Reese's secret to eternally healthy hair

Would a Reese with any other hair color, be as sweet?

Probably-- but there is no denying Reese Witherspoon, that cutie-pie All-American girl-next-door movie-star (in addition to any other charming cliches you want to attribute to her) is known for her trade-mark blonde hair.

However, in the entertainment industry, hair is put through a litany of abuses-- constant heat-styling, coloring, pulling/tugging/brushing and product over-load can leave hair dry, broken and damaged. 

Luckily, Reese recently shared with InStyle magazine the trick she has discovered to help prevent the consequences that her job-induced hair apocalypses can induce. 

"When I'm working on a movie, they blow-dry and curl my hair quite a bit. I take these Viviscal supplements to keep it healthy." 

A long-time secret of models and actresses, Viviscal tablets are made of 100% natural ingredients that increase the body's production of keratin, and has been shown to decrease natural hair-loss, while encouraging new hair-growth.  The nourishing effect has a similar effect on skin, nails, and eye-lashes. 

"It's really great, I swear by it," admits celebrity hair-stylist Orlando Pita. Pita, who has been recommending Viviscal for years, reveals that "never once has someone come back and told me, 'You know what, I've been using [Viviscal], but it doesn't seem to be working for me.'"

(Although Viviscal is available in drug-stores, the medical grade that is only available through doctors' offices, has 2X the strength of the over-the-counter variety. Please call 215-925-6085 for more details.)

The city of Brotherly Beauty? (Or, 3 new Philly make-up lines to check-out)

Philadelphia may currently be known for cheese-steaks and sports' teams, but New York's little neighbor is starting to make some moves into the more girly of genres...

To wit, Philadelphia has been the home-base of three new emerging make-up lines, each receiving acclaim from local beauty experts.

1. Carie Brescia Cosmetics (Ardmore, PA)

After working as a professional make-up artist and beauty product consultant for years, Carrie Brescia recently decided to put her vast experience to work for herself by developing her very own line of cosmetics, now available to all through e-commerce. 

Local hairstylist and makeup artist Liz Jacobs, who was invited to test all three of these new Philadelphia makeup lines, shares that Carie Brescia "is my favorite of the [new Philly makeup] lines. It has just the right amount of neutral color for a nice, wearable result." 

2. Tenshi (Northern Liberties, PA)

The Tenshi Beauty Bar is located right in the heart of Northern Liberties at the Piazza. Featuring hypo-allergenic makeup in fun colors and patterns (love the cheetah print bronzer!), this line received great endorsements from all the local experts. 

 In particular, the eye-shadow quads were recommended for their high quality pigmentation. Whether applied heavily, or more natural looking, experts agree that however you put it on-- it will look pretty. And the cheetah bronzer? Jacobs gives it a glowing recommendation, saying that matte finish tan is excellent for a change, as women don't need shimmery products all the time...

3. Tu by Claudia Seyler (Northern Liberties, PA) 

In order to best supplement the demand for makeup at the Tu Belleza Studio (also in Northern Liberties), makeup artist Claudia Seyler decided to develop her own line. All of her products are organic, and are meant to be easy on the skin so as to not cause any unwanted irritation or break-outs. 
The Tu line is supposed to make the skin itself look perfect, as opposed to just adding pigment or shimmer on top. By appointment only, the Tu Belleza Studio strives to be a peaceful, relaxing place to go, for all beauty needs.

Seeing as Philadelphia is already the home-base of fashion retailers Urban Outfitters (and ergo Anthropologie and Free People) and Lily Pulitzer, musicians (Pink, Will Smith,  and actors (Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper) here's hoping that the city of Brotherly Love is in the process of becoming the East Coast's second most glamorous city. (Or at least, switched over from the top contender of UGLIEST American city, to Most Attractive American city...!)

Viviscal Part III: Verdict is in about the hair growing phenom

A pill that makes your hair grow faster, reduces the amount of hairs you naturally shed, makes nails grow quicker, AND increases eyelash growth?! 

