Whether you accept or deny it, none of us escapes the inevitable forces of mother nature that make our faces and skin reflect our aging. As gravity pulls, cartilage weakens and collagen disappears, you will likely see shifts and lumps and bags and lines in places previously smooth and silky. For a candid description of what will happen, and how you can respond, check out this post from the Harvard Healthbeat here.

Beauty product manufacturers are keenly aware that “embracing aging” is in the zeitgeist and that more and more of us don’t want to be sucked into the anti-aging war by being told that older faces are “bad” and need to be fought with “anti-aging” products. In a recent and enlightening piece in Vox, you can read how these companies are switching their vocabulary to less ageist product promotions, promising “glowing” or “radiant” skin rather than making us feel bad about our wrinkles or age spots. The bottom line is that there are some products and skincare routines that are valuable as you get older, less because you want to maintain your youthful face and more because skin does get more dry and fragile as you age, and it’s as important for your health, as well as your appearance, to take good care of the skin that covers your face and body. For some practical advice about how to respond to the facial and skin changes that inevitably accompany aging, pull out your Vaseline and read this piece from Consumer Reports.