Adventures in Beautyland: My IPL Experience, Part Two

About three weeks ago, I went in for a second round of IPL at La Papillon Spa. This time we used a different laser, this one was called a Lumenis M-22. According to my dermatologist, Dr. Noelle Sherber, I could expect a different experience with my second round of IPL. The first notable difference I should expect is that it wouldn't be as uncomfortable as it was the first time. This is because the skin experiences the IPL differently and because the laser itself is different and delivers a more comfortable "zap" (my word, not hers). The skin also reacts differently to the second treatment. I won't expect to see as much "peppering" on my face and I shouldn't expect much swelling, either. This doesn't mean that the treatment isn't working, it's just how it usually goes during the second round. 


 

(Pre-IPL)

Above is what my skin looked like before my first round of IPL. And after undergoing my second round of IPL, I can attest to the fact that Dr. Sherber was totally correct. First of all, the second treatment was about 75% less uncomfortable than the first treatment. Each "zap" of the laser was barely noticeable, which was lovely. Not that the first time was awful, but as I mentioned before, I wouldn't do it for fun. The second round, discomfort-wise, was a piece of cake.

I also got almost no peppering and no swelling, which made me think the laser didn't do anything for about a week. Of course, I was totally wrong (see above), but I like my results visible and photograph-able. It makes this whole reporting back to you thing easier.

Finally, three weeks later, I started wondering why my skin looked so amazingly fantastic. I stared at my current skin care regime and wondered if I had added anything recently that had given me such a dramatic difference. I couldn't think of anything. I wondered if my makeup itself had some kind of skin-tastic wunder ingredient. It didn't. Then it dawned on me. I was finally healed and this is what my skin now looked like, post-second laser treatment.

While I don't have perfect skin, the freckling and melasma is now 85% gone (my mathematical guess, not based on any actual scientific number). My skin looks pretty incredible. I don't think I need a third treatment and could not be happier with my results.

Check out my pyramid of results. The top level is me, before any treatment. The second level is me after the first treatment.




The bottom level is me after the final treatment. Click on the photos to make them larger. The difference is amazing. I'm not wearing makeup in any of the photos. Below is a photo of me about a week after the bottom tier photos were taken. I have on no makeup.




Compared to the before photos above, I'd say it's a success!

Interested in IPL? Make sure you go to a reputable doctor or medically-supervised spa for treatment. Not all lasers are the same and places that insist you buy a package of six treatments up front are not where you want to be. The person doing your treatment should customize a plan for you, listen to you and answer any and all questions thoroughly and intelligently. If you are in the Baltimore area, I would highly suggest making an appointment with La Papillon or Dr. Sherber to discuss what treatment may work best for you.

Treatments provided for review.

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Beauty Shorts : Brows, Butters, Sparkles and Sheen

Before I leave on a family trip for the upcoming holidays, I spent the morning running errands, discovering new things and getting unbelievably soaking wet. I actually broke two umbrellas! Never mind that. Here are the stories you care about. They are shorter, to the point and all facts, with less fluff than my normal blather.

BUSHWACKED BROWS

I needed to get my brows shaped, as I hadn't had it done professionally in more than two months. I started using RevitaBrow in March and a month and a half later I hadn't really seen much of a difference in my brows, other than they were slightly harder to shape with my daily application of brow powder. I went to La Papillon in Timonium, the only place I trust with my brows.. Here is how the convo went:

Chris (esthetician superstar): Um, how long has it been, exactly, since you've been in?
Me: I don't know. Maybe two months?
Chris: I'm trying to be polite here, so I am not exactly sure how to say this. Are you doing anything to them? You don't have any shape, it's almost like you've never been in before.
Me: I've been using RevitaBrow for a bit. I guess I didn't realize how much they had grown.
Chris: You know, you can try to apply it only where you need the hair to grow. You don't have to put it on everywhere. That will make your brows grow in less like they are and it will last you longer.
Me: Good point. Sorry 'bout that.

I wish I had known to take a before photo. I can tell you they are almost perfectly full and gorgeous. In another month, they will be glorious.  So just like the RevitaLash product, RevitaBrow is equally as amazing!

ULTA? WHO KNEW?

