Author: Margit Rüdiger

CultureAndCream Author from Munich To travel during my profession as a beauty journalist was never enough for my. Also my six month on a world trip didn't do it. It always attracts me to other cities, foreign countries, on roadtrips and places I don't know yet. But I am not only interested in "culture" and "cream", I am also fascinated by people who have stories to tell .  Such unique experiences I want to share with you.

Tested for you: TeMana „Shape“ Smoothie

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

This time it’s not about creams or lipsticks. “Beauty from within” is the subject of my new personal testing. I was particularly interested in the “Shape” fasting smoothie because I have been for many years an absolute fan of interval fasting to keep my figure or to get back in shape after some eating sins. But I don’t always want to count hours, and a change is good sometimes. Weight management with the “Shape” smoothie works on a similar principle to interval fasting. It was developed for the 5: 2 method. You choose two fasting days a week, which should not follow each other, and drink up to five pouches of „Shape“ on each of the two days. Each drink contains only 140 calories, but has the necessary nutrients from fruits and vegetables such as apple, pineapple, carrot, mung beans, peas, spinach, kombucha etc. It also contains noni fiber from the fruit of the Indian mulberry tree. In its Polynesian homeland, it is a true miracle cure for all kinds of diseases and is now also traded as a superfood everywhere. There is no dispute that it is healthy, but there is no scientific data on it that noni can do more than other fruits. No matter. In any case, the creamy smoothie tastes delicious of mango and passion fruit and has also their yellow color. I am well fed with five servings a day. Even when I’m on the go and have no time or desire to eat, I treat myself to a pouch of „Shape“ as an on-the-go snack. TeMana „Shape” fasting smoothie, 10 x 142 g, ca. $ 55 US… weiterlesen

Slip on and workout – always and everywhere

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

EasyMotionSkin is the next generation EMS training. An almost wireless, blue bodysuit, an iPhone and the app are all you need. You train at home or on the go. It couldn’t be more convenient and effective. These workout numbers made me curious: 93% of the muscles are trained at the same time and in a way that is gentle on the joints, 33% increase in strength and 35% more endurance in 6 weeks and in addition a 3 x higher calorie consumption than with conventional training. And all this at just 2 times 20 minutes a week. I wanted to know more about it and tested the EasyMotionSkin suit at home for 10 weeks. EMS, i.e. electrical muscle stimulation, helps to build muscle, stimulates the metabolism and increases endurance. At the same time, the figure is optimized. No wonder! The better the muscle-fat ratio, the slimmer the silhouette. An avatar as a pre-gymnast To train with the blue, elastic special suit (made of an antibacterial high-tech fiber, machine washable at 30 degrees) of EasyMotionSkin you need an iOS device to load the app that is used to train. The connection to iPhone or tablet works via Bluetooth. A small avatar does the exercises on the monitor. The two short cables that you carry on your body allow maximum freedom of movement. They connect the stimulation unit, called the Powerbox, which is in a small pocket on the right hip, to the suit. You can train for around 12 hours until the battery needs to be recharged. The silicone dry electrodes are integrated into the important muscle zones inside the suit. As usual with EMS, you don’t need functional underwear or moistening. I only wear panties underneath. The knee-length suit is tight, but comfortable on the body. The electrical voltages applied to the skin irritate nerves and muscles, causing a contraction of the stimulated muscles. You can choose frequency, strength, break length and various training effects for strength, endurance and muscle tone. Every muscle group can be stimulated in a targeted manner. In this way, you can individually increase the training effect during sporting activities such as cycling. I actually tested the suit in all sorts of situations: Nordic walking, TRX workout, cycling and walking, and even shopping, cooking and vacuuming. It is actually the smallest gym in the world that can (almost) be used anywhere and at any time. Only with yoga it was rather counterproductive because muscle vibrations and meditation simply don’t go together.… weiterlesen

