Tighten, firm and anti-age with a serum from No7, Belif and StriVectin!

No7 Laboratories Firming Booster Serum - 30ml - $44 - designed for areas of the face most prone to loss of firmness, it contains a super concentrate that is 4x more firming to deliver fast visible results - skin looks visibly firmer in just 1 week - and in 2 weeks, face and neck look visibly lifted.

The built-in, massaging applicator makes it easy and effective - twice a day, just massage a tiny amount from the left side of the mouth outwards and upwards to the brow and repeat on the other side - then massage the same amount into the neck and jawline - and just remember to turn the applicator to the off position!

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca.

Belif Youth Creator Age Knockdown Bomb - 50ml - $80 - an anti-aging, gel-textured serum that improves the appearance of enlarged pores, boosts elasticity and reduces fine lines and wrinkles for smoother, younger-looking skin with a highly-moisturizing formula of cedrol - helps boost skin elasticity and firmness; winter aster - helps support a healthy complexion; and water pennywort - soothes skin.

Available at Sephora stores across Canada and at sephora.ca.

StriVectin Peptight Tightening & Brightening Face Serum - 50ml - $109 - with a dual-focus formula that visibly tightens and firms skin while brightening and evening skin tone by harnessing  the power of two unique types of peptides: tetrapeptides and botanical tensors - visibly tighten, and firm for more sculpted-looking contours; and Hexapeptides - to brighten and help even skin tone; along with vitamin C-rich Australian kakadu plum extract - to enhance clarity and radiance; and  proprietary NIA-114 and potent botanical extracts for visibly tighter, brighter skin with a more sculpted-looking contour.

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Hudson's Bay stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca and thebay.ca.

- Lisamarie -

My fave five products from the beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart 9th Annual TIFF Beauty Suite!

TIFF may be over but the beauty will live on for a long time thanks to the beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart 9th Annual TIFF Beauty Suite which was chock-full of amazing products to keep you looking great on the red carpet and beyond - here are a few of my faves:

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Hitch Hike - $22 - in the perfect brick rose shade - it has a comfort matte finish with a creamy formula that is packed with nourishing ingredients including: a butter blend - that comforts, hydrates and enhances, leaving lips soft and conditioned, and never dry; aloe vera, jojoba, avocado, and babassu oils - to nourish and soften lips; illipe butter, derived from Malaysian illipe trees it provides long-lasting moisture; while vitamins C and E deliver a hint of antioxidants.

Phyto Phytovolume Actif Spray Volume Intense - 125ml - $32 - a heat activated blow-out must-have for fine, limp hair that leaves hair bouncy and holds any voluminous style in place all day long. A great way to perk up limp, sweaty hair - a few sprays of this and a shot with the blow dryer totally revived my do!

Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Enchantress - $31 - an amazing peach with duo chrome bright gold pearl that makes an impact in just one sweep of colour with a holographic-like, multi-colour, multi-dimensional effect.

Jowae Revitalizing Moisturizing Lotion - 400ml - $24 - a deeply moisturizing body lotion made from 97% natural ingredients such as bamboo water, sunflower oil, shea butter and soy with a light formula that melts quickly into the skin, leaving it supple, toned, and naturally bright - and with the extra bonus of smelling like watermelons!

Silk'n Titan Skin Tightening and Lifting - $299 - a painless, non-surgical treatment with no recovery time that reverses the effects of gravity and aging as it repairs damaged and sagging skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that is safe for all skin types. It works by affecting the upper layer of skin for improved skin texture, reaches into the dermis for rejuvenation and collagen restoration and penetrates deep into the subdermal fat for deep tissue tightening and wrinkle reduction - with visible results after just 10 treatments - but honestly you will see results after just one treatment too, people were asking me if I had just had a facial after my session!

All available at select Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Viora offers a non-invasive and painless way to tighten sagging skin - and more!

If you've been feeling a little droopy around the edges there is a great way to tighten things up that doesn't require any cutting, pain or downtown - Viora!

Erica from Avenue Skin Care recently introduced me to the the joys of Viora tightening along my jawline - one of those saggy prone places - that works through the use of Radio Frequency energy.

It's a simple and quick procedure - a thick gel is applied and then the device is placed on the skin for a few moments until the entire area has been treated. The treatment itself doesn't hurt, it doesn't feel like much of anything other then the occasional tingle. It takes about half an hour and you can easily do on your lunch hour as there is no evidence that you've done anything other then a little redness that is easily covered with makeup. And while I did see some improvement with one treatment, for full tightening effects a series of treatments of up to 6 is necessary and will cost about $300 a session depending on the size of the area being treated.

