Should I stop wearing lipstick?
Is lipstick making me look old?
Once upon a time I couldn't wait to wear lipstick and look older. Now I think that wearing it makes me look too.old.
Sometimes I l look at myself in the mirror and wonder who that old lady can be, but I still reach for my lip gloss and start smudging it over my mouth.
Should I keep on wearing lipstick? Is it drawing attention to the inescapable fact that I'm neither a young lass nor a smart 40 something professional woman with a flair for fashion? Does it make me look old?
I remember my first lipstick
My first lipstick was a pale pink shade (Blush Pink), a perfectly suitable colour for a 14 year old. I felt like Brigitte Bardot (she wore this shade) although my mother told me I was slapping it on too thickly. It never lasted past the first sip of chocolate malt anyway..
Then there was a time I didn't wear any lipstick at all, I affected a fresh-faced flower child style but I probably looked more like a pallid creature recovering from a long illness.
It was about my 40th birthday that my lipstick became brighter, more bold, more red. An attempt to put some colour into my worn-out face.
But now, the red is too red. The face, alas, too lined and, let's face it, too old.
Should I stop wearing lipstick entirely?
Are these good enough reasons to wear lipstick?
A bit of colour on my face is better than nothing. It brightens up my appearance, making me look less old.
A bit of colourful lip gloss looks like I still care about myself. (I haven't thrown in the towel yet).
It's my face and I'll paint it if I want to.
Are these good enough reasons not to wear lipstick?
Nothing ages like lipstick bleeding into fine lines but lip liner really stands out on me. I look like a clown.
When it's shiny it makes me look like that proverbial mutton pretending to be lamb. When it's matte it makes my whole lower face look droopy.
My lips, never full to start with, are thinner. Lipstick emphasises this. (Thank heavens I don't have artificially plumped lips like some ageing celebrities. They can frighten goblins).
They knew their stuff in Ancient Mesopotamia!
Five thousand years ago the people of Mesopotamia were doing really clever things like inventing writing, so they could record their recipe for making beer and yes, they were also painting their lips red!
The Ancient Egyptians picked up these advances in science and began to use lippie too. It's said that Cleopatra liked hers a rich shade of hot red.
Hit me with the honest truth
I'm at retirement age. Am I too old to wear lipstick?
Maybe I should get this and make a comeback?
Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45
Don't you think he looks like a man who knows his stuff?
It's a very rare occasion when I take advice from a man but I saw Hopkins on Oprah and almost sent off for his book straight away.
Maybe I should order it now and learn how to look after myself
Kindle format : Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45
Perhaps I need this!
Is there an age cutoff to stop wearing lipstick?
When should women stop wearing lipstick?
Photo Credits
All images are from Big Stock Photo
© 2011 Susanna Duffy