Many of us continue to work past the point
when society expects us to retire. Maybe we don’t feel ready to retire yet,
maybe we just need the money.

Whatever the reason, it inevitably means that
we are working with – and for – people who are younger than we are. Sometimes
considerably younger than we are.

They’re All So Young!

I can’t remember at what point I realised that
pretty much everyone I was dealing with in my life was younger than me. The
doctor, the dentist, the boss, even their boss, the bank manager – all those
people who used to be old!

I started a new job six months ago, after years of working from
home. The people I work with on a day-to-day basis are young enough to be my
kids – or even my grandkids.

It’s interesting, energizing, fun. But it can
also be difficult. Difficult to see younger people progressing ahead of you. Difficult
to see them getting opportunities that you didn’t get when you were their age.
Harder still to see them making the same mistakes that you made.

You Need a Long Memory

It’s easy to dismiss them as not having the
experience, not understanding how the world works. But I think it’s important that
we have a long memory – that we remember ourselves at 18, or 21, or 35, or 42,
and the pressures we were under –
and also what we were capable of.

Respect works both ways. They’re finding their
way in the world, just as we had to. Just as we still are.

Time to Learn

Let’s not always assume that the old way of
doing it (our way or doing it) was the best. The younger generations look at
how we did things and they can see the problems. And things change, the old
solutions don’t work anymore, or the new solutions are better. Time to move on.

There was a prime example at work the other
day. I was on the phone to our tech team, and I needed the serial numbers from
the printer. The printer is nowhere near the phone lines. I would have written
them down, but my colleague simply took a photo on his phone.

It was quicker. And with the photo on his
phone he could enlarge the image to make it clearer, he could send it to
someone, and he could save it for later (and know where he’d put it). Lesson
learned.

Young Boss

And spare a thought for the boss – in charge
of someone old enough to be their mother. Or older than their mother. Don’t
make life difficult for them just because they’re the boss and they’re young.

For whatever reason, you’re not the boss, and
they are – so get over it, and get on with it, and get on with them.

At the end of the day, they probably learned
from us, and we learned from them. And that’s what matters.

How do you feel when surrounded by people
younger than you? Do you allow yourself to feel isolated because of
agism-affected mindset? What would it take you to change the way you think
about and interact with younger people – at work or anywhere else? Please share
with our sisters!

As I dance with this decade known as my thirties, I find that my number one skincare priority has shifted. No longer am I burdened by hormonal breakouts (shoutout to spironolactone). My chief concern is how to firm my skin at home, in order to maintain my complexion’s texture and elasticity. I basically want you to be able to throw cooked spaghetti at my face and have it bounce right back off. That’s a mixed metaphor, but I hope it still paints a seductive mental picture of super bouncy skin.

My career as a beauty editor has led me to amalgamate a decade’s amount of skin wisdom from top dermatologists with my own personal experience. I’ve functioned as a beauty guinea pig, testing the thousands of products that arrive on my desk. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to balk at my advice, because it’s not fun at all: Forget the 10-step skincare routine, put down the cute packaging and drop your coins on active, proven ingredients.

You will find that most truly efficacious products come in unsexy yet airtight containers, which keep their powerful ingredients potent for as long as possible. You will also find that these products command a much higher price tag than your average impulse buy, and they don’t smell like rose petals mixed with kitten feet. However, if you choose to eschew superfluous products in lieu of performance-based ones, you might find that your overall beauty budget will benefit–and your skin will look as fantastic as possible.

Doctors agree with me. “For firm skin, I recommend looking for products that contain growth factors and peptides. Growth factors are essential as they trigger collagen and elastin production which are essential to the skin’s matrix,” says Dr. David Shafer, of Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. “Peptides are amino acids that make up the building blocks of our skin which are also necessary for skin structure.”

Without further ado, my time-honed advice for maintaining your skin’s supple factor for the long haul. 

Play the long game with growth factors

SkinMedica.

Buy: SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum $281

Yes, this serum is expensive, but it’s one of the few topical products worth the sticker price: it boasts natural growth factors that spur skin to act and look younger. I’ve been using it for years, and my skin is consistently heralded with compliments. My own testimony aside, it’s one of the most doctor-endorsed products around. “SkinMedica’s groundbreaking research resulted in a formula comprised of naturally occurring growth factors (proteins), cytokines, antioxidants and matrix proteins that are responsible for healing the skin, and naturally boost the skin’s ability to rejuvenate itself,” says Dr. Shafer. Even though growth factors work over time to repair skin at a cellular level, I notice my skin looks younger and fresher within a few days of use. 

