Was Cher's hit "If I could turn back time?" really an ode to her plastic surgeon?

With the release of feel-good, but guilty-pleasure, musical/dancing extravaganza that is Burlesque, Cher is suddenly back on everyone's radar. Even though she doesn't get tons of screen time in the movie, her performances were wonderful. 

And her appearance...?

Unbelievable! 

Look at the picture above, and then consider: Cher is 64. (And her mother, Georgia Holt is 84!!)

64 and 84!?! Unbelievable.

Granted, Cher has the kind of "too perfect" countenance that usually is the tell-tale giveaway of someone having had work done, but overall she looks like a very well maintained 40-something... and not at all like a women in her mid sixties! 

And her mother-- to my eyes-- looks completely natural, which I know she can't be at 84 years old! She instead looks like a well-kept 50-something instead of a women in the midst of her eighties! 

But, both of their faces reveal a similar secret: Cher knows an AMAZING plastic surgeon.

Considering this is a mother and daughter duo, genetics surely also play a role in their looks, but take a look at a picture of the pair from over 20 years ago. (There is no date associated with the picture, but judging from their clothing I am estimating the picture was taken during the early 1980's.)

 Cher's mother looks almost younger now, than she did 20 years ago! Whatever they're doing, (and I'm sure it's a well-advised, carefully planned mixture of fillers, lasers, sunscreen, nips & tucks and the right skin products), it's definitely working for them. 

It almost seems ironic in retrospect that one of Cher's hit songs was titled "If I could turn back time," because in regards to her (and her mother's!) appearance, it seems that she has been able to accomplish just that.

Bottoms up! The big rear-end trend

Despite their penchant for skin-tight Herve Leger dresses that hug and accentuate every curve, I don't think Kim Kardashian, J.Lo, nor Beyonce are responsible for actually creating the big-rearend trend... although they are definitely helping with its perpetuation.

If you open up any celebrity magazine these days, you will see picture after picture of well-asseted female celebs flaunting what they've got. (The whole Kardashian clan is a perfect example.) And, there's nothing wrong with that-- all body types should be equally celebrated. It is just interesting to watch the trends;  just like clothing and hair styles, body ideals are also constantly evolving and revolving.

While big booties might be the must-have-figure of the new millennium, it wasn't long ago when the opposite-- no rear-end and big breasts (i.e. female BayWatch cast circa the 90's)-- was the craze. Body trends come and go, always fluctuating, with popularity surging between plump, curvy, skinny, big-chested, flat-chested, big rear-ends, no rear-ends, and any combination of them all.

While a curvier rump can certainly help balance out curves in the skin-tight designs of Herve Leger, some people are taking today's trends quite seriously and permanently enhancing their back-sides. In 2009, over 5,000 American women had surgical butt implants. 

Luckily, other industries are noticing the current interest in bubbilicious tushes, and creating temporary tuchus  boosters. Frederick's of Hollywood and Victoria's Secret both are currently selling butt padding, and a product called "Booty Pop" (pictured below) is now being sold in such mass retailers as Walgreens, Target, and Bad Bath & Beyond. And, there is definitely interest in this genre; to date Booty Pop reports one million orders so far this year. 

Just like a padded bra, this is a good way to experiment with your appearance without incurring any risk to your body, nor spending a fortune. 

But, you are probably asking yourself, do these push-up bras for butts actually work?? Does it look natural?! 

It appears the answer is a resounding, Yes! 

After trying the Booty Pop ($20), morning show TV host Kelly Ripa admitted she "may never take [them] off!" The Victoria's Secret "Bum Booster" ($34) is akin to a pair of biker-short Spanx with strategically placed padding, and Frederick's of Hollywood's "Booty Boy Short" ($28) is a pair of boy-shorts with padding. All three products feature life-like, temporary bottom boosting, with minimal financial investment needed. 

This product category is ingenious in light of the insane success that bust-enhancing lingerie companies have experienced... and I can stand behind it too, because this is a way to have fun with the aesthetic ideals of today, and still be OK in ten years when pancake bums come back in style...

Bottoms up!

The 5 questions you MUST ask before getting a beauty procedure done

Despite the gloomy economy, certain things are starting to look better... like people's appearances!

These days more and more people are doing little improvements to themselves here and there, in an effort to look and feel better about themselves.

Personally, I'm all for it! (Obviously!) You only get this one life, and if you have the power to do something to make that life a little more enjoyable or happier... by all means, do it! 

There are currently all sorts of procedures that people are taking advantage of, running the gamut from little nips (no pun intended) to big, big tucks. Botox, Keratin hair treatments, laser skin resurfacing procedures, filler injections, anti-wrinkle this, anti-aging that, boob job, nose jobs, lipo, the list goes on and on. 

In order to assure the best results possible, you need to do the proper homework beforehand and make sure you are going to be under the care of the most capable person for your needs.

When meeting with a possible service-provider, you MUST ask the following questions to attain the information you need to make the most informed decision. (Feel free to print this out and bring it with you, if that helps?)

1. How many procedures like mine have you performed? Can you show me before-and-after pictures?
   
   
2. Is there anything you recommend that I do before the treatment to ensure better results, or a quicker recovery?
   
   
3. What are the risks associated with this procedure? Are there good alternatives?
   
   
4. What will the recovery be like? When will I begin to see results?
   
   
5. When will I be able to go back to my normal daily routines? (i.e. applying makeup, or using strong skin care products) How can I maintain my results? 

The way that these questions are answered will tell you tons about both the person's experience level-- and their personality. Based on the information you receive from these inquiries, you should feel comfortable picking a service-provider after this point. 

If after asking these questions, you still feel unsure... chances are you should trust your gut and keep up the search until you find someone whom you feel 100% comfortable with. 

*Sites like SpaFinder, Yelp, and CitySearch can assist with finding good local candidates, complete with real-life (and carefully monitored to remove any fake sounding) reviews from past & current clients. 

Please feel free to comment with any questions you think must be asked before a cosmetic treatment.