Timeless and Trending Beauty

As I write this column, I am in the midst of my Kissing Cancer Goodbye Campaign, a fundraiser I started to raise both money and awareness for breast cancer research. 

When I started my beauty business years ago, I simply sought to offer women something I had been in search of myself - painless aging!  

I could not have imagined that it would lead to hundreds of women opening their hearts and sharing their stories of tragedy, triumph, joy, and sorrow – all the many things that weave our lives into the complex and beautiful stories of who we each are.  In the emails I received, I have witnessed “beauty” in so many forms - and it has been both heartwarming and inspiring.  

This led me to recently pose a question to my numerous contacts on social media, “What makes a woman beautiful?” The answers surprised me.  

The question was given to men and women, ages 18-93. (Yes, my oldest friend on Facebook is my 93 year old Aunt Ruby - one of the most beautiful women I know!) 

As the responses came in, there were two things that both sexes gave as their top choices: a woman's smile and her eyes. Coming in a close third, was a woman's kindness.

Many expressed that no matter how gorgeous a woman was, without a kind heart, her outer beauty did not matter! While we all want to look beautiful on the outside, so much of how we feel and act towards others also helps to illuminate our outer beauty!

With the importance of eyes and smiles in mind, I thought I’d share the latest trend in eyes and lips! Much like matching shoes and a purse, the current idea is to have the eyes and the lips match - and your nails too if you want the full look.

While I have seen younger women take this trend to really fun color extremes, that look might not work for all of us. Blue lips as a senior is hard to pull off!

Remember you can always follow a current trend, but it may be better to tailor it to a softer look.

At 60 years old, I find that less is more.

One option for a fun, but softer touch is to use a very dark purple eye shadow on top of a neutral brown shadow. The brown provides a nice base and the deep purple is subtle, yet noticeable.

Apply the shadow as you normally would and add a touch more purple to the crease of your lid. Then, if you go over the whole lid with a quick swipe of a pink powder blush, it creates a subtle, sun-kissed highlight.

If you have green or blue eyes, this really makes them stand out even more! And with brown eyes, it adds a dramatic twist! 

For your lips, try a lip color with a hint of mauve. If you prefer a more natural lip color, you can use a nude lip color, but layered with a pinkish gloss.

The pinks and the purple will tie together beautifully and really make both your eyes and your lips stand out! Match your nails to your lips and you are trending!

I want this to be a space where we can all share ideas and tips, I would love to hear from you!! Please send your thoughts, ideas, tips or questions to me at info@fullips.com

 *Please note, this is a reprint as originally seen in my beauty column "Timeless Beauty" for The Vegas Voice newspaper in Las Vegas, NV

Apparently “Grand-Mothers” Shouldn't Talk About S-E-X???

Well, apparently Grandmothers should not talk about sex or so I’ve recently been told.  It seems that in my last blog post (ways to exercise that did not include going to the gym), I may have crossed the line for some by mentioning the word sex as a form of exercise.

For those of you that did not see it, there was nothing pornographic about it.  My comment simply read, "Sex! Well, I don’t think I need to explain or go into detail here, but if you have a partner, this can certainly be great exercise and good for your relationship too ;)”

Most of my baby boomer posts have been about inexpensive ways to look and feel our best while aging gracefully, and the feedback has been positive.  However, this time I was very surprised to get private messages telling me that they were shocked or surprised that I would suggest having sex as a form of exercise! (One actually said, "You are a Grandmother after all!")  Well, my Grand Daughter is 3 and doesn't read this blog, but that is really beside the point!

Really?!?  So Grandparents shouldn't have sex?  Or should they just pretend that they don't?  Is it an age thing?  Or is it a perception thing?

Now, maybe being married to an Ob-Gyn and being very comfortable talking about things openly has clouded my view.  Perhaps there is an age in which the idea is taboo?  Is there a cutoff I didn't know about?  Say 50?  Maybe it's 40?  What about parents?  Is it ok for them to have sex?  Or is it just not ok to mention it in any way?

(By the way, I wasn't asking anyone to "envision" this, I simply suggested that sex can be a good form of exercise and I still believe it can be.  But I do apologize if I offended anyone, that was never my intention.)

I have been married to the same man for 34 years and I stand by my position that it is both good exercise, and makes for a very healthy relationship.  Now, I understand that as we age things change.  Perhaps it's the loss of a partner which changes things.  That is a different situation and someone may choose not to pursue that avenue with someone else later in life.  However, it is important to point out that if there are health issues keeping you from fully enjoying your sex life, you should talk to a doctor.  Many of these things can be addressed and age does not have to be the end of a healthy and satisfying sex life.

Since I decided to go down this road again and address it, because frankly it was bothering me that I got such negative responses, I would like to mention a great website and a great blog for anyone interested.  There are lots of great suggestions and information for those baby boomers that are still sexually active, or want to be!

The first website is www.grandparents.com.  The family and relationships section has great information and the website is a great resource for grandparents in general. 

Next is a blog (http://betterthanieverexpected.blogspot.com/) that has been done beautifully by Joan Price, an author who has written many books on the subject of sex and aging.

