When a gorgeous celeb wants to dish on staying healthy and beautiful with age, we listen. And when they write a book on the subject (and are willing to go bare-faced on the cover!) we have to read it. Cameron Diaz latest read, “The Longevity Book”, includes well researched and thoughtful ideas on wellness for the long haul.

Late thirties/early forties certainly isn’t old. But it is around the time of life you begin to see changes in body, skin, and even mind. A few fine lines here or there, a bit more effort needed to stay in shape, maybe even joint pain or body aches that weren’t there before.

Hey, it’s part of life. The good news? There are ways to stay healthy and feel great through the years. And since we now know that prevention is the best way to fight disease and create mind and body wellness, there’s no better time to start than now.

Cameron Diaz wrote “The Body Book” a few years ago, all about taking good care of the bod with which you are blessed. “The Longevity Book” is along those same lines of loving what you’ve got, and dealing with that thing we hate to acknowledge called aging.

7 Highlights From Cameron Diaz’s “The Longevity Book”

1. Prescription meds have their place in a healthy lifestyle, but they aren’t everything. Like I said, Diaz did her research. Stats say almost 70 percent of Americans take at least one daily prescription medication regularly. And guess who are taking most of them? Women and older people.

While there are definitely times when prescriptions are warranted, wellness pros these days know that drugs are not always the best option for certain health issues. A healthy lifestyle that helps to ward off illness and premature aging is the best route to take for extended vitality.

2. Diaz is into preventative medicine. You know about the whole mammogram debate, right? Does this preventative screening find issues that would have resolved themselves, resulting in unnecessary treatments? Is the radiation from the mammograms harmful itself? Some health care professionals say they are an absolute must, others have their doubts. Diaz take on the mammogram debate? Get age appropriate annual screenings, which is now an annual mamm for those 50 and over.

3. Positivity makes you live longer. In case there is any doubt, bubbly Diaz believes in PMA. But a positive attitude goes beyond simply making you feel happier. Her book says a study shows happy people live an average of 7.5 years longer. Not born with a naturally sunny disposition? No worries. PMA is part DNA, part enviro, part culture, so there is hope for everyone.

4. Hormonal changes can be supported naturally. Maybe not news to you or me, but it is always a good thing to see the whole hormone issue is getting more attention. What used to be written off as female hysteria is now viewed as real deal issues, linked to a long list of symptoms and a variety of diseases. The book includes a section that addresses the health of all the bodily systems and organs, and ways to support their good health through healthful diet and lifestyle.

5. Friends and family are another important component of good health. Community is not generally noted in the list of lifestyle factors essential to optimal health. Diaz shows how a support group is critical to wellness and happiness now and as we age. Share your lifestyle tips and struggles with your posse and partner.

6. Food, exercise, and rest is all you really need to know. Eat healthy whole foods, move daily, get adequate rest. Not news, but the crux of healthy mind and body.

7. Meditate to look and feel better. No surprise, Diaz recommends regular meditation to abate stress. Chronic stress is linked to out of whack hormone levels and inflammation. We know that inflammation is linked to disease. If you are not yet om-ing out, might want to start.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Image of Cameron Diaz via Shutterstock

Image of “The Longevity Book” via HarperCollins.com

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Do you feel in constant battle with acne or wrinkles? Always working to diminish their appearance or prevent them from recurring? You may be missing the message. Face mapping can tell you a lot about your inner health.

We sometimes forget that skin is more than just a pretty cover that we try to keep looking its best. The skin is an organ, the only one we can see when we look in the mirror, and tells us a lot about our inner health. We just have to slow down and notice the subtle cues.

Ayurveda has always been about reading facial cues to uncover health disturbances. No, not a smirk or grimace. More like those pimples or wrinkles we spend so much time fretting over.

Before you go about banishing imperfections, find out how your breakouts and lines correspond to physical and emotional health. Do you tend to get pimples on your forehead? Have more prominent lines around your eyes? Redness on the chin? These all point to imbalances you cannot so easily see.

