Thursday, March 11, 2010

Fighting the Signs of Aging and Losing the Battle

The thing about me is this...I'm vain. I'm very concerned with how I look and the depth of that concern varies from situation to situation. If I have a new outfit, fresh haircut and color, or something as simple as a manicure or a brow wax; it makes it that much easier to get out of bed in the morning. I'm working on this illness. Sort of. Not really. Whatever. I've kind of always been this way. Like the time in my early twenties when I broke down and bought myself a new car -then promptly went to the mall and put myself in debt buying new clothes to go with it. I mean, wtf? Who does that?

Unless I'm going to work out, I rarely leave the house without putting myself together. The problem I'm finding lately is: my face. It is aging. And the progression seems to speed up with each passing month. I'm pretty sure my youthful appearance peaked in 2006. And I've been on a downward spiral ever since. It has got to the point, no matter how much of any age defying product I slather on my face, that this practice is becoming a costly exercise in fail. It does nothing except give me hope that eventually something might work. And I've come to the realization that I've reached a crossroads. Where crossroads equals I'm going to have to start paying dearly to get my face back. I've been thinking...drumroll....Botox. Now before you all lose your freaking minds at that last statement, let's weigh the pros and cons.

Pro: one of my close girlfriends recently invested in a Botox/Resylane combo. She looked amazing! It was like someone turned her clock back five years and unless she told you; you'd never know. So I high-fived her and then followed it up with a secret hand shake-fist-chest bump combo. Then she told me...

Con: It cost FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS and only lasts THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.

And that was the end for me. It's simply not in the budget for me to drop five hundred bones every three months into my face. I'd rather have new floors in the house. Or a new stove. Or a trip to France. Perhaps I'll try to work in a more affordable bi-weekly facial so that I can have flawless non-existent pores like a certain blogger who shall remain Bossy.

14 comments:

Martie said...

I am 41. Two years ago I was hot. Then I remarried a man with 4 kids (I have 4 also) Now I look 65. If I want to look younger I have to get rid of kids...and have my puppet lines removed from around my mouth. Oh! and moisturize.

Anonymous said...

Botox tempts me only because I have a short forehead and one long uniwrinkle that stretches across the length of it. But that's a lotta ching for one wrinkle. Like you, I prefer a vacation to France.

Michele R said...

And what happened to that Loreal face cream you posted about a while back? I loved it too and now it is nowhere.
I swear if I were single I'd be looking into these dermo visits. But folks like Nicole Kidman are really scary.

Suburban Correspondent said...

Age gracefully, sweetheart. I can always tell a Botox job. There's something frightening about a 50-year-old woman who looks 30. The phrase "death mask" comes to mind.

That said, I am so hating my forehead wrinkles right now.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

You need to accept that it is now about "looking good for your age." Which is as it should be. And which you undoubtedly do.

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

Aging. My least favourite word. My face is sagging, I'm looking older by the day, and IT SUCKS. I hear ya.

poosemommy said...

Age gracefully! Look at Joan Rivers, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, even Dolly Parton (don't tell me you haven't noticed how much she's changed over 25 years!)
Botox is the start of a slippery slope. Most of us are uncomfortable in our skin at some point for some reason. If you can't fix it with diet, exercise, sunscreen or concealer stick then get used to it. And maybe some Clairol for the greys ;)
That being said, it is so unfair that men get to be "distinguished" while we just get old.
personally I'm planning on hanging onto about 15 of the pounds I gained during pregnancy to keep the wrinkles at bay (assumming I can ever lose the other 35!)

poosemommy said...

I should have pointed out that Joan Rivers, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Dolly Parton are examples of graceful aging FAILs!

dkuroiwa said...

Botox makes you look 5 years younger? hmmm...I don't think that's enough because 5 years ago is when this all pretty much really got going!!
The majority of my students are over the age of 50, so being around them everyday has helped me put this all in perspective....they have absolutely no sympathy and seriously? I think they may laugh at me and my forehead and crowsfeet!!

JoeinVegas said...

I think you're gorgeous the way you are. I'll take you to France, but go for the floors, so you can look at them and be happy.

Martha@A Sense of Humor is Essential said...

Plastic surgery makes people look weird. Use sunblock, a smile, and good posture and you are Totally Rocking It!!

Anonymous said...

Just ingest Collagen. That's why you're getting the wrinkles...your body is naturally losing it.

BabyFavorite said...

I so feel your pain. I'm 42. The last year or so, I have gone downhill. It's not even wrinkles, per se (I have few), it's just a general DRAB look to my face. There's no shine, no sparkle, no youthfulness. I am having a very hard time coping!

P.S. I would totally buy new clothes to go w/a new car. In fact, in two years when I'm due for a trade-in? Totally will plan a new wardrobe at that time!

Half Assed Kitchen said...

I'm very cosmetically inclined too. So much so that I've had two nose jobs. But I'm going to hold off on the botox as long as I can.