AARP Eye Center
Vive la Vie en Rose at 50!
By Lois Joy Johnson, April 7, 2015 01:18 PM
Hydrangeas, lilacs, gardenias: Just name the flower, and I’m probably crazy about it. Ah, but roses — from cheapo supermarket buds to pricey florist-shop blooms — now those are my faves!
This spring, happily, everything from skin care to watches seems to be coming up roses. If you’re a fellow blossom-head, here are five ways to boost your flower power:
Meddle with some petals. Rose extracts and rosehips (the fruit of the rose) are super rich in vitamin C. Face oils and creams blended with emollients — among them shea butter and the oils of sunflower seeds, olives, macadamia nuts and avocados — provide a greenhouse of regrowth for dry, sun-damaged mature skin. They nourish, soothe, soften and calm. Try any of these: Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Infusion de Rose Nourishing Oil, Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Moisturizing Cream or Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream.
Go for the (rose) gold. The rush is on for rose-gold watches with blush-pink faces. Alloyed with copper, rose gold is strong and durable, flatters every skin tone and mixes easily with all your other golds. Could that be why Cartier launched its famous trinity rings of rose, white and yellow gold in the 1920s? Try Citizen Watches POV Model: FD 3003-58x (left) or Michael Kors Runway Flash Lens Rose Gold-Tone Watch. 
Put roses on your cheeks. Blending a healthy dose of cream blush high on the apples — that is, along the cheekbone “ledge” — is the fastest way to bloom brightly this spring. Chunky cheek sticks in a range of rosy hues come in sheer, high-pigment formulas; these look bold in the package but believable when applied. (For a fast “dual fix,” dab some on your lips, too.) Try Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm or Avon Be Blushed Cheek Color.
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Add a bouquet to your basics. Seasonal floral shirts and flats give perennial white jeans and capris a chic feminine spin without going all girly. Try Johnny Was Collection Milla Floral Print Blouse, Zara floral print blouse, Nine West Speakup Pointed Toe Flats (right) or (from Target) Women’s Betseyville Eternal Embellished Flats.
Sniff out a winner. Rosy scents do more than attract compliments; their aromatherapy benefits actually help alleviate anxiety. Got a big meeting coming up? Mist your clothes beforehand to relax. Want to send yourself into a snooze? Spritz your pillowcase before you hit the hay. The newest rosy scents are spiked with citrus, berry, amber, spices and woody notes for a contemporary twist. (Sexy, too!) Try Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose, L’Occitane en Provence Roses et Reines or Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne.
For more beauty and style tips for women 50-plus, check out The Wardrobe Wakeup: Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by a blogger you know well.
Photos: sephora.com; citizenwatch.com; ninewest.com; lancome-usa.com
Also of Interest
- Wear a 1970s Look — at 50
- Serenity Now! 13 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress
- AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: Get Free Help Preparing and Filing Your Taxes
- Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being
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