Why even worry about it when we can simply make a doctor appointment for blood tests or scans? Paying attention to early signs can help to get your system back on track before real disease sets in. Ayurveda acknowledges six phases for disease to become established in the body. Taking note of issues and altering your lifestyle before they are a big deal can prevent worsening health in the future.

So, you are ready to take action now. How do you know what your zits and wrinkles are saying?

The three doshas correspond to different regions of the face – forehead = Vata, chin and jawline = Kapha, the middle = Pitta. First step, notice which dosha your issues are in. Imbalanced vata skin tends to see clogged pores, dry skin, and wrinkles. Pitta imbalance shows up as redness or inflammation. Kapha usually looks like cystic acne or excessive oiliness.

Balancing the dosha that seems to be troubled is the first step toward healthier skin and system. But face mapping goes much deeper than this. Each region has specific spots that connect to internal organs and emotional states.

Face Mapping Basics

Above Brows: Blemishes above the brows relate to gallbladder and liver, suggesting the system needs a detox. Wrinkles on the forehead are called worry lines but can also tell of a diet too high in unhealthy fats and sugar. A diet void of processed foods and destressing with meditation will help these issues.

Between Brows: Blemishes between the brows signifies insufficient sleep or a diet too high in unhealthy fats. Creases in this area are connected to liver (right side) and spleen (left side). It may also mean repressed anger.

Dark Undereye Circles: Racoon eyes relate to poor circulation, while puffiness can mean impaired kidney function. Be sure you are getting enough water, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. Crow’s feet come from squinting and smiling, plain and simple. Wear sunglasses when outdoors to protect this delicate area. It is also important to note that dark circles can coincide with allergies, either seasonal or food related.

Nose: Connected to the lungs and heart, breakouts and redness in this area may mean internal inflammation. A diet rich in essential fatty acids and keeping caffeine and spicy foods to a minimum should help. Vitamin B can help to prevent breakouts and it may be a good idea to have your blood pressure checked if you experience pimples or broken blood vessels of the nose regularly.

Cheeks: Breakouts and irritation here could mean liver (left cheek) or lung (right cheek) issues. Chinese medicine suggests too much sugar is related to right cheek issues, while spicy foods and being overworked correspond to the left cheek. Problems on either side may also mean slow metabolism. Of course, we can’t forget that cheeks come into contact with grease and dirt from our hands, phones, and pillow cases too. Remember how Mom always told you to keep your hands off your face? Mom really does know best. Keeping this area clean will help to prevent blemishes.

Mouth: Blemishes around the mouth and on chin are usually related to hormones. Overly processed foods and lots of sugar can also cause zits here. Organs linked to this area are intestines and colon. If this seems to be your problem area, cut back on the junk and sweets in favor of a healthy, whole food diet rich in fiber. And, of course, reduced stress is beneficial too. Deep lines on the sides of the mouth can mean reproductive or pancreatic issues. Problems in this region can also be related to a closed mind or outdated opinions.

This is a lot to take in and you certainly should not try to diagnose any serious health issues yourself. If you are having persistent breakouts or are wondering why you have wrinkles one place and not another, these tips can set you in the right direction.

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Models are getting older. As in the over 60 set. That’s right, if you have yet to see Helen Mirren in her latest role as the face of L’Oreal you truly are missing out.

While super models of the ’80s are now in their 40s and early 50s, there is a new set of model on the scene. And they are the over 60 set.

The gorgeous Helen Mirren is the new brand ambassador for L’Oreal Paris. In a video for the brand, in which she proudly proclaims “our perfect age is now”, she not only suits up in leather and red lipstick, but persuades us to grow another year bolder.

Yep, a real life 69 year old woman publically singing the praises of growing old gracefully. Not exactly an everyday occurrence. But it may be soon enough.

With everyone from movie stars to Bravo Housewives to real housewives getting injected, plumped, and pulled regularly, looking your age has not been at the forefront of pop culture. But are we getting over the eternal youth syndrome and headed toward aging gracefully?

