Beauty Advice from Mom

Many of us can credit our moms for being our first dermatologist. Before we heard information from professionals or the internet, there was Dr. Mom. Filled with hands-on experience and infinite insight, we inherited as much advice as we did genes.

When I was young, I'd see my mom massage Pond's cold cream all over her face and neck regularly. She always fixed her hair and did her nails. She looked like a million bucks, although, we didn't have much. 

My mom intentionally nurtured her health and skin. Since then, she has moved onto higher quality skin products, but she's still a skincare minimalist.

She has given me invaluable beauty advice over the years. Despite not knowing the scientific answer as to why something prematurely aged us, she knew it did. I wish that I followed her advice much earlier.

I'd love to share my inheritance with you. ―  Here it is!

Stay out of the sun.

Probably since birth, my mom knew that the sun aged our skin. She would stay out of the sun religiously, especially being prone to brown spots and skin discolorations. On the other hand, my sister and I would be at the pool or playing outside all day with zero skin protection. She'd warn us by saying, "Look at those leathery-skinned people. Take a break from the sun sometimes or you’ll look like a crocodile one day." Listening as I screamed internally with fear at the thought.

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, there wasn't a sunscreen that existed compared to today's standards. But you better believe there were suntanning oils like Hawaiian Tropic in a big brown bottle. Most people baked their baby oil slathered bodies under the sun and have been trying to reverse the damage decades later. 

However, there were the sunblock sticks for the face. You'd see lifeguards with the Zinka fluorescent colored lines on their noses and under their eyes. The only sun product I had was a bottle of some fake aloe vera gel, in case I got sunburned. 

Back then, there were sun hats which were perhaps the only protection you could ever get. Nowadays, you have hats and clothing made of SPF 50+ material.  Plus, all of the research and knowledge that we have today were unknown. We've come a long way, folks.

 

Massage your neck and face.

...or else you'll get a turkey neck. We know that our necks will eventually sag, but we can ease the wrinkles and nurture our delicate areas to minimize premature aging. A nightly one-hour gentle neck and facial massage were what was advised, but I've never accomplished more than 10 minutes. 

Don't touch your face.

This is some of the greatest advice, ever. We touch numerous items throughout the day. Once we touch our faces, we've just rubbed in who knows what which can lead to rashes or pimples.

Makeup.

While you're young, she said there's no need for makeup, especially foundation. If I had a pimple, she wouldn't give me anything to conceal it because it would only irritate it. This was actually true and I'd see many classmates who had acne and it only worsened with the seismic amount of foundation and powder.

In the 90s, there weren't any clean beauty products, especially makeup; they were all full of harsh ingredients and irritants. Today, of course, you can find safer products.

And more recently she added that as someone ages, it's best to wear less makeup or more natural-looking tones because too much can make a person appear older. 

Don't eat junk.

In my home, there wasn't any soda. NONE. My sister and I were allowed to have ice cream and one topping on the weekends. We didn't eat any junk food, but we ate tasty food every day. She always reminds me, "Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables." Everything you ingest repeatedly will appear on the outside. Pretty much.

Drink A LOT of water.

We all lose moisture in our skin as we grow older. My mom said that it's important to always drink water to flush out your system while nourishing your skin.  

"Aging is associated with a tendency to negative water balance, making older subjects more prone to dehydration," stated in the scientific publication, PLOS ONE Journal.

Sleep.

"Get plenty of sleep while you can." This gem rings through my head daily since becoming a mom. Between working, cleaning, and school closure, I don't dream in my sleep; I dream of sleep. 

She forewarned me that as I aged, my sleep would change. I found this also to be a fact. 

"Melatonin levels decline gradually over the life-span and may be related to lowered sleep efficacy, very often associated with advancing age, as well as to deterioration of many circadian rhythms. Melatonin exhibits immunomodulatory properties, and a remodeling of immune system function is an integral part of aging," according to PubMed.Gov.

"With aging, sleep patterns tend to change. Less time is spent in deep, dreamless sleep. Older people wake up an average of 3 or 4 times each night. They are also more aware of being awake," Medicine Plus explained.

My mom also told me to always sleep on my back because it's better for circulation, posture, and doesn't wrinkle my face by smashing it against the pillow. She sleeps on a Korean ondol (warm stone) bed. Hoping to get one for a birthday present one day! Just putting it out there.

Weight.

Keep your body at a healthy weight. As you age, you might keep a few extra pounds which looks better on your face. The plumpness or the baby fat begins to fade which has a lot to do with collagen.

"As aging progresses, more wrinkles and fine lines appear, and they deepen over time. Your skin continues to change in texture and color and begins to sag. These processes continue throughout your life," Dermatology Specialists of Naples states.

By losing too much weight, you'll look worn out, even if you're not. You'll just be saggy skin and bones is what she'd say.

Wear gloves. 

Washing dishes and cleaning our homes can dry out our hands. Over time, our hands will show the effects of not protecting them. So, when doing chores, my mom always made me wear gloves.

No plastic surgery. 

Unless medically necessary, such as a broken jaw or burns, I was told since around high school that I should take good care of myself, but age naturally; don't cheat. This didn't include facials. And it wasn't a judgment on others, but more of a confidence tactic, I believe.

She also said that women looked better when they aged naturally, and should embrace their beauty at every age versus looking like a porcelain dish about to crack ...or worse, looking creepy.

She raved about meeting actress, Jane Seymour at her art exhibit a few years ago. She said that Seymour aged gracefully and was gorgeous, even with wrinkles. The actress is almost 70. 

She told me to not let society pressure me. There's nothing wrong with aging. Just take care of what you can. 

Take pictures.

"Throughout your life, document your stages with self-portraits. It's a reminder of your youth and growth in every chapter of your life. Look at yourself as beautiful in more ways than your face and body." 

What we do to our bodies in our teenage years will show in our 20s and what we do in our 20s shows in our 30s, and so forth. It's all about curbing what you can with prevention and awareness. Following a preventative care routine by cleansing, and using sunscreen, moisturizer, and a powerful serum, such as Rescue Skin, all help our skin endure each step of the way.