So, 'ya thunk that Brooke Shields was blessed with thick lustrous eye-lashes naturally, eh?
Maybe yes! Maybe no!
When Allergan, Inc. (Botox bottler) announced their intent earlier this year to introduce a product (available by prescription only) that would add a bit of fluffy appeal to ultra-thin eye-lashes (ugly sparse wisps of hair) there was a flutter around the cosmetic landscape.
The buzz reached a fever pitch when manufacturers of "Latisse" (a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) signed glamour gal Brooke Shields to launch the lash-growth wonder treatment.
Latisse is applied to the base of the eyelid similar to eyeliner and contains an active ingredient (bimatoprost) which hastens growth and thickens the eyelashes.
Is it worth batting-an-eye over?
You betcha!
Sales hit the $12 million mark the 1st year shelves were stocked at pharmacies around the U.S.
Industry-insiders excitedly gush that there was quite an unexpected big-bucks bonus in the wings that took even savvy cosmetics execs by surprise.
Nope, didn't see it coming.
Lo & behold, once Allergan (the distributor) began filling the bulk of the Latisse orders, sales revved up in all-other-things lash-related, too.
Over-the-counter eyelash conditioners, curl-inducing treatments, and false eyelashes are all-the-rage in salons and high-end pampering spas right now.
The trend is here to stay, according to industry analysts.
"When you have a big company such as Allergan launching a product such as Latisse with millions of dollars in advertising , it is giving credibility to the market segment," Talika president (U.S. Division) Francois Laurent pointed out to fashion editors on a press junket in recent days.
No doubt - landing perennial beauty Brooke Shields as spokesperson - fluffed-up the Latisse image to lustrous new heights, too.
In the final analysis?
There's nothing like the real thing.
Just ask actor George Maharis.
Fans of the Hollywood sex symbol, who once starred in the popular TV series Route 66, were always (and still are, no doubt) smitten by his handsome chiseled face set off by sexy eye-catching lush eyelashes.
In fact, on the first occasion I met George in person, I was beside myself with envy.
Up-close and personal, they're even more astounding!
When I broached the subject, he chuckled.
"People accused me of using olive oil to enhance them."
That remedy apparently works, according to an old wives's tale.
So, for those of you who are not inclined to spring $120 for a 3 ml bottle (one month' supply), give it a whirl.
It's a less-harmful approach to achieve beautiful eyelashes than the chemically-based one offered up from Latisse, for starters.
