Refreshing Experts

Congratulations, Dr. King, on another honor.

By The Refresh You Staff   08.24.10   Category: Refreshing Experts, Face & Body

Courtesy of Madison Magazine, our very own Clifford King, MD was named by his peers as one of Madison’s top doctors in the “Surgery, Plastic & Reconstructive” category. Of course, his patients at the Aesthetic Surgery Center already knew that.

If you’d like to know more about Dr. King, here’s his biography and information. Congratulations!

15-second poll: E-store convenience vs. live in-person service. Or maybe both.

By The Refresh You Staff   08.20.10   Category: Refreshing Experts, Skin

Do you like the idea of an online e-store for Essentials products? Or would you rather stick with the personal service you get when you stop by an Essentials location? Maybe both? Tell us here.

(Don’t worry, this is anonymous. We don’t spam you. Ever.)

Were undateable scientists the inspiration behind Transitions® lenses?

By The Refresh You Staff   07.23.10   Category: Refreshing Experts, Eyes

Back in the 1960s, some geeky scientists at Corning said to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be great if our regular everyday nerd glasses could magically darken and lighten all by themselves depending on the lighting conditions? Just imagine the comfort and convenience of THAT! Think of how many more dates we could get!”

Seeing as how they were pretty smart, the scientists developed photochromic glass, and it worked like this: With exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in sunlight, the glass would darken as embedded microcrystalline silver halides absorbed the light. Conversely, once the UV was removed, the glass would gradually return to its clear state.

When this photochromic glass was incorporated into eyeglasses, it worked pretty well. And it did indeed result in more dates for the scientists. Certainly, their dates were duly impressed with the scientists’ new invention and how cool their glasses were.

By the mid 1970s, the scientists had scored quite a few dates, but there was a problem: The speed of the transition from dark to light left a lot to be desired. Sometimes, if the scientists would go from outdoor to indoor light (like at a scientist pool party, for example), their lenses would take so long to lighten, they wouldn’t even notice their dates laughing and snickering at how ridiculous they looked.

Clearly, the scientists knew there was work to be done if they wanted to keep scoring dates. Over the next few decades, the scientists made significant improvements in the speed of the lighter-darker-lighter transition. They also abandoned glass in favor of strong, lightweight plastics. Their work was a success.

The result, of course, was more dates.

Then in 1991, a company called Transitions Optical became the undisputed leader in the field. Not only did their scientists improve the transition speed even more, but they also placed an emphasis on fashion and safety: Even with 100% UV protection, it really was possible to have great-looking indoor glasses that also functioned as great-looking outdoor glasses. And vice versa. Were they true sunglasses? No, but the quick transitions worked well in most light conditions, and the comfort and convenience was undeniable.

Even better, the scientists made sure that Transitions lenses could be used in virtually any frame, style, size and prescription. So the transition was fast, and they looked fantastic.

You probably can guess what happened: More dates.

As people everywhere quickly realized how the previously undateable scientists had continued to score lots of dates, the lenses became mainstream and popular. Soon, everyone everywhere was scoring more dates.

Then the scientists joined up with some marketing consultants, got all legal with that circle “R” thing in their name (Transitions®) and evolved their family of products into three distinct product lines:

1. Transitions® VI, the company’s primary line of comfort lenses.
2. Transitions® EXTRActive, a line of lenses that gets even darker outdoors but doesn’t fully lighten indoors, perfect for most outside activities.
3. Transitions® SOLFX, a true sunglass lens that darkens according to light conditions but does not lighten enough for indoor situations or night-time uses.

The result? More dates. Even for the marketing consultants.

Today, the benefits and fast-change technology of Transitions® lenses are available at good optical stores like Davis Duehr Dean. Offering full UV protection and the ultimate in convenience, Transitions® lenses have evolved from geeky science experiment to totally cool technology-based fashion.

So that’s the story of how some undateable scientists invented something cool, and in the process, helped everyone.

But here’s the best part: With the coupon below for 50% off the cost of the upgrade to Transitions® lenses, you’ll have an extra $45 for your next date.

(Yeah, you have to be a signed-in Refresh You member to see the coupon below. Not a member yet? It’s totally free and it only takes about 30 seconds to sign up. And we NEVER spam you. Ever.)

Skipping 100 calories never tasted this good.

By The Refresh You Staff   07.15.10   Category: Refreshing Experts, Weight

Summer just isn’t summer without an occasional cool treat. But be careful — there are lots of deadly choices out there.

Here’s a good choice: Edy’s Antioxidant Fruit Bars. With no artificial ingredients, they’ll satisfy your sweet tooth and provide a wonderful indulgence on a summer day. Nutritionist Keri Glassman thinks they’re pretty good, too. (Here’s her in-depth review.)

Compared to a traditional ice cream bar, you’ll save 100 calories and almost a third of your recommended daily allowance of saturated fat. Both are high in sugar (although the fruit bars contain natural fruit-based sugars) so be careful. Bottom line: Just read the labels and you’ll see which calories are worth it and which ones aren’t.

Enjoy!