February 21, 2020
A product for optimal injection results, my thoughts about Fenty Beauty, The Laundress changed my life, a novel way to whiten your teeth and Eminence Organics' way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Get this before your next injection appointment
I’ve heard (and seen) some post-injection horror stories that involved major bruising—and when this happens a day or two before an event it’s definitely a nightmare scenario. This is exactly is why you should schedule any aesthetic treatment at least a week before a special occasion, and make sure you avoid blood-thinning medications like ibuprofen and aspirin as well as certain supplements like St. John’s wort, gingko biloba, flaxseed oil and omega-3s. (If you’re new to the injection game, ask when you call to schedule your appointment.)
Yet some people are just more prone to bruising than others, even if they take these pre-injection preventative measures. (Fortunately I’ve never bruised after toxin or filler injections, but I still keep arnica cream in my medicine cabinet just in case.) The good news is, now’s there’s a product designed to help minimize post-injection side effects—and improve the appearance of your skin while it’s at it.
Meet Alastin’s INhance Post-Injection Serum… Safe for use immediately after injections, this recovery-enhancing elixir not only speeds the clearing of bruising and swelling, it supports the skin’s production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid as well. This means that you get more than wrinkle-smoothing and/or plumping from your injections—and you get improvement in skin quality and texture, too. (And it also features a cooling metal applicator to help soothe any temporary tenderness after treatment.)
I gave the ingredient list a gander and saw plenty of peptides and botanical extracts, but one in particular caught my attention. It’s called lactoferrin, and this is an iron-binding protein that has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing and cell-regenerating properties. Sounds like the ideal recipe for post-injection recovery to me!
Whether you opt for special post-treatment products or not, just be sure to follow your provider’s aftercare instructions to a tee—whether that means taking a day off from working out or making sure you sleep on your back (this all depends on the injectables you get). When I went for Jeuveau on Wednesday, I was told not to bend over for six hours. My husband made fun of me for doing squats to empty the lower rack of the dishwasher , but it was a small price to pay to ensure the best results when the toxin kicks in!
Alastin INhance Post-Injection Serum
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 4 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
Am I over-thinking Fenty Beauty?
I’m always one to give credit when due, and I read something on Byrdie yesterday that I can’t stop thinking about. It was a story about Fenty Beauty secrets, and there are several reasons why this is interesting (at least to me).
I might possibly be the only beauty writer/editor who has never tried Fenty Beauty. There are a few reasons for this… First, I really dislike shopping for makeup at Sephora, unless I’m just popping in to replace something I’ve already been using. I just don’t find the environment to be conducive for playing—and I’d much rather go to a department store and have someone show me options and how to use them. Second, I’m intimidated by the breadth of the Fenty Beauty line. There’s so much going on I don’t even know where to start. Third, although Rihanna has more talent in one of her artfully-embellished, talon-like fingernails than I ever will—and is an extraordinarily beautiful woman no matter what she wears (or doesn’t)—her personal style doesn’t resonate with me. And finally, I’m just not into super-glittery, shimmery makeup so I take my business elsewhere.
Back to that tidbit of advice from Byrdie… Apparently Fenty Beauty’s Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter is worn almost as often as eyeshadow. They can also be used as-is (which is a cream-to-powder) or applied with a damp brush for more intensity. (BTW, this holds true for many eyeshadows.) Perhaps this caught my attention because I like playing with eyeshadow more than highlighter—so I immediately checked it out online.
Available in four solo shades (the gold “Trophy Wife” looks so FUN!), there are also five duos that I had to inspect further. Four of them are perfectly-paired neutrals (one more subtle, one more supercharged) that I would totally wear on a daily basis—and who knows, maybe I’d step up my highlighter game too if I had one. To get even more granular, the “Fire Crystal” shade brought memories of Stila’s “Kitten” eyeshadow flooding back. This was my ride-or-die in the late 90s-early 00s—but the formula changed at some point and it just doesn’t suit me like it used to.
So is this going to be my first foray into Fenty Beauty? I’ll let you know after my next trip to the mall, and if any of you have tried this product, please let me know your thoughts!
UPDATE: I was just rifling through my beauty closet and I came across Pixi Beauty’s Glow-y Gossamer Duo. Although I still haven’t tried the Fenty first-hand (yet), Pixi’s “Delicate Dew” combo seems to be just what I found so alluring about the Fenty version above—so I’m all good for the time being!
I've died and gone to laundry heaven
Laundry is kind of like cilantro… Most people vehemently hate it or simply tolerate it. I personally love cilantro—which may be why I’m also one of those outliers who actually enjoys doing laundry. I won’t let my housekeeper go near my hampers, and I wouldn’t even let my baby nurse wash the endless stream of onesies, bibs and burp cloths when I had one (despite the fact that I was a new mom recovering from childbirth and on barely any sleep). The actual folding is probably the main reason, as I’m all into the Kondo folding method to keep my drawers tidy (but I fold my husband and son’s clothes normally).