Apply peptides overnight for an instant boost

Elemis.

Buy: Elemis Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial $65

Combining growth factors with peptides provides the ideal one-two punch against sagging skin. Peptides are chains of amino acids that signal your skin to create new collagen, which is a very important structural protein for your skin. You may have heard of the ingestible collagen craze with its gummies and drink mixes, but there is actually zero research that proves that ingested collagen travels to your skin cells and fosters skin firmness. Zero. The best way to reap the benefits of collagen (other than a healthy diet) is to signal your skin to produce more of it with topical peptides. This silky overnight mask from Elemis acts like spackle for your skin. I wake up with glowy and plump skin in the morning, even after I’ve imbibed too many glasses of Sambuca.

Micro-needle one to two times a week

Sdara.

Buy: Sdara Microneedle Derma Roller $20

The benefits of micro-needling are twofold: first, poking tiny holes into your epidermis spurs skin to repair itself, sending fresh collagen and elastin to the surface. Secondly, micro-needling after applying a skincare product (such as the serums above) with active ingredients helps those ingredients penetrate deeper into your skin. If you’re forking over the cash for premium ingredients, you want to be absolutely certain you’re getting the maximum absorption and mileage out of them. While micro-needling may look scary, it’s not in the slightest, as long as you purchase a derm-approved tool laced with either stainless steel (more affordable) or gold-plated needles (less affordable) to assure cleanliness. I don’t always remember to microneedle my skin, but I try to do it at least once a week with the Environ Gold Roll. Whenever I do, my skin looks firmer and more even by the very next morning.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Yesterday my mother called me. I live
in Oklahoma, and she lives in Florida. Our regular routine is this: I fly to
Florida in October to celebrate her birthday. She flies to Oklahoma in May to
celebrate mine.

Normally, the risks of being in
Oklahoma in May are tornado related. Since she and I are both native Okies,
tornadoes are no big deal. In fact, when the tornado sirens go off, most Okies,
and I mean this literally, go outside to look around.

I have actually stood on my front
porch, watched my husband run onto the road to record a funnel cloud forming
overhead, and wondered “Must I wear black to my husband’s funeral?” But he
didn’t die. He actually got a really great video.

No Visiting This Year

Nevertheless, my mom called to tell me that she isn’t coming to see me, but not because of the tornadoes. As a woman in her 80s with asthma, she doesn’t want to risk being infected by the coronavirus CoVid-19.

I could fly down there, I suggested,
but she didn’t want that either. She said that I might unknowingly pick up the
virus and bring it to her. This got me thinking about all the things I have
brought into her home, over my life, that she didn’t want.

A Mother’s Lot

As a child, I brought home bugs, both
actual bugs and stomach bugs. I brought home several stray dogs, and a baby
bird that died almost immediately. I brought her school assignments that I
couldn’t figure out, usually an hour before bedtime, when they were due the
next morning. I brought home head lice.

As a young adult, I brought home
dirty laundry, questionable boyfriends, and a bank statement that clearly
demonstrated my lack of financial impulse control.

Now that I have grown into mid-life
and beyond, I work hard to not bring her things she would not want, and so right
now, we will not visit each other.

Are We Over-Reacting?

It looks like CoVid-19 is about as
contagious as the seasonal flu. The flu has never stopped Mom from travelling.
But then again, she’s always been vaccinated against the flu, and there is no vaccine
for CoVid-19.

So, the risk of infection is real.
Additionally, it appears that CoVid-19 has about 10 times the fatality rate as
the flu, particularly for the elderly. Ouch.

No, We Are Not Over-Reacting

If you are worried about being infected, according to The Guardian, it will help to do these things:

Wash Your Hands Frequently with Soapy Water

When you wash your hands, you need to
lather up for at least 20 seconds. That’s enough time to sing one of these
gems:

I Will Survive, by Gloria Gaynor

Stayin Alive, by the Bee Gees

 (I can feel it coming) In the Air Tonight,
by Phil Collins

Fever, by Peggie Lee

Killing Me Softly, by Roberta Flack

(I just) Died in Your Arms Tonight, by Cutting Crew

See how the list goes from survival
to death? Clever, no? Okay, maybe not.

