Ring Finger Zinger

plus, hang onto your eyebrows, and dry skin fixes

Welcome readers, old and new!

Please hit the ❤️ above if you’re happy to be the loyal HNTFUYF-er I know you are.

This is either an old-fogey warning (“fogey,” by the way, possibly derived from the Scots word “foggie” meaning “covered with moss or lichen”) or an indication that the editors at The New York Times are losing their grip.

The reporting in this story about the history of the eyebrow-less face is intriguing—but the how-to advice? If you’ve recently been tempted to shave off your eyebrows, I say put down the razor. Though I fully understand why Britney Spears was inclined to mow her head, if you’re a civilian and thinking about removing one of the facial features most likely to communicate your emotions, I’d advise you to first engage in some self-reflection. If at the conclusion of that reflection, you’re sure you want to resemble an alien (and elicit an alarmed or just disconcerted reaction from human companions), as my grandmother might’ve said, zei gezunt. This fogey? Count me out.

🦎🦎🦎

Every once in a while—usually because of a couple of long flights and the advent (at last) of cold weather—my skin gets super dry. When my face starts seriously flaking, I quit my nightly prescription retinoid and instead use only a moisturizer. After a few nights, I can usually resume the retinoid. But when my skin refuses to pony up the moisture even on a no-retinoid diet, I thirst for more powerful hydration.

A PR person recently sent me a cream that seems to work well to restore the skin barrier. You’re supposed to pump a bit of lotion into your palm, rub your hands together, and then apply it in light strokes, which is a good suggestion, as it’s a little thick and balm-y. But it absorbs pretty quickly—and, most important, I’ve noticed my face isn’t dry in the morning. I’m now layering it over the prescription retinoid, so far without flaking. I don’t think I’d use the stuff in the summer—too heavy—but it seems a fine solution for winter dry-face. (A reminder: I have zero affiliations with beauty companies; whatever I recommend here is because I like it.)

Is your whole lovely carcass dry? Stop the long, hot showers, of course, and try this excellent moisturizer, recommended by HNTFUYF DermDiva, Heidi Waldorf.

Speaking of dry skin, a reader recently wrote about a problem with what she called “ring rot” that develops in cold weather on her wedding band finger. Having noticed something similar on my own hand, I was especially curious about what it is and how to fix it. I’d rather call it “ring rub” or “fiery finger,” but it is what it is. And what actually is it?

The beauty Q&A in this post is available only to paid subscribers. For full access to all posts—and if you value reader-supported work—please become a paid subscriber at the currently discounted rate of $40/year. If you can’t afford a subscription, email me at valeriemonroe.substack.com and I’ll comp you one, no questions asked. 🙏🏼