and Sprinkles on Top

Inside and Outside

Posted on 02. Apr, 2009 by Deb in Observations, The Girl

In a few short weeks, I will be 41.   Overall, I don’t think that I look or feel “middle aged” (or “old” as my kids would view me).    I like how my face looks.  A huge part of that is my concerted effort to take care of my skin.  I have used Sonya Dakkar products for the last three years and have noticed an overall improvement to the feel of my skin, especially in the winter months when I used to fight extremely dry (and painful) skin.  The other thing is this:  I use suncreen daily.   When I changed my outlook on skincare to taking care of my skin instead of how I looked, I discovered that my skin looked better.

WHY am I talking about taking care of my skin and aging today?  Well, two reasons, really.

First of all, I visited my esthetician for a facial today.  No matter what care I take of myself, I cannot do the kind of thorough work she does, especially when it comes to the extractions needed to unclog my tiny pores.   A visit to her at least every other month has been incredibly beneficial.  This last year, when I was living in DC, I went almost four months without a visit and my first trip back to see her was more on the painful side.  I learned my lesson.  Clogged pores require, at times, a professional and diligence.

Secondly, I got a local ad-magazine in the mail today.  As I glanced through the glossy pages of salons, dining establishments, dentists and other such local spots, an ad that said “Uncover your Natural Beauty Within” caught my attention.  I was expecting something, like a yoga studio, but instead discovered it was an ad for a Cosmetic Surgery Center.   Seriously?  The way to rejuvenate yourself and uncover your natural beauty is to have Botox injections or a Brazilian Butt Lift? (What is a Brazilian Butt Lift exactly, as  it’s one of the 10 most popular cosmetic procedures)

I’m all about people making their own choices, but society today has so sold us on the fact that in order to be seen as beautiful, you have to look a certain way; and for women of my age or older, it’s all about looking younger.  Do many realize that that looks are truly only skin deep?    Do we truly measure a person’s value by the shape of her body?    I, of course, want to look the best I can.  I am pleased that I have dropped some weight this year, but that has been more about my health – feeling better and lowering my blood pressure – than it has been about how I look.  Of course, I’m pleased with the outside results, but it took getting more healthy on the inside to accomplish that.  It seems like having liposuction, a breast lift or a face/neck lift would all be about changing how I look on the outside without ever working on the most important part:  the inside.

I will still continue to have my nails done and I still have an appointment to get my hair colored.  I’m not going to just not put forth “an effort” to look my best.  But there are some lines that seem to be uncrossable to me personally, and that is when it comes to harsh or surgical treatments just so that I will look younger or thinner.  I think that discovering your natural beauty has to begin from within – not through surgery – but inside of who you are – what you want out of life, what you want spiritually, what you value, what makes you happy.   Because, without the inside parts of me feeling good, the outside parts simply won’t matter.

Tags: Aging, Beauty, Cosmetic Surgery, Sonya Dakkar