Ulta sells Butter London nail polish? Who knew? The store employees themselves seemed equally surprised. Which was odd, since someone had gone through the trouble of featuring it prominently on an end cap. I haven't tried these for two reasons. 1) They are $14 nail polishes, and 2) I can't currently afford $14 nail polishes. I know they don't have carcinogens and aren't tested on animals. And I know the colors are very, very lovely. Oh! And that one of their very popular colors is called No More Waitey, Katie. But that is the extent of my knowledge. Love 'em? Tell me why!

STILA SPARKLE WATERPROOF LINER SWATCHES



(From the top:  Starry, Bora Bora, Royal, Flash, Curacao, Rock Candy, Sequins - Electric was missing a tester.)

I can't wait to actually get to test these colors. They are gorgeous!! I did test them on my arm at Ulta and I can attest to the fact that, despite being caught in a monsoon, they are totally waterproof and still sparkle like it's their job. Which, I suppose it is. I don't even know which colors I should covet. They are all so pretty!

LONG LASTING SHINE



 (Other than mascara and the Pearl Shimmer, I have no makeup on. So don't be judgey. That shimmer is still kicking hours after application, including the morning's monsoon.)



I almost forgot. La Papillon now carries Becca, which is exciting for me as no one else has it within my reasonable driving area. I fell in love with the Pearl Shimmering Skin Perfector, which is a pearly lotion that you can add to your cheekbones or brow arch or mix into your foundation. It comes in several colors, but I love Pearl. It's white and all about the shine. The best part is, two broken umbrellas, soaked shoes and three hours later, my cheek still had an amazing highlight to it. I didn't pick this up, but I'm going to have to go back for some, asap.


RevitaLash sent me the product for review.

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Adventures in Beautyland: My IPL Experience at La Papillon Spa

I've been doing everything from micro needling to peels to potions to get rid of my sun damage and nothing was really working. And by really working, I mean giving me super clear, creamy gorgeous perfect skin. Ok, I would settle for less blotchy, but much less blotchy. After all, I can be realistic! I decided to look into doing a more serious procedure to give me more serious results. After some thoughtful consideration, I decided to try IPL.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is a relatively easy and mainly painless way to remove splotches, blotches and redness from the skin. Think of it as a way to wipe a window clean. If you have redness on your face from capillaries or rosacea, or brown spots from sun damage or aging, this may be what you are looking for. If you are looking to improve the texture of your skin, this isn't the right treatment.

Two weeks ago, I opted to undergo IPL (also called photorejuvenation) at La Papillon Spa to finally attack the sun damage that peels and potions would not fix. I've gotten some results with peels, micro needling and creams, but they haven't been able to go deep enough to get to the root of the problem. Photorejuvenation is a way to reach deeply into the skin without disrupting its surface. Because the surface of the skin isn't damaged, you'll have virtually no downtime, almost zero discomfort and, in a few weeks, clear, fresh skin will be revealed.

Sounds great, right? There are a few things you should know before taking the leap into IPL. There are different lasers of different strengths used by different people, which will yield different results. A medical director should oversee the facility that does the IPL. Less expensive lasers, that lower customer costs, may not give you the same results you would receive if the process was done by a medical professional. Think of it as the difference between a $10 haircut and a $100 haircut.

Especially in this case, cheaper isn't better. I urge you to research where you opt to get this done before making a decision. You should also skip this treatment if you have any injuries to the face or are planning a special event in the near future. Your skin will look slightly worse before it gets better, so you'll want to plan accordingly. Here is my face the day before I had my IPL appointment.



(My face under a daylight lamp, the day before IPL)



(More photos of my face the day before IPL, shot under the same day light lamp.)


I turned to La Papillon Spa in Timonium, Maryland for my photorejuvenation treatment. La Papillon works with Dr. Noelle Sherber, a Harvard- and Hopkins-educated board-certified dermatologist. After explaining what to expect from the treatment, we got busy with the laser.




We started by cleansing my face to make sure all of my makeup was removed. Dr. Sherber then examined my skin closely. We discussed what areas I wanted treated to make sure we didn't get rid of any freckles I considered beautiful. She then added a thin gel to my face to help the laser target the skin. This was not a numbing cream - I didn't use one. Next, I was asked to put on special (read: sexy) goggles to protect my eyes from the light the laser emits. Then the zapping began. I was given two squeeze balls to hold on to, just in case I needed to squeeze something.