The benefits of taking Viviscal sounded too good to be true, so before we decided to literally buy into the hype and stock it on our shelves, we had five very different, very willing participants test-drive it for a couple of months.

The feedback we received substantiated the large order that just arrived, however if you're interested in the specifics; read on...

Our cynical beauty guinea-pig #1 had super thick hair to begin with. However, although she is not 100% sure that she sees a difference in her hair length (although everyone else does), she reports that her nails are now growing so quickly that they have to be filed twice a week. 

Beauty guinea-pig #2 recently had a baby, and was experiencing the massive hair loss associated with that major hormonal change. A devotion to gel-tip manicures had left her nails a disaster, and she was basically praying for a cure to help with the weak, painful nails, and thinning hair. A few months into her Viviscal program, she happily shares that she loves her hair now-- feels and looks thicker, healthier, and shinier, and her nails have regrown so that she is able to enjoy regular manicures again. (Her manicurist is in constant shock upon seeing her fingers. "They grew this much in 1 week?!")

Beauty guinea-pig #3 has been a slave to her extensions for the past four years. Depressed by the damage she has seen the extensions do to her natural hair, she has been looking for a way to painlessly transition herself from extensions back to her natural hair... but didn't see a good way to do it. After taking Viviscal for two months, she happily confided that thanks to the abundance of new hair she sees growing, she is feeling much more confident about weaning herself off the extensions.

Beauty guinea-pig #4 has naturally thin hair, nails, and lashes. After only a couple of weeks of taking Viviscal, she excitedly noticed that there was much less hair in the drain after her shower, and much less hair in her combs and brushes after styling. Now, after completing a few months worth of Viviscal, her nails, eye-lashes, and hair are are noticeably longer, thicker, and healthier looking. 

Handsome guinea-pig #5 is a young-man in his mid-20's who has been increasingly self-conscious about his beginnings of a receding hairline. Extremely skeptical that a dietary supplement would be able to do anything, he kindly acquiesced to participating in our practice-run in the slim hope that Viviscal might do what it promised. And, sure enough-- a few months later, he was ecstatic that the hair loss seemed to have stopped, and instead, a crop of new hair was visibly growing. The biggest skeptic of the group turned out to be Viviscal's biggest cheerleader.

The ingredients appear simple enough; Viviscal only consists of fish cartilage, cherry extract, and horsetail extract, and yet-- somewhere amidst the production process there must be a little magic sprinkled in, otherwise there is simply no explanation for why Viviscal works as well as it does. 

Fortunately for Philadelphia, this magic hair-growing potion can now be found on the shelves at Cosmopolitan Skin Care Solutions.

Long hair over 40?

There used to be all sorts of silly fashion/appearance rules that were once strictly upheld, and have now fallen by the way-side. As long as some taste is involved, navy can be worn with black, white can be worn in the winter, and yes-- women over the age of 40 can have long hair.

Once determined too girlish, many women of a certain age are now embracing the long-haired styles that used to be deemed inappropriate for them. Bo Derek (age 54), Diane Lane (age 46), Iman (age 55), Jane Seymour (age 59), and a slew of other recognizable celebs over the age of 40, look younger, and better than ever by sporting a hair-style that is synonymous with youth, vitality, and health. 

Hair experts agree that as long as your hair looks healthy and is worn in a style flattering to your face, your age has no impact on the length your hair should be. Things to keep in mind (regardless of age) to guarantee healthy looking long hair: 

Long hair is old hair-- anything past your clavicle is at least two years old, and has already been exposed to it's fair share of heat damage, environmental damage, and natural wear & tear. To protect this fragile hair, serious TLC is needed, starting with the way you brush. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, it is imperative to brush your hair starting from the bottom up. It reduces hair breakage to untangle any knots at the bottom of your hair, as opposed to starting at the top of your head and pulling the hair through knots, breaking and ripping your hairs in the process. 

