Ever feel like you sometimes just don’t want to face your face? Do you notice yourself quickening your pace when anything slightly reflective comes into peripheral focus? Been there, done that, sister and denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.

When I started abandoning my glasses because I believed the blurry look was most flattering, I knew I had to do something. Besides, I kept tripping my shoes, which didn’t make me feel any more confident or much younger for that matter. Here’s my story: spoiler alert, it has a happy ending.

My Skin History

When I was a teenager, I could not imagine a day when my skin would ever be dry, and moisturizer was the last thing I wanted to put on my face. Just the thought of adding anything slightly fluidlike to my already “well-oiled’ pores filled me with dread. Now, I know that moisturizer is essential for any type of skin, but back then I thought that I should listen to my body, and acne was my body’s way of telling me I didn’t need any more moisturizer. If only I knew then what I know now.

When I reached the age of 28, I first noticed the lines in my forehead becoming somewhat more pronounced, but anti-aging cream held a kind of stigma for me. If I used anti-aging cream, that meant I was old. Certainly, I had not reached the age when I had to anti-age. Anyway, what was the age to start the anti-aging skin ritual? Either way, I missed it. In the next few years, I developed crinkles around my eyes, parentheses around my mouth and purse strings above my lips.

When I purchased a cell phone, and with came it another rude awakening. I was in my car, and I had the phone in my lap. Unfortunately, it was on selfie mode, and when I looked down,  what I saw wasn’t pretty. Not only were my wrinkles looking especially horrific, but I also noticed loose skin peeking out around the sides of my face. Now I know why people say, “Don’t look down.” I was bereft. If my body was trying to tell me anything now, it was that my time to start an anti-aging ritual was well past the expiration date.

I took my saggy face over to the computer and started to do some research. As soon as I heard the word, “serum,” a light in my brain went off. Serum meant calling in the big boys. Serums had a  higher concentration of ingredients than plain moisturizers and creams and a lighter consistency that would get to the deeper layers of my skin. It also targeted aging concerns and I had a lot of those.

My other new vocabulary word was hyaluronic acid. While I didn’t know the exact scientific definition,  I did know that (1)  it was an ingredient that helped to repair the body’s connective tissue and (2)  women who used it showed significant improvements in their skin within two weeks of use. That was enough for me.

When I first discovered the Lavelier beauty line, it was love at first sight. It was elegant, luxurious and classy, the exact opposite of the way my skin felt and looked at that point. It was also powerful and the products were full of hyaluronic acid (my new infatuation) and Vitamin E (a free radical fighting antioxidant).

When I saw that there were three Lavlier products that would target my skin issues, I couldn’t decide, so I took all three: The Seagrass Phyto Silk, the Halophil Encapsulated Serum, and the Cymosilk Mask.

The Boxes

If it’s supposed to be what’s inside the box that counts, no one told that to the folks at Lavelier. The signature Lavelier box goes above and beyond. All three boxes resemble jewel boxes, made of a silky grey embossed in metallic silver.

The writing on the box is in the same reflective silver, which sort of makes it hard to read, but the writing is in French anyway, so I couldn’t read it if I wanted to, and what I lost in translation, I gained in the je n’ais se quoi.

The Halophil Encapsulated Serum

According to beauty order, the thinnest goes first. In my goodie bag, that meant the serum had the honors. I was especially excited about the serum because it was “encapsulated.”

I knew that the serum was sealed into capsules to preserve its potency, but I have to admit, I was also drawn to the novelty aspect. A cream in a capsule? Tres chic!

I have to admit the first thing that struck me about these capsules were their undeniable resemblance to caviar.

In fact, I even bit into one: I don’t recommend you do the same. (Soapy taste, ran for the mouthwash). However, after I gathered myself together, I changed my method of application.

Once I got it right (twist capsule gently, squeeze serum into palm and apply), what I immediately noticed about the serum was how compatible it was with my skin.

I knew that the best serums have a more liquid-like consistency than creams and moisturizers, but I had never used a serum quite this lightweight. My open pores were extremely receptive to the formula. My skin drank it  instantly and I could feel the powerful ingredients penetrating to its deepest levels. My skin felt nourished and hydrated.

BTW: If expensive has a smell, the halophil encapsulted serum has a  patent on it. Forget the perfume, Lavelier is my new signature scent.

The Cymosilk Masque

Even though the Cymosilk mask came with a spoon, this time I knew better than to apply the product orally.

Although, I have to admit, the spoon is a classy touch, gastronomical associations not withstanding.

Now, I love me a good mask. There’s nothing like all those wonderful skin ingredients penetrating to my skin’s deepest layers to make me feel that all is right with the world, which is why I was especially counting on the Cymosilk mask.

Not only was my skin at stake, my mental well being depended on it.

