Have you seen the Brooke Shields' commercial for Latisse? Were you as confused by it as I was? It sounded like a cosmetics commercial, which I think was the idea. They soft-sold the whole pharmaceutical angle because of the side effects. After all, getting longer eyelashes is worth risking red and itchy eyes, or "eyelid skin darkening," isn't it? Generally speaking, I like Brooke. I watched Suddenly Susan. I even watched Lipstick Jungle. But I don't like this commercial, even if she's endorsing the best eyelash growing stuff in the world. The way it's put together is deceptive. It looks and sounds like she's selling eye makeup, which she's not.
I'm not the only one who has a problem with this ad. Consumer Reports had something to say and maybe more importantly, Funnyordie.com weighed in with their take. Their parody is hilarious. Take a look:
By the way, the benefits of Latisse are strictly cosmetic. It may grow your lashes, but of course, results differ from patient to patient. At $120 for a month's supply, it might behoove those who need longer eyelashes – maybe want would be a better word -- to stick with mascara. Sure, it's messy and you have to remove it at the end of the day, but at least its not going to cause any permanent damage.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2009 @ 10:55AM
cherries said...
The older she gets, the more Brooke Shields looks like Joan Crawford.
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10-12-2009 @ 10:13AM
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10-09-2009 @ 10:58AM
Eirik said...
I'm a bit nervous about this stuff. I'm an optometrist and when I heard the commercial the first time the list of desired effects and potential side effects sounds awfully familiar. It didn't take long for me to discover that this stuff is basically a version of a glaucoma treatment. When Xalatan first came out 10 or so years ago, darkening of the iris and eyelash thickening were side effects. The only difference here seems to be application, you're supposed to put it on your eyelids not in your eye.
I personally won't even consider prescribing it.
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10-12-2009 @ 8:38AM
twangyla said...
I have a prescriptions for this product and it works great for me with no side effects..My eye lashes were small and thin with some big gaps right in the middle of my eyes where no mascara would cover up...false eye lashes tried them..I always worried they'd come loose or whatever and now after using latisse I have normal looking eye lashes..no darking of anything, and after getting the full results I only use it once a week..there are other products out there like Rapid Lash and its a lot cheaper and I may try it next bur right now Im just happy I have eye lashes
10-09-2009 @ 12:05PM
Dan Chichian said...
I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to use this stuff either. I would think fake eyelashes and/or mascara are much safer not too mention much cheaper.
Brooke actually looks like she is grimacing through most of the ad - not a real selling point.
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10-09-2009 @ 4:11PM
Gina said...
This is why my prescriptions are so expensive. They probably spent millions coming up with this medication. Why was this invented? Wasn't there some other pressing disease that needed a new medication? Seriously eye lashes?! Get fakes or that new mascara that puts those tube things on along with the mascara.
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10-09-2009 @ 9:36PM
alitotto said...
Are you kidding? This stuff is great...my lashed have never looked better. I have had no itching redness or discoloration. The medicine was first used to treat Glaucoma and the doctors soon discovered that a side effect was longer , thicker lashes. Get it from an Ophthalmologist...not an optometrist (they are not MDs) or any other kind of a doctor. It is applied to the the eyes , top lid only, just as you would eyeliner. I've been using it for 4 weeks and the difference is amazing. I love it!!! I would recommend it to anyone.
10-12-2009 @ 9:21AM
liz said...
There are people out there who have disorders such as Trichotilomania, or TTM. This disorder, which is similar to OCD, causes people to pull out patches of their hair. I personally pull out my eyelashes. I would love something like this, because after pulling out a patch it takes forever to grow back in, and mascara doesn't cover it and fake lashes look horrible and are hard as heck to put on.
The fact is too, that this was originally a Glaucoma medicine, one side effect was that people had longer and thicker lashes, so millions of dollars were not specially spent on developing it, it was already out there.
10-12-2009 @ 6:30AM
Boycott Funny Or Die said...
Fine then I'm boycotting Funny or Die! If they want to get all full of themselves and think they're too good to share an occasional clip like every other site does, I'll stop recommending them to friends and stop going there myself. YouTube is good enough for me. I hate USE the internet to act AGAINST what the internet is supposed to be all about--free exchange of information and ideas. And no I'm not some ticked off spoiled kid, I'm an adult health care professional.
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10-12-2009 @ 7:24AM
Sandy said...
I WAS DIAGNOSED W/ GLACOMA 10 YRS AGO. MY XYALATAN(sp?) HAS ALSO HAS GROWN AND THICKENED MY LASHES. MY DOCTOR SAID THIS COMPANY JUST FIGURED OUT TO PROMOTE THIS STUFF FOR COSMETIC USE,TOO.CHA CHING! I HAVE BROWN EYES..NEVER A PROBLEM. IT IS SO EXPENSIVE !!! TINYEST BOTTLE EVER!
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10-12-2009 @ 7:57AM
sandy lewis said...
what's all the fuss about? every prescrition med advertised tells all the possible side effects. I think you are just jeolous of Brook
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10-12-2009 @ 7:35AM
Suzy said...
I saw somebody's post regarding the fact that they had a problem with Glaucoma and the bonus side effect for using Latisse is longer lashes... My husband has Glaucoma and although he's a guy and probably doesn't care about long lashes, ya never know...
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10-12-2009 @ 8:27AM
Kay said...
Hearing "darkening of the lids" had me scanning Brooke's eyelids, but she has a curious short smear of bright blue eyeliner on. Hearing "darkening of the iris which may be permanent" is certainly worrisome. But it's what's Written and Unspoken on the commercial that turned off any further investigation of the product which I thought may be of benefit: the product stops working when its use is discontinued. I'll stick to mascara. It's safer and newer brands are doing a good job at making lashes truely thicker and longer looking. Of course, mascara also stops working when it's discontinued, but it's so much cheaper to maintain!
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10-12-2009 @ 9:35AM
eimartinezz said...
i saw her in a tv show not too long ago, and her character was obsesses with the main character and was sending him eyelashes in love notes... when i saw that i busted out laughing... if shed stop pulling out her eye lashes she wouldnt need this stuff... hahah
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10-12-2009 @ 9:59AM
robbin said...
The eyelash stuff is great!!! I use it without any side effects. And the $120 price tag is NOT for a month supply...... it will last 3-4 months on ONE tube.... so it's not as expensive as it looks. I'm on month #4 on my tube. I've been using the product for a year. It's fab
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10-12-2009 @ 10:46AM
Jeannie Walter said...
Latisse is a ridiculous, pathetic product designed to promote feelings of self loathing in women who don't have the intelligence to know they don't need such garbage. And Brooke Shields must be desperate for cash to endorse it. It's just another way the pharmaceuticals think they're going to rake in some more cash from the stupid sector of the public who are foolish enough to fall for their promotional lies. Why in God's name did the FDA approve of such a nonsense product? I can only imagine that they want a kick back on the profits the whore company who produces it will make.
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10-12-2009 @ 11:16AM
bdancer said...
You all are double standered what's the difference with the all the precription pills they are shoving down our throats ? Is that ok ? Get a grip they are all ripping off the Americian consumers..
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