Your Life, Your Style
Karen La Corte
Karen La Corte is an etiquette and manners expert trained and
certified by the Emily Post Institute in Vermont. Karen is happy to
answer your questions — email her at karen@marxtowing.com
How Much Does Your Face Cost?
I
f you’re like me, you probably have tried every new
anti-aging cream out there. I have a drawerful. You
buy one, use it for a while, are disappointed, and then
move onto the next “hot” cream or serum on the market.
Television, magazines, Facebook, Instagram, your derma-
tologist and your local drugstore all promote the latest and
greatest products to reverse the signs of aging. The anti-aging
market has exploded. It is now a billion-dollar industry. We
are inundated with everything from what Dr. Oz suggests to
Oprah’s favorites. But, let’s face it (no pun intended) putting
your best face forward can be expensive.
The first signs of aging begin in your 30’s. This often
appears first in the eyes, forehead and the mouth and lip
area. It’s not about what’s happening on the surface of the
skin, it’s what is happening in the deeper layers. We can’t
completely stop aging, but we can slow it down.
You probably don’t want to hear this, but diet is a very
important factor in slowing the aging process. The best diet
for anti-aging is a diet that is good for the health of your
body. Combined with exercise, this includes eating foods that
are high in phytonutrients and antioxidants which include
orange and yellow fruits and vegetables; berries such as rasp-
berries, blueberries and blackberries; and green tea. Nuts and
fish, which contain omega fatty acids, can have anti-aging
benefits in the long run. Do I need to mention that sugar and
alcohol should be consumed in moderation if you want to
keep that youthful glow?
Keeping your skin clean is the next important thing.
Again, there is a plethora of skin cleansers out there. You
don’t have to break the bank here. You just need something
that’s gentle but will cut through pore-clogging makeup, oil
and dirt. I use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It’s only $6.39
at Target. I’ve tried them all. This does the trick, morning and
night. And if I feel I need a little more, I use Biore deep pore
cleansing cloths. I like to travel with these too. Amazon sells
a 60 count for $8.
Next is sunscreen. I’m not going to judge you here or give
you a whole paragraph on the damage that sun alone can do
to your face including skin cancer, but I will tell you what I
use and I think you’ll like it too. This product is hydrating
enough that you can skip your daytime moisturizer and it
doesn’t feel greasy. It is packed with good broad-spectrum
protection. This is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch
Sunscreen SPF55. And it is only $8.49 for 3 oz at Rite Aid.
Cha Ching! I love love love this stuff.
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Keeping your face moisturized is also key in keeping
those fine lines from appearing and to help skin from losing
its elasticity. This is again your choice. I’ve used everything
from Chanel’s Sublimage La Crème at $400 a jar (because
scientists traveled to the farthest reaches of the island of
Madagascar to find the key to the best anti-aging skincare
product)—Eye Roll here—to what I’m using now. I use
Anew Reversalist Complete Renewal by Avon. Yes. Avon.
I use the night cream for both day and night. I use it also
because Cathy Shostle that works for me sells it. I not only
want to support Cathy, but this is only $35 a jar. I have
found that if it’s rich in emollients, it’s good enough for me.
Don’t forget to moisturize your neck and décolletage as part
of your moisturizing ritual. Your neck can really give your
age away if you don’t take care of it.
For those of us “of a certain age” who feel we need some
type of wrinkle and age spot treatment, I like ProX Deep
Wrinkle Treatment by Olay. I like it because it has a high
concentration of retinol, niacinamide, and peptides. I use
it morning and night for an effective all-around anti-aging
product to tackle wrinkles, sunspots, and dryness all at
once. This is $45.99. My last tube I got at Walgreens. My
Aunt Delphine who lived to be in her nineties swore by
olive oil. She never had a wrinkle, but I’ve shied away from
putting olive oil on my skin as I have oily skin to begin
with. And at my age that’s all I need is break-outs due to
clogged pores and overly oily skin! Hey, I’ve spent hundreds
of dollars on dermatologist’s skin care systems only to be
disappointed. So, these are my thrifty little secrets I’m shar-
ing with you.
Then we need to talk about whether to wear foundation
or not to wear foundation. Some of you don’t. That’s fine.
If nothing else, please practice my simple skin care regi-
men. But if you like to wear foundation, try to match your
skin tone or one shade darker. Truth is, we can all wear
about three different shades. Decide if your skin tone is cool
or warm and then find one you like. Again, the makeup
counter at Macy’s or Nordstrom is great, but so is your
local drugstore. I read an article once that Elizabeth Taylor
bought her everyday makeup at Woolworths. Concealer,
blush, highlighter, eye liners, shadows, mascara and brow
pencils are all personal choices. And they all take practice
with trial and error. But the one thing that a woman cannot
do without is her LIPSTICK. Try to find a lip color that you
can rock. If it’s fire-engine red, then wear it proudly. Even
SPRING 2020
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