Do we need to look 10 years younger?

[LaFemme]

So I went to the fair yesterday and my friends and took in the expo. One of them decided to try out a demo of skin care products. It more of an excuse to sit down.

So products applied. Bags under the eyes miraculously disappeared. Ta-da! For the low, low price of $500 you can look 10 years younger!

Wtf?! So I said to the demo lady, “why does she need to look 10 years younger? There’s nothing wrong with the way she looks, or her age.” She hemmed and hawed, then said, “well, the bags make her look tired. Who wants to look tired?” I said, “she is tired! She’s always tired. She works hard.”

So she goes on about how it would cost $5000 for a facelift and this cheaper, blah, blah, blah. None of us is spending five grand on face work. Not when we can travel, or do things with money.

I don’t know. It kind of offended me. I take care of my skin because it’s good for my skin. I look good AT my age, not FOR my age. I’m an “older” woman. So what? I’m not going to be 40 or 45 again. I earned every line in my face. I have worked hard in my life.

I will spend money on skin care that is good for my skin. I love makeup because it’s fun. I colour my hair and get good cuts because I like to look good and professional.

There must have been a dozen beauty booths for women and not one for men. I’m sure men could use the products, but I didn’t see one man being dragged into those chairs. Don’t they care about looking 10 years younger? Probably not so much.

So the question. Most women here are younger than I, but do you care about this? Will you care? Would you fork out $500 for miracle cream? And should I be offended? (Btw, the bags were back in an hour.)

 

[693987]

I've been getting the occasional white hair for decades at this point. I know that with how often I laugh, smile, and otherwise emote that I will eventually have a good amount of wrinkles. I tend to not sleep very well, so a moderate amount of the time the skin is darker beneath my eyes. I don't give a fuck. People live and age and wrinkle. I dye my hair because I like the shade, not to cover the occasional white hairs I get. I use a variety of skin care products because I want clear, healthy skin. Not to try and make myself appear more youthful.

I actually get very mildly annoyed when people guess my age at 19-20. I joke that they should at least say I'm drinking age in the USA. I originally chalked it up to a lot of people who are not Asian having a hard time guessing the age of people who are Asian... But a former colleague of mine who was also Asian guessed that I was well over a decade younger than I was at the time. Guess not!

My thoughts on ageing are that I hope I get more of my wrinkles from smiles and laughter than frowning. I hope to not have my hair thin or recede, but I do not care if it goes white or grey. I hope to be generally healthy even as I gain wrinkles and my hair changes color as the decades pass. I find the obsession of some people to appear decades younger than they are to be puzzling and weird, honestly. Maybe that's just the arrogance of my comparative youth speaking.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

I don't give a shit how old I look.

I wear makeup because I'm trying to communicate to my fellow extraterrestrials in space. Gotta have bright, shiny colors if they're gonna see me all the way out there...

People ask about my tattoos "what about when you get older, you don't think they'll look terrible?!" I don't give a fuck. That's not why I got them.

 

[918177]

I'm still the recipient of extravagant amounts of unlooked for masculine attention as I did when I was in my 20's and 30's even with my various issues so looking ten years younger for what net result?
Nothing that I can fathom.

The thing is these days I have zero interest in returning the interest.
My reaction these days and depending on the day runs the gamut of a wry cynical amusement
to a cold set look., maybe a slightly curled lip and demon eyes.

 

[MickeyLee]

I think people who are wanting to look ten years younger feel they missed out on something when they were younger. If your content, happy, accepting of who you and where you are, why would you need to erase 10 years of your life?

I take care of my skin. Because I like having nice skin. My complexion is one of my vanities. Pasty is my way of life. I take care of the skin to preserve my ink. Always moisturizing and sun screening my hide.

If I am lucky enough to make it to grey and wrinkly I will count my blessings. Hopefully, most of my lines will be from joy and not sorrow. Maybe I'll have something all wisdom-like and wise to say to people putting 500 down on 10 years of false youth.

 

[LaFemme]

I'm still the recipient of extravagant amounts of unlooked for masculine attention as I did when I was in my 20's and 30's even with my various issues so looking ten years younger for what net result?
Nothing that I can fathom.

The thing is these days I have zero interest in returning the interest.
My reaction these days and depending on the day runs the gamut of a wry cynical amusement
to a cold set look., maybe a slightly curled lip and demon eyes.

You’re beautiful. You’ve always been physically stunning, but more than that you have an inner power that goes far beyond that. It’s no surprise you still garner attention. You will always turn heads. You’re amazing.

I don’t get attention anymore, and I don’t care. I used to get attention, but about 10 years it kind of stopped. It makes me laugh when I get all this male attention here because when on the street, the same men would pas me by. I’m just a nice looking lady. I’m in the invisible over 50 age group, not particularly all sexy - just normal, ordinary. Besides, my power comes from who I am and not my looks, it always has. I’m not spending $500 to regain some fleeting glory.