Sneeze and Cough into a Tissue

Throw away the tissues you sneeze and
cough into then go wash your hands. If you can’t do that, sneeze or cough into
your elbow, like Dracula. The whole time I thought Dracula was trying to be
mysterious, when really he was trying to protect other people from his germs.
What a great guy.

Call the Doctor

If you think you might be infected,
call the doctor, and make sure to include your recent travel history. You don’t
need to send your vacation photos. Nobody got time for that.

Stock Your Fridge and Cupboards

Stock up on
non-perishable items
like canned foods, dry foods, and toilet paper. If you ever wanted an excuse to
buy 10 boxes of macaroni and cheese, this is your time. Go for it.

Don’t Touch Your Face

Don’t touch your face is a good piece
of advice. But do you know how hard it is to do? Here’s a test. Go out to the
garage and get that cone that you use on the dog. The cone of shame. Put it on.

If you’re like me, in five minutes
you will be crazy with frustration and have a strong desire to bark at the
neighbor’s cat.

Get Your Flu Shot

If you haven’t already, get your flu
shot. It is possible to get both the flu and CoVid-19 at the same time. Yikes.

And if you can, call your mother. In the seventh grade, I had a research paper due.
I was given three months to work on it. The Friday before the deadline, I gave
my mom a mess of papers and notes. She worked with me all weekend to get it
done. Thanks, Mom.

What plans have you had to put on
hold because of the flu or other virus epidemics? How did that impact your life
and relationships? What solutions have you come up with? Please share with our
community!

Writing about
the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), or any new health risk for that matter,
involves a delicate balance; on the one hand, you don’t want to cause
unnecessary anxiety or fear and, on the other hand, you want to share the
facts, even when they are unpleasant.

So, even after
dozens of women emailed me about the coronavirus, I hesitated to share my
thoughts. After all, I’m not a medical professional. Like you, I am just an
older woman trying her best to keep herself and her family healthy.

But, the more
I thought about it, the more I realized that I had a responsibility to help get
the word out about the simple steps that we can take to protect ourselves. Over
the next few weeks, I will be producing a series of articles and videos to help
the women in our community. And, today, I’d like to start with the basics – what
can we do to protect ourselves from the Coronavirus as older adults.

What is the Novel Coronavirus and Who is Most at Risk?

According to
the World Health Organization (WHO), “Coronaviruses (CoV)
are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold
to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a
new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.”

Much is still
unknown about the novel coronavirus, but, the picture that is emerging is of a
virus that has a mortality rate several times higher than the common flu. In
addition, because many contagious people experience only mild symptoms, it is
proving difficult to contain, even in developed countries like the United
States.

So far, it seems that people over the age of 65, particularly those with underlying health conditions are at an increased risk for complications from the novel coronavirus and many countries around the world are encouraging us to be especially careful in the weeks and months ahead.

If all this
leaves you feeling a little powerless, or even anxious, you’re not alone.
People are not particularly good at dealing with unknown risks and the novel
coronavirus is no exception. But, the good news is that there are simple things
that each of us can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Here are a few
ideas from around the world.

Wash Your Hands the Right Way to Fight Back Against the
Coronavirus

The first recommendation that almost every government around the world is making is to wash your hands regularly with plenty of soap and warm water. This sounds simple, but, many of us aren’t washing our hands for nearly long enough.

Did you know
that many health organizations, including the CDC in the United States,
recommend washing your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds? To put this in
perspective, here are a few songs that you can sing in 20 seconds.

I Will Survive, by Gloria Gaynor

Happy Birthday

Staying Alive, by the Bee Gees

I Can Feel it Coming in the Air Tonight, by Phil Colins

Fever, by Peggie Lee

Personally, I
love to sing I Will Survive, but, when I’m with my 3-year-old grandson, Max, I
switch to Happy Birthday. It always makes us giggle.

Keep Your Distance in Social Situations 

Recently, the
CDC in the U.S. updated its coronavirus recommendations to say that older
adults should “stay at home as much as possible.” But, what if you need to get
out into the world, perhaps to go shopping for groceries or to pick up your
medications?

The best
advice that I have seen is to practice keeping your distance from others. This
could include avoiding close physical contact, like giving a friend that you meet
on the street a hug. Or, it could involve standing farther away from the other
people in the line at the supermarket.

