All in Good Face

Did you know that the new mascara recently introduced by Lancome had a waiting list of 21,000 people when it first came out!?  So what makes it so special?

In an industry that is crowded with great products for lash enhancement, it’s the revolutionary new applicator that makes this mascara stand out and is creating all the buzz.

The Lancome Oscillation Powermascara is battery operated and oscillates 7000 times per minute.  To apply the mascara, you simply hold down a button and gently stroke the wand over your lashes.  The effect is a mascara that goes on smoothly, with no clumping.  Also this new technique allows you to reach all the way down to the base of your lashes, making it look like you’ve also lined them.  According to Lancome, your lashes will look “extended, separated and visibly multiplied.”

Here’s a quick tutorial video on how to use this revolutionary new product.

Lancome Oscillation Powermascara is $34 and is avaiable at www.sephora.com and www.lancome.com .

With all of the buzz, the wait list and the promise of magnificent results, we can’t wait to try it!  And Lancome promises that they have enough product to indeed meet the high demand.

As I was walking the aisles of Target the other day looking for a twelve pack of Bounty paper towels, I stopped in my tracks and did a double take on the label of a little pink box of lip gloss.  The label and large display sign above it read: Sexy Mother Pucker.  OK, now that’s a funny name and succeeded in grabbing my attention in an aisle cluttered with makeup and beauty products of every variety.  I threw the little pink box into my cart and continued on my way, excited to try the new lip volumizer with the catchy name.

I’ve tried many lip plumpers in the past and have been rather nonplussed by their results.  Like many women over a certain age, my lips seem to be losing a little more volume each year.  Usually, I try to compensate for this with clever use of lip liner, lip stick and gloss.  I have no desire to try the invasive methods for adding volume, which would involve syringes full of collagen and the risk of ending up looking like Lisa Rinna or like someone punched me in the kisser.  Rather, I remain hopeful that a product will someday deliver on it’s claim to create an Angelina Jolie pout, in one instantaneous miraculous transformation.

Unfortunately, the lip plumpers that actually work to inflate and enhance the lips can also hurt like hell when applied.  There is a reason for this–they contain ingredients like Cayenne pepper and jalapeno in them that serve to irritate and actually swell the lips.  My target discovery, Sexy Mother Pucker, hurt quite a bit when I first applied it.  Although, after about twenty minutes, the discomfort subsided and I was quite pleased with the effect of slightly more zaftig lips and a gloss that lasted for hours.

Have fear for the person who tries to kiss the wearer of this lethal, stinging plumper though. And doesn’t this seem counter productive?  You make your lips plump, shiny and kissable, yet venomous pain is inflicted upon the recipient!

DuWop’s Lip Venom is one of the best selling lip volumizers, with 1.5 million tubes sold since 2004.  Lip Venom contains cinnamon, ginger and wintergreen, which the creators discovered to be the best ingredients for achieving the maximum plumping effect.

Lip Plumpers range in price from $5 for Sugar’s Pump ‘N Shine to $50 for LipFusion XL.  Lip Venom sells for $16 and Sexy Mother Pucker made by Soap and Glory is a bargain at just under $10.

But that’s a small price considering the alternative.  Having a dermatologist inject collagen costs approximately $350, requires a little downtime and lasts only about 6 months.  Now that’s a pricey mother pucker!

Before & After using Lip Fusion XL

Have you tried a lip plumper that works?  Do share!

Don’t you hate it when you wake up in the morning to find that your face has deep lines and creases from your pillowcase?  Don’t we get enough wrinkles from aging and gravity that we don’t need any added ones from our pillows?

Some women swear that sleeping on a satin pillowcase is not only really luxurious, but minimizes the appearance of those “sleep lines” on your face.  The slippery satin surface minimizes the friction that causes those creases and thus diminishes wrinkles.

There are other benefits as well.  In addition to reducing sleep lines on the face, Satin Serenity brand satin pillowcases claim to help reduce “bed head”and maintain the moisture balance of the skin and hair.

That sounds like three ways to get some serious beauty sleep!

Here’s a quick tip for faking your way to smaller looking pores.  This advice comes from Cristina Bartolucci, a former film and television make-up artist whose job literally depended on her being able to camouflage her clients large pores for those oh-so close, close-ups.

She says that immediately after washing your face, apply a very light dusting of translucent powder before your foundation or tinted moisturizer.  This fills in pores without looking cake-y.  We know, it sounds weird to put powder under foundation or moisturizer, but we tried it and were surprised by the good results.

