Creams And Genes

When I first started this blog my intention was to talk about all things related to becoming a pensioner, a senior citizen, but then, as often happens, my mind started darting about all over the place and I blogged about all sorts of things that just popped into it! 

During a conversation recently with a group of mixed aged women - my daughter and her friends, and myself and my friend D who is a couple of years older than me, the subject of concessions for senior citizens came up, free bus travel, cheap cinema tickets etc., and one of the younger women, looking at my friend and I, jokingly said “See there are some compensations for being old” I laughed because I’m used to this kind of friendly banter, but for a nano second I was taken aback, because in my mind I don’t think of myself as old, and I certainly don’t feel old, most of the time I feel 30!! Except when I've walked the dogs, done a bit of housework and some shopping!

Later I started to reflect on the demise of youth, the passing of time, the wrinkles, the cellulite, the loose flesh under the arms that keeps moving long after I have waved goodbye, diminishing energy levels, looking in the mirror and seeing my mother, and worse of all being invisible! It's like I went to bed aged 30 and woke up the next day clutching a bus pass wondering how the heck did that happen. It would be very easy to become depressed about the whole ageing process but life is too short to dwell on something that I have no control over, so instead I try to make the most of what I have. 
I have always looked after my skin by using moisturisers. Over the years I have used a wide variety of creams - night creams, day creams, time delay creams, anti-ageing creams, eye creams. 

They all claim to do more or less the same thing - nourish, replenish, rehydrate, strengthen and firm, reduce the appearance of wrinkles. I don’t use expensive ones and usually stock up when they are on special offer. I like Boots time delay range, I like the smell.

When I was younger I cleansed and toned my face religiously every night but
now I use this face wash in the shower and face wipes at night. 



I also like the ANEW range by Avon, it has a nice smell too.

I'm pretty sure my complexion has benefited from the use of moisturisers over the years. But how would you know for sure if the anti-ageing and firming creams live up to their claims? could be your skin would age well anyway. The only 100% effective way of knowing would be to treat only half of your face, and who wants to do that!! 
One thing I am immensely grateful to my mother for is inheriting her genes, she was 94 when she died and her skin was still beautifully soft.
I know a lady who is 67, she has used expensive creams all her life but her face is quite wrinkled. A good friend of mine is 71 and has always used expensive creams, her complexion is beautiful, hardly a wrinkle in sight. 
My youngest daughter has only ever used good old Nivea cream and her skin is beautiful, as is my eldest daughter's. 
Moisturising helps, but I do believe that it's mostly down to genes.
What do you think, what is your regime, do you use moisturisers, do you use expensive ones?