Latisse (again)

My friend K was trying Botox for the first time and booked an appointment with Dr Torgerson.  She asked me to come along with her to hold her hand which was quite fun!  She had her glabellar lines treated but also got some Botox to her crow's feet.  We're still awaiting the full results (it has been less than a week) but can already see some softening of the lines around her eyes.

While I was there I had to flutter my eyelashes at Dr T to show the effects of Latisse-he sold me my first bottle.  He was highly impressed so I promised to send him a couple of nice pictures and trotted home to see if I could improve on the ones I posted here.

I think it's most obvious in the shots taken from above-you can also see that the right eye (to the left of the photo) is still catching up with some long, some short!

Pre Latisse, no mascara

3 months, no mascara

Pre Latisse, no mascara

3 months, no mascara 

Your Voice In My Head-by Emma Forrest

I recently finished this book and it's still in my head now.  In it, Emma tells the story of her suicide attempt, depression, mania, love, loss and the psychiatrist who saved her life.   Dr R died unexpectedly without ever telling any of his patients he was sick with lung cancer.

It's an extremely interesting read.  She writes very well and this makes it quite difficult going at times.  It's difficult not to continue reading compulsively, but it's often heartbreaking.  There were times my heart ached for her and I almost felt like I was experiencing abandonment by a lover as she did!  The sense of regret that she didn't know about Dr R's illness is a theme and there seems to be guilt that she didn't use some of the time more wisely and didn't get to really tell him just how much he did for her.   Discovering that it's too late to tell a person what an important role they have played in your life is very hard.  She struggles to get some kind of "closure".  The chapters are rounded off with little notes from other patients of Dr R, all of whom declare an immense gratitude and many of whom believe that he saved their lives.

It's had criticism as being self-obsessed or narcissistic and she has also been accused of name-dropping.  Considering it's a memoir, I think it is only to be expected that she writes about herself so I don't think that qualifies as self-obsessed.  She also charts her problems and past failings in graphic detail which would be rather unusual for a narcissist.   As for the accusations of name-dropping; yes, she does mention famous people she met and it's known that one of the characters in the book is Colin Farrell.  I think it's relevant to the story though.  Many of her thoughts and issues were ones that most people could relate to, but dating someone who is in the public eye definitely adds another dimension to it all.  Being called fat and ugly by members of the public just because you're seeing someone they like can't be easy for anyone, and particularly if you have struggled with your emotions at times.

Ultimately, it's an homage to a wonderful therapist and a story of hope.   Dr R had an unshakeable belief that she was redeemable and that she could learn better ways of living her life.  She proved him right and survived it all to emerge a stronger person.   That should give hope to anyone who is suffering and thinks that things will never get better.

I was fortunate enough to hear Emma read from the book at the Harbourfront Centre here in Toronto.  She is tiny-very slim and petite and extremely pretty.  She also speaks and reads very well.   To top it all, she was incredibly gracious and sweet while signing copies after the reading-someone you'd like to be your friend.  It helped me get over the jealousy that she is the same age as I am but so much more gifted...and younger looking!  I really hope that the book does well-it's a story that should be told and she is talented and deserves continued success.  It made me pensive, and then I picked up my phone and texted a few people to thank them for their help in the past.  It reminded me of the importance of telling people how great they are right now.  No regrets!

L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator

I've always tended to depend on mascara-I never felt my lashes were long enough and my eyes seemed to disappear into my face without it.  It's been my "can't live without" make-up item for years.  Thanks to Latisse, it's now become more of a fun thing to try.  I've gone from needing multiple coats of the most volumising mascara possible to trying lots of different ones and actually enjoying the results.  I like the L'Oreal double extend mascara with the lash serum-

so I was excited to see a Double Extend Eye Illuminator in Shopper's Drug Mart the other day.   It claims to lengthen and illuminate and comes in 4 shades for different coloured eyes-one for blue, brown, green/hazel and one for all colours.  I decided to try the green/hazel which has black mascara on one side and a shimmery gold highlighter on the other.

The mascara goes on easily enough.  It's more of a defining one with a little bit of lengthening.  It isn't particularly volumising but didn't clump.  You really don't get much in the tube though.  The glittery top coat goes on top.  It's not particularly obvious but does give a little sheen in the right lighting.  Don't think there was an appreciable difference in how illuminated my eyes were!  It could be nice to use for nights out I think.  The packet says that you can just put the shimmer on the tips for everyday use or from root to tip for "intense drama".

Here are my results.  I did the left eye-it's the one with the better lashes.  Right eye is still catching up!

You can see the shimmer best on the last one without the flash.

There's a good review here on the Musings of a Muse blot.

The official site is here and you can get a $2 coupon.  Wish I'd looked before buying!

And for completion, this is the TV advert-which I saw for the first time as I was typing this up.  Typical!

Botox makes you happy!

