Jade Roller aka: Anti-Aging Jade Therapy

Do you roll?  I do.

I first learned about the jade roller about a year and a half ago when Cate Blanchett's makeup artist, Morag Ross, mentioned Cate's early morning makeup trailer regime for the film Carol.  Because of early morning call times in film, often an actress' face is still puffy.  You can't put Cate Blanchett on camera all puffy with pillow case creases on her face!  Heaven forbid.  So Morag would roll Cate's face prior to makeup application.  This sounded lovely to me so I invested in one ($24).

But first, a little history: Jade Rollers have been used for centuries by Chinese Empresses to refine and enhance skin elasticity.  Believed to have mystical powers, Jade is considered a symbol of beauty, grace and longevity.  This semiprecious stone has properties that allow it to remain cold on contact (even in warm weather).  This cooling effect helps to close pores, tighten skin and increase lymphatic drainage.  By stimulating meridians points, the Jade Roller promotes facial Chi (or Prana in India,  a life force or energy) for increased radiance and vitality.

Let me mention quickly about the benefits of lymphatic drainage (or lymphatic massage).  Our Lymphatic system is our defense against infection and disease, it's our body's second circulatory system.  Lymphatic massage is one of the best things you can do to help your body help itself.  

The lymphatic system has no "pump" of its own to move lymph through the system, as the circulatory system has the heart. Rather, bodily movement and breathing function to move liquid lymph through the vessels and filters of the lymph nodes. For people who get too little exercise and eat too much processed food, the lymphatic system can easily be overtaxed - resulting in a body that is susceptible to infection and disease. -Naturalnews.com

Lymphatic drainage massage is an easy home remedy with profound effects. According to a lymph system article (http://www.jonbarron.org/article/optimizing-your-lymph-system) by Jon Barron of the Baseline of Health Foundation, lymphatic massage can increase the volume of lymph flow by as much as 20 times, vastly increasing the system's ability to remove toxins and infectious materials. Studies have found lymphatic drainage massage to be a medically beneficial form of physical therapy for a range of lymphedema-related problems.

I'll I know is it works!  It feels so good in the morning and by keeping my roller in the refrigerator it quickly aids in depuffing my eyes.  Perks you up too!

Here are the benefits to the face:

• Enhances skin elasticity, tightening and toning facial muscles
• Helps refine pores
• Reduces puffiness and dark circles around eyes
• Helps relieve facial tension and discourages fine lines and wrinkles
• Improves circulation and revitalizes oxygen flow
• Aids in elimination of toxins, reducing stress and inflammation
• Improves sinus conditions and congestion

While this won't take 10 years off your face, it might help you feel younger, and with daily use it will benefit your lymph system which as you've read above is proven to aid in health and beauty.  The number one thing I notice each day is it depuffs my eyes, it just does!  I love it!

Not all jade rollers are created equally and since I've researched this ad nauseam I'm providing a link for your convenience.  I trust Ginger Chi; they get great reviews in product and customer service AND a percentage of their sales are donated to women and the environment!  Win!

http://gingerchi.com/collections/skin-care/products/gingerchi-chi-roller-anti-aging-jade-therapy-with-free-sample

One last thing, and this is important.... in rolling, you add ZERO pressure.  You are not ironing out wrinkles here.  Pressing hard will not work or get you better results.  The weight of the jade stone does all the work for you, you simply just roll across your face.  Moving our lymphs fluids around, which sit directly under the skin, requires light touch.  Do we understand?  I know some of you women with scrubs, you think by scrubbing or rubbing hard you erase damage but you only hurt your skin.  Be gentle.  The skin on our face is delicate so your technique should be as well.  Still, I know someone out there will treat this like a steamroller.  Just stop!

Roll outwards, never inwards

Outward roll across upper eyelids and brow bone

Outward roll under the eye, never roll inward, pick up the roller then roll outward repeatedly

Rolling outward, are we sensing a message here?

And on forehead and cheeks and neck, roll UP only, never ever down

Love the two sides, the smaller for eyes and nose, the larger for forehead, cheeks and neck

It comes with this diagram and directions so it's fool proof!  Such a great roller.

I hope I've intrigued many of you.  I am not suggesting you all run out and buy a roller but I love the feeling and benefits of it each morning and thought you might too.  I hope this has been A Good Fit!