And here is a great article that talks about the health benefits of sex far better than I could ever pretend to:  http://articles.philly.com/2013-10-21/news/43222496_1_health-conference-maroon-5-betsy-crane 

Again, if I offended anyone by suggesting that baby boomers and yes, even Grandparents should be enjoying a healthy sex life, then I’m sorry! 

In all honesty, however, I’m not the least bit worried about people loving other people; I’m far more concerned about all the hate in the world today.

Hugs,

Linda Gomez

www.fullips.com

If I only knew then...what I know now! Beauty tips and more beauty tips!

That saying applies to pretty much everything in life, with health and beauty being no exception.  Why, oh why, didn't I listen to some of the things my mother told me?  Well, in part because when you're young it's hard to imagine that age, along with the things that accompany it, will ever be an issue.  And you believe that by the time you have to deal with those things, that you won't care...but you will!  All of a sudden, you wake up one morning and see that things are changing.  So with that in mind I thought I'd share some things I wish I had done, in hopes that maybe someone else could still benefit from them.  Additionally, I'm throwing in some extra things that I do now, that are easy yet helpful tips that DO make this "growing old gracefully" thing a little easier to handle.  Again the idea is to do things that are easy, inexpensive and as natural as possible.
 
If only I had....
 
1)  Stayed out of the sun...all of those deep dark beautiful tans have not been optimal to my skin all these years later.
 
2)  Used sunblock on my hands...hands are one of the first major places to show age outside our face--and they are always exposed--sunblock with (or in) your hand lotion is a no brainer!

3)  Not been so quick to thin my eyebrows quite so much...while bushy brows are not a good look on anyone, over thinning can leave you wishing you had a little thicker brows as you age--they really do add to your face.
 
4)  Not gone on crazy diets...the only time in my life I had to extreme diet was when I was a stewardess.  The weight restriction was 105 pounds and I could never maintain that.  The fast, crazy diets never worked for long and were horrible for my health.
 
Easy tips that work now...it's never too late to share...and start today!!
 
1)  Stop sleeping on your face...much the same way I shared how to get rid of your forehead lines.  If you are a side or face sleeper--you can make a huge difference in your facial wrinkles if you can sleep on your back.  Just like your forehead wrinkles, if you stop "reinforcing them" they will lessen.  And a little water before bed, will keep you hydrated so that in the morning you will wake up looking as good as you did when you went to bed. :)  If getting on your back and staying there is hard for you, try the memory foam pillows, because you sink in a little that may help you stay there.  Oh, and a satin pillow case is also a great help.
 
2)  Wrinkled neck issues seem to come up a lot in talking to female friends, and while we are in the midst of a fun product for that, here are some quick ideas for now.  One easy fix, if this is really an issue for you, is to help hide the problem by having your hair length come to at least your collar bone...movement around your neck really helps take away from the direct issue.  They say the bob haircut, because it's so versatile, is a look that almost anyone can wear so if you prefer short hair, perhaps that can be the best of both worlds...shorter in the back with some movement around the neck.  The right necklace never hurts either...be careful though to wear one that draws the eye away from the neck (usually longer) and not right to the problem area unless the neckace (something like pearls) covers the area.
 
3)  More on Hair...as we age, for both men and women our hair often starts to thin.  When I was in my 20's I did try highlights, but never very successfully, and I gave up.  Now at 58, I still don't use any harsh chemicals--the longer you can go without using harsh chemicals the better I think.  Should you decide to color your hair, if you start to get gray, one option would be the level 1 colors.  They have no ammonia and no peroxide...of course they don't last as long so you have to do it more often but your hair will be super healthy.
 
4)  In the never too late category...again, start that sunblock on your hands!  Age spots will just keep coming so the more you protect your hands even now, the better.  And less sun on your hands, means less wrinkles on your hands too.  A great one is the Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer with SPF 30.  And you can just keep it in your car to help you remember to put it on as you head out for the day!
 
5)  Fill in those eyebrows...for me, I have found it's way better and a much more natural look to use an eyebrow brush and a nice matt eye shadow.  I go a shade lighter than my brows.  The eyebrow pencils can look less natural where as the powder brushes on easy and fills everything in so nicely.
 
6)  Sunglasses...wear them!!  They not only protect your eyes, but you will find less wrinkles around your eye area if you wear them.  Any protection from the sun around that sensitive area is really helpful in fighting wrinkles.
 
7)  Elbows...don't forget those elbows when putting on your hand lotion.  I think they are often overlooked but a little extra lotion, (of course I love Ponds for everything) will really help soften and make them look so much smoother.
 
8)  Teeth...so I'm not sure when teeth start looking old but they do.  And aside from thinning lips, nothing affects our smiles more than unattractive teeth.  Of course checking with your dentist is important first, but if he agrees, whitening at home can be a great option and it's less expensive than the office procedures.  White teeth make a major difference in our smiles.  As I have shared before I really think smiling and being happy makes us look younger than anything else we can do.  And if you have tooth sensitivity like me, I have also found that the Crest 3D 2 hour Express whitening strips are faster and don't seem as harsh.

