Aging gracefully….with help

Just because we all get older, doesn’t mean we have to show it

By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, UnionvilleTimes.com

Every day we get older.

See? I am PROFOUND in addition to being obnoxious. That helps…right?

Anyway, for today’s article I would like to discuss the struggle to age gracefully and (somewhat) naturally.

My grandmother always insisted that she was one year younger than her birth certificate stated. That year difference was huge to her. She was the type of woman who thought that everyone aged around her while she stayed the same.  She passed this genetic trait on to me, apparently. Not long ago, I was standing in the check-out line at SuperFresh when I heard my name. Turns out that a girl I went to high school with had moved into the area. I had not seen her in at least 18 years and BOY, did SHE look different! I never remember her having crows’ feet in high school! When I got into my car after loading my groceries, I looked into my rearview mirror and wondered…do I look older than I did in high school? OBVIOUSLY, the answer to that question is “yes.”

Now, how to remedy this?

Well, we have discussed in past columns the importance of sunscreen in preserving the elasticity of your face and reducing age spots. I am a big fan of the wide brimmed hat. Find something adorable that compliments your bathing suit.

Exfoliation is mandatory once you hit age thirty. Getting rid of the top layer of dead skin is the key to making your face creams more effective. I, personally, like to use a softer granulation on my face to reduce the redness and irritation that can occur with some of the more aggressive creams. Be careful not to get too close to the eye area, as that skin is extremely delicate.

Speaking of which, a good eye cream is my new best friend. Have you tried the roller ball delivery system with caffeine to reduce puffiness? Genius! The eyes are one of the first places on the face that give away your age. Protect them! Never leave the house without sunglasses. I have even gone so far as to try to convince my husband that the Tory Burch Oversized Round Tortoise Sunglasses with the Buckle Detail for ONLY $195 is a medical necessity. So far, that hasn’t worked for me….but, try it!

I looooooooooooove me some Botox! There. I said it. And, I will say it again: I HEART BOTOX! And, before you go judging me for it, you would love it too if you tried it. So what that it is a purified form of the known toxin botulism? Botulism is GOOD for you! It makes you look relaxed and serene. POUFF! Gone is that angry eleven mark between the brows! So what that my children wonder why Mommy is screaming her head off, yet continues to look flawlessly calm! Will that make reading people’s faces for social cues difficult for them in the future? Probably. But, let’s be real, they all text anyway. They will be fine.

Don’t neglect your hands. My girlfriends and I were discussing this just the other day. Have you had the moment when you look down and find yourself staring at your mother’s age spots? (not that you have Crypt Keeper hands or anything, Mom! Love ya!) Be sure to put sunscreen on the back of your hands. As strange as it sounds, I have started doing this before I go to have my nails done. I like the new Shellac polish (where they use the UV light to bake the polish onto the nail) but, the extra time under that light makes me wonder about the damage to the skin on my hands. OCD? Well, sure. But, you all know me well enough by now. Right?

Overall, I like the way that I look now more so than I did in high school. I wouldn’t go back to those years even if it meant that my skin would be tighter or my thighs thinner. I like that the passage of time has brought not only the wrinkles and stretch marks, but my lovely family and a whole community of beautiful friends to share laughs and advice with.

That doesn’t mean I won’t host a kick-butt Botox party though! Who’s in????

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