Does It Work?

Can a whiff of grapefruit kill your sweet tooth?

fitlist — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:02:00 GMT

By Linda Dahlstrom

What it is: Crave Relief by Bath and Body Works, $10

What it claims to do: The manufacturer says the blend of grapefruit and sweet fennel essential oils is "known to help curb cravings for sweets and stave off hunger."

My experience: To be fair, the lipstick-sized tube of essential oils was no match for the trifecta of triple-chocolate fudge cake, chocolate chip cookies and spongy white cake with gooey frosting. The week I tested Crave Relief was a particularly celebratory one in the msnbc.com newsroom, each happy occasion accompanied by a tempting dessert.

I've always had a weakness for sweets. As the daughter of a cake maker who came home from school to the cozy smell of baked goods on many afternoons, my love for goodies runs deep. Crave relief seemed like a good candidate to bolster my willpower to resist....(read more)

Vacuum plumps lips - if it doesn't suck them off

fitlist — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:13:00 GMT

By Melissa Dahl

What it is: JolieLips Lip Plumping & Enhancement System, $27.95.

What it claims to do: It’s supposed to give you full, Angelina Jolie-style lips – and I’m guessing that the name “JolieLips” is meant to ever-so-subtly push the Angie connection. The Web site promises that this device make your lips “fuller and sexier” without using injections, causing pain or “nonsense tingling cream” to do so.

Our experience: When the device arrived in the mail, I excitedly ripped the box open. And then promptly closed it. Something about an oversized, oddly-shaped pump arriving in an unmarked box made the whole thing seem vaguely dirty, and I guiltily looked around my apartment to make sure my roommate wasn’t home. She wasn’t. It was clearly time to pump things up. ...(read more)

Tiny stair-climber steps up your workout

fitlist — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:21:00 GMT

by Diane Mapes, contributing writer

What it is: Stamina inStride Electronic Stepper, $59.99.

What it claims to do: According to the manufacturer, the InStride Electronic Stepper is a lightweight exercise machine that offers a great cardiovascular workout for people who are limited on space. At just 20 pounds, the Stepper can be used anywhere – while watching TV, while on the phone, while at work – and it can even be tucked “into a workout bag to take along.” The machine’s resistance helps work your calves, thighs and buttocks as well as your core, while the aerobic aspect of the stepper “helps you burn calories and fat.”

Our experience: I’ve always had a hard time working out at the gym without some kind of mental stimulation. IPods just don’t cut it for me; I need conversation, a good book or a TV to keep me from thinking about how boring it is walking, striding or bike riding to nowhere. Unfortunately, my new gym is one of those places where everybody’s plugged in and the closed-captioned TVs are all tuned to sports channels. ...(read more)

Foot funk? Insoles claim to keep shoes stink-free

fitlist — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:15:00 GMT

By Diane Mapes, contributing writer

What it is: Summer Soles Fragrant Footings, $15 for 2 pair at http://www.summersoles.com.

What it claims to do: According to the Web site, Summer Soles cure sweaty feet by providing a “soft, dry barrier between feet and the beds of shoes.” The trim-to-fit one-size-fits-all insoles, made of absorbent fabric that “captures perspiration from sweaty feet as pressure is applied while walking,” can be inserted into sandals, pumps, mules or flats, but not spongy flip-flops or fabric-soled shoes like Birkenstocks (the sticky insoles can’t grip fabric).

The insoles are said to be especially effective for people with plantar hyperhidrosis (excessively sweaty feet). Summer Soles also claims their product will help make shoes “instantly comfy” and the Fragrant Footings style offers the added bonus of keeping your feet sweat- and stink-free by releasing “microscopic bursts of the finest dry, natural aromas” as you walk. ...(read more)

Gizmo makes you sit up straight – or else

fitlist — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:29:00 GMT

By Kristin Kalning, tech editor

What it is: The iPosture, $64.95 from www.iposture.com.

What it claims to do: This little electronic gizmo is designed to improve your posture. The monitor, which is the size of a silver dollar, senses when you slouch and gives you a gentle zap to remind you to sit up straight. If proper posture isn’t enough of a draw for you, the manufacturer also claims that sitting up straight can reduce an average of two inches off your waist and make you more successful, attractive and productive.

My experience: During my teen years, I think I heard my mom tell me to stand up straight about 4,286 times. And if she didn’t say it, she’d pantomime it with embarrassing gestures -- usually in front of my friends. ...(read more)

Tired tootsies? YogaToes ease foot pain

fitlist — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:21:00 GMT

By Helen A.S. Popkin, tech editor

What it is: YogaToes by YogaPro, $49.95 plus shipping

According to the manufacturer's Web site, YogaToes do the following:

Exercise your feet to stay healthy & in shape.

