I Confess: I've Supersized My Lips

 

I Confess:  I've Supersized My Lips

I hate that when I smile, my lips pull a disappearing act. I can pretend to be zen about it, but I’m really not.  Lip plumpers and makeup tricks only go so far.  Who am I kidding?  They are never going to do what I really want them to.  So what’s a girl to do? I took the plunge and plumped those suckers up!

McDonalds is not the only place you can go to for a supersized deal.  Your Derm can supersize you too, with fillers that is.  In a matter of minutes, you can go from losing your upper lip to actually seeing the color of your lipstick when you smile.

Angelina Jolie may have been blessed with a plump pout, but not all of us are that lucky.  That’s where Restylane comes in.  A little numbing cream and a couple of pinches in the lips later, and your lips can fill out in ways you’ve never imagined.  It’s not totally a walk in the park, but no pain no gain.  Plus you can end up with a little black-and-blue mark in your lip (but that's why they invented dark lipstick).  The fillers only last a few months, so unfortunately you need to go back for more.  But it’s worth it.

Big lips don’t fit every face.  And huge lips look fake.  But a little extra volume never hurt anyone, right? When done right, nobody would even notice you’ve had any work.  A little, natural-looking filler goes a long way.  This was reinforced in my head, when at Sephora trying on lipstick, another shopper complimented my beautiful lips.  Who gets compliments on their lips?  I thanked her, but admitted to her my secret.  They’re still mine even if they are enhanced, right?

I Confess... I Love Dermatology Meetings!

I Confess... I Love Dermatology Meetings

To all my fans out there in Cyberland:  Sorry I missed my post last week!

Twice a year, the American Academy of Dermatology holds its big meetings.  This year, the summer meeting was up in Boston.  While my husband goes to give lectures, I come along so see all the new skin care products (and of course, get some freebies!) 

Picture yourself at 10 years old, in a candy store where you have whatever you want for free.  Or, it's like walking through the Bloomingdale’s cosmetic department and being able to take what you like without all the annoying sales people squirting you with perfume.  Aisles of Dermatology booths line the conference center as far as your eye can see.  Each of the booths has a different cream or new makeup to try out.  There is enough moisturizer to keep a small village hydrated.  Plus, many of the products haven't even hit the stores yet, so I get to try them out first.

We flew to Boston, and for such a short trip we did not check any bags.  So here's the catch . I only brought back with me the creams that were less than 3 oz.  I love my samples, but my husband put his foot down.  I was not allowed to love anything that would make us check a bag.  It's ok.  The only thing I lost out on was a bottle of a new shampoo and tub of moisturizing cream.

Now you may think that the samples are the best reason to come to the meeting, but I've found another one too:  the fashion.  Not only do the female Dermatologists' faces look flawless, but so are their wardrobes.  There are more Birkins at the meeting than you would see walking down the street on the Upper East Side.  

For now I will concentrate on keeping my skin flawless and look forward to admiring the Birkins and  getting the freebies at the next meeting!

I Confess: I Love Long Eyelashes... And Lots Of Them!

I Confess: I Love Long Eyelashes... And Lots Of Them!

For some things in life, less can be more. While I’d love to eat a whole bag of peppermint patties, only eating one is really better for my waistline.

Moderation is key most of the time, well except when it comes to my eyelashes.  Longer and fuller is unquestionably better.

I remember my very first time. It was my wedding day... These lashes were totally fake and individually glued on. I immediately fell in love.

Now how was I to achieve this without the help of a professional? Oh what a dilemma! It really looks a lot easier to do than it actually is. I watched many a youtube instructional video, and I don’t get how these women do it themselves.

My feeble attempts to enhance my lashes left me literally with one eye glued shut. Totally embarrassed, I was forced to admit to my husband what I was up to in the bathroom for so long. After calming down from his hysterics, he pried my poor eyelid open.

So individual lashes were a big bust.

It was time to turn to the heavy hitter - Latisse. It is by prescription only, but I had to try it. The box is pretty big, so I was surprised to see only a tiny little dropper of medicine. The rest of the box is filled with applicator brushes. I was super motivated. Each night, I put one drop on the applicator then brushed it along my upper eyelid. After a month, I definitely saw a difference. My lashes were longer. 

I knew that I had to use Latisse for a few months to really see the benefit.  But I am a lover of instant gratification.  I can't lie.  I gave up after my bottle ran out. This was an extra step in my evening beauty routine, and it hit the chopping block. I wanted longer lashes and didn’t want to wait.

So what’s a girl to do? For those special occasions (or sometimes just because) there’s always Sephora. For just $10, my friendly Sephora makeup artist fixes me up. After 5 minutes, my lashes are long and luxurious.

Will I go back to Latisse when I have more patience in the future? Probably. But in the meantime, I’ll stick to my lash extensions. They are temporary, but I can always get more!

I Confess: I Love to Exfoliate!

I Confess:  I Love to Exfoliate!

A positive attitude goes a long way. But I don't care what anyone says about the power of positive thinking, it doesn't do a thing for my dull complexion. Now exfoliating on the other hand, that makes my skin glow (and that certainly makes me happy on the inside too!) I get such such satisfaction in knowing that all those dead skin cells are gone. Shine on, my new, fresh skin...

There are tons of options out there, so what's really the best way to exfoliate? Scrubs, Peels, Microdermabrasion, Brushes? Ultimately, they all do the same type of thing. And I have tried them all.

Scrubs are over the counter, so you think they are harmless.  Well, guess what happens when you leave enthusiastic me at the sink unsupervised with a face scrub?  Yup. You guessed it.  Red like a cherry tomato from over-scrubbing.  Overdoing it is no good, and I learned the hard way.

Peels.  Love them.  They hurt like heck, but it’s just for a few minutes. Depending on the peel you get, you may be hiding from the world for a few days or will experience a light shedding for a day or two.

Microdermabrasion.  Love it too.  I haven’t gotten my hands on any of the home microderm kits, but there’s no way they can be as good as the real deal in the dermatologist’s office.  It gently scrapes and sucks away the dead cells leaving you smooth.  Plus, there’s no down time besides 15 minutes of looking rosy.

So what am I actually doing at home right now? I am loving my Olay Pro X Facial Cleansing Brush.  Twice a week, I give my face a little buff.  After 5 minutes I am silky soft, and I haven’t gotten irritated yet.  Plus, who isn’t up for a little face massage in the shower?