Dr. Sherber began treating the areas on my left cheek. She was careful to make each treated circle slightly overlap to avoid the dreaded tracks effect, where spots are missed because the person doing the treatment doesn't evenly target the affected areas. The first laser zap was a little surprising, as I didn't really know what to expect. It felt like a little static electricity zap to the skin, or like a rubber band snap.



(One cheek down, one to go! Plus a forehead and chin...)

It wasn't painful, but I wouldn't do it  for fun on a random Sunday afternoon. I was thankful that the laser we were using, by Palomar, gets rid of both brown and red spots in one pass. I would not have been happy if we had to go over each area treated twice.



 (Getting ready for a nose zap. I didn't particularly care for those. By this time, my cheeks were starting to feel sunburned and the ice packs felt lovely.)

While I didn't find the procedure painful, I will give you a little warning about the areas around the nose; specifically where the nose meets the face. That area is a little more tender than the rest of your face. That said, I am certain that not having capillaries showing through my makeup will make me very happy in the long run.

My total treatment took less than thirty minutes, from start to  finish. IPL may not give you perfect results after one treatment and you may need to return a few weeks later for another session. Of course, I'm hoping for very noticeable results with this treatment, fingers crossed!



(Moments after finishing the treatment.)

My face was red immediately after, but otherwise I was fine. It did feel like I had a bad sunburn for a few hours, but it was such a minimal thing I almost stopped at Sephora on the way home to pick up a peach blush I have had my eye on.



(Four hours after the treatment, dark spots are emerging on my face. They will all be lessened in a week or two.)

The next morning, my face was a tiny bit swollen and the sunspots were much darker than ever before, a sign they will start getting lighter very soon. I put a cool washcloth on my eyes for a few minutes and the swelling was basically gone.



 (Moments after I rolled out of bed I was a little swollen. Five minutes later, I was fine.)


Madeleine, the owner of La Papillon, sent me home with a skincare regimen that was really simple.  I asked if I could wear makeup on my skin to cover the darkened bits and she suggested wearing a mineral makeup.

After cleansing, I applied Josie Maran Sunscreen with 40+ SPF to help quell the dry skin that can sometimes be a side effect of IPL treatment. I then let my skin "dry" and got ready to do my makeup. I prefer to wear liquid foundation lately and haven't really touched my BE Matte Foundation in more than a year. I am fortunate that I don't usually have to do a lot of concealing, but I do own BE's Bisque. I figured I would give it a try, not expecting great results.



(A CU of how I looked 45 minutes after the above early morning photo above. Pretty good!)

Because I am hyper-concerned about protecting my skin from sunlight, especially while I'm driving, I used BritePrepFX by Cover FX (FCP 50) and then concealed all of my dark spots, which were starting to look a little like Morgan Freeman in Robin Hood. I used the Bisque by BE to conceal (SPF 20) and finished up with BE's Matte Foundation (SPF 20). I followed up with BE's Mineral Veil. When you include the SPF I applied initially, I think it's safe to say I was protected from the sun!



(This is me about 45 minutes after the above slightly swollen photo.)

I got to work where I sit in an office with two other women who knew I was having the treatment done. Not only did they forget, they didn't notice that anything looked different, other than I wasn't wearing "any makeup".



(The darker spots now look like coffee grounds and will basically dry up and fall off.)

I was prepared for the darker sections of my face (sun spots, capillaries, etc) to get darker and eventually end up on the surface of my face, appearing like coffee grounds, where they will then fall off, revealing new skin. I have to be consciously careful not to pick at my skin, which will be really hard. However, knowing that picking at the "coffee grounds" could result in scarring, I'm going to try really hard to avoid picking.

The next day, I had to go to a Karma Dogs event and used the same skincare/makeup regimen to get great looking skin, despite the appearance of the "coffee grounds".
 



(36 Hours after IPL, on my way to volunteer with Karma Dogs BE's Matte Foundation did an amazing job!)


So after one week, here is my progress so far. 



 (The left side is after. The right side is before.)


The dark areas under my eye and along my cheek bone are much lighter and a decent amount of the redness in my cheek hollow is also gone. My skin is still healing, so I am hoping some of the spots will continue to lighten. My broken capillaries are not yet completely healed, hence the slightly darker spot. You can see that the overall tone is lighter and that many of the darker patches have been broken up and lightened.



 (The before is on the left. The after is on the right.)


