Look Fab Without the Jab: StriVectin-WF Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler Review

I tried this product at home and was so impressed I had to share (‘cuz I’m just awesome like that) so I took it to work. I got together a few co-workers ranging in age from 40 to over 60 (a total of six of us) and let me tell you, everyone saw results. StriVectin-WF Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler is packaged in a tube and is a gel formulation—just rub a little in your deep wrinkle problem areas on a clean bare face. In my experiment, a few of us did have makeup on, but it didn't seem to negatively affect the results, however I would definitely suggest putting it on under makeup instead of on top. It does feel sticky and your skin will feel tight in those areas for a bit, but it works!! It erased deep creases between the brows as well as the nasolabial folds (the lines we all get between the nose and mouth). It handled our crow’s feet nicely and it does actually plump up your skin! We did notice that it didn't work as well on the deep “bands” in the neck area, but I believe the manufacturer, KleinBecker has another product for the that.

There is good news/bad news with this product. The bad news is your mileage may vary (and that’s not really all that bad). It didn't last very long on my skin; I put it on at 9:45 and by 12:00 I was back to my normal wrinkled self. However, one of my co-workers reported back that her “11’s” (the wrinkles between her eyes) were still missing by dinnertime! According to the directions, you can apply as often as needed throughout the day. The good news is that if you have a special event this would be perfect! Imagine being the flawless Mother of the Bride, a smooth talking (and looking) speaker at a function, the youngest looking one at the Christmas Ball, or just when you want to be a Hot Mama on a dinner date with your man. A .78 fl. oz. tube is $59.

Bottom Line: Works like a magic eraser for your wrinkles; great for that special occasion you want to look mahhhvelous for! Do remember though that YMMV (your mileage may vary), but definitely worth a try.

Available at: the Strivectin website, Skinstore.com, Sephora.com, Drugstore.com among others

This product was given to me by a friend

Lorac VIP Set Makes a Great Gift

This fabulous Sexy Swag set from Lorac would make a beautiful birthday, Christmas or "I'm glad you're my friend" gift. A $170 value for only $29.99! Set includes:

On Screen Duo Eye Shadow/Liner in "Rich & Famous"

Glam Rocks Loose Metallic Eye Shadows in "Pearl" and "Gold"

TANtalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer

Caribbean Heat Bronzer

Croc Mocktail Lip Gloss Collection

Croc Makeup Bag

Only available on loraccosmetics.com while quantities last. Hurry!

Get Rid of the Gobble!

Makeup Artists Choice is offering a product that promises to get rid of the dreaded "turkey neck". Age Defying Neck Cream, hmmm, I like that name! Here is a description of some of the ingredients:



"This effective cream protects and revitalizes the skin and helps reduce the look of crepy, sagging skin using targeted ingredients including":



Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter for extreme moisturization...

Glycolic Acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles...
and Power-packed antioxidants, such as Green Tea, to protect against free radical damage...

The skin beneath the chin, down to the neck, is very thin and delicate. Even exercise and diet can't eliminate the visible effects of aging in this area. But you can take charge today by saying "NO" to these tell-tale signs of aging by using our Age Defying Neck Cream. Also available in a sample size for $5!

Kathleen Dean, founder of Makeup Artists Choice is a 59 year old esthetician and TV makeup artist. Makeup Artists Choice is a professional cosmeceuticals and makeup company that has tons of anti-aging products, including at-home peels, that are effective and reasonable priced. Plus, MUAC offers sample sizes for purchase, a feature I appreciate especially with skincare. The website has a wealth of information on the newest innovations in anti aging skincare. I am currently using the 40% Lactic Acid peel once a week with great results.


There are so many great products to try why not start with some sample sizes?

Introducing Frugal Friday

In this economy we all need to save a buck or two whenever we can. Every Friday I’ll highlight a beauty product that is not only high quality but a great value as well.

Today’s product is Revlon Colorstay 12 hour Eyeshadow Quad. Four silky smooth color coordinated shades that last all day. Honest. There are 18, count ‘em 18 color variations; nudes, neutrals, browns, greens, blues, you name it. I chose Nude Elements which reminds me of the Dior Parisian Lights quint.

Revlon Nude Elements quad swatched. From left to right: pearly white, great to highlight under browbone, nude peach shade: a barely there peach shade, taupe shade: taupe with a wee bit of plum, charcoal shade: a light charcoal shade with a hint of blue. I wore this quad today--the white under browbone, peach on lid and inner corner, taupe in crease and charcoal used wet to line. Very soft and pretty!
Revlon Colorstay 12 hour eyeshadow quads retail for $6.99. I got mine on sale at WalMart for $5 and have seen them at various drugstores on BOGOF (buy one get one free) sales. That's only $3.50 each!!
P.S. Sorry for the bad swatch pic, I need to read the manual for my camera, but you can see my scars from my recent surgery--ewww.
What do you think of this quad? Let me know in the comments.

