They say that as men age, they look distinguished. But how does a distinguished man look after he piles on the makeup to femulate? Does a distinguished gentleman make a grand old dame?
I’m 69 and am concerned about how I will look in my 70’s and beyond. Like cisgender women my age, I do what I can to slow down the aging process.
Moisturizers and eye creams are my best friend. I have been using both for about 20 years and it makes a difference. The lines and creases around my eyes moved me to do something. After I began using the products, the lines and creases were less noticeable and have remained so two decades later. So I know the product works. But that’s me.
I have friends who are older than me. Some have become grand old dames and some are distinguished men in dresses. Don’t know what their daily regimen, if any, may be, but I imagine that the grand old dames did not let nature take its course.
For example, Lena, a young lady who became a grand old dame, a long time reader of this blog from Australia, was a beauty in her youth and is even more so in her senior years.
I hope I have the same fate.
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| Lena, circa 1975 and 2015 |
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| Source: WhoWhatWear |
Italian poster for the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball. The top half of the poster depicts the opening scenes of the film in which 007 unmasks Colonel Jacques Bouvar, who was femulating his dead wife for nefarious reasons. Those scenes were not used in posters in the USA because femulating was still illegal in many states back then.
I understand in Thunderball they split that role... it was a man in a dress in the fights, but some of the walking scenes they used a genetic woman. Did he walk THAT badly? He should have practiced heels for a while... ;)
ReplyDeleteRead all about here, Fiona.
DeleteStana as usual has the femulating backstory of Thunderball exactly right. There is a bit of femulating in one other Bond adventure--Diamonds Are Forever(1971) in which the megalomaniacal baddie, Ernst Stavros Blofeld, played by Charles Gray (of Rocky Horror fame)frocks up for a brief scene as he leaves the hotel and lures 007's love interest, Tiffany Case, played by Jill St. John, into his limo.
DeleteMany years ago a "radio doc" was asked "How can I be sure to be a superior athlete"? The doc said his answer applied to more than just athletics: handsome, very smart and beautiful, for instance. His answer was,"Choose your parents very carefully".Short of that, Stana is on target with her regimen. I wish I were as focused, but I can still toss in something that supports her approach.
ReplyDeleteBack in the early 1980's I went to a dermatologist to have a harmless skin growth removed from my scalp. She "froze" it off and then took to my face with tweezers, pulling bits of dry skin off. Then she read me the riot act about my fair skin being even more of a target for skin cancer by letting it get so dry. "Don't EVER use deodorant soaps on your face, they dry the skin out"! Clearly her tone did the job. On the way home I went to a store and bought Neutrogena cleanser. From that day I've never used "soap" on my face. I'll be 79 in exactly four weeks and my facial skin is soft and pliable -- much betterr than it was in those 1980's. Given how well such a simple change made such an improvement, can there be any doubt that a real beauty regimen would have done me that much better?
At the ripe old age of 66.5, I was 'age estimated' at a most complimentary 46 by a lady shopper, as she complimented me on my outfit.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what a layer of makeup of the PROPER MATCHING shade, and some practice can do.
My face ought to look like an old leather baseball glove, but it does not. I also credit my wigs and their elastic perimeter bands to stretch out the few crowsfeet at the corners of the eyes. I have virtually NO forehead wrinkles.
My secret? I credit my Scandinavian heritage for a lot, otherwise, I dont have one, except for perhaps eating a lot of 'cold water' fish, rich in vitamin A, and fish oils, also I only cook with EVOO (google it). Also, green vegetables are big on the menu.
I worked in the outdoors (truck freight yard) for over 30 years, with at least 4-5 hours of sunlight a day. I did always WEAR A HAT. For work I did have the advantage of using an old style with 'pith helmet' with a broad brim. Never used sunscreen (it did not exist back then), but did have one small patch of 'pre-cancerous' skin 'frozen from a cheek area.
I do not and have not moisturized ever and only shave my face about every couple of days. When I do shave, I use an 'old school' puck of 'Williams Mug Soap' (Amazon), which has MANY different hydroxide (read LYE) compounds, which soften the whiskers, as well as tighten the skin.(Primer/makeup goes on great, 'apre-shave') Does shaving stretch the collagen base of the skin? I dont know. But some old men havine to 'stretch out the turkey neck' to shave... I shave with a blade, and seldom use an electric, skin stretching, shaver.
Interesting point is that Dr.Oz actually mentions NOT to wash face daily, as the skins own natural oils, which the body derives from DIET.
The debate rages on!
Do what works for YOU!
Velma
Velma,
DeleteThanks for letting me know about EVOO. I'll be sure to stick with it. Inadvertently I've been doing it unbeknownst to myself. I've been using Pompeian cold-pressed olive oil, pretty much because it's a locally-based business here in Baltimore. Now I know it's been better for me than I imagined! Let's hear it for us old tootsies who don't look their ages!
I know the Thunderball poster is in Italian but...
ReplyDeleteIn French, Agente 007 means that Bond is female. And I really like that!