I’m pretty attached to my skin

Since I’ve been MIA this summer, mainly stealing re-blogging, I’ll take a note from NotQuiteOld and give a little summertime advice.

My granddaughter recently said, “When I’m your age I’m going to be more beautiful than you.”

“Only if you take good care of your skin,” was my immediate comeback. That got me to thinking about how I’ve taken care of my skin all my life. It helps to have English skin, and I was born in an era when mums put babies outside in the pram for naps, exposing them to that wonderful moist air. Whenever I’m in the desert I feel like my skin is going to crack and flake off (not to mention the nosebleeds).

Here are some ways I tell my granddaughter to take care of her largest organ. Of course there are others–facial exercises, Botox, plastic surgery. But these are all free or cheap and easy to work into your daily routine:

1. NO SMOKING. Ever. Also try to avoid second-hand smoke.

2. CLEANLINESS: Wash your face morning and night with a gentle moisturizing soap and tepid water. I’ve used Dove since it came on the market when I was about 12, and I won’t use any other soap on my face. I use generic petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) and a tissue to remove eye makeup, and Aquaphor around my eyes afterwards for itchy eyelids. All this grease must help–I don’t have crow’s-feet.

 

3. MOISTURIZER: In the morning I use Nivea Soft after washing. Before bed, regular Nivea. Don’t forget your neck. (I know there are very, very expensive moisturizers on the market. A dermatologist once told my mother that any fat will do–you could smear Crisco on your face and it would suffice. Nivea smells better.)

 

 

 

 

 

4. SUNSCREEN: Everybody knows about this, but I still sometimes need reminding. My nose and shoulders tend to burn even with a good 50 spf, so I use clear zinc oxide sunscreen on those areas for its double protection. Wear a wide-brimmed hat if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

5. SLEEP. Fatigue really shows on your face. Get enough.

6. WATER INTAKE: Drinking plenty of water fills out the cells.

7. DIET: Although coke and chocolate don’t cause acne, as we believed as teens, it’s just common sense that junk food is not going to benefit your face any more than the rest of your body.

8. EXERCISE: a healthy body looks better.

9. SMILE: it’s an instant face-lift.

Taking my own advice at Disney World, wearing a borrowed hat so Chloe could wear mine.