Jewish Mothers Should Give Recipes, Not Skin Care Advice

As you may have guessed, I have a Jewish mother, and she's a force of nature. Jewish mothers of a certain generation don't have a filter system. They say what ever they think on any subject and expect their counsel to be followed because they're always right. Resistance is futile. There's an old Jewish joke:

What's the difference between a Jewish Mother and a Rottweiler?
Eventually the Rottweiler lets go...

 
A few months ago my mother informed me that my skin was looking old and wrinkled and told me that I should start using anti-aging serums and creams. Clearly I am completely delusional because in truth, until those comments, I thought I had great skin. I don't have wrinkles (that I can see) but I do have sagging around my mouth. Considering that I'm 61 (and not pretending to be any younger) I thought that I was doing great. Apparantly not. My mother took objection to my minimalist approach to skin care - drug store stuff to take off my makeup and wash my face and coconut oil to moisturize. She decided that I had to go for the gusto and get sucked into the anti-aging myth. And so I did.

I first tried two Kiehl's products - an anti-aging serum and line filler. I used them until they were finished and saw no difference. Neither did my mother. Next I tried a La Roche-Posay serum. My wallet was lighter but my face didn't look any different; a fact confirmed by my mother. I foolishly decided to spend even more money and tried a Strivectin serum, eye cream and night cream (when I think of how many pairs of shoes I could have bought with that money, I break down and weep uncontrollably). I am now nearing the end of my Strivectin experiment and my skin still looks the same (mother agrees).

The one positive thing that came of my odyssey into anti-aging products is that I discovered that I was ignoring the most important thing - I wasn't wearing sunscreen on a daily basis. I now wear a fabulous sun screen everyday - La Roche-Posay 50 Anthelios Mineral. I've even played two rounds of golf in bright sunshine and didn't need to reapply.

I'm happily returning to my minimalist skin care regime (plus sunscreen) and will not be taking skin care advice from my mother in the future. I still think I have great skin. If I have wrinkles and sagging skin, then so be it. I can't and won't stop the aging process but I can embrace it and do. I'm 61 and happy to still be here and enjoying life. Screw all of this anti-aging crap.

Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportinity and strength.

Betty Friedan

Make someone smile today.

Geri