Accessories
There’s an
old saying; “clothes make the man”. And
if that is true of men, then perhaps accessories make the woman. Accessories, frills, embellishments; all the
things that deck out a woman. Some women
carry fancy bags, some wear elaborate hair trappings. And some, like me, try to hide the effects of
aging with make-up. I read an essay by a
woman who never wore make-up until she was 50.
As the lines in her face deepened, she hearkened to her niece who was a
make-up artist. When she saw the difference
in her face, she became a convert. She
observed, rightly, that older women don’t need more make-up, just more
coverage. If you want proof, just
compare Tammy Faye Bakker to Christie Brinkley.
The writer also remarked that none of us will ever look 25 again, but at
least we can keep people guessing. Not
all make-up is created equal, though and I present some examples below.
I recently
bought a popular brand of make-up, “Physician’s Formula”, that promised to make
me look ten years younger. Who could
resist that? Certainly not me. I bought the brand and when I got home, I
locked myself in the bathroom, make-up brushes at the ready. I dotted on concealer and then slathered the
foundation on top. I don’t look ten
years younger! I look like a kabuki
doll! My face looks pasty and sick. The wrinkles and pores are more prominent
than before and the concealer didn’t conceal anything. The powder sits on my face like dust on the
refrigerator. The physician who
developed this should have his license revoke.
Talk about false advertising!
Throw this one in the trash.
In my quest
to find the perfect make-up, I decided to try “Maybelline”. Here is another example of false
advertising. Now, “Maybelline” has been
around a long time. I have tried their
popular mascara, “Great Las” a couple of times, thinking that there must be
something wrong with me that my lashes don’t look great like the advertisement
promised. But each time I use it, they
remain mediocre. But I have great hopes
for the foundation, though. This make-up
is called “FIT ME” and is advertised as being light on your skin. It is not supposed to settle in the wrinkles
and crevices that make up my face. It is
supposed to be a perfect “fit” for my skin.
I apply it carefully with a make-up brush and scrutinize my face in the
mirror. Ack! I have jaundice! No, but I have a distinct yellow cast to my
skin. And the wrinkles and pores are
clearly defined. The make-up sets on my
skin like a layer of icing. I try to rub
it into my skin, but there it sets. And
now my palms are covered. I don’t have
time to remove it, so all the way into work, I try to rub it in so it won’t be
noticeable, but to no avail. Another
thud in the can.
Now,
normally, I use a line of product by a company called “L’Oreal”. Their claims aren’t too spectacular, “because
you’re worth it”. A little pricey, but
it does the job. You might ask why I try
other brands if I have a product I am comfortable with. Vanity, pure vanity. “L’Oreal is a good brand. I use the mousse make-up. It is really light, not greasy and although
it doesn’t cover all my wrinkles, it doesn’t claim it will. It gives good coverage to the redness on my
skin and covers the pores pretty well. I
think it is as close to perfect as I will get.
There are
many types of foundation out there, all with their own claims to skin
perfection. And as I get older, I look
in the mirror and sometimes don’t recognize the face looking back at me. Can you blame me for wanting to preserve a
little of the girl I use to know? But as
I said earlier, no one will ever mistake me for 25 again. And I don’t think I want to be. But when I put on my make-up and look in the
mirror, I want to feel attractive and not repulse too many people. And when my husband tells me I am more
beautiful than when we first married, I know I’ve succeeded.
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