I am a woman in midlife. I’ve hit the midway mark to 100! Will I make it all the way? Who knows…but what I do know is there are several products that have changed, improved, and saved my life. These are products that I use regularly, some daily, and would definitely recommend to any woman in her fifties and beyond (forties too!)
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Life As a Woman in Midlife
How did I get here already? You might be asking yourself the same question. My kids are in college and the tail end of high school and I’m in my fifties. Life charges on even when you think it’s dragging. Times go slow and you think how am I going to get through the day, and suddenly decades have gone by.
I’ve loved being a mom every step of the way. But at times I got lost in motherhood and forgot myself. My needs fell to the wayside way more than they should have. With my kids getting older, I now have more time for myself. There are certain products I’ve come across that make my life way better, and most of them I couldn’t have predicted.
1. Audiobooks
Audiobooks have changed my life because as a busy mom, and now small business owner, I’ve often run out of time to read! I’m a writer and I love to read, but I often have not had time for reading. Reading is a love of mine I’ve had for years and years. From a young age, I was an avid reader. I inhaled book after book. My sister would beg me to play games, but I always wanted to read. Sure, I played some games with her, but I really wanted to be reading. I let her peel me away from books time to time.
College slowed me down in the area of reading for pleasure, but I still carved out a bit of time to read fiction.
Enter kids. I read to them, but I didn’t read for myself. For years! Then I began to write again when my youngest went into kindergarten, and my reading time increased a little, too. But what really made a difference in how many books I could read was that I included audiobooks. I can get so many more books accomplished because I can listen to audiobooks while I do other things. As an indie author, I love to support indie authors and narrators, so I love to support Libro FM.
2. Whole Body Deodorant, A Must as a Woman in Midlife
I kept seeing these ads for whole body deodorant. `And they worked on me! I had to try Lume. And I can tell you, the product has changed my life! I have overly sensitive skin, (it’s sometimes horribly sensitive, thanks DAD!), and my skin gets irritated very quickly, especially from any rubbing. This product has completely eliminated the spots where I had irritation. I’m so happy I could scream!
This product comes in several forms: a cream, a bar soap, body wash, and a traditional type of deodorant stick. My favorite by far is the cream. I put it on the privates, my lower belly, beneath my breasts, and across my armpits. Just a little is all that’s needed. I cannot even stress how incredibly fantastically this product has worked for me! It’s freaking magic! It’s especially very useful under my breasts because I have heavy large ones and this cream has completely eliminated the red, sore painful irritation I used to get under my breasts at the bra line, especially from summer sweat.
I have tried the body soap and it’s fantastic, too! I even use it on my face. At my age, I still occasionally get acne. I’ve tried everything, and this product seems to be preventing acne, too. Wow! See, it balances your skin and perhaps that’s been my problem, I was unbalanced. I don’t know but it’s miracle stuff and I’m using it every day!
I fully recommend it so much so that I became an affiliate.
The Cream has made my skin calm and comfortable where it used to be irritated.
I had pain with the red irritated areas of my skin, so this product has eliminated my pain.
Bonus…
I read somewhere that using the body wash prevents the need for deodorant, but I still use a little bit of cream. However, I have tried to use the body wash only with no addition of cream or the deodorant, and I think this point might be accurate. Seriously, these products are incredible. They’ve changed my life!
I totally recommend it, so much so that I decided to help sell it.
You can try it out and see if it is a miracle product for you, too.
https://lumedeodorant.sjv.io/c/6782582/1622595/18462
Build your Bundle https://lumedeodorant.sjv.io/c/6782582/1653699/18462
3. Skin Oil, I use it to moisturize my skin and hair.
I have oily skin. Always have, likely I always will. But I would have never imagined adding oil to my oily skin would be a good idea. It sounds like a horrid idea to add oil to oily skin and make it oilier. Blasphemy! But it’s been the best idea!
With oily skin, it keeps me looking younger than my years, so I can’t totally hate my oily skin. But adding oil to already oily skin, the thought used to make me cringe. But I found out this isn’t a thing to worry about.