I purchased this product

Remember these?

Recently, while in a local candy store, looking for my version of crack (that would be a very special variety of strawberry gummies), I spotted this display. I was immediately taken back to Sunday mornings at the corner store (before convenience stores) with my Dad. He bought the Sunday LA Times and beer nuts while I begged for Clove gum because I had seen it at my Grandma's house. I thought and still do, that Blackjack and anything with black licorice was yucky and I don't recall the flavor of Beemans. Does this gum bring back any memories for you? What was your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

I Lust for Uggs!!

Aren't these awesome? Uggs are extremely practical where I live--a frozen tundra in the winter. They keep my tooties warm and cozy but not sweaty. I'll admit the original style was kinda Uggly. I've never had wedge boots but maybe I wouldn't be such a klutz in wedgies--okay, okay I said maybe. This style is called Corinth and retails for $275. What do you think of Uggs? Let me know in the comments

Beauty Shortcuts

They say that out of adversity (or in this case inconvenience) there’s always something positive to be gained. “They” might just be right this time. I recently had surgery on my left hand and had to be one-handed for 8 weeks, so needless to say I found myself looking for a few shortcuts to streamline my beauty routine. Here are a few I discovered:

Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo—this is a lifesaver. Washing my hair became a major event, and not a very fun one at that, although the first time I accomplished the task one handed by myself, I did wish I had an audience to cheer me on. I had to wash my hair in the sink (no showers for 8 weeks—bleh), and as you can imagine, by the time I washed, rinsed & conditioned quite a bit of time had gone by. Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo is a quick and easy way to freshen your hair between washes. It soaks up any oil, makes your hair feel clean and fresh and smells divine with the Oscar signature Lemon Verbena smell.

Olay Cleansing Cloths-- A friend included these in a ‘care package” she brought me after my surgery. The cleanser is already there so just wet and wash. One side is smooth and the other is textured if you want to exfoliate. Great for travel too!



Aquis hair turban. This handy dandy hair turban is super absorbent so it dries your hair in a flash and it’s up and out of your way. I believe it retails for around $18, but I got mine on sale at TJ Maxx for 3 bucks! That being said, I would definitely pay full price for it, especially if you have long hair.

My makeup routine was a few swipes of bronzer, a simple single wash of eyeshadow, a little mascara and a dollop of lipgloss. Quick, fresh and perfect for summer!

Estee Lauder Sensous Gold Fall 2009

Wowza! the model looks amazing! Estee Lauder's Fall 2009 Collection is called Sensuous Gold--warm tones of sun baked nudes and rose, lit with glimmers of gold, flattering on every skintone. I'm sold!

The collection features Senusous Gold Signature Lipstick in Cinnamon, Rose Amethyst, Plum Amethyst and Terracotta, Pure Color Senusous Gold Multi Gloss in Rose Gold and Amethyst, two eyeshadow quads in Rose Gold and Rose Amethyst, two Limited Edition Nail Colors in
Black Amethyst and Rose Gold.

Here's a sneak peak of the collection:

I checked with two of my local EL counters and neither had the collection in so I don't have swatches for you yet, hopefully soon though, I think the eyeshadow quads especially look promising. What do you think of the collection? Let me know in the comments!

Bobbi Brown Q & A

I love Bobbi Brown's philosophy: "Rather than zeroing in on what's "wrong" and using makeup to cover it up, I believe in honing in on what's right and using makeup to enhance it. I can't tell you how many times women come to my makeup counter so fixated on their "bad" feature that they overlook everything else. To those of you who are reading this and nodding your head in recognition, I say: Ease off and stop being so hard on yourself. Pick your best feature (we all have at least one) and make the most of it. Here's Rather than zeroing in on what's "wrong" and using makeup to cover it up, I believe in honing in on what's right and using makeup to enhance it. I can't tell you how many times women come to my makeup counter so fixated on their "bad" feature that they overlook everything else. To those of you who are reading this and nodding your head in recognition, I say: Ease off and stop being so hard on yourself. Pick your best feature (we all have at least one) and make the most of it".

Now on to the Q & A's:

Question: What's the best way to cover fine lines?