Also, to prevent the ends of these older hairs from splitting and breaking, trims are recommended every other month. (According to an old French tradition, it is believed to strengthen the hair when its cut on the day of a full moon.) 

Deep conditioning treatments should also be used regularly to help protect the more fragile hair-ends. Hair experts recommend applying a deep conditioner at least once a week. Allow it to really sink in by either sleeping with the conditioner in the hair, or by blow-drying the hair to let the heat open the hair follicle and really absorb the conditioner. The more moisture added to the hair, the shinier, healthier, and stronger each strand looks. 

Stress, diet, and even hormonal changes can all impact the way your hair grows. The average person experiences a half inch of hair growth per month, however  Viviscal diet supplements contain a unique blend of fish cartilage, vitamins, and cherry extract that promise to grow your hair longer, faster. (As a bonus, Viviscal also reduces the amount of hairs that are lost on a daily basis, and strengthens your nails and eye-lashes.) 

Women from all walks of life, throughout history, have embraced the idea of long hair, and this is a hair-style that will never go out of fashion as it is a timeless symbol of femininity and beauty. When it comes to long hair, your age isn't the issue-- the health of your hair is. Nurture and nourish your hair, and you can have shiny, luscious locks cascading down your back forever. 

(Viviscal's?) Golden rule: be gentle with your long hair!

Especially aware of preserving as much of my hair as possible since beginning my Viviscal hair-growing supplements, I loved this hair quote from NYC celebrity hair specialist Beth Minardi: 

"Hair that falls below your clavicle has to be taken care of differently; it's been growing for more than three years. Get a trim every six weeks so it doesn't break. Treat it like a cashmere sweater even though the rest of your hair is stronger than a pair of jeans. "

It is easy to forget that different parts of your hair are more vulnerable and fragile than others, but it's a nice reminder of the (hair-centric) golden rule; if you want your hair to look good, in return you've got to be good to it.

Viviscal Part II: Huge decrease in hair loss

Approximately two weeks into my Viviscal experience, my vanity is at all time high. 

Despite my frequent checks, my hair is not yet miraculously 2 feet longer, or super thick, however-- while the realistic part of my brain understands that changes like that absolutely cannot happen overnight, the little-girl inside of me is still hoping/waiting for some Disney-magic hair experience. 

Even though I am barely into my trial period (Viviscal recommends 6 months before optimal results are seen), some benefits have already manifested, mostly in that my hair shedding seems to have been drastically reduced.

Whereas my dog used to love eating my hair out of the shower-drain, she is now disappointed to find a much less substantial snack waiting for her in the usual spot. My comb-- which used to also enjoy eating my hair after a shower-- is now receiving a lot less sustenance too, and I love it! (Cleaning up wads of my hair, after any of the above situations, was never a fun thing.) 

Stay tuned... after only a measly two weeks, I can't wait to see what future Viviscal use brings. :)

The hidden ways you incur sun damage

"But, I always use sunscreen!" she exclaimed.

However, the smattering of freckles covering her chest, shoulders, backs, arms, and face told a very different story.

"The moment I get to the beach, on goes the SPF 50. Every time!"

I asked how frequently she reapplied.

"Well, it's SPF 50, so... I figure it protects me all day." False.

Then I asked about her sunscreen application during the winter.

"There's SPF 15 in my make-up, but I'm never outdoors-- I go straight from my house, to my car, to my office, and back again. The sun never even touches me." Again, false.

This perky 25 year old girl-- who was covered in sun spots and freckles-- innocently thought that she was protecting herself from the sun. However, it is easy to under-estimate the far-reaching effects of the wiliest of skin foes...

For years, dermatologists have been telling patients to wear sunscreen in order to prevent against premature aging and skin cancer. However, this advice is often not 100% followed, for a multitude of reasons. 

First, the negative effects of the sun don't occur immediately, so it is easy to shirk the responsibilities of proper sun protection. Especially considering that we live with an ever present cultural message that dictates a tan equals beautiful, it is understandable why young people bypass the exact steps needed to protect themselves against the sun. 

