Home Lasers– Day 1

It’s no secret that I’m a fan  of  lasers.  I respect their power to erase dark patches, eliminate  lines and fry away  unwanted  facial hair.  But they are expensive and when I saw  the arrival of home lasers I was interested– but cautious.  Lasers are powerful tools and in inexperienced hands can cause burns, scars, discolorations and even eye damage. 

At Beauty Bash in October, I stopped at the Palovia Booth to talk with the rep about their home laser kit.  I was delighted to learn that its made by Palomar, one of the most highly regarded makers of professional grade lasers used by dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons.  I was even more impressed to hear that Palovia   is FDA approved  to reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes.

They offered me a machine to try out and  despite my natural cowardice, I really wanted to see what anti-aging benefits they can deliver.   The thick instruction booklet  was a little daunting.  It had a fairly extensive   list of guidelines and I read it severral times  before feeling comfortable enough to get things started.  There are several on and off buttons,  charging instructions, choices in intensity, and a list of  potential problems that were sobering.  And I have to admit that I was afraid of pain. 

I charged it up  for several hours, read the booklet one  more time and was ready to start– with baby steps.  The instruction book recommends trying out the machine on your arm to get used to the sensation.  I decided to try  the home laser on my arm for several sessions to see how my skin responds. I adjusted  the Palovia to its lowest setting and as per instructions, I spread on a layer of gel I ( included in the kit). I  placed the head of the machine on my arm and pressed the on button.  I felt a very mild buzzing sensation  for three seconds, then the machine turned off.  That was my signal to move to another area. I repeated the treatment in four closely linked areas.  When I wiped off the gel,  my skin felt a tiny bit irritated and  the redness lasted for about an hour.  So far, so good.  The sensation was definately not painful and I’m going to continue tonight,  extending the treatment time to see how my skin responds. Baby steps.

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Its Fashion Flash Monday!

This weeks host is Jodell at BLack  Cat Plus.  My beautiful aunt was a plus size woman and I remember how frustating it was  for her to shop for clothes.  She would often delay  looking for a new outfit, stating she was waiting to lose weight.  Today there are so many amazing choices for plus size women and Jodell describes them vividly.  Black Cat Plus would have been such a wonderful resource for her.  Recently Cat profiled beautiful grey clothing including a spectacular grey vest with  draped edges.  Perfect for work and dinners out.

And this week I’m really excited to see my BFF Beth Chamberlin starring on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit on Dec 7.  She played Beth Spaulding on Guiding Light and legions of fans are still mourning  the cancellation of their favorite show.  On Special Victims Unit she is the wife of , a former football superstar suspected of murder played by Treat Williams.  I  met Beth when I packaged her first novel– Lorelei’s Diary– a book that  was part of  her plot line on GL and also appeared at the same time in  bookstores across the country.  Lorelei’s Diary  was very successful and Beth is now working on another novel.  But the project  closest to her  heart is her Beauty and Health Website that includes a blog from her husband Dr Peter Roy.  Beth is a huge fan of Kettle Bells and she has developed   videos that demonstrate how to use them in an exercise program.  I have to admit they I don’t love to exercise, but her Kettle Bell program is the first one  that  actually has  made a difference to my shape.

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Kojic Acid– Can it lighten my skin?

Kojic Acid  has been around for almost  100 years.  It was originally discovered by Japanese scientists  who were working on different fermenting methods  to turn malted rice into sake.  As the story goes, the scientists noticed that spots and freckles on their hands disappeared after working with Sake production.  Kojic Acid has been a popular Japanese beauty aid for generations.  In recent years we’ve learned that Kojic Acid acts somewhat  like hydroquinone by preventing melanin  formation.

Research has shown that Kojic Acid can be effective but it has its problems.  On the one  hand it tends to be unstable and high concentrations are often needed to be an  effective spot buster.  On the other hand, Kojic can be very irritating and is known  to cause allergic reactions.  Often the best solution is to combine lower concentrations of Kojic acid with other skin lighteners like soy or hydroquinone.

If you want to try Kojic acid skin lightening creams, make sure you do a little patch test on your arm before slathering it on your face.

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