Answer: Don't think of your lines as a negative. I think they're beautiful and we get them from living, laughing, expressing ourselves. You can't really cover lines, so focus on making your skin look smooth and even. The best way to do this is with a rich face moisturizer, which will help plump up skin and make lines look less obvious. Use cream formulas of concealer, foundation, and blush; they'll glide over your skin instead of settling and collecting in the lines. If you've got fine lines around your eyes, draw attention away from them by lining your eyes to make your eyes stand out. A touch of blush on cheeks makes you look fresh and pretty. Use a rich lip balm (or even your eye cream) to hydrate lines around the lips. To keep lipstick from feathering, line your lips with after applying your lipstick.

Question: How do you diffuse wrinkles?

Answer: Ultra-rich moisturizers and creamy makeup formulas are the key to getting smooth-looking skin. Be sure to exfoliate on a regular basis with a gentle scrub or an AHA cream. This helps stimulate cell turnover and sloughs off dead skin cells, which can make skin look dull and prevent your foundation from going on smoothly. Make sure your skin is well hydrated. A great moisturizer literally plumps up your skin. Stick to creamy formulas of concealer, foundations and blush. Powder can settle into wrinkles, making them more visible. No one has wrinkles on their cheeks, so play them up with a little extra blush. If you have lines around your lips, keep the area moist. Try using a lip balm on and around the lip area and don't try to conceal the wrinkles with foundation. Instead, pick a creamy lipstick and matching lip pencil to prevent feathering.

Question: How do you cover up dark circles?

Answer: Apply a light eye cream underneath the eye area. It should absorb quickly and leave your skin feeling smooth. If you're using a corrector, use a concealer brush or your fingertip to apply it at the inner corner of the eye. Continue placing the corrector underneath the eye, staying close to the lashes and patting the corrector wherever your see darkness. Gently blend the corrector by pressing it with your fingers. You're now ready to apply your concealer. Use a concealer brush or your index finger to apply the concealer in thin layers. Be sure to blend well. Apply the concealer all the way up to your lash line and - this part is critical - onto the dark areas by the inner corners of your eyes. Use more concealer than you think you need, and blend it into the skin, using your fingers in a soft, patting motion. If you still see dark circles, go ahead and apply a second layer of concealer. To the lock the concealer into place, apply pale yellow powder over the concealer and on the eyelids with a powder puff.

It' Finally Back--My Beloved Project Runway!!

Our favorite judges are baaaaack too! Heidi of course, Michael, Nina and some famous guest judges. Tim Gunn, otherwise known as my "I wish he was my gay husband" is back too. I love that guy--he manages to always to be professional and kind to the designers and preserve their dignity even when they don't.

Did you watch? What did you think? I did agree with Ari going home, she was a little TOO spacey uh, I mean "conceptual" for me. I did think Christopher's dress was very pretty, although not what I personally imagine on the red carpet. Now Ra'mon's dress is what I think a red carpet should look like, although I did agree that the color was a bit bland. I also like Irina's dress but in a different color--it was flesh toned! Although not nearly as bad as the see-thru nightgown made by Michael--personally I think he will be the next one to go--just a feeling.

I was actually impressed with Lindsey Lohan and thought she made some decent observations until she she giggled immaturely at Nina's comment about Ari and managed to prove once again that she is just an a vapid, overpaid, over exposed, albeit talented mess.

So tell me what dress/designer you liked and what you thought of the show in the comments.

Top 10 reasons to be glad you are forty, fifty or sixty something

1. You know what looks good on you—shapes, styles and colors
2. You know yourself—how you will react to a situation, what you are capable of, your strengths, weaknesses and preferences.
3. No more monthly visitors!
4. You are confident in your opinions because your life experience has made you wiser about everything
5. Hopefully you have settled into your body and are comfortable in your own skin
6. Some of us have found a new love---our grandchildren. And what a special love that is!
7. No more pimples, oily skin & hair
8. We’ve EARNED our wrinkles
9. We’ve given to our children, husbands, parents and now it’s OUR time to be pampered!
10. We’ve learned to not sweat the small stuff

Leave a comment and let me know your reasons

Review: Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care 3-minute Mask

Summer is rough on color treated hair. Your beautiful color fades, and the sun, chlorine, and humidity can make for dry tresses fast-- can you say faded AND crunchy? I’ve found something to battle the summer elements, give your hair the nourishment it needs AND protect your color! Technician Color Care 3-minute Mask by Frederic Fekkai. This thick and creamy pink mask leaves my color noticeably brighter and feeling soft and shiny with no frizz. My sister actually commented that my hair looked blonder and asked me if I had my highlights re-done! That’s enough to sell me on this product but wait…there’s more. Being cursed with fine, lifeless hair (do I hear violins?) I also appreciate the fact that even though this mask is thick and rich, it does not weigh my hair down. I’ve been using it for about two weeks now, twice a week and love the results. It is pricy but hey, you probably pay a lot for that gorgeous color am I right? So why not get some extra mileage out of it and not have to color your hair as often? That will save you some moolah!

