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WINE COLUMN
THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL ANTI-AGING POTION
By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection and distributed privately on
So does this happen to you? Every time you go for a facial, the aesthetician tries to sell you hundreds of dollars worth of skin care products? It happens to me without fail. There I lie, damp cotton circles on my eyes, soft music playing, the face steamer puffing away, alone with the aesthetician, and the pitch begins:
“What do you use on your skin?”
I could say $5,000 an ounce cherub spit and it wouldn’t matter. The next line is always the same.
“Hmmm.” Audible frown. “You need to try what I’m using on you today. Just the basics: A cleanser, toner, day cream, night cream, and eye cream. And, of course, an anti-aging serum, exfoliant, and two masks—one for your eye area, the other for the rest of your face, neck and décolletage.”
But there’s nothing wrong with my skin.
“You need upkeep. Prevention.”
So, why is your stuff is better than what I’m using at home?
“It’s from
Mmmhmmm. So?
“It’s made from the best ingredients.”
Mmmhmmm. And?
“The whole range is fortified with rare sea minerals that help the skin rejuvenate…” and off she rattles. “And this mask is just what you need. It re-shapes the skin by forming an intricate 3D network on the surface with an incredible lifting effect.”
Mmmhmm. Will I see a difference in my skin?
“Yes. Over time. If you use it regularly.”
How much time.
“It all depends.”
And it costs, how much?
“Well, the whole range is quite reasonable, for what it is. And for you, I would recommend the cleanser, which is $78; the toner, $47; the day cream, $143; the night cream, $173; the eye cream, $62.50; the anti-aging serum, $164; and the exfoliant, $76. Oh, and the face mask is $92, and the eye mask is $42.”
The bottles are tiny.
“But you only need very little.”
So, I could buy several small bottles of goo to clean my face for about the price of feeding a family of four for a month knowing full well any change in my complexion—which may or may not occur—could not be remotely attributable to any one product if I’m plastering nine on my face, as well as a handful of cosmetics. Yet aestheticians seem to believe the marketing bull they’ve been taught in face-cleaning and toenail-painting school.
I always leave the salon thinking, give me a glass of wine!
In stark contrast to anti-aging lotions, wine offers instant, measurable results. It not only gives you an easy face lift—called, a smile; it makes you and everyone else more attractive. It quickly erases frowns, pursed lips, and the tension that can form small lines that become deep furrows. Wine is the most powerful anti-aging potion I know. And it’s far more gratifying than any skin cream product or cosmetic. I say, buy the cheapest skin products you can and spend as many of your hard-earned dollars as possible on wine.
Here’s a shopping list of some great new releases:
Sileni Cellar Selection Chardonnay 2008,
This refreshing version of Chardonnay is crisp, clean, citrus-scented and gently oaked. Sure to unfurrow the brow and relieve stress that can cause wrinkles. And results are visible after only one glass.
Dourth La Grande Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2008,
White Bordeaux is one of the seldom sung treasures of the wine world, and this bottle is a fine example. Think restrained notes of crushed stones, delicate freshness, and tight green apple. Here’s a wine that’s comparable to a good Sancerre at less than half the price. Instant fine-line eraser.
Domaine A. Cailbourdin Cuvée de Boisfleury Pouilly-Fumé, Loire, France (LCBO 0163527 $26.95)
Call this: bottled face-lift. Think broad flush of lime, fresh herbs, asparagus, white flowers and that subtle smoky minerality for which the region is known. It’s concentrated without being too “fruity” making it a fabulous food wine. Perfect for the soon to appear first spears of asparagus.
Carolyn Evans Hammond’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, A No-Nonsense Guide to Popular Wines, hits shelves April 6. Her critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards. Carolyn is a qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist who holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from
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