My skin is comfortable, not tight, and it keeps it looking plush and supple. Many people have told me I don’t look my age…is that good genetics, or oil? I don’t know but I’m going to keep using oils!
Aging skin
With age, our skin loses moisture. Adding oil keeps me looking younger, it’s true. It moisturizes my skin more naturally, and it doesn’t have all the crazy hard to pronounce ingredients of anti-aging moisturizing creams. I add moisture back into my skin by spreading on oil, then I put makeup over it. I do add powder (I use E.L.F.) to take the shine off, and then I get a more matte look. But the base is hemp seed oil (which is my fave for my face).
I like E.L.F. products because I like what their company stands for, the powder I use is vegan and cruelty free, plus it’s reasonably priced. Those are all important things to me, especially avoiding all the crazy chemicals as best as I can.
What kind of oil?
Our skin is an organ. Whatever we put on it sinks into us. I don’t like the idea of putting lots of chemicals I can’t even pronounce on my skin. My favorite oils to use are hemp seed oil and rosehip seed oil. The hemp seed oil soaks in so nicely and quickly, and doesn’t feel heavy. The rosehip seed oil needs a bit more rubbing and is more orangish.
Now, two reasons I like to use natural oils: I’m adding a more natural product to my skin, so it’s healthier for me and my skin, and I’m not paying these stupid companies lots of money for creams. They don’t care about me. They care about making money, and I don’t want to contribute to their yachts! So, I choose the cheaper oils rather than the complicated multi-ingredient anti-aging creams.
Hemp Seed Oil on My Hair
My hair gets unruly. It’s curly, and without products, it just looks frizzy. I have a natural wave and curl, but without products, the curl just fuzzes. I love to calm my hair with the hemp seed oil. If I don’t shower for a day, I will often add some more oil to calm my hair. It helps my curls form better and smooths out the funky frizzies. I’ve used other oils in my hair and hemp seed oil is my favorite. I often use a beach wave spray to help my curls take form, too.
Again, this is cheaper than many other hair products. I don’t want to contribute to billionaire yacht funds with expensive hair products either!
4. Taking HRT, Hormone Replacement Therapy as a Woman in Midlife…this isn’t just about sex!
This one surprised me, but I’ll never go back to not using it.
Women have been ignored for a very long time…
We’ve been gaslit for generations, I’m talking for decades, by the medical community and it really pisses me off! When I was younger, I remember the fears that were spread around that taking hormones lead to cancer for women. Well, guess what, they lied and ignored women for decades! Yup. They flat out lied!
The medical community lied. Can you believe this? I was shocked! And they just admitted they lied. Now they are reversing what they said, and now medical professional are telling women they SHOULD be taking hormones in midlife because it’s healthy, and protective.
Say what now?
You done being pissed yet? Yeah, me neither. I’ll probably never get over it. SMH. They just didn’t care. The worst part is they knew truth and still lied. I’ve been listening to and following women urologists and physicians on social media who are trying to spread the word that taking estrogen and progesterone are actually healthy and protective for the heart, against osteoporosis, for the urinary tract system, and the brain (to help prevent against things like dementia and Alzheimer’s).
Medical studies are finally being done on midlife premenopausal and menopausal women, and the label on hormones is being changed to safe. Will everyone’s fears be eliminated too? Or will it take years to eradicate the horrible wrong rumor? So many women will miss out on help because of their lies.
Testosterone
For women? YES! People freak out about women taking testosterone, but guess what, women have more testosterone in our bodies than we do estrogen! And we NEED testosterone to MAKE estrogen. Many women are also taking testosterone. Before you freak, you just need the right amount. You won’t change into manly characteristics with the right dose. But many women find they feel more like their old selves and are more driven while on it. It can help sex drive as well, but the benefits of taking it are very beneficial. I have not personally tried it, yet!
Don’t just take my word for it…start to follow these female doctors.
On Instagram I highly recommend you follow Kelly Casperson (@kellycaspersonmd) and Rachel Rubin (@drrachelrubin). Dr. Casperson also has a helpful podcast for midlife women and she wrote a book. These two women have been very helpful in helping me learn all of this. I don’t think I would have found out about it without seeing them on Instagram.
