According to an article in today's WSJ, Japanese women value their skin much more than we do. "Japanese women have long prized ageless, porcelain-white skin . . . [they] are the most sophisticated consumer in the world." It's called bihaku--"beautiful white." I didn't know that Japan's Shiseido Co. had purchased Bare Escentuals for $1.7 billion earlier this year. Japanese women spend 60% of their cosmetic budget on skin care--American women only 30%.
Japanese Makeup Companies Have Trouble Cracking the U.S. Market - WSJ.com
Hmmm. Like those annual soft drink consumption figures in the gallons, someone is obviously buying my share. I wash my face with soap and water once a day; moisturize; apply a small amount of Merle Norman foundation and a brush of coral tone blush. Whatever's still there at 9 p.m., goes to bed with me. My theory is that the less scrubbing, tugging and pulling on delicate facial muscles, the better. But even if my bathroom counter and shelves aren't loaded with expensive products, I do have my favorites--some cheap, some moderate. But ladies, nothing hides the wrinkles like a layer of fat.
The absolutely best thing for your skin is not creams, but avoidance--the sun (or tanning booths) and cigarettes. That way you'll pretty much avoid wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer until old age takes over. If you are 21, you think you'll enjoy that tight, perky look forever, but the next time you look you'll be 41, and then 61. That's when the "shoulda coulda woulda" complaints will be pretty empty. An ounce of prevention is worth a gallon of face cream. And regrets.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
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8 comments:
This is a funny one, Norma! especially "nothing hides wrinkles like a layer of fat."
You look at least 20 years older than you are. Is there no subject on which your ignorance and ineptitude prevent you from offering an unintentionally hilarious opinion?
Really? I look 90? I'm guessing you're a smoker with a tan. What part of this opinion offends you?
Oh, my lord...you're only 70? Now *that's* humiliating for you, or would be if you had any reality based sense of how you look to others.
I've never smoked, always stayed out of the sun (and used sunscreen), regularly exercised, eaten healthfully and never been so slovenly as to go to bed with old makeup and a day's dirt wedged into my pores. Too bad you've never had the discipline to stay clean, but that's why you look so bad now. Well, that and your lifelong crappy diet. Oink. Oink.
Pat, you are a hoot. Be careful that you don't slip out of bed at night all squeaky clean and slathered in cream and self-righteous indignation.
It's amazing the viciousness the internet brings out cloaked in anonymity. "Pat" (using covermyass) and I have exactly the same skin care routine but he washes his face more, so that makes me "slovenly." He must wear a lot more make-up than I do. Pat needs to lighten up in more ways than one, or get out of that coal mine that's depositing so much dirt on his skin. Pat is another very opinionated person, but without a blog; a lefty I suspect, who believes only his own opinions matter.
Well, no, we don't have the same "skin care routine," as I pointed out. Besides your poor hygiene (every reputable dermatologist will back me up), you've never exercised -- an occasional stroll to the coffee house to sit on your capacious ass for hours doesn't count -- and you eat (I can hardly call opening cans and boxes *cooking*) atrociously. I can't speak to how you sleep, but your habit of constant, frantic rationalization suggests large amounts of rest impairing self doubts. You're correct to have them, of course.
With your incredibly unhealthy lifestyle, I'm somewhat surprised you still have most of your teeth, although from the photos they appear to be ill fitting dentures. The better to chomp on sow sized portions of processed foods, I suppose.
It's true it's true! I plan to eat some factory made soda crackers, covered with commercially made Ohio cheddar cheese with my homemade broccoli soup. Oh the shame, when you keep all those animals in your back yard in violation of local zoning laws and eat your own homegrown curds and whey.
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