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Forever Young



Looking at the blurb for my new Lacura WrinkleStop from Aldi, I see that its active ingredient has been ‘proven to help
• Reduce forehead wrinkles by 52%
• Reduce crow’s feet by 24%
• Restrict 82% of wrinkle muscle activity’

That’s quite a claim, isn’t it? Frankly, after years when my face looked like a lunar landscape thanks to the joys of acne, these days I’m just grateful to see a fairly blemish-free skin. Part of me wants to believe that the wonder cream’s making everything looking a bit smoother and tidier, but, hey, there’s also a lot of ‘aqua’ and ‘glycerin’ in the stuff, too. Besides, I could tamper with my skin as much as I like (and I don’t), but I’ve only got to stand next to my beautiful daughters to see the difference. Ma has wonderful skin, so the chances are there are some helpful genes in the mix, but my dad died far too young of cancer, so it’s not all good news.

My dad was a carpenter. ‘You can’t get age from a tin, Miss Chris,’ he’d say when rubbing his hands over fresh timber. None of those ‘antique’ finishes was a substitute for a lifetime of ageing, the knocks, bumps, the patina of years. We should value our ageing faces in the same way, but we don’t. I’ll take happiness and health first every time, but if the Aldi wrinkle cream does what it says, I’m superficial enough not to complain.

Comments

Maggie Christie said…
Of course Prof Regan on Beeb Two last night showed that people don't judge age by wrinkles, it's the hairstyle that counts. Your Dad's probably right, and from what I've seen you've inherited Ma's wrinkle-free genes. I think botox-ed faces are downright spooky. I agree with the thing about comparing one's skin with one's daughters. I look at H and R and then at me and weep. Sigh.
But Maurice Chevalier said: "I prefer old age to the alternative." Me too.
Pipany said…
I saw the hairstyle thing last night too and I truly believe a decent hair cut would make so much difference. Of course, one hiding the wrinkles would be excellent! x
Milla said…
bring it on, I say. All this growing old gracefully is all very well, until it starts happening when you shriek against the dying. But not botox, no. And where DO these people get these bizarre percentages from? 28% this and 43% that. Ridiculous surely?
pinkfairygran said…
I don't think anyone who has had to undergo surgery through no fault of their own, would willingly put themselves through the plastic variety, and all it's attendant fears these days of infection, the danger of general anaesthetic and so on.
I have laughter lines when I smile, around my mouth and eyes. My face is lived in, I have lived a life that has had traumas, lots of very low spots and lots of high spots, and it shows on my face. I am not ashamed of it, and anyone who finds it distasteful to look at a wrinkled face is not someone I would want to spend any time with. My dearest friend Grace had a real wrinkly face, until two days before she died of cancer, and the last time I saw her it was incredibly smooth, all the wrinkles had been ironed out. I never did understand why or how?
Leigh Russell said…
I think I've had it all, to a greater or lesser extent. Now that I'm more or less past the teenage 'blemishes' (only about 40 years too late) I've fast forwarded straight to middle-aged wrinkles, with only about a week's respite in between.

Who invented mirrors? I think we should destroy them all, and go around telling each other how wonderful we look. (Cameras? don't get me started on cameras - my photos are even worse than my reflection. Whoever said the camera never lies was wrong. I'm not that ugly.)

But I don't mind looking older. I am older. I feel I've earned my white hairs. Like it or not (and mostly I don't) this is me and I wouldn't want to change my appearance, any more than I'd want to iron out the cracks and nodules on a tree trunk. We should learn to value and embrace life, not try to perfect it. We won't win.
Elizabethd said…
Running off to local Aldi now, wonder if they stock a French version?
Jude said…
I totally agree with your father... sadly we don't have an Aldi here....
thank you for your comment regarding Jose x
It sounds great, but unfortunately we don't have an Aldi over here (or an Asda, Tescos, Lidl, etc)

I worried far more about what I looked like until losing a close friend a couple of years ago. She would have given anything to still be here, wrinkles too.

Mind you, that said, it doesn't stop me slopping the cream on my face morning and night. I can try, not sure it's working though!
Pondside said…
My face is lived-in too. Smile lines, laugh lines and even frown lines. I've earned them all. The only ones I resent are the smoker's lines around my mouth because I've never smoked. My two sisters have them too so I guess it's in the genes. Mum, at 82 has petal smooth skin.
Having professed my satisfaction with my skin I'll still say 'send me over a vat of the stuff if it works!'
PS my dentist does Botox. Just the thought.......
Chris Stovell said…
Mags, I had to look Prof Regan up on IPlayer after that - cor, interesting stuff! Ta, M'dear - you are full of gorgeousity too (and with that hair, you'll never age!).

Pip, how about a hair cut that involves a very long fringe thus completely covering the wrinkles?

Milla, good point. And, yes, I'd be very interested to know how big the sample was.

Pfg, you sound lovely! Yes, my dad looked really young at the end too.

Leigh, welcome and congrats on your book. I'm sure the photo bit isn't true... c'mon, show us your author photo and let us reassure you.

Elizabethd - ! I bet they do, with claims like that.

Jude, so sorry about Jose. If the stuff really does rejuvenate you, I'll send you a tube - but don't hold your breath, I think it's got to go some to live up to its claims!

Debs, yes, you are quite right.

