Finding a Fit

Not many things (none of the things?) in my life have been perfect. Some examples: I thought I would marry the guy I was dating in my early 30s, but he took of with the local barista (not kidding).

I planned to adopt one baby and have one biological baby. Biology did not cooperate.

I thought I would move to New York City at some point. Still here in San Francisco 25 years later.

And in my 20s I was sure I’d be happy to grow old gracefully and embrace the lines on my face and white hairs springing forth from my head like those maniac blow up guys at car dealerships. 

But, no. And regarding that last one, oh hell no! And this is just a smattering of things that didn’t turn out “perfect.” But the way everything in my life fits together is kind of good. And that makes me question everything. Like, what is perfect anyway?

So when I find things that work for me, I consider it a win, even when it’s something seemingly small like skincare. My skin is far from perfect, but at 49 (!) I’m not gonna complain. And in some ways, my skin looks better now than it did 15 years ago. Back then I still wasn’t convinced sunblock was totally necessary, and I would get my annual tan on. But in my 30s, that led to discoloration and blotches all over my face which is not that cute.

Luckily, Aveeno has created its Positively Radiant products specifically for this issue. In particular, the Targeted Tone Corrector has been key for the weird blotches that randomly show up on my cheeks and upper lip. The cream incorporates Aveno’s proprietary Total Soy Complex to even out tone and texture. And it’s oil-free, which makes me happy because I’m one of those lucky people  with wrinkles and occasional breakouts! Woo! In other words, I like a non-comedonic skincare product. I also use the Positively Radiant makeup remover wipes. Thanks to all that is holy for wipes. 

And then there’s my hair. And the grays. I’m fending them off, for now, with strategic highlights combined with toner at the roots. As you can see above, it works only sometimes. When one of the grays springs forth? It’s dancing ballon guy time. And those highlighted pieces are pretty dry. 

To keep things in some type of order, I’ve been using a combination of OGX Argan Oil of Morocco and OGX Coconut Oil Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist. I smooth the argan oil over the ends after washing, and on day two (maybe three or four as well, don’t judge), I lightly spray my hair all over (avoiding the roots because there’s usually enough oil there) with the coconut oil. My hair feels super soft despite being pretty dramatically lightened (my hair’s natural color is dark brown). 

Awesomely, all of these products are available at Rite-Aid, where if you sign up for the Plenti program, you can start racking up points to save money later—you get a point for every cent you spend, and your points last for two years!

Maybe the way we work things out for ourselves is a sort of perfection. If that’s the case then I guess I’ve found perfection at Rite Aid! JK but kind of. 

This post was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson and ShopStyle.