Now it's about wrinkles

[chicago]

Pretty much. I can't afford specialized treatments (see House Renovation thread). I do use good stuff, but hey, I'm 43, I've been active outside all my life, and the notion of sunscreen in the 70s and 80s was SPF 2 Hawaiian Tropic and days on end stretched out on the beach. It's not that I wouldn't want to have smooth, dewey skin, but I don't is all. And getting it is not my priority at the moment.

tulip!,that is too funny!! So true for this 48yo babe as well... who had sunscreen in the 70's, noone I know!

[Crankin]

Emily, your choice of words, "turkey neck," made me laugh. I know it's not funny, though. I got some finer type lines around my eyes after DS #2 was born, from lack of sleep, but they have not really advanced.
I have a lot of freckles, always have, and I think those look worse as I age. I mean, it's one thing to have a freckled face ingenue, but an older woman? They have never bothered me, but something does now. That's why I am much more religious about sun block now.
I know I am in the minority here... while I wouldn't have plastic surgery, I am seriously considering Radiesse for the laugh lines; it's the one thing about my looks that I really don't like. I felt the same way about my teeth a few years ago, when the results of my teenaged ortho treatment totally went south. I got Invisalign braces and it made a real difference. I still wear the retainers at night. I know most here will think it's vain and that I should just accept the laugh lines and the gray... well, I just can't. I actually feel younger than I did ten or twelve years ago and some of the way I feel is tied up to the way I look. And some of it is not age related; the laugh lines have bothered me for 15 years; I just couldn't afford the treatment then.
Both of my grandmothers were gorgeous until the day they died (both at 91 or 92). While they did have "silver" hair from young ages, they spent plenty of time at the salon and having beauty treatments that helped them feel young and look nice, such as manicures, pedicures, massage. While I certainly don't spend all of my time doing that stuff, I do partake in those things. So does my closest cycling buddy. Being athletic and having a manicure are not exclusive of each other!
To each her own. I just get the feeling that this type of stuff is seen as silly by a lot of people.

[Dogmama]

Since I started this thread, I've been noticing how our society pushes us to be "beautiful." Last night's commercial - a girl with perfectly straight white teeth freaking out because she'd been invited to a concert & may not have time to whiten her teeth. Aw c'mon now...

So much is pushed on us (women) to buy products to make us look younger. How about pushing books so that we're wiser? Oh, I forgot. You can't "see" wiser and make snap judgments about a person's worthiness.

Obviously, I need to get on my bike.

[Crankin]

I don't need a book to push me to be wiser. I have a healthy appreciation for intelligence. You can be wise and beautiful at the same time. Why are the 2 seen as mutually exclusive? It feels like that perpetuates the "dumb blonde" stereotype.
Around here, I have seen plenty of people make "snap judgments" about other's "wiseness," hence their worthiness, which had nothing to do with physical appearance. As in, "You went to a state university." Not so wise. No graduate degree? Not so wise. In my experience, what you are judged on depends very heavily on context. Having lived in 3 different states, the balance is tipped in one direction or another by geography and cultural values.
And men get pushed to be younger in different ways. I see a whole lot of ED commercials when I watch the national news .

[Biciclista]

all I can say is think back and remember your favorite grandmother. You loved her despite her wrinkles, bags, sags, bad teeth. None of that stuff really matters. Certainly take care of your body, it's the only one that you get, but no one except for maybe your NEW lover looks at you that closely and certainly not that judgmentally!

[malkin]

Not only did I love my grandmothers despite their appearance, I loved their appearance. One had the most fantastic crazy white hair, and the other one...well, I was shocked to find out that the lovely colors and veins on the back of her hands were not universally considered attractive.

[Biciclista]

Not only did I love my grandmothers despite their appearance, I loved their appearance. One had the most fantastic crazy white hair, and the other one...well, I was shocked to find out that the lovely colors and veins on the back of her hands were not universally considered attractive.

exactly~!!!

[tulip]

Oh, I love a good mani-pedi, facial, and massage. I suppose I could get manis-pedis-facials every month instead if taking Pilates and yoga classes, but my limited financial resources go to what I deem most important to me. If I come into some bucks in the future, I'd be more than happy to be pampered as much as possible.

[Crankin]

Mimi, the thing is that both of my grandmothers did not have many wrinkles, bags, or sags when they died. They were both thin (certainly not from exercise!) and had beautiful skin. I know my mom's mom became gray in her thirties, not sure about the other one; but she was gray as long as I can remember her, too. They spent lots of time working on themselves. So did my mom; the difference was that she exercised, even when it wasn't popular. Aside from the fact that my mom died at a way too young age from a rare liver disease, she was so beautiful, petite, and youthful looking, there were many times when people thought we were sisters and my dad was her dad and my dad! We shared clothes until I was well into my twenties, almost 30. I didn't look like my mom, but I guess I am trying to say is that these are the role models I had, and frankly, I will be happy to be like them. The only difference is that I don't mind getting dirty and sweaty and like the accomplishment of sports. So did my mom, but she was really born a generation too soon.

[shootingstar]

Hmm...I know what /why my facial skin doesn't respond too well to the skin, by freckling etc. as I age, I just look at my parents. That's where I inherited it from.

No, I actually don't worry as much about the wrinkles, I'm getting them abit. I just have to be more attentive in using lotions. Yes, true there is an advantage now, to have abit oilier facial skin. Most of the women I know who had that tendency like myself as teenagers, look fine now in their 50's in terms of their skin texture.

I consider having a different different body shape than my mother (who had 6 children, gained 30 lbs. over the years, has back problems, etc.), a big switch. As long as I keep at a reasonable weight, that's a great foundation above all.

[emily_in_nc]

And men get pushed to be younger in different ways. I see a whole lot of ED commercials when I watch the national news .

A bit OT, but this just drives me mad. Every frickin' night watching ABC World News tonight. I surely wish these ads had never been approved for television. You can't even watch the news with your parents or in-laws without getting embarrasshed now. Sheesh...nothing is sacred any more.

This is one of my pet peeves!

[emily_in_nc]

And men get pushed to be younger in different ways. I see a whole lot of ED commercials when I watch the national news .

A bit OT, but this just drives me mad. Every frickin' night watching ABC World News tonight. "When the moment is right..." gagggggghhhh! I surely wish these ads had never been approved for television. You can't even watch the news with your parents or in-laws without getting embarrassed now. Sheesh...nothing is sacred any more.

This is one of my pet peeves!

[emily_in_nc]

Oh, I love a good mani-pedi, facial, and massage. I suppose I could get manis-pedis-facials every month instead if taking Pilates and yoga classes, but my limited financial resources go to what I deem most important to me. If I come into some bucks in the future, I'd be more than happy to be pampered as much as possible.

I don't do any of those things, but I have no problem with women who do. My choices are just different. I choose to retire at 50, and with that choice, a lot of other financial decisions flow. If I wanted to work longer, I could do a lot of those things, but I'm tired of working!

[malkin]

If I had retired at 50 I'd be homeless and pushing a shopping cart! Just imagine my hair and skin then!

[Crankin]

Yeah, to continue the off topic, I kinda get peeved at those ads, too, Emily. There is a running joke in my house about "bathtubs." Who the hell sits in a bathtub outside their house?
One time, a few years ago, I had taped some program to show my students. As I was fast forwarding through the ads, an ED commercial came on. Given they were 7th graders, the laughing commenced. I heard one of the boys say, "Get rid of those damn bathtubs!" Of course, I chuckled to myself, but I guess they saw it, because they all shouted, "Mrs. M is laughing!"
I think men feel anti-aging pressure about this more than we realize. They don't talk about it.