Here is the other side of my face. You can't quite see it, but there is a freckle in the before shot (bottom of my chin) that literally fell off of my face and is no longer there. This side of my face also shows some lightening of age spots. This is my "driving side", which has more damage than the "non-driving side". Some of the spots on the after side are still darkened from the IPL treatment and are still in the healing process.

Here is a look at my skin two weeks after having IPL at La Papillon Spa.



 (My non-driving side is looking dramatically improved.)



(This is my driving side. Even it is looking much better after two weeks.)




(You can even see the improvement on my nose. That little red bit on my upper lip is a blemish, btw.)


I am thrilled with the results so far. My skin looks creamy and fresh in a way that it hasn't in several years. I am told to expect my skin to continue to improve and I will happily post pictures for you in an update. In the meantime, I am curious to find out if a second treatment would give me additional results or if this is essentially as light as I can expect my melasma to get.

Have you considered this before? Was your experience similar? Tell me in the comments!

If you live in the Baltimore area and are interested in learning more anti-aging procedures or actually having a treatment like IPL, contact La Papillon for more information. They often have seminars to inform people interested in learning about anti-aging treatments and are a great resource for information. Be sure to follow them on Facebook as well for info on special events and deals!

La Papillon provided the treatment  in exchange for my opinion.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Last Minute Gift Ideas That Won't Break the Bank (UPDATED!)

Still struggling for a great last minute gift idea? Here are a few of my picks:

I love the low profile of these stylish wallets by Big Skinny. They go perfectly with the on-trend smaller, thinner bags I am lusting over, yet carry everything a traditional wallet does. These are thinner and lighter than any other wallet I have seen and come in gorgeous textures and colors. Plus they are tear- and water-resistant.

These are great for men too (especially if sitting on a thick wallet is causing back issues!) Starting under $25, you can't go wrong. And since we all know I love a giveaway, if you sign up for their mailing list today, you could win one for yourself (and have it delivered in time for the holidays!). Be sure to join their mailing list on the lower left hand side of their website!



I just got one in the mail moments ago and am SHOCKED at how skinny it made my wallet. Here is a pic of my old wallet, now empty, next to my new, Big Skinny wallet, with everything the old wallet contained PLUS my checkbook.

I can't believe it! I believe these can ship in the time for the holidays until TUESDAY, so grab one now!

Z Palettes make any makeup maven smile. Organize your shadow, blush and other pan-based makeup in the amazing trays. It's genius idea with a strong hinge that stands up to serious use better than the competitors. In Baltimore? Score a black, leopard or zebra large or small palette for $20 or less from La Papillon. Not local to Charm City? Grab one online from Z Palette.



I love these combs! They contain olive oil baked into the comb to give you no-frizz, super shiny results! I use the Jumbo Detangler No-Frizz Comb to unsnarl my hair when I get out of the shower. It also helps smooth hair on fly-away days. For less than $10 each, this is the comb that will make them think of you and your awesome gift giving ability every day. Pick one up from RickysNYC.com.


I purchased the comb and Loxy bought me the Z Palette.

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Local Love: La Papillon Spa Special Event , Wednesday the 16th, 5-7:30p

Stop by La Papillon Spa tomorrow evening between 5-7:30pm for the La Papillon launch of the Virgins, Saints and Angels jewelry line.


Other designers will also be featured, and of course, there will be fabulous nibbles and champagne! The spa has also gotten in some sparkling hair accessories that are perfect for summer.

Either click here or on the image below for the details. I hope to see you there. And please save an initial K or G for me!


Photos courtesy of Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

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Paul and Joe Beaute' Makeover From MUA Leah Dean

Recently, I did a Bare Escentuals eye color challenge and wore five different colors on my eyes every day for a week. The colors were literally dictated by cards I selected from a full deck. While I learned you can wear almost any colors (you just need to be creative), I realized that I need to brush up on my artistry skills. Many of my looks were similar and while the colors changed, the overall look of my eyes did not.

I turned to pro MUA Leah Dean of Paul and Joe Beaute' to learn how to sculpt my eyes and give them a different shape. Leah travels to Tokyo each year to stay current on trends and I was really excited to learn a new way to change my look.

"You have really round eyes, which is great. But for a change, you can make them more doe shaped. It's just a slight difference, but can be a little more exotic."

Leah began by applying a new Paul and Joe Primer (SPF 30) all over my face and then added their new Protective Foundation Fluid (SPF 25), which is water-like in it's consistency.

