The VI Peel Experience That Made My Skin Glow

Recently I found myself sitting anxiously in Dr. Kalil’s office in Santa Monica, California ready to experience my very first chemical peel.  My first peel of any kind actually.  My stomach was a little uneasy that morning as I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Thankfully I was armed with my friend Cindy Bokma of HelloDollface.com who was also there for the treatment and who had volunteered to go first!  I had seen a handful of before and after photos of women who had had the VI Peel and the results were noticeably improved and I so wanted to be one of the improved after shots!

Dr. Kalil is the creator and mastermind behind the VI Peel, so I felt 100% confident that I was in the right hands.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the whole process took no more than ten minutes.  Dr. Kalil began by swabbing acetone, that’s right, nail polish remover, all over my face.  I was told the acetone served as an astringent and is often used before chemical peels to help boost saturation of the chemicals (interesting!).  After that dried he swabbed the VI Peel contents on my face one layer at a time.  I braced myself for pain that never came.  The scent is unpleasant, but the burning sensation was merely three on a scale from one to ten.  The tingling lasted only seconds and Dr. Kalil had a small fan nearby that eased any momentary discomfort.  The final touch was a quick swab of the VI underneath my eyes and across my eyelids.  Those areas tingled a little longer than the rest of my face had, but a quick lean toward the fan and all burning sensation was gone.  Afterwards, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my face wasn’t red at all, but looked more like I had a bit of a suntan.  I was instructed to leave the VI Peel on my face for the next four hours then wash my face with the VI Cleanser. 

I was given a post-peel kit that contained VI Derm SPF 55, a rich and soothing VI Derm moisturizer ,two moist towelette type cloths I was to use the next two nights before bed, and step-by-step, day-by-day instructions on what to do and what to expect of my skin in the week to come.  Very simple.

Hours after the peel I found myself at a Katy Perry concert and my face still had that sun tanned glow. I had used the VI Derm Cleanser and applied my regular foundation to cover some of the blotchy spots that were starting to surface.  My face felt a little hot to the touch, but nothing I couldn’t handle.  Day 2, my skin began to tighten, but with generous applications of the VI Derm Moisturizer throughout the day I was out and about running errands.  Toward the end of day 2, the peeling really began.  It started around my mouth first and by the end of day 3, my entire face was flaky and peeling, which is exactly what is supposed to happen.  I endured a peeling face for a couple of days and stayed close to home.

The morning of day 5, the only dry area left was around my mouth, which I was thankfully able to cover up as I was off to a party in the Hollywood Hills that day.  I loaded up on the VI Derm SPF 55 Dr. Kalil had given me and kept the VI Derm Moisturizer in my bag for any touch ups I would need that day.  I felt a little self-conscious about my skin but no one seemed to notice.

By day 9, I looked in the mirror and saw the results I was hoping for!  My skin is glowing, my blemish, problem area is clear and my skin is smooth.  I now see why Dr. Kalil’s assistant Marya, (who also doubles as his gorgeous daughter) recommends doing the VI Peel four times a year.  I would absolutely have another VI Peel and will recommend the simple procedure to everyone.  I was hoping for visible results and that is exactly what I got.  Dr. Kalil has a professional and witty charm about him that will put you right at ease. Marya promptly emailed me that same afternoon to see how I was doing and continued communicating with me all week when I had questions.  All in all, my first experience with a chemical peel was a breeze!

Dr. Kalil was generous enough to send me home with some products from his VI Derm line including, Cleanser, SPF 55, Body Wash, Advanced Firming Lotion, Exfoliating Body Lotion, Complete Care and Ultra A which is perfect for resurfacing and treating acne prone skin such as mine.  Now that the VI Peel has run its course I can continue on the VI Derm skin care regime with all of the fabulous products.

You can learn more about Dr. Khalil and his VI Peel by clicking here www.vipeel.com   or www.kalilmedical.com

Mani Of The Week - "Caught With My Khakis Down", Sephora by OPI

I'm so thankful that the acrylic nail, french manicure craze is finally over! I myself, fell victim to the dreadful acrylic nail and wore and maintained them regligiously for years.  Now that natural nails are back I can't get enough of OPI!  In the past, I had reserved all OPI for my toenails only, but now I'm footloose and fancy free and experimenting with all colors of the rainbow on my fingernails. 

This week I'm wearing Caught With My Khakis Down by Sephora by OPI. 

When I bought this the other day, I had a grand plan to paint OPI's White Shatter over the top, but once I had my digits painted, I fell in love with the color all by itself.  Maybe I'll save the shatter for next time!



Try it, Love it-Klorane Pomegranate Shampoo & Dry Shampoo

by Kristen, HelloDollface contributor

Original post found on HelloDollface.com

Extending the life of my hair color is crucial. I tend to spend a fortune on my hair, so when I walk out of the salon, I want to maximize my dollar and make it last! Klorane Hair Care has come out with a new product line that includes shampoo with pomegranate, conditioner with pomegranate and a no-rinse care with pomegranate. In case you haven’t caught on, the trend here is pomegranate which has been proven to help hair color last up to twice as long! Who knew?!
Each product in Klorane’s new line is formulated withMoroccan-grown pomegranate to help bind color to the keratin in hair. This helps to maintain precious pigments so that color remains vibrant.

Klorane shampoo with pomegranate cleanses, enhances and prolongs the intensity of color while giving hair a super, deep clean feeling. Klorane conditioner with pomegranate is a concentrated treatment that repairs and protects hair that has been weakened and damaged by repeated coloring. Klorane no rinse care with
pomegranate protects hair color on a daily basis, repairing damage down to the fragile ends while also providing protection from the sun with UV filters. Just a small amount worked into your hair before blow-drying is like sunglasses for your locks.