Pondside, yep, that's the dilemma, isn't it. Rise above it, but give me a tub of the stuff anyway!
Calico Kate said…
I like the school photy Chris, and rather liked your fathers way of putting things. So right. & PFG's comments are lovely too. I would rather a face full of the life I lead than one where my ears are meeting at the back!
CKx
Fennie said…
You may not be able to get age from a tin, but you can it from a microwave. A quick zap in there will age wines and whiskies beautifully.

I don't understand how skin regenerates but matches the age of the surrounding skin. Graze your knee and the repair looks like 60 year old skin, not 6 year old skin - how come?

Maybe we should rely more on the fairy godmother.
I second what everyone is saying about a good haircut. Also I've allowed my hair to develop into a natural hue of "tawny/grey". I had been dying it dark brown for several years since noticing that first grey hair. However, when I look at photos from a couple of years ago I'm astonished at how ageing it actually was! Everyone seems to like the "new" me, including my partner so I say look after your skin and hair but do it gracefully!
Have a great weekend.
Jeanne
I love this blog Chris and agree with you 100%. Ageing happens, there is not a lot of point in trying to look twenty five. I don't think I am too awful for my age but looking at my daughters I see the real beauty of youth. And that is fine. It is their turn. Nowadays I just want to look happy and healthy and not frighten the horses too much. Mind you, having clocked my yoga teacher to be late forties and discovering she is sixty three I may develop a real passion for yoga, she is quite incredible and nice with it!
Carah Boden said…
What fantastic sentiments in that last paragraph. I'm so sick of everthing and everyone having to be young and perfect. Having said that, I'm off to Aldi...!

Ps: the Lacuna mascara is rather good too. Nice smell!
Good to see you taking a leaf out of my book and working in those Bob Dylan lyrics wherever possible, Chris. I must say, I find the endless quest of youth in later years a bit sad and depressing. There's nothing worse than a face full of Botox and empty of expression, and I honestly think there are plenty of truly beautiful older women who aren't continuously grappling with the aging process, but working with it. Mind you, I wouldn't mind giving that Wrinkle Stop stuff a go (although I'm not quite sure what restricting 82% of wrinkle muscle activity would do do one's expression... Do we actually have muscles purely aimed at causing wrinkles? There's a design fault, isn't there.) xx
Chris Stovell said…
Kate, thanks, that is me and my chum, only she has gone a bit heavy on the Botox.

Fennie, woah! I didn't know that, good tip. Also that is good point about the skin.. what does that say about skin peeling treatments then? (apart from ewwwww!)

Cottage Garden, it also shows that it's about attitude, you are obviously comfortable in your skin and that comes across. You too, honey.

Elizabethm, if yogo makes you 20 years younger and nice with it maybe I'd better give it a go!

Her-on-the-hill, does it stay put? If it smells nice and doesn't smudge I'll give it a go (but have spent years trying to find the right Panda-free formula so would otherwise stick with tried and true.

LBD, 'Oh, Sister' 'If not for you' I'd never have thought of that (hmm, racks brain for Bob inspiration and can only find titles that don't work). Yes, I was a bit worried about the wrinkle-inducing muscles,too!
Cait O'Connor said…
Just been catching up here Chris.

I don't mind a few wrinkles as long as I have my health. Women are under too much pressure to look good.

Love the pics by the way.
Jenny Beattie said…
I think lifted faces and botox faces are revolting. My mum has good genes too, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Lane Mathias said…
Your dad was very, very wise. And absolutely right.

I'm still going to get me some though:-)
Kitty said…
It's not so much the wrinkles but the turkey-neck and the grey hairs that worry me...
I swear I'm going to age gracefully but I feel the powerful pull of the surgeon's knife. 'As long as you don't lose your chin' says my husband (presumably thinking of my 70 year old mother's double-chin-neck combo). How can one prevent that happening?
Age, so unkind. And not from a tin neither.
Flowerpot said…
I saw a piece on BBC breakfast about this - apparently the more expensive creams do work; the cheap and middling ones don't. I don't bother! Which would account for why I look like I do...>!
Carah Boden said…
Chris, hi, sorry, me again - just to say thanks for dropping by at mine and that I have answered your question 'What did you say?' in the comments section of that post.
x
Carah Boden said…
Ps, just read your Meme - very enjoyable (and informative!) - and also checked out Tom Tomos: really LOVE his stuff. That first pic, the Old Boathouse. I'm seriously considering it. My problem is we don't really have much wall space left, but I am trying very hard to think where it could go..!
Expat mum said…
Restricts 82% of wrinkle muscle activity?? That sounds far too Botoxy for my comfort!
Chris Stovell said…
Ciat, you're right. None of it matters without good health.

JJ, yes I kept telling my friend that it wasn't a good idea and you can see what happened to her.

Lane, true. Big sigh. And, yep, a week on... I'm sure I'm, oh, several minutes younger in a low light.

Kitty, but the good news is you don't have to worry about the kimono arm anymore... I've almost seen it off with the weight lifting!! (Will just have to stick a big hair grip round the back of my neck to hide the saggy throat - ewwww!).

FP, hmmm, I wonder in whose interest it is to say that the expensive creams work??

Her-on-the-hill, scurries off to have a look.. phew, thank goodness I don't have to answer questions from six year olds anymore. And than you so much for looking at Tom's website.

Expatmum, no, it doesn't sound great does it,( she says, trying to move her face a fraction). Oh no, it's all right I can still frown.

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