Facial Exercise: FlexEffect® Before and After Photos

Hi Jae,

I tend to use the book mostly so I'll tell you the #'s of the exercises I used and what effect I got from them.

I'm certainly not the expert Deb is on Facial Resistance Training, however I've become an expert on the muscle structure of MY own face and how to control them easily. I think that is a major step in this process. Without that you're shooting in the dark, hit and miss.

When I first started I didn't have the greatest control over the muscles in my face - I'd have to exert concentrated effort to move any particular muscle and usually couldn't do it well and in some cases not at all. After training now for going on eight months I am finding I have a significantly improved ability to move most muscles in my face simply by wanting to - which is a cool benefit in my opinion!*:) You can pull some very interesting faces [note: most are only good for entertaining
yourself in your bathroom mirror!]

I work out everyday. I noticed looking back now how valuable it was to practice because my muscles needed to be educated first. Eventhough I wanted spectacular results as fast as possible, I
found that getting the muscles to do what I wanted them to do was the first step to positive improvement. At times I felt like I only got half of a real workout simply because my muscles weren't responding 100% efficiently throughout every exercise - they were still "learning". I did see results however, and that made me hang in there.

I really wanted to get the upper eyelids to smooth out so at first thought (#7) Upper Lid Pull, (#6) Upper Lid Stretch and (#5) Eye Squeeze would be the ticket. Did they work - absolutely - but when I started doing (#2) Brow Smoother, twice a day I REALLY started seeing the kind of results I wanted. The Brow Smoother is listed for deep forehead wrinkles - but guess what?? It tightens the scalp and pulls the eyes up naturally! The Brow Smoother gets extra attention from me twice a day.

Eye Squeeze, Lower Lid Lift and Crow's Eye round things out nicely. The under eye lids improved very quickly which gave me a more "open" looking eye.

I was doing the exercises for about three months using only the Aloe formula I make myself and some Vitamin E oil in small doses. Generally, in the past, I didn't use oils on my face. However, I found it valuable to seek a nourishing skin treatment that would supplement the exercises by feeding the surface skin, soothing and moistening it. In my case, it took some experimenting to find what would work but I finally got one that works well to keep my skin bright.

To Andrea Re: upper eyelids Aug 15, 2001

Andrea,

What excercises did you do for your upper lids, how many reps, how long did you hold, etc.? Did you continue to hold your eyelashes for resistance? Your eyes look FANTASTIC! Also, I hope
we get to see a picture of you with your hair down, make-up on just to see how you normally look! Gorgeous I bet!

Sadie
IP: 208.134.68.162

Sadie,

I do hold my eyelashes for resistance yes! I do ten to fifteen reps now, hold it for a count of six! and do this exercises twice a day, when I get up and before going to bed [usually in the bathtub with dry hands of course!]

I think I have a recent pic with hair down and make up on - will wander through my hard-drive and see if I can find one! *:)

Andrea

Thank you for the compliment Terri *:) ...

I don't think I train that much differently now than in the beginning, I just think its more effective having gotten more control over the facial muscles.

As to weight loss - my weight tends to fluctuate some through the change of seasons - like most people?? slightly lighter during the summer months, but not significant really. My weight in
the "before" pic was about 130 and in the "after" pic is probably about 127 - so not that much difference, but my face did seem to slim after starting the training.

Yes it is bold to ask how old I am! *:) I asked Deb not to post my age - I know that's unsatisfying heh! but I just didn't want it on the page, since I don't honestly think age has anything critical to do with the kind of results someone can get from this program. All muscles respond when you exert them, train them and EXPECT them to change! However, in this post I will tell you that I just had a birthday in July and turned 43.

The Ester-C I use is by a company called Natrol - it is a powder in 500 mg. capsules, but can also be gotten in powder only from a company on the net called www.msm-msm.com, which is where I order my MsM as well. Putting Vitamin C of any kind into the Aloe/MsM mixture will turn it to a liquid instead of a gel - but it works just as wonderfully - excellent for the scalp too!

One final comment here that I think deserves some attention when considering the kinds of results an individual would want from a program like this. The 'frame of mind' also makes a BIG difference. If you EXPECT results you will get them. Yes, there is the physical side of it, but there is also the mental side to this program or any other, which may not recieve enough attention in our efforts to change what's on the outside.

At the risk of sounding preachy - which quite honestly I am not intending to do - I just want to say that expectation goes a long way to assisting your desired goals. That has been my experience and of course I can only speak from that. Don't believe me, challenge what I'm saying and try it for yourself. I use an unusual form of meditation on a daily basis called "dynamic meditation", where the meditator visualizes the results they want in their life for any given situation and then "feels" those
results as if they had already happened - in other words its not just a 'blissing out' kind of meditative practice it is intended for positive use in the world outside meditation to affect results on a daily basis. Do our senses lie to us sometimes? Yes - like when you're suddenly scared because you think someone is standing in your kitchen only to discover its the mop out of its normal resting place. The senses have a fucntion, to protect and guide us through a physical world, but to depend on them
entirely is to have missed taking advantage of the powerful ability we all possess to changes our world and ourselves with the power of our thoughts.

When I found this program {thank you Deb} I put into practice the exercises she had gotten results with, learned how to make them mine; to own them for myself; I pursued a good skin regime that
works for my skin type; and I EXPECTED results through visualizing myself as I wished to be - the combination is satisfying to say the least and will only continue to improve I have no doubt.

Thank you Andrea!

I started using your recipe for msm/aloe gel and I really love it. I follow with Perricone's Alpha Lipoic & then spray my face with selinium (Deb's tip when she called me). Its only been a
very short time but my skin is looking smoother & glowing. I didn't get the C yet waiting your reply. The aloe i got is a gel, but its not that thick & even without the C its pretty watery.

I don't use eastern meditation as its incompatible with my religious beliefs, however I do have a positive attitude about flexing because the facts & the testimonies of others prove it works. In that sense, I am "anticipating" favorable results and have seen some already! The only visualization i do is to see in my mind's eye the muscle contracting hard while Im doing the exercise. I don't believe you can just visualize your eyes unhooded and expect it to happen, just like you can't visualize an apple and expect it to appear--unless maybe you have some magical power lol! So keep on flexing girl!!!!!!!

Wishing you a happy belated birthday! You look like a million!

Terri

Re: My Photos! Aug 15, 2001

Wow Deb! Oh my god LOL - I didn't realize one of those pics was completely without makeup - I had forgotten I sent that to you heh. But no biggy, it really does show the improve and that pic
was taken almost five months ago! I will send some more that are more recent, you're not going to believe your eyes!

I encourage everyone to stay at it - this works and works and works some more!

I had to go up to Spokane this past weekend which is a six hour drive...I was very careful about not doing certain exercises that would interfere with seeing the road! But I got two great workouts on certain areas I wanted to beef up [lips, chin and neck] on the way there and again on the way back - it was great...AND enjoyed the results over the weekend, though my neck was a little sore heh!

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.137

Well, they say a picture is worth a 1'000 words. I am just blown away with the results Andrea has achieved.

Congratulations Andrea and thank you so much for sharing your success with us.

Dale

Hey Guys!

I have an idea.(sometimes I do that) I thought it would be a great idea to find all of Andrea’s post from when she first started training and attach (link) them to her photo page... I lost a huge section of Posts (in file) months ago when my PC went down, but at least I have the beginning of Andreas training. What I really love is that she was soooooo skeptical in the beginning. This lady tells it STRAIGHT-UP! Ya gota love her. Most of you know her but just haven’t put it together. Until I
get everything up...Go to the Skin Product Page in the Archive and scroll down to Post #1111

I’ll let you know when all is up. BTW Andrea said she has more Photos! Also, I'm getting photos from another Flexer, she had been training for some time and then decided to take my class in
the Bay Area (SF). I love it when I get to meet existing Flexers... What a cutie!

Hi Bonnie

Results ARE going to vary depending upon the amount of genetic fat in your lids. Andrea's were due to muscle atrophy/sag which responds excellently to FlexEffect exercises. Therefore, you may
not be doing anything wrong per se. To determine whether this is gentic or atrophy, look at pictures during your twenties. Were your eyes hooded then? I have hooded eyes and always have had (more guys seem to than women) and this is something that will not change because it is not due to muscle atrophy. Should you continue to work the lids? ABSOLUTELY. Because if you don't the
sag plus fat will cause them to evenutally be in your lap!!!

