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

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

Review: Dr. Brandt DNA Transforming Pearl Serum

Dr. Brandt DNA Transforming Pearl Serum
$150 (Gulp)

Every now and then, I can't resist buying some insanely priced anti-aging potion, in sheer hope that it will truly be the fountain of youth on tap. The cleverly named DNA Transforming Pearl Serum is and acronym for "Do Not Age"--big props to the marketing gurus who hatched this little ditty.

DNA Transforming Pearl Serum has been on my radar. It is supposedly a daily do for none other than Madonna and it won a More Magazine Award for a favorite of the many products a group of lucky readers got to test drive.

When I saw that Dr. Brandt was running a 40% off Black Friday sale after Thanksgiving + free shipping, I caved.  Here is how the product is described on Sephora's website:

What it is: 
A breakthrough antiaging serum powered by patented duo pearl technology and Juvenescence Complex. 

What it is formulated to do: 
Each application of this revolutionary serum delivers the right dose of fresh ingredients through the duo pearl delivery system. It supports cell respiration and encourages skin metabolism to address the visible signs of aging and minimize the appearance of roughness and wrinkles for younger, more radiant looking skin. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT: 
- Parabens 
- Phthalates 

Research results: 
In a 30 day self assessment study: 
- 88% of volunteers felt their skin was more lifted after 1 day 
- 96% of volunteers reported that their skin looked firmer after 1 week 
- 92% of volunteers reported that the appearance of lines and wrinkles has diminished after 1 month

I have been using Dr. Brandt DNA Transforming Pears Serum for a little over three weeks.  It looks pretty, does not require a lot of product to cover the entire face and has no discernible smell. It should last for many months.

The good news kind of ends there...

I have seen no difference in firmness, glow or diminished wrinkles.  Don't get me wrong, my skinlooks fine.  It just doesn't look finer so to speak.  I see no improvement whatsoever.

Naturally, at this price, I'm sticking with it, until I need to scoop the remains out with a Q-tip.
Of course I will keep you updated if there is a sudden turnaround.

As of this writing I'd say DNA should stand for DNB.

I'll leave it to you to figure out...

xox,
DD

Renee Zellweger: Then and Now

There has been an awful lot of buzz about Renee Zellweger lately. Tongues have been wagging and pundits are weighing in, including plastic surgeons (with heady disclaimers), about what exactly did Renee do?

Frankly, if someone had shown me the picture at right above on its own, I could not identify who it was...could you???

Ms. Zellweger always had a atypical Hollywood look, which I found charming... mostly. There were definitely some Red Carpet appearances, however, where she appeared chipmunk cheeked, from over zealous injections of fillers, (see yesterday's blog for my take on tweaking the right way: http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/2013/12/girls-night-out-new-york-group-for.html)

Her squinty eyes, were well, Renee's.  Highly identifiable, but certainly not an impediment to her successful film career, with hits like Jerry McGuire and The Bridget Jones Diaries, that delighted fans.

What would make her want to change her look so drastically?  There are even rumors that she is "obsessed" with Jennifer Lawrence and one can't exactly deny the resemblance:

Renee (44) and Jennifer (23)

Here's what I think Renee has had done:

Photo courtesy of Perez Hilton

A brow lift, Botox and upper eye lift; notice the larger, tight shiny forehead and wide eyed look. Sculptra to add volume and lift her cheekbones, and a chin implant, there is significantly more length to her face then there was before.  Her skin looks luminous a youthful, so I would guess some combination of peels and laser treatments.

Actually, I think she looks beautiful...I just don't think she looks anything like her former self.

I think one of the top things that stop women from undergoing plastic surgery is the nagging fear that they will no longer look like themselves. They may want to look more youthful, but not alien to their own eyes.

I do think Renee has crossed the line into Meg Ryan turf, another adorable girl next door, who completely altered her looks.  The results are much better, but I do think the rumblings will follow her for the rest of her career.

It's hard now, not to think of Meg, without the image of her post surgical face coming to mind, rather than the fine work she did in films like When Harry Met Sally.

Meg Ryan

Back in the late 80's Jennifer Grey, burst to fame after starring in the warmly entertaining film Dirty Dancing.  She too, was not classically beautiful, but fresh faced and adorable.

In the early 90's, she had a nose job. While the result was not unpleasant or particularly unnatural looking, she lost what was unique and special about her and her career in films along with it.

Jennifer Grey

I wonder what Renee's intentions were; was she chasing her youth or hoping to changing her look?  Perhaps a bit of both... I truly hope shes happy with her results. I also hope it doesn't do what her unconventional look never did before; impede her success...

xox,
DD