It’s not so much the soul-revealing that I’m worried about, it’s that my eyes have developed some really unimpressive habits since I stepped over the big 3-0 threshold. They lie. They exaggerate. They put my sins on blast like TMZ. And much like the nefarious celebrity tattler, they bend the truth more than a little.

An extra martini makes me look like I’ve been on a weeklong bender. Excess dietary salt shows up as swollen puffiness that all the cucumbers in Calcutta couldn’t vanquish. And while all-nighters used to give me that cute, 20-something “bedhead” look, it’s been replaced by a 30-something “Get your s%@# together” look.

So what do you do? Break out the concealer? Grab a couple of tea bags or frozen spoons and hope for the best? Hide? Each of these can work depending on the circumstances, but sometimes you need bigger guns. EES Instant Eye Tuck is the M-16 you never knew existed.

I first learned about Easy Eye Solutions’ Instant Eye Tuck and Dark Circle Treatment on the Essential Day Spa forum, where members are beyond passionate about tracking down the holiest of holy grails. I think of them as the MUA of skin care in a way, and when they give a new product more than passing glance, so do I.

What it is: Instant Eye Tuck and Dark Circle Treatment is a gel formula created by Easy Eye Solutions, a procurer of cosmeceuticals meant to target, you guessed it, the infamously persnickety eye area. The formula contains a smorgasbord of puff-banishing botanical extracts including Cucumber, Horse Chestnut Bark, Willow Bark, Green Tea and Calendula. I’ve seen some speculation on various boards as to what the “active” ingredient might be, but with an ingredient list this comprehensive, figuring it out could get expensive.

The gel itself is a clear, pale amber color and has a vaguely egg-white-like scent that disappears within a minute or two of application. The translucent bottle’s pump mechanism prevents product contamination, and, according to the product specs, one bottle can provide up to 300 applications. Since I use it outside of the eye area, I don’t get quite as much per-bottle mileage: One container lasts anywhere from a month and half to two months.

What it does: As the name suggests, this stuff is meant to perk up droopy lids, stubborn under eye bags and similar woes. It can be applied over makeup, although there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to getting it just right. I apply it after foundation and concealer but before liner and/or shadow.

How you use it: The formula can be applied with makeup or on a bare face. I’ve also had good results mixing it with concealer, and I sometimes apply them together and then blend. Using my ring-fingertips, I apply a drop or two of gel (one pump is plenty) very lightly across my lower lid. You don’t really work it in too much, just enough that it feels slightly tacky and is evenly spread. I sometimes use it on the upper lids as well, but not as frequently. (You really shouldn’t move the area you’ve applied it to for a good ten minutes if you want the finish to be perfect, and it’s rare that I can stop blinking long enough for this to occur.)

I’ve never wondered whether the actives were penetrating after I’ve applied it, and it has a very cooling, almost tingly sensation while it dries. I get the best results by taking an extra couple of minutes if I just sit back for a few minutes while it does its thing. (That’s ideally, mind you. I’ve been stuck applying it in the car and still had great results, it’s just trickier to get it absolutely perfect.)

The tightening effect becomes noticeable after about 10 minutes, and lasts until I wash my face in the evening. I’ve had problems with it flaking during the drier winter months, which I remedy with either a little water or Dermacia Breathable Moisture Spray (another must-have in my arsenal– it’s incredible).

I love…

• that it works! I’ve never purchased a treatment that made such an immediate, visible difference.
• the customer service. Beginning with my first order, I’ve received fantastic, personalized customer service. CEO Zach Merrill is an expert at what he does, and is very forthcoming about what his product can– and cannot– do. If you have any questions, the EES team can answer them.
• the “dab’ll do ya” factor. Not only does a little go a long way with this product, a light hand is vital to getting great results. The lightest layer is all you need to get a firm, flawless finish.

I’m less-than thrilled about…

• the cost At $74.50 a pop, it costs more than your run of the mill drugstore formula, but it’s worth every penny– at least for me. I’ve actually had relatives ask what I was doing differently, which is the ultimate test of a product’s efficacy, IMHO.
• serving size I would like to see this available in a larger container since I sometimes use it on other areas where I want a matte, ultra smooth effect. (I actually use it on my nose and consequently have no blackheads along with diminished pores in that area. It also sent the milia under my eyes a’ packing.)
• the dispenser The packaging is perfect… Almost. While it prevents contamination, allows you to see how much product is left, and is convenient to carry, the pump mechanism tends to develop a hardened bit of product between uses.