Jason

Re: Eye Flex Nov 1, 2000

Hi Jason,

Thanx for the reply! I am keeping my eyeballs down because just as you said when the eyeball rolls upward the eye muscle strains instead of the lid muscle - and I have noticed that difference. But the edge of lid pressing on the iris area is the issue. My eyeball is shaped more like a football, than a basketball. This football shape is also known as astigmatic [something I'm currently working on], but none the less at this time, with the lids being held down any eye movement rubs the iris area against the lid, even if it is from side to side.

I'm not pushing in, only downward. The thing is that that little muscle is rather strong when it is lifted and the very lower edge of the lid rolls up under my fingers - come to think of it this may be what is actually putting pressure on the eyeball, but I don't seem to be able to put enough pressure with my finger just against the lid itself to keep that from happening. Is holding the eyelashes as affective a use of this exercise? Or should I just guts it out. I have seen a marked changed in the area in only 3 days, that I can say.

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Eye Flex? Oct 31, 2000

BOY am I hogging the board tonite!!?? But I tried to post this earlier and got booted from the net, so thot I would do it all at once! LOL

I have noticed the same thing others have - over developed cheek muscles. Been on the FE now for about two weeksish. Muscles are growing fasssssst .. however the eyes get pushed up by the cheeks. I have backed off cheeks and beefed up on the undereye and its smoothing out quite nicely. My eyes are probably the most prominent feature on my face and are large. The left eye is not responding as quickly as the right. The area I'm referring to here is the overhang on top (?)..the upper lid! Knew if I kept at it I would figure out what its called. Anyway, I have started doing more sets of the eyelid pull? But, the problem is my eyes [as in eyeball] are not shaped more conically than round and even with no pressure from my fingers, when my eye goes up toward the lid this exercise hurts. I have started holding my eyelashes and pull against this....what do you think of this procedure?? LOL The muscle is growing pretty quickly and the pull is fairly significant. Eyelashes don't come out or anything, but I wouldn't mind having a thot or two on this one!

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

To Deb or Webmaster Oct 31,2000

I have a question about the way the discussion board is designed for this website.

I have built many, many websites and write HTML markup language and place CGI scripts and have noticed that this board seems a fairly cumbersome design not only for the posters but for the webmaster.

The way things get posted seem to get broken up after they are reposted to the front 'discussion page' area and the thread doesn't seem to be maintained making it difficult for people to find a subject and follow the responses. And if I understand this correctly Deb, you have to take the messages, answer or reply then repost up on the web page? Doesn't this consume a great deal of time?

There are some excellent discussion board CGI scripts that are even free! - that maintain the thread and fuction in a way that make it extremely easy for people to follow the conversation while, go back and look up previous discussions, post if they want to no matter how long passed the discussion actually ended and the work for the webmaster is minimal. At any time if the webmaster wished to use responses/replies from the board they could of course pull them out and paste them into any webpage on their site anywhere, but the original context and forum would continually be maintained.

I am truly not trying to shoulder in on your website nor how it is built - and would like to add I think your site is one of the nicer places on the web to visit! But the discussion board seems very disjointed and searching through posts very cumbersome for the visitor, -plus the momentum seems to get lost when the board is 'unloaded'....

Ok, hit me with a wet noodle :) If you are interested in an excellent free CGI script that works wonderfully and is fully customizable I will be happy to suggest some, and or assist in any way I can. I have built quite a few myself, and gone through the various ways discussions can be held on the web - some were wonderful experiences some made me want to throw my computer out the window!

Anyway, just a thot........

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Hi Andrea,

Deb read your post offering your expertise on revamping the discussion board. She asked me to write you a quick blurb requesting that you e-mail her with all the info on how to get a hold of you. She's in the middle of a class OOT but will contact you when she gets back. She'd like to know what kind of suggestions you have for the site and board.

Thanks a lot!

Jason

Funny story about getting FlexEffect ... Oct 20, 2000

I got my packaged....faaaaaaassssssstttttt let me tell you! I was surprised - pleasantly to be sure - but it was fast! Thank you Deb. Ordering over the net at times means long waits for the product to show up at your doorstep. I usually order and forget about it - because it usually takes a while. Kudos to you on that.

Ok...first night with the Video/Tape/Book/Flashcards. I sat down in the living room, put on the video and my sweety comes in and sits down with me. At first his reaction is "oh no"....:) Shortly he is DOING THE EXERCISES WITH ME LOLOLOL.... We are both sitting there pulling on our cheeks then look over at eachother and bust up laughing!

His face looked SO great the next day after ONE application of the exercises that he is now a flexer too! LOL . . . I'm not making this up - I promise you.

Jason, you were absolutely right - 110% right about Flex Effect. I do think it goes the distance from what I can already tell beyond the Maggio program.

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I am impressed, I am excited. There are many things that benefit from toning the muscles in your face - speech for instance, being more aware of what is happening on your face in terms of facial expressions - at least for me. I am loving it - loving it - loving it.

Thank you Deb. And Deb, btw...my sweety says you're just as cute as a button on the video and I agree WHOLE HEARTEDLY! When you say "pause the tape" we both just cannot help but laugh..."with" you. :)

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Where I get my MSM and other things Oct 19, 2000

A few people have asked me where I get my MsM from so I will post that information here for those interested - along with a few bits of further information on MsM as well as the source of the info...here goes!

The company I purchase from may or may not sell it in smaller quanitties - call them and ask. I have always purchased a humungous (is that a word?) container because my family and I
take it every day internally as well.

Vitality Health Systems
Largo, Florida 33777
1-800-469-7471

Ok...this is an excerpt from from "MsM: On Our Way Back to Health With Sulfur" by Beth M. Ley. May be able to find this little pamphlet over the net not sure - got it at my local grocery store recently. I have TONS of material on MsM, but this book is fairly new, so I wanted to see what else was cookin' in the written department. This is easily explained and
nicely done book.

Excerpt SKIN: Sulfur is called nature's "beauty mineral" because it keeps the hair glossy and smooth, and also keeps the complexion clear and youthful. Sulfur is necessary to produce collagen and keratin, protein substances necessary for health and maintenance of the skin,
nails, and hair Cystine make up about 14$ of skin and hair tissues. As a component of cystine, sulfer helps to heal and repair most tissues in the body. This includes those at risk
from damage due to free radicals, agin, physical injury to internal organs and the skin. MSM is also important for recovery from burns and surgical incisions. Scar tissue will result without adequate cysteine and sulfur.

Because of it ability to protect against the harmful effects of radiation and pollution, sulfur slows down the aging process and extends life span. It is found in hemoglobin and all body tissues and is utilized in the synthesis of collagen. (this point righ there is why it makes the skin more youthful, even for those who don't begin using it until they are older!) This prevents dryness and maintains elastin in the skin.

Teenagers found that MSM (100 to 1,000 mg daily) experienced improvement in acne, including rosacea, in about one week of us (Herschler, US Patent #4,616,039)

Itching and dry, scaly skin can also be improved with MSM at an oral dosage of between 100 and 1,000 mg daily in about a week.

MSM may be used oral or topically to aid shin disorder. When used topically in the forma of an ointment, lotion or gel, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, dandrugg, scabies, diaper rach and certain fungal infections respond quickly.end excerpt

This ex. is only one tiny little tidbit of information on MSM. But its affects both internally and externally are rather wonderful - in my opinion.

One more thing - MSM is a very powerful anti-inflammatory, with the side affects of water... :)

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Re: MSM and Aloe Vera Gel Oct 19, 2000

Hello Jayne!

I hope you get this - I was off the net for a day or so and boy this board moves FAST!

Anyway, as far as what is coming off your skin when you do the rub down? Some part of what is coming off is dirt, the MsM pulls it up right out of the pores, some of it is residual product yes -but mostly it is dead skin. If you try it a few times, you will notice that the amount of slough off changes, though the amount of product on your skin is roughly the same. That's the simple explanation! See lower on the board for more about MsM and a
short explanation that will relate back to this topic.

I will also put where I get my MsM and a couple of other good resources for it...if I can find those bookmarks!