Tested for you: Doctor Duve „Phytoceutix Eye Cream & Mask“

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

I love duo products. If only because I enjoy traveling a lot – preferably with minimal luggage. That’s why I was particularly interested in “Phytoceutix Eye Cream & Mask”. Eye cream and eye mask in one. Let’s first take a look at the ingredients: BioNymph Peptides, Shea Butter and Hibiscus Vita. I find a new active ingredient particularly exciting: Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, a vegetable retionol that acts as a wrinkle smoother and is considered to be well tolerated by the skin. It is supported by hibiscus, a substance that is not only responsible for the moisture effect. It is also known – a little exaggerated – as the botox plant, because the essences obtained from the flowers contain active substances inhibit elastase. It is the enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of collagen in the skin. Accordingly, the botox plant should counteract the loss of elasticity of the skin tissue. I’m looking forward to what the cream can do for my skin! The first grip in the jar the white texture appears slightly pasty. Little remains of the product on the fingertip. But this is not bad either, because that way an “overdose” does not end up under the eyes. The product can then be smoothly spread on the skin, is quickly absorbed without shining and provides moisture. The first wrinkles of dryness are actually balanced after four weeks of use. I guess I still have to be patient with the tightening effect. The mask function impresses me more anyway. One should apply the cream 1-2 times a week in a slightly thicker layer, let it work for 10 minutes and then dab off the excess. I apply it in the evening as recommended – on the lower and also on the upper eyelids – but not too thick and I let it work in overnight. I use it every other day and I love it, because the next morning I see a brightly rested area of ​​the eyes in the mirror. I will definitely pack this jar for my next trip. Doctor Duve „Phytoceutix Eye Cream & Mask“, 30 ml, 120,00 Lead photo @Shutterstock… weiterlesen

Trend: Skin Care with Bacterial Cultures

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

Cosmetics companies are increasingly relying on care products with bacterial cultures. The so-called probiotics are supposed to bring problem skin back into balance by balancing the “good” and “bad” bacteria. Probiotics are known from the grocery store. These living microorganisms are found especially in yoghurts and fermented foods such as sauerkraut. Their main task: They ensure a healthy intestinal flora. And now we should smear it on our faces! Sounds a bit disgusting at first. But of course there are no living organisms in the cream jar. “They are prepared beforehand in the laboratory and incorporated into the texture in a dissolved form,” explains Britta Klebon from the L’Oreal research department. The microbiome in the focus of science The word probiotic comes from the Greek and means something like “for life“. And that is pretty much the case, because probiotics in their original form are living microorganisms. We know about 400 different probiotics out of an estimated 40 trillion bacteria that are mainly on the mucous membrane of the large intestine. The most well-known are the lactic acid producing bacteria, which are called lacto- and bifidobacteria, and keep the intestine healthy. However, this finding is not new. As early as 1908, the Russian bacteriologist Ilja Metschnikow received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for discovering that the lactic acid bacteria in yoghurt can support our immune system and fight pathogens in the human gut. The term “microbiome” is newer, and research into it has now become the focus of research after decoding the genome. It describes the entirety of all microbial roommates, including their habitats and ecological functions. It was shaped by the US molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg, who died in 2008. Decoding the microbiome is a mammoth task for science. The human body serves the diverse microbes (bacteria, viruses and fungi) with a total weight of up to 1.5 kg as a complex ecosystem. This primarily includes the bacteria in the intestine, but also those in the skin, urogenital tract, mouth, throat and nose. “What makes the evolution of microbes so fascinating and at the same time so worrying is their combination of huge populations with intense fluctuations within these populations,” Lederberg wrote in 2000. How a healthy microbiome should look is still unclear. Especially since everyone has their own, individually composed microbiome that is influenced by genetics, the environment and lifestyle. A kind of genetic fingerprint. The intestinal bacteria also teach our immune system to differentiate between “good” and “bad” germs.… weiterlesen

Testet for you: Studio Botanic „Face Serum“

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

Try something vegan, I thought to myself. Even if I’m not the vegan type, I’m curious about it. “Less is more”, the motto of the German cosmetics manufacturer Studio Botanic, I like very much, because I think that you don’t have to overload the skin with umpteen active ingredients. I also like the packaging: puristic, timeless, clear. The products are naturally free from petrochemical derivatives like Silicone, mineral oils, petrolatum (Vaseline), paraffin wax. All ingredients are verifiably vegan, purely natural and high quality from certified organic cultivation. The face serum contains 2% vegetable hyaluronic acid for a skin-tightening effect. Thank to its long-, medium- and short-chains, the upper as well as the middle and lower skin layers can be optimally reached. Also in the product: hemp extract with important omega fatty acids for antioxidant protection and soothing cucumber extract. Vegan glycerin ensures optimal suppleness due to its moisture-binding effect, which takes place at the skin depth.And now for the test: The serum is rather viscous. I test it first on the back of my left hand. The drop that I drip onto my skin stays there exactly shaped without running. I pass it. The liquid is immediately absorbed into the skin and leaves a smoother surface compared to the other hand. Now it’s the turn of the face: I put three drops on my fingertips and spread the serum on the cleaned skin and neck. As I massage it in, I feel a slight stickiness that disappears quickly. My skin seems to be soaking up the serum, it feels smooth and a little plumper. After about three minutes I apply the day cream. Overall, my skin is happy with it, the complexion becomes a little smoother every day. The only downside: the serum should be used within six months after opening, because then the natural ingredients are most active! Studio Botanic „Face Serum“, 30 ml, ca. 45 Euro Lead photo: shutterstock… weiterlesen