Also available is Viora Reaction which not only tightens skin but also contours the body making it perfect for treating cellulite and stubborn fat deposits on the body.

Get your Viora fix at participating spas including Avenue Skin Care - 110 Cumberland Street, Suite 200 in Toronto - 416-962-3351 - www.avenueskincare.com - who are also offering Viora treatments for men including an Eye Rescue, Neck ReLift Treatment and Abs Treatment.

- Lisamarie -

Pollogen Face & Body Treatments - take some of the worry out of getting bikini ready!

Looking for a way to eliminate fat and tighten up in a non-invasive way? Then you're going to want to check out Pollogen Face & Body Treatments which are now available in Canada - a painless, non-surgical and medically-proven solution to tighten, firm, smooth, reshape and contour any problem area on the face and body - on all skin colours with immediate results, no irritation and no recovery time. 

What's really great about it is that it can target specific areas for spot treatments - like these tummy results obtained in 5 treatments - we all know that even when you exercise your ass off, there are sometimes stubborn areas that just won't budge - and offers dramatic results in spot-treating cellulite, wrinkles, stretch marks, scarring, loose skin and stubborn fat pockets.

I'm not even going to pretend that I understand the TriPollar radio frequency technology that makes it work but the steps it goes through are easy enough:

Release: The treatment energy heats the subcutaneous fat tissue layer. This thermal effect accelerates natural fat metabolism and forces the release of liquid fat from the cells into the extra-cellular matrix.

Remove: The released fat clears the area and is used as fuel in the body, much like exercise causes fat cells to be used as food.  This allows you to choose specific areas of fat to metabolize.

Reshape: Focused energy heats the collagen fibres within the dermis, causing them to contract. As the collagen strands are pulled closer together, the skin immediately becomes tighter and smoother. Simultaneously, the heating effect accelerates the metabolism of the Fibroblasts, which augments collagen regeneration and yields long-term skin tightening results. 

In addition to safely heating four layers of the skin from within to accelerate natural fat metabolism for the body to use as fuel, restructuring existing collagen and increasing collagen production, the updated generation TriPollar technology employs Dynamic Muscle Activation (DMA), which encourages more rapid fat metabolism while tightening and toning the muscle. 

The treated skin’s physiology is actually improved as a result of the collagen regeneration, which delivers long-lasting results. Visible tightening and contouring effects can be seen after just one treatment and can last up to four months, depending on the severity of the targeted area. For permanent results, patients often receive three to six treatments with monthly maintenance treatments to follow. The cellulite reduction here is from just 3 treatments. 

After seeing all this of course I was curious to try it for myself so I had a stomach treatment. It lasts about half an hour and the device looks something like a massaging shower head. I probably would have enjoyed the treatment more if I'd had it just about anyplace else, it's very warm and it's like getting a massage, I'm just not crazy about having my stomach touched - during the treatment the skin gets really warm and every once in a while you feel a snapping sensation like static - but it's not painful in any way. Just make sure you don't have to show off the body part you have treated any time soon after the treatment, my stomach was bright red for a couple of hours afterwards. It was worth it though, I had her measure me before and then I measured again the next day and had lost a full inch from my stomach!

Treatments cost $300 to $350 each and are available at select medical spas and clinics in Canada including

Glow MediSpa in Toronto and Dr. Matta Cosmetic & Laser Clinic in Brampton.

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Check out www.mypollogen.com for other locations, testimonials and many more before and after photos.

- Lisamarie -

Ultherapy - lifting and tightening without going under the knife!

I knew that if I held off long enough that science would come up with anti-aging procedures that wouldn't involve any cutting - and thankfully, I was right!

One of he latest and greatest in non-surgery procedures is Ultherapy - the only non-invasive ultrasound treatment approved by the FDA and Health Canada for lifting the skin on the neck, chin and brow by using focused ultrasound to lift and tighten loose skin over time.

The focused ultrasound is used to stimulate the growth of new collagen deep within the skin - which is important because as we know, collagen is a natural protein that gives skin its youthfulness by keeping it firmed and toned. As we age, collagen loses its strength and its ability to stand up to the effects of gravity that pull the skin downward. The thermal affect essentially jumpstarts a repair process that strengthens existing collagen and produces fresh, new collagen. - and as the production of new collagen occurs over time, the results aren't immediate but become more apparent over three to six months. 

