Aging and Beauty: DON'T GIVE UP!

Now that I've turned 57, I am grateful that I look younger. Most people guess me to be around the 45 - 47 range. At 45 I looked 30, at 30 I looked 20, and at 20 I looked 12. I must have looked like an embryo at 12. I don't know if I'm holding up because of genetics, or my devotion to skin care. I do know that it's an ongoing battle, as time marches on, all over my face! I also know that I won't give up. I want to be a pretty old lady, wearing makeup and fashionable clothes. I find it so sad that some women seem to give up by their mid 50's or early 60's. I see women who automatically let their hair go grey and have it cut into a unisex style. I recently sat behind a row of seventy-something couples, and you couldn't tell the men from the women from the back. Going grey can be a beautiful option, but you need color elsewhere to warm and liven your face. Amazing what a little lipstick or a bright colored top can do, or even an interesting piece of jewelry. A scarf adds color and interest, so even if you aren't the makeup type, you brighten yourself. My gorgeous friend Bobbi is sterling grey and beautiful. When we met for lunch this week, she wore a soft grey sweater, her trademark eyeshadow and eyeliner, neutral lipstick, and she looked amazing.
Last month I met two women. The first was 65, and between her steel wool hair color, her colorless sweatshirt, and her makeup-free face, she was almost invisible. Her entire appearance was greyer than a tomb. Then I met a vibrant 79 year old lady with pretty soft brown hair
(salon maintained), tastefully applied makeup, a lovely sweater in a soft red shade, and black slacks. She was obviously blessed with good genes and good health, but the biggest difference between her and the first woman was that she cared!
I adore makeup. It is never a chore for me, it's a delight, a hobby, a love. I know not every woman feels this way, and plenty of women look great without wearing makeup, but they know to add some color in another way. A color need not be a huge splash of brightness. A white, ivory or pale pink blouse or scarf brings light to your face. Black can be stunning, and earrings or a necklace stir things up. There are so many options, and they're fun!
I will not give up. And if I start to, it's my daughter's sworn responsibility to fix me or see that I get fixed. I began applying my mother's minimal makeup at 13, before I was allowed to wear it myself. She didn't know how to do her eyes, so I did it for her. If you're not a practiced hand and want to learn the basics, a Sephora sales associate will help you. He or she will do a simple makeup application on you, tell you what they're using, and you will not have to buy anything. You can even request a few samples so you can practice at home. If you don't want such up close and personal help, YouTube makeup instruction videos are an invaluable source. Not computer savvy? Books by Bobbi Brown, Kevin Aucoin, and other world famous makeup artists are available. Or ask other women shopping in the cosmetics aisle in the drugstore. Believe me, most women in that aisle will be more than happy to give an opinion! Or two!
Don't give up! Age like a fine wine, not like a flat soda!