En-Light-in
Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Greetings Lou,

Where are you Lou? Depending on where you are in the country has a lot to do with it. In most major areas like where I live [which is Portland] they are easily gotten in the local grocery store. Fred Meyers in this case carries both crytsal/powder MSM and Ester C. Most health food stores. If neither of these are available to you there are many online stores that carry these items and can be ordered easily enough.

Since my husband and I both take MsM and our dog btw!! LOL Plus I use it to make my face/gels and such we buy it in bulk....which lasts us about a year or so. I get 8 lbs people! LOL [btw LOL=Laff out loud, in case you were unsure] I use it, so its worth it. But for the amount you would need to get started, most Health Food Stores or local grocers.

Let me know Lou...if I can help you find it I will be happy to.

Andrea

Greetings Darlene,

One does not have to do the rub - only if you choose to, the application can of course stay on over night undisturbed then rinsed and re-applied in the morning if you choose. As for me, I use it morning and night - I actually rarely wear makeup and when I do its just a touch of under-eye concealer and eye colors etc, so my skin is always wearing MsM gel - everyday.

Adding alpha lipoic is a very interesting suggestion and something I have never tried. Something to note about MSM is that it operates as an enhancer to absolutely anything you might use internally speaking. One example is as follows: lets say a person is a diabetic and they take insulin. By adding MSM to the daily diet [i.e. taking it internally] the body begins to re-address the issues of insulin usage and the insulin needed [via needles] can be reduced [ in fact being sure to keep a close eye on it is valuable - because less is needed]. MsM assists the body to become so much more efficient that less of the drug [in the case of prescripts] is needed to produce the same results. The only drug I am aware of that the opposite affect is the case is alcohol, it generally takes more alcohol for a person to get drunk who is taking MsM - sometimes not getting drunk at all! It also helps with hangovers as a side note :)

However, back to the lipoic acid question....let's try it! Why not?? I'm up for it. Lipoic Acid works very well with Vit E and Vit C - Vit C is a catalyst for the MSM and the MSM will make all of the above more affective....so I say its worth a try! Thanks Darlene!

Andrea
Time: Sat, 14-Oct-2000 15:24:22 GMT IP: 24.4.254.136

Darleen - one last note to you.

I will take a look to see if there is anything specific on rosacea as relates to MSM and send it along to you...or please let me know if you find something specific. I have several books
written by very knowledgeable people with regards to MsM sometimes hard to find on the net.

Will keep your condition in mind when I'm doing any mental/spirtual work on helping to heal the planet and those upon it...

Re: Request for skin care recipe and instructions Oct 14, 2000

Have to tell you that I'm surprised - delightfully - but surprised and happy to leave this recipe here for you along with a few notes about the active ingredient.

Recipe first:
I make this recipe in a 4 oz. container, so that is what I'll go off of here. I find that 4 0z. lasts me about a month or so.

1 - Aloe Vera Gel (this carrier is good for all skin types, though dry skinned people will find a bit of Vitamin E cream or oil under eyes and on lips is a good after-touch) I use an Aloe Gel made by a company called "Naturade", the particular product is called Alow Vera 80. The reason I use this one is because of how it is made. There are many Aloe Vera Gels on the market but they use preservatives that are known to be irritants to the skin - while this one does not. - 4 0z.

2 - ACTIVE INGREDIENT is MSM or methyl sulfonyl methane. You can do a search on any search-engine for MSM and get thousands of pages of research data, companies that carry it etc., etc. I purchase from a company in Florida in bulk, so get it wholesale. The main thing is to get 99.99% pure MSM in powder or crystalline form. - 3-4 teaspoons.

Stir this up, wait a few hours for the MSM to fully dissolve and voila its done.

ANOTHER VARIATION for free-radical pursuit - add 1-2 teaspoons of powder form Vitamin C [Ester C is the best if you have it] to the above recipe. NOTE: When you add Vit C to the above recipe it will turn to a very watery consistency immediately. It can then be put in a sprayer or dropper bottle. It makes ALOT so you can even cut the above recipe in half, keeping the Vit C at 1 teaspoon and have enough to last a whole month.

Now for a bit of info on MSM - the rest I'll leave up to you and your own research, but here's a few points about why this recipe is so powerful.

First of all MSM is a substance that has been around for a very long time. It has been used for many years by Veterinarians because nutritional medicine is far cheaper than pharmaceutical medicine, and is extremely effective.

MSM is "in every single cell of your body". Part [and this is a BIG part] of why skin ages is because the amounts of MSM we get in our food these days, and actually since at least the 1930's is so low, that the body hoards it for top priority usage and other areas go without - like the skin, eyes, nasal passages, lungs etc., etc. MSM is the substance within your body that keep the membranes that are supposed to be permeable - permeable. Take the eyes for instance, they are covered with a layer or membrane that allows liquid to pass in and out of it thus keeping the eyes clear of debris, clean and healthy...however! When there is not enough MSM present in the body for these tasks, the membrane starts to get leathery and doesn't allow passage of fluids hence junk gets stuck - this is one reason for glaucoma. I have actually seen glaucoma cleared up by putting drops of MSM mixed in purified water right into the eyes - and this was accomplished within 3 months in the case I personally witnessed. There are many membranes in the body that are meant to be permeable like the nasal passages, the lungs, the eyes, various other organs deeper in the body...all requiring MSM to keep them that way. This is one reason I also take MSM internally, as it speeds up the external results as well.

Now briefly - why it works so well on the skin!? MSM is natural sulphur - the same stuff that is in every cell of your body - not the other sulfurs or sulphurs you have heard of which are derived from chemical processes or mineral based etc., so don't get these confused! When you introduce MSM to the skin, the cells will allow this to pass deeply into the furthest most layers of the skin EVEN into the muscles beneath the skin! This is not so with any other cream, emollient, serum etc., etc. that I have been aware of thus far - if you know of one that will claim that, let me know!

I could go on for days about what MSM does, but you can get that information over the net with a tiny bit of digging. I hope this helps some....

Final note: I purchased the FlexEffect last night - am looking forward to getting it!

OH!! one more thing I almost forgot to post here. When you start using the MSM Gel recipe, you may notice that when it has all soaked in and dried, that your skin feels a little 'tight'. If you are up for it, you can begin to rub warm, dry fingers over your facial skin - upon apply this bit of friction you will begin to notice balls of skin rolling up under your fingers. Continue rubbing the entire face until all of this skin has sloughed off. This is actually dead skin coming off under your fingertips. There will be a pretty good inflush of blood and
your skin may feel warm [mind does]. Re-apply the gel. You may find at the beginning that you continue to get dead skin off after 2 or even three applications in the same sitting - that
means lots of dead stuff was waiting to come off. When its all done, your skin will feel like a babies behind!

I do this at night generally and in the morning my skin is simply beautiful. Cells are always dying and being made so this process will continue as long as you use the recipe above, but
will be far less after a short time. I don't get as much dead skin now as I did when I first started. The first time I ever used this I thought "is this ever going to stop rolling off my
face?" But when it was done, I have to tell you there was immediate gratification as the skin that came up from underneath was rosy and soooooooooooo soft.

I didn't have anyone to guide me when I started doing this on my own. I had no idea if pulling on my skin was a good thing, but I did it anyway because it not only felt good, but it looked good. But the results are proof positive after 4 years of doing it, that it works.

Ok...done!

Re: Facercise Oct 13, 2000

The Facercise program is simple, granted - I have seen incredible results however for myself - but! NOTE: I realize that the program is not complete. I knew that before I tried but I wanted to try the idea of facial exercise just to see if it was worth it. The book was used and about $6....so there wasn't much to lose to just try the idea on for size. Well I have been rewarded for trying - very much so. In only a week I see changes that have been beneficial on more than one level. I am thinking to myself.....oO(hmmm, if this works so wonderfully and is so incomplete, then what would something that is much more well rounded, explained and guided be like?)

All I wanted was a response. I don't know Deb - yet - I can tell from the comments on the board that she is a truly genuine person....but my friends, websites are easy to build - anything can be said on a webpage - I simply wanted a return email.... Two weeks was a long time in cybertime. *chuckles*

Truly, I am looking forward to good things with this program....

