On Aging

 I had a really, really hard time with my 30th birthday.

Yes, I realize that happened years ago but stick with me here.

As the day approached, I don't remember feeling excited about the milestone. Or feeling like I was #blessed and all that all other jazz.

I just remember thinking, 30. THIRTY. 

How can I possibly be 30?

You see, in my own mind, I am in a constant stage of 26. 

It's the perfect age.

You're not too young to be completely stupid, you feel fabulous and you're just mature enough for people to take you seriously.

I got married that year.

I had a baby the next.

I was so grown up.

Only not.

Flash forward to my 40th birthday.

What I thought would be a girls trip to Las Vegas turned into me + post-partum + beautiful new baby girl. 

WHAT?

My life was a whirlwind of re-learning all of the things that I thought were done eight years before. 

I didn't have time to focus on myself.

And the new baby kept me young.

I realized I wasn't the oldest at any of my ob gyn appointments. In fact, the "older" mother had become the norm.

And I settled in quite nicely enjoying every moment albeit slower. With more patience than I ever thought I had. I relished the time with her and truly appreciated being her mother and everything that came with it.

Heck, I even started this little blog as an outlet and a place to document all things Ava Grace.

Today, I am 50. Well, I'm 51 but whose counting?

And while I'm comfortable in my skin, I would still rather be say, 26. 

Yes, yes. I know. Fortunate for being here. Not everyone reaches this milestone. All that other good stuff.

But really, I don't love this whole getting older thing.

My body is changing. I'm tired all the time. I need glasses. And botox.

Here's somthing.
Sometimes, I see an actress. Or an image of an older woman..

And obviously I google her.

She's 50 ish. 

And I think to myself, wow. My age. I'm 50.

Because remember, in my head, I am 26.

I don't act like I'm 50, do I?

I don't dress like I'm 50, do I?

I don't parent like I'm 50, do I?

Do I look 50???

I know I'm supposed to feel thankful.

And I do.

But some days?

Man, I just want to be 26 again.

OK, 27 works too.

Happy Friday friends.

xo

7 in 7 Interview with Dr. Nathan Rosen - Your Questions Answered

Today's post is sponsored by Allergan Canada. All views and opinions are strictly my own.

Following my visits to Dermetics throughout last year for all of my JUVÉDERM® filler consultations and subsequent treatments; I received a ton of questions.

Some of you DM'd through instagram.

Others emailed me.

Friends and family cornered me in person.

But resoundingly, the SAME questions were being asked by all women.

And so, this post was born.

I reached out to the incomparable Dr. Nathan Rosen from Dermetics, who personally completed all of my injections. I truly feel blessed. He is one of the best in the industry (though he would modestly deny that) and not only a true professional, but also generally awesome human.

Dr. Rosen took time out of his insane schedule to answer these questions for me and play my "7 in 7" lightening round. More on that later!

So, what were the top 3 questions I received from my readership base following that initial post?

Read on.

What questions should I ask my doctor?

What are your credentials? What is your experience? 

What are the potential complications and how would they be dealt with if they occur? Show me your before and after photos.   

Does it hurt? (!) Any side effects like swelling/bruising?

Some areas are definitely more sensitive then others,

(read: lips) however it is a lot more pleasant than a visit to the dentist AND the reward is looking and feeling better!  

Bruising and swelling are the most common side effects, however, both are usually mild and short-lived.

How does pricing work? + How long does it last? (tied)

All pricing is related and based on what you need or hope to get done and will therefore vary greatly from person to person and potentially treatment to treatment.  

Most people will look to top up an area at about the one year mark after initial treatment.  

Now that I had our famous doctor cornered, I thought it might be fun to do a lightening round of questions (including some I personally had) and he was game.

I told you he was a generally awesome human.

7 questions

7 minutes

And, GO!

 Will I look "done"? Fake?

Not if you do your research ahead of time and go to a reputable clinic, like Dermetics.

Can you do anything to lessen the pain of injections?

We use several distraction techniques and there is lidocaine, an anaesthetic agent, in the filler itself. 

If I only had the budget for one area, where would you recommend I start?

This is specific to the individuals needs. During your consultation, you will build a treatment plan with your trusted injector based on your goals and your budget.

Is any treatment area more painful than another?

  Most people find lips are the most sensitive area to treat. 

What is the biggest misconception about fillers?

You are paying for results, not for syringes of filler - so don’t shop based on price per syringe. 

