Dermaplaning: I finally went under the knife

Julie Pipilo's Dermaplaning Scalpel
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

Julie Pipilo owner of Skin NY
914 -213-5724

I don't know what took me so long to finally meet the fabulous Julie Pipilo, a skilled aesthetician, with over 30 years of experience.  Half the women in my book club are devotees of Julie's and have entrusted her to care for their skin for years.

Elegant and cozy, Skin NY is located in Rye at 269 Purchase Street. More than just a place for facials, Julie has created a comprehensive Beauty and Age Management Center. Every client is treated to her warm, knowing expertise, where customized treatments and long term skincare are discussed to help you reach your skincare goals. As part of Julie's total approach to health and beauty, she also has a team in place, that includes a nutritionist, acupuncturist, a dentist who does teeth whitening, a laser specialist and a Plastic Surgeon who does Botox and fillers.
You can read more about Skin NY here, as well as see a menu of services.

So what did Julie perform on me?  A dermaplaning session. What exactly is dermaplaning?  Dermaplaning is a safe and simple procedure that exfoliates the top layer of skin and "vellus" hair or peach fuzz.

Dermaplaning is not to be confused with dermabrasion, and outdated, aggressive medical procedure that often led to infections and scarring.  Dermaplaning is simply shaving the epidermis with a scalpel, abrading the skin with light, feathering strokes.

There is zero downtime and no adverse effects. It is frequently done in conjunction with facials and peels. Julie can help you determine what is best for you.  Every treatment ends with a firming cocktail of vitamins and collagen. When I got up and looked in the the mirror, I literally squealed with delight!

I swear, Julie removed 5 lbs of skin and 5 years in a half hour.  This is the best $105 you will ever spend. If you are worried about developing a 5:00 shadow, it is for naught. The only hair that will grow back is what was there before, neither thicker or darker.  Julie recommends having this treatment approximately every 5 weeks. It is perfect for people with dry skin, hyperpigmentation or fine lines and wrinkles.

In short, WoWza!

I was so impressed with Julie's boundless knowledge and skilled hands.  We bonded immediately.  I can tell she is as passionate and devoted to her clients as I am to mine, with ouronly agenda being how you can be your best self.

For those of you in NYC, Westchester or Ct. I highly recommend you consult with Julie. She is special and will help you look and feel that way too. If you are interested in dermaplaning, please make sure you find an experienced aesthetician, preferably through the referral of someone you know whose skin looks beautiful.

Here's to a younger looking you and the women like Julie who help us feel good about ourselves...

xox,
DD

Vichy Liftactiv Serum: Luscious Lashes Can Be Yours

$47

I used to have a really great memory for details of all kinds.  Nowadays something really has to resonate with me, like what I ate for breakfast for example, things just seem to fly out of my head.  A few months ago I remembered reading a tweet by my friend Jane Daly who writes the beauty blog The Daly Beauty.

Jane has a particular love of fragrance, old and new, but also covers her fair share of beauty products.  What stood out for me, was her tweet that after using Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 for Eyes & Lashes her lashes were so lush she had stopped wearing mascara.
Come again??? Yes. That's right.  I tucked this choice tidbit away and never forgot it.

I happened to be in CVS last week, with a 20% off coupon already locked and loaded on to my Beauty Rewards card.  Vichy and La Roche Posay are two of the premium brands that CVS carries. Vichy was running a special as well; $10 off a $30 purchase.

The perfect storm.  I hadn't paid attention to the price, which for CVS and a tiny bottle, packs a fairly hefty price, but I did remember Jane and her lashes, so into my red basket it went.

After just one week of using Liftactive Serum twice a day, I could see my own lashes looking extra long and lush too

Monday I was in Sephora, and Carlos, one of their charming associates, stopped me to inquire about my lash routine.  I told him I have had some great results with Grande Lash MD over the last few months, but the icing was the results I was getting with Vichy Liftactive Serum.

