There’s a point in life when paring back starts to feel more and more essential, especially with regards to our appearance. I am finding the desire to par back a combination of wisdom, exhaustion, economics and disinterest. Women spend hundreds of hours of time in salons, doctor’s offices and beauty supply stores. Since time is our most precious resource, at a certain age the hours, along with the energy and money shelled out trying to maintain our looks doesn’t feel well-spent. Here’s the things that, when I do them consistently, really work. I also list a few things I think that now, at age 62, are a waste of time.
Smile: I’m lucky to have never had a cavity, so a cleaning a couple of times a year is all I have to sit through. I believe in bleaching and it’s easier and cheaper than ever. Brushing with a Sonicare toothbrush has been effective. Flossing has to be non-negotiable. If I skip even a couple of days I notice gum recession and get scolded by the dentist. A great smile can transform your looks at any age.
Make-up: The older I get, the worse I look with make-up. Watery eyes smear my mascara. Eye shadow looks tragic over wrinkled lids. Foundation—even the super expensive stuff—settles into pores and crevices. The other day I looked in a mirror and was appalled by the cakey mess that was my make-up. I dipped a napkin in my coffee and scrubbed it all off in the restaurant bathroom. No make-up was 100% better than the pancake batter I’d been wearing. The thing I’m keeping is lipstick (see great smile, above).
Big-time Magnification Mirror, preferably lighted: The reason I hadn’t realized how bad my make-up looked that day was the aging lady combo of poor eyesight and poor lighting. I hadn’t bothered to check myself in my lighted magnifying mirror that morning. Use it to check the eyes for morning crustiness, the chin for errant hairs to be plucked, the teeth for spinach and other disasters so that we don’t scare the young folk.
Working out: The skin might be crepey and loose, but if the muscles underneath are strong and firm at least there is the scaffolding to hold it up for a while. But it’s not necessary to spend hours at a gym—or even buy a gym membership. Consistency using body weight, uphill walks and simple weights or kettlebells at home can give incredible results with only a couple of hours a week.
Nails: I did the gel thing for years. I spent a ton of time and money at nail salons and my nails were paper thin and so unhealthy from the process. Now I keep them super short and unpolished. I think it looks better not to draw attention with colored polish to my hands, which at this point look like a 90-year old potato farmer’s. The toes, though, are another story. I pedicure and polish my own but with the poor eyesight, the contortions I have to get into to deal with my cuticles is not sustainable and I’ll have to resort to pro pedicures fairly soon.
Sunscreen: If you are young and reading this (if I have a reader under 40, bless you!) please don’t make the mistake I did and skip the sunscreen. An ounce of prevention is worth thousands of dollars of laser resurfacing (which in my experience is not that effective, see below).
Hair: This one is controversial because I have so many friends who are in the hair biz. I love salon results but I loathe salon time. That’s why pulled back hair is my jam. Occasionally I’ll throw some dye on it. I’ve never had good hair, so I’m not too attached to it, but a lot of readers will view professional haircuts and color as essential. It’s a fight I’ve given up on.
Diet: A healthy meal plan doesn’t have to take any extra time and energy. Take all that energy spent with weight struggles or eating between three squares and spend it on chopping vegetables and preparing fresh meals. Take all that money spent in restaurants and on processed foods and the concoctions that are called coffee and spend it on organic whole foods. I think that line, “Let food be thy medicine,” is great advice. Teeth, skin, body, mood, energy—everything—is better when the diet is balanced.
Botox and stuff: Botox is my #1 favorite medical spa offering. It’s quick and effective, but it is expensive. I also have gotten tremendous results from Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) laser therapy for facial redness. As a kid I was called Rudolph because my nose was so red in the winter. IPL really helps with that. Fairly quick, fairly expensive. Laser hair removal in my 30s has saved me countless hours shaving my legs and underarms, not to mention all the time I spent staunching bleeding from razor cuts. I’ve tried so many other medical spa treatments and most things, like skin resurfacing lasers, were a complete waste of money and time, not to mention painful.
What parts of your beauty or grooming routine are essential and which have you let go? I’d love to hear your thoughts!