Monday 8 February 2016

Fed up with Double Standards


I came to a decision early this year – okay maybe it should have been a New Year’s resolution but I only finally decided late in January.  I decided that now (being a double granny - second granddaughter Eloise was born on 30th October 2015 -  after years and years of waiting) that the time was right for me to stop colouring my hair. I have actually coloured it for years but after going raw (January 2004) I decided to stop putting chemicals on my head and changed to using henna, which I am assured is a natural herbal product.   However it fades and grows out at an alarming rate and then I have felt it is essential to cover up the tell-tale greys.   Having very dark hair any greys are immediately apparent and I have always considered them something shameful, something never to be seen in public. 

Then in late January of this year I asked myself the question ‘why?’  For someone generally considered quite bright I can be amazingly slow at times.  Now I ask myself why it took me so long.  I have never been big on make-up either (laziness probably) and our year on the boat in France completely put an end to it.  All I use on my face is coconut oil and Aloe Vera gel – which I find great as a natural sunscreen.  So I go around with a bare face and now will have grey hair to go with it.  Oh, did I mention I also stopped shaving my legs?  Of course one’s hair growth does get thinner as one ages so it’s really not that noticeable.   But shaving legs is definitely in the same double standards category as having to hide the grey just because one is a woman.

However I am only human so don’t want to go around looking a complete frump.  I decided that to go with my grey hair I would work on my face and my body.   I have started doing the 5 Tibetans – a series of yoga exercises marketed as the 5 Rites of Rejuvenation (how could I resist?)  I have a little book that I bought ages ago but they are readily available online (here’s a Wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tibetan_Rites) – I have done them in fits and starts for about 10 years but now I do them daily – as well as a range of other yoga stretches and a few arm exercises (my granddaughters are really getting heavy – need to strengthen up). I have also tried facial exercises half-heartedly in the past but have now found an amazing woman in Australia – who offers an enormous range of facial exercises free on YouTube under the name Facerobics.  Check it out https://www.youtube.com/user/RENEWMETVCHANNEL.  The most amazing thing is that she is living proof of the effectiveness of her programme – you see before and after shots and also see how much younger and prettier she looks in her later videos compared with the earlier ones.  I have a LONG way to go.  But realistically I do have more than 10 years on her so I just need to work harder.  So every morning I now start with facial exercises then my exercise programme.   My fantasy is that by the time my hair is completely grey my face and figure will look so good that everyone will assume I’ve coloured it grey as a fashion statement!   I can dream, can’t I?

Till next time J