Hopefully, yes. Mirren is not the only older woman to step up to the designer marketing plate. Jessica Lange is doing ads for Marc Jacobs Beauty at 64. American author Joan Didion is the new face of Celine at 80!

And all three look au naturel, their lines and grey hair proudly on display. And why not? They are not 30. Why try to look it?

Even those 40-something models are beginning to show off their real age. Cindy Crawford’s latest lingerie pic to go viral was the real deal, no touch ups. There were even some noticeable wrinkles on the red carpet at this year’s Oscars. Not all sleek foreheads and cupie doll cheeks.

In our youth-obsessed culture we’ve been trying so hard to look as young as possible. The new beauty movement seems to be headed in the direction of looking as great as you can for your age. This means happy and healthy. Sure, it may sound cliché, but what woman with a healthy glow who looks truly comfortable with herself doesn’t look beautiful? Think maintenance rather than reversal. Keep what you have healthy and looking great.

This means steering clear of too much salt and sugar, eating a balanced diet, getting adequate rest and exercise, and reducing stress. Meditation is a helpful tool in raising your PMA.

Using healthy beauty products is also better for skin and health. There are many natural anti-aging ingredients that support the skin. And don’t forget the sunscreen. UV damage is the leading cause of prematurely wrinkled skin and spots. Try a tinted moisturizer with mineral SPF like Marion Cotillard wore to the Oscars.

We seem to be at a beauty crossroads. Will we keep fighting the inevitable or revel in the natural flow?

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Renee Zellweger’s face.

Those three words are getting nearly 3 million Google search results today. Apparently, everyone in the world has lost their freaking minds – and not in the good way.

Everyone except Renee Zellweger.

Did she do something to her face? Maybe. But maybe she just, you know, AGED.

Do you look the same as you did 20 years ago?

Or maybe the better question is: Should you?

Here’s the real problem with Renee Zellweger’s face: Our culture wants women to go directly from young/cute/hot/sexy to the matronly grandmother figure. There is no in-between that’s culturally acceptable right now.

Ladies, you know that gray area between ages 40 to 60, when you’re likely at your mental prime, and probably your career peak (unless you’re a celebrity)? Well, it’s probably a good time to quit your job and stay out of sight for a while. Why not take a really, really long cruise or something? Because—especially if you’re one of our beloved celebrities—there’s nothing we hate more than watching you wrinkle and sag.

Oh, except watching you try to stave aging off with plastic surgery and Botox. That’s so vain. Why can’t you just be better at, you know, aging gracefully? Sophia Loren did it. What’s wrong with your genes?

Plastic surgery works for someone like Joan Rivers because she made fun of her face and her sexuality all along the way (“My vagina is like Newark. Men know it’s there, but they don’t want to visit.”). She had chutzpah, and as she was never really a sex symbol in the first place, her looks didn’t matter as much. At least, not to her fans and critics. Obviously she took her face rather seriously. Most of us do.

But other celebrities aren’t as blatantly vain or direct about it as Joan Rivers was. They hope a nip or a tuck will appear understated and hardly noticeable, like they’ve been drinking green juices and taking yoga every day of their lives. (Which, some celebrities also do, to impressive results.)

But we can’t have it both ways.

We can’t dismiss women for aging naturally as no longer relevant or beautiful or sexy and then criticize them for taking measures to diminish the effects of aging. That’s an oxymoron. Emphasis on moron.

Renee Zellweger has been out of the spotlight for several years. Not that she needs to work, but certainly she enjoys having a life and being a person who gets to do fun celebrity-esque things outside of her house, even if she isn’t promoting a movie. Isn’t that her birthright? So, her face has changed. C’mon, America. When will we change ours?

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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According to the Daily Mail, “tech neck” –phone induced neck wrinkles–is latest complaint among smartphone addicts.

Disrupted sleep, interrupted sex, lack of focus–these are some of the downsides of your smartphone addiction. They’re with us all day long, constantly beckoning us. The moment we don’t have anything do, we text or check Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and our emails. We’ve forgotten how to be uncomfortable in social situations because we’re so used to turning to our smartphones for camaraderie. But what if these little gadgets gave us neck wrinkles?