Lashes without mascara using Vichy for one week

Lashes with mascara

Peak results are supposed to kick in after a month, but if  I can see a difference in just a week, I can't wait to see what another three will bring. This of course is not just a product for lashes,  It is also meant to brighten the eye area, reduce wrinkles and firm the skin around the eye. I'll take that on the plus side.

The key ingredient is, "Rhamnose", (though I have not clue one what that is), Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides and Illuminators. It is a highly concentrated product, so just one drop cover both eyes. It is both suitable for sensitive skin and Opthamologist tested.

Since I was one of the 1% minority who had red irritated eyes a good deal of the time when I useGrande Lash MD, I'm hoping to ween to just once or twice a week and fortify my lashes with  Liftactive Serum instead.

Anyway, here's to Jane and remembering all the important things, lush lashes being chief among them...

xox,
DD

Fashion Flash Monday

I am very honored to have been asked to join Fashion Flash, an invitation only consortium of  award winning lifestyle bloggers that write about fashion, beauty, health and fitness, for women over forty.  Collectively, they receive more than 700,000 views a month.   Members include  Best of Everything After Fifty, Fab Over 40, Prime Beauty, Aging Backwards, Menopause Makeover and No-Nonsense beauty Blog.  These bloggers are  all experts in their fields and  bring years of experience and training  to their  always up to date  posts. Fashion Flash bloggers  have written more than 20  books and videos.

Every Monday, one of us hosts a round up of some of our favorite posts.  This week Barbara Hannah Grufferman who writes the fantastic  The Best of Everything after Fifty hosts our posts.

Please click on this link to see what we have been up to.  Topics include:

• a really good product for diffusing tired, puffy eyes
• which super food you should be eating regularly
• sporty chic; how to wear this major trend
• modern manners for modern beauties
• the best primers for your eyes lips and face
• the one exercise you should try to do each and every day 
• a fabulous, affordable facial cleanser                                     

My thanks to the warm welcome from my new friends at Fashion Flash. It's a wonderful opportunity for DivaDebbi to be seen by many more readers and for all of us to learn a new trick or three.

Happy Daylight Saving time everybody!

xox

DD

Review: Beauty Keeper Back Sleeper Pillow

$79.99

"Over time, the "sleep wrinkles" caused by crushing you face, won't disappear once your awake".
Dr. Julia Tzu Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine. Marie Claire, March 2014

My own sleep creases yesterday, without the Beauty Keeper Back Sleeper

I believe you.  That is why when I heard from the creator of the the Beauty Keeper Back Sleeper offering to send me one of their back sleeping pillow to write about, I gratefully accepted.

I'm a burrower, particularly on cold nights and a side sleeper and with all I do during waking hours to keep wrinkles at bay, it seems silly to undo it all while I sleep.

Here's the challenge; old habits die hard. I'm a week or two into my trial and I have only made it through the night once.  On the plus side, my back and neck felt great and my chest and face were indeed creaseless.

I want to keep at it...I need to keep at it.

Here are some more details about the Beauty Keeper Back Sleeper:

The Beautiful Benefits of Sleeping on Your Back:

• Balances out your body weight, keeping your internal organs aligned, preventing neck & back pain.
• Helps prevent cleavage wrinkles on the chest and sleep-lines on the face while relieving pressure on existing wrinkles.
• Beauty products have a chance to penetrate the skin and deliver maximum results without rubbing off on the pillow.
• Prevents oils and dirt from your hair and scalp from coming in contact with your facial skin, clogging pores and causing acne.
• Keeps breast skin from stretching and causing sagging.
• Provides support for healing after surgeries that require back sleep during recovery.
• Helps keep the sinuses clear by preventing compression.

Makes sense, don't you think?  With all we spend on lotions and potions with the hopes of minimizing wrinkles, $79.99 may be more of a sound beauty investment than the priciest of night creams.

I have read reviews from satisfied customers who have managed to break free of their old side and stomach sleeping patterns.  It takes a little time and a lot of tenacity.

I've got both...what about you?

xox,
DD

We Have a Winner!