Secondly, sunscreens can be confusing! Even people with good intentions of protecting themselves from the sun are often mislead by sunscreen labels. Those that wear sunscreen, usually only apply when they are actively sunbathing, thereby ignoring the sun damage incurred on a day-to-day basis. Also, sunscreen is usually applied too sparingly, and not reapplied frequently enough to provide continuous protection.

The allure of sunscreens with a high SPF can also be misleading. While those in the industry know that there is no significant benefit to using anything over an SPF 30, consumers often assume that the higher the SPF-- the more protection they are getting, for a longer time period. Because of this, those using higher SPFs also do not usually reapply as often as needed. 

Lastly, people are often unaware that they are being exposed to UVA rays even when they are indoors, or inside a car. UVA rays can penetrate windows... even some tinted ones. 

Bottom line: regardless of the season, or where you are, if there is sunlight hitting your skin, you are incurring sun damage. (Just a quick refresher course; sun damage is the #1 cause of premature aging, including deep wrinkles, furrows, coarsening of the skin's texture, skin discoloration, sun spots, and the potentially fatal effects of skin cancer.) 

Applying and reapplying sunscreen all year long might seem like a pain, but freckles are only cute to a certain age, and then you just look... old. Fortunately, you have a choice in how you handle the biggest, most damaging foe to your skin-- hopefully you make the most of it.

Ken signs up for Match.com

Aside from my mother, Barbie pretty much set the standard for my idea of a beautiful woman as a little girl. 

As today is Valentine's Day, it seemed fitting to share a video of Barbie's ex (yup, Barbie and Ken officially broke up in 2004) trying to reconnect with her via Match.com. 

Super cute and clever, it will definitely put a smile on your face: 

How important is hair to your attractiveness?

It was very timely of Pantene-- the company synonymous with beautiful, long, healthy hair-- to conduct a hair survey right on the heels of our burgeoning Viviscal (hair-growing supplement) experiment. 

While Pantene was surely trying to capitalize on Valentine's Day by figuring out a way that hair is relevant to romance, they devised a way to make woman pay even more attention to the condition of their hair, by questioning men about exactly how important hair is to a woman's attractiveness. 

The results certainly lend themselves to a continued devotion to Viviscal's instructions...

• 74% of men indicated that they initially notice a woman because of their hair
• 44% of men surveyed said that hair is the first thing they notice about a woman, more than her clothes (26%), legs (25%), or makeup (4%)
• More men surveyed said they would be more likely to approach a woman at a bar with great hair, than a woman wearing a low-cut shirt (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
• 82% of men indicated that sexy hair is a key element to a woman’s overall sex appeal
• 60% of men surveyed say they would rather date a woman with great hair than a woman with big breasts
•  78% of men surveyed consider healthy hair to be a turn-on

It makes sense that men would subconsciously use the appearance of a woman's hair to determine her attractiveness, because hair is an immediate way to gauge a person's health and youth, both of which are huge factors that signal "you should mate with me!" 

Steve Ward, a professional match-maker whom Pantene has hired to represent these findings, has the following down-to-earth response about the results:

"A good first impression goes the distance and these survey results reveal you don’t always have to go for the most revealing look on the first date.

Instead of struggling to decide what outfit to wear, it may be a good idea to start to rethink your hairstyle.

Hair that is healthy and well-kept immediately signals to a man that you are responsible, classy, attentive, and take pride in your appearance and these are all characteristics that men look for in women." 

While these findings are all very interesting, it seems a bit unfair that the survey was so one-sided. Sure men care about women's hair, but what about what women think about men's hair? (And c'mon Pantene, surely you want to ramp up the number of men that use your products too? Why not also sell "sexy hair" to men by quizzing woman about their opinions on men's hair turn-ons/turn-offs?)  

In the end, it seems hard to believe that men would choose a woman with great hair over a large chest, but it seems there is no escaping the subliminal context cues people pick up on when choosing a possible mate. For these reasons, styles that emphasize health, youth, and vitality, will never go out of vogue.