All that gazing down at our smartphones, tablets or laptops is giving us “tech neck”. I’ll be honest, I just took a look in the mirror to see whether I was plagued with new wrinkles circling my neck, the result of looking downward for far too long each day.

“Tech neck,” neck wrinkles caused by our compulsion to stare at our favorite gadgets, is the modern version of laugh lines, except it’s manmade. There’s even a treatment called the Microlift to combat the new wrinkle phenomenon. Dean Nathanson, Managing Director of CACI international, experts in non-surgical facelifts,  commented on The Daily Mail:

We’re a hard working nation and our hectic everyday lives mean that keeping one’s head down, be it buried in work emails or in an e-reader, is completely the norm. Recently we noticed a surge in enquiries for our product, specifically to combat lines around the neck area.

Our bodies are just not designed to be in the same position for such long periods of time. This isn’t the first result of our gadget addiction. Digital eye strain is another issue. In all, 70 percent of adults report digital eye strain, a set of symptoms that can include dry eyes, blurry vision, fatigue, and neck and shoulder cramping–all the result of staring at computer screens all day. And then there’s the other smartphone health hazard: texting while walking. A 2013 Ohio State University study found that more than 1,500 people were treated in emergency rooms for cell phone related injuries. (We won’t even mention the hazards of texting while driving.)

Yikes! It’s all the more reason to give your gadgets (and your body) a break. Friends, step away from your smartphones.

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Life expectancy is increasing, as is quality of life for many people. So, how old are we, really?

The youthful glimmer in Betty White’s eyes speaks volumes. Although the 90-year-old’s body may be winding itself down, she’s still highly active and engaged in living. There’s no question that age is better measured as a state of mind than what shape the body’s in. Still, we are bound to these bodies, which are highly influenced by our diet and lifestyle choices. When taken care of, they can be more resilient to illness and disease, maintaining a youthful appearance and vigor up until the very end. Modern science, for all its chemical “cures,” has significantly helped to thwart diseases and preventable deaths with valuable advancements in internal medicine, surgery and early disease detection.

We can—and are—living longer. Still, stigmas exist about benchmark ages. Many people still aim to retire at 65 when they may have 30 or 40 good years left. Will this change? Are Ms. White and other youthful seniors examples of aging redefined?

Jodi Sawyer, RN says, at least for women, 40 really is the new 30 (phew!). “Women in their 40s are looking and feeling better than ever! Life no longer starts going downhill the second we hit that magic number.” While women may be more susceptible to aging stereotypes, we do also seem to be aging slower. Many women in their 40s, 50s and 60s are still the epitome of glamor, sexiness and health, even if they still dye their hair and wear push-up bras…after all, there are lots of ladies in their 20s who do this anyway.

Boomer and aging expert Dr. Ken Dychtwald calls this the “Longevity Revolution,” which, he says, may have a greater influence on humanity than both the industrial and technological revolutions combined. That’s a pretty big statement, but it also feels really right. Never before in recorded history have we lived this long. While 100 years ago, women weren’t expected to live much past age 40, now many are just beginning to start families at that age. We’ve got marathon runners gleefully sprinting across the finish line in their 80s and 90s. Dustin Hoffman just made his directorial debut at age 75. Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen perform stage antics in their 60s that many limber 20-year-olds aren’t likely to try anytime soon. While industry and technology have given us great tools for life–longer, more fulfilling lives are dictating what we do with them.

Take a stroll into decades past (I do this regularly by watching Turner Classic Movies until my boyfriend finally hides the remote) and you’ll notice that many of the actresses and actors look decades older than their actual age—at least, by our standards. A 40-year-old Humphrey Bogart could pass for 60, or even 70 today. Granted, there was a lot more cigarette smoking (particularly for Bogey) and quite a few other less-than-healthy habits back then; but it’s not just today’s health food freaks who look and feel younger.

