HOPE IN A JAR

I want to share the following article with you which appeared in the The Times in the UK.

After reading it I checked on Amazon and yes it is available through Amazon and they ship from the UK.  The link is myperfecteyes.co.uk

An eye cream that really works?

A product that really does banish under-eye wrinkles . . . but only for a few hours

Alice Hart-Davis

September 8 2016, 12:01am, The Times

The skin around eyes is thinner than elsewhere in the face and wrinkles easily Michael Leckie for The Times

It is one of the holy grail products for beauty seekers. Along with an invisible lift to hoist drooping eyelids and a magic wand to eradicate extra chins, what we all long for is a miracle in a bottle to get rid of bags and wrinkles under the eyes.

Eyes are such a giveaway of ageing. The skin around them is thinner than elsewhere in the face. It wrinkles easily, sags into bags as we get older and is prone to puffiness.

We are always suckers for new products that promise the earth — or at least, a little bit of real-life photoshopping. Enter the latest “miracle”, My Perfect Eyes, a cream invented in Australia that claims to be able to banish wrinkles in seconds. One that comes with a live video demonstration that has been given the all-clear by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), no less.

Can this sort of thing possibly work? Most women are pretty cynical about “miracle products”, even if the ASA has said that the stuff does what it says on the tin — if only for a short time.

“I’ve seen this kind of product before,” says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting. “Essentially it creates a clingfilm effect, holding in the bulging eye bag. I think this kind of product does work on a temporary basis, which is great, because it’s a tricky area to treat without resorting to invasive procedures.”

I’ve tried other products like this. There’s Eyesential, a thin gel that you sweep under the eye area and which slowly tightens over 15 minutes as it dries. I’ve seen make-up artists get great results with this, but when I tried it, I never got it quite right. It tightened all right, but too much product meant loose skin would be scrunched into nasty folds.

Then there’s Roloxin Lift, a face “masque” that tightens as it dries into a white powder. When you wash off the powder, the skin stays a bit more taut, even when you put on moisturiser and make-up.

The old favourite for under-eye tightening is haemorrhoid cream (benzocaine, the active ingredient, causes the blood vessels to contract, which reduces puffiness), but this can make under-eye skin even drier and therefore prone to more wrinkling.

Most new types of hope-in-a-jar are either improbably cheap (like Aldi’s £7 anti-ageing serum with caviar extract) or eye-wateringly expensive (Dior’s new La Cure anti-ageing serum, £950).

This finds a middle ground. It costs £59.95 on the firm’s own website, is also available on Amazon and TV shopping channels and comes with a shopping list of instructions. It’s not claiming to improve the skin or plump it up in any way, it simply forms an invisible, web-like film under the eye that will compress any bagginess or puffiness and temporarily hide fine lines and wrinkles.

You can’t put anything wet — such as moisturiser, liquid foundation or concealer — on top of it or the web will dissolve. So crying and sweating are clearly off limits, or your fragile web will melt and you’ll be back to normal. It is meant to last for up to ten hours, so don’t apply it too early or there will be a Cinderella-style collapse later in the evening.

Eyes are such a giveaway of ageing

I pull the wand out of the bottle and wipe a pea-sized amount on the back of my hand. I make a firm sweep outwards under my right eye from the inner corner, wiping the tail ends of the residue into the crow’s feet that branch off over my cheeks. And wait.

Over the next 60 seconds, I can feel the stuff tightening as it dries, the strangest sensation as it feels as though the skin is shrinking into itself. It works! A minute later, it has dried into a thin shiny film and my under-eye area looks altogether smoother, the lines and crow’s feet much less evident. It keeps on tightening for the next five minutes, then tingles alarmingly for another five before settling down.

I quickly swipe some under the other eye — a bit too much, as it turns out, as it goes into a slight snakeskin effect. I think I need more practice. I suspect it will work a treat on my husband’s eye bags, although he absolutely refuses to touch the stuff, let alone show the results in the national press.

