BellaSugar

Interview: Christina Hendricks on Make-A-Wish, the Emmys, Latisse, and More

Jaime Richards — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:06:39 PDT

Christina Hendricks may be nominated for an Emmy in the outstanding supporting actress in a drama series category, but this year she's making it even more of a special event. She'll be attending the festivities on Sunday escorting 17-year-old David, a participant in the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Make-A-Wish and Latisse (for which Christina is a spokeswoman), have partnered in hopes to raise $500,000 for the charitable organization. Christina explains, "I'm encouraging people to go to latissewisheschallenge.com because for every donation of $20 or more, Latisse will match it, and it will go toward the Make-A-Wish Foundation so we can grant more wishes."

She adds, "We're trying to grant a wish in every chapter across the US. And also if you donate $20 you'll get your first month of Latisse for free - which is an added bonus." To see more of our one-on-one interview with Christina, who talks further about her involvement with Make-A-Wish, her day-of Emmys plans, and more, just keep reading.

Latisse Could Cure Baldness, but at What Cost?

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:15:00 PST

Having used Latisse on my eyebrows, I can attest that it really did (temporarily, at least) help places I'd overplucked in high school grow back in. So it's not surprising that Allergan, the drug's maker, is now using the stuff in clinical trials to see if it also works for baldness.

I would assume that it'll be pretty effective, but questions arise as to what kinds of side effects it might cause, and who'll actually be able to afford it if it gets cleared by the FDA. Right now, a month's supply of Latisse for the lashes costs over $100, and I can't imagine how much it would cost to do someone's entire head. And that's assuming people would even want to. Also, if the skin discoloration I got from Latisse is any indicator, perhaps there's a chance the stuff could end up dyeing your scalp purple-red. Regardless, this is one trial I'll be curious to see the results on. Until then, though, I'd avoid trying it for hair loss at home.

Four Tricks For Getting Great Looking Lashes on the Cheap

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:00:00 PST

Since Latisse (which I tried) came out, the market seems to have exploded with products designed to make your lashes longer, darker, thicker, and more conditioned. Many of these products are extremely expensive, and even those that aren't as outrageous in cost are still more pricey than a good mascara.

There are plenty of ways, however, to get your lashes in tip-top shape without shelling out egregious sums. So to see how you can get the doe-eyed look without blowing all your dough, just keep reading.

The Latisse Diaries: A Long-Overdue Update

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:00:50 PST

A few months back, I started using Latisse, the drug approved to make your eyelashes longer and thicker. I reported on it for a few weeks, but then dropped off - for which I apologize - and later quit using it. Why did I go through all the trouble of going to my dermatologist, spending hundreds of dollars on the product, and reporting on it to then just quit? I've got a bunch of reasons it didn't work for me, so if you'd like the lowdown from someone who went through the entire Latisse process, just keep on reading.

The Latisse Diaries: Week 3 - Catch the Red Eye

BellaSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:00:10 PDT

Hi everybody. I'm continuing with Latisse and thought it was time for another installment because I've run into my first real gripe about the product. It's my eyes. And no, they're not changing color, still the same baby blues; they're just noticeably bloodshot, especially after I apply my nightly treatment. Mr. Bella has jokingly begun referring to me as Ol' Red Eyes.

My doctor told me that there could be some minor irritation, but I find myself repeatedly using Visine, and my contact lenses certainly aren't helping things. I was worried about it, so I stopped in at the doc's to make sure I hadn't contracted conjunctivitis or something similarly unpleasant, and he recommended I flush my eyes with saline in the morning before I put in my lenses. That way, any Latisse still on my lashes doesn't get into my eyes and trapped under my contacts. It's so common-sense that I'm a tad embarrassed it never occurred to me. Let's just hope it actually works.
Photo by care_smc

The Latisse Diaries: Week 2, Part 2 - My Latisse Secret

BellaSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:00:14 PDT

I'm at the end of my second week with Latisse, and I'm going to tell you all a secret: I've been putting it on my eyebrows as well, and though I haven't seen much lash difference yet, the patches I had from over-plucking in high school are almost gone. My eyebrows look amazing, and they're almost back to the perfect, natural arch I had when I was 13 and didn't realize how good I had it. A woman at my dermatologist's office told me about this little off-brand use, and then later a couple of helpful readers mentioned it, too. So I decided to try it, and it's worked like a charm so far. I'm not seeing any bad side effects, and I'm still really happy I stopped using the brushes - I'm definitely way less than halfway through with the bottle. Hopefully there'll be some noticeable lash growth by next week, so I'll post a picture of that, and my newly lush brows, in the next few days.

