To Botox or Not?

One thing that happens when women begin to reach middle age, is that they notice their faces more. They start to see changes in the firmness of their skin and all the expression lines deepen and remain there even without expression. We also start to notice these changes in other women we know, or in celebrities we see in the media, and it becomes a constant guessing game of who's doing what to their faces to keep them young.

For me, it's easy to tell when a face has been frozen with Botox or when cosmetic surgery has been used to retain a youthful face. And now that my pushing-fifty-face is beginning to show these changes, and I see women around me with rejuvenated faces,  I don't want to fall too far behind. You see, my son is only four years old, and I've already been once mistaken for his grandmother.

I have to admit that I've seen some men and women look absolutely spectacular after getting Botox injections in their faces, but the down side is that they lose much expression. There's no telling of the person's mood by looking at a face, which is usually frozen with a subtle smile. A study published in the Journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science says Botox can hinder our ability to understand the emotions of others. This can be a very bad thing for moms with young babies, by the way, which is another reason I've chosen not to have any injections or any surgery done to me unnecessarily. So when I read the new research which revealed that very expensive and risky cosmetic surgery only takes 3 years off the face, I felt even better about my choice. 

As I looked for answers for myself, and for clues to slow down the aging process to keep up with my fresh-faced peers, I found some natural solutions that have definitely worked for the last year or so. And now that I'm seeing these results for myself, I thought I'd share my tried and true regiments with Bitches Broo readers. So here's what I do, and it doesn't cost me a tiny fraction of the doctor-assisted methods out there.

1. For a face tonic: Wipe the face with organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother" in it. Click on the link to learn more.

2. For makeup removal and face/neck moisturizing: Try Coconut oil, which I also use for dozens of other things. ACV and CO aren't just excellent for cleansing and moisturizing, but they are also very effective for shrinking the pores.

3. For facial muscle toning: Do face yoga and face massage. This stuff actually works, folks. Do your own googling and you'll find a wealth of info, and many helpful youtube demonstrations, too. Here's one from a series of good ones from the channel Howdini Guru.

4. For the Botox effect: After the face massage, I finish the process by using the Joan Crawford ice bath method, from the film "Mommy Dearest," or a frozen wet wash cloth which I soak in rosewater before I put it in the freezer. "Icing" the face not only firms it, but it gives it a wonderful glow, too.

5. For a refreshing spritz: Rosewater, with or without glycerin. It's been used for generations to keep the skin young. I know a 90-year-old lady with the face of a baby, and she's been using it for decades. I also hear it's amazing for cooling down hot-flashes. I haven't experienced those yet, but when I do, I'll know what to do.

So for now, I've been feeling pretty satisfied with my face and I haven't gotten anymore "your grandson is so cute" comments from strangers.

Stay tuned..