MaryB and the City

Lustful lashes.

Bravo’s Real Housewives television series must be karmically connected to me, because the show indirectly and directly crosses my path on the regular. I’ve been an avid follower of the show for quite some time and love me some Andy Cohen in the after shows.

The first overlap outside of my living room was meeting several cast members at VIP events through business affairs ~ Pet Socialite: The Countess Luann de Lesseps {twice}, Sonja Morgan, Alex McCord & Simon van Kempen (NYC), Caroline Manzo & Dina Manzo (NJ).

Then I partnered with Dougall Fraser, psychic & author, for a promotion on his nationally syndicated radio show. He has appeared as a guest more than once on the Orange County RH docu-series.

And mixed in the the middle of those reality TV celebrity run-ins, I was introduced to a relatively new product on the market ~ Cilea. Founded in 2009, the company classifies this all-natural beauty tool as an Eyelash Growth Stimulator. And guess who is the spokesperson? Vicki Gunvalson from Orange County RH.

Of course she is.

To be totally honest, I *try* my best not to judge anyone — particularly video edited for high-drama/high-ratings reels because you never actually see the entire ‘scene’ - but I have to say that if there is one observation I can genuinely make about Vicki from the comfort of my couch…it’s that she is super business savvy and takes her career extremely seriously. So if she would publicly endorse a product with her name behind it, right away I knew there had to be some validity behind the potion.

Cilea™ sponsored a writing conference I attended back in June through skirt! magazine, and a lovely lady who helps promote the liquid plumper encouraged me to try it out once the weekend was over. Ginger was nice enough to give me a discount code, so I ended up only paying 50% of the regular retail cost, which is $70.00. {I’ve noticed their Facebook fan page often runs specials so I’m sure consumers can cash in too at any given time}.

A special story that I found touching is when Ginger told me how she learned about amplifying eye whiskers. Her mother is a cancer survivor and lost most of her brows/lashes during chemo; being natural with no side effects, she used it to help grow them back!

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It is safe to say that since day 1, the biggest asset I possess are my eyes.

The eyelashes, however, are not. And to pour salt in the wound, I can’t seem to find a reliable mascara; they all flake or clump. So showing them wholesome love, particularly without chemicals, seemed like a worthwhile endeavor.

For starters, the package design is adorable, small in size (think mascara applicator), and the actual product itself is clear so no evidence is visible.

The active ingredients are B vitamins, amino acids (i.e. protein,) peptides and botanical extracts. According to the web site, it stimulates the follicle and helps the hair grow – similar to any hair growth product. Second, it strengthens the junction (part of eyelid where the lash is held in place) so it’s able to hold onto the thicker, heavier lashes.

Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo sans make-up, so do not have a raw ‘before’ shot. But here is what I’ve previously been working with.

The time investment is barely noticable. All you have to do is apply it once a day (twice if you’re an overachiever), just like you would eye liner. I only used it on my upper lash, but you’re also welcome to swipe it along your lower line too.

Two weeks under my trial belt, and I was starting to see a noticable change in length.

Four weeks in, and this is when I observed a substantial change (the biggest jump in the entire process). Literally I was ‘aware’ of them. Similar to when you see an abstract object out of the corner of your eye…that’s how my maturing lashes felt. The research stats claim that clinical tests showed as much as 82% growth at this stage and while the number sounds staggering, according to my own documentation — evidently it’s true!

And finally in week six, there was a little bit more fullness and density that developed. Surprisingly, there is still quite a bit of product left in the container; a nice bonus for maintenance.

Wikipedia makes an accurate claim that in many cultures, longer eyelashes are considered a sign of femininity. So it makes sense that our image-driven society produces ‘extra help’ including false extensions. Products like Latisse® are on the market too but the downside is you need a prescription, can’t apply it to your lower lids, it has side effects such as itchy/red eyes, causes brown pigmentation on the lid, and it’s made from manmade ingredients that I can’t pronounce.

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Takeaway ~ I definitely recommend giving Cilea a shot if your lashes are lagging. Know that once you stop using it, eventually your lashes will go back to ‘normal.’ Which I suppose is par for the course including what would happen if I stopped highlighting my wanna-be blond mane.

Visit www.cilealash.com/ for more information.