Congratulations to my lovely friend Lisa, who is a partner in Elizabeth Daniel NY, a company that manufactures fantastic cotton stretch blouses that fit  and layer like a dream.  (They also pack pack perfectly.  I never travel without one or two.) On trend for Spring 2014, collared shirts are having a moment, so do check out their fab collection.

Lisa has won my giveaway of Trophy Skin Rejuvaderm MD at home microdermabrasion system! Winners were selected randomly from comments left on both my blogs DivaDebbi and Forever Forty Four, (sorry Sis. Six years in and your still empty handed.  I was rooting for you though.)

It's such a fantastic product.  Originally, I was sent their first system, which is larger, not portable and more expensive. I have used it weekly for nearly a year from head to toe, with fabulous results.

Their new product, Rejuvaderm MD, which Lisa has won, thanks to my generous friends at Trophy Skin is even better, with a diamond tip head for the body and a smaller one for areas like the eye and mouth.  Nicely, it's also priced brilliantly at $199.

I recommend this to absolutely everyone, and at this more affordable price, I urge you to treat yourself to the number one tool in my anti-aging arsenal.

Congrats again Lisa, and thank you to all who participated.  Maybe next time it will be you Sis...

xox,
DD

Mea Culpa: My mistake is your gain

Whoops!!! I forgot to put an end date on my Trophy Skin Rejuvaderm Home Microdermabrasion System giveaway!!!

(http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/2014/02/rejuvaderm-home-microdermabrasion.html

My bad!

To make up for it, I will run the contest for one more day with the contest closing on Friday 21st at 10:00 PM EST.

It's a $199 value and I swear by it, for diminishing fine lines and age spots from head to toe.

Hop to it!

xo
DD

Rejuvaderm Home Microdermabrasion Review and Giveaway Contest!!!

Trophy Skin's New, portable and less expensive at home Microdermabrasion system
$199

And did I mention improved???  And that I'm giving one away???  Read on!

I first received a Trophy Skin MD Home Microdermabrasion System to try in March of 2013.  I'm not a handy dandy Girl, by any stretch, so I was a bit concerned that I would either not be able to operate it, or would remove half my face...Unfounded on both counts.

It was easy to operate, left my skin glowing, diminished fine lines over time and me being me, lightened every freckle and age spot on my body, since I couldn't resist going south.  LOVED LOVED LOVED it and still do.  I have used it weekly since the day I received it with fantastic results.  The only stumbling block for everyone I have raved about it to was the $300 cost. I also included it in my DivaDebbi Best of Skincare 2013 roundup.  It's a winner.

Is it worth it?  To me, unequivocally yes!  We are wear our face and bodies every day.  How many times a year do you wear that blouse, blazer or dress you picked up for just that price or more? As well, if you like the effect of microdermabrasion, one purchase handily covers 3 professional sessions, (which undoubtedly they will also recommend adding a facial or peel with; translation? beau coup bucks.)

So, who knew they could improve upon perfection, but yes, Trophy Skin did, by creatingRejuvaderm MD, a portable system, that also included additional tools, including a larger one for, (yay!),  the body.  In addition to the tool for blackhead extraction in the original, there is also a narrow diamond tip that is perfect for gently working around the eye and lip area and a tool to increase hydration with a serum after your treatment. (They sent me their own Argan Stem Cell Serum $39.  Oh the glow!!! I am mad for it, though I have not yet gotten the hang of how best to use that particular tool. It is one I will definitely be buying on my own.)

Best of all it is completely packable an portable and they lowered the price by $100. So, here's the amazing part.  My friends at Trophy Skin are letting me do a contest giveaway, by far, the best one I have ever had to offer my loyal DivaDebbi readers.

So how can you enter to win your own Rejuvaderm MD?


