updated photo

This photo is of me about 6 months ago. I'm 57 1/2 years now.

What have I been doing for my facial skin?
Wearing 70 - 90 factor sunscreen;
Avoiding sun exposure from 11am - 2pm;
Wearing a visor or hat when in direct sunlight for lengthy periods of time
Always wear good sunglasses

I use translucent glycerine soap and don't pamper my face.
I only wear a little blush makeup or a little lipstick but no other makeup.

I use a clay facial mask about once every 2 weeks to tighten my facial skin and reduce enlarged pores.
I use Pascalite Clay which is mined in the Bighorn mountains right here west of where I live.
It is purified and splendid.  it can be purchased at:

http://www.pascalite.com

How Climate Affects Your Face & Facial Rejuvenation

I grew up in Pennsylvania, on Lake Erie - where the climate was very humid.
In my late thirties, I moved to Louisiana where it was extremely humid and lived there for eleven years.

Nearly five years ago I moved back to the state of Wyoming, which has a semi-arid climate.

Yes, you can get facial punishment by wind and other climate conditions, but I am convinced working in an office which has low humidity, especially in Winter when many have the heat blasting, is a huge contributing cause to facial wrinkles!

Hey, heres one idea I haven't tried - Facial Yoga for wrinkles!
You do yoga exercises with your face!

In June, 1911, Science Daily Dot Com reported that a news study found that the worse a woman's skin wrinkles are during the first few years of menopause, the lower her bone density is.  Here is the link to that article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110604181911.htm

Also, in March, 2010, Science Daily reported that significant changes in facial bones -- particularly the jaw bone -- occur as people age and contribute to an aging appearance.

Wow!  Always something as a contributing factor, ey?

Here is the link to that article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323121836.htm

In August, 2007 Science Daily reported that multiple, distinct compartments of fat in the face age at different rates:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070806090314.htm

And in June, 2008 Science Daily reported that rejuvenating newly identified fat compartments in the facial cheeks can help reduce the hollowed look of the face as it ages:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080624145157.htm

Surprising, isn't it that a website like Science Daily has so many articles about facial rejuvenation!  They posted an article recently in February, 2012: 
"...Dermatologists can use fillers or lasers to correct the most notable signs of aging and can recommend skin care products with added ingredients that can further repair damaged skin."

Here is link to that article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121814.htm

I was 29 when this photo was taken.  

Just a year and a half later, my smile wrinkles were already getting more pronounced.

What causes changes in a face?

This was me several years ago (around age 52).  I finished menopause at that age, so then my hormones changed, which surely contributed to the beginning of more wrinkles in my face.

I was about age 45 in this photo (with makeup), and I still had all my hormones!

I went through a phase after turning 52 using Pascalite clay facial masks.

The clay helps tighten one's skin.  However, it can also remove moisture from one's skin.  Perhaps that contributed to my wrinkling?

So here is pretty much what I look like today.

They say wrinkles give a face character.

I think I look like quite a character already!!

 

New approach: Horse Tail Herb and Rose Hips Seed Oil

This is me a few weeks ago.

Well I gave up on the synthetic snake peptide with aloe vera powder and the other stuff I made into a lotion. It was all a waste of money!

So now I've discovered two new products I'm trying.

I picked up some pure Rose Hips Seed oil at the health food store in a town over the mountains last weekend.  Rose Hips Seed Oil helps minimize the appearance of wrinkles and damage to the skin.  It also is used to treat dry skin, scars, and hyper pigmented tissue.  The oil contains high concentrations of Vitamins A, C and E.

Applying the oil directly on my face results in no stinging or burning whatsoever.  I can leave it on my face all day and it leaves no redness and causes no irritation.

I have gathered wild rose hips every Autumn here in the mountains but the seeds are so tiny, you would have to somehow pulverize those tiny seeds to extract the oil from them, and you would need a LOT of rose hips to produce enough seeds to get an ounce of oil!  So for $6.25 an ounce, I think I got a good deal, considering I've seen it cost more on the internet.

The other product I am using on my arms, backs of my hands, neck, legs, etc. is a cream I purchased on the internet in bulk.  The Crafter's ChoiceTM

butter blend contains extract from the Horse Tail herb plant.  I'm excited to find this product because I have not seen any other cream or lotion or other extract of Horse Tail made into a skin care product.

This stuff smells amazing and does a great job of moisturizing your skin!!

And I have dry skin living in Wyoming with our semi-arid climate, plus working in a hot office environment where the air is dry and ruthless to one's skin.

I've gathered horse tail in the mountains and dehydrated it for making tea; also made tinctures from it.  It is fabulous if you get any rashes and the extract can be applied directly on the skin without any burning or irritation.

I purchased it from Wholesale Supplies Plus.  Their website is:

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com 

Here is link to the Horse Tail Cream of theirs:

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.comProductDetail.aspx?CategoryID=1387&ProductID=6965&ProductName=Crafters+Choice%E2%84%A2+Horsetail+Butter+Blend

It is a company in Cleveland, Ohio of all places.  They sell products in bulk for people who make their own soaps, lotions and cosmetics.

Shipping was well packaged and the product arrived quickly.  I also purchased some Sweet Almond Oil for a decent price, which is also wonderful for the skin and serves as a superb massage oil or carrier oil for massage and hydrating one's skin.

