Skin care matters

My grandmother was a woman of many different habits and very little waste.  She could stretch 2 pounds of ground meat to feed her 5 kids, my grandfather, herself and of course me, my sister and dad when we came along(my youngest uncle is only 8 years older than me).  We never noticed the lack of meat because there would always be potatoes(again Irish) 2 vegetables and fresh bread.  She started working at the local market when my youngest Uncle started first grade(yes so unheard of in 1966) and then was able to get marked down items and such which they didn't sell to customers but did sell to employees.  We never new what it would be but I bet you we were one of the first families on the block to have rice(which my grandfather put ketchup on and said eat it..so we did).  She worked there until the week before my first Holy Communion when they told her she couldn't have off and being ever the feminist she told her boss to "go shit in his hat" and quit. That was her go to phrase.

He came to my grandparents house the following Monday to beg her to come back, back then you had to memorize the prices and my grandmother new them backward and forward.  Which is probably why my sister and I could count, add and divide before we started school.  We played store with her when she would babysit us.

Anyway 4 habits my grandmother never varied from: She smoked 2 menthol cigarettes every day, she had a alkaseltzer every night after dinner(I loved dropping the tablets into the water).  But of her 4 habits I have only picked up two.  Noxzema and Oil of Olay.  She washed her faced with the clear brown soap..whose name I can't remember.  

Every night my Grandma put on Noxzema and kept it on.  She didn't wash it off til morning I remember she wouldn't go to bed till it was all the way dry.  In the morning she would wash it off, get dressed and get everyone out of the house and then she would slowly and in a circular motion put on oil of olay.  I remember laying on her bed as she sat at the huge vanity and then one spray of Wind Song perfume...funny I just remembered that.  

She would start and her hairline rubbing it in and slowly working down her face, the front and back of her neck and her hands.  Then she would get out the ponds(yes they still sell it..I use it) the ponds was for her arms, elbows and legs.  No matter what my Grandmother took this time for herself and her skin.  When I look at pictures I remember how beautiful she was.  She had natural black hairs, so black it almost looked blue in some stores and a widows peak.  Last went on bright red lipstick.  That was all.  

Makeup was saved for church or going out.  I remember watching my mom doing the same thing growing up, she also used a press powder that I know by smell today. Mom didn't wear makeup often the only thing she put on every day was mascara.

Then there is me.  I follow the same procedure that my grandmother and mother did.  Noxzema on over night, oil of olay(or equate from walmart..but always solid Noxzema).  When my girls became teenagers they picked up the same habit and both have beautiful skin.  So does my mother and I think for almost 49 I am holding OK.  Even when my grandmom passes away people commented on how beautiful her skin was, not a wrinkle to be found.

So Noxzema, oil of olay and ponds keep me going.  I used to be a clinique girl also but I am slowly running out of the astringent and cream and it's just not in the budget anymore.  They can make me get older but I intend to fight looking it every step of the way!!!!

I wonder if men use noxema also...hmmmmmm