Cosmetics also have an Expiry Date

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

Last year’s sunscreen. The half-used lipstick. The cream that smells unpleasant. All cases for the trash can. As you muck out your wardrobe from time to time, you should also sort out your beauty products more often. Test the smell The basic question is: How do you know whether a product is still usable? First of all, the color. If it has changed, for example in the case of a perfume, then the product should be disposed. Another indication is the smell. As soon as you get a rancid or musty smell in your nose when you open the jar, the expiry date has passed. Even if something settles on the cream or the consistency flocculates, be sure to throw it away. The reason why cosmetics spoil is the same as with food. Germs and bacteria have a particularly easy time with moist products. Cosmetic products consist of a mixture of different oils, water, active substances and preservatives. Through skin contact such as fingers get the little “bad guys” into the product and cause it to “tip over” because the fats it contains become rancid. Look for the open cream jar symbol Icon of the expiry date Every cosmetic product has to have a kind of expiry date. The symbol is an open cream jar with a number indicating the months that the product is stable after opening. Unopened products must be stable for at least 30 months. This requires normal storage conditions, i.e. room temperature and no direct sunlight. Basically you can say that moist and very fatty products spoil faster than dry ones. A high proportion of water ensures that bacteria and microorganisms can multiply faster than in dry textures such as powder. This does not apply to cosmetics with a lot of alcohol (like perfume) because it is a good preservative. Alcohol-containing facial tonic therefore lasts up to three years, all others only two years. Natural cosmetics are often less stable for a long time because they often do without preservation. Incidentally, unless explicitly recommended, the refrigerator is not a good place to store beauty products. Emulsions, in particular, are chilled by the fact that fat and water separate, powders begin to crumble and lipsticks lose their color. To be disposed Mascara – Partially opened, but not used up. The mascara begins to crumble. How comes it? As the brush is constantly moved up and down, air gets into the tube, which dries out the texture.… weiterlesen

Check the Ingredients of your Hand Cream

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

The hands can be happy – or maybe not. They have never been creamed after washing and disinfecting as often as in the past few weeks. But the ingredients that the skin on the hands now need are not in every cream tube or jar. You should also take care of what you are using as soap and disinfectants. Well-tried disinfectants, such as those used for surgical hand disinfection, contain substances that dry out the skin to a great extent. Above all, alcohols such as ethanol or isopropanol, as well as ketones such as butanone, which is used as one of the most important industrial solvents in addition to acetone. Pathogens are reliably eliminated, but at the same time they attack the natural protective acid mantle of the skin and remove their fats. That makes them brittle and cracked. It is better to use disinfectants from beauty brands that not only target the bad germs, but also the well-being of the hands. For example, the “Hand Sanitiser” by Margaret Dabbs from London. It still contains the necessary amount of at least 60% alcohol, but is enriched with hemp seed oil and white water lily. Grown Alchemist‘s antiseptic gel with 70% ethyl alcohol, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants is even available in a 500 ml pump dispenser. If the skin is already visibly and noticeably damaged, you should make sure that the product contains no fragrances. They could make minor inflammation worse. So do the smell test first. If the smell is particularly artificial or fruity, it is better to take your hands off. Soap is not just soap A normal cleaning process that we got bled in as a toddler is hand washing. To protect yourself from the Covid 19 virus, it must be particularly extensive. It is recommended to soap the skin for at least 20 seconds, as often as possible. Frequent washing with strongly scented soaps can in turn lead to skin irritation. Classic curd soap does not use any additives or synthetics. Liquid “doctor soaps” are also fragrance-free. Block soaps offer a little more care, which by the way are back in fashion anyway. They are made from natural substances such as olive, palm or coconut oil. An extra portion of care and skin protection can also be achieved with baby oil. It gives the skin a protective oil film and provides moisture all day long. The wash water should also not be very warm or even hot.… weiterlesen