The Final Word: I’m on my fourth bottle of EES Eye Tuck Serum, which pretty much puts me in the fangirl zone. Despite the cost and other minor quandaries, the bottom line for me is that the stuff works. It does what it claims and then some, virtually reshaping an area that I thought was doomed to become puffy, baggy and tired well before the rest of me did. When applied correctly it creates an instantly taut, smooth look that I really didn’t think was possible without some type of corrective procedure.

I do.  Vividly.

Girl X, Beauty Tool As a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed cosmetology student, I was always quick to share my newly acquired indoctrination knowledge about the importance of a focused hair care regime.  Of course, that meant coordinating (read:  expensive) products by the same salon-only (read: heavily commissioned) brand.

My mother and my family in general tend to humor my “zomg-new-info-alert” hyperactivity.  They’re used to it.  But that time…  Not so much.  I was halfway into some hair-related spiel when my Mom broke in with a phrase I’d never forget:

“Shampoo doesn’t really matter.”

Say what? Now in almost any other instance, I would have rolled my post-teen eyes in that forgivably arrogant way, adding the obligatory “Whatever” for effect.  But for some reason, what she said that day would hang onto my then-young, impressionable brain cells forever.

Conditioner Junkie, Here It’s true– which means that the idea that shampoo doesn’t make or break your hair (pun semi-intended) was a truth I wanted to hear.  It seemed logical, especially for someone like me who has continually battled a fine, tangle-prone mass of triple-textured strands no matter what shampoo I’ve used.  How many times had I battled the tangle monster on top of my head, only to realize that a good conditioner with plenty of slip could make the process a bajillion times easier?

Still, the all-powerful marketing powers that be would fight for the same precious brain cells that yearned to believe that Suave was every bit as good as Sebastian.  And like a good little hairdresser, I bought in.  But with science in my corner purporting that one sudsy concoction was as good as another, I’ve often since felt a tingle of redemption. (If you’ve been to cosmetology school, or around a cosmetologist, you know the kind of battle for souls I’m talking about.  If not, you will someday.  And when you do, please don’t admit to using Pantene.)

So– does it matter? The verdict is still out, as hair snobs and science duke it out in an eternal battle of marketing world vs., well, reality.

Those who say shampoo brand matters cite the surfactants, detergents, sulfates, and a bunch of other villainous chemical gobbledygook that is apparently very bad news for your hair.

Those who say it doesn’t matter cite the fact that soap is soap.

Whenever you consider something like this, though, you have to be objective.  I mean, how many hair scientists, or trichologists, are hung up on how their hair looks?

My gut says not very many.

Not to say that they don’t care, I mean, we all have bad hair days, and I’m sure that the experts in white coats stress over their tresses just as much as the next person, if not slightly more.  But I’d also surmise that, after twenty years in college or whatever it takes to become a specialist  in, um, trichotomy, all the number crunching and late nights over a microscope kind of weeds out any super-vain, mane-tossing trichologists pretty quickly.

In any case, am I the only one strangely fascinated by the fact that, at the time of this writing, the Trichological Society‘s president is 100 percent bald?

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That said, I’ll readily admit that the “big dogs” just do some things better.  For me, glycolic skin treatments fall into this category.  All the sugar scrubs, milk baths, sea salt treatments and sand polishes have had their fair days in court– with limited success.  I mean, the exfoliation was okay, but nothing to get loyal about.

Then I met Glytone Retexturizing Body Lotion.  With 17.5% active glycolic acid, this stuff doesn’t play games.  I might be in the middle of an arid, stingingly frigid tundra, but my skin thinks we’re in New Orleans.  Read:  I’m softer than a cricket’s whisper.

At $30 it’s pricier than a typical lotion, but the results are worth it.  Glycolic acid works by breaking down the structure of dead skin cells.  The high AHA content translates to the slightest sting on my sensitive skin, but only if I break the rules clearly posted on the back of the bottle:  This is not for use after shaving.

I find that four small squirts is all that’s needed for my entire 5’9″ body, which is more bang for the buck than I’ve had with any cream.  Plus, having my skin feel like imported silk against backlit marble is, well, priceless.

The effects are lasting, and I rotate it with other products.  Due to Glytone’s exfoliating properties, body butters and other products just vanish into my skin.

Where to Find It

Glytone has killer reviews:  Even the straightshooters at MakeUpAlley sing it’s praises, which is what convinced me to give it a spin.  Omaha’s Lovely Skin carries Glytone products in their massive cosmeceutical arsenal, and they shipped it in one day.