 

[LaFemme]

I think people who are wanting to look ten years younger feel they missed out on something when they were younger. If your content, happy, accepting of who you and where you are, why would you need to erase 10 years of your life?

I take care of my skin. Because I like having nice skin. My complexion is one of my vanities. Pasty is my way of life. I take care of the skin to preserve my ink. Always moisturizing and sun screening my hide.

If I am lucky enough to make it to grey and wrinkly I will count my blessings. Hopefully, most of my lines will be from joy and not sorrow. Maybe I'll have something all wisdom-like and wise to say to people putting 500 down on 10 years of false youth.

Wonderful attitude, Ms Lee!

I look at my face in the mirror and I have no frown lines, only smile lines. I’ve spent my life laughing and smiling, not frowning or being angry. I proud of that.

And I’m proud that I’ve used sunscreen all my life! It does help! So does always taking off your makeup before bed and moisturizing. Be good to your body when you’re young. Then it might be good to you when you’re older!

 

[AlteredEgo]

I take care of my skin. Some people express that it looks younger than its age. I don't know if that is true. I am not concerned with that. I would pay whatever was asked for a product that would actually give me more even coloring without causing cancer. Let the wrinkles come; I don't care.

 

[918177]

I take care of my skin. Some people express that it looks younger than its age. I don't know if that is true. I am not concerned with that. I would pay whatever was asked for a product that would actually give me more even coloring without causing cancer. Let the wrinkles come; I don't care.

Your a Hottie McTottie Ms.Altered.

Inside and out.

 

[kcrown1967]

I've never been one to make a fuss over my skin until the last couple of years. I still don't do a lot but I used to never moisturize because I don't like how it feels and I had a job that wasn't conducive to wearing anything on my face. I have aged fairly well in my 51 yrs thankfully but I do notice that I'm getting some wrinkles which I don't love but they could be a lot worse. I eat pretty healthy and drink my water, I think that's a big key to having good skin. But as to your question, even though I'm not younger than you........yes I care how I look but I would never pay that kind of money for a product. I'm happy with my coconut oil and vitamin C serum lol.

 

[AlteredEgo]

Your a Hottie McTottie Ms.Altered.

Inside and out.

Many thanks. I think kindness shows in people's faces and postures when it can.

My aunt said to drink lots of water, use carbolated Vaseline on my lips, and put peroxide on blemishes, and when the bubbles subside, moisturize. My mother said to brush my teeth and rinse with Scope twice a day. My grandmother said to never use hot water on my face, to never go to bed with makeup, to pop all pimples and wash the surrounding skin with peroxide, to push back my cuticles with the towel as I dried my hands, to treat my face, throat and decolletage the same, cleanse with cold cream at night, face soap in the morning, and moisturize at least twice a day, and get every second of sleep I could afford.

They also gave terrible advice. Grandma said that if my thighs wouldn't permit two fingers to pass through when standing straight, or an inch could be pinched at my midsection, I was too fat. My mother said to always eat whatever I was offered. My aunt said if it didn't bubble or tingle or sting, nothing was getting clean.

But! They all stressed that charity and service were important to incorporate into any lifestyle, or the life I lived would be unhealthy.

I keep my skin clean and moisturized, avoid hot water and direct sunlight, use sunblock, brush my teeth often and rinse with Listerine, drink lots of water, sleep when I can, and do charitable work or community service every time I see an opportunity to help. If I am a Hottie McTottie the reason is in there somewhere.

 

[EllieP]

I take care of my skin. Some people express that it looks younger than its age. I don't know if that is true. I am not concerned with that. I would pay whatever was asked for a product that would actually give me more even coloring without causing cancer. Let the wrinkles come; I don't care.

That skin! OMG, I hope we're never seen together because not a soul would notice me! I'm not saying I would kill for your skin, but I would wear it!

I've been moisturizing a lot more lately because I find myself in the sun more than usual. There's no reversing my crows feet or bags, and I'm not going to spend a gazillion dollars on trying to do that.

I was a bit more vain before I hit 40. Now it's take-it-or-leave-it. As my wonderful husband once said "You rockin' that MILF look." I MILF-looked him!

 

[rtg]

I take care of my skin because I want to look good and feel good about myself. But I do it for me and not to catch up with societies expectations and unattainable standards.

I look quite young for my age and sometimes I find it flattering when I’m told I look younger (I used to hate it) but I absolutely hate it while in a work environment because people tend to compare my assumed age with professional ability. That is one of the many reasons I would not spend money on products like that. Sure, I’d change my skin care regime as I got older but would not spend $500 on an apparent miracle face lift.

What’s wrong with aging gracefully? I’d much rather have wrinkles than look like Donatella Versace for example.

I started getting grey hair when I was 24 and I’ll undoubtedly get some gnarly wrinkles as I age more due to the fact that my thinking face is almost identical to my frowning face. But that’s life.

