Nov 7

Nov 7 On Aging

For the longest time, I thought I'd never age. Wrinkles seemed like a foreign concept throughout my twenties, and when I finally got some, I thought surely that wasn't what they were. But the lines didn't go away, and I found myself buying anti-aging serums and examining each crease a little too closely in the mirror.

Now that the wrinkles are here to stay (newsflash: anti-aging products don't really do anything), I'm trying to think of them a little trophies for my life accomplishments. Those lines under my eyes? They come from years of writing and editing and researching countless stories. Those faint creases around my mouth? I'll chalk them up to the hours of laughter shared with my friends. My forehead wrinkles? The result of an eight-year relationship that's still going strong.

My beauty regimen has changed drastically as I've gotten older. It went from being all about makeup with little skincare, to skincare crazed and almost no makeup. I've found that wearing too much makeup makes me look older, and if I focus on nurturing my skin instead, I don't really need to put anything on it.

So lately, I've just been wearing sunscreen, a little concealer, and lipstick or gloss. It's the first time in my life that I haven't worn mascara every day. My eyes are thanking me. Removing mascara has always been the biggest pain, irritating my eyes and leaving them red and puffy. I also hate looking in the mirror halfway through the day only to find that I have black flakes or smudges under my eyes, something that always happens when I wear mascara, no matter which brand.

Staying true to a skincare ritual has been key for me. This is especially difficult on late weekend nights when I come home from a party or show and just want to fall into bed. I have to force myself to wash my face, moisturize, put on a little serum, and floss and brush my teeth. It's the hardest thing in the world at 2 a.m., but I never regret it.

I'm always curious to hear how other women handle aging. Some aren't afraid to get Botox and fillers and go under a few lasers. More power to them, but that stuff scares me. Can't say how I'll feel in another ten years, but for right now, I'm going mostly au naturel.