So. Holy grail? Sort of. Will I use it again? Absolutely. It’s a quick fix that works, and even if it’s only for a few hours, even if it’s just a short-lived self-esteem booster, isn’t that exactly what we all want? myperfecteyes.co.uk

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So when you find out it really is the Holy grail – or not – please, please share your experience on this blog. Or tell us how you feel about using these type of products.

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything!

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BUCKET LIST – DO YOU HAVE ONE?

Before ending the book signing at The Bell Pub in England I did a little survey by asking who of the ladies had a Bucket List. Two hands went up. When I asked why others did not have one the answer was always something like this, “I never thought about it. I know there are things I still want to do before I die, but never made a plan.”

Well a bucket list is a plan.  Life coaches and therapists often suggest to write down what is in our heart to show us what we really want.

I handed out paper and pens and after 15 minutes collected the answers. Here are some of them:

  • A nice young man – ( this came from a pretty, vivacious blond)
  • Botox facial filler
  • Go up and down the High Line in New York
  • To walk the Inca Trail
  • To walk the full distance of the Great Wall of China
  • Learn to surf – well
  • To build and own a donkey sanctuary
  • Travel to Venice on the Orient Express
  • To visit all the wonders of the world
  • To write a children’s book
  • To run the London Marathon
  • Go to Iceland
  • Travel to Avignon and stay for a long time and paint
  • Take a train across Europe and stop at the places I really want to see
  • See more of South Africa
  • Take a river cruise down the Danube
  • Go to Koblenz in Germany to see a painting my grandmother did, which now hangs in a museum there.(I asked her if she had ever seen it and she said never)

Some of these dreams are a little more difficult to fulfill than others, but not unreachable if you allow yourself to make it a priority.

By the way the lady who had never seen her grandmother’s painting is on her way to Koblenz. She said, “I am glad I came today, this is really a wake-up call.”

Tell us what is on your bucket list!

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The following photos are an encouragement for the lady who wants go to Avignon in France and paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

 

 

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

It’s something we often hear but don’t always do. And I am the first one to admit that sometimes I forget. Fortunately during those moments there is a little light bulb in my head that blinks to remind me of how lucky I am.

One of those times was a  Sunday afternoon. The sky was grey. It was raining and I was driving to Brooklyn to go to the Unique Thrift Shop – not a place where I wanted to be on a  Sunday afternoon, but it was today that they had their 50% off sale. No, I didn’t need $3 off a pair of shoes, but since I shopped there for clothes to give to the homeless at my church, it allowed me to buy a lot more.

Nothing that happened that afternoon improved . The traffic was slow, due to construction, and the rain had intensified, and to make things worse there was no parking. After driving around for a while I found a parking garage two blogs away. Not only did they charge $22 but it made me schlepp my purchases, 4 bags of clothing, through the rain. When I got back to pick up my car, the wait was 20 minutes and no place to take shelter from the rain. I felt miserable.

But on my way home, with the rain still beating against my windshield and the traffic  at snail pace going back to Manhattan my light bulb suddenly went on, and the message flashing through my mind was ‘stop complaining and be glad that you are the one buying the clothes for the homeless instead of being homeless!

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I recently found this paperweight

Blessings Egypt (2)

It is a good reminder, not just to feel blessed, but to go a step further and count twice whatever and whoever is making our life better.

 And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

YOU HAVE TO BE IN TO WIN IT

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Getting Over Growing Older by Brigitte Nioche

Getting Over Growing Older

by Brigitte Nioche

Released March 05 2016

Giveaway ends in 7 days (June 27, 2016)

10 copies available, 106 people requesting

giveaway details »

Before sharing my experience about an aid who took care of my mother, I want to say that when the day comes I need somebody around the clock to take care of me I won’t rejoice. It won’t be such a good day. But once over the first chock I will be grateful that there are people willing to do what is not always a pleasant task. Unfortunately it was not how my mother saw it when the time came and Anna moved into her apartment to look after her.

Anna was a kind and gentle soul who had recently arrived in the US from Poland and who spoke little English. My mother complained about it, and when I suggested it would be a worthwhile project for her to teach Anna English her response was,

“I am not here to teach her English, she is here to take care of me.”

