Beauty Without Borders – Women’s Health April 2008

This is a super fun list of 15 internationally acclaimed skin and body care products that are now available stateside – from the April 2008 issue of the fab mag, Women’s Health.  I haven’t tried ANY of them (horrors!), if you have, please, please add your thoughts in the comments so I will know where to go first!

AUSTRALIA  Invisible Zinc face and body sunscreen ($26 for 5.3 oz, adorebeauty.com.au)

• The world’s highest skin cancer rates are found down under; this sunscreen fights the killer sun and deflects UV Rays
• Packed with ultra-fine particles of zinc inside a likely, light-weight lotion

FRANCE Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentre ($25 for 2.6 oz, temtu.com)

• The secret to French women’s flawless skin
• Plant extract preserves skin’s ideal pH, giving your complexion that certain jen ne sais quoi

ENGLAND  Philip Kingsley Weatherproof Styling Froth ($20 for 5 oz, philipkingsley.com)

• Brit beauties fend off frizz with this froth
• The foam conditions, holds and deflects moisture
• Fights flyaways, even in soggy London

SWEDEN  Sachajuan Hair Repair ($28 for 8.45 oz, ronrobinsoninc.com)

• Contains algae and proteins to protect and restore silky locks
• Sweden is known for those stunning blonde bombshells – now we know their secret!

KOREA  The Face Shop Mung Bean Cleansing Foam ($8 for 6.7 oz, 408-248-3223)

• Exfoliates and dries oil – and Korean researchers say the legume may reduce irritation

ICELAND  Moa: The Green Balm ($38 for 1.69 oz, luckyscent.com)

• When you live on an island near the Arctic Circle, you better know how to revive your skin
• Packed with native herbs like yarrow, combined with Icelandic water to soothe scaly skin, dry cuticles, cuts, rashes and even frizzy hair

JAPAN  Dr. Ci: Labo Basic Black Blemish Control Gel ($36 for 1.75 oz, cilabousa.com)

Chidoriya Oil Blotting Face Paper ($7 for 30 sheets, chidoriyaworld.com)

• Asian women swear by this shine-fighting tag team
• The gel clears skin with gentle botanical extracts
• The face paper sops up grease without smudging makeup

ITALY  Karite Butter Cleo Body Cream ($8 for 8.5 oz, drugstore.com)

• Prepare to be ogled Italian-style
• Treat your skin to this whipped-yogurt and shea butter moisturizer smells like dessert and makes your skin more irresistible than gelato

SOUTH AFRICA  Wisdom of Africa Kalahari Melon Body Polish ($43 for 6.7 oz, 978-443-7006)

• With mountains, desert, and ocean in their geography, South Africans face a triple threat when it comes to the elements
• This South African treasure taps the antioxidants in the native fruit’s seeds to moisturize and repair sun-damaged skin

NEW ZEALAND  Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream ($35 for 1 oz, antipodesnature.com)

• Stimulates collagen production so you look as fresh as this cream smells

Check out after the jump for some interesting international beauty stats!

Image and source material used with permission from Women’s Health

$39      The amount per month the average American woman spends on beauty treatments

$71      The amount the average Italian woman spends on beauty treatments

92        The % of British women that rarely or never visit a dermatologist

80        The % of women in South Africa that wear fragrance every day; 80% of Chinese women don’t

38        The % of Indian women that say they own zero skin-care products

73        The % of Australians would choose to shell out for body massages if money were no object

52        The % of Koreans that would spend their cash on skin-lightening treatments

45        The % of women in China that say they can’t live without lipstick

53        The % of Italian women feel they look younger then they are.  

38        The % of people in China that use teeth-whitening treatment (including toothpaste) daily.

Additional Beauty Facts:

- American and British women are most likely to feel they look stressed and tired

- Women in Germany and Italy say mascara is their most essential beauty product

- Argentine and Canadian women are the most satisfied with their looks.  

- Japanese and French women are least satisfied with their looks.