So I’m sitting at the dinner table with an actress, a model, and former Miss Toronto -undoubtedly a good looking bunch. We are having a glass of wine, laughing and joking, and telling each other all our juicy secrets, as women do, when alas the topic of aging comes up.
What results is what I would sum up as a rather comedic scene, as one recounts the horror of discovering her first white hair, another how she had recently come to understand the phenomenon of back- fat, and the other actually confessing to unbuttoning the top button during this very dinner!
Needless to say, we laughed and laughed and thought wow, if men only new the truth! It was refreshing to share our fears and secrets, but it highlighted something else very true and very real.
Aging is an inevitable topic these days for my generation (and most generations, in fact). It seems that when we are twenty-five, we look back and at pictures of when we were twenty and wished we looked like that. And then when we are thirty, we look back at pictures of when we were twenty-five and wished we looked like that. And now in our early thirties, we look back and wish we looked like thirty or twenty-nine, or anything as we hold on to our youth.
Personally, I come from the land of Shakira and Sofia Vergara, where bosoms flow and hips don’t lie, so I have the added benefit of coming from a culture that embraces womanhood and curves. I know I will never be skinny and that’s just fine with me.
Does this vicious beauty cycle ever end?
Society, of course, with its impossible high standards and photo-shopping technologies has a lot to do with this. But the real hidden danger is our own personal minds that keep us looking towards the past at all the skinny pictures of us in our bikinis during Frosh week.
There has to come a time when we embrace every white hair or every extra bit of sexy curve or wrinkle don’t you think? Otherwise, we are doomed to live a life of remorse or worse, a life where we don’t love who we are now, just as we are.
The fact remains that there will be a day when we are little old ladies shuffling down the street with our less than perfect hearing and impaired vision and nylon socks hanging down to our ankles. And when that day comes, you will want to know that you didn’t spend all that time fussing over the beauty you at this exact age!
The answer therefore is perspective. When we change the context of the conversations of our mind, we can see ourselves as we really are – beautiful!! (Yes that means you – as you are !)
As a makeup artist, women constantly ask me what they can do or what magical cream they can use to improve their skin. So, I have added a few natural beauty tips I have learned along the way that will hopefully allow you to nourish yourself as the beautiful creature that you are.
1. The White Eyeliner: Using a white eyeliner on your bottom water line is a sure way to conceal redness caused by fatigue or aging, and gives you a bright fresh eye look.
2. The Illuminator: Illuminators act as a complementary product to your base. They are used to define the arch of the brow, the cheekbones, and the bridge of the nose, and add a hint of shine and shimmer to brighten up your face.
3. Coconut Oil: Using extra- virgin coconut oil as an intense night mask does wonders for the skin, and is good for all skin types. Coconut oil is not only loaded with antioxidants, but it also keeps the skin’s connective tissues strong, softens fine lines, and is one of the best natural nutrients for your hair, giving it a shiny quality.
4. Cinnamon: One of the world’s oldest-known spices is regarded to have healing properties by many cultures. Many of its benefits derive its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant prowess. It assists in clearing the skin, weight loss, and is commonly used as a menstrual aid and a circulation booster.
5. Strawberries: Loaded with vitamin C, eating them is not only delicious, but they also help to regulate oil and acne, maintain collagen, and reduce under puffiness.
6.BioSil™: *My true little secret* BioSil™ is a dietary supplement that enhances collagen, a key nutrient for maintaining skin. It can be taken in drop form or capsules (or as directed by a health practitioner), and can be purchased at your local health food store. Helps to maintain your joints, nails and hair. Botox is not necessary, ladies!
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