Several years ago, I fell asleep on the sofa only to be awakened by the sound of the QVC home shopping network, every light in the house turned on, and Mama flailing her arms in the air. I wasn’t dreaming.
Mama had decided that midnight would be the best time to lift tomato soup cans left to right, up and down, in a mad quest to “stay young.” You have to admire the impulse, if not the execution. I believe the night ended with her tiring after only a few repetitions, but she had soup and crackers while scribbling down the item numbers of things we wanted to purchase — pajama jeans, scented soaps, collapsible garden hoses.
As any serious shopper would do, we also had to consider the “today’s values” purchase options, wouldn’t want to miss a real deal. We tried to be considerate by using the “easy pay” option (my daddy would say, “easy for who?”), but we had a ball, all while giving each other mud clay mask facials. The thing Mama and most women have in common is the wish to grab youth by the horns, wrestle it to the ground, and not ever let it get away. Well, I learned a few things from her about turning back the hands of time, and I’ll share them.
First, she was never without three things: hand cream, lipstick and perfume. The hands are often forgotten, but can be a sure giveaway of one’s age. Indulge with a hand cream that moisturizes dry hands while reversing visible signs of sun exposure and concealing your number of birthdays. Nobody except you needs to know that, right? The one I can’t live without is Absolue Hand by Lancome with broad spectrum SPF 15, and it’s worth every penny.
Lipstick always made Mama feel like a million bucks, and I can still see her painting on several coats of a bright color, blotting and making faces at herself in the mirror. Put on some lips for instant anti-aging. A favorite salon patron once said to me, “The older the barn, the brighter the paint.” Well, I would never call anyone an old barn, but I don’t mind repeating what I heard. And last, even if it doesn’t make you appear younger, fragrance lifts your spirits, and nothing is more youthful and vibrant than a woman smiling about a scent she adores.
Botox, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing might be in your arsenal, but don’t forget the simple tricks for fooling Mother Nature such as a warm, golden foundation, an illuminating concealer in the corners of your eyes, freshly manicured nails, and hair color in a shade that is extraordinarily and appropriately you.
Mama was at her most joy-filled when parked at a makeup counter or settling into her regular seat at the nail shop, and, oh, how she twirled with her blonde shag. So, don’t cry about your age, laugh at it … and if it helps, grab some tomato soup cans and start lifting!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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