Sunday, October 26, 2008

Magical Youth Cream

Still paring down and purging: got to the end of the aluminium recycling pile on Friday, dontated the bag of clothing on Saturday, as well as cleaning under the bathroom sink and throwing out a few tubes of expired sunscreen and lotions that smelled rancid. Finally, today, I recycled the plastic bottles and donated 3 magazines to the gym rack. (they are getting old there) Five more days to go!

The other thing that has been occupying my mind lately is the condition of my skin on my face. Normally, I don't give much thought to it. I put some tinted moisturizer with sunscreen on in the morning and I'm done. But a few weeks ago, on a Costco run, I noticed a big markdown on a giant batch of wrinkle treatment cream. I've got to be honest, I never really agonized about wrinkles. I don't have a whole lot of em. But, my birthday is creeping up and I do have a few fine lines around the eyes. Plus, I'm kind of obsessing about the age difference between me and Nerd. So on a whim, I bought some.

The first time I used the stuff (at night, right before bed) I noticed a little tingle where I had applied. "That's strange," I thought "why is it tingling?" Turns out, the tingling sensation is normal. According to the directions on the tube, it happens until "your skin adjusts" to the product. Plus, the directions suggest using the cream every three days for two weeks, then every two days for two weeks, finally working your way up to every day at the end of a 6 week adjustment period.

Right about now, warning bells SHOULD have been going off in my head. What the hell kind of skin cream needs a 6 week adjustment period for your skin to get used to it? And what is with the tingling? I decided to just keep on with the every three day schedule. I don't have THAT MANY wrinkles. I'll just do the lite method for this product that is supposed to make me look younger.

I can say this: the anti-wrinkle cream definitely made me look younger. The last time the skin on my face looked like this, I was worried about the state championships for soccer and stressed that I did not have enough time to study for my French test. I have break-outs of adolescent sized proportions on my forehead, chin, and along side my nose!

You'd think I would have known better. I trialed some anti-aging serums a while back, after my 35th birthday meltdown. I bought some coQ-10 cream and some retin-A crap and who knows what else. Every single product was a bust. If it didn't burn my skin and leave it red and blotchy, then it gave me zits or caused a bumpy rash along my cheeks. I ended up tossing all of them and adopted my present regieme of tinted moisturizer.

So now I have a Costco sized batch of blemish producing skin de-conditioner. I may see if I can pass it along to somebody whose skin is not as sensitive as mine. Maybe I'll check out some Burt's Bees products the next time I'm in the store....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sucks. Nothing worse than having breakouts when you are an ADULT. Trust me, I know this, too. I didn't have acne much at all as a teen, but after having my son it was zit city. I am on a daily antibiotic for it now. AND I am already getting wrinkles and such. I am so screwed. lol.

Do you have a goal for your throwing out stuff? Like how much to get rid of or by when?

Diane said...

I think wrinkles and zits - at the same time - are one of the classic cosmic jokes. I had a date a few weeks ago and when I was getting ready for it, I noticed a huge zit on my chin. I'm 43. Zits on date night should have ended, oh, about 20 years ago! I was not happy. But the good thing about being 43 is that you don't sweat the little stuff so much... 'cause that would probably bring on another zit. Geez.

Unknown said...

Yikes...I hope your face is ok...BTW I use/sell/love MK and LOVE the Microderm abraision...love it love it...have NO wrinkles....LOVE.

I don't think it's fair to get wrinkles AND zits...at some point one's got to give way to the other...I'll take the zits, and ditch the wrinkles...