Another one of those articles saying that Botox improves quality of life.  It's again based on the feedback idea-if you're not frowning your brain thinks you're happier.  I kind of believe it actually.  Before I got my frown/glabellar lines injected I found I was unconsciously frowning all the time and it seemed to prepetuate itself.  Now I sometimes forget how to frown and just don't seem to find myself attempting the movement as much.  If it was free I'm sure I'd be completely ecstatic!

Botox to my glabellar/frown lines....the second time!

It's a week now since I had my second ever Botox treatment.  I was using up a Groupon that I bought for 20 units at DLK and also bought another 5 units.  The initial treatment from Dr Torgerson was 25 units and I ended up getting another 10 a few weeks later because I felt like I was still frowning a bit.
This seems to have worked more completely.  I felt that Diana at DLK injected a little more laterally and really tried to see how I frowned.  I pretty much can't do it now which I hope means the lines will be even softer....and it was with fewer units than the last time!

So, this was just over a week ago-the day of the injection when initial treatment was wearing off:

This is today:

Frowning-

And at rest-

Latisse at 3 months!

This is a few days late being posted-my best time for messing around online is at the weekends.  I did take the photos on the 16th though which I think is as close to 3 months from the date I started as I could do.

I'm still finding it easy to do-just a couple of minutes every night.  I got 3 months out of the first bottle by not doing it quite by the instructions and using my own clean brushes.  The next bottle should last much longer-hope to reduce down to every few days in a month or so.

It's hard to see huge differences day to day now.  I think I'm too used to looking at myself!  I like applying mascara now though-it's not just a chore to make my eyes look somewhat respectable.  The lashes on the right eye are kind of recovering from their difficult phase and becoming a bit more manageable.  The left eye is much better but they're not quite as unruly.  A heated eyelash curler from Sephora has really helped for the straight segment!

I've had no side effects after the first few weeks-if you don't count a new obsession with looking at lashes and wanting every mascara.  Or my lashes occasionally tipping my glasses!

Here are the new ones:

Without mascara:

With Clinique high impact curling

 And as a reminder, the pre Latisse pics (which I'm sorry I didn't take with mascara too!):

And my eyes haven't changed colour.  They're hazel though so look different depending on the day/time/surrounding colours!

I've also been putting any excess from the brush on my brows.  It seems to have filled them out a little at the ends and the gap in the left brow has filled in.  Now I just need to pluck them into a decent shape...

Time for more Botox!

I got my first Botox treatment to my glabellar lines at the start of November (with a little extra a few weeks later).  Prior to trying it I had bought a $99 Groupon for 20 units of Botox at DLK on Avenue.  The voucher expires in April so I thought it should be used!  I don't have full movement back in my forehead yet but it's definitely wearing off.  I even felt like I was getting a tension headache during the week!

I initially thought they weren't going to help me out and allow me to make an appointment by email-it's pretty impossible to make personal calls in work-but they did in the end, thankfully.  The voucher was for nurse administered Botox.  I felt better about that after seeing Dr Kellett on the 16:9 exposé saying that she gets her nurse to do her Botox!   First appointment included a consultation with Dr Kellett though.  Initially I was scheduled for Thursday the 10th but an emergency meant that everyone that afternoon had to be rescheduled.  Luckily Dr Kellett decided to make up for it today (Saturday 12th) and they kindly slotted me in.

The clinic is lovely and on Avenue Rd in Toronto, just a little north of Whole Foods.  Everyone was absolutely lovely.  I filled out the usual medical questionnaire and a consent form.  Diana was my nurse and brought me to the treatment room to wait for Dr Kellett.  I wasn't waiting long.  They were both really nice-very friendly and chatty with a knack for putting people at ease.  We didn't discuss the Botox hugely because I'd already had it.  I asked for 5 extra units (at $12/unit) just to make sure I was definitely treated.  Diana suggested some above my brows to lift them.  I had been vaguely toying with it recently...but decided to think about it a little more first.  I asked her about my lips too.  She thought they were a good shape and colour (thanks Diana!) and said that she uses Botox herself for lip lines...which is the same as a few others (not Dr Torgerson though).  I think I might go for it next time!

The treatment was super quick and barely felt it.  It's obvious that Diana has done this thousands of times.   She gave great post-procedure instructions as well which I didn't get the last time. No more Googling!  Need not have gotten up early to go to the gym...only have to avoid exercise and lying down for 3 hours.

I also asked if I could get some Latisse and they obliged.  I liked it that I actually filled out a questionnaire about my eye health...it's another thing that wasn't covered before.  Dr Kellett and I compared our results.  We both really like it!

I think I'd be happy heading back there for other things-they have a lot on offer including peels, lasers, injectables and Dr Kellett's own line of products.  I liked the atmosphere, it was squeaky clean and everybody was lovely (and very very good).

Here's my "pre" this time.  Better camera (shudder).  Discovered that the lines show up best without the flash:

And soon I'll update my Latisse experience-the 3 month version! I started it on November 16th so sometime in the next few days.  Spoiler: the post will include the importance of an eyelash curler for crazy lashes!