Aging Gracefully

As I have moved into my forties, I have faced the beginnings of wrinkles and the sprouting of gray hair. 

When I first noticed tiny wrinkles forming in my late thirties, I panicked and bought night creme. But as I used it, I couldn't refute the evidence building up online about how anti-aging skincare products simply don't work. I don't want to pay for Botox treatments or anything else.

So, I decided to toss all those ideas out. I continued to use the night creme because it was expensive and I might as well finish it!

Since then, I have begun making my own skincare products: body wash and body butter as well as some household things like hand soap. The body wash has honey along with moisturizing oil and concentrated vegetable-based soap called Castile soap. The body butter is made with shea butter, mango butter, jojoba oil, and arrowroot powder (to soak up some of the greasiness). The body wash and body butter are gentle enough to use on my face—and no breakouts!

Basically, screw all the collagen and retinol and all the rest. I'll display my gray hair and wrinkles proudly!

My opinion is that growing old, getting wrinkles, and going gray is a gift. Not everyone gets the chance to grow old enough for those things to set in, so I will embrace them with grace and dignity.

Now, I understand that more people than not disagree with me and pursue the anti-aging skincare and procedures. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If it makes someone feel more comfortable with themselves and more confident, it's worth it. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their own skin. Embracing aging makes me feel more comfortable, but that's just me.

My philosophy when it comes to other people's choices is basically you do you as long as it's not hurting yourself or someone else.

This YouTuber, Bryony Claire, is one I very recently discovered, and this was the second video I watched of hers. It's about celebrities "aging naturally" and what that actually means.

Don't ever look at someone's highlight reel and compare it to your worst days. What you see is not day-to-day life.

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