At what age should I consider starting fillers?

When you are concerned about volume-related changes or decide that you want to prevent early signs of aging. 

I keep hearing about MD Codes™. What does it mean?

It is a unique approach to facial fillers that helps patients and doctors align in treatment goals, by first assessing emotional goals in order to help plan and execute that treatment.  

How long will the treatment last?

Depends on the area, amount and the individual, however. studies show that results with JUVÉDERM® can last up to 9-24 months, depending on the treatment chosen. 

Read more about that here.

I see advertising for fillers everywhere. Why is it important to use a medically trained physician?

This is a medical procedure, and although rare, serious complications can happen.  An expert physician injector will be able to minimize the risk and deal with complications should they occur.

 Any last piece of advice?

Do your research. Find an experienced, credentialed doctor and have a consultation.  Only go ahead if you are comfortable in their approach, and they are in line with your aesthetic.  

I sincerely thank Dr. Rosen and the team at Dermetics for treating me like I was famous from start to finish.

I couldn't imagine a better experience. Read more about JUVÉDERM® here.

xo

Holiday Ready with Juvederm

Today's post is sponsored by Allergan Canada. All views and opinions are my own.

If you follow me on instagram, you would have seen a sneak peek of my recent return visit to Dermetics in Burlington for my follow-up treatment after being treated with JUVÉDERM® 

fillers almost a year ago.

As the holiday season quickly approaches, it seemed like the absolute perfect time to make sure that not only was my wardrobe ready for the numerous events and family gatherings booked, but that my face was too.

I absolutely loved my last experience with the juvederm product and was so excited to see what the doctor thought about what we might need to do to maintain my {ahem} youthful glow.

I cannot tell you how many times friends and family would say - "you look different, better - but I can't really put my finger on what is different".

THAT. That is exactly what I was after.

My goal was, and is, always about feeling better about myself. Looking more feminine and youthful. And never looking like anything but myself, only better.

{unedited photo of my make up free face prepping for consultation and treatment}

 I was so blessed to have Dr. Rosen treat me again this go-around.

I believe, the doctor/patient relationship is so vital - he had a clear understanding of the look I am comfortable with and had a full history of what I had treated in the past.

What I loved (read: a little lip!) and what made the biggest impact on my overall appearance.

This visit was no different from my previous visit in that we reviewed and assessed what I had done since the last time I was in the clinic - followed by a thorough assessment of my skin.

We decided on what the treatment plan would be and where he would place the facial filler.

In some cases, to my surprise, areas that I had treated almost a year ago, didn't need a touch-up yet! And so, we moved forward with the nasal labial folds, each side of my chin - (left and right bottom of my face which were starting to appear saggy), a touch in each cheek and in my upper lip.

If I had to say what my very favourite part of the overall treatment process is with fillers? I would have to say be being able to see results almost instantly.

The photograph below was taken at home immediately following the visit.

If you look closely, you can see a few tiny pin prick marks where the injection sites were and a very slight bruise on my lower left side of my face.

Both of these had all but disappeared within a couple of days and were not anything I couldn't cover with a tiny bit of concealer 12 hours after the injections resulting in little to no down-time for me.

{this photo was taken the same day as treatment,}

I wanted to also share "real life" photos from before and after treatment as this is where I feel the true impact comes for me. Images on the left show me as less firm and almost hollow in areas whereas images on the right show skin as much more taut and I see a significant difference around the bottom of my face where the overall jaw line appears smoother.

Can you spot the very slight bit of filler in the lip area?

Not meant to appear overdone,but rather, just used to even out the entire appearance.

I am super pleased with the results and SO ready to get the holiday festivities started.

Have you ever tried facial fillers?

Would love to hear about your experience!

To learn more and find a clinic near you, click here.
xo 

Priority: ME

Today's post is sponsored by Juvederm.

If you, like me, rarely find time for yourself? Put your hands up.

If you, like me, have a never-ending to do list that rarely includes any "me time"? Put your hands up.

If you, like me, put your children in front of yourself ALWAYS? Put your hands up.

And if you, like me, wonder when exactly you went from 28 to {ahem} 48? Put your hands WAY up.

Today?

Today I made myself a priority.

Today I put aside my busy life and focused on making myself feel great.

Today I put myself first and did something that I feel good about.

And today? Today I refuse to feel guilty about it.

Can I get an AMEN?

I'm not sure I ever gave much thought to whether or not I would age gracefully.