Thank you for your reply Oct 13, 2000

Thank you for the reply to "The Quandary" my last posting on this message board - it helped to clear up at least the issue of lag between sending my first email and how it happened that there was no reply.

To Jason -&- Olympia I didn't see any email addresses for either of you on the site - for some reason it didn't stand out to me in the design of the webpage, I will look again, but have yet to find an email address for either of you.

I wanted to just put a couple of comments within this post about other postings on this page as of this day 12:53 am (PST) Friday, September 13, 2000.

I have been using Facercise, because I found the book at a local bookshop here used. I have been doing this for about 8 days now and the improvements I have experienced are quantum. People are actually stopping me in every place I do business and saying how rested I look, or asking what I've done with my hair, or some comment about wearing more makeup and looking really good - something - it has been most interesting and encouraging. I had no idea the whole concept of muscle stimulation in the face could be so immediate - as well as other benefits to what I do professionally (which is sing - increased muscle control has made quite a difference) The facercise program is mostly isometric I believe it would be called(?) with some resistance involved however the exercises don't seem to me to cover all of the areas I would really like to work on and getting more information on how to work certain muscles is nearly non-existent in terms of "free" information on the web - I have
looked hard - spent a few hours each day over the course of a week or so hitting the search engines to find out if there is more direct information not packaged up in a "course" or a "video" etc., etc., and its just hard to find! That is why I thought the FlexEffect would be a good program it appears to be more intensive and covers more areas in more depth - at least
that is what I gather from the explanation of it - though the proof of that is not terribly abundant.

I have to agree with one of the postings on this page that one before and after image is meager to say the least, especially when this site is one of the more professional and elegant sites relating to this kind of product I really did expect a long file of images to explore. I'm not sure if everyone understands that each and every person is unique, with different problems, different life-styles and so on, and of course results are going to vary - but to get to see many varied displays of results with this program, especially since it has been around for a while is a positive and encouraging thing.

One more note, relating to another post concerning Retin A and Deb's mention of using it. I have also used Retin A in the past. Ultimately I found its advantages didn't outweigh its
problems. Touchy, sensitive skin was not my idea of a skin system. There were times when the strength had been prescribed too high which made applying makeup painful - no fun.

When it comes to prescriptions or pharmaceuticals of any kind there is always the question of their being half-equations. What I mean by that is this; take valium for instance - it is
derived from Valerian Root, a naturally occurring plant that when taken internally sooths the nervous system and aids in relaxation - it is whole - it works very well because it is part of a balanced system. Valium on the other hand is only a small very potent part of valerian root without the balancing factors built into the plant to begin with - parts extracted through chemical means - half equation.

Am not saying that science hasn't done some good and wonderful things -

I have found something that works wonders for my skin, have been using it now for about 4 years - it is whole, it isn't fancy and in fact I make it myself - so anyone can. It exfoliates,
tightens the skin when externally applied, even heals wounds and makes acne [if one suffers from this] a thing of the past; it also heals pockmarks from previous acne scars or scars of any kind [I have shared this with other people over the years and seen these results myself], it also helps grow new skin on burn victims returning their skin to near perfection [have seen this personally]. It is in fact the only thing I have ever seen evidence - conclusively - that actually penetrates the skin layers deep enough to feed far beneath the surface of the skin -
everything else, including all those expensive serums and creams sit on top penetrating little more than a few layers.

If there are any interested in knowing more about this, post here and I'll put it up - this is already a small book!! I don't sell it, in fact you'd have to do the research yourself to find it and then make the recipe for yourself - but am willing to share the info if anyone is interested - won't bore you now with the details, unless there's interest. Have found most people like the "ready-made" stuff and aren't willing to do the work of making it and using it...so.

Last but not least - and this I wanted to close this writing with- thank you Deb for your email. I was glad to receive it.

Au Revoir

Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

I would be interested in knowing about this formula that you are speaking about that helps acne. I use Retin-A but am willing to try anything new. I have sebaceuous hyperplasia (enlarged oil glands) and am open to anything that would help this condition.

You can get access to Olympia's (and Jason's) e-mail address if you click on "Class and Show Locations" and click on Olympia's (or Jason's) name below their picture, then scroll to the BOTTOM of their personal page and click on the mailbox.

I've been using Deb's program for 8 months and it's the best there is. I didn't take pictures but wished I did for my own benefit so I could compare myself to what I looked like 8 months ago. Applying resistance to the facial muscles is the only way you're going to get results you want. I found the more resistance I apply the better my skin responds. I feel anything outside of applying great resistance to these muscles won't be effective.

Becky

Thanks for the directions on the email addresses Becky! Found them. I too had a problem with enlarged oil glands, though not severe - the recipe I have now posted on this board has changed that completely. It took a while, but I was patient and that patience has paid off in spades.

Give this a try and I would strongly suggest, if you are comfortable with what you discover upon researching MSM, that you take it internally to assist your oil glands with doing their job!

Andrea

A Quandary Oct 12, 2000 IP: 24.4.254.136

I have sent an email with a question now on two occasions over the passed couple of weeks. I really wanted an answer to this question as it is foundational to the decision to purchase this
product. And I would like to believe me - but with no response I have to wonder? I have been burned by Internet companies a few times - had problems, been back-charged, double-charged, over-charged....anyway, point being, it happens, but I have found that a personal contact with the company or someone in it tends to help weed out the ones that are "thin air" from the ones who really want to do business.

I sent the email twice to the address listed on this website, have received no reply at all - nothing. The question wasn't out of line I do not think.

I understand that there are schedules, people are busy - but this program is intensive and appears to need support, will that support be there? - I ask myself?

I want to know that the company is really there - there is nowhere to go to see anyone face to face - this is all on trust, faith and agreement. Please, someone write me back. I am very
interested in this program.

Thank you,
Andrea
IP: 24.4.254.136

Under Eye Area Dec 29,1999

Hi Deb -

I'm contemplating ordering your book, and wondered if you can tell me if you have an exercise that might help build muscle tone under the eyes? I've always been self-conscious about my under-eye area (even as a child) because I have built-in bags that never go away.

Also, sometimes when I get nervous my upper lip twitches and I find myself covering my mouth with my hand to hide it. Could my inability to control these twitches be helped by your exercises? (i.e. do you have exercises that deal with the upper lip area?)