Simple.  Two things please. 1) Leave me a comment on this blog telling me why you would like to try it with an email address to contact you if you win.  Vote for me to win a trip to Paris Fashion Week and leave me on comment on my entry page, (Debbi NY/CT.) wishing me Bon Voyage at the link below once a day until February 14th:

http://bit.ly/1ishw8O

One good turn deserves another, donchathink???

xox,
DD

Voluma XC- The New Fountain of Youth

 

Back in September, my interest was peaked when I read a NY Times article declaring "the cheek" as newest area of interest to recreate a youthful appearance. "Baby Faces", it seems, are having a moment...The Daily Mail UK also picked up on the story.

The problem? Mid-Volume Face Loss... 

Who knew?

Here is an excerpt from the NY Times article explaining, "The Triangle of Youth":

"In a young face, the widest part is at the cheeks", dermatologist Dr Marina I Peredo explained to the New York Times.

+5

New trend: Dermatologist Dr Marina I Peredo says cheek fillers are becoming increasingly popular

"But as we age, the cheeks deflate and excess skin falls toward the jawline. . . That makes the triangle flip upside down so that the widest part of the face is now at the jawline."

Enter Juvederm VolumaXC:

When this article came out, Juvederm XC was still pending FDA approval in the U.S. It had already been one of the most popular injectible fillers in Europe and Canada, over the past 5 years.

A few short months later, it was on our shores and patient curiosity was already at a fever pitch.

I immediately called Tami Healy at The NY Group for Plastic Surgery for the 411 when this article came out. They were  awaiting it for patient use and were already training to inject it.  

Juvederm Voluma XC is the only FDA-approved filler for adding volume to the cheeks. Similar to the original Juvederm formula, Juvederm Voluma XC is a hyaluronic acid filler that restores volume to sagging skin on the face. Results are visible almost immediately and do not require surgery.

What are the advantages of Juvederm Voluma XC?

• First and only FDA-approved treatment for adding volume to the cheeks
• Lasts up to 2 years with optimal treatment
• Little to no discomfort during treatment
• Non-surgical, minimally invasive injection
• Patients can return to normal activities immediately after treatment

How do Juvederm and Juvederm Voluma XC differ? 

Juvederm focuses on moderate to severe wrinkles around the nose and mouth. Juvederm Voluma XC, in contrast, targets sunken or sagging skin on the cheeks. Adding volume to this area can result in smoother, tighter skin and a more youthful facial contour. 

Before and After with Juvaderm Voluma XC
Looking Good!!!

I checked back in today with Tami, She and the Drs. are now injecting about 5 patients per week with Voluma XC, achieving excellent, immediate results, with a just a single treatment. Because it contains lidocaine, there is minimal discomfort.

Dr. Andrew Salzberg added, "patients are leaving happy and refreshed looking.  We expect this number to continue to grow, as more women become aware of this new tool in our anti-aging arsenal". "We are also now doing the Lazer Lift, a new procedure that lifts and tightens the lower face and neck without scalpels, stitches or scars and can be performed with just local anesthesia". "We are very excited to be able to offer this minimally invasive procedure to our patients".

Like some of the overly Botoxed, in Hollywood and other upper income enclaves, I fear we may be in for a phase of women resembling chipmunks with nut stuffed cheeks:

A youthful and natural Brandi Glanville

Brandi today...intervention anyone???

It may also be a Godsend to super skinnies with -0% bodyfat, who will no longer have to fear the old adage, "at some point, a woman must choose between her face and her *ss".

Madonna

Because Voluma XC can last for up to two years, I strongly recommend doing this minimally invasive procedure with a well trained Plastic Surgeon, Physician's Assistant or Dermatologist. It may not be surgery, but it still requires expertise to create a natural increase in volume, proportionate to the face.

The trend toward less invasive anti-aging beauty solutions continues.  As always, I trust and recommend my team at The New York Group for Plastic Surgery, who not only perform beautiful breast reconstruction but all areas of the face and body with care and great skill.  My readers will always enjoy the DivaDebbi discount; 15% off your for procedure, if you mention it when you book your appointment.

Here's to a beautiful, youthful, natural looking you...

xox,
DD