Lori Borgman: Of lotions, creams and wrinkles in time

Lori Borgman, Tribune News Service on Jan 6, 2026

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One of the girls gave me a tube of lotion guaranteed to reduce neck wrinkles in 14 days. “Thanks,” I said, “but it took me decades to develop these wrinkles. They’re not going away in two weeks.”

“How do you know that for sure?” she asked.

“Because I bought a tube of this myself a year ago.”

The only wrinkles I’ve had success smoothing are in clothes, using a powerful little steamer. My face may have wrinkles, but at least my clothes don’t.

What is it about women and cosmetics that make us believe the unbelievable?

I don’t believe in the tooth fairy, but I believe the dark circles under my eyes might magically disappear with little half-moon shaped patches promoted by a cosmetic line featuring close-ups of a 24-year-old. At that age, the model still has baby fat.

I don’t believe in leprechauns, but I believe the anti-frizz product a stylist used on my hair in a temperature- and humidity-controlled salon might really work in 95-degree outdoor temps with matching humidity.

Hope springs eternal. And so does my hair.

I don’t believe in the Easter Bunny, but I just might believe that a certain mascara can thicken eyelashes. And then my sensible side kicks in and says, “You can’t thicken what isn’t there.”

I don’t believe the stork delivers babies, but I can be mesmerized by products that claim to reverse aging, defy time and turn back the clock. So maybe unicorns are real, too?

If you can make peace with the wear and tear of time, you eventually find a comfort zone that comes with aging. All those lines – laugh lines, smile lines, worry lines and prayer lines – are signposts of years gone by.

They are souvenirs from the seasons of life – the rough waters and the smooth sailing. They are character lines silently etched as you maneuvered the challenges of infants, toddlers, adolescents, teens and then letting go. Crinkles are from the joys of welcoming the next generation.

You know you’ve hit the sweet spot when the promises of turning back the clock lose their allure. You work with what you have, look in the mirror, and say, “It is what it is and today is a good day.”