I tried this using the Bare Escentutals “mineral veil powder” from their starter kit.  (Bare Escentuals is one of my favorite products ever and gives me joy each and every day.  I promise to do a post on this soon.  If you haven’t jumped on the Bare Escentuals band wagon yet,  it’s time!  A Sephora saleslady recently told me that it’s their number one selling product by a huge amount.  Nothing comes even close.  And they make the best makeup brushes for smooth, even application.)

Next, I applied my favorite Laura Mercier Illuminating tinted moisturizer over the light powder.  Then I finished the rest of my makeup as normal.  I’ll admit I was a little surprised that it worked so well, but my pores were definitely less noticeable.  And, believe me, I have some honking pores.

Other tricks of the trade for smaller pores are to start off your makeup using a primer.  For more ideas on how to diminish the look of pore size, see our previous blog article here.

StiVectin–SD is a topical cream, for wrinkle reduction, which was once in the spotlight and heralded as providing some of the most dramatic and noticeable results of any product in history.  When it first came out it was literally flying off the shelves and nearly impossible to keep in stock.  StriVectin took a backseat when Botox hit the wrinkle reduction market by storm.  Botox, an injectable, provides instant results while Stivectin-SD, a topical treatment requires a bit of patience to see the results.  StiVectin is fighting back and now is advertised with the tagline: “Better than Botox”.

With that being said, StriVectin-SD, remains a formidable force in the anti-aging arsenal available to those who wish to ward off and reduce wrinkles.  Originally developed to reduce the visibility of stretch marks following pregnancy, it was discovered to dramatically improve the appearance of: indented surfaces, smooth surfaces, skin firmness and irregularities in skin discoloration.

StriVectin-SD includes a proprietary combination of skin firming agents, elasticizers, and skin hydrators, adding up to one of the most effective and most powerful topical formulation for stretch mark reduction and wrinkle reduction currently available.  Clinical studies have proven it’s ability to reduce crows feet and other superficial wrinkles in 93% of those tested.

And despite the success and rise of Botox use, StiVectin-SD remains a steady big seller in the topical anti-agining market.   Normally priced at about $140 for a 6 oz. tube (but can be found for much less, see our link below), it was once thought to be on the high end in the price range of products.  The eye cream is $59 for a 1.5 ounce tube, which actually makes it quite comparable and even priced slightly lower than popular “designer eye creams” on the market.

Instructions for Use: When used as a wrinkle remover, one tube will last approximately 6 months.

• Begin with clean, dry skin. Apply StriVectin-SD three times daily (do not exceed three applications per 24-hour period).
• Use sparingly. StriVectin-SD is a concentrated formula.
• Gently massage StriVectin-SD into the target area, using a circular motion, until completely absorbed.
• StriVectin-SD penetrates and is absorbed immediately, leaving your skin youthful, smooth, and silky.

StriVectin also offers a variety of other products including Lumedia, which targets hyperpigmented age spots.

StiVectin-SD is availabe without a prescription and is available in stores everywhere.  The best price we found for this product was at Amazon.com for $100 for a 6 oz. tube.

This year’s Emmy Awards provided a bucketful of beauty and fashion inspiration.  We can’t recall an award show with so many hits on the red carpet.  It was simply sensational.

The trend in makeup that stood out most to us was the smokey, sultry eye makeup paired with the nude lips.  (Many makeup artists believe that either the eyes or the lips should be bold for a glamorous event, but never both.)  Notice that each of the women pictured has followed this rule–wearing the smokey eyes and mile long eyelashes, but light, subtle lipstick.

Here are ladies that we feel had the stand-out makeup.  Let’s do a poll and find out who you think wore this style the best.

Leave a comment with the name of your favorite celebrity makeup look from the Emmy Awards!

Lipstick is perhaps the most powerful makeup tool available in the arsenal of possibilities.  Providing that dramatic statement and transformation that women are seeking in their makeup, it seems to have been around forever.  Well at least since 60 BC, when Cleopatra wore it.  Variations of the pigment, oil and wax formulas have graced our mouths ever since–even surviving periods in history in which it was banned for being “devil paint”!

It’s the role lipstick played in glamorizing the sirens of the silver screen, though, that brought lipstick into the mainstream, where it remains today.  Doesn’t it seem Hollywood always seems to have a role in our beauty trends?  Now some 92 million women (and let’s not leave out the cross-dressing men!) don’t leave home without the little miraculous cylinder.

Lipstick possesses the ability to brighten and define our faces, make us look alive and more polished in a single swoosh of the tube.  My maternal grandmother never wore a single stitch of makeup her entire life, except lipstick.  It was “Zinc Pink” by Revlon and it matched her frosted nails.