"It's perfect for summer. You only need to apply coverage where you need it. Plus it has an SPF. It's so thin it won't feel like you are wearing a full face of makeup, but you're skin will look perfect." Leah then added a bit of concealer and my face looked flawless!

Next up was creating the doe eyed effect. Leah used the Paul and Joe eye shadow combo that included Nearly Nude, a taupe-y champagne color and Chateau, an eggplant color. The champagne color was used along my lid, but not as far up as the crease of my lid. Then Leah added the eggplant color in the crease, but continued the crease over to the corner of my eye, coming down much lower on the inner side of my eye than I would normally do.


This contouring takes the roundness of eye down, giving it the appearance of being more doe eyed. It's subtle, but it did make a difference.

Leah then lined my upper and lower lid with a brown liner, sticking close to the lashes, and not lining above the lash line. She added a touch of powder to my lower lash line and finished with a bit of mascara on curled lashes.


The final touch was a bit of Eye Gloss in Celestial, which added a subtle bit of gorgeous shimmer. The Eye Gloss is a must have for spring and summer so pick it up, stat! Here is the end result. My eyes are subtly shaded to appear slightly different in shape.


(With the doe eyed shading.)


(Without the doe eyed shading.)


What do you think? Have you tried to change your eye shape or are you stuck in the same lid, crease, brow rut I was? Tell me in the comments!


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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Growing My Hair : The End of April Update

For those of you following the extremely s l o w saga of my journey to find something to sprout hair quickly from my head, here is the update.

When we last discussed this, I was taking vitamins from Phyto (which are really helping). My hair has gone from this:


to this:

in about four months. Not too shabby! But, it's not fast enough (I have no patience). I have been looking all over for something to really stimulate my scalp and get my hair growing faster, healthier and thicker. And I am still in search of better ways to style it to make the growing out phase not as painful. Some days are ok. Other days, I feel like I am wearing a hair helmet from the 80's. I am so painstakingly picky about my hair on a good day, the bad days have me itching to cut it off.


So for the next several weeks, to encourage faster, better growth, I will be trying Chinese Herbs Stimulating Shampoo and Conditioner from Peter Lamas. This shampoo and conditioner is designed to make thinning hair grow; making it healthy along the way. While my hair isn't thinning, several people have told me that these kind of shampoos will help hair grow thicker, healthier and maybe a little faster, providing you can find one that actually works. I also have some Chinese Herbs Revitalizing Mist, which is a leave-in treatment that promotes healthy hair growth. I can certainly use any extra help I can get, especially since my hair is put through the ringer with the constant coloring and heat styling.

I am also happy to report that Lamas products are vegan (no animal testing, no animal ingredients), paraben-free, sulphate free, with the majority incorporating plant-based, organic and certified organic ingredients. While being vegan or not vegan isn't specifically a dealbreaker for me personally, if these products live up to their claims, I will be much happier that they are vegan and paraben/sulfate-free. I have only used this system once, and maybe it's the change in 'poo, but my hair feels glorious. I think I was actually singing to Loxy (while dancing around our bedroom) about how amazing my hair felt after I blew it out.


I have been taking your advice and trying to work headbands and barrettes into the mix, but not sure how to do this without looking like a pumpkin head. My favorite find so far is this beadazzled clip from La Papillon. I feel a little weird about wearing this hair accoutrement, maybe because it is a little out of character for me or maybe because I feel like it screams, "LOOK AT ME! I AM GROWING MY HAIR AND HAVE NO CLUE WHAT TO DO WITH IT!" (Am I the only one who feels this way?) I also cheated and trimmed my bangs a tiny bit. The amount trimmed is negligible, but they have a slightly different shape, which makes me feel better.

If you have any other ideas on how to deal with growing out your hair, please let me know. Have you tried the Peter Lamas line? Let me know if you have! A little insider birdy told me that celebs like Kiefer Sutherland ditched their prescriptions for thinning hair in favor of Chinese Herbs from Peter Lamas. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! And in the meantime, if you have any other ideas on something to do with my hair as it grows, please tell me!

Peter Lamas products were sent to me for the purposes of review.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Getting Rejuvenized at La Papillon Spa, Round Two

After the results of my first Rejuvenize Peel at La Papillon Spa, I decided I wanted to see what a second peel would achieve. I was clearly happy with the results of the first one, but like any obsessive compulsive beauty addict, I wanted to see what could happen if I did it again.

