The No-Surgery Face-Lift

Plastic surgery, Botox, fillers - anything (and everything!) to help us look prettier and perkier is on the rise.

Why? It's simple: We're living in a society that puts a premium on being young, or at least looking that way. This can sometimes cause even the most levelheaded and prudent among us - men as well as women - to take drastic action.

Let's not rush to judge those who choose to have surgery or less-invasive procedures. Because, as we used to say in retort to just about everything when we were kids, "It's a free country."

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Indeed, perhaps we should all adopt the open-minded "Never say never" approach to getting older, as Michelle Obama did in a recent interview about turning 50. Though the F word (for "face-lift") was never uttered, you'll note the first lady left the door open about some possible future recourse to Botox or fillers.

Some people truly want to look younger than they are - and I wish them good luck in that quest - but I'd say the majority of us are simply trying to look really good while embracing our age, crow's-feet and all. Fortunately, wanting to appear fabulous and acknowledging who you are now are not mutually exclusive.

Many of the older women I talk to, for example, would love to provide a little lift to their faces - especially given that we lose the protein collagen as we age, causing our skin to surrender some of its elasticity and firmness. With them I like to share a trick that can lift and brighten your face in minutes; I learned it from makeup guru Carmindy (yup, she goes by a single name) during an interview a few years ago.

Here's what she told me to do: Gently dab and blend a little highlighter (I'm partial to Benefit's Moon Beam or High Beam, or Yves St. Laurent's Touche Éclat) on these three places: beneath your eyebrows; at the tops of your cheekbones; on the inside corners of your eyes. The net effect is to lift everything up - and make you look fabulous.

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To see this and other everyday makeup tips in action, check out this quick video from my Best of Everything After 50 series:

No makeup stratagem, of course, can ever take the place of these "must-dos" to promote healthy skin:

• Get enough sleep
• Wear sunscreen (at least SPF 30, but 50 is better) every day, rain or shine, all year long
• Use a retinol product every night to help rebuild collagen

 

Until next time, remember that we can't control getting older, but we can control how we do it!

For more tips on living your best life, look inside The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts' Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money and More, and subscribe to The Best of Everything After 50 video series on AARP's YouTube Channel.

 

Also of Interest

• Wear the Best Colors to Brighten Your Look
• No. 1 Reason Why Men and Women Over 50 Cheat (It's Not What You Think!)
• Fight Fraud and ID Theft With the AARP Fraud Watch Network
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

 

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