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 "Holy Grail" Mascara {and do primers really work?}

If you could only take ONE item of makeup with you on a  desert island  what would it be?  If your answer is MASCARA then this article is for you!

Read my article to decide if you see a difference, I totally do!

If you've followed me over on my Facebook Fit By 50 page then you've probably heard about my lifelong search for the perfect mascara.  I even did a video on it so check it out. But because not everyone wants to sit through a 20 minute video, I've decided to write about it including before and afters, plus comparison photos.

Like many of us over 40, I grew up using drug store mascara and there were many good ones, but by college I was introduced to Lancome Definicils and it became my standard in which I judged mascaras. It lengthened and thickened my lashes like nothing else, but it also came at a high price tag so anytime that my budget called for it, I found the next best mascara, in my opinion, and that was L'Oreal Voluminous.  L'Oreal owns Lancome therefore they share the same mascara patents.  Back in the mid 90s when I worked for MAC Cosmetics, Product and Development shared with us that it was REALLY tough to create a good mascara and wand because Lancome/L'Oreal owned all the top patents.  This prompted me to start testing out the L'Oreal mascaras and that is how I fell in love with Voluminous, so much so that it has been the ONLY mascara I've use in my professional kit since the 90s.

BUT, Lancome kept drawing me back and when they launched Hypnose Drama I went crazy for it!  I had tried the "industry" favorite, Dior Show by Christian Dior and claimed that as my all time favorite for all of 3 weeks, until it dried out, and at a price tag of 29.00 that was the last time I purchased Dior.  Lancome's Hypnose Drama became my favorite mascara EVER!!!!  It lengthened and really thickened my lashes to the point where I didn't feel the need to wear fake lashes for special events.  Now let me preface, I am NOT your natural-feathery-lash girl, I like them super dark, long, and thick!  Think Tammy Faye Baker, but toned down a bit.  

Here's the bummer: one day a client pointed out to me that Lancome still tests on animals and if you've ever seen those photos of sweet bunnies with red, bleeding eyes due to mascara testing then you'll understand why I needed to move on.  In this day and age of technology there is no reason to test on animals, convicts yes, but poor defenseless animals (?), no!  I made a decision never to buy Lancome mascara again until they become a cruelty free company.  I've even written to them explaining my stance but never received a reply. 

SO, the search continued.....

I went to Ulta one day and asked what they're number one SKU# for mascara was.  The gal told me Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced.  I tried it, and I hated the wand.  Remember, because Lancome owns the patents on the best wands it's really hard to top their's.  Too Faced wand was thick on the ends and skinny in the middle.   To grab those smaller inner lashes you have to get close to the eye but because their wand is fatter on the ends, it kept poking me in the eye, AND I'M A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST!  Honestly, I don't even understand how that is Ulta's top selling mascara other than the name.

Next I tried Urban Decay Perversion ONLY because I was given a deluxe sample size.  I loved it.  It takes me about a week to decide if I love a mascara and by the end of week 1, I knew I had found my Holy Grail of all mascaras!!!!  I know that sounds melodramatic to some, but if you are a true mascara lover, if mascara is the one item of makeup that you couldn't live without, then you get it.  Better yet, Urban Decay is a cruelty-free company!  Score!!!!  Then I got really crazy and bought their mascara primer as well!  Primers are the foundation to mascara as they help build your lash volume so you actually use less mascara.  I could not believe my lashes with their mascara and primer together.  It is BY FAR my favorite mascara to date!  And I'm not settling here, I actually prefer it to Lancome's Hypnose Drama AND it retails for $22, about $7 less than Lancome.  For real!

Here are a series of photos so you can see for yourself.  If you're like me, you are skeptical and like to see proof.  All over Instagram and Pinterest we're being "sold" to!  I'm not trying to sell anyone, I just know there are crazy mascara lovers out there who need to know how great these products are.  I buy all of my products with my own money and I am not sponsored by any brand.  However, I am including some links to make ordering easy for you and it helps my blog so I'd appreciate if you want to order mascara anyway, please help a makeup artist out!

Au naturale, my natural lashes, curled but prior to mascara application

and get yourself a good eyelash curler, would you?  my choice is Shu Uemura

https://www.amazon.com/Shu-Uemura-Eyelash-Curler-Silicone/dp/B000VSG1PO

First eye is with L'Oreal Voluminous only

not bad, but only eh, and ignore my wrinkles please

Wait for it.....

Looks like glue but you apply it exactly as your mascara

http://www.ulta.com/subversion-lash-primer?productId=xlsImpprod10921018&sku=2278143&_requestid=6499269

That big bushy brush means volume!  Plus it lengthens.  And the shorter end means it won't poke your eye

http://www.ulta.com/perversion-mascara?productId=xlsImpprod10921002

Pretty dramatic, I'd say

The left eye is Perversion, the right eye is Voluminous

Do you see a noticeable difference?

Remember, Tammy Faye Baker is my icon!  The right side is definitely for the more natural gal.

I hope this has enlightened you or at the least, entertained you!  If you end up trying Perversion, please let me know, and if you already use it and love it, comment below so other readers can hear other's opinions.  Also, please add your email if you'd like to receive my blog and/or follow me on my Facebook page, Michelle Spieler Fit by 50.  And could I trouble you to share this article?  It helps to grow my audience.  There really aren't that many "mature" makeup artists teaching "mature" gals makeup and skin care.  Let's change that together!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/michellespielerfitby50/

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 

www.facebook.com/michellespielerfitby50

Thanks for reading!