Frownies

Do you know how to tell if you have good friends? When they tell you about something this amazing. I cannot take credit for finding this. My crunchy little blond friend told me about these when I complained that Botox would likely be in my future because I have an “eleven” appearing on my forehead.  

Now, I am not about to run out and get a bunch of crazy plastic surgery and I really don’t like the idea of injecting anything into my face. However, I remember biology class and I understand how genetics work. I look a lot like my dad who has a giant “eleven” in between his eyes. It’s fine for him and makes him look thoughtful and distinguished. (Or like a mad scientist, which he actually is!) My beautiful Mom does not have these issues and looks amazing but if you saw my family you would notice that my brother and sister look just like her and I am on the dad gene plan.  

Genetics + full time business owner + practicing law + making faces like Scarlett O’Hara for most of my life = destined for a deep “eleven.” 

So I was laying this genetic dilemma on my crunchy dear friend.  (She promises to also start a blog which I will totally link to when this happens so we can all crunch it up together.) She told me about Frownies. So simple. So inexpensive. So NOT needles and poison.  

Frownies are these little pieces of paper that you rip off, moisten, and stick to your “eleven” or other wrinkle area.  You slap them on before bed and you wake up one day closer to a less wrinkly face. 

I personally only care about the “eleven” at this point. I am 36 and crunchy friend says this is the perfect time to start these, which is ideally when the wrinkles just start showing up, before they get super deep.

 So I got myself some Frownies and put them to the test. I also purchased the Rose Water Spray to adhere them with. It seemed indulgent but I didn’t want to run them under the tap and I seem to remember that rose water was good for pregnancy stretch marks or something so I went for it. 

You just spray the Frownie patch like once or twice, then the instructions say to “gently massage” the muscles in the area you will be adhering the patch to, and then slap it on. I have been using Frownies most nights for about two weeks.  PS: the rose water smells amazing and I’m happy I got it!

The Frownies have definitely reduced the depth of the emerging wrinkles for me. I can still see where the wrinkles are trying to be, but they get a little better and less apparent every time that I use the Frownies. It sounds odd but my forehead feels noticeably different in the morning when I pull it off. 

Also, since these things are natural, or for whatever reason, they do not make me breakout. That is a big deal because I get breakouts. Like, often. My new dog, Ozzy, also likes to dig the used Frownies out of the garbage each morning and eat them. He’s happy. I’m happy. Frownies are the real deal! You can find them online here. If you order from Amazon all the time like I do, you can just toss them in your cart for free shipping. You can also get free shipping directly from the Frownies website if you order is over $50. Honestly, they are so inexpensive, you might struggle to get to the $50 with a first time order, but you do you. 

One more awesome thing about Frownies, they are a family owned company based out of a city where my husband and I used to live when we were first married, Dayton, Ohio! They have been in business for over 100 years and are still making a great product. Read about them directly from their website here if you are so inclined. They’re affordable and one of the best finds for skincare. 

For more before and after photos you should check out the Frownies Instagram. 

Gel Eyeliner

So if you read my mascara post, you know that long wear eye makeup is kind of a big deal for me. Long days at the office, running to get the kids, trying to look quasi-professional in Target or at a restaurant hours later = give me all the coffee and makeup I don't have to worry about. 

The same time that I went to get my makeup done for our wedding (2008!) - way back in the "aughts" as we are now calling them - I went to the makeup counter at Nordstrom and they recommended that I try Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner. Do you know what this is? I mean, you put it on with a makeup brush. It is not eyeliner that comes in a pencil or pen. 

I immediately wrote it off as not something I could do every day, but definitely something that  was worth it for my wedding day. Also, it just sounded hard for mornings. The nice lady at the makeup counter told me that I would "get the hang of it." I didn't trust her. 

Well I wore it for my wedding shower and I was immediately hooked. Someone actually asked me if I was wearing false eyelashes - I was not! Is there a better compliment to get about your eyewear? My brain said, "this sounds hard!" But my ego told that girl to shut up and cope. 

I wore it on my wedding day and I have been wearing it pretty much ever since. 

There is a photo of me above on my wedding day looking down so you can kind of see the eyeliner. I should also note that in every wedding where I have been a part of the wedding party and I have had my makeup done by a professional, they used this gel eyeliner. I usually prefer black for a bolder look, but I have also used purple and navy for a softer look. 

Below are a few pictures of me where you can see my eyeliner. The first I was just going to dinner on a regular evening (and creating a sweet chin look by looking down), in the second I just got home from work and had been wearing this eyeliner for at least ten hours. I also use primer on my eyelids, but you can see that it was still dark and staying in place.  

I used Bobbi Brown in Black religiously for years. I recently learned that Mary Kay also sells basically the same thing and I love my Mary Kay rep so I buy it from her. (Plus she somehow delivers faster than Amazon or Nordstrom? She’s super-human.) In the last photo I know for sure that I am wearing Mary Kay AND that the photo was taken 10-11 hours after I applied my makeup (which is why I am so shiny - sigh.) The Mary Kay gel comes with an expandable brush, but I personally prefer a regular long brush because I feel like I can control it better, kind of like a pen or marker. 

In any photo you have seen of me wearing eyeliner, it is most likely this gel eyeliner. I rarely wear anything else because it just doesn’t stay on. You should read through the reviews on the Mary Kay page, people are raving about this stuff. 

If you are wondering about my mascara, head on over to this post where I talk allllll about it. It is the best!