InventorSpot

from The Plastic Doll Collection by El Rincon You're tired. Stressed. You've got umteen gifts to buy, a high school reunion, and your first office party at your spouse's new job... all between now and the new year. When you look in the mirror, you see crows' feet and widow's furrows, and age spots... How can you enjoy the holidays when you feel so decrepit?

If you looked 10 years younger, would that put a different spin on your holiday activities? Well, you only need about two weeks to get there!

You can do it! 1) Exercise daily, outdoors if possible; 2) Sleep soundly, at least eight hours a night; and 3) Start using Athena 7-Minute Lift as soon as you can (They deliver in two days!)

Exercise is the best possible thing you can do for your overall health and well- being. If you can walk fast, jog, swim, bike, or run for 30-45 minutes every day, it will lift your spirits. Don't kill yourself; just go at your own speed plus an extra bounce or two. Drink water to replenish what you've lost, and then some. Oxygenate and hydrate -- the two best activities for your skin.

Lack of sleep shows in your moods, your reaction times, and your face! You want to put on a happy face? Sleep. The more rested you are, the less likely you will be to have black circles under your eyes and swollen eyelids.

And then, there's...

Athena 7-Minute Lift

Since I last reviewed this product in March (Facelift In A Jar: Review Of Athena 7-Minute Lift ), the Athena package has been refreshed a bit, I've found some complementary skincare products, and I've tested a few competing products.... all of which I want to share in this "update."

First, the competing products I tried... Lifecell and Hydroderm, two highly-advertised solutions for wrinkle removal. I was not unhappy with Athena; what caused me to try Lifecell and Hydroderm were the rave reviews I was reading on the net. A few, supposedly-unbiased, reviewers evaluated Lifecell higher than Athena, with Hydroderm coming close to second. Why not try them, I thought; I owe it to my readers.

Not to waste your time or my space, neither product was effective for me, after giving Lifecell and Hydroderm three weeks each. These products are more expensive, and less effective than Athena in removing wrinkles. I am not a "disser:" I just don't think these products are effective wrinkle removers. Maybe they provide other benefits to your skin, perhaps they are better moisturizers, but I did not see any difference in the depth of my wrinkles in three weeks.

Now that I'm back with Athena and I got the same results as I did the first time I used it, instantly, I'm even more resolved to share it with you. And my last order (my third jar) was improved, or at least it looked that way, as the cream, or putty, was moister and lighter colored... perhaps fresher? The jar is also delivered in a sealed outer envelop and includes a perfect applicator brush for the product.. The new brush makes the cream easier to apply... I just dip the tip of the brush in water, double dab the cream and lightly shmear it across one quarter of my face. I do that three more times, and I'm ready to meditate for the 7-minutes it takes to form a facelift.

In a way, Athena works a lot like Botox without the pain and expense. Although it's made of pure botanical oils, the Lift not only fills up your wrinkles, it creates a slight numbing sensation in your muscles that reminds you not to make that frown or squint your eyes. I suspect that is one of the reasons that the 7-Minute Lift works so well over time. If you use muscles less frequently, they won't form wrinkles on your skin.

OK, so Athena 7-Minute Lift works for the wrinkles.... As you only have a few weeks to lose 10 years, I'll share some of the products I've found to be compatible with the 7-Minute Lift for other skincare issues: dark circles, age spots, cleansing, and moisturizing. When you have time to investigate others, let us know what you find.

Cleansers & Moisturizers Compatible With Athena 7-Minute Lift

Facial skin may become dry if you're using Athena, and oil based products really impair the performance of the Lift. My compromise solution, although it may not give me the tightest facelift on the block, is to use a rich night cream, Trienelle Nightly Restoration Formula. It is water-based, but contains several natural skin oils and vitamins, that moisturizes skin without being greasy. A 50 ml jar costs $55 and lasts about two months, if used sparingly. (Hint: Leave face slightly damp before applying.)