thanks for any help you offer in advance,

Andrea

	Andrea's Comments
	ANDREA'S PHOTOS
	Taken from Archive Earliest post begins at bottom of page 1758 To Andrea Aug 15, 2001 Hi..and thx again. I am so glad to hear someone emphasize the power of positive thinking. Visualization is a really potent companion and, as in just about every single thing, attitude is EVERYTHING. positive 'self-talk' helps too! lol. congrats to you! ....very impressive post! Jean 1755 A Thank You to Andrea Aug 15, 2001 Hi Andrea, Just wanted to thank you for sharing your pictures with us. You have totally motivated me to work harder on my hooded lids and not give up!! Thankyou so much! Bonnie IP: 63.252.150.13 1754 Andrea..Give us the scoop on the eyes Aug 15, 2001 So, we want detailed knowledge of how you did that!!! LOL Your eyes look amazing. What exercises have you used and concentrated on? I truly need my eye lids to firm up and have not been nearly as successful as you have. I would be great to hear your advice. Jae IP: 63.27.22.140 Hi Jae, I tend to use the book mostly so I'll tell you the #'s of the exercises I used and what effect I got from them. I'm certainly not the expert Deb is on Facial Resistance Training, however I've become an expert on the muscle structure of MY own face and how to control them easily. I think that is a major step in this process. Without that you're shooting in the dark, hit and miss. When I first started I didn't have the greatest control over the muscles in my face - I'd have to exert concentrated effort to move any particular muscle and usually couldn't do it well and in some cases not at all. After training now for going on eight months I am finding I have a significantly improved ability to move most muscles in my face simply by wanting to - which is a cool benefit in my opinion!:) You can pull some very interesting faces [note: most are only good for entertaining yourself in your bathroom mirror!] I work out everyday. I noticed looking back now how valuable it was to practice because my muscles needed to be educated first. Eventhough I wanted spectacular results as fast as possible, I found that getting the muscles to do what I wanted them to do was the first step to positive improvement. At times I felt like I only got half of a real workout simply because my muscles weren't responding 100% efficiently throughout every exercise - they were still "learning". I did see results however, and that made me hang in there. I really wanted to get the upper eyelids to smooth out so at first thought (#7) Upper Lid Pull, (#6) Upper Lid Stretch and (#5) Eye Squeeze would be the ticket. Did they work - absolutely - but when I started doing (#2) Brow Smoother, twice a day I REALLY started seeing the kind of results I wanted. The Brow Smoother is listed for deep forehead wrinkles - but guess what?? It tightens the scalp and pulls the eyes up naturally! The Brow Smoother gets extra attention from me twice a day. Eye Squeeze, Lower Lid Lift and Crow's Eye round things out nicely. The under eye lids improved very quickly which gave me a more "open" looking eye. I was doing the exercises for about three months using only the Aloe formula I make myself and some Vitamin E oil in small doses. Generally, in the past, I didn't use oils on my face. However, I found it valuable to seek a nourishing skin treatment that would supplement the exercises by feeding the surface skin, soothing and moistening it. In my case, it took some experimenting to find what would work but I finally got one that works well to keep my skin bright. Andrea Andrea,* You look wonderful, you must be very excited! Thank you for sharing your tips with us, it is very encouraging! Jae 1753 To Andrea Re: upper eyelids Aug 15, 2001 Andrea, What excercises did you do for your upper lids, how many reps, how long did you hold, etc.? Did you continue to hold your eyelashes for resistance? Your eyes look FANTASTIC! Also, I hope we get to see a picture of you with your hair down, make-up on just to see how you normally look! Gorgeous I bet! Sadie IP: 208.134.68.162 Sadie, I do hold my eyelashes for resistance yes! I do ten to fifteen reps now, hold it for a count of six! and do this exercises twice a day, when I get up and before going to bed [usually in the bathtub with dry hands of course!] I think I have a recent pic with hair down and make up on - will wander through my hard-drive and see if I can find one! :) Andrea Andrea!* What a difference holding by the eyelashes! I'm going to start doing them twice a day, too. Thanks! Sadie Hi, Excuse me, but do you mean pressing down on the eyelid rim, as my eyelashes are few and far between. Elaine 1752 To Andrea Re: training routine, etc. Aug 15, 2001 Hi Andrea, Your eyes are beautiful! Hope you'll post your training routine & techniques with us--from your beginning days until now. Did you lose any weight during this time? Your after pic looks like you're thinner, but it may be because your not smiling or the angle of the pose. I don't see your age posted anywhere. Would it be to bold to ask how old you are? Also, can you tell us what brand Ester C you're using in the MSM Gel formula, how many miligrams, and if its in liquid form? Best wishes, Terri IP: 130.101.2.40 *Thank you for the compliment Terri :) ...** I don't think I train that much differently now than in the beginning, I just think its more effective having gotten more control over the facial muscles. As to weight loss - my weight tends to fluctuate some through the change of seasons - like most people?? slightly lighter during the summer months, but not significant really. My weight in the "before" pic was about 130 and in the "after" pic is probably about 127 - so not that much difference, but my face did seem to slim after starting the training. Yes it is bold to ask how old I am! :) I asked Deb not to post my age - I know that's unsatisfying heh! but I just didn't want it on the page, since I don't honestly think age has anything critical to do with the kind of results someone can get from this program. All muscles respond when you exert them, train them and EXPECT them to change! However, in this post I will tell you that I just had a birthday in July and turned 43. The Ester-C I use is by a company called Natrol - it is a powder in 500 mg. capsules, but can also be gotten in powder only from a company on the net called www.msm-msm.com, which is where I order my MsM as well. Putting Vitamin C of any kind into the Aloe/MsM mixture will turn it to a liquid instead of a gel - but it works just as wonderfully - excellent for the scalp too! One final comment here that I think deserves some attention when considering the kinds of results an individual would want from a program like this. The 'frame of mind' also makes a BIG difference. If you EXPECT results you will get them. Yes, there is the physical side of it, but there is also the mental side to this program or any other, which may not recieve enough attention in our efforts to change what's on the outside. At the risk of sounding preachy - which quite honestly I am not intending to do - I just want to say that expectation goes a long way to assisting your desired goals. That has been my experience and of course I can only speak from that. Don't believe me, challenge what I'm saying and try it for yourself. I use an unusual form of meditation on a daily basis called "dynamic meditation", where the meditator visualizes the results they want in their life for any given situation and then "feels" those results as if they had already happened - in other words its not just a 'blissing out' kind of meditative practice it is intended for positive use in the world outside meditation to affect results on a daily basis. Do our senses lie to us sometimes? Yes - like when you're suddenly scared because you think someone is standing in your kitchen only to discover its the mop out of its normal resting place. The senses have a fucntion, to protect and guide us through a physical world, but to depend on them entirely is to have missed taking advantage of the powerful ability we all possess to changes our world and ourselves with the power of our thoughts. When I found this program {thank you Deb} I put into practice the exercises she had gotten results with, learned how to make them mine; to own them for myself; I pursued a good skin regime that works for my skin type; and I EXPECTED results through visualizing myself as I wished to be - the combination is satisfying to say the least and will only continue to improve I have no doubt. Andrea Thank you Andrea!* I started using your recipe for msm/aloe gel and I really love it. I follow with Perricone's Alpha Lipoic & then spray my face with selinium (Deb's tip when she called me). Its only been a very short time but my skin is looking smoother & glowing. I didn't get the C yet waiting your reply. The aloe i got is a gel, but its not that thick & even without the C its pretty watery. I don't use eastern meditation as its incompatible with my religious beliefs, however I do have a positive attitude about flexing because the facts & the testimonies of others prove it works. In that sense, I am "anticipating" favorable results and have seen some already! The only visualization i do is to see in my mind's eye the muscle contracting hard while Im doing the exercise. I don't believe you can just visualize your eyes unhooded and expect it to happen, just like you can't visualize an apple and expect it to appear--unless maybe you have some magical power lol! So keep on flexing girl!!!!!!! Wishing you a happy belated birthday! You look like a million! Terri 1751 Re: My Photos! Aug 15, 2001 Wow Deb! Oh my god LOL - I didn't realize one of those pics was completely without makeup - I had forgotten I sent that to you heh. But no biggy, it really does show the improve and that pic was taken almost five months ago! I will send some more that are more recent, you're not going to believe your eyes! I encourage everyone to stay at it - this works and works and works some more! I had to go up to Spokane this past weekend which is a six hour drive...I was very careful about not doing certain exercises that would interfere with seeing the road! But I got two great workouts on certain areas I wanted to beef up [lips, chin and neck] on the way there and again on the way back - it was great...AND enjoyed the results over the weekend, though my neck was a little sore heh! Andrea IP: 24.4.254.137 1750 Before/After Photos Aug 14, 2001 Thank you so much, Andrea, for posting your photos on the board...they are truly incredible!! Did you double up on exercises or perform them once a da., 5x wk? looking so forward to hearing more from you and your particular regimen... is totally encouraging to the rest of us...and much appreciated. Jean 1746 The new before/after photos Aug 14, 2001 Hi Deb, Those photos are incredible. I would LOVE to know exactly what exercises she did to get those wonderful and amazing results around her eyes. A big WOW! Will she come on the boards and share her secrets? Hope so! Jae IP: 63.27.22.27 Me, too! Especially her upper eyelids! I've had success there but nothing as amazing as hers! Sadie Hi, I agree and I appreciate Andrea doing it. Hope she can share her workout info. AND THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS. Elaine Hi, Well, they say a picture is worth a 1'000 words. I am just blown away with the results Andrea has achieved. Congratulations Andrea and thank you so much for sharing your success with us. Dale Hey Guys! I have an idea.