FashBlog.com

When we think about high fashion, what are the images that come to mind? For most, it’s beautiful models on the runways of major fashion hubs, like New York, Milan or Paris. Invariably, they are tall, thin, and wearing ensembles that cost the equivalent of a few months’ rent or mortgage. Now, regular department-store fashion may be a bit more low-keyed, but it’s still represented by lovely, well-put together gals. The one common denominator, at least in my mind, is that these women are usually fairly young, or, at least too young to have any noticeable wrinkles.

Now, we all know that there are millions of absolutely stunning older women whose beauty is even more remarkable because it’s withstood the test of time, often without cosmetic surgery. These models of elegance are inspiration for the rest of us, who can only hope we’ll look that good in our later years. It’s encouraging to know that in real life, we aren’t so demanding that structured categories of weight, body type or age make much difference in attractiveness. This is a very good thing! However, sometimes it is discouraging to see advertising and other media that depicts older women with almost flawless skin. It’s right up there with personal computers now utilizing photo-shop techniques to air-brush improvements in our digital pictures. No matter how open minded we are about many things, we still are pretty closed minded when it comes to wrinkles.

Recently, while applying makeup, I noticed a few lines around my eyes-lines that did not readily disappear when I stopped smiling. I’ve been lucky (and grateful to my Mediterranean heritage) to have staved them off as long as I have, but I guess it’s time to pay the piper. Facial lines are actually nothing new to me, but they’ve been kept in check by a personal blend of elixirs I’ve trialed over the years. However, I guess the magic potions’ time has ceded to time itself, and the products can’t fight anymore; now I’m ready for the big guns.

So I went shopping yesterday for new, intensive, super-duper, deep-revitalizing eye serums, you know, the heavy hitters.

Why do manufacturers try to sell us their whole line when all we want or need is one item? Major cosmetic companies sell not just eye cream, but overall facial wrinkle smoothers, as well as products for spot areas that are “deeply damaged”. Then there’s the AM or PM choice to make, which always confused me. If I have to buy a wrinkle smoother in the first place, why wouldn’t I want to use the most efficient one at all times? And then there’s the chemical engineering to consider: Do I want it to permeate into the inner layers of my skin to regenerate from within, or to simply plump up the outer layer for a smoother surface? Do I really need to know this?

By the process of elimination, I narrowed it down from three to one major line of skin products. (It wasn’t too hard, since I disagree with the animal testing of one and believe the other is overrated.) That left me with about 6 choices from which to choose. I selected the one I did because it gave me a laugh. (Just what I need-more laugh lines…) This treatment, according to the box, has been “clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine squint lines, fill the look of deep crow’s feet, fade dark circles, and diminish the look of “crepiness”.

Crepiness? How many people look at that and don’t make the connection to crepe paper? How many people take a quick glance at that and think they are reading the word “creepiness”? Furthermore, have you heard even one person ever use the word “crepiness”? Ok…let’s look it up in the dictionary…nope, “crepiness” is not a word.

Apparently, I’ll either continue to look creepy or like crepe paper unless I buy their product. (Hey-this may be one big advertising ploy to attract both those who resemble crepe paper and those who think they look creepy, all in one fell swoop!) It will make women wonder if they’ll end up looking less crepe-y or less creepy. It doesn’t matter, as long we look younger, and therefore, more fashionably acceptable.