People are terrified of change and aging is full of it. We lose our youthful beauty—it’s a given that aging produces changes even in the most fabulous looking and fit people on the planet. And of course, no one gets out of here alive, and if illness or accidents fail to take us out, the decline called aging will.

Of course, it’s natural for a girl to want to look good and keep herself up, but do we have to become pawns in the manipulative world of marketing moguls in order to look our best, be healthy, and feel good?

Women are particularly vulnerable to the fear of aging, of losing their youthful beauty, and we choose to deal with this fear in different ways. Some cling in desperation to youth and everything associated with it. Women of all ages have given away their power to the corporations and marketers that tell them how to look good enough to live a charmed life—and, of course, we are taught looking young is part of what it takes to look good. Here are some beauty standards perpetrated upon womankind and what I recommend as an alternatives:

Women must have big breasts – If you have ever watched Dr. 90210’s Dr. Robert Rey surgically implant D size silicon cups into a 16 yr. old’s B cup breasts so she can attract hot guys at the beach, you’ve seen an extreme example of exploitation of women. What is shocking is that parents encourage and pay for these surgeries.

Fact: According to the National Institute of Medicine, 25 to 40 percent of women who get breast implants will need another operation to correct something that went wrong with the first one. Many women already have beautiful and healthy natural breasts that look deformed and unsightly after they get implants!

My Recommendation: Learn to accept and make the most of what Mother Nature has given you. I suggest exercise that strengthens the pectorals and finding the right bras for the right occasions – if you absolutely must have extra volume or cleavage, get a gorgeous push up or lightly padded Victoria Secret bra that makes you feel fantastic. Then, let it go! There is more to your life than having enormous breasts! And why are 50 year old women getting implants? Implants are not a cure for aging. Many of us with larger breasts would love to be smaller! There are numerous problems associated with large breasts! If you have daughters, tell them they are beautiful the way they are—many men love small breasts! And, when small breasted women age, they will be happy their breasts are not trailing on the ground.

Women must have big lips – I have never seen a plastic surgery make-over on television where the doctor failed to inject collagen into the patient’s lips. (Note the word, patient, as if the person is sick and not simply vain or a victim of mass marketing madness designed to exploit a woman’s deepest fears– i.e. I’m not pretty enough and therefore no one will love me because my lips are a normal size for my face and ethnicity!

Fact: Consider the risks – By now we’ve all seen the unsightly results of this minor surgery that seems to have become a cosmetic necessity (like wearing lipstick) to so many with time and money to spare. Poor results include: asymmetry of the lips and skin infections as a result of injections. Of course, we’ve all seen the over-plumped mouths, known as “trout pout,” an over dramatic swollen result that has afflicted many of the Hollywood elite.

My recommendation: Look at before and after pictures of both young and aging stars who have had their lips augmented (I love that word “augmented”– as if pumping your lips with plastic is an improvement over natural lips!) These pictures are a reality check and will hopefully dissuade you if you’re tempted to fall for the propaganda that all women need enormous lips. Plus, I have never understood why aging women think enormous lips make them look younger.

There are Great Natural Skin care and Make-up Products available in stores and online!

Use lipstick and lip gloss and in natural brands with moisturizers and natural sunscreen and call it a day!

I love Dr. Hauschka Skin Care.

This is a high-quality organic line that offers a complete line of natural skin care products and make-up. Their lipstick is creamy and comes in lovely colors.

I also use Emani and Arbone lipsticks – these are excellent natural make up lines!

Women must be free of all womanly curves (breasts are the exception, of course!) – Why do aging women want to look like stick figures? Have you noticed how actresses and models are considered overweight if they have any body fat or natural curves. Have you watched Dr. 90210’s Dr. Robert Rey perform liposuction on the lovely curves of young women who are already slender, just to turn them into stick figures with large breasts. Have you seen his wife? If so, I have made my point.

Fact: Overweight can be addressed naturally by proper diet and exercise. Women were designed by Mother Nature to have curves and not to look like 12 yr. old boys.

Liposuction is serious and dangerous surgery. Not exactly a day at a lovely spa! Here are some of the risks:

• Infection
• Extended healing time
• Allergic reaction to medication or anesthesia
• Fat or blood clots - clots can migrate to the lungs and lead to death
• Excessive fluid loss - fluid loss can lead to shock and, in some cases, death
• Fluid accumulation - fluid must be drained
• Friction burns
• Damage to the skin or nerves
• Damage to vital organs

My recommendations: If you want to lose weight, try Weight Watchers

and start an exercise program. Proper diet and exercise is the natural way to have the body you are born to have—not Beyounce’s body, not Angelina Joli’s body—your body. You do not need to get a Brazilian butt lift to be happy with who you are. There are exercise programs for everyone: try yoga, biking, pilates, or belly dancing. Don't forget to walk your dog!

Your face needs to be as tight as a drum

Fact: All surgery is risky and face lifts are surgery. Here are some of the risks:

• Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles - this is usually temporary. Notice the word “usually” – that means not always!
• Problems with healing of the skin - this is common for patients who smoke.
• Scarring - there will be some scarring, although the surgeon will always try to hide the face lift scars.
• Crust on the incisions - this will be temporary.
• Numbness or tingling around the incision areas - this should be temporary. Notice the words “should be” – translation it can be permanent!
• Skin or hair loss - this is rare.
• Skin discoloration - this is a rare condition that can continue for several months.

My Recommendations: Take care of your skin by using excellent skin care products and stay out of the sun as much as possible—do not tan outside and avoid tanning booths because they cause skin damage and skin cancer. Sun is the biggest cause of aging skin! My personal favorite skin-care products are Aubrey Organics and Derma-e. I buy these online at

Vitacost, and they do not cost a week’s salary—they are high quality and affordable. I love Aubrey's Rosa Mosqueta line for mature skin!

Drink water, eat right, and exercise. Then, and I know this is frightening, let nature take its course. There, I said it! How radical—you can decide to accept you are aging and its time to get your head straight. There is an entire planet to consider and there really is a lot to do here, to live for. There are hungry people to feed, there are sick people who may need us to bring them some soup. Maybe it’s time to mediate more or pray more, or learn how to knit, or make art. Maybe aging is nature’s way to help us find out what is really important.

As Holly Golightly, the ultimate glamor girl, once said:

"Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait."

More on Natural Beauty Products:

Aubrey Organics  - a Company with a Conscience!