Now I've seen everything

louche ↓

Wed, Jun 10 2009, 9:54 pm

The beauty industry is getting more and more ridiculous every day. today I saw that Curel has a special line of "Life Stages" moisturizers:" for Pregnancy and Motherhood, First Signs of Aging and Menopause and Beyond....why not a special lotion for "applying to college" or 'looking for a job" or "SAHM" while they're at it? It reminds me of nothing so much as Purina Stages Dog food, the one with different formulas for dogs of different ages.

there is no way on earth I'm buying a lotion labeled "Menopause and Beyond" or for that matter "first Signs of Aging", even if it makes you look so young you can't buy grape juice without being carded.

Rolling Eyes

↑ louche

Wed, Jun 10 2009, 11:01 pm

Dollink, I know that. Just compare the ingredients list for each "stage". Almost identical. That's why I buy the cheapest lotion I can find. Thicker in winter, thinner in summer, as long as the smell doesn't offend me, I'll use it. Ditto for shampoo, conditioner...

Rite Aid used to have some great rebates on some pricey products, so I got to use some brands I would never normally buy. Not once did I find that the expensive stuff made my hair or skin look one iota better than Suave or VO5 or Landers. The expensive stuff tends to be much thicker, which makes it hard to rinse out, so I dilute it anyhow. Of course I didn't care that the expensive stuff isn't more effective b/c with the rebate they were as cheap if not cheaper, but I can't see why anyone would spend $8 on a bottle of shampoo that is really not much more than dishwashing liquid with some thickener, maybe mica powder for sparkle, fragrance, an imaginative bottle and a huge advertising campaign.

I saw a product for only $27 for a small jar that purports to reduce vertical lines between the eyebrows. Can it be? said I, ever a skeptic, but hope springs eternal. I proceeded to read the instructions: wash face. pat dry. (so far so good.) dip special sponge into pearl essence cream ( which, IIRC, includes crushed walnut shells in its list of ingredients, but "pearl essence" sounds better). massage in upward circles (what's an upward circle? doesn't what goes up on one side of a circle come down on the other?) for 5-6 minutes (5-6 minutes? carpal tunnel, here we come.) repeat daily for 5 weeks. thereafter, use weekly to maintain results.

aha, says I. what you're doing is microdermabrading your wrinkle. scrub away a layer of skin so the wrinkle is shallower. I can do this a whole lot cheaper by making a paste of water and my choice of granular ingredients: sugar, almond meal, fine crushed pumice, salt, baking soda. (frankly I'd rather save the sugar and almond meal to make amaretti.) I won't do it, though, because I know there's no way I'm spending 5 minutes a day every day for 5 weeks just to (maybe) make a small wrinkle look a little shallower.

Reading just saved me $27 plus tax.