Shallow and unfairly superficial as it is, our genes are part of the reason why many people sidestep an acne-troubled complexion.  Nothing screams "This is a bad time" like broken out skin.  This is because, if our outsides are a map to our insides, pimples are the little historical markers of hormonal imbalances and stress.  No one wants more stress, and on some level, the primal, unsophisticated, first-impression forming part of the brain says "This person is stressed.  Time to get moving." 

Thus, blemishes whisper "Go away" to new acquaintances.  Whether we want them to, or not.

So, what to do?

Well, prior to last summer I wouldn't have been able to tell you.  Then, one day out of nowhere, a breakout to end all breakouts prompted me to find something that would actually work. And fast.  (I had been around the benzoyl peroxide block more than a few times as a teenager, and I wasn't about to do it again.)

Eventually a little web-sifting revealed my answer:  It was the oil of melaleuca alternifolia, more commonly known as tea tree oil.  This steam-distilled "Wonder from Down Under" is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, all-natural solution, available everywhere, and costs less than a new lipgloss.  

I'll admit that I've noticed a bit of inconsistency between drugstore brands.  Scent is a big issue with me, and since TTO isn't exactly aromatic to begin with (at least to my nose), any "foulness" is problematic. If you notice anything other than an herbal/medicinal cent in your TTO, it's time to toss it and perhaps sw.

Mountain Rose Herbs, procurer of wild crafted and organic goods of all sorts, is my current preferred source.  Besides being one of the most upfront and knowledgeable sites in the homeopathic niche, they've got stuff I just can't seem to find anywhere else.  But that's another post for another time. 

From Ancient to Up and Coming

Australia's Aboriginal peoples have recognized tea tree oil's value for millenia. But, as colonialism would have it, the human ability to care for ourselves with what's already here gets intermittently buried and rediscovered.

But not by everyone:  Devoted to getting the mainstream community to accept tea tree oil as a legit treatment, the Tea Tree Oil Research Group of Western Australia  (at the University of Western Austrailia) is one institutional research group whose primary focus is the potential of tea tree oil as medicine.

Tea tree oil is priceless to the truly foxy among us.  Got a breakout announcing your stress the day before your dream job interview?  Tea tree oil can nip it in the bud overnight, and even within hours, depending on the type and stage.  For me, it also banishes redness and even out my skin tone overall when I put a few drops go into the occasional steam treatment.

Careful…

On that note, beware: At full-strength, undiluted TTO can be counter-effective, drying, and irritating at best.  At worst it an be downright dangerous.  No matter what you are using it for, please be sure to dilute it properly, and consult your doctor to make sure it is right for you.  A small number of persons are allergic to tea tree oil, so a careful skin test is best, particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Note:  Tea tree oil is TOXIC if ingested.   It is meant for external use only.  Do not take it internally.  Do not drink or otherwise ingest tea tree oil.  Do not cook with it, apply it to pets, or use it for any other strange, unforeseen purpose.  Seriously.

What's the formula?

Some people dilute tea tree oil with carrier oils such as jojoba, almond, avocado or olive.  This is fine for certain uses (i.e. antifungal ointments or other general sin and hair care).  For garden variety blemishes, I've found that carrier oils don't seem to allow the TTO to penetrate as effectively.  For blemish banishing purposes, I opt to mix up a diluted solution using distilled alcohol.  (Note: Tea tree oil and water mix very poorly.  The H20-TTO combo is fab when it's in the form of a steam treatment, but water is not a good way to dilute the oil itself.)

Here's the recipe:  

1. Dilute 2 measured tablespoons of tea tree oil in 1 tablespoon of distilled grain alcohol (Everclear or vodka will work, perfumer's alcohol or another cosmetic grade alcohol is even better) .   Keep this 2:1 mixture stored in an airtight container away from light and heat.  
2. Use an eye dropper to apply several drops of solution to a cotton swab or bit of gauze, then apply frequently as a spot treatment throughout the day and before bed.  Watch pimple cower and flee.
3. Remember, this mixture should be used as a spot treatment only.  Overuse of antibacterial solutions on large areas can lead to bacterial resistance, and then you'll have a much bigger problem to deal with than one teensy zit.  That said, I repeat:  This is a spot treatment, only.

My skin says "Yes".  My nose says "Not so much"…

There is one drawback (there always is).  Frankly, tea tree oil reeks.  It has a very mentholated, medicinal scent that should be reserved for alone time.  This might work in some settings (i.e. if you work around a lot of embalming fluid), but in most public places it will send you from foxy to smelly in no time flat.  If TTO didn't work so well, the smell might be the deciding "nay" factor for me.  But it has come to my skin's rescue so many times that I can't ditch it over the scent.  A few hours of reeking like a medicine chest from hell is a small price to pay for smooth, pimple-free skin.