Reader, as soon as I spooned the mask on and let the droplets absorb, I am happy to report the effects were both inside and out.

My skin felt plumper and more hydrated and I felt my stress levels moving back on the charts.. I could feel the product working on my fine lines as well as my deeper wrinkles. I had never used a product that worked so quickly or effectively, If there was any hope for me and my skin,  it was the Lavalier mask.

Seagrass Phyto Silk

Those who know me will tell you  I am never one to rest on my laurels. As soon as I felt the mask penetrate my skin, I ran for the Seagrass Cymosilk Mask. While my pores were still receptive, I wanted to give them that extra dose of antioxidants to make sure that they were well protected as well as well fed.

The Phyto Silk was thicker than the serum, but not so thick as to leave an oily residue.

It made my skin feel truly fortified, as if it had an extra line of  defense against the environmental stressors it was constantly battling.

But what really pleased me was the way my skin seemed to  “bounce back” better after a long day.

I took it as a sign that Lavelier was actually making a long term difference in the condition of my skin.

Two Weeks In

The two-week mark, that was the time when the hyaluronic acid should have really started to kick in. According to studies, women using hyaluronic acid reported a noticeable improvement within 14 days. I guess I was less exceptional than I thought. My wrinkles were much less pronounced, especially around my eyes, and I was also waking up with less puffiness. Could this be the start of a beautiful relationship, or was it just be the honeymoon period? Only time would tell.

Four Weeks In

Four weeks in and I had reached the next major milestone. There was no doubt about it, something was going on here. I could see the improvement from looking at old pictures of myself. Even my friends were noticing. I felt like my teenage sins were forgiven, well, maybe not all of them. (We’ll talk about those later), but the before and after picture made me optimistic.

Eight Weeks In

Ok, so this was the ultimate challenge, and when I tell you this took me way out of my comfort zone, I do not exaggerate. I put the cell phone on my lap and turned it to selfie mode, closed my eyes and held my breath. I’ll tell you, reader, I dared to look down. It was tough, the force of gravity was against me.

When I opened my eyes, it wasn’t so bad! In fact, it was pretty good. Apparently, the L’Avelier had done a pretty good job of firming my face as well as helping to decrease the wrinkles. The loose skin effect was gone, I mean completely gone. Talk about a facelift. I actually snapped the selfie, and while I’m not prepared to share, I keep it on my phone as a sign of personal triumph.

From Then On

Ok, so everyone lives happily ever after, right? Not necessarily. I have often tried products that seem to reach a peak in the first few months, and then disappointingly, level off. All of a sudden, the party’s over. However, I am happy report that that was not the case with my Lavelier. Thanks to the Lavelier, I am still partying hard.

Not only did my skin improve, but my self-confidence also improved. I know that sounds cliché, but seriously, how could your self-confidence not improve when your skin looks so much better? I started to go out more and I even found a beau! I haven’t shown him the before  L’avlier pictures yet; we haven’t reached that level of trust, but he does seem to like the way I look, which makes me really happy.

Also, I took up a new hobby; cooking. I’m not that great at it yet, but I did make a decent eggplant parmigiana for me and my man the other night, and I didn’t just dump the breadcrumbs on top of the eggplant either. (I baked it, using extra virgin olive oil, I recommend Newman’s Own). BTW: My vanity looks a lot classier with all those pretty jars of L’avalier around.

Most importantly, I’m just happier. I feel better about myself and I treat myself better as a result. This serum was a game changer for me and I can’t see it not doing the same for you.

In Retrospect

Don’t be fooled! My skin may look younger, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t gained some wisdom when it comes to skincare. Here are a few things I have learned from my L’avlier experience:

• The outside counts – a lot. Unfortunately, you really can’t depend on a great personality to get you respect, at least not instantaneously. I was so surprised by how much better a response I got from people after I used the L’Avalier. When my wrinkles started to set in, I felt invisible. I didn’t like to smile because it brought out the lines in my face. Now, I smile all the time.

• Don’t ignore your skin. Even though Lavelier made such a big difference in my appearance, I still wonder how much better I would look now if I had started using Lavelier earlier. If there’s anything I learned from using Lavelier it’s the impact that a quality product can have on your skin. Keep in mind, using anti-aging products is not necessarily a sign that you’re old. It’s a sign that you’re mature enough to take the right precautions for your skin.

• Lavelier works. Any skincare product consumer will tell you that the worst thing about shopping for creams, masks  and serums is that you can’t really tell if they’re effective until half the jar is gone. With Lavelier, you can tell you have a quality serum instantly. As soon as you apply it, you’ll find It has the perfect lightweight consistency to absorb into your skin deeply with no oily residue. Also, the active ingredient in L’avlier is hyaluronic acid which is a molecule naturally occurring in our bodies so it plays nice with your skin. If I’m not living proof that Lavelier works, that should lend a little scientific backup.