Love Your Eyes!!

Those of you have read my earlier blogs will know that in my early life I was involved with modelling with Lucie Clayton's agency. As part of our training we were taught the importance of skin care and particularly caring for the eyes.  We were told in no uncertain terms that you should treat your eyes, and particularly the area under the eyes, with enormous respect.  This area is so delicate and the skin should NEVER be dragged.  When cleansing gentle apply cream by patting gently and then remove with pads gently moving from the outer eye to inner......NEVER from inner to outer!!  

These words of wisdom have stuck with me ever since. The practice hasn't caused me any hardship and today, the lines under my eyes are quite minimal particularly when I compare to my peer group.  

                            

If ever I see my family or friends, male or female rubbing their eyes with gusto ...(particularly when they are tired) I always annoyingly tell them not to do it and repeat my mantra!

I realise that the way we age is partly down to genetics but also down to us and the way we expose our faces and bodies to good and bad treatment and exposure to the elements.  We all develop our own beauty regimes and have our favourite creams and potions and serums and we hope we are delaying the creeping age process.

One thing I have always had are dark circles under my eyes.  I used to really be thankful for this condition when I was a little girl as often schoolteachers would think I wasn't very well and were extra nice.  As a woman however this became more of an annoyance......and yes I have heard all the solutions...get more sleep,  have a good diet, exercise more, leave a bedroom window open........and so on....

A more cosmetic approach however comes in the form of this little gem ...........

This is Estee Lauder's "Eye Illuminator" Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator  - quite a mouthful I know!
It claims to reduce dark circles and puffiness and it certainly works for me.

It has a ceramic tip which is so cooling when applied - so much so it took me by surprise.  You don't need a great deal of product and again follow the same principle of  applying  gently with coverage from outer to inner.

This is not cheap at £40 (say it quick).........but I feel it is worth it and it does last for a long time.

If you buy on line - you also get free samples which softens the blow of the cost  (a little)!!

The Face You Deserve!

2.     "Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; life shapes the face you have at thirty; but at fifty, you get the face you deserve." ...

   
   

     
        Coco Chanel

   
   
   

   When I was a young girl many of my school friends went on holidays abroad. Spain was the favourite destination.  Unfortunately ...or maybe not as will be explained - my parents couldn't afford to take my brother and myself to hotter climes. 

   
   

   I was always quite envious of the tans   which appeared after the summer break.     Later in life I now realise that our parents did us a favour as we did not experience the degree of sun exposure that our contemporaries had and hence our skins have benefitted from a protection we didn't know we were getting!

   
   

   We now realise that too much sun bathing can be detrimental to our skin and increase the ageing process and more importantly there is the high risk of skin cancer.  

   
   

   So it is so important to make sure you limit sunbathing and wear sun protection.  My husband and I, for many years, tried to make sure we stayed in the shade as much as possible only to find, in my husbands case, that he had a vitamin D deficiency so we had taken this precaution to the extreme.  So now we have come to realise that it is about balance and a little sunbathing with protection can be beneficial.

   
   

   However on our holiday, many had thrown caution to the wind.  They took every opportunity to roast their bodies and to become seriously burnt. 

   
   

   "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun"

     
   Noel Coward

   
   

   
   

   There's no doubt that a tan does enhance a persons look for a short period of time. People tend to look well, summer clothes take on a whole different dimension.  However the consequences of this abuse are dire.  Those who have done this year after year now have skin with resemble old leather.  Many are proud to display the great expanses of flesh - crepey chests, age spots and lined faces. What is even more puzzling is that these same people would attend seminars on the latest creams to help to attain younger looking skin.

   
   

   In the main we all do what we can to remain youthful but eventually nature takes its course. If you are blessed with "good" genes, and avoid excessive sunbathing, weight gain, smoking and drinking you can hope to slow down the ageing process.

   
   

   I also believe that using creams and moisturisers on a regular basis provide a barrier to the elements and everyone has their favourites which work for them.

   
   

   You don't have to spend a fortune on these potions some are really inexpensive.My mother, who had a wonderful complexion,  was a great believer in using creams - particularly  Nivea and I have followed in her footsteps. I use pots and pots of it for cleansing, moisturising and as a body lotion. I think the last time I bought a large tub it was on offer in Sainsburys for approximately £3.50

   
   

   

   
   

   There are other creams I use with which I can't afford to be so liberal.  These tend to be ones by Estee Lauder.  I buy on line and have the benefit of free delivery (if you buy a certain amount) and also free samples.  My husband complains that when he opens the bathroom cabinet hundreds of these samples fall out - he is given to exaggeration :)

   
   

   These modern creams do seem to have properties which make skin feel smoother and firmer and provide a healthy glow or at least that is my experience..............

   
   

   What works in your experience? Any other suggestions to keep younger looking skin?

   
   

   Please feel free to comment below or

   
   

   
   

   @silverstrivers
   
   silverstrivers@gmail.com