If 40 really is the new 30, what does 70 or 100 look like? With longer lifetimes becoming the new normal, have you asked yourself what you might do with all that “extra” time? How old do you really feel? These are important questions to ask ourselves so that we’re not only prepared for the likelihood of longer lives, but so that we may live them to the fullest.

According to Dychtwald, our longer life spans will provide “time to chart a new course.” These are comforting and inspiring words as we can begin to reshape how we look at our “golden years”—no longer is it the beginning of the end, but, perhaps it’s just another beginning altogether. He adds, “We’ll have the time and resources to reverse past failures or build on past victories, perhaps changing careers, taking a sabbatical, or returning to school. With longer life spans, there will also be sufficient time to take a more active and contributing role in the lives of our children, grandchildren and community life.”

If we are indeed at the beginning of a longevity revolution, we’re all at a unique advantage. Unlike revolutions past, where the majority of the work was left to the few experts in the field, we all play a role in how we embrace aging and reshaping a world where “old” is no longer a measure of age.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: Off Their Rockers via Facebook

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A collection of famous sayings that doesn’t include “thirty and flirty.”

Thirty was so strange for me. I’ve really had to come to terms with the fact that I am now a walking and talking adult. -C.S. Lewis

When you turn thirty, a whole new thing happens: you see yourself acting like your parents. -Blair Sabol

The excess of our youth are checks written against our age and they are payable with interest thirty years later. -Charles Caleb Colton

30 is the new 20, unless you’re 20, then it’s the new 40. -Dane Peddigrew

Thirty – the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning briefcase of enthusiasm, thinning hair. -F. Scott Fitzgerald

The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits. -Hervey Allen

In my thirties, I felt I had hold of one of the reins some of the time. -Chaka Khan 

A poet more than thirty years old is simply an overgrown child. -Henry Louis Mencken

Men reach their sexual peak at eighteen. Women reach theirs at thirty-five. Do you get the feeling that God is playing a practical joke? -Rita Rudner

When you’re a teenager, all you want to do is buy beer. But once you hit 30 all you want to do is to get carded. -Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City

Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. -Robert Frost

After 30, a body has a mind of its own. -Bette Midler

I think anybody over 30 plays parents because it happens in your thirties and so that’s kind of a natural progression. But I’m definitely drawn to it. It’s probably the most intense, passionate thing that happens to you as you get older. -Jodie Foster 

The boy gathers materials for a temple, and then when he is thirty, concludes to build a woodshed. -Henry David Thoreau

I’m turning thirty this year. And you know the saying, a woman over thirty is more likely to get hit by a bomb than find a man. -Fanny Fink

I remember the day I turned thirty. I was getting out of the shower and I stood in front of the mirror and stared at myself for a long time. I examined every inch of my body and appreciated the fact that I finally looked like a grown woman. I also assumed that this was how I was going to look for the rest of my life. The way I saw it, I was never going to age; I’d just look up one day and be old. -Terry MacMillan

Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. -Georges Clemenceau

At age 30, one receives strength. -Talmud (Pirkei Avot 5:26)

A man thirty years old, I said to myself, should have his field of life all ploughed, and his planting well done; for after that it is summer time. -Lew Wallace

To my eye, women get sexier around 35. They know a thing or two, and knowledge is always alluring. -Pierce Brosnan

The body is at its best between the ages of thirty and thirty-five. -Aristotle

Thirty five is a very attractive age; London society is full of women who have of their own free choice remained thirty-five for years. – Oscar Wilde

If at age 20 you are not a Communist then you have no heart. If at age 30 you are not a Capitalist then you have no brains. -George Bernard Shaw

Don’t trust anyone over thirty. -Jerry Rubin

There are no available men in their thirties in New York. Giuliani had them removed along with the homeless. -Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes in Sex and the City

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart. -Caryn Leschen

It is in the thirties that we want friends. In the forties we know they won’t save us any more than love did. -F. Scott Fitzgerald

My time has been passed viciously and agreeably; at thirty-one so few years, months, days, hours, or minutes remain that Carpe Diem ‘is not enough. I have been obliged to crop even the seconds-for who can trust to tomorrow? -Lord Byron

Life is islands of ecstasy in an ocean of ennui, and after the age of thirty land is seldom seen. -Luke Rhinehart

No one over thirty-five is worth meeting who has not something to teach us – something more than we could learn by ourselves, from a book. -Cyril Connolly

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It’s time to talk about physician-assisted suicide as a conscious choice.

