TO BOTOX OR NOT TO BOTOX

This posts is sponsored by Red Mountain Weight-loss.

I have thought about Botox for over a year. In fact, last year for my birthday I wanted to try it to help with the lines that have appeared in my forehead, but I was unable to because I was experiencing a lot of inflammation in my joints due to my autoimmune flare up. Not to mention this past year has been so nutty with the divorce that things like that just haven't been a priority. But now that the crazy has died down and my autoimmune stuff is under control, it was time to focus on feeling like the best version of myself. 

I know I am beautiful without any injectables, ounce of makeup or at any size because beauty starts with your heart. At the same time, I LOVE makeup, I love when my skin glows, and I love when I'm the size I want to be. Red Mountain Weight Loss wants men and women to look and feel like their best whatever that is to each individual. They offer so many services, and Botox is one. 

So, I was SUPER excited to have the chance to try Botox with Red Mountain Weight-loss. Of course, the biggest fear I had was if my face was going to look weird or frozen. I wanted to feel and look like myself above all, and I didn't want to look like a woman who couldn't express herself. So, I went in for a consult and they answered every question I had. See some of my questions below. You can also watch the process over on my IG highlights, click here to see the before and after.

TOP BOTOX QUESTIONS:

1. Does it hurt? It hurts less than getting your blood drawn.

2. Do you get a headache? You can get a little one the day of your injection, but just take some Advil if it bothers you. I experienced a small one, but it passed quickly.

3. When can you see it start to work? You won't see results until about 10 days after your procedure. That's why it's good to plan plenty of time before an event. I walked away with small welts on my forehead where the needle was, but it went away pretty fast.

4. Can you wear makeup? No, you can't wear makeup before or after the procedure.

5. Can you get your face wet? No, you can't get wet after for several hours. You also can't sweat a lot.

6. Can you do normal activities? You should keep your head upright for several hours after (make sure to do it in the morning). 

7. How many units did you need? Start small at first, and you can always go back to get more if you would like. I only needed 14 units. 

8. Did you have any restrictions to what you could do? If you have low eyebrows you might not be able to get all of your lines taken care of because it can also cause your eyebrows to droop if you're not careful. I'm still super happy with my results. 

9. How much does it cost? Red Mountain is really affordable. It's usually around $10 a unit. If you mentioned my name, Alex Evjen, when you book you will get 15% off any service there, which is incredible!

You can visit their website for more information and to book an appointment. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

AN UNBIASED REVIEW OF RODAN + FIELDS

A couple of weeks ago, I turned 32. This is the first birthday where I am starting to feel like getting older is not so fun. I recently touched up my roots for the first time, I've had arthritis for the past four months and I'm starting to really notice signs of aging in my skin. Oy! 

My skin has always been troublesome for me. In my adolescent years and through college I struggled with acne. I did EVERYTHING. They had me on birth control pills, I did two runs of Accuntane (no longer on the market due to the dangers to your body), regularly sought treatments from a dermatologist and even tried that Proactive line. Nothing worked. Finally, it got better when my Hashimotos disease was diagnosed and my thyroid was regulated. It was causing a lot of hormonal imbalance problems, and thus causing my skin to be out of control. 

Now, my skin challenges aren't as much about acne as they are about scars, discoloration and wrinkles. When I saw that everyone and their mom (seriously) was selling Rodan + Fields skincare I was very reluctant to buy into it because it was created by the same people that brought us Proactive. Anything that claims to have one solution for all makes me skeptical, so I ignored the hype. However, recently, a friend of a friend asked if she could send me several full-size products free so that I could share an unbiased review of the line. She believed in it so much that she was willing to risk the cost of the product. I said I would take the challenge and give my HONEST, personal feedback.

Below, you'll find all of the products I have used over the past four months. Before and after pictures and my thoughts on what is worth your money and what's not.

After doing an online consult that asked various questions about my skin I was recommended the Reverse Regimen to help with discoloration and dullness. I was also recommended a a few products from the Redefine regimen: night renewing serum, lip renewing serum, redefine eye cloths, multi-function eye cream. I also tried the micro-dermabrasion paste.

I started the whole skincare line on April 5th. Above are my before pictures, and below are the after.

You can definitely see that there has been an improvement in the brightness and texture of my skin. It looks smoother and more even. However, I wouldn't say you need all of these products to get this result.

Products worth your money:
I would say the 4 Step Reverse line is great, and all of the credit goes to this group right here! My skin is a bit sensitive, so I found that using the face wash every other day is better for my skin. I also enjoyed the redefine lip serum. My lips always felt incredibly moist the next morning.

Not so stellar products:
I could not use the micro-dermabrasion on my skin. It was too harsh even after one application, especially when I was already using the Redefine line. I also didn't care for the eye cloths. They didn't get the makeup off very well. The redefine face serum was hardly enough to apply to my face at night and I never really saw or felt a different the next day. I had similar feelings with the eye cream. 

This is my personal view and my experience after four months, and not a sponsored post. I'll post an update on my skin in another four months to let you know how it's going just because honest reviews of products can be helpful. If you have any questions about Rodan + Fields you can ask Erin Lizotte. She is the one that sent these products to me. 

Product photography by Rennai Hoefer

SELF-TANNER TO THE TEST

We all know it's not good for our skin to bake under UV rays, but how do you get a golden glow without the skin damage? Self tanner, right? Well, I think we can all agree that we HATE the way self-tanner smells. Can I get an amen? I decided to go on the hunt to find a self tanner that smells great and works. 

I purchased Neutrogena's Build-a-tan, L'Oreal Sublime Bronze and Jergen's Natural Glow. Below, are the pro's and con's of each, and my final answer on which one is the best buy. 

L'OREAL SUBLIME BRONZE LUMINOUS: This is the product that many of my friends told me to buy. It definitely gives you instant color and sparkle. It has some glitter in it, and so it's a great way to add some warmth to your skin if you're in a hurry. The smell is TERRIBLE! To cut the smell, I tried to mix it with my body lotion. It helped a little, but I could still smell the tanner hours later. Plus, this stuff can get streaky if you don't make sure to hit all of the spots and wash your hands after. It wasn't my favorite, but I would consider using it in a pinch.

NEUTROGENA BUILD-A-TAN: This was my favorite of the three. It smells great, it moisturizes well and you can see a difference after applying it daily over a couple of days. They only make one kind and you can just control how deep your fake tan is by how often you apply it. It's $8.99 and you go through it pretty fast, but I think it's still worth it compared to the other three. 

JERGENS NATURAL GLOW: It smells delightful. In fact, it smells just like any other nice lotion, but it really didn't do much for my skin. I have used this product in the past and I didn't like the smell, so they have definitely updated it. However, only on lighter parts of my body that doesn't see the sun much did I see any kind of difference over a one week period. My legs are already quite tan, so it didn't do much for me. It's the cheapest of the three at $8.09, and I would say it's a great buy for those with fair skin.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer