De-Stressing and Saging Away My Negative Energy

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Judi

“You seem to be very tense,” said my esthetician D this afternoon as she prepared to massage my upper body. “Your neck and shoulders are extremely tight. Are you stressed?” she asked.

“I’ve just arrived back from a business trip where I was attending a three day meeting and have been doing a lot of sitting,” I replied.

D put coconut oil on my face and then covered it with a Vitamin C mask. It felt so good. “Relax and calm down,” said D. She put the heating pad under my back and a bolster under my knees.

“I think I need to do some saging,” said D, “to get all the negative energy away that is swirling around you.”

“Really,” I said. “What is saging? I’ve never experienced saging before.”

D took out a dried white sage leaf, lit it and blew out the tip. She took the burning sage which had a fragrant odor and walked around my body several times to release the negative energy. “This may also help you sleep,” said D.

Dried white sage leaves can be used in saging to ward off negative energy.

I felt renewed and refreshed after I left her office. So glad I had decided to make an appointment for a facial. D always gives me sage advice about my skin and now she is saging me too. She even gave me some sage to take home in a little red bag. Now I can sage my house or myself whenever I feel negative energy.

Last week, I learned from a segment on “The Today Show” that April is National Stress Awareness Month. In addition to saging myself to increase my energy there are other things I can do (and so can you) to de-stress. Here are some tips from the NBC reporter:

Exercise can relieve stress. The reporter said that push-ups are a good exercise to build arm strength. I’ve been trying to do my yoga plank pose each morning to see how long I can stay in position. I’m up to about one to two minutes. My yoga teacher N says that Jennifer Aniston got her strong arms doing this pose.

Crying can relieve stress. I’ve been doing quite a bit of this since losing my mom last month. Sometimes I cry at night when I am missing her. I usually tell myself that it’s okay to cry. It’s part of the grieving process.

Bath salts and baths can relieve stress. Ooh, ooh, ooh – I LOVE TO TAKE baths. I mix epsom salts and lavender oil to make my own bath salts. Then I light some candles (and make sure to blow them out when I am done), lay back and relax. (Maybe I should also burn some sage just in case there is any negative energy in my bathroom?)

Swirl around in your desk chair…that’s if your desk chair swirls. Mine does. Here I go…go…go…oops I’m back!

Eat some oranges or put lemon slices in your water. Supposedly, Vitamin C can help lower cortisol levels which contribute to stress in the body. (According to writer Juniper Russo’s post on LiveStrong.com, “The “stress hormone” cortisol enables many important processes within the human body. However, during times of physical or emotional stress, cortisol levels can elevate to unsafe levels, which may lead to a variety of stress-related complications.)

Jump up and down on a big exercise ball or squeeze a stress ball in your hand. I don’t have a big exercise ball at home…will have to get one and put it in my home office near my desk.

How do you de-stress? Do share a tip or two.

Judi

P.S. – Check out The WHOA! Network!, a new website about women honoring our age from two really talented and smart boomer girls, Lynn Forbes and Darryle Pollack.

Boomer Girl Beauty Problems

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Judi

My friends at Boombox Network sent along some findings from their recent Beauty Survey that I thought I would share and provide commentary on. Their simple infographic below tells the story about the “beauty problems that bother boomer women most.”

Here’s what the beauty survey found:

And here is my commentary:

Hair color: I agree. I not only color my gray away but add highlights for extra body and fullness. I consider hair one of my most important accessories that I wear every day. It is so worth the extra cost to keep it fluffy during my life after 50. BTW, I’ve started to massage a little bit of Macadamia or Moroccan Oil on my hair and scalp after I wash it and find that the oil keeps my hair and scalp nice and moist during the dry winter months.

Skin texture: I’m lucky that my skin is clear and free of acne (most of the time). My daily skin regimen includes Murad Renewing Cleansing Cream (compliments from last summer’s Boombox blogger party) with my Clarisonic Mia skin cleansing brush (compliments from the nice Clarisonic PR lady who I met last fall at the FOF Beauty Bash) and then I top off with L’Oreal Youth Code Day Night Cream Moisturizer (which I had to purchase myself – but I like the texture), followed by my Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Foundation with SPF in the winter and Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 during the summer to protect my skin.

Uneven skin tone and aging spots: Uh yeah! Uh yeah! I have lots of aging spots. Wish I could get rid of those aging spots. My esthetician D says to stay out of the sun or be sure to use sunscreen to keep aging spots away. I don’t know if I can do that since I love my condo on the corner at the beach and plan to spend more time there this summer once I am semi-retired. I’ve tried multiple lightening creams but have not found one that really works.

Yellowing teeth: Yes, yes, yes. I drink too much tea that stains my teeth. I did try whitening my teeth a few years ago. Will have to try those new Crest Whitening Strips that I read about – perhaps they will make my teeth whiter.

Facial hair: My 91 year old mom asked my sister N to get her a small facial shaver that she saw in an infomercial the other day while watching TV. “I use one of those small facial shavers to clear my mustache before I bleach since I find that waxing irritates my skin,” I told my mom. “It works great.”

Dark circles: According to Shelley Levitt’s feature on WebMD, “With age, the skin around the eye thins, exposing the tiny blood vessels that lie just below.” To cover up dark circles I use Smashbox Camera Ready Concealer and put it on like the makeup artists suggest — “Lightly pat the concealer on from the inner corner of your eye to just past the outer corner.”

Shelley writes that dermatologist Valerie Goldburt, MD, PhD, of NYU Langone Medical Center suggests these four things to help keep your eyes looking youthful:

1. Don’t smoke, and always apply a sunscreen around the eye area.

2. Apply a moisturizer to the eye area nightly.

3. Add a prescription retinoic acid — the vitamin A cream that goes by the generic name tretinoin – to your daily skin care regimen. “It’s the single best thing you can use to prevent wrinkles and improve existing lines,”

4. To calm puffy eyes, place cold spoons, slices of cucumbers, chilled tea bags, or even a package of frozen peas under your eyes. The cool temperatures reduce swelling.

Forehead wrinkles and lines around lips: I have lots of wrinkles and lines and lines and wrinkles. That’s why when Olga from Arbo Labs contacted me to offer me a sample of their new line of ArboRX natural moisturizers and serums I said “absolutely, send samples my way and I will try them out.” Olga says that “As we age, skin loses it’s natural firmness and elasticity, and new skin cells take longer to regenerate. Mature skin needs more specialized skin care products to address dull and uneven tone, fine lines and wrinkles, and dry complexion.” I just put the new ArboRX serum, moisturizer and emulsion on my face last night. Haven’t seen any wrinkles disappear yet, but it is too early to tell…will let you know in a future beauty post. However, you know, you know, you know…this boomer girl will try anything that promises to get rid of her wrinkles, even if it is only one or two lines.

So what beauty problems bother you during your life after 50? Do you have any beauty products you especially like or beauty secrets to share? Do tell. Do tell.

Judi

P.S. – Thanks to all my readers who left comments on my Valentine’s Day blog post. Congrats to Allison, who is the winner of the Valentine’s Day raffle prize of a box of Godiva Dark Chocolate.

P.S. Please take time out to vote for your favorite boomer blogger. Tell your friends to vote too. My blog is a finalist for SeniorHomes.com Best Senior Living Award for ‘best boomer resources.’ Click here to vote. Deadline is February 18th.

It’s Fabulous To Be Over 50

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Judi

After attending the FOF Beauty Bash (with a complimentary press pass for Judi Boomer Girl to check out all the new news to share with her readers) on Saturday in NYC, I decided it is definitely “fabulous to be over 50.” As Geri, the founder of faboverfifty.com who sponsored the event, says, “What’s more important to a FOF woman (besides her family and friends) than her health and beauty? We’re not a complacent generation that accepts wrinkles, circles, sags and spots lying down. We want to feel good inside and look good outside and we’re determined not to let a number define whom we are.”

My friend N and I had a fun day trying out all the beauty products and meeting many other fab over fifty women. N had a non-evasive facial treatment from one of the many dermatology and plastic surgeon teams in attendance while I sampled the Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System. The nice esthetician cleaned my face in about a minute. It felt so good that she let the brush spin an extra minute. Then she used the Clarisonic Opal, a palm-sized sonic infusion device specifically designed to work serum deep into the skin around my eyes. I really, really liked these products, but they are expensive. The Cleansing System costs about $119 and the Opal is about $185. However, together they are much cheaper than going to a plastic surgeon. (Not that I would ever let a plastic surgeon touch my face or any other part of my body. No, no, no.)

Karmen was the makeup artist who did my Lancome makeover

Next N and I had our makeup done by a FUF (fabulous under fifty) makeup artist named Karmen. Karmen used some of the new Lancome fall makeup colors to give us a contemporary, but natural look. She said it is important to use a foundation in the winter when skin is more sensitive, but for summer it is okay to just use a tinted moisturizer. “Make sure the moisturizer is the right color for your face, not too dark or it may streak throughout the day,” Karmen said. I especially liked the new eyeshadow collection in Emerald Boudoir and the coral lipstick in Rouge in Love. Ooh,ooh,ooh, I loved the Coral Rush Juicy Tubes lipgloss too. (Let’s see these products total $49 + $25 + $18…wow-o-wow…that’s almost $100. Ouch and that doesn’t include the foundation, the mascara, the blush, the bronzer. Why does it cost so much to make my face look like a piece of art?)

I met Essie, with her beautiful long gray hair, who created Essie nail polish.

“For $23 you can get the Makeup Wakeup Revitalizing Your Look At Any Age Book including a Lancome eyeshadow collection, two eyeliners and a special eyeliner brush,” said the beauty rep at the next booth. Did I go home with that package? Absolutely and I’ve been trying to recreate Karmen’s magic every day since. (Oh, Karmen, I wish you could do my makeup each morning. Please, please, please.)

Our final stop of the day was the nail station, where we met the real Essie who created Essie nail polish. She was so friendly and chatted with us while we waited in line to get our nails done by the ladies from the Feline Day Spa. N and I both chose “Don’t Sweater It,” a warm, cozy and creamy mauve. Essie also has a pretty pink collection to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Note: My mammogram is scheduled for later this month. Have you scheduled your’s?)

Scrumptious cookies from City Bakery

N and I ended the day with lunch at The City Bakery, a cafeteria-style restaurant at 3 West 18th Street. We enjoyed some interesting dishes including Green Pea Crusted Tofu with Wasabi Dressing, Cornbread Crusted Catfish and Cabbage & Chickpeas with Black Onion & Coriander. It was a yummy spot that I definitely plan to return to on another visit to NYC. They also had the best looking big chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies and we had to share one with a delicious cup of coffee.

Judi

A Few Events For Boomer Girls

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Judi

The summer is over, but the fun still continues with several events I thought you might find of interest. Some of the events are for readers from the Northeast who may be in the area and others are virtual. Check out the fine print, as there is a special discount especially for my blog readers:

Events:

A Live Chat With Aerin Lauder: This live chat is coming up tomorrow, Wednesday, September 5th, so sign up today. Aerin is Estee’s granddaughter and is introducing a new cosmetics collection. The beauty insiders at Who What Wear will be sitting down with Aerin for a Facebook live chat at 12PM EST. Those who RSVP for the exclusive event here will be able to submit any beauty questions they’d like Aerin to answer, during which they’ll also be able to shop her debut collection. You can send in questions for Aerin via Twitter using the hashtag #wwwchat. (I signed up and asked Aerin what her beauty tips are for women 50+. Will let you know what she says, if she answers me.)

The Transition Network Philadelphia Chapter will be having an introductory event on Tuesday evening, September 11th, at Estia Restaurant in Philadelphia, PA. TTN has been described as a “groundbreaking organization focused on women over 50 and the various transitions they face at this stage of life.” To register for this free event and meet the women of this local TTN Chapter go to their site. I signed up and hope to meet this talented group of women. Will you join me?

Enjoy and I hope to see you in person sometime soon.

Judi

Ageless Beauty Tips From The Late Helen Gurley Brown

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Judi

I ordered a copy of “The Late Show – A Semiwild but Practical Survival Plan for Women Over 50″ in tribute to the late Helen Gurley Brown, who passed away this month. I am raffling off the book to one of my lucky readers (see below), but before I do I wanted to read some of Helen’s words of wisdom. I figured since she lived to 90 and was the editor of Cosmopolitan for umpteen years, I could learn a thing or two about graceful aging from this all-time queen of beauty.

Oh, dear Helen of Cosmo, fairest one of all, what can a boomer girl do to continue to look beautiful during her life after 50?

- Mirrors: On the subject of mirrors, Helen says, “you have to treat them like alligators: Don’t surprise them.” She says that “you should have two types of mirrors at home – a friendly to stay cheerful with mirror and a brightly lit magnifying mirror for putting on makeup. After you finish with the magnifying mirror and look in an ordinary-size one, you look tiny and great.” (Wow, I already practice these tips. I do have a magnifying mirror that I use for my makeup and I do have a very large mirror that I look in afterwards.)

- Makeup: Helen says that “foundation, eyeliner, lip pencil and blush are almost as fundamental as teeth.” She says that “this is not the time to hang up our brushes and look as bare as Mother H.’s cupboard.” (I do use eyeliner and blush. But, Helen, I stopped using a foundation all the time and instead have started using a tinted moisturizer with SPF. You wrote this book in 1993, likely before there were tinted moisturizers on the market, so I hope I’m still okay.)

Skin: Helen advises to “cleanse and moisturize with a Retin-A formula for night-time.” (My dermatologist recommends the same. Uh oh, I ran out of my ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum, better get back to Ulta and buy some more soon.)

Hair: I read Helen’s tips for Skimpy Hair, as I do have thinning hair, especially around my forehead. Helen recommends shampooing three times a week. She says that “a tiny buildup of debris” makes hair fluffier. She also encourages boomer girls to blow dry their hair instead of air drying. And Helen encourages to never, ever brush thin hair. (Helen, I am going to throw out my hairbrushes right now.)

Cosmetic Surgery: Helen says that “between 40 and 55 is the ideal age for a face lift.” She says that “many women have nose jobs in their 50′s too.” (Ooh, I’m inching up on the top part of that age group. I’m too scared to have any facelift, but I’ve always disliked my nose. Ooh, ooh, ooh, dare I get a nose job? No, no, no.)

Some of Helen’s famous friends shared their beauty advice in the book too:

Lauren Hutton says: “Always sleep on your back. Wrinkles melt right down.” (I’ve always slept on my back, so why do I have so many wrinkles on my face?)

Ali MacGraw takes “10 minutes a day to meditate with crushed green papaya on her face.” (Hmm, hmm, and who recently wrote a blog post about the benefits of papaya? That would be moi. Be sure to read my papaya post if you haven’t already.)

Gloria Vanderbilt “drinks water all day long to keep her weight down.” (Know wonder she is so skinny. Where is my water bottle?)

Phyllis McGuire suggests boomer girls “put warm wet tea bags on their eyes for puffiness.” (Should I use my chamomile tea bags? Will they make my eyes sleepy too?)

Betsy Bloomingdale advises “to never leave home without mascara.” (I use my Cover Girl Mascara everyday, except on the weekends when I’m lazy.)

Dina Merrill’s beauty tip is the best. Dina says “my beauty secret is to fall in love! I truly believe if you love someone and are happy in all aspects of your life – work, friends, health – you look and feel younger.” Of course Helen had a quip for this one, she said “you have to forgive anybody in love for giving slightly cliche, touching recommendations.” However, Helen wanted to know if Dina’s beau had a brother?

Dear Helen, thanks for all the ageless beauty tips for women over 50. I’m sure heaven is a more beautiful place now that you’re there.

Judi

The Beauty Benefits of Papaya

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Judi

“What is that mixture you are putting on my face?” I asked my esthetician D as she slathered on a smooth mask during my facial last week.

“It’s a papaya and yogurt mask,” said D. “The healing enzymes in papaya help exfoliate the dead skin and the yogurt is soothing. A good anti-aging remedy.”

According to D, papaya is a wonderful fruit with many benefits. “Papaya helps with digestion too,” said D. “It’s good to eat papaya after a heavy protein meal.” (I was eager to learn about this benefit, even though my gastroenterologist did tell me that I have a beautiful stomach after he looked down my tummy during my endoscopy last week.) I’ve had irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn during my life after 50, so anything that will help with these issues is a positive attribute.

Dr. Cari Case, a chiropractor from Pennsylvania, writes on her For A Healthy Future blog that “Papaya is rich in many vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants including vitamin C, folate, potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, carotenes, flavonoids, B vitamins, magnesium and pantothenic acid.” Dr. Case says that “the carotenoids, antioxidants and vitamins in papaya can help keep your eyes healthy. In fact, they may also reduce the risk of macular degeneration, an age-related condition resulting in loss of vision.”

Papaya Chunks and Yogurt For My At-Home Facial

After my facial I drove right over to Whole Foods Market to buy some cut up papaya and plain yogurt. D said to keep the papaya in the freezer and defrost a few chunks before eating or using on my face. To make an at-home facial, D said all I have to do is mash up the papaya, mix it with some yogurt, put it on my face, lie down for 20 minutes and let it soak in and then wash it off. I haven’t tried this anti-aging remedy on my own yet, but will let you all know how I do when I do use it.

With my homemade cider vinegar toner and now my at-home papaya facials, I am going to have such fruity and fragrant skin during my life after 50. Ooh, ooh, ooh, but I’ll need to stock up on plenty of papayas to also maintain my fabulous looking and hopefully fabulous feeling stomach.

I wonder with my green thumb if I can grow a papaya tree in my backyard? Let’s see what it says about growing papayas? Ooh,ooh,ooh, I found a website that explains how to grow papaya from seed. It says it is easy to do. Let me just read down a little bit. Yes, yes, yes, I think I can do it. Yes, yes, yes. I think I can do it.

Uh oh! Oh no! The Tropical Permaculture website says “To grow good papayas you need a frost free climate.” With global warming, maybe when I’m in my 80s I’ll be able to grow papayas in the Northeast. Meantime, guess I’ll be purchasing my papaya chunks at the market.

Judi

P.S. – Be sure to participate in my new promo before September 15th. If you leave a comment on my blog at aboomerslifeafter50.com, sign up to receive my blog via email, like me on Facebook @Judi Boomer Girl or follow me on Twitter @judiboomergirl, you will be entered into a random raffle to win a collectible copy of “The Late Show: A Semiwild but Practical Survival Plan for Women Over 50″ by the late Helen Gurley Brown. As you know, sadly Helen Gurley Brown recently passed away at the age of 90. According to the New York Times obit, in Ms. Brown’s advice book for women over 50, she suggests that “as women age and the supply of available men dwindles, they should simply appropriate their friends’ husbands for jaunty recreational sex.”

JudiBoomergirl’s Raves and Reviews

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Judi

Hi, all you boomer girls. I thought I would start a new Raves and Reviews blog post to curate some of the boomer girl reads of the week on topics that you have told me you find of interest – beauty, fashion, health and wellness (physical and financial) and most of all, fun! Some of these stories will be from books, magazines, newspapers, (you know I am an avid NY Times subscriber), television shows, or social media that I have stumbled upon. Or, trend-setting information that friends and readers have shared with me. I’ll bring these blog posts to you from time to time. I’ll aim to do it weekly, but don’t want to over commit.

Let me know what you think of these features. Do they spur you to think differently? Do you have a thought you would like to share with other boomer girls? Do you have a boomer girl trending topic you would like to share? If so, please leave a comment.

Here’s what I have for you this week:

Retirement: How do you feel about retirement? “According to Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economics at the New School for Social Research, “Very few people have the money they need for old age, and it’s not their fault.” Read her piece from the NY Times Sunday Week in Review at “Our Ridiculous Approach to Retirement.”
Fashion: Do you dream of starting a business during the prime of your life? Read about Diane Gilman who has had success selling her jeans to baby boomers on HSN. (Go Diane! I’ll have to check you out on HSN.) Here’s Diane’s story on “Selling Fashion With Couch Appeal.”
Beauty: Coming up on Monday, July 30th at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO, be sure to watch (or DVR like I now mastered thanks to my son D) the new documentary on “About Face:The Supermodels, Then and Now.” I loved the quotes from some of the boomer girl models who will be showcased. Listen up: “When you get older you build something else in your core, which goes beyond the physical, because it has to,” says Marisa Berenson. Or as Jerry Hall puts it, “Of course it’s no fun getting old or sick and dying. We all know that is coming and it’s a bore. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to age. When I turned 50, I felt a sense of achievement.” (I so agree with Jerry and Marisa. I’m still strengthening my core every day. Plus, I felt a sense of achievement when I turned 50 and I feel even more accomplishments are on the horizon.)

Enjoy!

Judi

P.S. – Calling all boomer girls…this blog is my newly updated site. I hope you like it. As part of the relaunch, anyone who signs up to receive my posts via email or leaves a comment on any blog post during the month of July, or sends a note to me with feedback about my newly designed blog, will be entered into a raffle for a copy of “I Remember Nothing And Other Reflections” in remembrance of the late writer Nora Ephron. I just received the book in the mail and it is so wonderful that I am going to order another copy for myself.(Note: To leave a comment on a post you can click the little bubble near the title of the post.)

Forever Wrinkle Free

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Judi

“What about Retin-A for wrinkles?” I asked my dermatologist, as she removed the four stitches from the spot of pre-melanoma that she had taken off my back a week earlier. “Before you try a prescription medication like Retin-A or Renova for your wrinkles,” said Dr. W, “I would suggest you try a milder form in an over-the-counter version. Some people are sensitive to Retin-A and you have to stay out of the sun when you use these products. I like the RoC line with retinol. Why don’t you try it as a night cream?”

Off I went to Ulta, the beauty supply store, to buy my new wrinkle cream. I purchased the RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum. (There were so many products in the skincare aisle that I likely added a wrinkle or two to my face just squinting to read all the fine lines of copy on each package.)

According to the RoC website, RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum will help me “get up to 10 years back to the look of my skin.” (Ooh, ooh, ooh, will I look like I am 44 instead of 54 after 12 weeks of using this serum? Ooh, ooh, ooh, I hope so!)

After washing my face, dabbing it with diluted cider vinegar, and putting on my RoC retinol serum (it does have a bit of an odd odor to it, but the odor dissipates quickly), I climbed into bed and opened up the March issue of InStyle magazine to learn more about “turning back the clock on aging” from Dr. Fredric Brandt. According to In Style, Dr. Brandt is the celebrity go-to guy for nonsurgical facelifts and so-called Baron of Botox. Here are Dr. Brandt’s tips:

1. Dr. Brandt recommends wearing at least a teaspoonful of sunscreen on your face every day. He says “protecting your skin from the sun lets the repair enzymes shift from defending skin to healing it.” (I agree and have been using SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 on my face instead of foundation. My esthetician D suggested this UVA/UVB sunscreen fluid which is water and sweat resistant. I also like that it is tinted, so I don’t have to use foundation.)

2. Dr. Brandt say to exfoliate just once a week with an at-home microderm system or peel. Dr. Brandt says that if you exfoliate too often you won’t be able to use other anti-aging products, like retinol. (Ooh, ooh, ooh, I want to use my RoC retinol serum, so I better listen to Dr. Brandt. I only exfoliate when I go for a facial, which has been about once every few months. I will have to do some research on at-home exfoliates or just make more appointments with my esthetician D.)

3. Dr. Brandt says women spend too much time focusing on tiny fine lines that don’t have a big impact on their appearance. He says that “it’s the changes in the shape of your face – sunken cheeks, undereye hollowing – that really show your age.” (Sorry Dr. Brandt, but as of now I am not going under the needle with a filler to plump up my face. Nope – no Restylane for me – not yet – I am too afraid of using any fillers.)

4. Dr. Brandt says that the redness and itching that many people feel when they first add vitamin A-based creams to their regimen are “all part of the acclimation process.” To see results, he says you have to persist. (I hear you Dr. Brandt. I will be persistent. I will rock the RoC retinol serum for the next several weeks.)

