Defying Gravity

By Eireen Manikan

Just got back from a long-weekend chillin’ in a luxurious hotel resort that got me thinking about the power of the rich in defying gravity.  In the three pools that were available there always were the presence of 50ish to mid-sixties ladies who did not look a day older than 30. One had on a skimpy black 2-piece that really gave a boost to her lithe and fatless tummy body and did not give her age away except for that almost non-detectable botox procedure around her eyes, cheeks and neck, the wrinkles in her hand and the presence of four (yes 4!) kids around her, with a 20ish guy calling her mom.

It is exactly women like these who I want to be when I grow up.  Women who show me that the way you look when you are older depends on you too aside from science doing its natural share. Women who, despite 4 major arrivals from their body, and taking care of those arrivals growing up, still look like they are the eldest sister of the brood.

But then we say, Oh of course she can afford to look young! She’s rich and has the money to pay for all those procedures women their age do to defy gravity. Well, I will have you know that there are some things we mere mortals can do to stop looking our age and maybe look even just five years younger.  The biggest age-revealer of our body is our skin. Hence, it is best to really ensure that we give it the utmost care and love to minimize the impact of time and harsh factors like weather and mommy/wifey-duties.

Being told that I look younger than my real age means I must be doing something right with my skin and I would like to let you in some of my daily rituals:

1. Lotion – A girl’s bff. After every bath or shower, while skin is still slightly wet is the best time to put on lotion. I feel it is absorbed more easily and just glides into my body as I put some on. I always use a hypo-allergenic though I indulge in scented ones sometimes just to please my bedmate.
2. Unscented Body Oil – a cold room dehydrates skin faster, and you will mostly witness me put on oil at night than lotion as this for me works faster when it comes to moisturizing body skin than lotion. This I also love to put on my feet, as I can already see cracked parts, but it has softened since. Aside from unscented, I always choose the light ones as I do not like that ‘heavy’ or too sticky feeling other oils have on me.
3. Plant-based facial moisturizer – I swear by this, which I put on my face at night as it has made my skin more gentle, supple and smooth. I can instantly feel its hydrating effects and I also feel like having a gentler soul knowing that no animal was harmed during the making of this life-saver. (tip: before deciding on a moisturizer, try putting it on your inner wrist first and check for allergic reactions, not necessary for plant-based)
4. Sunblock with SPF 80 or higher – do not, never leave home without putting some on. This I really regretted that I did not start early as I have started applying it religiously while I was in my 30s already.  Let us never underestimate the power of the sun to harm our skin, even if we are not outdoors know that it has effects on us. Using an SPF will shield us from its direct effects.
5. Water is life. Always make it a point to replenish your body’s moisture by drinking lots of water every day. Though eight glasses have no scientific basis, it drives the point that we have to drink enough so that our body will fill its positive effects. Not just beneficial, it is affordable to boot.

These daily habits will significantly help us regain that youthful look and for those who can not afford cosmetic procedures as easily, these are affordable beauty hacks that have fast-acting effects.

Finally and most importantly, youthful glow is more impactful if it comes from within.  Let us hydrate our souls first with positive things by thinking beautiful thoughts and acting on them, because no one is more beautiful and gravity-defying looking than a person who is a positive contributor of her community.