The Latisse Diaries: Week 2, Part 1 - Ouch!

BellaSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:00:09 PDT

Why am I in pain? I'll tell you. I've been using Latisse for a while now, and though I haven't seen results just yet, I do know one thing for sure - the brushes that come with the product are terrible. For the dish on one of the worst things about Latisse, just keep reading.

The Latisse Diaries: Week 1, Part 2 - In Which I Learn Some Important Things

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:24 PDT

OK, I've had my Latisse for a couple of days now, and I have to say that it's expensive. Not as expensive as lash extensions, which I've also tried, but $130 for a one-month supply. My wallet hurts, long story short. It could also take up to eight weeks for me to begin seeing results; hopefully, that won't be the case. I usually respond pretty quickly to treatments anyway. Here's a pic of my lashes as they look without mascara now, for reference. I'll update after I've applied it a few more times and tell you all how it works.

The Latisse Diaries: Week 1, Part 1 - In Which I Take the Plunge

BellaSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:00:51 PDT

Latisse, the liquid that the FDA recently approved to lengthen and thicken eyelashes, has fascinated me since it hit shelves a couple months back. The before-and-afters on the website are impressive, and the fact that it has a guarantee from the government is no small feat, but I'm still leery of the whole thing. (I don't love weird chemicals, as you all know.) So I've decided to use myself as a guinea pig for the greater good of Bellas everywhere and document my experience with Latisse as accurately, and with as many photos, as possible. Join me here, in the Latisse Diaries, to see real pics of what "Latisse lashes" look like and get an unbiased take on the Latisse experience. Wish me luck, and meet me back here shortly for pics and a breakdown of my first week with Latisse.

How Much Would You Pay For Longer Lashes?

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:00:04 PST

The desire to draw attention to the eyelashes has been going strong since around 4000 BC, when ancient Egyptians used kohl to darken lashes and eye areas. Fast-forward thousands of years later, and the mascara industry brings in over an astonishing one billion dollars a year. That's not even including other eyelash-enhancing products such as extensions, false eyelashes, and now Latisse, an eyelash-growth drug approved by the FDA last December. Take a look at my chart below to compare products available on the market now. How much would you pay for long and full lashes?

PRODUCT	PROS	CONS
Mascara	Easy to find and come in a wide variety of styles from vibrating, scented, colored, thickening, and lengthening. Cheap - ranging in price from $5 to $10 at the drugstore. Assuming you keep your mascara around three months, it's mere pennies per use.	Can run and smudge, doesn't always look natural, and very temporary.
False Eyelashes	Very accessible, easy to apply (see my attempt here), and relatively cheap, ranging in price from inexpensive like E.L.F. False Eyelashes ($1 to $3) to moderate/slightly expensive such as Shu Uemura ($16 for accent lashes to $95 for fantasy lashes). Also, they're just plain fun - bedazzled lashes, anyone?	Can fall off easily, don't last very long, can't always be reused, and can look, well, fake!
Eyelash Extensions	Natural looking, long lasting (around two to three months), and doesn't take very long to apply by a spa professional (around 80 minutes or so). Check out my experience with eyelash extensions here.	Expensive, averaging around $200 to $600.
Latisse	Effective, easy to apply - similar to putting on eyeliner, treats hypotrichosis (sparse eyelashes), long-lasting (several weeks to months), and looks very natural because it's your own hair growing out.	Available by prescription only, expensive ($120 for 30-day supply), needs to be applied daily, and side effects can include skin darkening, irritation, dryness, and redness of the eyelids.

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