At the end of
the day, if you have a support network, now is probably a good time to ask for
some help with your daily tasks so that you can stay at home. But, if you do
need to go out, a little “social distancing” will go a long way to reducing
your coronavirus risk.

Stock up on a Few Essentials – Food, Medication and
Household Items

By now, you have probably seen pictures on Facebook and Twitter of long lines at grocery stores and supermarkets. And, it is true that some people are going a bit over the top – no-one really needs 500 tins of baked beans and enough toilet paper to service a small army camp.

But, this
doesn’t mean that stocking up on a few essentials – including food, medications
and household items is irrational. In fact, the CDC recommends that each of us
have basic supplies on hand.

Given the fact
that supermarkets across the U.S. are likely to be busier than usual for the
next few weeks, this would be a good time to ask someone in your family to add
a few items onto their shopping list for you. This way, you can stay safe at
home, while getting the things that you need.

When I went to
the supermarket last week, I bought a 2-week supply of food, hygiene products,
soap, toilet paper, bottled water, batteries, ibuprofen and other basics. I
also asked my doctor for a refill on my medications. 

Of course,
this is a fast-moving situation and I highly encourage you to check out the
official recommendations from your government. Here are a few important links:

CDC’s
Recommendations for People at Higher Risk for Coronavirus Complications

World
Health Organization Coronavirus Information and Guidance

Now that I’ve
provided a round-up of what most governments around the world are recommending,
I wanted to add a couple of quick thoughts of my own.

Once again, I
am not a medical professional and I am not providing specific medical advice.
But, since these ideas fall into the “it couldn’t hurt and might actually help”
category and I am personally adding them to my toolkit.

Let a Little Sunlight (and Humidity) Into Your House

You probably
know that UV light is a powerful killer of bacteria and viruses. After all,
it’s used in hospitals around the world to clean medical instruments. But, what
about sunlight?

As it turns
out, sunlight is surprisingly effective at killing viruses and bacteria, even
when filtered through a window. According to a
recent study, run by Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease
specialist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, “The major takeaway
from this study is that even if the sunlight goes through conventional panes of
glass, it retains a substantial capacity to kill bacteria and viruses. We did
not know whether the sunlight passing through panes of glass would retain some
of this capacity to disinfect, and it does. So that’s a great thing.”

So, why am I
personally going out of my way to open my blinds? Two reasons…

First, I want
to do everything in my power to stay out of the doctor’s office. So, if
sunlight can help to clean the surfaces in my house, I’m all for that! Maybe it
will give me a slight edge against the coronavirus… or, maybe it will just
reduce my risk of getting the flu or a common cold.

Second, I
don’t know about you, but, being stuck in my house isn’t great for my mood.
Letting a little sunlight into my house is helping to keep me happy and sane.

When the
warmer weather returns, I’ll probably give my skin a break and start filtering
out some of the light. But, for now, I’m just enjoying a little more radiance
in my life. It probably makes sense to ask your doctor of letting some more sun
into your house makes sense for you.

And, while
we’re on the subject of improving your home environment, did you know that
humidity levels above 40% can help to kill viruses. Specifically, a recent
review of 40
scientific studies found that rooms with relative humidity levels in the
40-60% range have significantly fewer flu viruses floating around and on
surfaces.

So, maybe it’s time to invest in a humidifier. I did and I actually sleep much better!

Practice Good Dental Hygiene

For the most
part, our bodies are efficient at keeping bacteria and viruses out. Our skin is
a veritable fortress and there are only a few places that we are exposed to the
outside world – most importantly our noses and mouths.

So, perhaps it
won’t surprise you that a
recent Yale study found that people who practice poor dental hygiene are at
a higher risk of contracting pneumonia. Now, we obviously don’t know if there
is a connection between dental hygiene and the coronavirus, but, I say, “what
have we got to lose.”

Why not be
extra dutiful with our brushing, flossing and mouthwash?

Finding the Golden Mean and Staying Healthy in the Time of the Novel Coronavirus

The
coronavirus is real. No, it’s not “just like the flu.” And, we really should
take it seriously. This means washing out hands regularly (and properly!),
keeping our distance from others and stocking up to a reasonable degree on
supplies.

