Young Looks? Olé!

I still get a kick out of hearing people tell me, “Whaaat?! You’re 41? You don’t look it! I thought you were younger.” Their guesstimates range from late twenties to early thirties. One decade knocked off my age—not bad, right? I know it won’t last, so I might as well take advantage of it while I still have it. Bathhouses, here I come hahaha!

Which makes me wonder: do I also join my oh-so-younger colleagues and start using Olay Total Effects? Hahaha.

What’s my beauty secret? (Secret! Charing.)

Really, I have no beauty secret. In fact, I have no beauty, period. Hahahahaha!

I have no secret regimen, no secret oil or cream or moisturizer or any product. No, I do not even spread cum on my face—although, oooooooh! Kinky! Hahahaha!

I remember when I was fresh out of college and working at the CCP, I was still getting zits. Then one day a theater actor told me how he maintained his smooth skin despite having to put on make-up for every performance. He washed his face using just plain water; no soap (not even the kindest, gentlest soap available), no moisturizers, no nothing. (Well, he used Pond’s to take the make-up off, but after that, nothing.)

So I stopped buying the glycerin soap Pears (it’s a U.K. soap that was more affordable than the very expensive Neutrogena). Soon after that my face broke out only rarely. Then a few more years later I realized with a jolt that I’ve been relatively zits-free. Now I don’t remember anymore when I last had a zit on my face.

But I cannot say for sure that it was my water-only policy that cleared my face. For all I know, it was just age that kicked in.

I now have more white hair on my head, though I never bothered to hide them or have them dyed. I used to get shocked whenever I’d see a strand of white on my beard; now it’s not surprising to see at least three or four strands of white. I suspect in the next few months that number will increase exponentially.

The lines permanently etched on my face do not bother me anymore also. At first it was just lines on my forehead; now there are lines under my eyes and when I smile, crow’s feet appear on the corners of my eyes. The only lines that bother me now are the numerous ones on my neck; they’re a dead giveaway of just how old I am. Whenever I see myself alongside others in the pictures taken in Bed, I immediately notice how everyone else’s necks are flawless. Hmmm… hello, turtlenecks? Hahaha!

Another reason why I look young is because I think and feel young. It helps that I work out so that I keep my body in shape, preventing creaks and pains from creeping in. More importantly I always make it a point to keep in touch with the younger generation. It is to my personal and professional advantage to know what preoccupies the kids these days. Staying in touch with them helps keep me feeling young; touching and feeling the young, though, is a different matter altogether. Pedophilia na po yun; bitay po yun.

But in the end, there’s really a fair balance to all this: I may be blessed with younger looks, but that means I don’t have a product I can endorse. Patas-patas lang, kumbaga.

What would you rather have: younger looks or product endorsement?