Month: October 2024

Me and who?

How many times have you tried a makeup or skincare product that had amazing claims about reducing wrinkles, evening out our skin tone, reducing pores, etc. – but which ended up being a total bust? Well, I imagine it’s happened to all of us more than once, and it’s definitely happened to me more times than I’d like to admit.

My guess is that most of us now look at product claims with just a bit of healthy skepticism. And when a product actually does live up to its claims, I always feel like I want to shout it from the rooftops. So, today we’ll take a look at the results I’ve had testing four products to see if they actually live up to the hype.

Many of us experience some very definite changes to our eyebrows and eyelashes since age and changes in oestrogen make the follicles weaker – which leads to lighter, thinner, shorter and less dense eyelashes. So, the thought of having long, full lashes again and eyebrows that are no longer invisible is pretty darn enticing.

But unfortunately, my experience in the past with an eyebrow and eyelash growth serum was definitely not a positive one. Don’t get me wrong, the serum definitely helped my lashes look longer and my brows look fuller. But, there was another issue. When a couple of small blood vessels in my eye broke, I didn’t pay much attention, but one day I actually heard a loud pop in my eye when a large blood vessel broke.

That got my attention. So, I immediately decided to stop using the eyelash grow serum that I’d purchased, did some research and found out it contained prostaglandins which can cause some problems. It was so hard to discontinue using that product since I’d had such great results, but I thought discretion was the better part of valor.

A Product That Works

I recently decided to try the Eyelash growth serum from the Swedish company Sweed Beauty since it’s a clean beauty brand. This eyelash growth serum definitely packs a powerful punch. And by that, I mean it works! Sweed Beauty actually tested it on a group of 50-year-old women and found it does work for those of us with mature skin. In fact, they actually won an award for “the serum that actually works” as a result of this study.

According to the company literature, the Sweed Pro Eyelash serum promotes the appearance of visibly longer and fuller looking eyelashes in only 4-6 weeks. And – it can also be used on eyebrows. Best of all – the clean ingredients are vegan and free from prostaglandin analogues. 99% of the serums on the market do contain prostaglandins which can cause pigmentation or irritation as I found out.

Since I’ve had four eye surgeries in the past year, I decided to test it only on one eyebrow – rather than on my eyelashes – since I feel I need to be extra careful around my eyes. After about five weeks, I definitely saw more brow hairs growing in on my left eyebrow and the hair that did grow in was dark brown and not grey or white. So I can personally attest to the fact that it does live up to its claims and does work on eyebrows. And if any of you have tried it on your eyelashes, I’d love to hear your results.

It’s definitely a product that you need to keep using to maintain good results. However, the company does say that once you get the amount of growth you want on your lashes or brows, you only need to apply the serum three to four times a week rather than every night.

Two Other Good Eyelash Products

In addition to the Pro Eyelash Serum, Sweed also has two award-winning mascaras which are staples in many makeup artist kits. And I can understand why after trying them. Their Lash Lift Mascara lifts, lengthens and separates and unlike most mascara brushes that leave the first third of your lash roots bare, the skinny brush starts coating each individual lash from root to tip.

Their Cloud Mascara creates maximum volume as well as beautiful length. And the unique wand precisely separates each and every lash from root to tip for a dramatic fan-like effect. I love both of these mascaras and they work beautifully on my super sensitive eyes.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

Another Good Help for Eyelashes

And I also want to share with you another product that’s recently come on the market to help our lashes. As we all know, false eyelashes have been around for years – in fact, since 1911. They can certainly look beautiful but there’s definitely a learning curve with the application process. Plus, as I’ve gotten older, I often feel like a full band of eyelashes really looks too heavy on my eyes and actually makes them look smaller.

But the latest false eyelash product definitely piqued my interest since it has an adhesive band which can simply be pressed onto our lashes. I have the impress press on falsies from the brand Kiss. Each box contains 12 mini eyelash clusters – six are a medium length and six are a bit longer – that are self-adhesive which can be applied in a one-step process. There’s no glue or special magnetic eyeliner required. And they supposedly have 24-hour hold.

When applying them, you have to be careful to avoid touching the band area on the top of the lash that has the adhesive on it. Then you place the clusters underneath your natural lashes, being careful to make sure they’re applied to the bottom of your lashes and not to your waterline.

I have to confess that I really loved how they looked. However, it took me about 30 minutes to get three lash clusters attached to my lashes. First, I learned the hard way that even though the instructions on the back of the box say to remove the lashes by using the applicator, that does not work. At least I couldn’t get it to work. Instead, I had to remove them with my fingers. One cluster that I applied was actually touching the waterline and I could definitely feel it since it was a little irritating.