ETA: I think women generally age better than men too and you don’t see them being targeted with this stuff. I also wouldn’t expect men to waste their money on it.

 

[AlteredEgo]

I'm not saying I would kill for your skin, but I would wear it!

Thank you. LOL I actually really that line while waiting desperately in a long line to use a lavatory, and it waa almost a problem for my pants! You crack me up! Don't think no one remembers you from before you started blurring your face. You are breathtaking.

I've been moisturizing a lot more lately because I find myself in the sun more than usual. There's no reversing my crows feet or bags, and I'm not going to spend a gazillion dollars on trying to do that.

I'm not sure what it costs, because I know the chemical engineer who developed it, but there is a product that will very nearly erase your crows feet if you ever decide you want to blur them a little bit. Before hyaluronic acid became a thing everyone in the skin game was talking about, Dr. Denese cosmetics was using it in some of their products.

The one I like is Hydroshield. It is meant to go over the whole face daily, but my combination skin hates it. I use it on my lips, laugh lines by my mouth, and around my eyes twice a month. Anywhere else or more often, and it breaks me out. It's too moisturizing for my oily parts. It's non-comedogenic (which I may be misspelling) but it breaks me out anyway.

Erases fine lines totally, dimimshes deeper ones significantly. I put some on my friend's mother and when she saw the results she actually cried. I was pretty impressed by the efficacy of one application. It's expensive if you only buy drug store skin care, but it's not outrageous. One full size bottle lasted a whole two years. It was given to me though, so I'm not sure how much, but when I checked eBay I remember thinking it was manageable if my free supply ever runs dry. Just if anyone is interested.

As an aside, the Vitamin C pads were reasonably effective against my hyper-pigmented areas, but I also do home microdermabrasion, which I am told makes all treatments more impactful. Spots are not gone though. Freaking thyroid.

Anyway, thanks for the compliment.

 

[Enid]

Ya know, I was at a taco joint with my sis this weekend. We were sitting up at the bar waiting on our tacos when we accidentally overheard 2 girls next to us say, while swiping through phone pics, "OMG! She's so OLD. She's like, 40!"

My sister wanted to stand up and shake her finger at the girl but I quieted her while we we drank our drinks and talked about...just why is it SO BAD to be 40? 50? Even 30s women getting shamed in certain circles. I'm 47. Sis 41. Really, why should we be so shamed about our age talking us into procedures and creams we dont even need?

I do think good skin care is important: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Wash with simple skin care products. Otherwise it's all genetics, good makeup, or good photography. We all get old. Facts. Of. Life.


I hate this "look 10 years younger" bullshit because it panders just to that very insecure part of a woman who worries "just how important is looking young???"

 

[rtg]

actually yes there is an ad that is targeted to older men..

i still look like im 18 yo. even though im almost 30yo. i still dont even have a full beard. my cheeks are still smooth. i have high cheek bones .

I haven’t seen such an ad where I live.

I said women generally age better than men, obviously there’s exceptions and I didn’t state that all women age better than men.

And this is Ask a Woman also.

 

[LaFemme]

Ya know, I was at a taco joint with my sis this weekend. We were sitting up at the bar waiting on our tacos when we accidentally overheard 2 girls next to us say, while swiping through phone pics, "OMG! She's so OLD. She's like, 40!"

My sister wanted to stand up and shake her finger at the girl but I quieted her while we we drank our drinks and talked about...just why is it SO BAD to be 40? 50? Even 30s women getting shamed in certain circles. I'm 47. Sis 41. Really, why should we be so shamed about our age talking us into procedures and creams we dont even need?

I do think good skin care is important: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Wash with simple skin care products. Otherwise it's all genetics, good makeup, or good photography. We all get old. Facts. Of. Life.


I hate this "look 10 years younger" bullshit because it panders just to that very insecure part of a woman who worries "just how important is looking young???"

That’s exactly my point. How important is it to look young? Why is it so important?! It’s total bs. I have lived every day of my life. Sure, it’s flattering, but is it important? I don’t think so.

I don’t think we need to be invisible either. But until women learn to accept themselves, stop buying into the beauty myth that youth is the only thing that counts (and that includes those girls who think 40 is old), women ‘of a certain age’ will still be viewed as MILFs or GILFs, instead of complete and whole women of beauty.

 

[TinyPrincess]

Hardly ever use makeup anymore - only lotion for moisture.

Honestly think I look better than ever - at least I like my looks better now than 15-20 years ago. I've been blessed with smooth skin, so why cover it up.

The countless lines caused by age and too little sleep over the years are perfectly fine. Honestly I wouldn't like too look younger.

 

[950483]

Dench. As in Judy Dench.

dench (adjective) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary

 

[LaFemme]

Dench. As in Judy Dench.

dench (adjective) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary

Isn’t she incredible?