At the same
time, we should not succumb to fear or a sense of hopelessness. We may not be
able to control everything related to the coronavirus, but, we can control some
things. And, even simple steps can go a long way to keeping us safe.

I hope that
the resources in this article were useful to you. I highly encourage you to
check the CDC’s website every few days to see if there are any new
recommendations. And, in the meantime, try to spend a bit more time at home,
enjoying a good book or diving into your Netflix recommendations list.

Are you
concerned about the coronavirus? Why or why not? What are you doing to protect
yourself? Let’s have a conversation.

As I dance with this decade known as my thirties, I find that my number one skincare priority has shifted. No longer am I burdened by hormonal breakouts (shoutout to spironolactone). My chief concern is how to firm my skin at home, in order to maintain my complexion’s texture and elasticity. I basically want you to be able to throw cooked spaghetti at my face and have it bounce right back off. That’s a mixed metaphor, but I hope it still paints a seductive mental picture of super bouncy skin.

My career as a beauty editor has led me to amalgamate a decade’s amount of skin wisdom from top dermatologists with my own personal experience. I’ve functioned as a beauty guinea pig, testing the thousands of products that arrive on my desk. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to balk at my advice, because it’s not fun at all: Forget the 10-step skincare routine, put down the cute packaging and drop your coins on active, proven ingredients.

You will find that most truly efficacious products come in unsexy yet airtight containers, which keep their powerful ingredients potent for as long as possible. You will also find that these products command a much higher price tag than your average impulse buy, and they don’t smell like rose petals mixed with kitten feet. However, if you choose to eschew superfluous products in lieu of performance-based ones, you might find that your overall beauty budget will benefit–and your skin will look as fantastic as possible.

Doctors agree with me. “For firm skin, I recommend looking for products that contain growth factors and peptides. Growth factors are essential as they trigger collagen and elastin production which are essential to the skin’s matrix,” says Dr. David Shafer, of Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. “Peptides are amino acids that make up the building blocks of our skin which are also necessary for skin structure.”

Without further ado, my time-honed advice for maintaining your skin’s supple factor for the long haul. 

Play the long game with growth factors

SkinMedica.

Buy: SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum $281

Yes, this serum is expensive, but it’s one of the few topical products worth the sticker price: it boasts natural growth factors that spur skin to act and look younger. I’ve been using it for years, and my skin is consistently heralded with compliments. My own testimony aside, it’s one of the most doctor-endorsed products around. “SkinMedica’s groundbreaking research resulted in a formula comprised of naturally occurring growth factors (proteins), cytokines, antioxidants and matrix proteins that are responsible for healing the skin, and naturally boost the skin’s ability to rejuvenate itself,” says Dr. Shafer. Even though growth factors work over time to repair skin at a cellular level, I notice my skin looks younger and fresher within a few days of use. 

Apply peptides overnight for an instant boost

Elemis.

Buy: Elemis Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial $65

Combining growth factors with peptides provides the ideal one-two punch against sagging skin. Peptides are chains of amino acids that signal your skin to create new collagen, which is a very important structural protein for your skin. You may have heard of the ingestible collagen craze with its gummies and drink mixes, but there is actually zero research that proves that ingested collagen travels to your skin cells and fosters skin firmness. Zero. The best way to reap the benefits of collagen (other than a healthy diet) is to signal your skin to produce more of it with topical peptides. This silky overnight mask from Elemis acts like spackle for your skin. I wake up with glowy and plump skin in the morning, even after I’ve imbibed too many glasses of Sambuca.

Micro-needle one to two times a week

Sdara.

Buy: Sdara Microneedle Derma Roller $20

The benefits of micro-needling are twofold: first, poking tiny holes into your epidermis spurs skin to repair itself, sending fresh collagen and elastin to the surface. Secondly, micro-needling after applying a skincare product (such as the serums above) with active ingredients helps those ingredients penetrate deeper into your skin. If you’re forking over the cash for premium ingredients, you want to be absolutely certain you’re getting the maximum absorption and mileage out of them. While micro-needling may look scary, it’s not in the slightest, as long as you purchase a derm-approved tool laced with either stainless steel (more affordable) or gold-plated needles (less affordable) to assure cleanliness. I don’t always remember to microneedle my skin, but I try to do it at least once a week with the Environ Gold Roll. Whenever I do, my skin looks firmer and more even by the very next morning.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.