The Horsetail Butter Blend cream comes in 1 pound jars!!  The container says "safe for use on the skin at 100%". It contains Almond Oil (#1 ingredient), then Equisetum Arvense Extract (Horse Tail herb extract) (#2 ingredient), and lastly, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil.  It comes in a clear jar so you can see how much contents are left.  It is kept in a dark, cool place (I keep mine in the refrigerator).  The product is good for one year.  Amazingly, it appears the made up the batch of butter blend for me right after I ordered it!!

I paid $28.70 for 3 pounds!!! Not a bad deal at all, considering so many hydrating creams cost that much for just 6 to 8 ounces!

The company describes this product below:

Proprietary blend that contains horsetail extract which is thought to contain the building blocks needed for collagen and elastin synthesis in the skin. Also thought to help rebuild and regenerate damaged skin cells.

Common Uses: Cold & Hot Process Soap. Lotions. Lip Products.

Points of Interest: Contains Horsetail Extract, believed to contain the building blocks needed for collagen and elastin synthesis in the skin. Also thought to help rebuild and regenerate damaged skin cells. Contains Sweet Almond Oil, a natural moisturizer that is thought to relieve (among other things) itching. All Natural.  

One reviewer who tried it said:

"This butter is silky smooth and penetrates rather quickly, avoiding the greasy feel you'll have with most butters. "

I find that the product does have a very slight greasy feel to it but that quickly goes away so its not a problem if you don't slather globs of it onto your skin.

It is light pistacho-nut green in color and is just plain wonderful stuff!

As far as the face experiment goes:

Other than putting on the Rose Hips Seed Oil on my face, and the Horse Tail herb Cream on the rest of my body, I do not expect miracles.  What I want to do is keep my skin hydrated. I realize wrinkles are inevitable as one ages.

However, on the backburner of my mind, this is my thought:  I think in another two or three years, I'm going to have laser treatments done on my face.  I think that is the best route to take to treat serious wrinkles on the face.  And if that doesn't cut it, then I guess I'll just wear a bag over my head or a scarf over my face, heh heh heh!!!

Stay tuned!  I'll post more pics as time goes on here.

After all --  I still don't think I look all that bad, considering I'm 55 1/2.

This photo is me without makeup a few weeks ago.

Now, I need to dig out the chin exerciser I bought where it tightens the chin and do face massage -- these are easy to do and can't hurt, but only help!!

 

 

 

 

New Treatment for Face -- The Acupuncture Pen!

Well here I am today - October 28th, 2011.  I turn 55 in early December.
Apparently I diluted the synthetic snake venom too much -- it was ineffective, even though I added Q10 and powdered Aloe Vera.

So I'm trying something completely new -- a battery operated acupuncture pen that is designed simiar to a TENS unit.  It delivers mild electrical zaps to one's skin through a copper tip on the end of the pen.  You control the strength of the electric zap, the rhythm, etc.  You listen with an ear bud to the beeping as it hones in on the acupuncture points.  It beeps real shrill in a high tone when you get on a point.  Then you zap it.  Doing this has definately helped me relax my facial muscles.  When they're relaxed, you don't look as wrinkled.  I find it so relaxing I can lie on my bed and do the zapping for an hour or more.  It is extremely wonderful and I recommend this for anyone who has muscular tension, pain, etc.

The reason I bought it is because it said that using it on the face reduces facial wrinkles.  I think this is the best thing I've tried so far to help with facial wrinkles.  I bought it for $35 on Ebay.  There are various models but you want one with an earbud so you can listen to the beeps.  It came with batteries.
Its easy to use and is cordless and very portable.

I need to use the chin exerciser I bought that strengthens the skin beneath the chin so the neck gets less wrinkles.

I also bought what is like a straight jacket for the face!  Something on Ebay.  A cloth facial wrap.  You end up having your face cocooned and it is framed tightly with an elastic type of cloth.  It was comfortable to wear but I haven't slept with it or really tried it yet.  We'll see how the acupuncture pen does.

I got a crown put on this week on one of my side front teeth so it helped my smile improve.

What lies ahead?  I believe I will save up and get laser treatments on my face next year.  I've spoken with several older women who had wonderful skin and they all told me that it was laser treatments that did the trick. They said its better than plastic surgery, better than dermabrasion and removes age spots, fine lines and wrinkles.


Problem is, I'm a very expressive person and use my face a lot to express myself.  I smile hugely and sneeze loudly and grin and use my smile and face a lot when I interact with people.


Another thing that is helping - sticking to a regular sleep schedule and getting 7 1/2 hours - 8 hours sleep at night.  I don't look as tired.

Just cut my hair tonight - how does it look?
I get so hot.  At the office its been 72-74 degrees which is way hotter than my apartment.  I can't wear longer hair because I'd sweat to death.  Besides, shorter hair makes me look younger!

Lately I've put on a few pounds but joined the Y and am going to start working out regularly so I hope that will also help with the wrinkles - getting better circulation, sweating to remove toxins from the body, etc.

Stay tuned!  I'll post another pic soon.

 

Oh yeah - I'm developing more wrinkles on edges of my lips.  That sure sucks!

I've used lip protection all of my life daily.  

 

And those forehead wrinkles -- they're hereditary.  My dad had them and I look a lot like my father.  

So, to all who glimpse at this blog, please check back to see how the acupuncture pen is working for me.  I believe it will be very beneficial to my health in many other ways as it is stimulating all these acupuncture points on my face, scalp, shoulders, neck, hands, etc.

Side Profile of Face

                                                    May 6th, 2011