While we are young, the vast majority of the population never utters the phrase, “I can’t see.” Sure, some children struggle with vision challenges from an early age, but many of us have those difficulties in our later years. Because we spend much of our lives taking 20/20 vision for granted, the adjustment can be problematic when sight begins degrading naturally.
I shared some of my challenges in a previous post, Contact Conundrums. But wait, there’s more. Along with aging eyes comes saggy/wrinkled skin, laugh lines, other fine lines, gray hair, not to mention the weight game, which I highlighted in another column, Menopausal Pandemic Wedding Blues. But I digress. Let’s get back to the aging eye concerns.
Before moving to the Seventh Circle of Hell, also known as Beeville, I purchased all my beauty products in person, because well, I could. With Wal-Mart being the only purchasing option of this small town, most of my skincare purchases have transitioned online.
I have no shame admitting prior to moving, I rarely frequented Sephora. It honestly overwhelmed me. I loved shopping at the JCPenney’s in San Marcos for clothes and shoes, but unless I wanted to sniff a new perfume, and I usually chose Ulta for perfume purchases, I breezed right past Sephora.
One day, after the move, I suddenly realized my skin was no longer as supple and wrinkle-free. I changed from the lesser expensive mainstream brands like Cover Girl, Revlon, Loreal, and Maybelline to the Bare Minerals brand, which, although more expensive, also better meets my aging skin needs.
Of course, I did not make this transition alone. At the time, Bare Minerals still had free-standing stores, so I went in for a consultation. I was thrilled with the results; I don’t remember makeup ever making my skin look so flawless, even in my teens!
When it was time to replenish my makeup, I could not recall why I turned to Sephora, probably due to cost comparison. Sephora carries Bare Minerals, and although the price points are the same as ordering directly from Bare Minerals, Sephora offers two free samples with every purchase along with amazing freebies tiered by total purchase cost. For example, I can choose a trial item based on a $25, $35, or $45 purchase with each order. I almost love receiving the freebies in every shipment more than the replenishing item. I have sampled so many fun new perfumes this way!
This exciting engagement with freebies highlighted the crux of fine print and aging eyes. Sephora offers so many options; eye serum, dark spot treatment, fine line cream, you name it. If aging causes it, Sephora can cure it; except for hemorrhoids, I don’t think Sephora can fix those.
For my birthday this year, Sephora offered three gift choices; I selected a skincare regime by Laneige. The first obstacle was trying to read precisely what the gifts afforded me. I mean, were they hair care, body care, face treatment? I couldn’t see the tiny print on the page!!! Thankfully, most websites offer a zoom feature, but sadly, zoom is unavailable once the products arrive, and the user must determine the order of usage.
The Laniege line arrived in three tiny jars with minuscule print. Oh sure, my 54-year-old eyes can still easily read the fronts of each jar unaided; Water Sleeping Mask, Moisture Cream, and Lip Sleeping Mask, but how the heck am I supposed to know how, when or in what order to use them? I am not even sure my grandson, with his one-year eyes, if he could actually read, would be able to see the sub-microscopic font in which the directions on the jar back are printed.
Thankfully with age comes wisdom. This intelligent, desperately clinging to her youth, post-menopausal woman is smarter than the average bear. I can use my camera phone to snap a photo of the labels and then enlarge them to appropriate reading size. But seriously, I shouldn’t have to!! Even with my contacts inserted, I cannot easily read the font.
Come on, beauty market, WHY are the products aimed at aging women packaged with fonts that no aging woman can read??? I mean, HELLO, market research?? Who is testing these products? Twenty-somethings? Probably. #epicfail
So, ladies, hit me up if you find yourself in this same boat. I am here to help! Or, true talk, just use your camera phone. I have faith in you! We’ve got this.
Until Next Time,
Becky J Miller
“Warrior Princess”