Oh My Gaaaawd! Is That Me In The Mirror?

This was one of my very first posts that I think warrants being posted again, since I didn't even have any comments at the time. At the bottom, I'll tell you the results of my anti-aging cream testing.

This is a picture of me with friends when I was a ripe young 19 (that's me on the left). Then...Oh my GAAAAWWD! One day a few years ago, I woke up, looked in the mirror and saw an aging woman with jowls beginning to take a prominent position on her face, staring back at me. Worse yet... it looked just like my mother until I did a double-take & realized it was me! Horrified, I began buying every cream & lotion that promises to take ten years off, in hopes that I could easily reverse this aging process running rampant on my face with a mere matter of dollars. Oh - well... to be truthful, it seems to be running rampant over my entire body, but the majority of available beauty products don't seem to promise anything about the rest of the body... just the face & neck. Yes, I've bought practically every "tightening" cream available, and GUESS WHAT? Yup, after first thinking it was working, I had to admit that I cannot tell any difference from before. Perhaps I can just stay covered up all the time. Sure, that should be fun when we have those days that feel like a hair-dryer on high/hot.

So I started thinking (which can be a dangerous thing)... maybe l can save other women from spending any more money on products that JUST DON'T WORK. Now, if I were a cold, calculating BITCH, I'd get out there & create my own blend of "magical ingredients" and sell it as an anti-aging cream & make a fortune just like all the other assholes who have cashed in on our generation aging. However, I've always believed this: Everyone wants to reach reach the top of the big pile of life, but you should at least be able to be proud of the way you get there. Enough said there.

Here is what I know for certain.... the MAIN FACTOR in aging gracefully is obviously, good genes. Since many of us do not have good genes, the next best thing is to start taking care of yourself at an early age. Trust me on this one.

I have a friend who has been exercising, eating right, living right, and slapping her neck waddle daily for 30 years and at 55, she looks incredible. I've seen her family and can assure you that it isn't genes. So, every night, after having my cocktails, eating what I please, leaving on the day's makeup, and "poo-poo-ing" exercise, my friend was busy doing all the right things. Frankly, she could almost pass for my daughter... aaargh! If you don't start out early in life, it just becomes something you make New Year's Resolutions about later (and we all know what happens with those, lol). Oooops... too late here.

I'm currently using Hydro-Derm which I can't decide on yet. I think I need new eyeglasses before I make any rash decisions. Before that, I tried IQ Derma for the recommended time and saw no positive changes. (I won't elaborate yet on the not-so-positive. Stay tuned.)

Before that, I tried a line called Arbonne which promised tightened skin in all the right places. Again, I see no change. None of these were cheap, mind you. Arbonne offers a Starter Kit that includes about a 3 month supply of Cleanser, toner, wrinkle serum, eye cream, Transforming Lift Serum, face cream & body lotion for just around $300.00.

Next, I tried IQ Derma, who offers a Starter Kit that includes their "Life Without Wrinkles" face cream, SkinTensive wrinkle serum & a free 1/2 ounce jar of Triple Firming Eye Therapy for approximately $98.00. Again, no improvement here.


Then, I tried Sovage which cost $119.00 for a 6 ounce tube of it. Once again, I saw absolutely no improvement.

HydroDerm offers a .33 ounce dropper bottle of Triple Effects Eye Serum, a 30ML dropper bottle of Age-Defying Wrinkle Serum and a 1 ounce jar of Age-Defying Renewal Moisturizer for approximately $84.95. Again, I see no improvements after 22 straight days of use. Who knows? Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow & faint when I look in the mirror, but.... that's like believing all those stupid e-mails that say "something wonderful will happen when you send this e-mail to 20 friends". Yeah, right... whatever! I think I've come to the conclusion that aside from "going under the knife", we have no options that actually work. That is, unless you want to go around all day with a towel turban on, really tight (since it seems to be the only thing I've seen positive results with).

However... there is a light in the horizon. Several months ago I purchased a line of make-up online called RAW, which is an incredible line of mineral based cosmetics that is to die for! I had begun to notice that in all the pictures of me, I was beginning to resemble a Geisha Girl with white Kibuki make-up. I was starting to look just like all the women I said I would never look like!!!!!! Yikes.... Once I started wearing the RAW line, I absolutely love it! Now, I have a more natural look, yet still look polished. For approximately $120.00, you get the following: 2 jars of different shades of mineral foundation powder, a jar of powder blush, a jar of translucent powder with sunscreen, 2 tones of concealer in a compact, .05 ounce of Illuminating Skin Perfector (like a bronzer), a maximum coverage brush, a loose powder brush, a concealer application brush and a tube of black mascara. I love it all and plan to continue buying the RAW products as long as they keep making them.

Now, after using the Hydroderm for more than six months, I can definitely tell a difference. My jowls aren't so pronounced and the lines around my eyes have tightened. I've also noticed that my neck isn't as saggy either. So, I think I'm going to stick with the Hydroderm for a while longer. It's the first improvement I've seen in two years of trying all the other products. And, it is the least expensive of all those I've tried. Go Figure.