Before getting into another embarassing anecdote for my Friday Confession, I’d like to thank the adorable Winona of Daddy Likey for quoting me in her post yesterday. I – like her brother – do love me some Tim Gunn. And now the world knows it: I want him to come live in my closet and help me get it together every morning: “come on Kate, it’s “make it work time!”
This week’s Friday Confession is an embarrassing one. So big breath in…and out…okay – here it is. I use infomercial skincare products.
That’s right – I didn’t change the channel the minute I saw the recognizable celebrity face replaced with “Jill from Laguna” talking about how this product has changed her life, I didn’t just pay attention long enough to figure out what she was selling (this generally takes anywhere from two to ten minutes), and I didn’t lie on the couch passively watching while thinking about how I should really get up and find the remote control. No – I gave this infomercial my full attention. I viewed all 30 minutes of it and then I ran for the phone so I wouldn’t miss out on the promised free gift to everyone who “acted NOW!”
This all happened about five months ago when I turned on the TV to do an exercise video (yes, I do exercise every once in a while – and I do still say “exercise video” even when it’s a DVD). While I was getting the DVD out of it’s case, I was distracted by the image of a very unwrinkled looking woman named Pam who was saying that people have been asking her if she’s had any work done. Considering the fact that Pam looked to be in her thirties, I guessed that she was actually fifty and either (a) really DID have some work done or (b) discovered a miracle product that transformed her from an unnoticed, wrinkly middle-aged women to a glamorous infomercial success story. Turns out it was (c): all of the above, with the exception that the work had nothing to do with her youthful face (it was obviously of the cleavage-enhancing variety).
Typically, I would not have taken Pam that seriously – I mean we’ve all seen these infomercials with their strategic lighting and minuscule disclaimers scrolling across the bottom of the screen. But then Cindy Crawford’s face filled the frame and the rest of the world disappeared. She was so pretty. And she really wanted me to have the soft, smooth skin that she enjoyed. For years she had been seeing Dr. Sebagh, a French dermatologist who has perfected a ground breaking anti-aging formula – a fountain of youth if you will. He’s impossibly expensive and booked years in advance, but Cindy has found a way to bring his brilliant services and products to people JUST LIKE ME. All in the form of this simple system with a 60-day money back guarantee. And she’s SO pretty.
Cindy has been working on this project for several years. During that time she had to decide whether to launch a big budget ad campaign with expensive packaging, which would require a matching price tag, or to go with lower budget advertising and simple packaging. Cindy’s vision was to bring this magic to the little people (LIKE ME! And she’s SO pretty). So she went with the latter, and relied on infomercials and word of mouth to advertise Meaningful Beauty.
I’ll skip the details of the products (I do ramble on…) but you can click on the image above if you are interested.
I was in the market for a new skincare regime as I had been using Aveda for years and felt like a change. And I was planning on switching to a line that my friend Ainsley sells through Shaklee (FYI – you may want to adjust your audio if you click on that link – it just nearly blasted me out of my seat). I had already read up on it and was just about to place the order. But then Cindy brainwashed me with her perfect skin and French dermatologist and courage to take off all of her make up on camera to demonstrate the products. And she’s just so goddamn pretty damn her! Ainsley is very pretty too of course, but she doesn’t have a brainwashing infomercial. Sorry Ainsley.
Five months later, my take on Meaningful Beauty? I’m not sure… My skin is soft and I don’t think I look too wrinkly…but who is to say that this should be attributed to my skincare products. Maybe any products would have this effect. Now I regret not having taken a “before” picture. Of course, most of my recent pictures look like “before” pictures, but I mean a close up of my crows feet. One that I could compare to a close up taken at the three month mark when the secret formula really starts to do it’s work (yes – I noticed that this doesn’t line up with the 60-day money back guarantee). I’m sorry – but three months later, I don’t even remember what my eye color was. I just don’t pay that much attention these days (trying to avoid the sight of wrinkles and all). So I suppose I’ll just continue to use Meaningful Beauty until I tire of it and feel like a change.
So there you go – I’m like your great aunt who watches QVC and collects ceramic thimbles and commemorative plates. I have succumbed to the siren song of the beauty product infomercial. Cindy Crawford didn’t snare me in her early 90s exercise video conspiracy – but now I’m older and slower. I could run but I couldn’t hide. She’s a marketing genius and she’s finally trapped me in the web of my own vanity.
I usually get sucked in by the kitchen gadget ones. I have a fantastic garlic chopper.
I (not so) secretly love QVC and watch it almost every night before I go to bed. I can’t help it; it’s a guilty pleasure. They make everything look and sound so amazing! It’s not your fault. I totally blame Cindy.
I’d be right there with you if I wasn’t completely dedicated to my Mary Kay!
OMG Kate again you made me laugh out loud! She is SO pretty, you’re right! But I have to give a plug for your friend Ainsley – I LOVE my shaklee creams (as you know, I think my skin is as soft as it was in high school), and now I’m purchasing them through her Web site. Maybe when my current stash runs dry I’ll try out Cindy’s line…but I doubt it. Great post! Have a great weekend!
Ok, now I don’t feel nearly so bad about my kinoki pads….:)
So I bought a thing called riddex tha I saw in an infomercial the other day. It’s supposed to keep bugs and rodents out by emitting some sort of noise when you plug it in. Yup, I’ve been duped.
I do the same thing. Don’t feel bad. I’ll by any face cream that says it will make me look younger. I’ve seen the info commercial with Cindy Crawford. Yes, it’s very convincing. I almost took the plunge and purchased her product. Now I have my eye on this Lancome face cream that I can’t really afford, but totally love. The crazy stuff we go through in the name of beauty. It’s wild! Thanks for stopping by my place and for your funny comment.
I am cracking up b/c I was considering blogging about my love of the infomercial. I have the Magic Bullet and Mighty Putty! Eeek.
Thank you, CHRISTY! And thanks for the plug, Kate… I have no fear, you’ll give Shaklee a try.=)
I once (read: 2 months ago) this magical eye cream that says not to use on the top lid because it will cause a reaction. I thought, wow, that has to be good!
Then when it arrived the package was all written in some language I didn’t know (turns out it was Greek) and I was all mad because I live close to Greece and I probably could have just gone straight to the source and had a nice little vacation too.
Thanks for stopping by my blog:).
I tried Murad because of an infomercial. You are not alone.
And yay for Ainsley. I sell Shaklee and love their skincare, too.
I get sucked into those informercials all the time. The only thing I’ve actually bought though is the disco music compilation (and I enjoyed them many times over the years!).
I’ve never purchased anything from an infomercial, but I do use Bare Minerals make up! I am so glad you wrote this post, because I was definitely lured by Cindy Crawford, wondering if she had the secret!
I love infomercials I get obessed with the but have rarely purchased anything
I used to drop everything whenever the Bare Minerals commercial came on, but I never ordered it. When Sephora started selling it, I bought the starter set, and … not so great actually. Although I do like the brushes.
Thanks for stopping by earlier!