Even with all of it’s “rock our world” capabilities, lipstick has some bummer qualities too.  It can be messy, smelly, sticky and fickle.  Some variations seem to wear off before you’ve finished your first cup of morning coffee.  And the ones that claim to last a really long time are often thick and uncomfortable.

So what’s a girl to do?  Here’s a list of some lipsticks that industry experts and top makeup artists consider, hands down, the best for their stay put coverage and comfort.

1. MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolour
This product won’t smudge, run or transfer. It’s got a glamorous wet, glossy shine like you see on magazine cover models., $19.50

2. Clinique Stay the Day Lip Colour
Clinique says part one of this dual-formula lipstick sweeps on full-coverage color while the other part seals it in ‑- for 10 hours. It has two ends ‑- one with the color and one with a gloss, $16.50

3.  Stila Twinset Demi Crème + Shine
Stila has a rich, luxurious lip color that lasts and lasts.  We love that the twinset comes in one convenient package to both color and coat, $37

4. Estée Lauder Pure Color Long-Lasting Lipstick
Estée Lauder touts this product as intense, high-shine color in a long-wearing formula that pampers and comforts. The consistency is smooth and creamy, $22

What is Spa Week?

Spa week is a twice a year promotional event where participating spas offer $50 spa treatments.  It happens spring and fall in most major markets.

The fall spa week takes place on the West Coast, September 15th-21, 2008, and the East Coast/Midwest, October 13th-19, 2008.  If you’re going to participate and take advantage of the discounts, you better get on it!

Remember, not every spa participates and not everything on their menu is discounted.  Usually just a few treatments are reduced to $50.  It’s a good time to try out a new place or a new treatment.

To get the $50 treatment you first need to register at Spaweek.org.   Log in, then click on your city or state to see a list of participating spas and the treatments they offer. Once you see a treatment you want, call the spa directly to make your reservation. The spa will ask for your credit card number to secure the reservation.

One final note, you can try as many treatments as you want. But your body has limits. So don’t get two facials or two microdermabrasion sessions in one week. It’s not good for your skin. Instead, try treatments that complement each other like a facial, body treatment and massage.

Also, it’s polite to tip on the full amount of the service, not on the $50 charge.

Anyone who’s flown recently knows what a pain it is. If the high ticket prices, long lines, delays, and uncomfortable, crowded airplanes aren’t enough to annoy and inconvenience you, how about the fact that you can’t bring any containers over two ounces on the plane?  Now doesn’t that just take the wind right out of your beauty and style sails?!

On a recent weekend get away, my husband couldn’t understand why I needed to check my small wheeled luggage, that would easily fit in the overhead compartment.  I explained to him that I had all my favorite, can’t live without beauty products inside.  Since there were many containers with more than two ounces of liquid, I couldn’t bring it on the plane, I had to check it.  He just shook his head and rolled his eyes.  Another case of vanity winning over practicality.  He knew he’d never win this battle!

Alas, there is a better way.  Did you know that …Read more »

What’s the number one anti-aging breakthrough of the decade?  Well according to experts, including many top cosmetic dermatologists, it’s something called Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing. With it’s claims to erase up to ten years off your face, it’s taking the skin rejuvenation industry by storm.

Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing combines the technology and effectiveness of carbon dioxide lasers with a new application technique.  The carbon dioxide laser has long been used for dramatic wrinkle reduction and has been considered the gold standard in the industry.  The new application process, Fractional CO2, delivers the same powerful results but with far less harsh side effects.

Here’s how it works.  As we age, our bodies collagen is destroyed naturally and through exposure to sunlight and pollution.  Collagen is the main protein of connective …Read more »

A medical spa is a hybrid between a medical clinic and a day spa that operates under the supervision of a doctor. Medi-spas are the fastest growing segment of the spa industry.

Medical spas tend to have a more clinical atmosphere and aren’t always the first choice for relaxation.  Rather, the emphasis is on results-oriented treatments and skin rejuvenation treatments like injectables to manage wrinkles, laser treatments to treat brown spots and spider veins, and tightening technologies to delay more invasive cosmetic procedures that would require surgery.

Injectables administered at a typical medi-spa include Botox, Restalyne, Juvaderm, Radiesse and others.  Laser treatments include IPL, Fraxel, CO2 Fraction among others.  The menus of medi-spas usually also include microdermabrasion and agressive peels including glycolic, ViPeel and TCA.

Medical spas usually offer an array of skin care products …Read more »

Hold onto your hats–the brow is back.

Much to my chagrin, my mother received her beauty training in an era during which Elizabeth Taylor’s prominent thick black brow was en vogue.  My mom then raised daughters overlapping the years that Brooke Shields was peddling Calvins, in all her baby faced bushy brow splendor.  As a result, my mom would not allow us to pluck our brows.  She did, on occasion hand us a brow brush and tell us to brush all we wanted.  Gee, thanks, mom.  And you wonder why I didn’t have a date to prom.