Overall, I’d say that if you have the patience to practice a bit with these, they do look gorgeous. The individual lash clusters also look more natural than traditional false eyelashes. But personally, I think I’m going to just stick to eyelash primer and two coats of mascara since patience is not my long suit.

Does This Product Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

Founded by David Bean, a mechanical engineer who built his career on developing laser technologies, Nira launched its flagship product, the Nira Precision Laser tool, in 2019. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this device, it’s the first and only painless at-home laser device with a small enough tip to target hard to treat areas around the eyes and mouth.

It’s FDA cleared and is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. It works by stimulating natural collagen production to create younger looking skin in 90 days. It takes time for the collagen to rebuild, but the company says that you can expect to see visible wrinkle improvements within 60 days and dramatic results after 90 days with regular use. In the accompanying video, I’ll show you how the NIRA device works.

The Results

To be honest, since I’m 76 – which is considerably older than most other beauty YouTubers – I wasn’t expecting to see dramatic results. But the results I have seen have really surprised me. After 57 days, the 11 lines between my eyebrows have almost disappeared, my nasal labial folds are less pronounced, the vertical lines around my mouth have also become much less pronounced and even the lines under my eyes and my cheekbones are less noticeable. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing my three-month results since that’s the period of time needed to see the most dramatic outcome.

It’s definitely nice to know that there are interesting and innovative products out there in the beauty world that do indeed work!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you tried any beauty tools such as micro current devices or lasers? If so, what’s been your experience with them? Have you tried false eyelashes or an eyebrow growth serum? If so, how did these products work for you?

It’s the most wonderful and streamable time of the year!

I was already working on this article over the weekend, when yesterday, I stumbled on a piece of writing published in the Wall Street Journal, titled “October is the Time to Reset Goals” by Ann-Marie Alcantara.

I was amazed by the coincidence and thought, “OMG, I am on the right track!”

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with the whole story, though I will share the direct link below, so stay tuned for that.

Instead, I will give you 10 reasons why I agree with the reasoning about resetting goals in October. After 30 years in the matchmaking business, I’ve seen this every October and apparently, so has Ann-Marie of the WSJ.

The Idea Behind October Theory

The idea here? It’s dubbed “October Theory,” and it revolves around people rethinking their approach to the last three months of the year. I find this to be true with my new clients too. They accept October as a time to set goals, pick up new habits (dating) and reflect – essentially taking on the role New Year’s plays.

Remember how we reset ourselves in the Fall – going back to college, high school, etc.? It gave us a feeling of newness; the desire to change some things. Yep, that feeling!

Ready for a Pre-Holiday Reset?

Here we go with my 10 dating tips:

#1: Think Outside Your “Type”

You may always go for the 6’2″ athlete, but love can surprise you. I’ve seen many people fall for someone they swore wasn’t their type.

#2: Don’t Expect Perfection

No one is perfect, or even remotely close, so don’t expect it from yourself either! Embrace imperfections.

#3: Your Date Is Not a Mind Reader

A healthy relationship needs communication, chemistry, and shared values. Did I mention communication?

#4: Trust Your Gut

If something feels off – like a sketchy profile or one suspicious photo – listen to your instincts.

#5: Don’t Get Attached Too Quickly

One date doesn’t mean you’ve met “the one.” Rushing to quit dating others after one great date is a bad idea. I had this happen yesterday with a client – she wants to stop meeting other men even though she’s only had one super date. Nope. I’d give it 4-5 dates before you ditch others.

#6: Dive into Online Dating

Set a goal for four first dates in the first two weeks. It’ll build your confidence, especially if you’ve been out of the dating scene for a while.

#7: Say Yes

Whether it’s a party, a hike with new people, or a date with someone you’re unsure about, take the chance. You never know where it might lead.

#8: Live in the Moment

Stop worrying about date #3 or how it will work with your kids. Focus on enjoying the present moment.

#9: Don’t Overthink If They Stop Texting

If they ghost you, don’t dwell on it. There’s a huge dating pool out there – move on!

#10: Know What You Deserve

Never settle. In my 30 years as a dating coach, I’ve learned one thing: there’s a lid for every pot.

Read the Wall Street Journal article here: “October is the Time to Reset Goals”.

If you’re ready to start dating, but are unsure how to go about it, let me help you. Click here to set up a free 15-minute call with me to see if I can help change your life.  It’s what I love to do.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you heard of October Theory? What goals have you decided to reset this October? How well are you navigating this decision?