 

And in the meantime, it's just about time for my next dose of Viviscal...

To look your best, embrace the things that make you-- you.

Look at it this way, I am saving you from one super-long, monster blog post...

Everyday since attending the "Just you, only better" workshop this past Friday, I have attempted to sum up the experience in one post.

However, it is proving impossible to adequately cover the key-points that every speaker made, without creating a ridiculously long post. So instead, I'm admitting defeat, and over the upcoming days I will post the highlights from each of the separate segments.

In hindsight,  it was interesting to note that after everything was said and done, the net take-away from all of the speakers (including the hair-stylist, makeup artist, fashionista, nutritionist, yogi, chef, fitness guru, etc.) was the same across the board, and totally on-topic with the name of the workshop.

You are who you are. Your hair is the texture it is, the size and shape of your bones is predetermined, and your body type is genetic. You can fight against everything you naturally are in order to meet a perceived notion of "perfect", but in the end-- it will make your life so much happier and easier to just embrace the unique qualities that make you, You!

Each speaker emphasized the ways that self-acceptance would improve their specific area of expertise. For instance, the Bobbi Brown make-up artist shared that the key of makeup is not to fix your face, but to enhance it. (She also pointed out that the most important thing to ensuring good makeup application is healthy, clear skin *ahem* but more on that later.)

While the Philly Fashionista reviewed some upcoming clothing trends to look for, she advised that each new fashion craze may not be appropriate for everyone. However, with some discretion, most styles can be tweaked to work for any wardrobe. (For example, if huge floral prints are not flattering, choose a smaller print, or perhaps get your floral fix with a printed hand-bag or scarf.)

Bottom line: do not change yourself to fit a desired mold, figure out a way for everything else to fit into your life.

By accepting, and appreciating, yourself, you poise yourself for a more satisfying life. Embracing your curls, hips, personality, and current life situation, allows you to clearly see ways to happily improve yourself, so that you're still just you... only better.  

Are you makeup dependent?

Cosmetics have a curious way of infiltrating the lives of women. 

Even though all females start out the same-- fresh-faced and ready to face everyday au naturel-- at some point, makeup invariably enters the equation, and women never quite look at themselves the same way again.

A recent survey shows how far reaching the impact of  makeup has on the every-day lives of American women:

• Six out of ten women would "never" go to work barefaced.
  
• One-third of all women would "never" leave home to run errands, without makeup on.
  
• One-third of all women think that men wouldn't find them attractive without makeup.
  
• It takes the average woman two and a half months before she would let a new love interest see her without makeup.

Do you find yourself agreeing with these findings?

On the one hand, people should feel comfortable doing whatever makes them feel good about themselves. However, on the other hand... it seems a little sad that so many women feel insecure about their natural appearances, especially considering that this skin scenario is solely experienced by the female gender. (The average male will never worry about swiping

on some mascara, bronzer, and gloss before running out the door.)

The great appearance equalizer might just be skin-care though, because although a multitude of skin-sins can be hidden by makeup-- the texture of skin (pimples, wrinkles, hairs) can never be completely camouflaged by makeup, regardless of gender.

A permanently permanent mascara?

First came permanent makeup. 

Knowing that there was a large female demographic that would never go for a "Mother" or dragon tat', tattoo artists cleverly adapted themselves to fit a more conservative lifestyle. Marketed as "permanent makeup," hordes of otherwise straight-laced women signed up to have their favorite style of eyeliner, lip-liner, lip-color, and even eyebrows, tattooed onto their faces. 

At the time, it was a novel and appealing concept; with permanent makeup, women could swim, sweat, shower, wake-up in the morning, do whatever, and already look the way they wanted to. 

Then, there came the extremely pervasive eyelash craze. 

Between eyelash growth enhancers like Latisse, lash extensions, and eyelash conditioners, the market is currently a flurry with eyelash products. 