Don't Forget the Moisture

If your skin is dry, follow tea tree oil treatments with a good moisturizer.  TTO can really dry the skin because it limits excess sebum.  Sebum is part of the pimple equation, but it also keeps the skin supple.  Treat 

Not always.

Shower or Bath?

Each has its advocates.  Sure, showers are more efficient, but there is something about soaking away for an hour in scented water with a book or some music.  Unfortunately, unless you are of a shorter stature or have a Roman or clawfoot bathtub, it can prove to be a less than relaxing.  Whichever you prefer, make the experience worthwhile.

But it's just getting clean…

Right– getting clean is the main thing.  But it's so, so important.

Thanks to our organic composition, the body produces chemicals (those oft-if-not-overly mentioned things called pheromones).  They're primal, they're ancient, and they state your presence at a very subtle, but very important level.  Some experts even suggest that we hug our loved ones for this reason-  to "mark" our loved ones with our scent.  Very sexy.

There are some who insist that their "natural" scent is a glorious, wonderful thing.  True as that may be, no one is above regular bathing. No one.  Cultures differ on bathing frequency norms, but as a general rule, remember: "When in Rome…"  And that's to establish a minimum.  Overbathing won't leave you lonely, but letting things slip probably will.

Tools of the Trade

Terry cloth, loofah, sponge… Does the bathing apparatus matter?  It does.  Anything with oil catching, filth banishing properties will do, but not all bathing tools are created equal.

Fess up… are you still using the scrubby gloves from the drugstore? Or worse yet, a terry washcloth?  Drop them.  Drop them now, and step away slowly.  A superior scrubbing device has made its way to Western bathing world.  I give you:

The Salux Cloth.

• This is the scrubby thing de rigeur of Korean bath houses.  It can be used dry, much like a drybrush.  Wet, it can turn your cleanser of choice into mountains of luscious lather.

• The surface of the Salux has thousands of ridges, which are specially arranged to pull off the yuck and stimulate circulation.  It also dries within minutes, and will not mildew.  If it seems to have a buildup, toss it in the washing machine and hang to dry.

• A single cloth lasts for… a really long time.  I like to replace mine every 6 months or so, but I know that some people keep the same Salux around for years.  They're durable, to say the least… but to me, the surface texture seems to suffer after a few months.

• It's budget-friendly, typically 3-4 dollars.  Google around and see what you can find.

• Try exfoliating with the Salux before shaving; you'll be the silkiest thing on legs.

I could go on forever.

Welcome to Project Foxy, your one-stop source for with it tested and proven tips on self decoration and preservation; A beacon of aesthetic savvy for girly girls, alpha guys, pretty boys, gritty chicks… and everyone in between.

Project Foxy’s muses are everywhere.  If you’re here, you’re one of them (and I don’t need to tell you so). In FoxyLand, “Foxes” are those who derive sensual pleasure from being unapologetically fabulous.

Q:   “This bears suspicious resemblance to a beauty blog.  What gives?”

A:  If you’ve ever combed the blogoverse for beauty info that doesn’t turn into a twenty-zillion gigabyte, cache-clogging affair, then you know why I started this blog.  Long loading times and confusing layouts are one of the no-no’s around here, and I hope you appreciate my effort to deliver plain, simple content.

Q: “Fabulous.  So why should I listen to you?”

A: You shouldn’t.  I hope that you reasearch the living dickens out of everything you see here, and consult the appropriate specialists before
trying out anythign that gives you pause. The reason you might want to peruse my two cents are thus:

1.) I’ve got too much curiosity for my own good, plus an insatiable appetite for real solutions.  It’s in my blood,
see.  I’m not a doctor, not even close… but I went to school for two things:

• Understanding people (my BA in Cutlural Anthro might not seem to have much to do with beauty, but it comes up a lot more than you think.)
• Understanding beauty.  (I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist since 1999)

These unlikely paths intersect a lot more than you might think!

Q:  “Where’s the best info?”

A:   Indie retailers and e-tailers attract a quite beautiful crowd, and many of them have cult and/or forum followings chock-full of priceless advice.  Old wives’ tales and the local drugstore deserve some credit, too.  I get the bulk of my ideas from forums (e.g. essntialdayspa, the BPAL forum, and too many others to name…)

Project Foxy is about shortcuts and gratis info. So, take advantage, stay awhile, and let my fixation with all things Foxy become your secret weapon!

-GX