We’re used to talking about choice. The choice to have a child, eat meat, recycle, marry. As responsible, conscious people we make decisions every day. But when it comes to end of life choices, as a society we’re a bit behind.

Jack Kevorkian’s recent death brought back a flood of memories for me. He was my grandmother’s hero. While she was admittedly—and quite proudly—a touch twisted, I happen to agree with her and Jack: We should have a choice when it comes to end of life decisions. Growing up with her in my life, it was impossible not to see suicide as an option. Our first conversation about this took place when I was four. She explained to me that it would be up to her, that made sense to me then and it makes sense to me today.

In my early twenties, well before I met and married my husband, I made my own plans for when I get old. They involve: assisted living, water aerobics and my best friend of 30+ years, Bevin. We have since opened the circle, inviting our men, our hairdresser and other friends to join us. We have scoped out a facility—we haven’t gone so far as a tour, which I assume would raise some eyebrows—it’s close to the lake, a movie theater, Walgreens and a grocery store. These are the things we assume will be important.

Bevin and I took ballet together. We learned to swim together. We take yoga together. We were married in a Jewish ceremony at a square dance—and while I stepped on a PBR tallboy at the end, the state of Illinois doesn’t recognize our union. The idea that if our spouses die before us—or better yet, they don’t—I may be lucky enough to spend my old lady years with her and members of my circle of people is comforting.

The stats on women outliving men support the idea that when the shit comes down, many of us might be relying on female friends as we age. It’s not pleasant to think about, but if you consider the popularity of The Golden Girls and articles like Jezebel’s recent “Are Friends the New Husbands?” it’s clear that women out there are thinking about aging differently than earlier generations, which, I think, means it’s a great time to talk about assisted suicide as a real, legal option.

More than just the specifics of the Old People Dorm Plan, the idea that I will have a say in my own fate is, at the core, what is appealing.

Suicide, assisted or otherwise, is a hard sell. I’m in no way saying it should be mandatory, based on one’s ability to afford care or based on anything other than personal choice. It’s about asking the big questions: How much pain can I endure? How much of myself, or my freedom, can I stand to lose? Has my life been fulfilling? Does the good outweigh the bad? What does my God say about suicide?

For many people, religion might be the deciding factor. And that’s fine. I’m not saying that anyone should break from a religion that has filled their lives with tradition, comfort and joy.

End of life decision-making should be intense and it should be personal. But it should be a decision.

Author Libby Lowe’s grandmother in the prime of youth

In the U.S., Oregon is the only state where assisted suicide is not a crime. The Death With Dignity Act, passed in 1997, allows terminally-ill adult Oregonians to obtain and use prescriptions from their physicians for self-administered, lethal doses of medications. Meaning, the assistance is defined as the ability to write a prescription. How and when to use the medication is up to the individual. In 2010, 65 people—of the nearly four million residents in the state—chose to end their lives.

In the rest of this country we have DNR orders (do not resuscitate) and hospice care for those deemed terminally ill, but we have no legal, dignified way to choose to die. Well ahead of his time, Jack Kevorkian fought to change that. His work on death and dying started back in the 1950s when he presented a paper suggesting that death row prisoners have the right to choose to die by anesthesia so that their organs could be harvested to save lives. It didn’t go anywhere in the 50s, or in the late 80s when he revisited the idea. I still don’t get why.

In 1987 Kevorkian studied in Netherlands, focusing on how Dutch physicians assisted in the suicides of terminally ill patients without interference from the legal authorities. During the 1990s, he assisted in about 130 suicides, ultimately spending eight years in jail. He was released in 2007 and died earlier this month in a hospital.

