A Wonder for Your Face - Take 2

My great Wonderbar experiment was pre-empted because I ran out of my samples. Oops. At the end of a month, I was not able to see any noticeable differences in my skin to make me think this is the answer to my skin woes. I spoke the people at Wonderbar who said that some women see changes sooner than others and I should try it for another month. Luckily, a friend had attended a beauty event and got a large sample in her goody bag and gave it to me so here we go with round 2!

I decided since I had a larger bar I am going to test my face, neck, back of my legs and scalp and see what happens. I used the product for a week and I started to see the "healing crisis" that the site talks about on my face. My skin was dry and really itchy and I got red in the corners of my eyes, nose and mouth. They are right to call it a crisis because there is nothing good about it and all I have to say is thank goodness for cover up. The itching went away after that first week. I will disclose that I got a facial and peel yesterday so the dryness is almost all cleared up.

Now my neck is a different story. I have an ugly red rash across my neck - my friend commented that it looked like someone tried to strangle me with a rope! Good thing I have a large supply of turtlenecks to keep me covered. I called Wonderbar and they said this is quite normal and all part of the healing that the skin needs to go through. I'm told the skin will turn brown and eventually the dead skin will peel off, and I will have much softer skin once it does. Sounds almost like what happens with a bad sunburn. Time will tell what happens on my neck.

Stay tuned!

A Wonder For Your Face

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season. As part of my New Year's Resolutions I am going to revive this blog and write more often.

I have had problem skin as long as I can rememeber. I always yearned for beautiful, clear skin. After battling acne during my teens and beyond I went to the dermatologist and was put on all kinds of lotions, creams and pills -- I even tried Accutane. While my breakouts are now less frequent I do have red marks and some fine lines and large pores that I am forever trying to mask with make up or improve with the latest potion.

While reading a beauty blog, I came across a post about the Wonderbar, a miraculous skin care product that claims to help clear up acne, eczema, tighten skin, minimize pores and make your skin more radiant. According to their website the bar is packed with 700 herbs and plants, along with Heilmoor Clay and four different organic algae. The bar is different from other products as it heals from within and it will eventually bring your skin back to its natural PH level. Wow. Will it do my laundry too? There is a slight downside as your skin will go through a "healing crisis" and get dry or itchy while the toxins are coming out, but after you will be left with radiant, beautiful skin. Sign me up!

This product sounded so amazing I had to try it. The great thing is that you can order a sample to test the product. They suggest that you buy two samples which should last for about 2-3 weeks. The bars are TINY (they are about 1/4 of the size of a hotel soap), but I have been reading that they last for longer than you think.

I am on day 3. I haven't noticed any differences in my skin yet. I will continue to blog on my progress with the Wonderbar. Let me know if you have tried this product and what you thought of it.

Single & The Holidays

Now that Thanksgiving 2008 is over the official start to Holiday Season 2008 has begun! Now I know that some single ladies out there get depressed this time of year because they have no one special in their life. I used to feel like one of the misfit toys from from Rudolph, "I just don't fit in." The holidays seem to be all about family and your special man. It certainly doesn't help seeing all those Zales commercials that seem to be on an endless loop on my TV -- "Diamonds? For me? You are the most perfect man ever!"

While the holidays are a hectic time between shopping for gifts, work, holiday baking and general life, it's also a great time to be single. Between now and New Year's Eve there are parties, parties, parties giving us single ladies ample opportunities to meet someone new. Every group I belong to throws some sort of holiday gathering and someone's friend is always hosting a party in their apartment. I love it because it gets me out of my comfort zone and social circle -- and you just never know who you could meet by the cheese platter! And people tend to be in a more festive mood this time of year making conversation easier. Instead of the standard, "so what do you do?" line, you can ask about holiday plans or their favorite Christmas show (mine is the Grinch & Rudolph).

This holiday season accept all invites and see what happens! Now I am not saying that you will meet "the one" but you never know what can happen when you add in a little holiday cheer.

JDate After Dark

So it was a typical Sunday late night and I logged on to my Jdate account. I saw a guy online with whom I had engaged in some flirtatious IM-ing with from time to time. I wished him a belated Happy New Year and we started to chat and catch up. It was all fun and games and then he asked me the "boxers or briefs" question. Then, he proceeded to turn on his web camera and stood up. All he was wearing from the waist down was a pair of black briefs which he proceeded to model. Um, ok this is getting a little weird (Is he ... he's not... is he touching himself??!!). He then proceeded to tell me in graphic detail things he would do to me and what I needed. Yikes. Thank God that none of those details were shown via his web cam. This is what I get for logging on to Jdate after 11pm! Oy. I now get why this guy is still single, and why we won't be going out on a date. Maybe it's time to check out Match.com.

To Buy or Not to Buy

Recently, I was talking to a single friend who was discussing buying her first home. She found the perfect little home for herself. She was excited, but there were complications and she ended up not buying the house. She told me later she was happy the deal fell through as she didn't want to purchase a house by herself, she would rather buy a house with her husband. I couldn't help thinking about what she said and how society made her feel like this is another thing that single women shouldn't do on their own.

Back in the day men held the purchasing power and women were the homemakers caring for the house. Homes were bought when a married couple started their lives together. With men and women getting married in their 30s and 40s these days it only makes sense that more women will be home owners before they get married. How exciting! Most single women I know in NYC (myself included) consider buying their first apartment with a sense of pride and independence. And it looks like they are not alone. According to the National Association of Realtors, single women make up 22% of new home buyers compared to just 9% of single men. More than one in five home buyers is a single woman. Hmmm, seems like it's the men that wait until marriage before buying a home.

What do you think about home ownership as a single woman? Isn't it time for society (and my friend) to catch up to the reality that it's the single women who are the ones in the real estate market buying homes. Now if I could just figure out how to get that 20% downpayment.

Sex & the City Happy Hour

Come get "Carried" away with Swish and friends as we celebrate being single and fabulous and toast the upcoming "Sex & the City" movie. It's just a great excuse to get together!

The event will be at Madame X, 94 West Houston Street, NYC starting at 6:30pm. I bet you didn't know that Madame X was featured in the Season 1 episode about Twentysomething men.

In addition to Cosmos, what would a Sex in the City party be without some shopping? Swish shirts will be for sale along with the fabulous Smart Heel, information on the Singelringen, and more.

Feel free to invite friends -- the more the merrier! Men are, of course, always welcome!

Sex & the City Movie

I am very excited about the Sex & the City Movie coming out in 11 days. As if you couldn't tell by the Sex & the City Movie countdown timer on the right. Not only was I a huge fan of the show, their central theme of being single & happy was the inspiration behind Swish.

It's been 4 years and countless reruns on TBS later. I wonder what is going on with our Fab Four? Details have been hard to come by. The trailer reveals that Carrie is engaged to Big, Miranda is still in Brooklyn, Samantha moved to LA and Charlotte is pregnant. It also revealed Mr. Big's waxed eyebrows. Was anyone else freaked out by that? I am hoping that the show's humor, wit, fun and friendships translate from the small screen to the big screen. We won't have to wait much longer to see the outcome.