How’s that for a complicated post title?
Your input on measuring cups and colored pencils and manga-drawing books was SO HELPFUL! I bought Paul the Williams-Sonoma measuring cups and spoons set (if it’s a success, I’ll buy him the odd-size cups/spoons set next year), and also an adjustable measuring cup for measuring stuff like peanut butter. For Rob I bought the Prismacolor colored pencil set especially for Manga and the book Draw Your Own Manga: All the Basics. (CRAP, he looked over my shoulder while I was linking to that and said “Oh, yay!” Sigh.) Everything cost more than I’d planned to spend—but that’s what I like about input: it gives me the confidence to spend more to get The Right Thing.
I have thought of another thing I need advice on. On my mom’s wish list is “moisturizer for aging skin.” She says that moisturizers that used to be too moisturizing in her 30s/40s now soak in like drops of water into a sponge, so what I’m looking for here is either:
• what YOU love, if you are in your 60s or so
• and/or what your MOM or GRANDMA loves, if your mom/grandma is 60s+
• but NOT what you love if you are in your 20s or 30s or 40s (MAYYYYYbe if you’re in your 50s), because that is what I want to know for ME, but not for NOW
This is a category where you should not be shy about mentioning things that are very expensive. Yes, it’s true I am a fan of inexpensive stuff; and yes, I spend $9 on Oil of Olay only because my $7 Dove was discontinued. But for a gift, and for when I am myself older, I am planning to SPEND, baby. So tell me what’s BEST, not what’s CHEAPEST. Even if it’s out of range, I’ll file the info away for when I suddenly inherit money from an elderly great-uncle I never knew I had.
And while you are in the mood to offer help and advice, may I direct you to tonight’s post on the baby name blog, which is for twins due in February but born yesterday, and in need of names unexpectedly soon?
My mom, who is in her 60’s, for christmas asked for Cerave Moisturizing cream in the jar, and Oil of Olay Regenerist in the red jar if that is any help.
Oooh! I actually have a recommendation on skin cream. I’m in my 30s myself, but I work at a spa and our absolute best seller for women 60+ is Decleor’s Excellence de L’age Sublime Regenerating Cream. Women just love it. It’s VERY pricey. My mom’s not quite at the age for it yet, but when she is it’s the treat I’m going to give her.
I used to sell Mary Kay products back about 5 years ago or so and I still use many of their products and love them. This was described to me as being like “a drink of water for your skin”
http://www.marykay.com/skincare/moisturization/10031541/10031541/default.aspx
That is supposed to be used in combination with the regular “normal to dry” moisturizer (so you apply the regular one and then add the “drink of water” on top)
http://www.marykay.com/skincare/moisturization/10026925/10026925/default.aspx
Or they also have this one for dry skin, but it doesn’t have the “time wise” component which is supposed to speed up the skin renewal process to make your skin appear younger/smoother.
http://www.marykay.com/skincare/moisturization/10106600/10106600/default.aspx
My mom and aunt, in their early and mid 60s, love Arbonne products, which I thought, like Mary Kay, you had to purchase from a salesperson, but which I now see are available on Amazon.
Last year I gave my mom (age 67) the You Deserve This set by Cake Beauty (http://cakebeauty.com/shop.asp). It’s specifically hand and foot cream but she says it was a revelation, totally healed her feet and hands and she LOVED it. Plus it smells amazing!
I do not believe you can go wrong, regardless of age, with Mario Badescu products. They are incredible. The cleansers and moisturizers are reasonably priced, especially because they last forever. They also cover a wide array of targeted conditions, including acne, eczema, rosacea, and my personal favorite: aging!
Some of their products are more expensive, like their serums and emulsions, but I swear they work miracles.
Good luck in your search!
hmmm…maybe there were commenters on the other thread that love the adjustable measuring cub but I loathe mine. It’s a total PITA it clean and I never used it so I donated it. It was from Crate & Barrel but I don’t remember the brand.
If there is a L’Occitane by you I would recommend going there for face cream for your mom. Their products are spendy but amazing. They have several lines for “mature” skin. I personally use the Nutrition & Protection line and I know several 60+ women that use that line as well. The sales associates are super knowledgable and they have a generous return policy.
can you ask people for hostess gift suggestions please?
my grandmother used to love…you know what, never mind, she mostly loved wind chimes and homemade photo books. So that’s not helpful.
I just discovered Bio Oil which is v cheap and you can get at the drugstore. I use it every night, and even though it’s an oil (and feels a bit oily), it has completely cleared up my breakouts. (I’m 39 but somehow still always have 1 or 2 spots around). It’s supposed to be good for stretch marks and scars, and I’ve read also good for very dry or aging skin. Could be worth a try if only bc it’s cheap, and even though I don’t know for a fact what it would be like on 60 year old skin, it really seems like something that would be great.
My grandmother before she died, and now my mother, both swear by Ponds Cold Cream. Grandma was 96 when she died, my mom is 78 now, and you’d think they were both about 65. Seriously.
My mom (67 and frequently mistaken for 50) swears by Cerave, which was recommended to her by her dermatologist. It is (according to mom) quite cheap, so could be worth using as a stocking stuffer or an extra gift.
Hope in a Jar(for dry sensitive skin)by Philosophy, you can get it at Sephora stores or online. It works!
La Mer, but the price is astronomical yet highly worth it. My mom who is in her 60’s uses it and oh my goodness that stuff is amazing! I am a broke grad student but every time I go to her house I sneak a little. But yes Creme de la Mer all the way
Philosophy. Seriously, I bought it for my mom (late 50s) a couple of years ago and she started using the regular face cleanser and the Hope in a Jar moisturizer. She usually gets a facial every couple of months, and the first time she went to get a facial after using the philosophy products for 2 months her esthetician asked her what she’d been doing to her skin because it was so dramatically improved.
She now also uses some of their other products, and her skin really does look great.
(I’m 30 and use the same stuff and am kind of sad that my skin has not improved as much as hers…that could have something to do with having small children, however)
The moisturizer is something like $30 but you can find it easily at most department stores and sephora and the like. I also like that neither product is heavily scented.
I will second Philosophy.
I use it and even though I’m in my 20’s it has rave reviews from people of all ages. I find mine at Ulta.
@ Vanessa – I would go with wine or a baked good as a hostess gift. Mostly just wine. It does not to be expensive. Unless of course you’re dealing with recovering alcoholics…in which case – crack? Kidding! I kid, maybe peppermint bark or something along those lines.
I use straight up oil on my face at night (and body). I like either olive or almond oil. I also use the oil cleaning method half the time, cetaphil the other half…gosh, when I get to 60 I don’t know what I’m going to do if I’m greasing up like a basted turkey now.
So curious what she named them!!