It appears that the eyelash craze of now has merged with the permanent makeup craze of yore, as a semi-permanent mascara treatment has entered the scene. For those that felt applying mascara was always a huge time-suck, enter LashDip. Lasting up to six weeks, each eyelash is coated in a way so that it looks defined, curled, lifted, and separated. 

Pros: It's waterproof and smudge-proof, and your lashes will look defined the moment you wake up, or step out of the swimming pool.

Cons: It's $200-300 for your initial treatment, and touch-ups are recommended every 3-weeks.

The before and after pictures certainly look pretty, and it certainly is a wholly new concept in the world of eyelash loving. 

However, whether or not applying mascara is really a $250/month inconvenience is yet to be determined...

The media seems to love hair-growing phemon Viviscal...

Sorry for the recent plethora of Viviscal information, BUT... after having placed our initial order last Thursday, a big packet of information about the hair-growing product was waiting on my desk for me this morning. 

Flipping through all of the information, these glamorous tidbits are making me that much more excited to start this process, that I was already super-excited about in the first place! 

Hair-beautifying Viviscal high-lights include:

• Super-model Jessica Stam recommending Viviscal to another fellow model, with "temperamental," over-processed hair. After buying a 3-month supply, Model #2 said that the difference Viviscal made on her hair was like night and day, and was simply "amazing". (Not to be catty, but aside from the damaging processes that models' hair is subject to... anorexics physically cannot have thick hair. Therefore, it makes even more sense why those in the modeling profession would flock to a product that allowed their real hair to look healthy.)
  
• Celebrity hair-dresser Guido Palau often tells his model clients with overworked hair, to try a six-month course of Viviscal. The hair-growth product that contains vitamins and marine protein has helped "loads of people" he's known regenerate their hair.
  
• James Murphy, CEO of Lifes2good-- Viviscal's distributor-- has encouraged clients like Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, and Hilary Swank to take these supplements. "You take one in the morning and evening, and in two months your hair growth will kick in at an accelerated rate."
  
• And, you can even catch Viviscal spokes-person Finola Hughes doing the publicity rounds for the product, as seen here on the Wendy Williams show: 

Ok UPS... I'm even more convinced, and even more pysched. Now, where's my package already?? 

It is this easy to look tan everyday:

With the onslaught of snow Philadelphia has received over the past couple days, most people are scurrying about with as little skin exposed as possible. 

Warm weather still seems impossibly far away, and yet... each morning when you look in the mirror, chances are good that you fall into one of the following categories:

a.) you are dying for summer so that your skin had a little color

b.) you are going to apply a blush or bronzer before leaving the house

c.) you are already tan from self-tanner applications, or (I hope not this option!) because you are frequenting a tanning salon.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to sport a little color: it has been proven time and again to make people look, and feel better about themselves... and I'm totally fine with that, as long as you go about attaining that tan in a safe/healthy way. (Safe tan= fake tan!)

A long devotee of St. Tropez sunless tanners, this short video was surprisingly refreshing to watch, because yes, it is that easy to look tan everyday: 

Beauty and brains: a surprisingly common combination

New Beauty magazine reviews a pervasive social stigma: Have you ever automatically assumed that someone drop-dead gorgeous, is dumb? Perhaps you've thought that someone has advanced quickly at work or school because of their looks? As it turns out, the most attractive among us are probably the most intelligent, too. 

Although our society has long associated impressive intellect with an awkward, nerdy appearance and bimbo brainpower with model-like looks, British and American studies show that beautiful people have higher IQs.

This should come as no surprise to someone like Sharon Stone, whose celebrated beauty never stood in the way of her qualifying for Mensa membership.

"Physical attractiveness is significantly positively associated with general intelligence, both with and without controls for social class, body size and health," researcher Satoshi Kanazawa told the UK's Sunday Times.

The explanation for the link lies in our evolutionary mating tendencies. Good-looking people attract partners who are not just good-looking themselves, but also smarter than average. The resulting offspring inherit both genetic qualities.