I’ve been using the Klorane pomegranate line for a full week now and I love how vibrant my hair is looking! And, as I’ve mentioned before, in a past review, Klorane seems to take the frizz out of my hair like magic! My hair is styled so much easier after just one wash with Klorane. This November, celebrate National Pomegranate month with Klorane!

Cindy's Note:

Did you know that Klorane Dry Shampoo just celebrated FORTY YEARS! Yes, forty years ago, Klorane Dry Shampoo hit the market and was the first dry shampoo to change the way people cared for their hair. Over time, the ingredients changed and the formula became even better. Its certainly changed my life. Now I can go two days after a blow out without washing my hair. I use this product to absorb any oils and to keep my hair clean and fresh on the days I don’t want to deal with blow drying and curling and styling. It also adds body and volume and freshens hair. I use it after blowing drying my hair straight to add some oomph to my fine strands. It can be used to sop up any excess serum or oil you might have added to your hair.

I like both the aerosol and the non-aerosol versions. When I travel to New York city next month for New  York Fashion Week, this dry shampoo is a must have! I won’t be leaving home without it. There’s a reason that this dry shampoo with oat milk is considered the best of the best…because it is!

Benefit Skincare delivers gorgeous skin

I’ve always loved Benefit cosmetics. BADgal Lash, High Beam, Hello Flawless and Coralista have been loyal favorites in my make-up arsenal for years. Known for their adorable packaging and clever product names, it takes a lot of will power for me to stay away from the Benefit counter at the department store or Ulta!

I was more than pleased and a little over joyed when Benefit decided to come out with a skin care line. As always, the packaging is eye-catching and the Foamingly Clean Facial Wash is perfection. With a soft, gentle lather, it cleanses the skin and removes all traces of make-up, even my 5 layers of mascara! I noticed my skin felt super smooth and soft after I had used just the Foamingly Clean Facial Wash alone. And it smells great!

The Triple Performing Facial Emulsion moisturizer by Benefit is equally wonderful. In another adorbs package (I love the faux cork top) it’s sheer and oil-free with SPF 15 so, for me, it was perfect for day and/or night. The Triple Performing Facial Emulsion hydrates and comforts with Benefits’ exclusive ultra-moisturizing tri-radiance complex. The complex delivers immediate hydration and contains nourishing antioxidant vitamins A and E, both known to protect skin from free radical damage.

I’m dying to get my hands on the Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist by Benefit next!

Original post found on HelloDollface.com

City Lips for sexy, pouty lips

My City Lips review for HelloDollface.com

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is lip gloss. What else can you get for under $15 (mostly) that makes you feel both girly and flirty in one tube?! On the issue of lip plumper though, I teeter on the edge of loving and hating the stuff. I love the idea of a lip plumper, but have a hard time with the cinnamon taste that most leave on my lips.(Unless it’s a Cinnabon, count me out!)

I’d been hearing about City Lips for a while but had never tried it myself,
so when Ms. HelloDollface herself asked me to review it, I was ready!

I first used the clear City Lips Instant Collagen Stimulating Lip Treatment over my nude lip liner, let that dry completely, then, I added the City Lips Collagen Peptide Lip Plumping Treatment in Tinsel Town (a shimmery peach) on top. My lips looked noticeably plumper immediately and super shiny! So much so that I had to read the box again to see what magical ingredients were in this stuff!

Two of the core ingredients are a Potent Peptide Complex and Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Spheres, both help puff your pucker to perfection. I didn’t have to reapply a single time while I was out running my errands. The shine and color last for hours! In addition to Tinsel
Town, I recommend Los AngeLIPS, a really pretty light pink gloss.

The clear Instant Collagen Stimulating Lip Treatment can also be used on your pout at night before you go to bed to keep your lips moisturized while building that much desired volume and erasing those pesky little lip lines. Now I can get rid of all of the cinnamon/menthol based plumpers from my make-up drawer!

Overnight results with Sadick

My review of Sadick for HelloDollface.com

As I forge deeper into my 30’s and realize my 22 year old skin is long gone, I find myself borderline obsessing over the fine lines, wrinkles and sun spots that seem to be multiplying on my face. In search of that one fabulous skin care product that works and that I can afford to maintain, I find Sadick. With seriously visible results after 3 days (no lie!) Sadick Dermatology Groups’ Park Avenue Prescription delivers. AND it’s paraben and sulfate free, the two major things I check for while shopping for skin care products.

The three step system begins with the Night Serum, which made my skin silky smooth and dewy all on its own. It was almost a shame to waste this amazing skin on sleep! After the serum has soaked in, you head into step two with the Rejuvenation Cream then it’s off to bed while Sadick does what it does best, fight those pesky wrinkles and skin discoloration. The final step, step three, is a light and oil free Protection Cream that is the perfect start to your morning make- up regime. I even found that it worked doubly as a primer! My makeup went on smoother than ever!

Dry skin? Try Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation

My review of Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation for HelloDollface.com

I’ve been a fan of Bobbi Brown since my very first makeover at Nordstrom so I was really excited to get my hands on the new Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation. Boasting SPF 25 and infused with Shea Butter and Evening Primrose Oil, this formula is made specifically for dry skin.

It’s very creamy and surprisingly light. I was able to build coverage in the areas where I needed it the most without any of it settling in the fine lines around my eyes and mouth! I caught myself checking the mirror (even more than usual) admiring my glowing, dewy skin all day long! Need another reason to go out and grab some?

The Extra Repair Foundation delivers skin-tone correct color and uses peptides to help stimulate natural collagen production, helping to firm and visibly lift your skin. Look amazing while you are reaping the benefits of replenishing and strengthening skin over time thanks to Bobbi Brown!