Tested for you: Lipstick from La Beauté Hermès

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

If the fairy godmother gave me a wish for a luxury item, I would commission her with a Birkin Bag. For me, the epitome of luxury. I have already given myself the little luxury – one of the new lipsticks from Hermès Beauté. Beauty is a novelty for the traditional house. Pierre Hardy, creative director in the company and responsible for shoes, jewelry and high jewelery, designed the precious object. The journey into the world of beauty startet five years ago. This year the collection of 24 lipsticks, 10 matte and 14 silky gloss, was launched. A refined selection inspired by the métiers silk with its infinite number of colors (75,000 shades) and leather (900 tones). Functional aesthetics The tri-color cover alone – brushed gold, black lacquer and an ivory tone – with the Hermès signature ex-libris engraved on the curved cap – is supple in the hand. The Hermès lettering is engraved in the lipstick. The cover closes with a sonorous clack. And it is an object forever that accompanies you for a long time. Because the lipstick is refillable. This time I chose the color Orange Boite 33. A summerly fresh and sunny orange. It is exactly the shade that I have been looking for for a long time. Its texture is just perfect: nice creamy and yet matt, long-lasting and yet not drying out. A successful debut for La Beauté Hermès. I think we can look forward to the next objects. New ones are to be presented every six months. “From make-up to skin care”, says the French traditional company. My only criticism: I find the brown leather case – although it is chic like a Birkin – for about $ 1.700 a little overpriced. Even if it is made in the typical craftsmanship of the luxury house. Rouge Hermès lipstick, $ 68… weiterlesen

Let’s talk beauty with influencer Viktoria Rader

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

She is attractive, charming, smart and very successful. And she is also totally authentic, which is rather rare in this social media industry. That’s why my beauty interviews in Viky’s Munich home were a particularly enjoyable appointment. I also learned more about the super influencer who has built up a small empire. Viktoria Rader is from Ukraine. Her father is from Poland, the mother is Ukrainian. She describes herself as a very bright child. At 17, finished school, she wanted everything right away – study in Europe, work as a model, learn English and make experiences abroad. Her first stop as a model was Asia, more precisely Seoul/Korea. She went on to China, Tokyo and then again back to Europe. Everything changed in Munich: new agency, new contract, new job. “After five days, I met the man of my life, which really changed everything,” she says. And what happened next? Viky: „After two weeks we went on vacation together and after five months we got married. Everything happened so quickly, but we were simply happy.“ Even more has changed for Viky during this time. The first son, Luca, was born. “It was the second biggest change in my life.“ And then she got the idea to try Instagram. In the beginning everything was just a lot of fun. But soon she went deeper and tried different things. Viky: “Then I really understood it and it became my greatest passion.“ Over the next year and a half, she continued to expand her Instagram presence with style, charm and maximum zest for life. “Just when I want to go to my first fashion week, I find out that I was pregnant a second time.“ Viky and her German-Italian husband were thrilled. But she also quickly realized that it is a big challenge to get everything organized – family, children, dogs, travel, team, photographers. But she managed everything with bravura. In the meantime, she is no longer “just” Viky, but @vikyandthekid (378 Tsd Follower). She lives the balance of family, travel and fashion with great passion. It goes without saying that beauty should not be neglected in her job. We talk about it in the video. Hear for yourself what Viky says about her beauty rituals for face and body to be always in a good shape and why she loves the skincare of the German scientist Prof. Augustinus Bader. Viky tells us, how to get a perfect skin!… weiterlesen

Tested for you: Doctor Mi! „LIP TECMI! Retinol“

Written by Margit Rüdiger on . Leave a Comment

Due to the daily mask requirement I have been struggling with extremely dry lips lately. Most lipcare products didn’t help. Even worse, I felt that I had to use more and more cream. I was convinced by “Tecmi! Retinol”, which I’ve been using for a four weeks now. The first time I applied it, I was a bit confused because the cream initially feels like a light peeling on the lips. The feeling disappears quickly when you move your lips against each other. Encapsulated retinol and high-dose vitamin C are released to protect the sensitive lip skin from external influences and to support cell renewal. Mango butter, jojoba and argan oil result in a super smooth effect. What I also like is the slight warming effect, which lasts quite a long time and suggests a blood circulation increasing effect. This visibly intensifies the lip red. As recommended in the package insert, I also spread the cream over the lip of the lip to refine the small lines of expression. Doesn’t work immediately of course. But over time it seems to me that the upper lip is actually getting a little smoother. I always carry “Tecmi!” with me so that I can use it during the day when my lips are getting drier again. What I am currently testing is to needle the cream in the evenings – and only in the evening! – with a dermaroller into the lip’s skin. Stings a little bit, but is bearable. But one must not press too hard. This treatment should intensify the effect of the product and make the lips a little more voluminous and plump and reduce wrinkles. I have not yet noticed the former, but the fine lines have actually become fewer. I keep on rolling! Doctor Mi! „LIP TECMI! Retinol“, € 59… weiterlesen

Traveling and Beauty are my passion.
More about me and cultureandcream

Subscribe to Culture & Cream.

Yes I want to subscribe to the english version of CultureAndCreme's newsletter. (No worries, we only send once a month!)


Explanations regarding through your consent accepted terms about success measurement, our use of MailChimp and your right of withdrawal, you can find in our Privacy Policy.

Instagram.

Pinterest.

© 2020 Margit Rüdiger | Impressum | Privacy Agreement| Cookie Policy