Marissa's Pick of the Week
29: the age I wish I was, and the name of a new cosmetic line exclusive to Neiman Marcus. 29 Cosmetics is the creation of Lydia Mondavi, of the famous Mondavi wine dynasty. 29 uses grape seed extract as their core ingredient and the name 29 comes from the highway that stretches through Napa Valley. I discovered this line on a quick trip through Neiman Marcus - walked past it twice until the lip glosses caught my eye. From that point on, I was hooked. The lip liners are so creamy; I use just the liner (bought Malbec) and a lip balm for a natural day look. The lipsticks are vivid colors, luscious and long wearing but not drying. I bought Wine Critic (medium red/wine) which goes beautifully with Malbec and am going back for Wine Nectar (light rose/peach shimmer), which is a good pick for a spring color. The lip glosses go on smooth, not goopy, and feel soft on your lips. I love Pouty Pinot for spring and Sparkling Champagne as a nice neutral, but I bought Lay It Down Cab because of its vivid red/wine color and sparkle. I can't wait to try their other products!
- Marissa
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Marissa's Pick of the Week
My pick of the week this time is... Botox! Now, normally, we write about color cosmetics or skin care brands, but I'm going into a new realm, and it's all because I'm turning 45.
A doctor who I know through our school and church opened a med spa in town. Since this was all new to me, I thought it would be easier to put my face into someone's hands that I know. Plus, his nurses work in our local hospital in the emergency room, so my first thought was that if anything happened to me, they would know what to do! Irrational, maybe, but comforting. So, I made my appointment and poof, off I go.
The first time out, they take "before" pictures of you so you can actually see up close and personal what your crease lines look like (ick, it isn't pretty magnified 1000x). I just wanted Botox between my eyebrows and they suggested over each brow, too. Scared as can be (I didn't tell anyone but my neighbor in case anything happened to me!), I sit in the chair with an ice pack over my eyebrows and wait for the nurse to come in.
For all my anticipation, the actual process only took a few minutes. It didn't really hurt, and I didn't really bleed at the injection sites. The big thing about Botox is that it is NOT instantaneous, and in a society that wants to see results right away, patience is a foreign word. I kept checking the mirror every two hours to see if the process had started. No, it hadn't. Twenty-four hours later: nothing, I could still move my eyebrows. Forty-eight hours later: still moving them. Finally, I stopped looking in the mirror and bam - just like that, I was frozen in time. It's a very weird feeling - no matter how hard you try, you just can't move your eyebrows.
Did it really make me look any different? In my opinion, just enough to make me look not as tired as I normally do with three boys, a husband and a cat! Do I think other people noticed? Not unless I told them. I did have some folks ask if I was using a new skin care product. I have to say that I didn't have many lines to begin with, so maybe that is why it wasn't too noticeable. However, the psychological uplift it's had on me is definitely worth the price. Will I do anything more radical at this point? No, but I'm not 50 yet! In this day and age, never say never.
- Marissa
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Marissa's Pick of the Week
If you're like me, you're sick and tired of winter! Blah! From crappy hair days to dry skin to pale body parts, there's nothing redeeming about winter - except that spring is right around the corner. With that in mind, here's my pick of the week!
By Terry is one of those cosmetic lines that you can't find in all stores. In the northeast, it's at Barney's, or you can order from eluxury.com. I've become a dedicated fan of the line - great colors and innovative products. My favorite product used to be Light Expert Perfecting Foundation Brush with Hydra-Smoothing Filling Spheres. You could travel with this and your skin always glowed. Well, by Terry came out with the Bronze-Expert and now I have a new favorite in the line. I use #1 Sun Beach, and let me tell you, my skin just looks healthy. Even in the winter with pasty skin, this gives me just enough color to look healthy and not overly done or fake bronze. And let's admit it, we all know someone who overuses the bronzing powder in the winter (and we think, who is she kidding!). I don't even use foundation or powder when I use this bronzer. It's a liquid/gel that you can swipe on your face in the dark and not make a mistake. It's in their famous pen form, so you just click and sweep. Easy! Numbers 2 and 3 are much darker and not for most winter faces but they would be a beautiful addition to a summer tan. The by Terry website is www.byterry.com.
- Marissa
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