(sometimes I do that) I thought it would be a great idea to find all of Andrea’s post from when she first started training and attach (link) them to her photo page... I lost a huge section of Posts (in file) months ago when my PC went down, but at least I have the beginning of Andreas training. What I really love is that she was soooooo skeptical in the beginning. This lady tells it STRAIGHT-UP! Ya gota love her. Most of you know her but just haven’t put it together. Until I get everything up...Go to the Skin Product Page in the Archive and scroll down to Post #1111 I’ll let you know when all is up. BTW Andrea said she has more Photos! Also, I'm getting photos from another Flexer, she had been training for some time and then decided to take my class in the Bay Area (SF). I love it when I get to meet existing Flexers... What a cutie! Deb Hi Everyone Andrea's results got me REALLY going all out on my upper lids! What the heck am I doing wrong? My upper lids are still very hooded. Mine look like Andrea's BEFORE picture! And I've been at this longer (sigh). I'd like to know what exercises she did too and how many reps to what count. Hope she comes on the board. Bonnie Hi Bonnie Results ARE going to vary depending upon the amount of genetic fat in your lids. Andrea's were due to muscle atrophy/sag which responds excellently to FlexEffect exercises. Therefore, you may not be doing anything wrong per se. To determine whether this is gentic or atrophy, look at pictures during your twenties. Were your eyes hooded then? I have hooded eyes and always have had (more guys seem to than women) and this is something that will not change because it is not due to muscle atrophy. Should you continue to work the lids? ABSOLUTELY. Because if you don't the sag plus fat will cause them to evenutally be in your lap!!! Jason Jason, LOL! I WILL keep working on my lids. Don't want them ending up in my lap! You cracked me up. I do have a picture where I'm 27 and NO hooded lids. So I know there is hope then and I am very encouraged now to really go after them. I have been slacking off on the exercises for the brow and think that is probably why I haven't been seeing much improvement in the upper lids. So I have to be more diligent and keep working! Bonnie -14- Re: Eye Flex Nov 1, 2000 Hi Jason, Thanx for the reply! I am keeping my eyeballs down because just as you said when the eyeball rolls upward the eye muscle strains instead of the lid muscle - and I have noticed that difference. But the edge of lid pressing on the iris area is the issue. My eyeball is shaped more like a football, than a basketball. This football shape is also known as astigmatic [something I'm currently working on], but none the less at this time, with the lids being held down any eye movement rubs the iris area against the lid, even if it is from side to side. I'm not pushing in, only downward. The thing is that that little muscle is rather strong when it is lifted and the very lower edge of the lid rolls up under my fingers - come to think of it this may be what is actually putting pressure on the eyeball, but I don't seem to be able to put enough pressure with my finger just against the lid itself to keep that from happening. Is holding the eyelashes as affective a use of this exercise? Or should I just guts it out. I have seen a marked changed in the area in only 3 days, that I can say. Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -13- Eye Flex? Oct 31, 2000 BOY am I hogging the board tonite!!?? But I tried to post this earlier and got booted from the net, so thot I would do it all at once! LOL I have noticed the same thing others have - over developed cheek muscles. Been on the FE now for about two weeksish. Muscles are growing fasssssst .. however the eyes get pushed up by the cheeks. I have backed off cheeks and beefed up on the undereye and its smoothing out quite nicely. My eyes are probably the most prominent feature on my face and are large. The left eye is not responding as quickly as the right. The area I'm referring to here is the overhang on top (?)..the upper lid! Knew if I kept at it I would figure out what its called. Anyway, I have started doing more sets of the eyelid pull? But, the problem is my eyes [as in eyeball] are not shaped more conically than round and even with no pressure from my fingers, when my eye goes up toward the lid this exercise hurts. I have started holding my eyelashes and pull against this....what do you think of this procedure?? LOL The muscle is growing pretty quickly and the pull is fairly significant. Eyelashes don't come out or anything, but I wouldn't mind having a thot or two on this one! Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -12- To Deb or Webmaster Oct 31,2000 I have a question about the way the discussion board is designed for this website. I have built many, many websites and write HTML markup language and place CGI scripts and have noticed that this board seems a fairly cumbersome design not only for the posters but for the webmaster. The way things get posted seem to get broken up after they are reposted to the front 'discussion page' area and the thread doesn't seem to be maintained making it difficult for people to find a subject and follow the responses. And if I understand this correctly Deb, you have to take the messages, answer or reply then repost up on the web page? Doesn't this consume a great deal of time? There are some excellent discussion board CGI scripts that are even free! - that maintain the thread and fuction in a way that make it extremely easy for people to follow the conversation while, go back and look up previous discussions, post if they want to no matter how long passed the discussion actually ended and the work for the webmaster is minimal. At any time if the webmaster wished to use responses/replies from the board they could of course pull them out and paste them into any webpage on their site anywhere, but the original context and forum would continually be maintained. I am truly not trying to shoulder in on your website nor how it is built - and would like to add I think your site is one of the nicer places on the web to visit! But the discussion board seems very disjointed and searching through posts very cumbersome for the visitor, -plus the momentum seems to get lost when the board is 'unloaded'.... Ok, hit me with a wet noodle :) If you are interested in an excellent free CGI script that works wonderfully and is fully customizable I will be happy to suggest some, and or assist in any way I can. I have built quite a few myself, and gone through the various ways discussions can be held on the web - some were wonderful experiences some made me want to throw my computer out the window! Anyway, just a thot........ Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 Hi Andrea, Deb read your post offering your expertise on revamping the discussion board. She asked me to write you a quick blurb requesting that you e-mail her with all the info on how to get a hold of you. She's in the middle of a class OOT but will contact you when she gets back. She'd like to know what kind of suggestions you have for the site and board. Thanks a lot! Jason Hello Jason, I will send an email back to her, the one that I recieved when I ordered is that one correct? The verfication and so forth? Will be happy to provide as much detail as I can. Andrea -11- Funny story about getting FlexEffect ... Oct 20, 2000 I got my packaged....faaaaaaassssssstttttt let me tell you! I was surprised - pleasantly to be sure - but it was fast! Thank you Deb. Ordering over the net at times means long waits for the product to show up at your doorstep. I usually order and forget about it - because it usually takes a while. Kudos to you on that. Ok...first night with the Video/Tape/Book/Flashcards. I sat down in the living room, put on the video and my sweety comes in and sits down with me. At first his reaction is "oh no"....:) Shortly he is DOING THE EXERCISES WITH ME LOLOLOL.... We are both sitting there pulling on our cheeks then look over at eachother and bust up laughing! His face looked SO great the next day after ONE application of the exercises that he is now a flexer too! LOL . . . I'm not making this up - I promise you. Jason, you were absolutely right - 110% right about Flex Effect. I do think it goes the distance from what I can already tell beyond the Maggio program. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I am impressed, I am excited. There are many things that benefit from toning the muscles in your face - speech for instance, being more aware of what is happening on your face in terms of facial expressions - at least for me. I am loving it - loving it - loving it. Thank you Deb. And Deb, btw...my sweety says you're just as cute as a button on the video and I agree WHOLE HEARTEDLY! When you say "pause the tape" we both just cannot help but laugh..."with" you. :) Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -10- Where I get my MSM and other things Oct 19, 2000 A few people have asked me where I get my MsM from so I will post that information here for those interested - along with a few bits of further information on MsM as well as the source of the info...here goes! The company I purchase from may or may not sell it in smaller quanitties - call them and ask. I have always purchased a humungous (is that a word?) container because my family and I take it every day internally as well. Vitality Health Systems Largo, Florida 33777 1-800-469-7471 Ok...this is an excerpt from from "MsM: On Our Way Back to Health With Sulfur" by Beth M. Ley. May be able to find this little pamphlet over the net not sure - got it at my local grocery store recently. I have TONS of material on MsM, but this book is fairly new, so I wanted to see what else was cookin' in the written department. This is easily explained and nicely done book. Excerpt SKIN: Sulfur is called nature's "beauty mineral" because it keeps the hair glossy and smooth, and also keeps the complexion clear and youthful. Sulfur is necessary