Oh. My. God.

Last night we watched this show on BBC America called “Super Botox Me”. All I could think the whole time was, “Thank God for my Avon Anew products.” Truthfully.

In the spirit of investigative journalism, 39-year-old British lifestyle journalist Kate Spicer sets off to check out the latest in cosmetic procedures to, in her case, try to reverse the aging process.

She started out having a “before” picture taken by a professional fashion photographer. In the picture she’s sitting on a stool with her elbows on her knees, head in her hands and not smiling. Not doing anything to try to look better. It reminded me of that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie is supposed to do a shoot for a magazine to highlight being 30 and fabulous but she shows up to the set hung over and they shoot her anyway. It was that bad.

And then, just in case she’s not feeling bad enough, they bring in a 16-year-old model to compare her to. I totally wanted to cry foul! on that one. I mean, you can’t compare any 39 year old skin to 16 year old skin.

I say that Spicer is trying to reverse the aging process because the truth is she does look like about 40 miles of bad road. She admits to several years of hard living, including drinking and smoking. However, I really felt like if she’s just tried some kind of skincare regimen it would have helped her a lot.

It’s probably because of my own recent success with the Anew products, but it seemed like everything she was unhappy with on her face could have been helped with less pain (to both her body and her wallet) with some kind of skincare product..



At the beginning of the program she really didn’t want to have Botox injections but was doing it as part of the investigation. However, as the show went on and she saw almost instant results, she wanted to try more and more. At one point, while she’s paying for a $2,400 treatment, she mentioned that she was glad she wasn’t footing the bill.

By the end of the show she had totally drunk the Kool-Aid. She was a convert to the world of sticking toxins in your skin and it sounded like she’d be getting more treatments as needed. It’s as though she became addicted to the compliments she was getting about her looks. But I had to wonder, how much of it will she get when it’s on her dime?

Anyway, I just decided to share this because while watching the show, I was literally picturing Avon products in my head that would have helped her less painfully than her treatments. Maybe I should send her a catalog.

Until next time…

Funny Valentine

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I was all set to write about the great gifts available from my Avon e-store until I started perusing the catalog and came across these babies! For all of my friends who love to bake, this is right up your alley.

Personally, I love to bake but don’t have the patience to do more than pour something from a box and add eggs and water. So I suppose it’s more accurate to say that I don’t really love to bake so much as I love to eat what comes out of the oven when I do bake. However, I do know some people who are quite talented bakers and I’m sure they could make some tasty and beautiful treats for their Valentines.


And this, Debbie Meyer Cupcake Genius™ , really is genius! Now it seems there’s an easy way for anybody to make cupcakes with hidden creamy deliciousness!

For those of you who’d like to order something from Avon for your special Valentine, this is the time to do it. The order I place on Friday, January 28, will be the last one for items to arrive in time. If you go to my e-store and find something you like, let me know and I’ll check the availability of that item.

Until next time…

After 2 Weeks...

I’m still doing pretty well keeping up with my new skincare routine. There have been a couple of nights when I’ve neglected to cleanse and moisturize but I expected that.
I continue to be impressed with my ANEW Reversalist Night Renewal Cream and ANEW Reversalist Day Cream. The texture of my skin is improving for sure. Down around my jaw line I have some sort of deep wrinkles that are the result of sun damage and I’ve always assumed I’d just have to live with it. However, that area is beginning to improve, too!

And, I’m beginning to see a difference around my eyes from using the ANEW Reversalist Illuminating Eye System, as well. With the eye cream, the area around my eyes is definitely smoother, though I still have dark circles and puffiness. However, I think I said before that those can probably be more attributed to lack of sleep and allergies.

Since I’ve always been a sucker for gadgets of the makeup/skincare variety (Anyone remember those Biore Pore Strips that you put across your nose and then ripped off?), I’m going to try Avon’s Solutions Vibes Wake Up Eye Roller. Based on the
success of the Anew products so far, I’m hoping this little goodie will live up to the claims as well. I’ve used it once so far and while I could feel the vibrations in my hand, I’m not sure they made it to my eye. I’ll need to pay more attention next time.