The procedure only takes about an hour for most patients, costs between $1-$5K depending on the areas being treated, and there is no downtime.

Lifting with no cutting, I was all over this one so I went to see my friend Dr. Cory Torgerson to see if this procedure could do something about my less then defined jawline and saggy chin bits. 

I purposely didn't read other people's experiences with it before I went because I didn't want to have any preconceived ideas on what it would be like - I realize what you really want to know here is if it hurts - and the short answer is no. 

Before the procedure I took a couple of advil and tylenols and Dr. Torgerson gave me a few numbing injections which really did the trick. I was told I could expect pain on an out of 10 scale of about a 4 but at the very worst it was a 2 and that wasn't even very often. Most of the time it didn't feel like much of anything - when I did it was just slightly painful - like having  hot ashes from a cigarette flicked on my skin and that mostly happened for me right along the jawline and on my cheeks near my teeth with crowns.

Having now read some of the reviews by people who had Ulthera without the numbing, make sure you go and see someone that will numb you, it does not sound fun without it!

Afterwards my skin was slightly red for a couple of hours, over the next day I developed a couple of small welts along the jawline and for a week or so my skin felt mildly tender when I touched it. Now that it is a couple of weeks past the procedure I have no reminders of it at all except that my collagen should now be hard at work strenthening and improving itself!

Immediately following the treatment, the skin on my jawline felt firmer and when I looked in the mirror I thought it even looked a bit tighter - but looking at the photos that were taken before and after, I can't actually see any difference so I'm not going to bother posting them because then you'll just be forced to see me without makeup for no reason and nobody should have to go through that!

Over the next couple of months I can expect to see the results with a tighter jawline - can't wait! You can  check out Dr. Torgerson's website for more info on the procedure - www.drtorgerson.com!

- Lisamarie -

Garnier Ultra-Lift Targeted Line Smoother - smooth wrintkles instantly as you repair them over time!

Sick of those pesky little lines around your mouth and eyes?  Those expression lines could soon be a thing of the past with:

Garnier Ultra-Lift Targeted Line Smoother Tightener + Cream - 15ml - $22.99 -  a double action targeted wrinkle treatment: creases are instantly tightened while the formula works to ultimately repair lines.

Instant tightening and firming is offered thanks to flexible bipolymers - derived from sugar they form a natural film on the skin that creates an instant tightening and smoothing effect; and sodium hyaluronate and glycerin - powerful humectants that bind moisture to the skin to deliver a plumper look and feel.

While long term repairing goes on with pro-retinol from nature - a gentle retinol that without disrupting the moisture barrier, penetrates deeply to boost the production of collagen and speeds cell turnover, dramatically improving the look of skin; and salicylic acid - a gentle exfoliant that helps boost cellular turnover as well as the penetration of other active ingredients delivered to the skin.

- Lisamarie -

Tighten up from head to toe with StriVectin-TL!

StriVectin has added two new products to their tightening line clinically proven to tighten, firm and return youthful contours. Both containing an exclusive peptide complex of protein tighteners, botanical tensors and a patented molecule, NIA-114 to build up and fortify skin to tighten, firm and lift.

StriVectin-TL Tightening Body Cream - 200ml - $68 - a rich, hydrating cream that instantly tightens skin's surface and over time enhances density to help it retain moisture for a visibly firmer, more youthful appearance as well as helps strengthen the skin barrier to prevent water loss while lifting thin, lax and crepey skin to visibly restore youthful firmness, tone and texture.

StriVectin-TL 360° Tightening Eye Serum - 30ml - $79 - a lightweight serum that helps to visibly lift the eye area as eyelids regain contour for a youthful look. Over time, eyes appear invigorated as the look of under eye puffiness is reduced. With a unique metal tip applicator to coll and massage the eye area for a full 360° tightening eye lift.

Available now at Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale, Sears, London Drugs, Uniprix and The Bay.

- Lisamarie -

These products from Stemulation, Garnier, Murad, Sukin and Serious Skin - will do your heavy lifting (but won't take out the garbage)!

Stemulation Rescue Repair - 50ml - $96 - a powerful hand and body treatment to visibly lift, firm and hydrate skin. It's designed to restore and renew areas of the hands, feet, knees elbows and decolletage, troubled with age spots, extreme dryness, loose skin and calluses with a powerful formula with proven age-defying ingredients to replenish the essential antioxidants and peptides your body needs for younger skin.

