Mulling over the months exploits, tantrums and triumphs (with the help of a delicious Bloody Mary – thank you Bloody Mary – I heart your salty, tomato-ey goodness!!) at our monthly Sunday Ladies Brunch Extravaganza, we sat around the table waiting for the missing member of our Council of Estrogen – who was late. Where was she? Had there been an accident? Did she get pulled into the mother-of-all sample sales causing shopping amnesia? Nope. She fell in love.

You can’t really fault a gal for tardiness when she comes levitating through the door and up to the table 25 minutes late looking like she’d just spent three weeks at a spa and maybe had a little nip-tuck for good measure. She hadn’t. But the mere fact that her heart was fuller than the Grinch on a Christmas morning made her appear positively radiant! And once I got past my laser focus on her odd Cheshire Cat grin and her complete inability to hold anything resembling I conversation, I realized her change in appearance wasn’t due to a laser facial, new diet or a shot of botox – it was simply due to the word of the day: L-O-V-E.



According to an article in Allure magazine’s February 2011 issue entitled “The Look of Love,” researchers are beginning to understand the science behind that certain ‘glow’ one gets from being in love and getting a little good-timey action.

Now, before you start busting out your old Valentine’s Day cards and sobbing in the corner, let’s keep in mind that this is all biology and chemistry folks. No girlish-gooey sentimentality allowed.

It seems that being beheld with admiration – and reciprocating the emotion – can have such a powerful effect on our looks that it makes us shinier to everyone who casts a gaze in our direction.

“The pupils dilate, which makes you appear more attractive,” explains Leslie Baumann, a Miami dermatologist and host of PBS’s Skin Type Solutions with Dr. Leslie Baumann (self-promotion 101) “ [and] The skin seems to have better blood-flow, which makes it pinkier.” Really? And before you double down on the eye drops and the blush, consider that it’s probably purely an organic response to real-live L-O-V-E, which can’t be re-created even by an Academy Award winning re-telling of Love Story. (“Love means never having to say you're sorry… to your face.”)

“The skin has a glow that is not yet explained,” Baumann mysteriously hints at magic. “I believe it is due to endorphins. Research has shown that skin cells have endorphin receptors, so the endorphins must act directly on the skin cells, but we do know what this does or why it gives the skin a glow.” – Well… gee… thanks for nothin’ Dr. Bauman.



Basically what she’s sayin’ is this is another case of our trusty hormones (yep, endorphins are hormones) feeling a little frisky and making it apparent to pretty much the entire planet. So much for subtlety – thanks hormones.

Of course Baumann is not the only one to chime in on this rather amorous phenom. Research professor in the department of anthropology at Rutgers University and authority on the mating habits of humans (tee-hee) Helen Fisher gets down and dirty (Let’s keep it classy here, people.), “When you are madly in love, your dopamine system is really cranking up in the brain (Oh! Do tell!); dopamine is associated with energy, vitality and optimism. We naturally find people who are more energetic and optimistic more attractive.”

Bing-Bang-Boom, the good Ms. Fisher breaks it down for us, but that’s not all – apparently lovers in love get even more perks and bonuses (Geez… this love thing seems to really pay-off! I smell a game show in the works!)

Question: “What physical act do people in love typically participate in – a LOT?”
Answer: The S-E-X. (tee-hee)

Eva Ritvo, a fancy psychiatrist at Miami’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and coauthor of The Beauty Prescription exclaims it from the rooftops (or at least bookstore shelves), “Sex is great for skin!” (Geez, lady. Calm down.)

It seems doin’-the-deed speeds up circulation, which pumps oxygen to the skin, which in turn makes it better able to eliminate toxins, leading to a brighter appearance. So, cliff notes version: Sex = O2 = Just Say No To Toxins = Shininess! Hurrah!

“Sex also releases estrogen and helps increase collagen production,” Ms. Ritvo adds, making this whole Love and Sex thing seem pretty darned appealing!



But wait… there’s more! (Hold up… is this some late night infomercial? This posting has gone low-brow – sorry folks.) In addition to all the prizes listed above, sex also causes the body to produce oxytocin, the so-called “feel-good hormone,” which acts as an anti-inflammatory – which also improves the appearance of the skin. “The more frequent the sex, the more significant the effect is.” Okay, Ritvo… we get it. Geez… you’re making me blush. (tee-hee)

In a nut-shell: Love is good. Sex is good. Hotdogs are also good. This blog? Good. Happy Valentines Day!!!!



'til Next Time!