Grey Hair and Wrinkles!

I've never been one to worry about laugh lines and stuff. Up till recently I still looked pretty young!

But all that appears to be changing....

I've noticed those laugh lines are turning into wrinkles of the permanent variety. Bags under my eyes bug me more than they used to (and it's a good thing I'm not married - I'm pretty scary in the morning!). My hands are looking older. And all those "blonde" hairs on my head - well, they're actually pure-white grey!

Now I know it could be construed as vanity, but suddenly I'm taking more notice of those ads on tv for anti-wrinkle this, anti-ageing that. They're still prohibitively expensive, but I'm looking nevertheless.

I wonder if after 30 one's body just starts to droop, age, sag and wrinkle up. Could it be that I've spent too many years turning my face to the wonderfully warm sun - without protection? Could it be stress or a lack of sufficient water to keep that plump dewy complexion? Should I frantically try to pack-paddle the aging process, or should I just start dressing like I'm 50?

Then again, I've started noticing an attractive "maturity" in folk my age, particularly of the opposite sex. Like that one very nice bloke I met in Australia, who sports laugh lines around his amazing eyes, and just a touch of grey at the temples. Rather attractive, but perhaps the rest of the package has more to do with it than those few elements.

As a woman, society constantly bombards one with images of the lithe, the young, the skinny - and they're rather disconcerting when one compares them to what's in the mirror. Thankfully, the blonde in my hair means any greys will just make it lighter blonde - just call it natural highlights - but still... one can't hide the aging process forever. And if I keep pulling out grey hairs one of these days I'll be bald!

So what to do? Go splurge on a plethora of beauty products, hoping at least one will live up to its miracle claims? Do what I can now without them? Or just enjoy the droops, wrinkles and greys as a sign of life lived?