The progress he made is, in tangible terms, small. But the conversations he started are essential to our country becoming a place where conscious living extends to become conscious dying.

My end of life plan is, in theory, fairly sunny: Me and Bevin and our husbands walking to Walgreens and taking in a movie before going back to the home for 4pm dinner. I realize I may not be that lucky, or that even if I am, I may end up very sick and alone at the end. I can’t say for sure that I would choose assisted suicide if I had the option, but I know I would want the choice to talk honestly with my doctor and my loved ones and then make an informed decision.

The choice to end her own life with dignity is a luxury my own grandmother didn’t have, but it’s one I feel is fundamental to creating a conscious, kind society.

Top image of author Libby Lowe with her grandmother

Update: Libby Lowe (@LibbyLowe) is sharing this post as part of XX in Health Week 2013, a celebration of gender diversity in health leadership.

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Recently, the New York Times examined one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century – climate change. And then – wait for it – they looked at long hair on middle aged women. Writer Dominique Browning, aged 55, possesses a long, graying veil of hair that she likes to wear loose around her shoulders. She defends her choice of hairstyle to a world of cynics who claim she’s “acting out” and “stuck in the 1970s.” Her response? She’s letting all her gray hair hang out and screw the naysayers.

To which we say to Ms. Browning: you go ahead and rock your bad long-haired self. To each her own – you want long, gray hair, you flaunt it. But society seems to dictate that women chop off their long locks at the first sight of crow’s feet. Long hair is relegated to glossy youths who shake their locks with abandon and turn their dewy faces to the sun without concern. And why is this?

(And sure, many might sigh “Who cares?” We support you. For the rest who want jump through this veil of controversy, gather around. Because veils are like hair? Right? Sorta?)

We get the appeal of long hair. I chopped my hair in the 1990s in an attempt to mimic Winona Ryder’s “Reality Bites” hairstyle. A few years later I was caught up in Tolkien frenzy (long live Eowyn!) and decided to grow my hair as long as possible. It traveled to my elbows. I was able to play with as many Middle Earth hairstyles as I wanted, as I am a nerd. I had braids, bangs, and bangs with braids. Now, as I’m staring down 40, it resides somewhere in between. Am I supposed to keep it short now?

If you look at the more synthetic representations of modern womanhood, as evidence of reality shows and troubled starlets, you don’t see a lot of pixie cuts among them. The “Real Housewives” franchise all showcase largely middle-aged women with long hair, usually wigs or extensions. A walk around Beverly Hills confirms that women of all ages are sporting long hair – along with Botox and enough lip filler that could raise the Titanic from the ocean floor. Long hair is a societal marker of youth, and many women want it.

And yet, we cut it as we get older. Some women cut their hair when they have kids. I have more than one friend, (well, almost all of my friends) who chopped their hair after giving birth because they couldn’t be bothered with it. But others seem to cut it from societal pressure that they are “too old” for long hair. And while it might be unfair and wrong to think so, would anyone expect Hillary Clinton to carry curls past her shoulders while engaged in diplomacy? Someone besides Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

And by judging from the comments on Ms. Browning’s New York Times piece, there’s a lot of emotion on the matter. Some pointed out that your hair loses thickness as you age, and that long hair simply isn’t an option for some women afflicted with patterned baldness.

Others worried over the stagnant state of femininity in the world. Kellie from Shanghai wrote: “Reading this article and the comments, all I am left with is the saddening realization that no matter how old or ‘mature’ we get, we women seemingly will never be able to get over judging each other for how we look. I can’t believe that anyone feels the need to justify the length of their hair to anyone else, and worse, to insult (be it blatantly or covertly) those who would make a different choice.”

Suzanne from Denver took a different approach. As she commented, “Good for you if you can pull it off (no pun intended), but many older women who wear gray hair long look a bit witchy or worse, a bit pathetic, as if they’re trying to regain their lost youth. There’s a great expression for this: mutton in lamb’s clothing”.