Books:
Kelly Casperson’s Books: The Menopause Moment (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3Y7gaes
You Are Not Broken (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/4aoS6Lz
Another one is Dr. Jessica Yih, @drsexandsperm, she’s a urologist in California
You might need a new doctor…
Many doctors are old school and don’t know about all of this so you must advocate for yourself, ask questions, speak up, and maybe get a new doctor if they are not up on the latest with regards to HRT.
Dr. Rubin posted once about how our genitals can shrink once we lose our natural hormones. Eek! That’s horrifying! I want to be healthy and keep enjoying pleasure, so I don’t want mine to shrink! So many meds are out there for men to help with their sexuality, women have literally gotten the shaft and left out, but finally things are changing and the medical community is paying attention to women’s sexual health, too. Finally!
Other ways HRT has helped me
I sleep better. This is huge. Before I started hormones as a woman in midlife, I literally could not sleep longer than 4 to 5 hours in a row and then I’d be wide awake. And tired. I couldn’t sleep longer. I just couldn’t, no matter how I tried or what I did to prepare. Taking this hormone replacement helps me sleep longer and I even slept up to seven hours a night! That’s huge after not sleeping more than five a night for literally years (this started for me early forties).
Many people associate the help for libido with taking hormones. My libido has not dropped, if anything it’s higher than when I was younger, but there are other contributing factors to that (keep reading to find out). But for many women, taking this can help them get their zip back in their libidos, which is super important for you your body, mind, and your relationship to yourself and a partner, if you have one. But HRT can help keep your genitals happy. Keep the blood flow flowing to stay healthy!
Online Subscription is so easy!
I use Winona HRT. It’s an online provider that is easy to use and very helpful.
Check with your insurance company and flex spending to see if this will be covered for you.
5. Toys have changed my life. Don’t count yourself out!
Yup. You heard me. I’ve saved this one for last because some people freak out about them, but they are just tools, no different than kitchen tools, hair tools, or tools to make and fix stuff. They aren’t taboo, they are helpful in keeping your body healthy, creating a connection between your mind and body, and perhaps helping you connect with your partner better.
It’s a proven face that it’s less common for women to climax during sex, but men generally tend to, easily. If you are in this category as a woman, you’re missing out on the wonderful sensations your body is capable of. You’re alive and now is the tie time to enjoy! This is so important to keep your body healthy in your genitals to keep blood flowing there so you don’t atrophy, it’s a fabulous stress reliever, and sleep aid. And it can help you connect with yourself and your partner. Many people enjoy intimacy on a deeper and more satisfying level in midlife, and toys can teach you about your body and your unique path to wonderful pleasure.
Anatomy
I used to work as a nurse, and this topic is barely touched on. Sexual health is super important to your mental health and if you’ve made it to midlife without enjoying your body and sex life, it’s high time to change that! Women have over 10,000 nerve endings in that area just for pleasure, no other function, and men have half that. So clearly our bodies were meant to enjoy pleasure, we were literally created for it!
Use toys to learn more about your anatomy if you’ve fallen prey to the shame our society places on women about sex. (This used to be me, but no more. I’ve been liberated and empowered to seek, ejnjoy, and celebrate my pleasure as a woman. You can too!)
I recommend the suckers and the wands, but also the dual point toys are wonderful. The targeted Zumio pen shaped toy is also wonderful. Whether you seek to relax and enjoy on your own, or with a partner, toys can help, and they can change your life for the better. they did for me! Now I understand my body and how amazing those 10,000 nerve endings can make me feel! Don’t miss out on your life as a woman!
Satisfyer https://amzn.to/49a5otb
Pen type toy with interchangeable head https://amzn.to/4jf2Pe0
Did any of these ideas surprise you? Life as a Woman in Midlife is fantastic, don’t let society scare you!
There’s so much to be empowered by, to enjoy, to explore, and honestly, it’s a time of finding yourself and celebrating you! That’s a beautiful thing! Think about all the goodness you can harness and enjoy in midlife. It’s literally turning out to be the BEST era of my life! It’s YOUR LIFE! As a woman in midlife, it’s time to have some fun and seek pleasure, comfort, and things that make YOU feel good!
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