To be honest, I'm not sure I ever thought I would age at all.

Somehow I would defy this process. 

In the midst of raising 3 children, working full-time and getting nowhere near enough sleep?

I would surely become the next Benjamin Button.

Alas, this was not to be.

And I, like you, began to investigate.

What could I do that was more than a face cream but not as invasive {or expensive} as surgery?

What had little to no down-time and could leave me looking refreshed but still like myself?

All roads led me to cosmetic injectables.

And those roads led me to Juvederm.

Not only is Juvederm the number one doctor-recommended facial filler here in Canada but worldwide, having been used in over 32 million treatments. The line provides a suite of products that can be used alone - or in conjunction depending on the look you are trying to achieve.  AND, it contains lidocaine, a painkiller that aids with any discomfort both during and after treatment.

SOLD. Results can last up to 24 months (!).

On treatment day, I travelled to Dermetics, located in Burlington, and one of the fastest growing dermatology clinics in Ontario.

With two globally known doctors on-site, I knew I was in great hands. For my initial consultation, I met with a registered nurse who guided me through not only what the process would be, but also, how I felt about what I was about to do.

We spoke at length about what I have been doing with my skin to date AND what I hoped to achieve with regards to the injections.

The goal was still me, only better.

I hoped to look softened and well rested.

She told me about the importance of sunscreen and how, in fact, it remains the single most important thing you can do for your skin.

I was SO glad to already be on board that train!

We took a series of "before" photos and before long, it was time to meet with Dr. Rosen.

The doctor was nothing shy of gracious and a true professional. He took time to get to know me - my goals for treatment and how I felt about about the outcome he proposed. He too touted the virtues of sunscreen (!) before thoroughly explaining the procedure while allowing me to use a mirror that he guided me with.

We agreed on natural but better. He would soften the marionette lines on either side of my lower nose area towards my mouth. Add volume to the sides of my forehead and in the hollows of my eyes. And a little extra in the side cheekbone area which would provide a "lifted affect" overall.

He then drew all of this on my face {so.much.fun} and prepared the product that would be used.

During the treatment, which I would equate to a little stronger than a pinch, he made sure I was comfortable and provided step by step commentary. 

Which I love. 

When I was halfway done {read: half of my face was complete} he allowed me to see the difference.

WOWZA. 

I could literally see one side raised higher than the other. Just uncanny.

 

photos above taken 4 weeks post-procedure

Once the entire treatment was complete, I left with a concise list of what to expect and what to do if I felt any discomfort. I experienced a slight headache that day - used one regular strength Tylenol - and by the evening, felt completely fine. The results are immediate.

And I began to immediately get compliments from colleagues and family asking what I was doing differently. I looked well-rested. And, refreshed.

I love my results.

Have you tried facial fillers? I would love to hear about your experience.

xo

Caryl Baker Signature Facial Experience

I was recently invited by the team at Caryl Baker Visage, to experience their new Signature Facial.

The 60-minute facial uses potent, pure botanicals (all of which smell incredibly good) in a multi-benefit way to restore hydration to the skin and fight those stubborn signs of aging. 

The application of a professional-use 3D serum with trademarked Idealift technology for a firmer complexion combined with a 3D (super cool!) anti-aging, bio-cellulose sheet face mask made my skin glow.

  

My facialist, Brittni, started off by thoroughly cleansing my skin and eye area, then gently applied the 3D serum which was left on for a full 3 minutes.

Once fully removed, a 3-layer sheet face mask infused with coconut milk was placed on my face.

When the layers were slowly peeled away, a transparent, sheer net was put on to "hold" all the goodness in the mask in place.

The lights were dimmed and I was left to relax and enjoy a quiet 20 minutes.

Pure bliss.

When the mask was removed, the skin was cleansed, fully massaged and moisturized with what smelled like a mix of peaches and cream. 

My appointment was in the late evening otherwise, I was told the final step included an application of a subtle tinted face cream that gave a lovely glow.

To be honest, I didn't need it.

My skin was glowing following the treatment. 

In fact, I went directly to Starbucks sans makeup and didn't get a single odd oh my God what happened to her face stare.

Mission accomplished.

Learn more about the Signature Facial here and if you're local, I encourage you to visit a location and get your skin summer-ready. 

 Big thanks to the team at Caryl Baker Visage Vaughan Mills both for the amazing treatment and for photographing me each step of the way. 

You ladies rock.

xo