Growing up, my mom’s detergent of choice was Gain, so my detergent of choice was Gain. (OMG, when the scent-booster beads came out I was over the moon.) Even now, when I give one of my friends my son’s lightly-worn clothes for her younger son, their family actually calls it something along the lines of the “Axel smell.”
But shortly after I started eliminating chemicals from my personal-care routine, I knew my household cleaning products had to be next. The thought of giving up Gain caused some anxiety, so I eased into the potential transition by buying trial-sized “clean” detergents as I came across them at Publix or Target. In the meantime I found myself doing a lot of online research about the ingredients most commonly used in clean detergents—and which I should try to avoid.
Throughout this process, I kept going back to The Laundress. It’s hard not to thanks to the bountiful laundry and cleaning-product options, seemingly endless stream of content about how to wash specific fabrics and spots in your home—and the Stain Guide is my absolute favorite. (Try it and you’ll understand.) Oh, and the fact that The Laundress teamed up with Le Labo and created a detergent form of my favorite perfume (Santal 33) made it a no-brainer. (It also didn’t hurt that I’ve been working with The Laundress’ publicist for a few years now, and we’ve become the sort of work “friends” who talk about our personal lives, too.)
I told her about my laundry conundrum and she graciously offered to send a bunch of stuff my way—and I was like a kid on Christmas morning as I unboxed. (I’m not sure my husband will ever look at me the same.) Between the Signature Detergent, Wool & Cashmere Shampoo, Sport Detergent, Delicate Wash and Le Labo’s Santal 33 and Rose 31 detergents, I couldn’t wait to fire up the machine.
Yes, it may seem ridiculous to have an entire menu of detergent options, but I’ve used each and every one of them (except for the Wool & Cashmere one, since it’s been a rather warm winter). I’ll admit that I only use the Santal 33 detergent on MY delicates—and the scent is slowly but surely becoming a bit more noticeable when I walk into my closet. (Yay!) I truly enjoy all of the fragrances (and have no issue with the fact they don’t match), and every one gets their specific job done. But the best part is that everything is non-toxic, biodegradable, allergen-free and formulated without petrolatum, phosphates, phthalates or artificial color. (One less thing to worry about!)
Although I definitely have enough detergent to last for quite a while (and a Trader Joe’s backup for those random loads I wouldn’t want to waste the “good stuff” on), I can 100% say I’ll buy The Laundress when it’s time to replenish my supply—and I’m sure I’ll be trying several of the other products before that happens. (The Crease Release and Home Cleaning Best Sellers Kit are calling my name!)
The easiest way to brighten your smile ever
So I have a little thing about my teeth… Maybe it’s oral dysmorphic disorder, but they just can’t seem to be straight or white enough, hence regular visits to the orthodontist (yup, at age 43) and ongoing tooth-color maintenance at home. From strips and light-based devices to custom whitening trays and professional-grade hydrogen peroxide gel, I have them all. But when I came across a totally new way to “lighten up” just my brushing as usual, I had to try it.
This genius product, Linhart Tooth Whitener Gel, basically helps you optimize the brightness of your smile with zero extra oral-care effort. Created by New York City’s dynamic dental father-son duo Drs. Jan and Zachary Linhart, all you have to add is add a drop of this hydrogen peroxide gel on top of your toothpaste before you brush. Gentle enough for daily use, it causes no sensitivity while delivering a visible boost in whiteness after just a few days.
Needless to say, I’m totally hooked—and the fact that I don’t have to set aside extra time (on top of all of my other beauty “duties”) makes it even better. And a little goes a long way, so $24 is a pittance to pay for a bright (yet not-quite Ross Geller-esque), white smile.
Linhart Tooth Whitener Gel
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 5 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
A sweet Valentine’s treat (minus the calories)
Truth be told, the older I get the less I care about Valentine’s Day. My husband and I have been together for almost 16 years (and he’s never been a big observer—shocker), but we at least try to acknowledge this Hallmark holiday in some small way just to set an example for our son. At this point, my husband knows that chocolate as a gift is verboten—but that doesn’t mean I won’t indulge my sweet tooth.
For all the yumminess without the carbs, check out Eminence Organic Skin Care’s Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque. With antioxidant-rich cocoa and a hydrating blend of macadamia, almond and jojoba oils that smells good enough to eat, it helps smooth and revitalize the skin while targeting visible signs of aging—and a jar will last a lot longer than a surge-priced bouquet of roses!
Eminence Organic Skin Care Chocolate Mousse Hydrating Masque
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 4 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
Free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates; cruelty-free