When I was 47 I was with a few girlfriends and we were talking about cosmetic treatments, skin care, natural and not so natural solutions to looking younger when the topic turned to facial hair, menopause and solutions to taking care of the facial hair that comes along with the menopause. One of my girlfriends, Margaret said ‘I don’t know why women can’t just pluck those things out or shave it off.’ Well, let me tell you…easier said than done.
I have been wearing contacts or glasses since I was 16 years old. Let me just say, my eyesight is very poor. With or without a 10x magnification mirror, some things just get missed. Thankfully, I found threading for those areas I pretend do not grow hair. In the story that I have told myself, I just get my eyebrows done. If Usha continues to my upper lip or chin – well, that was just because she wanted an extra five bucks, it was clearly not because I needed it. Denial will only get you so far in your anti-aging journey!
During the same conversation with those GFs, one of them shared how she has this handy little tool, a shaver, that she used. She even started using it on her entire face. I was shocked! For one, she is the girlfriend that I always think wakes up beautiful and makes no effort to do so. We happened to be at her house, so she ran to her vanity and came back with these small shaving sticks. She instructed us on how to use them and along we went. About a week later I decided to see what this little stick of a razor could do. I knew that I did not have any facial hair because Usha just did my eyebrows the week prior. So, I take the cute little stick, pull off the cover and follow the instructions given to me. One swipe – hmmmm, two swipes – what the heck, three, four, five… “You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!” (There may have been a few more explicit words in there!!)
Goodness Me Oh My, so that’s why Margaret kept bringing up what she does and how often. She knows me well and didn’t have the heart to tell me that I needed some serious help and should have listened to Usha’s recommendations. Pitter patter of my grateful heart for such kind friends!
Immediate text to my trusted BFs: OMGOSH….I had no idea my mustache hair was enough to make hair extensions for a Barbie doll!!! Thank heavens for friends that ‘share’ their beauty secrets and razors!!! Note to self – get better lighting in the bathroom!!!!
What love I feel for those women!!
Fast forward about six months and I am traveling with the friend who was surprised that people didn’t just shave or pluck those bad boys out. I am getting ready that morning in the large, bright bathroom when I take a gander at the mirror. ‘What the heck?’ As I move in closer, I notice that there are a few stragglers that somehow have been left behind. How did I NOT see this? I’ve put in better lighting, I’ve went to a 10x magnification and still – there they are hanging out below the brow where they clearly do not belong and poking out from the not so discreet part of my chin. That is when I realized, some of us just cannot see as well as others.
My denial journey is over! I purchase stick razors in bulk, invested in brighter bathroom lights, a quality magnification mirror and run the eye frequency program more often.
Aging Gracefully is not in my vocabulary.