By Tracey Strange
I believe the connection between how we look and our approach to life is undeniable. Who hasn't suffered through a bad hair day, felt a little gloomy about blemishes or pigmentation spots? With maturity we're more likely to admire ourselves for our competence and far less for our attractiveness to others, but no one is immune to the buzz of a compliment. Regardless of how old we are, being noticed reminds us we matter.
And, after more than 20 years on writing about beauty, I am still surprised at how much. A product recently crossed my desk that I might ordinarily have put aside. For a start, it cost $720. There are great skincare products at both ends of the price spectrum but $720 is a huge investment. Made by La Prairie, probably one of the most expensive brands in the world, it offered luxury and prestige. It also offered to remedy pigmentation.
For years I have had a noticeable band of pigmentation wrapped, brown-stain-like, around my neck. Despite proper proof, I blame years of spraying on perfume and going without sunblock. I've tried many things to fix it, including an IPL course, which was expensive, uncomfortable and although it did make an initial difference, the results weren't permanent. While I am convinced of the efficacy of over-the-counter pigmentation products, they require patience and consistency, neither of which I'm particularly good at. But that pretty, precious-looking bottle looked tempting.
A couple of weeks or so into using La Prairie's White Caviar Illuminating Pearl Infusion I noticed a difference. The wide band of pigmentation looked lighter, the dirty brown colour less intense. I started using it morning and night; the results got better... and better. By the time the bottle was empty, the pigmentation was barely noticeable. So was a lot of the redness that went with it.
