“I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming... suddenly you find - at the age of 50, say - that a whole new life has opened before you” ~ Agatha Christie
We, the Baby Boomers of America, are constantly inundated with emails, tweets, and TV ads about the latest and greatest anti-aging products we simply must try. Last week alone, I was sent an email about bifocals that correct “computer and reading vision” (what’s computer vision?), a LinkedIn alert about a new anti-aging night cream “accidentally discovered” at a cancer research center, and a new diet to eliminate cellulite. When I searched “anti-aging” on Twitter, there were hundreds of tweets promoting absolute must-have anti-aging skincare programs, diet and exercise advice, and discoveries in supplements. Discover the Fountain of Youth! Cosmetic surgery will restore your youthful glow! Stay healthy looking with my new product! Start eating these anti-aging foods!
“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” ~Mark Twain
Now, I must admit, it’s tempting to try some of these products. After all, there are times when I look at myself in the mirror and ask where those fine lines come from and why are they showing up on my face. I’ve always been diligent about skincare by using gentle cleansers and moisturizers that stand by their “pure” ingredients. (Compared to 26-letter words of ingredients that sound like a foreign language.)
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” ~ Sophia Lauren
As you know by now, I have always followed the advice of Dr. Andrew Weil. Here is his view on anti-aging products:
“The best ways to maintain skin health aren't very glamorous and certainly aren't overly costly: good nutrition, adequate water and essential fatty acids intake, and daily use of a good antioxidant multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Beyond that, I recommend avoiding excessive use of soaps and skin irritants and protecting the skin from the sun, which causes cumulative damage that eventually shows up as wrinkles, age spots, or other discolorations. Another root cause of aging and deteriorating skin health is inflammation, which is often imperceptible. Still, it can result in such skin problems as sensitivity, puffiness, extreme dryness, hyperpigmentation, lines, and wrinkles.”
“It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides”. ~ George Sand
I admire Jennifer Siebel, a woman I’ve written about in a prior post (Empowering Our Children..and Ourselves). Her award-winning documentary Miss Representation champions equal rights for women by fighting sexism and challenging the media’s disparaging portrayal of women. One guest blogger on her MissRepresentation.org was Nicole Weider, a former model who founded Project Inspired and Me Without Makeup. She challenges young girls to love who they are and what they look like. She wants them to understand they don’t need tons of makeup to feel beautiful. She’s received hundreds of photos from girls who, according to her rules, wear no makeup and describe what they like best about themselves. It’s an EMPOWERing technique to illustrate her point. I wonder whether a website with this theme would work well with people aged 50+. Would we send a photo of ourselves wearing no makeup and list what we like most about ourselves? Hmm.
“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.” ~Audrey Hepburn
Good Housekeeping ran a test on anti-aging products and was awarded their “Top 22 Products That Really Work”. They say these products do more than hydrate your skin. They allegedly minimize lines on your face and lips and promise to make you look “better”. I have always been skeptical of these claims, mainly because I’ve used the gamut of lotions and serums from Oil of Olay to Origins to La Prairie. Ultimately, my pocketbook was lighter, and my skin looked the same. But it’s more than looking better – it’s also about feeling better.
We, the women of the Baby Boomer generation, have the opportunity to not only enjoy our Second Chapter but also to realize that the way we look on the outside is as beautiful as who we are on the inside. We must live our life according to our beliefs, yet we must also follow a path toward total confidence in our look and feel. Depending on what source you look at, the average life expectancy of a woman in 1900 was around 50 years old. Today it is approximately 80 years old (I have seen several charts that say 88 or older). What does that mean? It means we have more time than we used to work on ourselves (inside and out), time to work toward our dreams, time to make our bodies healthier, and, when we look in the mirror, time to say out loud that we’ve earned every wrinkle and fine line, and we are damn proud of it!
“With age come the inner, the higher life. Who would be forever young, to dwell always in externals?” ~Elizabeth Cady Stanton
I want to share an article on HealthCentral.com I thought was exciting and informative entitled, “Taking Care Of Your Skin Inside and Out.” It offers sage advice for all of us. In the meantime, let me know how you feel about anti-aging products and whether you agree or disagree with anything I've said. I’d love to hear from you – good, bad and everything. Thanks for reading my post!
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DISCLAIMER: Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained, and my posts are journalistic and not instead of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from using this blog or any data or links provided.
MY Mom used Pond Cream all her life. This was a tme before all the high priced anti-ageing creams and lotions were developed.She had the most perfect skin, lineless and smooth. But I am sure that it was not only the creams but the inner beauty of her soul that afforded her that look. No matter what you spend, it takes both to create that outward appearance. Laurie New