As October—my birthday month—approaches, I do a quick “beauty assessment” in front of the mirror. I start with my eyes and make my way to the creases of my mouth, taking a mental note of new wrinkles that managed to creep up in the last 365 days. This year, I counted two new wrinkles underneath my left eye and a collection of dark spots that hadn’t been there before.
So, when the good people at Dr. Brandt asked if I wanted to try out their new serums, which have gotten quite a lot of press lately, I was more than keen to see what all the buzz was about.
PS: If you follow my wins and mishaps in the world of beauty products, you know that unless I’ve personally used the brand before or have tried it extensively, I’ll keep mum about it.
Their new serum line claims to fight the good war against wrinkly, saggy, spotty skin. An ambitious promise, if anything.
From left to right: Laser FX Perfect Serum | Laser FX Bright Serum | Laser FX Lift Serum
I started applying all 3 serums in the AM and PM, one after the other, making sure the first product absorbed before applying the next layer. This might not be the best method for everyone, but it’s what works for me. My skin gets oily, so I never use any moisturizer in the morning and used only a hint at night with the serums.
Here is my 7 day verdict:
Light, pleasant smell.
My greasy skin seemed to produce less oil, giving it a smoother and more refined texture.
The hyperpigmentation spots (not caused by acne, but from those days spent lounging on the beach) have lightened by about 10-15 percent.
No sign of any changes to those pesky wrinkles under my eye yet. It might be too soon to tell, but if this serum actually erases them, then I’ll be ordering it in bucket loads.
I’ll be giving another quick update in a few weeks, so stay tuned darlings. Also, if there’s a favorite serum you swear by, do let me know in the comments and maybe I’ll do a comparison report!
Years ago, I walked down a hallway for a client meeting and bumped into the most handsome man I’d ever seen. Somehow I kept walking and met with said clients and didn’t come across as a blithering idiot in heat, and I got the job. I was so excited, not only because I desperately wanted this gig, but also because that meant I’d eventually be introduced to this man-god. Long-story short, I’d bump into Mr. Adonis on and off for a couple of years, and he was always nice but distant with me and later I learnt was batting for the other side.
My heartbreak aside, let’s be honest – with the 40-hour business week becoming a thing of the past, it’s natural for most of the new people we meet to be through work. But before you dive headfirst, let me give you a few tips I learned the hard way:
Photographed by Steven Meisel for Vogue
Golden Rule #1: Know the company policy about dating coworkers
There can be serious conflicts of interest. (Where I worked, there was a very strict one that seniors are not to date juniors without disclosing the fact to HR. If both parties are in a direct supervisor-supervised relationship, one of them would have to be reassigned to someone else, which was usually the more junior party.)
Golden Rule #3: Be careful to not misinterpret someone’s flirty nature
You don’t want to misread a situation and then make a good working relationship filled with awkward silences and avoiding each other.
Golden Rule #3: If you really can’t help yourself, go slowly.
That means don’t get physical immediately. Make sure this relationship has true legs before ending up being the butt of office innuendos around the water cooler.
Golden Rule #4: Of course all love lasts… but in case it doesn’t, be prepared.
Beware the break-up dangers that can ensue. You don’t want drama affecting how productive you are at work.
Golden Rule #5: Even in a best-case scenario, don’t forget that the butterflies will fade
Do you really want to spend all day in the office with your partner, and then go home to them as well? Can you really take orders (or give them) at work and then expect to fight fair at home over the remote control? As much as I love my boyfriend, one of the things I relish about our relationship is reuniting at the end of the day to dish about each other’s work-day experience.