5. Dr. Brandt says that the older you get, the less foundation you need. He says that “base tends to settle into wrinkles and lines , which makes skin look duller.” He says to apply a light weight tinted moisturizer instead of a heavy foundation. (I agree and that’s exactly why I switched from foundation to a tinted sunscreen fluid. I feel guilty that I stopped using my Bobbi Brown foundation – so sorry Bobbi I love your makeup book called Living Beauty, plus your name ends in an “i,” just like mine.)

6. Dr. Brandt says that “if you don’t protect your neck now with SPF, prepare to be covering up in your 50s.” (What? Am I going to have to wear turtlenecks for the rest of my life? I really don’t like the way turtlenecks look on my body. They do not flatter my face or neck at all.) Wait a minute – Dr. Brandt says that I should not worry. He says that I should be proactive and use cream below my chin, but be careful. So glad I read this article because Dr. Brandt says that “the skin on the neck is more sensitive and that I should use retinol on this “fragile area no more than two or three times a week.” (Thank you Dr. Brandt for this important information. I just went out and bought L’oreal Age Perfect cream to put on my neck four to five nights a week when I am not using my retinol serum.)

This is really starting to get very complicated. With my menopausal memory, I know I am going to become confused. I better mark up a calendar just for my wrinkle creams and tape it to my bathroom mirror so I can coordinate my regimen. I do want my face and neck to stay forever wrinkle free during my 50+ years. I definitely don’t want to have to wear turtlenecks the rest of my life.

Judi

To The Hips, To The Hips

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Judi

Everything I eat seems to be going to my hips. Ah yes, and to my stomach too. Perhaps my middle age middle is acting up again.

No matter what I do. No matter what I eat. (Okay, I have been eating too much dark chocolate. My boyfriend L really likes dark chocolate, so what’s a boomer girl to do? Not eat it? Isn’t dark chocolate good for me?) No matter how much I exercise. (Okay, I haven’t been exercising enough. I really do need to do more aerobics. I love my gentle yoga class. Maybe I need to start doing more fast-paced vinyasa flow workouts.)

I’ve only gained a pound or two, yet my clothes just don’t seem to fit me like they used to anymore. My pants are tighter and my waist feels like a ball of rising bread dough that I wish I could punch down into a flat loaf. Some days I feel like singing Beyonce’s song “to the left, to the left,” only with different words “to the hips, to the hips…

“Mmmm to the hips
Everything is down in a box on the hips”

This morning I was catching up on the February issue of MORE magazine while on my stationary bicycle (trying to get those jiggles on my hips moving). I enjoyed reading psychologist Vivian Diller’s article on “HowTo Let Go Of Wanting to Look Young. I wonder if that is my problem. My youthful figure is fading away. Vivian used to be a dancer in her 20s and is now 58. She is the author of “Face It: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks Change.”

According to Vivian, “it’s okay to cry but then move forward.” Here are her steps to help:

1. Face Your Uh-Oh Moment Head On: Acknowledge that your appearance is changing. (I have.) Dig deep to discover what feeling this elicits beyond fear of losing your looks. Being honest about what you are truly scared of will help you face the transition with more confidence. (Thank you Vivian, I have done this and it’s all in the hips. My fear is that my pear shape is becoming more of a Bartlett. I must learn to love my body just the way it is during my life after 50.)

2. Listen To Your Internal Dialogue: Pay attention to what you tell yourself when you look in the mirror. (Vivian, you are right. I am over critical of my wrinkles and dark spots on my face. I am overly sensitive about my stomach rolls and my expanding hips. I will rewrite my dialogue and be easier on myself.)

3. Learn To Appreciate Your Appearance Today: Vivian says I should fast-forward 20 years and imagine seeing a photo of what I look like right now. She says I’ll probably think I look pretty great and might regret that I didn’t enjoy my appearance more when I had the opportunity. (Yes, Vivian, I’m going to change my tune. Thank you. Thank you.)

4. Make Some Healthy Changes: Instead of clinging to the past or trying to recapture the look I had, I should make positive changes that will help me feel attractive right now. (Hmmm, hmmm, maybe I should go back to Macy’s and buy The Ultimate Push Up Bra by Maidenform which says it works like magic and adds two cup sizes right before my very eyes! I’m sure that will help me feel more attractive right now and also may turn my pear shape into a more hour-glass 50-plus figure.)

Uh, oh…I didn’t finish reading the last step, Vivian really said to make some healthy changes. Okay, okay, I will do that too. I will try to do more exercise too. Thanks for all your great advice.

Judi

How To Get More Beauty Sleep

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Judi

After nights of not sleeping, I finally took myself to the sleep doctor this morning. I had made an appointment more than a month ago. Dr. A’s schedule was booked, booked, booked. So many people have sleep issues these days.

My appointment was very prompt. No long wait in the waiting room. (Guess they don’t want insomniacs to fall asleep while they wait.)

I filled out a simple sleep survey. I answered “rarely” to most of the questions. For example, I “rarely” fall asleep when I watch television. (My son D disagreed when I told him about my answer. “Mom, give me a break, you frequently fall asleep when you’re watching television,” said D. “I always have to wake you up when your show comes back on after a commercial.”) I “rarely” fall asleep when I lie down to take an afternoon nap. (My boyfriend L, on the other hand, frequently falls asleep when he takes weekend naps.)

After my survey, it was time to meet Dr. A. He was very alert, likely he had had a good night’s sleep. I bet he knows all the tricks, I thought. I was eager to have him share his sleep secrets with me.

“When did you start having sleep problems?” asked Dr. A.

“Peri and meno, peri and meno,” that’s all I had to say plus, “shortly before my fiftieth birthday and ever after. ”I used to be a great sleeper when I was in my twenties. I would put my head on the pillow and kaboom, I was out for the count. Not now. Not during my life after 50. No, no, no.”

Dr. A asked a few more questions. He wanted to know if I was depressed. “No.” He wanted to know if I had restless legs. “No.” He wanted to know if I had any extreme pain in my back or neck or other parts of my body. “No.” He wanted to know if I stopped breathing during sleep. “No sleep apnea.”

Then Dr. A said the magic words, “It’s all about sleep hygiene. You have to take a cognitive approach. There are no magic cures or perfect drugs.”

So what’s a 50 year old boomer girl to do? How can I get more beauty sleep?

Want to know Dr. A’s tips? Do ya? Do ya? Okay, here goes:

* “Don’t go to bed until you are really tired, even if it is late at night or early morning.” (While I always thought I should aim for an early bedtime, I was pleased to learn that it doesn’t matter if I go to bed at 11:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m., as long as I am tired.)

* “If you haven’t fallen asleep within 30 – 60 minutes, get out of bed and do something else. Read a book, watch television or even have a light snack. Bed is only for sleep and sex, not lying awake at night and counting sheep.” (Ooh, ooh, ooh, Dr. A. I will no longer lie in bed for hours and hours. Maybe I will move a big comfy chair into my bedroom and put a floor lamp nearby so I can read in a chair instead of in bed. I can also watch television in my big comfy chair. Yes, that is exactly what I am going to do. Soon, soon, soon. As soon as I find a pretty blue accent chair to match my pretty blue accent wall. I’m charging my Kindle for future sleepless nights.)

* “Take Ambien if you haven’t slept in several nights. Take it 30 minutes before you are going to bed.” (I don’t like to take Ambien too often, but I do take it occasionally when I really, really need it.)

* “Make sure to exercise. And try wake at the same time every day.” (I do use my stationary bicycle each morning. I do yoga and mindfulness meditation a few times a week. Lift my weights on the weekend. I walk too. Okay, okay, I really should walk more often. As for timely sleep, can I not sleep in on the weekend? Oh, please. Pretty please!)

* “Stay off the computer before bedtime.” (That means no blogging before bed. Uh, oh. No. No.)

That means I have to sign off soon. I need time away from my computer to decompress and relax before bedtime. I may never get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night – four or five may be the best for me. Dr. A said that’s okay.

I promised to maintain a sleep diary for two weeks and will be back to report to Dr. A in late February.

Sleeping Beauty Judi