Another thing I’m trying this week is the Get A Tint Tinted Moisturizer Lotion SPF 15, out of the Mark. catalog. (Can I just say how much I love that name?! Anyone who knows me understands.) According to the book it’s, “A
lightweight, oil-free moisturizer with just enough color to even out your skin tone and give the appearance of a healthy glow. The unique skin-balancing formula hydrates while it helps prevent shine in those spots prone to excess oil.” I put some on this morning and it went on nice and evenly, thanks to my retexturized skin ;), and feels nice and light. And so far I’m not noticing any oil in the t-zone.

So the gist of it is that the texture of my skin is beginning to improve with the Anew Reversalist products. And since I never really understood what that meant, you know whe you see in ads: "95% of users saw improvement in the texture of their skin after just an hour!", I think it's a good thing because now I totally get what they're talking about.

Until next time...

After 1 Week...

While the jury is still out until I can try more of the products, I like the basic Anew Reversalist skincare products very much!

The very first night I used the ANEW Reversalist Night Renewal Cream I could not believe how silky it made my skin feel. Judging by the way the cream felt on my face I was prepared to use a toner in the morning to wash off the oily residue that I often find on my face after using a nighttime moisturizer. I was happily surprised that I didn’t need one.

The ANEW Reversalist Day Cream left my face feeling equally as silky. In fact, I find myself touching my face during the day to see if it’s still really that soft. And it is! =)

I’m not sure the ANEW Reversalist Illuminating Eye System is any better than any other eye product I’ve used and my eyes still seem to have darkish circles under them. However, to be honest, it could have more to do with a lack of sleep or allergies on my part. So I’m still reserving judgment on that one.

Here’s what I do know for sure. The deep creases in my neck* seem to have softened. They’re still there and visible but they feel softer which gives me hope that after a few more weeks they’ll be less visible. The same goes for the deep creases I have by my eyebrows. You know, the ones you get from scrunching your face as if to say, “What the…?” Evidently I do that way too much. But those creases are definitely softer. I also notice that my tinted moisturizer and makeup go on much smoother. There’s less fuss in trying to get them even. Finally, I had little rough patches on either side of my nose where my glasses sit. The roughness is now gone. The reddish marks are still there but they’re not as pronounced without the rough skin.

In my opinion, the one down side of each of the above products is the packaging. While the little red jars are very pretty, I have always preferred my products in tubes. It’s much easier to judge the right amount of product to use when you’re squeezing it out of a tube to something like “a dime-sized amount” or the “size of the head of a pin.” With the jars you’re just dabbing your finger (or, in my case, a Q-tip) in and seeing what comes out. Having said that, it’s definitely not enough to make me pass on the products!

I’ve also had the chance to try some eye shadows. I ordered the True Colors Eye Shadow Quad in Purple Haze and Mocha Latte.
I like them well enough and they seemed to last through the day without creasing so that’s great. But I’m still trying to find the right combinations and the right amount of the product to use. It’s always the same story when I change makeup. I get either too much or too little of it and have to keep working. But I know I’ll figure it out.

Until next time…

*Tip: When it comes to skincare, whatever you do to your face you should also do to your neck. That’s skincare, not makeup.

New Year, New Skin Care Routine

That dark secret I was talking about in my last post? Well, it’s around my eyes. And in a couple of brownish spots on my face.

There. I said it. MY SKIN IS AGING! (Whaaaaaaa!!!!!)

Seriously, though. I’m 44 years old and I have taken my skin for granted for a very long time. Not just taken it for granted but really not taken care of it at all. No wonder it’s going south on me. Literally. Headed south.

The truth is that I used to take great care of my skin. When I was in my 20s and I could have totally gotten away with not taking care of it… It was a rarity that I went to bed without removing the day’s makeup, dirt and grime. I used good moisturizers and sun screen religiously. I used great eye creams and super gentle eye makeup remover.