Also available: Technician Color Care Shampoo & Conditioner, I can’t wait to try these too!

Recessionista Tip: The Federic Fekkai Technician Color Care line is available at Bath & Body Works and you know how often they have discounts & coupons!

I purchased this product

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Least Chronically Challenged of Them All?

Your mirror will be saying “you my dear”! after using the new Olay ProX Anti-Aging Starter Protocol. It is supposed to help with fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, all the things that plague us ahem, “mature” women. . The starter kit contains three products—Age Repair Lotion SPF 30, a daytime moisturizer, Wrinkle Smoothing Cream for nighttime use and Eye Restoration Complex for use twice a day. Let me say, it does a pretty fine job.

The Olay ProX Professional line was created by Proctor and Gamble beauty scientists and a group of renowned dermatologists. Olay makes some pretty hefty claims on this new line; “younger looking, younger acting skin in 28 days or your money back”. The Olay ProX Anti-Aging Starter Protocol Kit is not cheap for drugstore skincare, around $60-68, but that is a big savings over buying the products individually and is a great way to try out the products. To help ease the pain, you can go online and download a $10 off coupon for the starter kit.

The Age Repair Lotion SPF 30 has a nice lightweight texture, absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy or sticky feeling. I also appreciate the SPF 30 so I can skip the sunscreen layer underneath. I was surprised and delighted that with an SPF of 30, there was no ghostly white cast or “sunscreen sheen”, and no smell. It is packaged in a pump which is not only more sanitary but also allows you to use much less product. I use 2 half pumps for my face and a full pump for my neck—don’t forget your neck ladies, it’s one of the first places to show age. I had lunch on the sunny deck of a restaurant while wearing Age Repair Lotion under my foundation and no pink nose!

I am very impressed with the Eye Restoration Complex. I have tried every eye cream on the planet (well almost) and this has just the right amount of hydration and it too absorbs quickly. Too many eye creams are too rich for daytime use and you end up with black dots from your mascara or those pesky little white milia bumps under your eyes. This cream gives you moisture that lasts all day without being goopy. I don’t have dark circles so I can‘t speak to any improvement in that area, but I do have some puffiness and I did notice a bit of improvement there. The big news is after just two weeks of use twice a day (morning and night) I think my crows feet may be a bit softer. Can I get a Hell Yeah!!

Wrinkle Smoothing Cream is a bit thicker than the Age Repair Lotion and is designed for nighttime use. It is also a bit greasier but still absorbs well. The oiler parts of my face—forehead, nose, chin were a bit slick in the morning after using this cream but that is not abnormal for me. It is packaged in a jar as opposed to the Age Repair Lotion in a pump, perhaps because it is thicker? I have pretty decent skin with no deep lines so I didn’t notice any particular improvement.

Overall I am really pleased with the Olay ProX Starter Kit. I believe my crow’s feet are softer, my skin is smoother and looks refreshed and refined. Perhaps my significant other put it best “you look nice today, like you have a semi-pregnant glow”. Okay, well aside from the pregnancy part (uh, how can you be semi-pregnant?) the key word is GLOW! This from the same man that still hasn’t noticed my new haircut after two weeks. This stuff has got to be good to garner a comment from Mr. Oblivious!!

Bottom Line: Recommended

Additional products available in the line are ProX Deep Wrinkle Treatment, Discoloration Fighting Concentrate, and Hydra Firming Cream.

Have you tried Olay Pro-X yet? If so, let me know what you think in the comments.

This set was given to me by a friend to try

Hello Fabulous Women

Welcome to Prime Beauty, a beauty blog for women 40 and over in the prime of their lives! After taking care of children, husbands, animals, our parents and the odd (sometimes really odd) relative or two, it’s finally time for us! Woot Woot! There are lots of makeup and skincare blogs for the 20-30 year old crowd but nothing for us "mature" women. Our needs, like us, are special and I want to address that. This blog will have lots of information on skincare and the skincare issues we older women face, makeup reviews of old favorites and new products (I'll be your guinea pig), makeup tips and tricks, and a little bit of fashion and style to boot! Some of my chic friends will stop by and give their views and a few of my makeup artist friends will check in with tips and tricks for us to try. Please leave a comment and let me know what you want to see on the blog, what your interests are and what you might like to discuss and thank you for reading!!! Now let’s get started!

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