As odd as it might sound, for most people losing weight is not really about the food, and it’s definitely not about going on a diet. Coming from a registered dietitian, this might sound surprising, but my decades of experience in helping people lose weight and keep it off have proven it true time and time again.

Most people know what they should be eating but they’re just not able to do it. I can’t even begin to tell you how many patients and clients I’ve counseled over the years, giving the best nutrition advice possible, and they weren’t able to follow “the plan.”

And my clients are smart people! They know that refined carbs and processed junk foods aren’t good for their bodies and that eating these foods won’t help them reach their weight loss goals.

And I knew this too. But it didn’t help.

My Own Experience with Food

When I was feeling neglected, I ate boxes of cookies and frozen waffles with butter and powdered sugar. When I was anxious or overwhelmed, I ate huge bowls of popcorn and bags of corn chips. When I was sad or lonely, I secretly ate ice cream and chocolate after everyone went to bed.

Of course, I knew better, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t help myself. I felt powerless over food.

And to make things worse, I’m a dietitian, specializing in helping people lose weight. I felt like a fraud.

It wasn’t until I started looking at WHY I was eating – and overeating – that I discovered what was going on.

My emotions were triggering my cravings and emotional eating!

What Happens When We Experience Emotions?

Our emotions don’t come out of nowhere. They are generated by our bodies based on what we are experiencing in any particular moment. For example, you may experience happiness when something good happens in your life and fear when you are feeling threatened or in danger.

The information stored in our bodies and minds from past experiences also influences what emotions we create and make us more reactive to that emotion in the future.

Ideally, three things happen when we experience an emotion:

1) Our body generates the emotional vibration;

2) We feel the emotion and any thoughts or physical sensations that come with it; and

3) We process the emotion and let it go.

But if we don’t allow ourselves to feel the emotion or if we don’t process it and let it go, the energy of that emotion becomes stuck, or trapped, in our bodies. This is often described as our emotional baggage. Instead of moving beyond your feelings of anger or grief (or whatever emotion you’re feeling), you hold this negative emotional energy in your body.

How Do Emotions Trigger Cravings and Emotional Eating?

It’s this negative, emotional energy that can trigger cravings and emotional eating along with other physical, mental, or emotional issues.

For example, let’s say you came home to an empty house each day after school, and you were lonely and sad. It’s unlikely that you knew how to process these emotions and let them go, so they got stored in your body and made you feel not so great.

The next thing you know, you’re raiding the cookie jar, and you start to feel better. Now your body is generating emotions like happiness and joy, and of course this feels much better than loneliness and sadness. In addition, the sugar from the cookies is spiking your serotonin and dopamine, which causes you to feel even better!

And thus, the cycle begins. Your body has learned that food soothes those negative emotions and makes you feel better.

And because those negative emotions of loneliness and sadness are still trapped in your body, when you feel those emotions in the future (as an adult), you’re triggered to soothe yourself with food, again and again. What makes this cycle even harder to break is that each time you use food to soothe your emotions, you’re reinforcing that pathway in your brain, making it stronger and stronger.

The solution is to deal with the underlying cause of the problem (the trapped emotions) instead of self-medicating with food.

Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take to Get Started

Step 1: Journal About Your Emotions

Identify the emotions that are triggering your cravings and emotions by journaling. Set aside some quiet time to reflect on what emotional states trigger your eating habits. Some common ones are lonely, sad, anxious, unworthy, and frustrated.

Step 2: Go Deep and Trust Your Intuition

Maybe you find yourself binge eating when a friend cancels your plans at the last minute. Notice how this feels in your body. Perhaps you feel a nauseous feeling in your gut, and this reminds you of the time when you were a teenager and your best friend ditched you and you felt abandoned. In this case, the trapped emotion is abandonment.

Step 3: Release the Trapped Emotion from Your Body

Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale say, “I’m releasing this trapped emotion of ____________.” You can also try visualizing releasing this energy from your body.

Step 4: Try Emotional Freedom Techniques

Consider energy healing techniques like EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). This is one of the techniques I teach my clients to use because it’s so fast and effective for releasing the emotional baggage we’ve accumulated over the years. We also use other energy healing techniques as well like The Emotion Code and Psych-K.

Conquering Your Emotional Eating Is Possible

Identifying and releasing the trapped emotions in your body can play a big role in reducing or eliminating your cravings and emotional eating.

If you’d like to learn more, I warmly invite you to watch my free training: How to Stop Cravings and Emotional Eating So You Can Lose the Weight and Keep It Off. At the end of the training, I offer a free consultation to talk about your situation and explore how I might help.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you tried to identify the emotions that trigger your eating habits? What are they and what do you do to battle them?