And although the higher-IQ occurrence applies to both genders, "The association between attractiveness and general intelligence is ... stronger among men than among women," with physically attractive women scoring 11.4 points above average and physically attractive men scoring 13.6 points above average.

Having a hard time thinking of smart stunners? Here are some hotties you might have not realized are intellectually impressive:

• Kate Beckinsale
• Joy Bryant
• Jennifer Connelly
• Cindy Crawford
• Matt Damon
• Claire Danes
• Geena Davis
• David Duchovny
• Jodi Foster
• James Franco
• Hugh Grant
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Famke Janssen
• Alicia Keys
• John Krasinski
• Famke Janssen
• Rashida Jones
• Lucy Liu
• Wentworth Miller
• Amanda Peet
• Natalie Portman
• Shakira
• Brooke Shields
• Emma Watson
• Sigourney Weaver
• Reese Witherspoon

Have you ever made assumptions about someone's intelligence based on their looks? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Bet you can't guess the 1st step to this fashion-forward look!

It's interesting that such a high-fashion makeup look can begin with a simple, everyday product:

2011 is looking good...

New Year, new products, new treatments... so many new things to talk about!

We just received our first shipment yesterday from EOS (stands for Evolution of Smooth) and after reading rave reviews about these adorably packaged, organic, good-for-your-skin products, I am so excited to be offering them to our patients. (Plus, I love how the cheerful packaging makes me smile every time I pass the display.)

More about EOS later though, because I'm also so excited about the new SkinCeutical chemical peels that are joining our inventory of magical skin care treatments!

Whether your skin concern is acne, aging, or unevenness... there is a customizable SkinCeuticals Chemical Peel for you. 

Each of the peels (aging: MicroPeel, acne: MicroPeel Plus, uneven skin: Pigment Balancing Masque) can be made as strong or as mild as needed for your specific skin type, and the MicroPeel is literally the coolest peel ever due to the cryogenic therapy involved. Yup, the last step of this peel includes a man-made snow-ball on a stick, which is used to administer the final step of exfoliation. (It is the coolest thing ever, it feels amazing, and leaves your skin feeling so soft!) 

More on this later, too...

The other thing that has me especially stoked right now, is kind of frustrating considering that it took this long to think of... For months and months we have been trying to teach our patients the best way to use Latisse (use a lipstick brush to apply it to the lashes). However, patients used to always call to say that despite ardent looking, a lidded lipstick brush seemed impossible to find... but no more. We finally found the perfect brush, and are currently stocking it so that all of our Latisse lovers can get the most lash for their buck. 

(The thicker plastic brush on the left is the applicator brush that is included in the Latisse kit, and the thinner brush to the right is the kind that we recommend.)

Next on my to-get list: the perfect eye-lash curler. After Latisse does it's magic and grows your lashes long, longer, longest, the best way to get the most dramatic effect is by curling the lashes and really allowing their length to show. 

I've been doing my homework, but am not fully sold on any one curler yet. Do you have any recommendations on the BEST eye-lash curler out there? 

Also, with resolutions at their year time high, I am told that this is the best time of year for self-tanning. My St. Tropez inventory is stocked and ready to go... will be interesting to see what happens.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday, can't wait to share the rest of 2011 with you. :)

How to get the most out of your Latisse

Considering this is advice I share on an almost daily basis, it was a head-smacking moment when I realized I had yet to post a blog article about the ways to get the most of your teeny, tiny little Latisse bottle. 

It is no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Latisse, as are all of my patients. (The rumors about Latisse changing the color of your eyes or darkening your eye-lids, is sensationalized for the media's sake, as it has no bearing on reality. My light blue eyes haven't changed color one bit, nor have the light eyes of Latisse's new spokesmodel, Claire Danes.) 

Everyone who has tried it, gets results. Granted, the results range from just super long and thick, to almost mutant status (in the best way possible), where the lashes get so long that they look fake-- even without mascara. But like any addiction, Latisse users really like the results they get, and want to keep using-- which leads to Latisse's biggest downfall: it's price-point. 