For my sisters, this was not a big deal; they were blond and had light brows that were naturally shaped and manageable.  I, on the other hand, must come from a lineage that is part Greek, part chimpanzee and part Unibrowzonian.  Yes, I had a unibrow and I wore it, not so well.

In fact, I had the monster monobrow until, at the tender and sensitive age of seventeen, a very snooty lady, behind the Chanel counter …Read more »

Has the fake eyelash trend hit your city or town yet? It’s getting a little nutty and I’m scared that before it’s over, I’m going to accidentally swat someone on the face, mistaking someones falsies for a tarantula making a nest there.

Seriously though. From Toledo to Tokyo, this is a trend that has been picking up steam for quite some time. I knew when a suburban soccer mom friend of mine endured a two hour, $300 application of “eye lash extensions”, that it had hit mainstream. My friend returned a few times for the “fill” process–another 45 minutes and $100 every two weeks for the maintenance. She lost interest and patience after just a few months.

I’ve heard other women are seeking out lash extensions and sticking with it. I’ve met a few of them. The faux lashes look is great on some. On others you can see the adhesive on the lashes and it’s quite distracting. And do we really need “glamour length” lashes at the soccer field? Wouldn’t the temporary variety, now flying off the shelves of Sephora, be a better option for the nights out and dressy parties of the mom crowd?

Oprah’s legendary fake lashes made …Read more »

I have a good friend with luscious luminous skin who years ago received the trusted advice that, starting at the age of thirty, women should get a facial once a month. She’s been following that advice ever since and it sure seems to be working for her.

According to experts in the field and several estheticians that we consulted, getting a facial every four to six weeks is ideal. That’s how long it takes for your skin to regenerate new skin cells. There isn’t much point to getting them more often unless you have a specific concern, like severe acne. In that case, a dermatologist may recommend more frequent facials until the problem subsides.

Receiving a good facial will serve not only to cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate the skin but provides on opportunity to have your skin analyzed and learn about what home care will keep your skin looking its best. We recommend …Read more »

Do you really need to use an eye cream?

Absolutely and here’s why.

The skin around your eyes is more delicate than the rest of your face and therefore requires a little extra TLC. The skin in that area is thinner, more sensitive and more prone to discoloration and wrinkles (crows feet) due to squinting. This area also doesn’t produce oil and is one of the first areas of the face to show age. For these reasons, using an eye cream that is formulated to moisturize and protect the eye area is extremely important, if you want to ward off wrinkles and stay looking young.

The three main problems that a great eye cream should treat are dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness. Eye creams that contain an anti-aging ingredient are preferred.

While eye creams can cause sticker shock, as they are often the priciest items in a skincare line, remember that you only need a dab to do the job. Therefore, …Read more »

One of the most common questions that aestheticians and dermatologists hear from their clients and patients is: how can I make my large pores smaller? This is usually followed closely with: how can I get rid of blackheads?

Unfortunately, pore sizes are genetically predetermined. Another bummer is that as we age and experience hormonal changes, pores seem to spread and get larger on our faces. This is because the sebaceous glands under our skin grow larger, particularly in the nose and forehead regions.

You may have noticed these changes on your own face. I know I have! Some days, it seems I could land a chopper in the pores on my nose and forehead. Complicating matters, because of my love of using self tanner–the pigment …Read more »

I’m shaking my head this morning. I saw a news story that a gigantic new tanning salon is opening in Seattle, where I live. Aren’t you shocked that people are still using those cancer boxes to get tan!? It’s a three story salon, downtown! Three stories of prime downtown real estate stacked with the brand new shiny tanning beds!? Unbelievable! I realize we don’t get a lot of sunshine here, but we’re also a highly educated population. Don’t these people read the news. Don’t they know how bad tanning beds are? I just don’t get it.

I was diagnosed with my first basal cell carcinoma (a non fatal, yet unsightly type of skin cancer) on my forehead at the age of twenty-six. My dermatologist at the time was curious as to how someone so young, who grew up in Minnesota, could get skin cancer. He asked a few questions, I answered them honestly and the mystery was solved.

My adolescent years were spent in a perpetual quest …Read more »

• Stir the ingredients together and apply the mixture to your skin. Leave it on for half an hour or until your face starts feeling a little dry. Lastly, wash your face with warm water and then cold water. Cold water serves to close the pores at the end of the process.

We hope that this soothing home made face mask leaves your face luminous and refreshed!