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My Favorite Piece of Skin Care for Anti-aging

No filter, only tinted moisturizer and concealer under eyes,  49 years old

Did you know you don't have to spend a lot of money for incredibly effective anti-aging products?

Who, like me, has thrown hundreds and thousands of dollars towards products that made bold claims only to find our skin didn't really look different?  

Let me help you save money while using a product that most top dermatologists and skin care experts agree is a daily necessity for anti-aging: Vitamin C serum.

What do the experts say about Vitamin C serum?:

Vitamin C serum stimulates the synthesis of collagen in the skin which will give you a tighter, firmer and less sagged feel. It is a good first-step solution to treat the onset of wrinkles. Restores and regenerates – Vitamin C attacks the free radicals in your body and does some hardcore damage management. (Dermatology Review)

**Experts also love Retin-A but that is a post for another time.**

So, how do you choose the right Vitamin C serum for you?  Vitamin C serums can range broadly in price AND can become very unstable depending on packaging and how you store them.  It is always recommended to keep your serum in a cool, dry place.  Serums start out clear or slightly cloudy but once they turn deep yellow are completely ineffective and need to be tossed.  Trust me when I say I learned the hard way.

The company who really spear-headed the Vitamin C serum was SkinCeuticals and while they once began with a simple Vitamin C serum, now have many different strengths and formulas.  They are highly regarded in the skin care industry but their products are spendy!

Retails for $163.00 1 fl oz/30 ml

Obagi also makes a Vitamin C serum (10%) which is recommended for sensitive skin types.

Retails for $48, 1 fl oz

Timeless makes a 20% C+E Ferulic Acid Serum (much like SkinCeutical's) but is only $24.95 for the same 30ml.  I've been using it since September and my skin really glows.  I've even had three separate gentlemen compliment me on my glowy skin recently and I've changed nothing in my regime except adding this.  I mean, what man compliments a woman's skin???  I use this every single morning after I wash and tone.  I keep it in the refrigerator because I bought this last year and it only lasted 6 weeks under my bathroom sink.  The cold and dark climate of your refrigerator will keep this preserved until the last drop, which I'm just about to.  So this bottle has lasted me 4 months!  And for $24.95!  You can buy it on Amazon but it is suggested that buying directly from Timeless will result in a fresher batch of serum.  Your call.

For your convenience: and on sale now for $16.99!!!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Skin-Vitamin-Ferulic-Serum/dp/B0036BI56G/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1484524254&sr=1-1&keywords=timeless%2B20%2Bvitamin%2Bc%2Be%2Bferulic%2Bacid%2Bserum&th=1

Retails for $24.95, 1 fl oz/30ml

A word of caution, it is recommended to work up to a 20% but I haven't had a problem with it.  It does tingle a bit, especially after exfoliation, but I love the feeling.  I could see sensitive skin reacting to this though.  You could always try Obagi which is a 10%.  After one bottle of 10% you should be ready to step it up to 20%.

To see the full effect of this product work, you have to use it everyday.  Don't forget by only using it 3X a week as you won't get the same results.  And it is HIGHLY recommended that you use a daily SPF (i say 30 or higher) but that is a no-duh, right?  I mean, who doesn't wear daily SPF in this day and age?

After I wash, tone and use this serum, I then apply my moisturizer mixed with a few drops of oil followed by my SPF, the last thing I put on my face before makeup.

I hope this post helps your understanding of why a Vitamin C serum is a great tool for anti-aging and if this has added value to your day, would you please share?  Or go to my Facebook Michelle Spieler Fit By 50 page and "like" it for me, http://www.facebook.com/michellespielerfitby50 

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Thanks for reading!  

Foundation Options for Mature Skin

I'm going to be brutally honest with you, and if you've followed me for any length of time you know that's just what I do.  I don't love foundation.  I did when I was younger but by my late 30s my skin was starting to reveal texture and enlarged pores which I found foundation only enhanced.  Keep in mind that I have been in the beauty industry since 1992 so I knew a LOT about makeup, what brands worked, what didn't.  Cut to 2003, right before I fell into TV, I took a job at a swanky little LA boutique that celebrities and the cool kids shopped at, Fred Segal.  A natural, darling gal came in one day for the Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer and when she told me her age I was shocked.  Her skin was glorious and it looked like skin!  She attributed it to good SPF and Bobbi Brown.  She hadn't had any work done as far as I could tell, and I saw a LOT of "work" daily at that boutique.  THAT was the day I ditched foundation and forever pledged my allegiance to tinted moisturizer.  I loved how it made my skin look and it didn't enhance any signs of aging.