Stemulation products contain a unique derivative of growth factors from stem cells that can be absorbed directly into the skin as well as natural and organic ingredients proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve the tightening and firmness of skin tissue as well as diminish the appearance of sunspots.

Now available at Murale where you will also find the other products in the line: Facial Serum - 15ml - $135 and 30ml - $240 and Boost Creme - 15ml - $75 and 30ml - $140

Garnier Ultra-Lift Serum + Cream - 50ml - $22.99 - with 2X Pro-Retinol from nature (retinol and linoelic acid) it combines a concentrated serum and a daily moisturizer to help boost anti-wrinkle action and instantly give skin a firmer appearance. In 2 weeks, skin appears firmer, fine lines and wrinkles appear visibly reduced. Which really is a clever idea when you think about it - for most people a serum alone isn't enough moisture and you end up having to slap a moisturizer on top of it - this product eliminates the extra step!

Murad Resurgence Rejuvenating Lift for Neck and Decollete - 50ml - $55 - combats thinning skin, discoloration and sagging, providing an instant lift. With a botanical blend of ingredients including java plum, mango and banana pulp extracts that work together  in a collagen enhancing compound to improve elasticity to enhance smoothness and suppleness, plump and resurface skin. While bearberry and licorice root extracts lighten, brighten and even skin tone, reducing the appearance of spots and discoloration.

Available at Murale, Sephora and sephora.com

Sukin Purely Ageless Intensive Firming Serum - 30ml - $23.99 - a light gel-cream rich in natural actives, to gently firm, refine and leave skin feeling smooth. Contains argan oil, açai and goji fruit extracts that work to reduce the signs of aging and cocoa butter to lock in moisture to help protect skin from environmental conditions. What makes this brand great is what the products don't contain: parabens, artificial colours, petro-chemicals, mineral oils, synthetic fragrances or animal derivatives!

Available at health food and specialty stores across Canada - check out - http://www.sukinorganics.com/stores.asp to find one near you

Serious Skin Firma-Face XR Instant Temporary Invisible All Over Skin Tightener - 85g - $49.95 - an instant, temporary, all over skin tightener - within minutes wrinkles are temporarily smoother over, the skin is pulled tighter, pores appear to be shrunk closed, nose to mouth lines look diminished, under eye puffiness looks smoother and crows feet seem to disappear. What's different about it is rather than traditional tighteners that lay on top of the skin, this one is micronized which allows the firming ingredients to filter deep into the wrinkles, lines and pores to perform the firming benefits from within the imperfections to help re-connect and tighten the look of the skin's surface without the delicate topical film that can be easily disrupted by facial movements, creams and liquid makeup.

Available at The Shopping Channel - www.theshoppingchannel.com

- Lisamarie -

NeoStrata Intense Instant Tightening Serum - instant gratification isn't just for men anymore!

NeoStrata Intense Instant Tightening Serum - 30ml - $84 - I was trying to think of a way to describe what this product does that would do it justice when my good friend Pat did it for me - "Spanx for your face".  I couldn't have said it better!  If you've been living in a cave somewhere and don't know what Spanx are well first, welcome to civilization!  Spanx are basically bodyshapers that you wear under your clothes that allow people like me to wear clothing that is far too small for us!  It takes all your jiggly bits and smoothes them out which is a great analogy for what the Tightening Serum does.

Here's how it works, you take a pump of two of the serum and smooth it over the area you want to tighten in long upward strokes.  Be sure you wait until it dries before you put anything else on.  While it dries it feels weird - tight and a little uncomfortable.  That goes away in about 5 minutes.  This could be used anywhere on your face you want but I like it for my neck and chin, I think it gives my jaw line a much more defined look.  Just don't make the mistake I did one morning (come on, it was morning, you want me to be awake?!) and put another serum on top of the tightening serum, your regular moisturizer will be fine, but a serum on top of this serum turned into a weird soupy mess. 

I especially like that you get instant results with the product, unlike most serums where you have to wait weeks or months to see something happen.  Just bear in mind that although the product does contain peptides and will have some long term results, you would be better off with the Firming Cream for longer-term maintenance.

Cheaper and less intrusive than plastic surgery, NeoStrata has a winner with the Instant Tightening Serum!

- Lisamarie -