We’ve had quite a few requests for information about the best foods for achieving amazing healthy skin. We aim to please, so here’s a list of the top five. It’s short, sweet and easy to add to your shopping list.

The Top Five Foods For Healthy Skin

1. Salmon

Salmon, especially wild Alaskan, is rich in essential fatty acids like Omega 3s that are key for achieving healthy skin. Omega 3s reduce the production of inflammatory agents that can damage the skin. It also helps keep moisture in your skin, preventing dryness

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are considered by many experts to be the highest food source of antioxidants. The antioxidants and phytochemicals (plant sources of nutrition) in blueberries neutralize …Read more »

For almost as far back as I can remember, going to the department store to pick up the seasonal Lancome “free gift with purchase” makes me almost giddy. I’ve always loved Lancome. I think that the love affair started when I began studying French, coincidentally, around the same age I started wearing make-up.

Finding an elegant, beautiful make up line that was French, well it seemed like serendipity. (Not even the fact that a snooty department store make up artist told me that she wouldn’t “touch my face for the free makeover until I cleaned up my unibrow and returned” derailed my affinity for the the brand!)

I’ve been turning to them for their Dual Finish Pressed Powder (light beige) and their Juicy Tubes lip gloss (every color!) for years. I always time my purchases during “free gift” promotion and now have a collection of make up samples from Lancome that might rival those of the editors of Vogue.

Yes, we are a skin care site and we will resume our regular programming tomorrow. But for now, indulge me in sharing in my enthusiasm that you can now also receive the Lancome free gift with purchase online, with free shipping too! Enjoy!

Our hands are overworked, underpaid and often neglected. They can look years older than our faces, which we pamper and lather with creams, sunscreens and other anti-aging products.

I have an elegant older relative who is always reminding me to apply sunscreen to my hands every single day. This wise woman is gracefully aging and at 72, has nary an age spot on the peaches and cream complexion of her face. Yet the sun spots on her hands are her personal nemesis. All those years of wearing sunscreen and fabulous sun hats, it just didn’t occur to her to be protecting her hands from the elements that accelerate aging. So now …Read more »

What’s the Most Important Step To Achieve A Flawless Face?

Makeup artists from New York to LA all agree on one thing–that the first step to a flawlessly made up face is to even out the skin tone. If you don’t believe me, check out this photo of Heidi Klum, without makeup, caught like a startled deer in the paparazzi headlights. Need I say more?

Here are 7 simple steps to help you achieve an even, flawless skin tone:

1. Exfoliate.

This will remove the dead skin cells that are clogging the surface of your skin–causing your make up to look blotchy and your skin dull. Exfoliating regularly will remove this layer, revealing brighter skin. For the best exfoliation, we recommend you use face scrubs, microdermabrasion, chemical peels and Vitamin A products (like Retin-A).

2. Prep the Face.

You can use either a primer or moisturizers with …Read more »

As I watched the Democratic National Convention, I was struck by just how phenomenal Hillary Clinton looks–and specifically her skin. Sure, I was moved by and impressed with her eloquent speech, but I’ll admit I was also slightly mesmerized by her luminous, glowing skin. The accomplished 58 year old stood proudly onstage looking confident and radiant, her face as bright and fresh as her pretty orange pantsuit, set against the cobalt blue backdrop of the convention stage.

So this observation begs the question: what the heck has Hillary been using on her face to look so improved recently?

Alas, we can only speculate. But let the above photo documentation of her campaign make-over be a testament to good skin care, peppered with a little intervention. We’d venture to guess she’s had a little …Read more »

If you aren’t already taking fish oil tablets for your heart, brain or joints, you may want to consider adding them to your diet in order to reap the many benefits they provide for the skin.

Foods containing Omega 3 fatty acid have been known for some time to provide numerous excellent health benefits. The list of health benefits range from reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke to easing arthritis symptoms and improving brain function (memory, mood, etc). We were intrigued to learn it even reduces the symptoms of PMS. (Better skin and decreased likelihood that I’ll throw something at my husband once a month, sign me up!)

Since this is a skin care site, well, we will focus on the all important beauty benefits of taking these supplements and that is …Read more »

If you haven’t been to the dermatologist for awhile, here is a compelling reason to go. You simply must look into getting a prescription for something containing retinoic acid (commonly known by one of the brand names for it: Retin-A). Most dermatologists and aging, vain, skin care enthusiasts, myself included, would agree that these products containing retinoids are mandatory in the skin care regimen of anyone who wants to fight the aging of their skin. Simply stated, these products work.

Retin-A has been prescribed for over 20 years. First used in the treatment of acne, doctors started to notice that their patients who were using it showed an improvement in …Read more »