Monthly Archives: March 2011

F is for Faithful Fido and his Feline Friends

Posted on March 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

F is for furry Friendship

I housesit and pet sit a lot.  I am honored and privileged to go into the homes of mostly strangers and be handed over the house, the keys and the precious dogs and cats that go along with them.

It’s an interesting experience to be left with total strangers – the dogs and the cats for me — and me for the dogs and the cats!  It seems to work.  I tell the owners, as they are standing at the door crying because they’re about to leave Muffin and Rover and go off and have a good time without them – I tell them that 5 minutes after they walk out the door, Twinkles and Spot are mine and we will all love each other while you are gone!  And love you when you return!!!!

Pets are all the spa treatments and aromatherapy oils and massages and facials rolled into one big ball of fur.  Pets are total and unconditional love, and as long as you feed them (very important!) and treat them relatively well, they are all hugs and kisses and all over you!

To be naturally beautiful women, we need to become like our pets, and learn to just relax and let ourselves be loved.  We don’t all have a human person to make us feel loved, but most of us have a 4-legged one (even me, temporarily) who will just show us the lesson of love and ask nothing in return but food and attention and just maybe, a hug or two – why not?

I’m surrounded now by naturally beautiful pets – and we are all looking at each calmly, relaxed, feeling good and warm and cozy – Indiana, Max, Diego, Maya, and Montana and Sophie! F is for a Fuzzy Furball of Faithfulness and Fellowship!

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F is for Facelift Alternatives – Go Get A Facial!

Posted on March 31, 2011 | Leave a comment

F is for Facials - Fabulous

I am a former Spa and Wellness Director.  The reason I went into the field is because I love spa services.  Who wouldn’t?  It’s time to take a break and go to a fabulous spa and have a wonderful facial, and just lie back and enjoy yourself.  For your natural health and your natural beauty, an hour at the spa is worth a lot!

I’m all for frugal beauty – yes, indeed.  I also believe in the value of occasionally full-out pampering one’s self – if just for the experience of knowing what a good treatment feels like, so that you can duplicate yourself at home.

I love massages, don’t get me wrong.  But there’s something about someone touching your face, lovingly stroking it and soothing it and applying creams and ointments to it – that is just so yummy!

The extractions can feel weird (I don’t usually need to have them done – once again, I have good skin – thanks Mom!).  But the steam that’s applied beforehand feels so very good and the results – having no black or whiteheads – are really worth the price and a teeny tiny bit of discomfort.

So – if you can afford it (and most facials at spas will cost around $50 – $70), go and get one.  Go once.  Treat yourself.  And then we’ll talk more about how to give yourself a facial at home.  We’ll talk about how to have a Spa Party at home with your girlfriends.  But if you can, get it professionally done at least once to experience it.  You won’t be sorry and it will make you look naturally beautiful!

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Posted in Anti-aging, natural beauty, Spas & Spa Products

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F is for Facelift Alternative – Fraxel Laser Treatments

Posted on March 31, 2011 | 3 Comments

Fraxel instead of Facelift

Okay, I have to admit it – I’ve had this procedure.  It was gifted to me a few years ago and I thought I’d give it a try.  If you look at my pictures, you’ll see that I look very young for my age (I’m 62!).  And so 5 years ago, I was over 55, but looking young.  I stress the young-looking part because Fraxel is touted to give you young-looking skin.  It did – but I also already had it to begin with!

The process utilizes a laser to minimize the appearance of scars, lines and wrinkles, as well as improve the overall texture and surface of the skin.  My experience was very typical – The procedure uses 5 different lasers and takes 3 treatments – so 15 laser treatments all together.  The first treatment was okay – 5 different tingly sensations, hot and cold, relaxing – no problem.  My recovery was instantaneous – no big difference.  Then, two weeks later, I had the second series  — I remember the first 3 lasers as being rather soothing and nice.  Then came number 4 – boy, oh boy – did that hurt!  I won’t kid you – it wasn’t a tingly prickly feeling – it really hurt.  Laser number 5 cooled off the sensation a little.  The recovery was not as nice, but I didn’t peel — I just got red in the face – all over the face — for a few days.  A few weeks later, I was kind of scared to go back, cause it really was painful – but Treatment #3 was a piece of cake.  None of the 5 laser applications hurt, I didn’t get red, it was all good.  And not much down time either – I was up and about by the end of the day.

