Real Beauty goes more than skin deep...

As I started writing this, I decided I needed a little inspiration and, let's face it, a little bit of a pick-me-up.

It's beach time already - and I still haven't lost the last 15 pesky pounds that I was determined I was going to lose by this summer.

And right now, if you took a picture of my skin and stuck it in the dictionary, it would be the picture for the "Sahara."

So, I decided to run (figuratively speaking of course), over the to the Dove "Pro Aging" Website. If you haven't see the commercials yet, you need to.

The first one is what started the whole thing for me - and for hundreds (if not thousands) of other women as well. It's called "Evolution" and it rips back the curtain and shows you what goes on behind the making of a glamour ad. It shows a rather ordinary woman who comes into the studio for hair and makeup before having her photo taken for a beauty advertisement. Which is fine - we all know that the professionals who work for the studios, the beauty advertisers - could make anyone look gorgeous with the right hair and makeup and lighting. But it goes further than that. After the photo shoot, the real "make up artists" take over and they do a little "tweaking" of the model. And what you end up seeing - the completely distorted end result - which is the fantasy that we all use for our measuring stick of what is beautiful - is a fake.

After the success of that advertisement, Dove went a little further. They actually had the nerve to find real women - wrinkles, gray hair, 50 year-old-bodies and all - and used them for their models of the new product.

And guess what? The women are beautiful, and glamorous - and REAL.

I love it!

Check them out and see what you think.

And in the meantime, I'll find what I was originally looking for, which are some tips for skin care in the summer sun...

Do You Look As Young As You Feel?

There are days that looking through the latest women's magazines make me laugh - there are all those pictures of young, beautiful women who are only God knows how old - touting face creams with wrinkle reducers in them, or make up that is guaranteed to give you younger-looking skin within weeks.

And even if they do show older models - Christie Brinkley or Kirstie Alley or Jane Seymour, I wonder how much airbrushing is done to remove the perfections?

Sure, I hate noticing new wrinkles, and sometimes to go back to the days when I had no pores, my eyes didn't look like they were permanently packed to go on vacation, and parts of me didn't creak as much as my bedsprings when I get out of bed in the mornings.

On the other hand, I've lived a full and interesting life (and plan to keep doing so for as long as possible), and I like to think that my face reflects that. I don't think I'd want to have the plastic face of a Barbie doll staring back at me, when I look in the mirror. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with playing to your strengths, and doing the best you can with what you've got.

I need some more moisturizer, so this morning I'm looking at the magazine ads to see what's available, what new advances have been made - and at what creams promise that younger, more vibrant looking skin...

Skin Care Questions

Spring is here - we're starting to sleep with our windows open again, and leave them open during the day, too, so we can enjoy the breezes.

When we get back from Austria in a week, I'll probably take the down comforters off all the beds, and turn the mattresses.

Thinking about these little routines also got me thinking about the routines we have for ourselves and our bodies.

I have a different skincare routine for spring than I do for winter. For example, I'll switch daytime moisturizers now, and use one that has sunscreen protection in it.

And I've noticed that I've got little red bumps on my face again - acne for adults? sigh.

Here's what a wrinkle report says: What causes wrinkles, anyhow? Chronological age isn't as big a deal as lifestyle: Sun exposure ages you a lot faster than mere birthdays. Skin's cell-renewal process slows with age, as does collagen production, leading to blotchiness and sagging.

So your daily skincare regimen becomes even more important. You need to pay attention to four basic things: cleansing, exfoliation, moisturizing, and sun protection. None of these steps will change your appearance dramatically. But if you don't do them, the years will pile on a lot faster.

Okay, so I guess it's time to get serious about skin care! It's not that I really mind the wrinkles so much - after all, they are the proof that I've lived my life and are like a badge from the experiences I've gone through. But at the same time, I don't want to look like a char-pei puppy, either.