Born on a Better Day: The Wei of Olay

For those of you who dabble in astrology, you must read “Born on a Rotten Day,” by Hazel Dixen-Cooper. It’s a romp into the dark and ugly side of your astrological sign. It’s hysterical, sharp and brutally insightful. I’m a cancer. A loving, kind and gentle creature with a soft center and a warm heart. On my good days that is. On my dark days, I am crabby, whiny and misunderstood by the entire world and will retreat into my hard little shell, snapping my sharpened claws at anyone who dare enter my space. The book might sum it up best with this little ditty: “All water signs are sensitive, but Cancer wallows in emotional turmoil … Their moods change hourly. Crabs can laugh, sob, sulk, joke, retreat, attack, and complain all within a twenty-four-hour period.” Lord, the poor Spa Boy. If only I had been born a Leo. Leo’s always have good days. Which brings me to my week. Rotten. I won’t go into the gory details but I will tell you that it all started with the hit-and-run of our neighborhood bobcat. A cop car shielded his lifeless body as I drove by him on my way to the Safeway this past Sunday. I ugly cried my way through the grocery store, wept for hours afterward and it still stings painfully now. The week continued in a downward spiral of shouting matches with the Spa Boy, misunderstandings, complications, zits the size of Texas, projectile cat vomit and a myriad of other tribulations. This morning, looking to shake this dark cloud, I opened the Spa Girl closet and low behold, I had forgotten about my rainy day emergency Olay stash. A collection of cleansers, masks and treatments greeted me like a ray of sunshine. Lining my poison up on my bathroom vanity, I started with a foot cleansing using Olay Body’s Thermal Pedicure, a delightful exfoliating scrub with Bora Bora white sand and pumice. After rinsing and drying my revived tootsies, I prepared for my mini facial with Olay’s Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher (winner of beauty accolades from Self, Star and CEW magazines). Milky, creamy, lightly scented, not too harsh and it rinsed away with no greasy residue. Nice. Finally, I finished with Olay’s new Definity foaming moisturizer with glucosamine to fade brown spots. The outer packaging was a bit overkill but the SPF 15, fragrance-free cream dispenses in a burst of fun foam that goes on smooth and disappears into the skin. Ahhh. Considering the combined cost of the products was less than any spa treatment, I didn’t have to talk to anyone or change out of my PJ’s and my face was deeply cleansed and protected, my crabbiness is slowly fading. I’m loving, caring and calm again. For now. For more about these products, complimentary samples and advice, visit Olay.com. Photo: Olay Body Thermal Pedicure, $9.99 at most retailers.