So four weeks later, I took the plunge and went for a second one. (Four weeks is the recommended amount of time between peels for optimal results.) Madeleine, the owner of La Papillon and esthetician extraordinaire, told me what to expect for the second peel - possibly less peeling, more results and that everyone peels differently. Got it.

The first time around, the peel itself was only slightly uncomfortable. This time going under the acids was no big deal (other than they were still very sharply scented). I went home, didn't wash my face and it was like any other evening. No big deal.

The same goes for the next morning.

And then a day later, just like last time, I started to peel at the 36 hour point. My mouth cracked first and spread to the area around my nose and lips. Unlike during the last peel, my skin wasn't overly sensitive and didn't really feel as if I had a bad sunburn. I continued to peel like a pro all day on Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday. I was able to go to work on Monday, with only a trace of peeling skin still in my hairline. This peel was much less inconvenient and my skin was nowhere near as sensitive as it was the first time.

Also similar to last time, my skin was a little out of whack when I went back to using my products (around day 6). My skin was a little more dehydrated than it normally is and needed a little more TLC. Here are the products I used during and after my peel:

Cetaphil - I used this as my cleanser and it actually burned slightly when applied. I have no idea how that is even possible, but it did. It didn't hurt like it was the end of the world, but in hindsight, I would probably pick up an even milder cleanser for next time. (SkinMedica has one they suggest for use during peels.)

SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel came in handy when my skin was begging for some hydration at the end of my peel. This isn't an instant fix, but over a few days, it had my skin back to normal. I used this starting on the fourth day.

HydroPeptide Anti-Wrinkle Repair and Prevent Treatment (Love this! More in a future review) is a complex blend of peptides that help skin heal and look its best. It acts as a skin shield while soothing irritated skin. I also used this starting on the fourth day.

On the Monday before I went back to work (the start of the 6th day) I used Skin Zyme and Clean Zyme by Jan Marini to systematically rid my skin of the flakes that were hanging on. This two-part cleanser and mask are capable of amazing things, but go slowly with this product. My skin was not sensitive to products by day five and I don't have sensitive skin in general. If you have sensitive skin, I would wait a few days to use this. When you are ready, this product removes all remaining dead skin like magic.

Once I added makeup back into the routine, my skin became a little red and irritated. Votre Vu Attentive Serum was a life saver, soothing my skin and getting rid of any redness, pronto.

Lastly, starting a full week after my skin was peeled and back to normal, I began using Jan Marini's Enlighten to help the stubborn dark patches. This is a light lotion that dries in a way that leaves your skin feeling amazing. (All of the Marini products dry down in a way that is remarkable. Especially their AntiOxidant Sun Screen.)

Be sure to speak with your esthetician before using any of the products above on freshly chemically-peeled skin. My skin is not sensitive and definitely more tough than delicate. Every person reacts differently and a pro who knows you should help you select products for during and after your peel.


(Before the 2nd peel. After the second Rejuvenize Peel)


So how were the results the second time? Magnificent. My face is so luminous, I think I glow in the dark. My melasma on my cheek is significantly reduced, as are the spots on my nose. The texture on my cheeks is definitely improved as are the milia I had under my eyes, on my cheekbone.
(The tiny milia - keratin bumps - lodged deep under my skin have been exposed and removed as a result of the peel.)


I am sure use of the Enlighten is going to help continue to fade the melasma over the next few weeks.


(Before and after on cheeks. Brown patches of melasma have been reduced.
This peel does not address redness, only melasma and showing newer skin. To address redness, I would need to undergo IPL treatments.)


Would I do another round? I am curious to see what a third round of peeling would achieve, but don't know how much more my skin can improve. There are slight dark patches that could still be reduced and the texture around my nose near my cheeks isn't perfect. But the improvement I have seen is pretty incredible.




(Before the first peel*. After the first peel. After the second peel.)



What do you think? Would you go for a third round? (If you double click the pictures, they will open in different window and really show off the changes.) Have you had this peel? Tell me about it in the comments!

I paid for the second treatment. I also paid for Cetaphil and SkinCeuticals B5 Gel. Other products were sent for the purposes of review.

*My changing hair color has nothing to do with the peel. Thanks for needing clarification on that, Loxy. You of all people may have noticed that my natural color changes often. :-)

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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.