Does La Mer really work? Here's what happened when our writer tried the pricy skincare products for a year.
+ A sneak peek at our exclusive interview with Stacy London
One day we’ll look back and think, “Stacy London is like the Gloria Steinem of menopause awareness.” Which is why we’re excited to share our in-depth interview with Stacy — coming soonish when we officially launch the new Midst website.
In the meantime, here’s a small slice of our writer Gretchen Kalwinski’s in-depth conversation with Stacy. Because who doesn’t like free samples?
GRETCHEN AT THE MIDST: I can remember my aunts whispering about hot flashes and feeling really “eww” about it. Now, I know that the “eww” response was my own internalized sexism. But, I think companies like yours [State of Menopause] are leading the way to eradicating that shame. They’re bringing this condition out in the open and insisting this is a conversation we need to have.
STACY LONDON: Not to brag about our generation but I will. I think we are the last generation to experience that kind of internalized shame. From not talking about it and not knowing about it, we're also going to be the first generation to break the stigma and to really change the way this conversation is held—the way it is respected. I do not believe that you can put a lid back on Pandora’s box. And I think this is a really good thing, not being able to unsee what you’ve seen, not being able to un-hear what you’ve heard.
Once you have knowledge, you have agency. And once you have agency you can start to manage this natural transition in a way that works for you, instead of having to fight and hide or pretend nothing is happening or white-knuckle through it. Or be embarrassed, or feel ashamed. I think that the adage is true: Knowledge is power, especially when we’re talking about female physiology and the fact that it is so under-researched. And a lot of things we didn’t know about menopause were because we couldn’t test anyone for it! So now that’s changing, slowly but surely, in the medical landscape.
Does La Mer really work? Here’s what happened after I used the pricy skincare for a year.
By Olga Rosales Salinas, who was not paid by La Mer to write this honest review
I’m unsure of the exact date, but I remember the emotion the first time I didn’t recognize my face in the mirror. I returned from a vacation in Las Vegas, and it looked like I’d aged 10 years. I was dehydrated, I told myself. I was in a desert, after all. But as the mornings where I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror kept coming, I knew drinking more water wouldn’t be enough to tackle my dry and maturing skin.
For context, I am very fortunate. I don’t have deep crevices or age lines and haven’t struggled significantly with acne since high school; soap and water have mostly been enough to clean my skin. In my late 30s, I adopted products like Kiehl’s, Fresh Rose, and Osea to cleanse and hydrate, and had gone to enough facials to learn that my skin, although healthy, was experiencing sun damage and dehydration.
I was 40 when I began taking everyone’s advice about sunblock, water, and higher-end moisturizing products. I was also 40 when some friends started sneaking away for Botox treatments and fillers. I understand how deeply personal deciding whether or not to have Botox or any other anti-aging treatment can be. I have yet to make that choice, but one day soon, I might want to. For now, I’ve decided to try products that promise results.