Obsessed with Gadgets

I know. That' s a weird name for a blog about beauty, but today I was perusing the Bliss catalog and I started obsessing over the beauty gadgets I have to have. If they do what they say they do, I neeed every single one. So my goal, immediately post-pregnancy, is to try one at a time and report back on how they worked. Here is my wish list, and the claims behind them, according to Blissworld.com:
Nuface: "Did someone say 'facemaker'? At last, a petite, portable device that uses a gentle microcurrent to lift and firm your face and neck, lessen the look of lines and wrinkles, and pump up production of collagen and elastin. Delivering immediate and long-lasting results in just a few minutes a day, we think it's nothing short of lifesaving." $450
Wellbox: "What uses the same technology as top spas to curb cottage cheese and fab-up flagging faces and is making headlines from Manhattan to Monaco?Wellbox—the only at-home dimple dashing device to use tissular therapy—delivers visible results in just 6-8 weeks.With 3 power heads for body and 2 for face, you can target specific cellulite-sullied or sapped areas on the fly, or do a face-to-feet fix in less time than it takes to eat a pint of (low-fat) ice cream. And, with a starter series of in-spa cellulite treatments alone averaging upwards of $1500, being queen of your own machine is just a drop in the bucket.THE #1 CELLULITE TREATMENT WORLDWIDE!" $1595
beurer softlaser healer" "Point at acne spots, small scars and wrinkles, for light-induced improvement. This safe-on-the-skin, do-it-yourself laser healer stimulates cell energy (via the 'right' UV waves), for faster repair, healing and cell process pick-me-up! The Beurer Softlaser Healer uses low-level laser light therapy to stimulate cell activity below the surface of the skin, which leads to an increased rate of healing of breakouts, rebuilding of lines and wrinkles and speeding up of other stunted cell processes that might cause the beauty foibles that you fret about. We know that cellular activity naturally slows as we age, and so do the processes (collagen production, waste removal, cell division, fibroblast activity) that keep our skin young. The Beurer Softlaser Healer works on the premise that a safe amount of low-level light therapy can be self-administered to speed up what's 'sagging'." $219
zeno pro acne clearing device : "Just one to three 2 1/2-minute treatments with this patented, prize-winning pimple point-and-shoot will '86' (or significantly improve) 90% of pimples within 24 hours. Uses a finely targeted dose of bacteria-busting heat to take aim at mild-to-moderate acne. In a new teal color. Includes a black leather carrying case with mirror." $185 verilux deluxe phototherapy skincare system If you have prolific pimpleage on your face, back or chest (and don't want to do the doctor and drug thing), give it 15 minutes a day in front of this tabletop light. By killing P. acnes bacteria and soothing inflamed pores, this synergistic combo of natural-spectrum blue-and-red-light improved mild to moderate acne in 75% of those tested in just 12 weeks. Includes goggles. Replaceable bulbs last up to 2 years. 18" x 13"." (Have to find someone else to test this since I no longer have acne). $199
Can you see why I'm so obsessed? Do these devices work? Has anyone tried them? If so, I'd love to hear!

My New Stylist

You may remember me raving about my superstylist Suzie, who has been doing my hair for almost 4 years now. Suzie is a genius when it comes to cutting, coloring and styling hair. But when it comes to combing, she's no match for the new stylist on the block, my daughter Lola.

Lola recently came upon a tiny little doll comb with teeth on both sides. One side has very fine teeth, and on the other side they are even finer. Lola enjoys attempting to comb her hair with this toy, which is great because, as I've mentioned before, her hair is as fine as the teeth on that comb. Unfortunately, mine is not. But that hasn't stopped Lola from trying. One of her favorite things to do these days is to stand behind me when I'm sitting on the floor, doing my hair. She is undaunted by the fact that the comb does not seem to penetrate my thick curls in the least, and that she is unable to run it through. She pulls, she yanks, and she tries to force my hair into submission. I've made similar attempts with my hair in the past (though mine have been considerably less painful) and I've been equally unsuccessful.

Thanks to my new stylist, when I ran into Jennifer, a good girlfriend of mine, at the grocery store this evening, I was sporting what could best be called a frizzy halo. I wore very little makeup and a jersey dress that would have been cute, minus the virtual menu of stains that adorned the skirt. Jennifer, as always, looked sleek and flawless with her swingy straight hair, little black jacket and sequined slides. I felt a little like the proverbial hausfrau. Sigh.
This is the second time I felt like this today. Earlier, Lola, my husband and I were all standing in line at Target (I know - you envy me right about now) behind the most gorgeous woman. She wore a stylish but casual cream jersey top, trendy red shorts with cream stitching, and cream platform stilettos. She was thin and toned and her blonde hair was perfectly in place. I reminded myself that I'm pregnant and therefore fully entitled to be sporting a comically huge belly and hair that is impossibly thick and hard to control. I comforted myself further with the fact that I was a mommy who had barely made it out the door with her shoes on, so there was no way I could put as much effort into a trip to Target as a woman who clearly had a lot of time on her hands. Then she turned around and I saw it. There, strapped to the front of her lithe and faux-tanned body was a baby girl in a Baby Bjorn, looking pink and perfect and adorably dressed (as was Lola, I might add!). This woman had a baby! A young one! Probably not even 6 months old! And she was buying monstrously huge bags of dog food at Target in platform stilettos, much like I used to do pre-baby. Sigh. Again.
I don't know whether to feel tired or inspired.

Help for a Fine Haired Baby

I'm not talking about my hair here. I'm talking about Lola's. Her hair is just like her daddy's. Baby fine and almost without curl. But it does need some control, especially in the back, where it tends to get frizzy and a little flyaway. So I'm testing baby hair products. I need something so light that it won't weigh hair down but that still offers some control and frizz management. So far I've tried the Original Little Sprout Miracle Detangler, which I passed along to my sister. She loves it as a detangler for her daughters' thick curly hair. It works like a charm in that department, and smells amazing, but it doesn't offer any hold. So now I've moved on to the Conditioning Mist from Noodle & Boo, and I LOVE IT. There are several things I like about this product: 1. Comes in a big bottle, so you don't need to repurchase constantly. 2. Smells amazing! 3. The mist makes it easy to spray on just the amount you want. 4. It works amazingly well on tangles. 5. The best part: it makes Lola's hair smooth, silky, and not frizzy or flyaway at all. It's even controlled the little frizzy patch on the back of her head, which is no longer there. Her hair looks so soft and shiny and beautiful! One night, she fell asleep before I could condition and comb her hair, and so I used the conditioning mist the next morning and it worked just as well! It eliminated bedhead and tangles and frizz, and left her hear soft and shiny. Love it!