She makes an oil-free version too but SPF15 is not enough so wear a higher SPF daily under it.

Once I reached my 40s, my skin became even more texturized, uneven, and I saw sunspots galore.  I still used my tinted moisturizer every day but now I needed more coverage in some areas.  Instead of switching back to a face full of foundation, I decided to just use spot coverage.  I really liked the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick for that.  I really only used it on my nose, chin, and inner cheeks and just blended it into my tinted moisturizer.  You could certainly do the same with any liquid foundation of your choice, and while the Beauty Blender sponge works well, I prefer my fingers as skin blends beautifully on skin.

Comes in 24 colors

I was faithful to my Bobbi Brown for about 10 years until I moved to a town in North Carolina that didn't sell Bobbi Brown AND add to that, my sister worked for Lancome so that came with a discount.  I started using their tinted moisturizer and while I didn't love it as much as Bobbi's, it was more affordable.  However, Lancome changed their formula and it's now called a Beauty Balm cream and it is lovely!  I think it has even more coverage than before but because of ever-changing technology in the cosmetics industry, it looks like healthy skin!  I just love it!  I use it daily.  To spot correct in areas where I need more coverage I just got lazy and started using my concealer.  I've had an absolute love hate relationship with concealer for like FOREVER!  But I'm pretty happy with the one I've been using for 6 months and that is IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye.  It looks like skin AND they make an "illuminated" version too, but I'm waiting to finish my original formula first.  

I'm on the fair side and I still wear their #3.  Their #2 was TOO light for me.

I use Neutral Medium and you don't need much more than the size of a pinhead.

Just one more option for concealer, back in 2003-2006, all the celebrities were wearing the Cle de Peau concealer and I used that for many years and really liked it.  The only reason I no longer use it is because it's spendy, $70.  You can find it at Nordstrom, Saks, and Neiman Marcus.  It has a lot of coverage but is creamy.  Who knows what the red carpet wears now, I'm in NC y'all!

One of my followers recently wrote to me asking about a good foundation for herself.  She is in her 40s and was looking for staying power, oil-control and coverage for broken capillaries (something that comes to most of us as we age).  She had listed many different foundations she'd tried and they were all great quality but just not working for her.  I suggested Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra 24H because I used it on a commercial, on a 99 degree, high humidity North Carolina July day, and oh, the actresses were white water rafting too!  I panicked!  Having just moved here from Los Angeles I wasn't familiar with makeup in humidity.  My Lancome sister came to the rescue pouring me countless samples of this product in an array of colors.  I had a blonde, an asian, and a black actress so I needed a vast color range.  I used this foundation and after white water rafting, after lunch, I was shocked at the result.  Their skin looked perfect!  I only had to touch up around their mouths because they ate big sub sandwiches!  I was sold on this foundation and while it isn't a formula I'd use on myself, I keep it in my kit for staying power!  

And here is the Beauty Blender, works well, but I prefer my fingers

And finally, so you can see for yourselves, the photo on the left I am just wearing the Lancome Beauty Balm cream, and the one on the right I've also added the Bye Bye Under Eye in areas needing more coverage, under my eyes, my nose, cheeks and chin.  No need for a foundation for me, but I'm always open to products and ideas as there is ALWAYS learning to do in my industry.

No filter, no edits, no enhancing.  You can see I have better coverage on my nose, chin and cheeks.

I also have to give a shout out to Laura Mercier Cosmetics because my professional makeup kit is stocked mostly with her foundations, both moisturizing and oil-free.  Her makeup has held up to Hollywood red carpet events, TV, brides, and photo shoots.  It's a great foundation system, I just don't use liquids on myself.

And lastly, I buy my products with my own money.  I'm not a brand ambassador and I don't receive products for free, however, most companies give pro makeup artists a discount.  All the products mentioned are ones I've used for lengths of time both personally and professionally.  My word is not law though, just my opinion, but I hope it helps and adds value to your life.

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