2009, nearly half of which took place in December.

Recession causing Brits to sleep less
Trouble sleeping is something that will affect many people during their lives.

However, it seems that the recession is making the problem worse, with new research suggesting that a third of Brits are have difficulty sleeping more than once a week.

Paul Farmer, the chief executive of mental health charity Mind, claimed that job insecurity and money worries are causing people to lose sleep.

"Many people at the moment are working in tough environments and are coming in to work faced with the prospect that through no fault of their own, they might be out of their job tomorrow," he said.

"Job insecurity can really put a strain on working relationships and motivation levels, and money worries alone can cause problems such as stress, anxiety and depression."

Research from Harris Interactive suggested that nearly one in ten people has used prescribed sleeping medication in the last six months.

The website insomniacs.co.uk claims that listening to ambient and nature sounds may help people drift off to sleep.

New cosmetic surgery procedure comes to UK
Although cosmetic surgery is not for everyone, there are some that swear by it.

Now, a new technique has been launched in the UK that will allow people to fill-out their face and avoid a gaunt look.

Known as Sculptra, the injectable volumising treatment helps to create apple-like cheeks sported by Madonna and Kylie.

Director at the Harley Medical Group, Liz Dale, said: "Sculptra will fill in lines and wrinkles and make the face look plumper and more even. It's a really great investment as the results can last up to three years.

"In addition to Sculptra, we've also recently launched the radical Obagi Blue Chemical Peel, which has been dubbed the 'Recessionista's Facelift' by fans thanks to its effectiveness at improving skin tightness and reducing lines, wrinkles and scars at a relatively low cost."

Dr Nicky Naylor from the group added that many women are now keen to get a heart-shaped face, which can be achieved through Sculptra.

Many stars have admitted to having cosmetic surgery in the past, with Jennifer Aniston admitting that she had indulged in Botox while Kylie also claimed she had tried it.