ELLE Magazine Beauty Director Joins Dr. Murad
at The Art of Giving

When you’re a beauty editor at one of the top fashion and lifestyle magazines and have a plethora of makeup and beauty items to spare, what do you do with all your extra goodies?

Sell them to raise funds for charity, of course!

This is exactly what Emily Dougherty, Beauty & Fitness Director for ELLE Magazine, and her staff did to raise funds to participate in Dr. Murad’s Art of Giving art auction this Thursday in Redondo Beach, Calif. The Art of Giving was created to encourage the local community to give back to the charities that are important to them by designating that the proceeds from each painting purchased go to the charity of they buyer’s choice. And that message is spreading past the Los Angeles area.

Emily, a long-time supporter of Dr. Murad, was so moved by this event concept, that she and her staff gathered all of their extra beauty goodies (because Beauty Editors get A LOT of those!) and held a sale! They are taking those proceeds and are flying out to LA to attend The Art of Giving. Emily and her staff chose CEW’s Cancer and Careers, a non-profit organization that empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in their work environment by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events, to be the beneficiary of their upcoming purchase.

Cancer and Careers is one of over 40 charities registered at The Art of Giving, An Inclusive Charitable Event, which will auction off over 30 pieces of Dr. Murad’s art. Other participating charities include the El Segundo Education Foundation, Heal the Bay, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, ThinkCure, Operation Gratitude, Dodgers Dream Foundation, Children’s International, OneHope Foundation, Art of Elysium and many other philanthropic organizations.

If you are in the Los Angeles area THIS THURSDAY, Oct. 21, and would like to attend the FREE community event, please RSVP to kscott@murad.com

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What you don’t know about health and aging could fill a book!

You’re Invited to The Water Secret Launch Event!

Please join us at the Murad Inclusive Health Spa on August 19^th for an exciting evening celebrating the launch of Dr. Murad’s new book The Water Secret!

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Happily Ever After

This has been an exciting year for many of our fellow Murad colleagues and friends — with a barrage of life events from babies and birthdays to engagements and travels. There is always something worth celebrating in the halls of Murad — and luckily celebrating just so happens to be one of our strong points.

Just recently I was lucky enough to attend the nuptials of our very own Casey Cochran, print and direct mail manager extraordinaire, in none other than the beautiful and exotic Antigua, Guatemala. For those of you unfamiliar with the treasures of this little Central American gem may ask ‘Why Guatemala?’ Hailing from the wilds of Sacramento, CA and the great plains of Nebraska respectively, I’d even put money on the fact that the bride and groom don’t know anyone in a two country radius. On one of their adventures they made their way to Guatemala and fell in love with this little town and felt that what better place to share their love with family and friends. Random? Perhaps. Romantic? Totally.

Upon arrival, we spent the first night dining amongst the ruins of a sixteenth century monastery. The vine covered walls illuminated by the candlelight and flashes of lightening were equally haunting and endearing, we quickly discovered this little town had much more to offer behind its concealing walls of concrete (judging, book, cover — applicable here). Under the ‘more to offer’ category we must include the Irish pub we frequented and the array good restaurants that kept us full and happy throughout our stay, and the pièce de resistance — Cerro de la Cruz, a huge cross perched in the hills overlooking the city below and framed by a dormant(?) volcano was nothing short of awe inspiring.

The grand finale of this amazing adventure concluded with none other than the ceremony (and consequent pandemonium). In a torrent of rain, thunder and lightening the bride and groom said ‘I do’ amongst the quaint group of family and friends. A fire-blessing performed by the local Shaman invoked not only oohs and aahs from the crowd but some serious claps of thunder at all the high points leaving us all to believe this guy really knew his stuff.

The following events of the night were nothing short of spectacular. The musically inclined group celebrated around the piano (and on the dance floor) with the bride serenading the groom with ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ and a wedding guest leading a rendition of ‘Piano Man’. The night concluded with a bang — or, dare a I say ‘splash’— as the bride jumped into a near by pool (wedding dress and all) followed by her loyal wedding party and friends. This high class pool party was one of the best dressed I’ve ever seen.

With just enough time to dry off we caught our flight back to US and reality. As our Murad family grows we welcome them with open arms. Congratulations to our friend and coworker Casey — to many more adventures!