They struggled along for the next few weeks and when I came for dinner one night my mother said, “Just so you know I let Anna go to church last Sunday.”

“That was nice of you” I replied  wondering who wanted to get rid of whom? I found out soon enough. I met Anna in the lobby when I was leaving and  after asking her how things were I said,

“I heard you went to church last Sunday! Which church did you go to Anna?”

“Church? Me? No Anna not church, Anna sandwich.”

Anna only stayed for a few more weeks, but I have never forgotten the incident. With a kinder attitude on my mother’s part they could have enjoyed a sandwich together!

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And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

BrigitteAlice O'Connor Art 144

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Over-Growing-Older-Positive/dp/069262385X/

P.S. If you have a story to share, I would love to hear it. Please leave a comment or email me – bbnnic@gmail.com – so that we can post it here. Thank you.

BRA STRAPS ARE USEFUL BUT NOT PRETTY

Since for the last few days the sun is shining brightly it has, to my chagrin, brought out the bra straps again.

bra strapes

  • Problem: They are not pretty and never add anything to make a woman look well dressed. Maybe she doesn’t look in the mirror? – or doesn’t realize how unattractive they are?
  • Solution: – 1  if you want to wear a camisole and are not as lucky as some young girls who don’t need a bra – buy one with a bra build in. They come in many fabrics, colors and are sold everywhere

– 2  if you wear a sleeveless dress which doesn’t hide the bra straps  buy a T-Back Convertible made by most underwear manufacturers today.

Below an example of it. Made my Wacoal style 851205 (no I don’t get paid for this) but wearing one I can say it to works well under revealing styles of clothing. By the way they agree about exposed bras straps not being a plus. Their sales pitch is:

wac851205_blk_bv3

SHOW OFF YOUR FIGURE NOT YOUR BRA STRAPS

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And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything!

Brigitte

 

CHOICES – PICTURE OF THE WEEK

IF YOU HAD THE CHOICE WHAT WOULD YOU PICK FOR YOUR DESSERT?

IMG_7710

THE PINK BRA OR THE BAGS FILLED WITH LINDT CHOCOLATE????

And never forget – A Smile changes everything.

Brigitte

 

RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY- WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?

Before arriving at my place for dinner, my friend Jasmine went to the liquor store across the street from where I live to buy a bottle of wine.

At the cash register the man asked for $15.07 – an odd amount I know but New York tax can do that. She put $20 on the counter and picking it up he said,

“Do you have 7 cents?”

“No, I am sorry I don’t” my friend answered

“That’s strange” he replied looking at her

“Why is that?” she inquired

“Because old ladies always have pennies”

Jasmine gasped and after restraining herself from slapping him, she said,

“Don’t YOU  worry – one day you will be old too! And you are not far away from it.” (she guessed he was about 50.)

Believe me we really needed that bottle of wine to drown and forget his disrespectful  words.

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

DEAR ABBY

I started writing early in life and everything I have written were always Self Help or How To books. So when I came to the United States many years ago I fell in love with a column which appeared in over 1000 newspapers at the time called DEAR ABBY. She  gave advice and solved reader’s problems.

I never missed her column and reading it I always wished that one day I could be a DEAR ABBY. When recently I published my latest book  a review from a reader made my day. She said and I quote:

Getting Over Growing Older: How to Change Your Life by Staying Positive by Brigitte Nioche is full of advice and helpful hints. I was looking forward to reading this book. I will say that the book is easy to read, laced with bits of humor throughout . Perhaps it was because from the reviews I was expecting the book to be more of a mental positive encouragement on growing older gracefully more of a Katie Byron style. Instead I felt  it was more like a physical makeover through a monologue from a Dear Abby perspective.

Dear Abby – really? So maybe there still is time to make my dream come true? Can I start with you? Don’t you have any questions? Don’t you need advice? Aren’t you in doubt about your relationship? Your Job? Or maybe you don’t know how to handle the annoying neighbor who just moved in.? Just ask me anything you want! Leave your question right here and my answer will be on the way. Looking forward to hearing from you!

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything
Image result for is there a dear abby advice column
Dear Abby/Brigitte