Lotions and Potions

by Barbara Roberts

Baby Boomers continue to be a youth-oriented cohort of people.  We loved our 20s and many of us would return to that age, if we could take with us what we have learned through the years.  To counteract the effects of aging, we indulge in massages when we can, exercise a bit, try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and sometimes remember to eat a healthy meal.  We used to be better, when it wasn’t all that necessary.  Remember back in the 60s when the “natural look” was in?  In addition to getting outdoors, running a 5K, riding our bikes, all we had to do was wash our faces, use a little moisturizer, and maybe dab on neutral-colored lipstick?  And we were good to go!  As we matured, though, time was better spent on work and/or taking care of kids.  Not finding the time to sleep, we discovered the need to use concealer and foundation and blush.  Honestly, we spent so much time and money painting the surface to boost our self-esteem (and to feel attractive to guys), that we became slaves to cosmetics.

Of course, to counteract the effects of little exercise and sleep, as well as slapping on goop, getting a good facial once or twice a month has proven to be a good investment.  Proponents swear by them, especially their ability to tighten the skin and minimize lines and wrinkles.  If you don’t want to pay facial prices, even giving yourself a mask – DUI or purchased – to root out impurities and provide deep moisturization is a great idea.  Either the facial or the mask can extend the look of illusive youth.  Reinvent! has different masks for different purposes, and I have tried the at-home facial by Hanacure.  Thumbs-up on both!

Surgery Anyone?

Fast forward to middle age when those pesky lines and wrinkles started to appear, and gravity not only impacted our cheeks and breasts, but also our booties????  We looked for quick fixes to make it better again.  And then along came injections and fillers.  Botox, anyone?   Facelift?  Eyes Fixed? Tummy Tuck? Booty Lift?  Honestly, living here in South Florida, women do get booty lifts.  You may remember news stories of women suing a “doctor” for filling their back ends with cement.  His procedure even caused a fatality.  I also know a woman whose butt looked terrible after her surgery; she eventually had to go under the knife again to fix it.

So many solutions for our various problems, but those procedures add up!  And they don’t always work.  I took a friend to her appointment for liposuction.  Afterwards, she was in so much pain, and even though she did everything they told her to do, the final result is that she still has a tummy, and now she also has scar tissue lumps.  Her doctor defended the results by blaming her for not getting a full tummy tuck!

Well, I’m going to admit that my neck is a little soft and saggy, and my jawline is no longer sharp.  Although I want it back, I am one of those wimps who is afraid that surgery will make me look like a stranger.  So, I’m saving money by not going under the knife and instead have invested in various moisturizers and serums that promise to erase some of the aging impacts.  

A friend once said, if you don’t splurge and spend a lot of money on beauty products, you’re not getting what you need!  I don’t believe that.  Some of my moderate purchases have made a difference, and I now know that the price tag is no guarantee of effectiveness.  Ingredients are what matter, and not gold…. Natural elements, as well as Hyaluronic Acid, Antioxidants, Collagen stimulants, Bio-peptides, and Retinol, to name a few, are the workhorses that will nourish and promote healthy skin.  I use Reinvent! products.

Tell the truth!  What’s the most you have spent on a jar of face cream? I can’t believe I fell for a pitch at a kiosk in the mall and spent $300 on a jar of cream that had gold flakes in it!  No.  It was not worth it.  Of course, some moisturizers and creams do come close to what they advertise, but they simply can’t take us back to our 30’s. We all age, hopefully, and aging gracefully means that we recognize that it’s not just the face that is aging, but the hands and the thighs and the jiggly arms, and…need I go on? Simply stretching your facial skin will not make you look younger, although lifting sagging skin helps.  The problem is not only the monetary cost, but also the sacrifice you make in not looking like “yourself” any more.  And you know people will whisper behind your back that you’ve had “work” done…

There are actual medical needs for some surgeries, but because so many elective procedures have been botched, you totally take your chances that the outcome will be exactly what you expected.  My preference is to manage the face and body with products, when you need them, to exercise, to meditate, and to strive for positivity in my life. 

In the end, even if you do elect to have a surgical procedure, you need to be aware that it will not last forever.  That means an additional surgery will be needed to maintain the look. A little nip here and a little tuck there can also become addictive, which could lead to even more procedures.  Perhaps a better approach is to accept that your whole body will continually change, and to use the products that will help you look better – in your new age.  

What’s the real solution?  Enjoy life!  It is totally an individual matter.  Whatever makes us happy is what we should do, and that will be different for each one of us.  Just remember that the real you is inside, and that matters a whole lot more than the façade!

***Male or Female, I’m interested in your take on this subject.  Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!