But Blondtitude, 58, from San Francisco, perhaps summed it up the best. As she wrote in response to Ms. Browning’s article, “Oh yes, middle-aged should wear their hair short, bobbed and tamed? Dear God, you may as well put us into Eileen Fisher outfits where all the pieces were created to be worn together, homogenized like milk.” We raise a fist of support to you, Blonditude!

Tell us, do you think middle-aged women should forgo long locks? (And if you have a decent exit strategy for Afghanistan, we’re all ears on that too.)

Images: evil erin, nrbelex

The post Women Over 40. Long Hair. Welcome to the New Beauty Controversy. appeared first on EcoSalon.

Age is relative, and you’re only as old as you feel. Right? Certainly, but society sure has a way of making you question it all. Yes, we’re not supposed to worry so much about aging. But there comes a time – usually at the exact same moment you see a teenager ironically wearing something you wore in high school – you realize that the years have ticked on and you are staring at your 40th birthday.

The good news is that the view from the fifth decade is looking pretty good. We’ve already brought you 10 Best Reasons to Turn 30. Now, we invite you to throw some Nirvana onto the CD player, sit back, and check out why it is great to be 40.

You’re more likely to be flush with cash.
You might even have flush retirement funds. Which means, of course, you’re that much closer to retirement and play time.

You already know your body is beautiful.
Maybe you’ve had kids. Maybe you’re a triathlete. Maybe you’re Martina Navratilova who won tennis titles well into her 40s. Many report that 40 was the first time they shed their smaller body insecurities and embraced the whole package, stretch marks and all.

Sex is better than ever.
Know what you’re not going to put up with in your 40s? Bad sex. You have the confidence, wisdom, and experience to shed subpar sex. Some people might try to call this being a cougar – to which we say, bring on the cat nip.

Hair color gets kick ass.
Going a little gray? You can start to tell people that covering your gray hair is just a way to look more striking. Or you can ditch the dye altogether and embrace the new with the old. Anne Hilton is a 46-year-old attorney in Arizona who recently put pink streaks in her hair and rocks the look from her minivan.

Motherhood is in motion.
Some of us might be first-time mothers while others might be first-time grandmothers. But even if you’re in the middle of your motherhood marathon or just starting the race, experience makes you most likely one of the most competent mother on the block.

You know how to get things done.
Susan Katz is a 44-year old stay-at-home mom in North Carolina. She can wrangle three kids, maintain a household, work a part-time job, and get organic meals on the dinner table – all in one day. “I’m more organized and efficient than I ever was in my 20s or 30s,” she told me before hanging up the phone to shuttle someone off to ballet.

Michelle Obama, and Tina Fey, and Halle Berry, oh my!
Behold, the three sisters of inspiration for turning 40. Obama’s intelligence, Fey’s wit, and Berry’s body are three pinnacles of impressiveness. Sure, you can argue that these are all characteristics attainable at any age, but a woman in her 40s has experience and self-assuredness to enhance all inner and outer beauty.

You know what you want to be when you grow up.
Some share that the 40s are the first time you take the time to really think about what you want from your career, not what your career wants from you. Sprinkles Cupcakes founder Candace Nelson was an investment banker who decided to try her hand in the cupcake business. Today this forty-something has a nationwide business on her hands and the best cupcakes this side of the Mississippi.

You know how to take care of your body.
If you take an interest in healthy eating, you have your menus down by your forties. You know what exercises you can handle, how hard to push yourself, and that push-ups will never become your idea of “fun.” And this can mean health and heartiness in our 40s we never thought possible in our 20s.

40 is inspiring.
Amy DuFault is a recently turned 40-year-old Ecosalonista who lives in Massachusetts. As she told me, “I just am and I say bring on the next decade. I’m ready to kick some ass!”

Images: Egan Snow, amagill, blmurch , davidberkowitz

The post 10 Best Reasons to Turn 40 appeared first on EcoSalon.