to produce collagen and keratin, protein substances necessary for health and maintenance of the skin, nails, and hair Cystine make up about 14$ of skin and hair tissues. As a component of cystine, sulfer helps to heal and repair most tissues in the body. This includes those at risk from damage due to free radicals, agin, physical injury to internal organs and the skin. MSM is also important for recovery from burns and surgical incisions. Scar tissue will result without adequate cysteine and sulfur. Because of it ability to protect against the harmful effects of radiation and pollution, sulfur slows down the aging process and extends life span. It is found in hemoglobin and all body tissues and is utilized in the synthesis of collagen. (this point righ there is why it makes the skin more youthful, even for those who don't begin using it until they are older!) This prevents dryness and maintains elastin in the skin. Teenagers found that MSM (100 to 1,000 mg daily) experienced improvement in acne, including rosacea, in about one week of us (Herschler, US Patent #4,616,039) Itching and dry, scaly skin can also be improved with MSM at an oral dosage of between 100 and 1,000 mg daily in about a week. MSM may be used oral or topically to aid shin disorder. When used topically in the forma of an ointment, lotion or gel, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, dandrugg, scabies, diaper rach and certain fungal infections respond quickly.end excerpt This ex. is only one tiny little tidbit of information on MSM. But its affects both internally and externally are rather wonderful - in my opinion. One more thing - MSM is a very powerful anti-inflammatory, with the side affects of water... :) Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -9- Re: Request for..MSM and Aloe Vera recipe Oct 19, 2000 Greetings Loretta, Absolutely! The Basic MsM/Gel recipe is as follows: 4 oz. Aloe Vera Gel 3 - 4 tsps. MsM powder (or crystals) That's it! Very simple. Let the mixture sit for a few hours if you are using the crystals to give them time to dissovle completely into the mixture. The MsM/Gel/C recipe is as follows: 2 oz. Aloe Vera Gel 2-3 tsps. MsM powder 1 tsp. Ester C (or powdered Vit C - but Ester is superior) Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -8- Re: MSM and Aloe Vera Gel Oct 19, 2000 Hello Jayne! I hope you get this - I was off the net for a day or so and boy this board moves FAST! Anyway, as far as what is coming off your skin when you do the rub down? Some part of what is coming off is dirt, the MsM pulls it up right out of the pores, some of it is residual product yes -but mostly it is dead skin. If you try it a few times, you will notice that the amount of slough off changes, though the amount of product on your skin is roughly the same. That's the simple explanation! See lower on the board for more about MsM and a short explanation that will relate back to this topic. I will also put where I get my MsM and a couple of other good resources for it...if I can find those bookmarks! En-Light-in Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -7- Re: Andrea where do I find it? Oct 15, 2000 Greetings Lou, Where are you Lou? Depending on where you are in the country has a lot to do with it. In most major areas like where I live [which is Portland] they are easily gotten in the local grocery store. Fred Meyers in this case carries both crytsal/powder MSM and Ester C. Most health food stores. If neither of these are available to you there are many online stores that carry these items and can be ordered easily enough. Since my husband and I both take MsM and our dog btw!! LOL Plus I use it to make my face/gels and such we buy it in bulk....which lasts us about a year or so. I get 8 lbs people! LOL [btw LOL=Laff out loud, in case you were unsure] I use it, so its worth it. But for the amount you would need to get started, most Health Food Stores or local grocers. Let me know Lou...if I can help you find it I will be happy to. Andrea -6- Re: Andreas skin recipe / questions Oct 14, 2000 Greetings Darlene, One does not have to do the rub - only if you choose to, the application can of course stay on over night undisturbed then rinsed and re-applied in the morning if you choose. As for me, I use it morning and night - I actually rarely wear makeup and when I do its just a touch of under-eye concealer and eye colors etc, so my skin is always wearing MsM gel - everyday. Adding alpha lipoic is a very interesting suggestion and something I have never tried. Something to note about MSM is that it operates as an enhancer to absolutely anything you might use internally speaking. One example is as follows: lets say a person is a diabetic and they take insulin. By adding MSM to the daily diet [i.e. taking it internally] the body begins to re-address the issues of insulin usage and the insulin needed [via needles] can be reduced [ in fact being sure to keep a close eye on it is valuable - because less is needed]. MsM assists the body to become so much more efficient that less of the drug [in the case of prescripts] is needed to produce the same results. The only drug I am aware of that the opposite affect is the case is alcohol, it generally takes more alcohol for a person to get drunk who is taking MsM - sometimes not getting drunk at all! It also helps with hangovers as a side note :) However, back to the lipoic acid question....let's try it! Why not?? I'm up for it. Lipoic Acid works very well with Vit E and Vit C - Vit C is a catalyst for the MSM and the MSM will make all of the above more affective....so I say its worth a try! Thanks Darlene! Andrea Time: Sat, 14-Oct-2000 15:24:22 GMT IP: 24.4.254.136 Darleen - one last note to you. I will take a look to see if there is anything specific on rosacea as relates to MSM and send it along to you...or please let me know if you find something specific. I have several books written by very knowledgeable people with regards to MsM sometimes hard to find on the net. Will keep your condition in mind when I'm doing any mental/spirtual work on helping to heal the planet and those upon it... Andrea -5- Re: Request for skin care recipe and instructions Oct 14, 2000 Have to tell you that I'm surprised - delightfully - but surprised and happy to leave this recipe here for you along with a few notes about the active ingredient. Recipe first: I make this recipe in a 4 oz. container, so that is what I'll go off of here. I find that 4 0z. lasts me about a month or so. 1 - Aloe Vera Gel (this carrier is good for all skin types, though dry skinned people will find a bit of Vitamin E cream or oil under eyes and on lips is a good after-touch) I use an Aloe Gel made by a company called "Naturade", the particular product is called Alow Vera 80. The reason I use this one is because of how it is made. There are many Aloe Vera Gels on the market but they use preservatives that are known to be irritants to the skin - while this one does not. - 4 0z. 2 - ACTIVE INGREDIENT is MSM or methyl sulfonyl methane. You can do a search on any search-engine for MSM and get thousands of pages of research data, companies that carry it etc., etc. I purchase from a company in Florida in bulk, so get it wholesale. The main thing is to get 99.99% pure MSM in powder or crystalline form. - 3-4 teaspoons. Stir this up, wait a few hours for the MSM to fully dissolve and voila its done. ANOTHER VARIATION for free-radical pursuit - add 1-2 teaspoons of powder form Vitamin C [Ester C is the best if you have it] to the above recipe. NOTE: When you add Vit C to the above recipe it will turn to a very watery consistency immediately. It can then be put in a sprayer or dropper bottle. It makes ALOT so you can even cut the above recipe in half, keeping the Vit C at 1 teaspoon and have enough to last a whole month. Now for a bit of info on MSM - the rest I'll leave up to you and your own research, but here's a few points about why this recipe is so powerful. First of all MSM is a substance that has been around for a very long time. It has been used for many years by Veterinarians because nutritional medicine is far cheaper than pharmaceutical medicine, and is extremely effective. MSM is "in every single cell of your body". Part [and this is a BIG part] of why skin ages is because the amounts of MSM we get in our food these days, and actually since at least the 1930's is so low, that the body hoards it for top priority usage and other areas go without - like the skin, eyes, nasal passages, lungs etc., etc. MSM is the substance within your body that keep the membranes that are supposed to be permeable - permeable. Take the eyes for instance, they are covered with a layer or membrane that allows liquid to pass in and out of it thus keeping the eyes clear of debris, clean and healthy...however! When there is not enough MSM present in the body for these tasks, the membrane starts to get leathery and doesn't allow passage of fluids hence junk gets stuck - this is one reason for glaucoma. I have actually seen glaucoma cleared up by putting drops of MSM mixed in purified water right into the eyes - and this was accomplished within 3 months in the case I personally witnessed. There are many membranes in the body that are meant to be permeable like the nasal passages, the lungs, the eyes, various other organs deeper in the body...all requiring MSM to keep them that way. This is one reason I also take MSM internally, as it speeds up the external results as well. Now briefly - why it works so well on the skin!? MSM is natural sulphur - the same stuff that is in every cell of your body - not the other sulfurs or sulphurs you have heard of which are derived from chemical processes or mineral based etc., so don't get these confused! When you introduce MSM to the skin, the cells will allow this to pass deeply into the furthest most layers of the skin EVEN into the muscles beneath the skin! This is not so with any other cream, emollient, serum etc., etc. that I have been aware of thus far - if you know of one that will claim that, let me know! I could go on for days about what MSM does, but you can get that information over the net with a tiny bit of digging. I hope this helps some.... Final note: I purchased the FlexEffect last night - am looking forward to getting it! OH!! one more thing I almost forgot to post here. When you start using the MSM Gel recipe, you may notice that when it has all soaked in and dried, that your skin feels a little 'tight'. If you are up for it, you can begin to rub warm, dry fingers over your facial skin - upon apply this bit of friction you will begin to notice balls of skin rolling up under your fingers. Continue rubbing the entire face until all of this skin has sloughed off. This is actually dead skin coming off under your fingertips. There will be a pretty good inflush of blood and your skin may feel warm [mind does]. Re-apply the gel. You may find at the beginning that you continue to get dead skin off after 2 or even three applications in the same sitting - that means lots of dead stuff was waiting to come off. When its all done, your skin will feel like a babies behind! I do this at night generally and in the morning my skin is simply beautiful. Cells are always dying and being made so this process will continue as long as you use the recipe above, but will be far less after a short time. I don't get as much dead skin now as I did when I first started. The first time I ever used this I thought "is this ever going to stop rolling off my face?" But when it was done, I have to tell you there was immediate gratification as the skin that came up from underneath was rosy and soooooooooooo soft. I didn't have anyone to guide me when I started doing this on my own. I had no idea if pulling on my skin was a good thing, but I did it anyway because it not only felt good, but it looked good. But the results are proof positive after 4 years of doing it, that it works. Ok...done! Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -4- Re: Facercise Oct 13, 2000 The Facercise program is simple, granted - I have seen incredible results however for myself - but! NOTE: I realize that the program is not complete. I knew that before I tried but I wanted to try the idea of facial exercise just to see if it was worth it. The book was used and about $6....so there wasn't much to lose to just try the idea on for size. Well I have been rewarded for trying - very much so. In only a week I see changes that have been beneficial on more than one level. I am thinking to myself.....oO(hmmm, if this works so wonderfully and is so incomplete, then what would something that is much more well rounded, explained and guided be like?) All I wanted was a response. I don't know Deb - yet - I can tell from the comments on the board that she is a truly genuine person....but my friends, websites are easy to build - anything can be said on a webpage - I simply wanted a return email.... Two weeks was a long time in cybertime. chuckles Truly, I am looking forward to good things with this program.... Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -3- Thank you for your reply Oct 13, 2000 Thank you for the reply to "The Quandary" my last posting on this message board - it helped to clear up at least the issue of lag between sending my first email and how it happened that there was no reply. To Jason -&- Olympia I didn't see any email addresses for either of you on the site - for some reason it didn't stand out to me in the design of the webpage, I will look again, but have yet to find an email address for either of you. I wanted to just put a couple of comments within this post about other postings on this page as of this day 12:53 am (PST) Friday, September 13, 2000. I have been using Facercise, because I found the book at a local bookshop here used. I have been doing this for about 8 days now and the improvements I have experienced are quantum. People are actually stopping me in every place I do business and saying how rested I look, or asking what I've done with my hair, or some comment about wearing more makeup and looking really good - something - it has been most interesting and encouraging. I had no idea the whole concept of muscle stimulation in the face could be so immediate - as well as other benefits to what I do professionally (which is sing - increased muscle control has made quite a difference) The facercise program is mostly isometric I believe it would be called(?) with some resistance involved however the exercises don't seem to me to cover all of the areas I would really like to work on and getting more information on how to work certain muscles is nearly non-existent in terms of "free" information on the web - I have looked hard - spent a few hours each day over the course of a week or so hitting the search engines to find out if there is more direct information not packaged up in a "course" or a "video" etc., etc., and its just hard to find! That is why I thought the FlexEffect would be a good program it appears to be more intensive and covers more areas in more depth - at least that is what I gather from the explanation of it - though the proof of that is not terribly abundant. I have to agree with one of the postings on this page that one before and after image is meager to say the least, especially when this site is one of the more professional and elegant sites relating to this kind of product I really did expect a long file of images to explore. I'm not sure if everyone understands that each and every person is unique, with different problems, different life-styles and so on, and of course results are going to vary - but to get to see many varied displays of results with this program, especially since it has been around for a while is a positive and encouraging thing. One more note, relating to another post concerning Retin A and Deb's mention of using it. I have also used Retin A in the past. Ultimately I found its advantages didn't outweigh its problems. Touchy, sensitive skin was not my idea of a skin system. There were times when the strength had been prescribed too high which made applying makeup painful - no fun. When it comes to prescriptions or pharmaceuticals of any kind there is always the question of their being half-equations. What I mean by that is this; take valium for instance - it is derived from Valerian Root, a naturally occurring plant that when taken internally sooths the nervous system and aids in relaxation - it is whole - it works very well because it is part of a balanced system. Valium on the other hand is only a small very potent part of valerian root without the balancing factors built into the plant to begin with - parts extracted through chemical means - half equation. Am not saying that science hasn't done some good and wonderful things - I have found something that works wonders for my skin, have been using it now for about 4 years - it is whole, it isn't fancy and in fact I make it myself - so anyone can. It exfoliates, tightens the skin when externally applied, even heals wounds and makes acne [if one suffers from this] a thing of the past; it also heals pockmarks from previous acne scars or scars of any kind [I have shared this with other people over the years and seen these results myself], it also helps grow new skin on burn victims returning their skin to near perfection [have seen this personally]. It is in fact the only thing I have ever seen evidence - conclusively - that actually penetrates the skin layers deep enough to feed far beneath the surface of the skin - everything else, including all those expensive serums and creams sit on top penetrating little more than a few layers. If there are any interested in knowing more about this, post here and I'll put it up - this is already a small book!! I don't sell it, in fact you'd have to do the research yourself to find it and then make the recipe for yourself - but am willing to share the info if anyone is interested - won't bore you now with the details, unless there's interest. Have found most people like the "ready-made" stuff and aren't willing to do the work of making it and using it...so. Last but not least - and this I wanted to close this writing with- thank you Deb for your email. I was glad to receive it. Au Revoir Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 Hi Andrea I would be interested in knowing about this formula that you are speaking about that helps acne. I use Retin-A but am willing to try anything new. I have sebaceuous hyperplasia (enlarged oil glands) and am open to anything that would help this condition. You can get access to Olympia's (and Jason's) e-mail address if you click on "Class and Show Locations" and click on Olympia's (or Jason's) name below their picture, then scroll to the BOTTOM of their personal page and click on the mailbox. I've been using Deb's program for 8 months and it's the best there is. I didn't take pictures but wished I did for my own benefit so I could compare myself to what I looked like 8 months ago. Applying resistance to the facial muscles is the only way you're going to get results you want. I found the more resistance I apply the better my skin responds. I feel anything outside of applying great resistance to these muscles won't be effective. Becky Hi Becky Thanks for the directions on the email addresses Becky! Found them. I too had a problem with enlarged oil glands, though not severe - the recipe I have now posted on this board has changed that completely. It took a while, but I was patient and that patience has paid off in spades. Give this a try and I would strongly suggest, if you are comfortable with what you discover upon researching MSM, that you take it internally to assist your oil glands with doing their job! Andrea -2- A Quandary Oct 12, 2000 IP: 24.4.254.136 I have sent an email with a question now on two occasions over the passed couple of weeks. I really wanted an answer to this question as it is foundational to the decision to purchase this product. And I would like to believe me - but with no response I have to wonder? I have been burned by Internet companies a few times - had problems, been back-charged, double-charged, over-charged....anyway, point being, it happens, but I have found that a personal contact with the company or someone in it tends to help weed out the ones that are "thin air" from the ones who really want to do business. I sent the email twice to the address listed on this website, have received no reply at all - nothing. The question wasn't out of line I do not think. I understand that there are schedules, people are busy - but this program is intensive and appears to need support, will that support be there? - I ask myself? I want to know that the company is really there - there is nowhere to go to see anyone face to face - this is all on trust, faith and agreement. Please, someone write me back. I am very interested in this program. Thank you, Andrea IP: 24.4.254.136 -1- Under Eye Area Dec 29,1999 Hi Deb - I'm contemplating ordering your book, and wondered if you can tell me if you have an exercise that might help build muscle tone under the eyes? I've always been self-conscious about my under-eye area (even as a child) because I have built-in bags that never go away. Also, sometimes when I get nervous my upper lip twitches and I find myself covering my mouth with my hand to hide it. Could my inability to control these twitches be helped by your exercises? (i.e. do you have exercises that deal with the upper lip area?) thanks for any help you offer in advance, Andrea
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