19 Comments
Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

Wow. this HNTFUYF was chock full of information and entertainment! Love hotels!! I adore Japan. and I do love the smiling mask photo. Thank you so much !

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Neonatal foreskin cream… pass!

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Jul 27, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

As ever, you’re the best!

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As I read, my jaw fell further and further and further and I am lucky to have any teeth after it nearly crashed to the floor, Val!

Human Growth Hormones in skin creams!!

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Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

Fascinating post, as always, dear Val!

I discovered glutathione back in the ‘90s, but as an OTC supplement, not a skincare injectable. (Yikes!) It was recommended by a nutritionist who was also a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine. She “prescribed” L-S-Acetyl Glutathione to help protect the immune system and for its antioxidant benefits. It was also said to be a “liver detoxifier” and to help strengthen the blood. The word “anti-aging” was also bandied about. As this was the ‘90s, that term had yet to be banned from conversations about our appearance.

I took glutathione supplements for a short while but can’t say for sure what the payoff was. (The supplement provider, of course, made a tidy sum.) Would be interested to know Heidi Waldorf’s opinion of glutathione supplements.

Loved your coverage of the love hotel! Have you also come across the “Manuscript Café” in your ongoing exploration of Tokyo? It caters to scribblers who are struggling with writer’s block. Or just need a place to write without distractions.

The idea is that you pay a fee to sit at your laptop for a set period of time, and with time being money, you are incentivized to meet your deadline (or at least get closer to it).

A staffer periodically checks in to make sure you’re making progress. The CBS Sunday morning news show recently ran a segment on the Manuscript Café and I wonder if there’s more than one in Tokyo.

Last, but not least, loved seeing the happy three masked marvels all aglow for the camera. Together, you, Jenny and Jadzia make the world of beauty a more beautiful place! ❤️

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Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

"Face pants". Love it.

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Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

Another fun HNTFUYF, Val! Wow, what people won't spend their money on. Pass. Wondering if you have an opinion, tho, on the effectiveness of those spiky little face rollers that are supposed to stimulate collagen and aid serum absorption (and help us with those recently-dubbed 11s, etc). And Japan--with sex at a reported all time low, how do those hotels stay in business? Such an in-your-face concept though. Love that.

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Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

Wow, wow, wow! Thank you so much for all this wonderful & helpful, well-researched information, especially about the human fibroblast whatnot ;) I shall not purchase but I am going to read the study you linked in the post. When you said this, "we share a common skincare belief: that we should be doing more to preserve or enhance the appearance of our complexion, no matter how healthy it already looks." I felt a little sad because, that is exactly what I think--I should always be doing more, but after reading the last few posts of yours (in particular the one where you listed what you use on your face), I've been rethinking my approach. I mean, there is only so much we can do as we age. For me, I really do think the 2 years in my mid 40s when I used prescription Retin A and started slathering on sunscreen with a heavier hand had the most visible impact and lasting effects of all the things I've tried, so there you go. Looking forward to reading your next post already!

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Jul 26, 2022Liked by Valerie Monroe

I always learn something....!!

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Feb 4, 2023Liked by Valerie Monroe

I've always had issues with anything skin whitening as it reinforces the idea that white is better. Of course many Asian countries don't have the kind of racial history as we do in the US; however, one's skin color often indicate class, profession, and character. My father's side of the family is from southern China so when I taught English at a university in the middle of China, I was told that southern Chinese were "sneaky, dirty, and thieves." I even recall how my mom wanted me to use rice powder for my face so it looked whiter (her family wwas more northen Chinese); thus more attractive and desirable. What a legacy...

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