Improve and prevent foot problems by stretching & aligning your toes.

Ease the discomfort of hammertoes, bunions & plantar fasciitis.

Recover from stress, strain and overuse. Improve foot strength, flexibility and appearance.

Increase circulation, straighten bent toes, and realign joints.

Improve and reduce the aches and pains associated with poor posture.

My experience: “Make sure that you are getting the authentic YogaToes,” warns the YogaPro Web site. “Beware of imitations.” And indeed there are imitators; Pampered Toes ($9.99) and Healthytoes ($34.99) to name two. You get what you pay for, seems to be the implication. Upon casual inspection however, YogaToes and its imitators seem at least superficially the same. ...(read more)

Can a plate help you lose weight?

fitlist — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:43:00 GMT

By Diane Mapes, contributing writer

What it is: The Diet Plate (sale price $40, plus postage and handling)

What it claims to do: According to the Web site, the Diet Plate system is “the world’s first, original portion control method of weight management” – and with it, you’ll avoid all the guesswork of maintaining a healthy, balanced diet “whilst losing weight” (as you might have guessed by that “whilst,” the company is in England). The Diet Plate weight management system does this by providing you with “visual management of your daily intake of food.” In other words, the 11-inch plate and the accompanying Calibrated Breakfast Bowl are cluttered with visual clues (illustrations of food, tape measures, arrows, circles, etc.) that tell you how much you should eat of what. Diet Plates come in three “sizes” – male, female and child (this last has a wizard motif) – and are microwave and dishwasher safe.

My experience: When I first opened the box containing my Diet Plate and Breakfast Bowl (they’re a set), I thought they were adorable. Rimmed by a band of light blue (inside of which were affirming messages like “You can do it. Exercise daily. Diet with a friend.”), the plate was cleverly divvied up into different sections. Protein, represented by illustrations of ham and fish, went here; starch, marked by bowls of rice and potatoes, went there. A circle around the outside showed how much pasta you could dish up; a smaller circle in the middle helped solve the sauce dilemma. The Breakfast Bowl was less ornate but still helpful. Colored bands indicated how many cups of cornflakes or shredded wheat you should eat each morning (the booklet offered a breakdown of what line to use for a 200-calorie serving of various cereals). The whole system seemed cute, colorful and ingenious, and I sort of regretted having to cover it all up with food. ...(read more)

Bra's promise to firm, uplift is sort of a bust

fitlist — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:24:00 GMT

By Anna Chan, health editor

What it is: Victoria’s Secret Beauty Secret Bust-Firming Bra ($48-$68 plus shipping from VictoriasSecret.com

What it claims to do: Give your bust a more uplifted effect by diminishing signs of aging and improving the skin’s ability to retain moisture with DermalRX HydroSeal and Dermaxyl. All you have to do is wear the bra for at least four weeks, eight hours a day, to see an 18 percent boost in skin firmness with results at a peak after eight weeks.

My experience: As a woman who is not so blessed in the chest area and not interested at all in surgical enhancements, I nearly jumped for joy when two readers wrote to us in January and asked us to test this new bust-firming bra. The “more uplifted effect” promised in the product’s description means I look bigger, right? Without surgery? For less than $100? And all I have to do is wear the same bra for four to eight weeks? Well, that part’s a little icky, but still – sign me up! ...(read more)

Can you wash your hair -- without washing it?

fitlist — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:00:00 GMT

By Melissa Dahl, health editor

What it is: Dry shampoo (sometimes called hair powder). There are many different brands out there; we tried Bumble and Bumble’s Hair Powder in brown ($41 for a 4.4 oz. aerosol can).

What it claims to do: Cleanse your hair without water. The powder is supposed to absorb the oils in your hair, letting you go longer between washings.

My experience: I haven’t washed my hair in three days. I may not wash it tomorrow. Either way, with the dry shampoo, you’d never know the difference. Dry shampoo and its dirty, dirty influence on my life these last six weeks have been a little bit magical, a little bit disgusting....(read more)

Smooth Away yields some hairy results

fitlist — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:12:00 GMT

By Anna Chan, health editor

What it is: Smooth Away ($14.99 plus $6.99 shipping/handling from www.getsmoothaway.com)

What it claims to do: Buff away unwanted hair and leave skin “so soft and incredibly smooth.” According to the Web site, the Smooth Away pads are covered with superfine crystals that easily, safely, painlessly and quickly remove unwanted hair and exfoliate dead skin cells.

My experience: I hate to admit it, but I’ve been a girl of the more hirsute sort since I can remember, and my excess hair caused me great embarrassment as a child. I tried many hair removal products in my teen years, hoping to find something cheap that would remove hair painlessly. The products I tried usually caused me considerable amounts of pain (from waxing) or pain and very irritated skin (from smelly depilatories). ...(read more)