Now? Most nights I fall into bed without even thinking about a washcloth. Ah, who am I kidding? It’s every night unless I happened to have jumped in for a quick shower. I do still use sunscreen but only because it comes in the tinted moisturizer I use for a daytime look in place of makeup. And I haven’t been able to find an eye cream I love so I’ve gone without. There’s an eye makeup remover that I like very much but I can’t always find it at the store so when it’s gone I do without.

When I started selling Avon products the first thing I thought was that I’d be able to start a new skincare regime. But when I started looking at all the products I was a bit overwhelmed so I did what I often do when faced with such a situation. I stalled. Then I started thinking I can have all the great products in the world but if I don’t use them it doesn’t matter. So I decided I needed to figure out where this new routine would fit in my day first. Now I’ll be removing my makeup at night when my son is in the bath. (Let that be fair warning to anyone who decides to drop by after that!)

What does this new routine consist of? Well, I’ve decided to use Avon’s Anew line and according to the questionnaire I filled out,
I should use Reversalist products.

The card will tell you what skincare basics you should use (cleansing, moisturizing and eye care*) or you can take the quiz online and it will recommend additional products for specific concerns. My online quiz reiterated the use of Reveralist products and also suggested Anew Reversalist Renewal Serum, Anew Clinical Luminosity, a brightening serum, and Anew Clinical Eye Lift.


I’m going to start with the basics (ANEW Reversalist Day Renewal Cream, ANEW Reversalist Night Renewal Cream and ANEW Reversalist Illuminating Eye System ) minus the cleanser for now. (I’m skipping the cleanser because I’ve got plenty of my current cleanser and I’m too, um, thrifty to buy another cleanser when I don’t need it.

As time goes by and finances permit I want to invest in some of the other suggested products – especially that eye lift stuff!
I’ve gotten to the point where if I want my eyeliner to go on smooth I have to hold out the corner of my eye. =( Maybe that will help!

Finally, if any of you would like to go on this journey with me, Avon currently has a sale on Anew “try it” size packages. They consist of cleanser, day and night moisturizers and eye cream for around $25 (more or less depending on the system that’s right for you.

Until next time.

*When I worked for a cosmetics line many years ago, the basics were cleansing, toning and moisturizing plus eye care. However, according to Avon, with the Anew products there’s no need to use a toner in the routine.

Happy New Year Everyone!

O.K., O.K…. It’s been a while since I’ve made a post but that’s because I’ve been wrapped up in the holidays and now we’re wrapping up the holidays. Don’t you hate how it’s so much fun to put out all those great holiday decorations but it’s such a drag with a Capital D to take them down and put them away?

Anyway, here I am in 2011 and I’ve got a few Avon products that I’ve tried and that I like very much…

The first is the Healthy Makeup lipstick with SPF 15. It’s made with vitamins A, E and B complex and seems to keep my lips nice and moist. I’m not a person who likes heavy lipstick so I really like the sheerness of this product. I’ve used the Fresh Berry for just a hint of color and to help keep my lips moisturized in the dry winter air. A total winner as far as I’m concerned.

There’s also a Healthy Makeup Lip Conditioner with SPF 15 to pamper and heal your already chapped lips. The conditioner comes in 5 shades, including clear (is clear a shade?). You can check them out here in my e-store.

The other thing I tried was the GLAZEWARE Shine Lip Gloss. Now, I’m not a fan of lip gloss typically. I find it thick and gummy and just too… much, I guess. Plus, when I put it on with that little wand it tickles my lips. However, in the name of product testing I tried it in Darling Pink and I was happily surprised. I thought the color and amount of shine was just right for me – I was going to a holiday party with my husband – and it didn’t feel sticky or weird.


GLAZEWARE Lip Gloss comes in three varieties, each having to do with how much shininess the product has, as well as clear. The varieties are Shine (which is what I tried), Sparkle and Intense. And each variety has several different colors. You can see them for yourself in my e-store.

As a bonus, if you don’t know what variety or color you’d like, or don’t want to commit to just one, Avon also makes each variety in a mini, offering two colors in each. So first, the minis are really cute. And second, they’re a bargain at 99 cents apiece.

So that’s what I’ve got for now. In the next few days I’m going to delve into skin care and reveal a dark secret. =)