9)  If you still want a little sunkissed look, or at least some color on your legs after the winter cover-up, the lotions with gradual tanner, such as the Jergens Natural Glow for body and face, I've found work pretty well without looking too orange.  And, if any of you are trying to cover those troublesome varicose veins the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs works great!  Kind of like makeup on your legs.  Start with the Light color one first if you're more fair.  There's also a product called Liquid Nylons Sun Glitzed Legs that adds just a little shimmery bronze if you need it.

So, that's all I have for today...but please DO share any other tips that you might have that will help us all look a little better while aging as gracefully as we can.  Women helping women is as good as it gets because who knows these issues better than we do!?  :)
 
Just comment below!

Are hormones really lunch time conversation? It depends how old you are... ;)

In deciding what to write about for this post, I thought I’d let one of the topics that seems to come up a lot lately with women friends and family make the decision.  I have always found that women are pretty comfortable talking about issues that affect us, but I believe that to be even more so as we age.  When I go to lunch with friends, there is no topic that is out of bounds.  Children and grandchildren seem to be a favorite topic, while men and husbands (and no they are not one and the same) are always of interest, along with work and careers.  The biggest change in lunch time chat as we age seems to be health.  I don’t ever remember talking about our health when I was in my 20’s, of course I didn’t discuss children, grandchildren or husbands either.  Men, yes, and other things I’m sure, but those things seem to escape me at the moment.

When discussing health issues with women starting in our forties, I would say hormones are probably the number one topic of general interest.  Being married to an amazing and very progressive Ob/Gyn I consider myself very lucky, not just because he’s a wonderful husband, but because his expertise as I hit the ominous change of life period kept me in balance and without issues.  For me, the only issue I had was dryness, and I mean dryness everywhere.  My hair, my skin and every other place that should have had moisture were dry.  Many women try to treat these things with topical remedies but when the moisture loss is from lack of hormones, it’s almost impossible to fully replenish that moisture with creams.  Aside from looking much older because our skin can appear more wrinkled, other more important issues can occur.  Sex can become very uncomfortable and less enjoyable, which can certainly start to affect both partners.  Throw in some mood swings or hot flashes which affect some women and…eessshhh…poor husbands...poor us!

So, enter my husband, not that I always listen to him because sometimes I can be stubborn, but in this case I did and wow, what a difference!  He suggested (BHRT) Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy.  Once every three months a small pellet is inserted, this is based on a hormone panel done ahead of time to make sure you have everything in balance.  This little pellet can truly be life changing, both for the woman and her partner.  BHRT can help with dryness, balance of moods, energy, hot flashes, sex drive, pretty much any of the symptoms that are associated with pre-menopause or menopausal symptoms.  You will not only feel better, you will look better too!

So, if you are having these kinds of issues it might be worth asking your Gynecologist about this option…and of course if you are in Arizona…I could highly recommend one Dr. Ernesto Gomez M.D. at Mesa Ob/Gyn…and not because he’s my husband but because he really is an amazing doctor!!!

You will find my husband listed in Suzanne Somers Sexy-Forever online resource guide.  If you are out of state, this is an excellent place to find other doctors that she also recommends for BHRT or any additional information.

http://www.suzannesomers.com/sexy-forever/SEXY-FOREVER-online-resource-guide.pdf

***On a side note about moisturizers…during all of my experimenting with face creams during my dry skin period--prior to taking my husband’s advice--I bought dozens of creams, lotions, oils, etc.  Some were really expensive, others were cheap and I tried them all.  What to my surprise did I fall in love with?  Ponds cold cream…yes, grocery store Ponds cold cream!  The regular one, with the blue lid.  I still use it...it’s inexpensive and wonderful, at least for me it is.  I put it in the palm of my hand, add water and put it all over my face, neck, arms, anywhere you need it.  It’s so inexpensive you can use it all over your body.  The only drawback might be that your kids will be all too happy to point out that you smell like Nana.  Smelling like Nana is not a bad thing and it isn't an issue for me, I like the way Ponds smells, but you might want your favorite perfume ready to go...just in case that isn’t the smell you are going for.  ;)

The idea behind the blog...

Welcome to the Baby Boomer Beauty Blog!  This is a gathering place to share easy, inexpensive, non-invasive ideas with each other about “beauty” and how to continue to age gracefully, while feeling good about how we look.

The reality is we cannot turn back the clock, and there is no product or magic elixir (at least that I know of!) that will do this.  We all have different ideas about beauty, but I believe one of the most important factors in being beautiful is to be happy with ourselves.  Real beauty has nothing to do with the wrinkles, weight, or the many other things that follow us into our senior years and we must always consider our whole person.

That said, of course we all still want to look our best on the outside, no matter how many years pass us by.  I have no doubt that when I look at my pictures 10 years from now, I will naturally wish for these “younger” days”.  But for now, I want to work with what I got and will resist these pesky signs of aging!  So let’s get sharing!