Did I notice results?  As I said, I already had young-looking skin.  So my skin looked young!  Not much more than it had before – maybe a little shinier, a little brighter.

Would I recommend Fraxel Laser Treatments?  The gift that I was given was valued at $2,700.  The results were probably worth $270.  Not a great return on your investment I would say.

However, I do believe that had I had skin issues like acne or dry, dull skin – the results might have been dramatic, the price might have been worth it, and I might have recommended it over other treatments.  Naturally beautiful healthy senior women – do your research, make your own decisions!

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Posted in Anti-aging, Healthy Senior Women, natural beauty

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F is for Facelift Alternatives – Fill ‘Er Up with Fillers

Posted on March 30, 2011 | 3 Comments

Fillers can add Fullness

Injectable fillers are the latest rage.  Injectables are hailed as an anti-aging miracle.  Injectables are used to plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften wrinkles and creases on the face, and reduce the appearance of scars.

Most injectable fillers are made of hyaluronic acid.  Hyaluronic acid is a component of synovial fluid, and is found in the vitreous humor of the eye, the synovia of joints, and in subcutaneous tissue where it functions is as a cementing agent.  It’s been found recently that injections of hyaluronic acid under the skin will plump up the skin, making it appear younger and fresher.

Hyaluronic acid, which occurs in the cells of the skin,  has been used in many different forms in spas for quite a while.  Restylane is a trade name for one of the hyaluronic fillers which temporarily smooths wrinkles by adding volume under the skin, with effects typically lasting for six months.  Juvaderm also is an injectable hyaluronic acid filler which is used for lip augmentation, reduction of folds and wrinkles and removal of scars.  Radiesse, one of the newest fillers, has been shown to stimulate collagen growth and last up to two years, and reviews seem to be mixed as to its effectiveness.

We have already talked briefly about Botox.  Botox is not the same as the hyaluronic acid fillers, but Botox injections are also very popular. Botox works by weakening the facial muscles that form wrinkles.  Botox is a neurotoxin, in other words, it’s a poison that can cause nervous system damage, botulism, respiratory difficulty, pain and irritation at the injection site, nausea, and flu-like symptoms.

Costs are always a factor to be considered and each syringe of dermal filler can cost between $500 – 800.  Longevity of results is another factor and vary from 6 months to 2 years with some of the newer injectables.  And then there’s the pain factor.  There is pain, whether from the local anesthetic used when it will be very painful, or that slight “pinch” you feel when the product is injected under your skin with a needle – ouch!   You naturally beautiful women decide – natural beauty or enhanced beauty!

See Previous Post:  F is for Facelift - Yes, No, Natural Alternatives

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Posted in Anti-aging, Healthy Senior Women, natural beauty

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F is for Facelift Alternatives – Microdermabrasion

Posted on March 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure that uses a special machine to mechanically exfoliate the skin and suck up the dead skin cells.  The microdermabrasion machine uses minute crystals to rough up the skin in order to loosen the dead skin cells that form due to pollution or age.  Some of the microdermabrasion machines then gently vacuum up the dead skin cells and infuse the skin with a collagen enhancing product.

The costs of the microdermabrasion procedure vary widely.  There are machines that you can buy to do it yourself at home.  These average between $15 and $200, depending on the quality, however the machines and kits that include a rotating hand-held device designed to massage the crystal cream into the skin are the most expensive (but also the most effective).  Microdermabrasion is offered at most luxury spas and the costs range between $75 and $200 per treatment.  A single treatment done by a medical practitioner in a cosmetic surgical or dermatologist’s office can run between $100 and $300. Medical practitioners usually recommend a series of about 9 treatments with maintenance, so this can cost $1,000 or several thousand dollars.

Does it work?  Microdermabrasion works great for acne and will help acne sufferers feel and look better.  For most faces, it will leave you looking and feeling brighter and fresher, with more radiant skin.  The process increases circulation because it sloughs off dead skin – see my earlier post:  E is for Exfoliation and E is for Exfoliation with a Homemade Sugar Scrub.

 

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Posted in Anti-aging, Healthy Senior Women, natural beauty

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