Getting Inclusive!
By Gengy Gonzalez, Public Relations Assistant

Practicing Our Emotional Self-Care on a Hike with Dr. Murad

Last Friday, our team at Murad had a great opportunity to go on an adventurous hike with Dr. Murad through Solstice Canyon in Malibu. As part of Dr. Murad’s Inclusive Health philosophy, taking care of your emotional well being is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Before we started the hike, Dr. Murad encouraged us to eat our water by grabbing some fresh fruits and vegetables. I had an orange and half a cucumber and it kept me hydrated throughout the hike. The 2.5 mile hike was a great experience in which everyone was able to explore the various sites the trail had to offer. We even saw a natural waterfall! Keeping up with Dr. Murad was not an easy task, he is an avid hiker and maintains an intense pace that most certainly kept my heart rate up! Everyone had an amazing time and we were lucky to be able to enjoy this day with Dr. Murad.

By taking a day to get Inclusive, we are practicing the 3rd prong of Dr. Murad’s Inclusive Health philosophy — Emotional Self-care. By taking care of ourselves emotionally which can relieve a lot of the stress we experience as part of everyday living, and did you know that stress compromises the health of your cells and therefore the health of your skin too?  So get Inclusive — take some time for yourself and go on an adventure! Explore the mountains, beach or whatever your heart desires — just get out and live!  You’re cells (and your skin) will thank you!

Share Your Gold Medal Moment

Whenever I watch the Olympics, I’m in awe of the athletes. To have honed their bodies and their skills to perfection for a single sport, and oftentimes all for just a few minutes of their entire lives, well, it blows me away. And when the medal winners are standing on the podiums, tears rush to my eyes. It makes me happy to see them win after years of hard work.

Olympic athletes may be the best of the best, but you don’t have to be a famous athlete to earn a gold medal in the sport of life. So we’re holding a Facebook giveaway to celebrate the champion in all of us.

To enter, just go to our Facebook fan page, click on the Promotions tab and tell us your gold medal moment.

At the end of the contest, we’ll draw one name out of all the entries received. The lucky winner will receive a volleyball signed by gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.

Tell us your gold medal moment for your chance to win!

Are you on Facebook?

If you are, then “Like” Murad today to be entered in our Squeaky Clean Sweepstakes.* We are giving away a bonus-size AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser to one in every 50 fans!

Plus, you’ll get access to exclusive Facebook-only offers, free samples and insider skincare tips. We hold contests and giveaways all the time, so you’ll always have a chance to win your favorite Murad products.

So “Like” us today for your chance to win!

*The Sweepstakes will begin on Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 at 12:01 a.m. and end on Monday, May 30th, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. One in 50 fans will be randomly selected to win one (1) 12.0 FL. OZ. AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. The odds of winning is equal to one (1) divided by the total number of fans at the end of the sweepstakes period.

Celeb Beauty Buzz

Celeb Beauty Buzz

Murad Step Contest

“Everyone get your pedometers out.” That’s how the Murad Step Contest started. Murad COO Richard Murad, who had in previous weeks given every Murad employee a pedometer to encourage an active lifestyle, challenged everyone to a stepping contest.

The rules were simple. Put on your pedometer and log your steps during your Murad workday. That’s it. Easy. But boy did it bring out the competition in everyone. Which is a good thing. Everyone walked their hearts out to log the most steps. But there could only be one winner….

…Congrats to Orlando Flanagan, Fulfillment Supervisor at the Murad Distribution Center, who logged 12,600 steps! What a wonderful accomplishment!

I wonder who next year’s winner will be?

Jeff’s Adventures in Europe

I’m back in the states, in New York’s JFK airport awaiting the final part of my journey home.My New Product Development partner Kristen and I had gone to Paris for the big annual cosmetic ingredients trade show. Once that was over (along with just a bit of shopping and Paris nightlife), we found ourselves with 7 extra days under a cloud of ashen uncertainty about when—and if—we would make it back to the States. After 5 extra days (including 3 canceled flights) sitting in the warm Paris sun for hours in bustling sidewalk cafes and the front steps of grand churches I realized there was a limit to how much wine and espresso my normally heavily sun screened, well-hydrated, constantly moving body could take. So after a 15 hour drive to clear-skied Madrid, and a 9 hour flight to NY, I am awaiting a final, almost certain, trip home to a clean pair of socks.

There is no doubt that I am a type A American, but I do feel I’ve gained a bit of maturity in my indefinite period of European exile. I already find myself walking more slowly, appreciating the journey more than focusing on the destination. Maybe I’ll start enjoying dessert more.