At $126 per kit, Latisse is definitely a significant eye-lash investment. Allergan (the company that makes it) recommends using a kit per month, which roughly adds up to over $1,000 a year on eye-lashes! That is a lot of money, especially considering today's shaky economical environment. 

After years of use, I have developed a fool-proof way to fully maximize the contents of that tiny Latisse bottle, so that instead of a month, one bottle can last me over 4+ months. It all depends on the application method...

Your Latisse kit comes in a substantially sized box, but once you open it up, it is often shocking to see how little the Latisse bottle actually is.

The majority of the kit is made up of plastic applicator brushes, which Allergan recommends using two of for each application. (One brush per eye, and then in the trash they go.) The brushes are chunky and clumsy, and the cheap plastic bristles don't absorb the liquid, so you go through way more drops than necessary just trying to get it on your eye-- and this is why it is the recommended application. By following Allergan's directions, you go through Latisse extremely quickly, and would definitely another kit after 30 days. 

 

The application technique is the key to my entire Latisse trick. In order to get the most from your bottle, you have to use it as sparingly as possible, which means using a brush that actually holds the liquid, and absorbs only as much as you need. 

Instead of the wasteful brushes Allergan supplies, my best success has come from a lipstick brush. Retractable, with a lid, and nice, soft bristles, these brushes can usually be found inexpensively at any drugstore, and absolutely anywhere online. 

By using a brush like this, you can control more precisely the liquid you are using. 

Make sure your lipstick brush has a lid-- this way your brush never fully dries out, and never has to be fully re-saturated. The bristles on a brush like this are absorbent, and hold just enough liquid to adequately apply across your lash-line. (In addition, these brushes can be periodically washed if needed.)

These days, when I need a new kit I just take the little bottle out and put it in my make-up case. Instead of just throwing them out, I take the included applicator brushes and store them with my arts & crafts supplies. You never know when disposable paint brushes might come in handy... and that's about the only thing they're good for. 

This application method will definitely allow you more mileage from the 3mL bottle.  

Do you have any Latisse tricks and/or tips?

Top 10 beauty posts of 2010

Being a nerd can be so fun sometimes. :)

In addition to being practically invincible at Scrabble and a main-stay of prominent Quizzo teams, there are also all sorts of fun ways to geek out online. For example, with this blog, Cosmo Skin Care's official website, my Examiner articles, and even my Facebook posts-- I can track which topics garner the most interest, and react accordingly. 

It's always interesting to note that the things I deem the most important in the skin care world are not necessarily the same topics that my audience finds the most interesting. With 2011 right around the corner, it seemed timely to review the top 10 most popular blog posts featured here. 

You might be surprised to see the most popular topics, but then again-- since you are my audience, maybe not? (I know I was.)

Top 10 Cosmopolitan Skin Care Posts of 2010

1. When your face is your fortune... Celebrity skin care emergency fixes

2. Best and worst skin tightening procedures

3. Claire Danes "Before and After" pics disprove Latisse rumors

4. New glitter hair trend?

5. SkinCeuticals get even MORE celebrity love...

6. BBL Before and After Pictures: Sun-damaged Decolletage

7. Supermodels secrets to eternal youth

8. "Fraxel is like pressing the 'restart' button on your age"

9. Connect the dots: the REAL attribute that makes you look old...

10. Mineral makeup is like Prozac for unhappy skin...  As the stats clearly show, the skin care audience is heavily influenced by images portrayed by the media. They want to know the beauty secrets of celebrities, and what to do to maintain the youthful appearance that is exalted and desired in our society. (So in a nut-shell, the hot topics are anti-aging, celebrity skin care, "before & after" pictures. Got it!) I hear you, skin care devotees. Thank you for a fabulous 2010, and now that I have been able to track a year's worth of trends to divine your real interests, I plan to make 2011 even better for you.  Here's to a beautiful New Year...