What can we do about Ageing? | Beauty Over 40.

Getting older is great fun, right?

Ask any woman, over 35, and she will tell you that being older has a lot going for it.

With age comes a wealth of experience.

Experiencing life means the development of wisdom.

{Although, to be honest, I am still waiting for my wisdom to develop. When I am 50, maybe?}

Getting older means we get to know ourselves well. We know what suits us. We know what our strengths and weaknesses are. We know our limitations.

Age brings confidence, and a positive attitude to life.

Of course, all of this this is great.

However, when you are confronted with your 'morning face' and a magnifying mirror?

Yikes!
The truth is scary.

Faced with the reality of ageing, you might happily trade in all of that wisdom for smooth, flawless, skin.

Ageing has it's challenges.

Unfortunately, as we age, mother nature has some cruel challenges for us to overcome:

The hair on our heads will probably get thinner, duller and harder to manage.

Unwanted hair sprouts from previously hair-free zones.

Our eyes start to fail, so these unwanted hairs go undetected. Unfortunately, the only people who can't see this offending fuzz is us!

Our eyebrows and eyelashes thin and become patchy. The tails on our beautiful eyebrows disappear.

We might get age spots. On our hands and (like me) on the sides of our faces too. Lovely!

Skin tags (and strange lumps) can sprout out of nowhere.

Eventually, our gums receded and our teeth start to resemble a grave yard.

Everything slides South... Bottoms, the flesh on top of our knees, skin (everywhere) the dreaded bingo wings appear, our boobs can resemble either puppy-dogs ears or water-filled balloons (depending on their size).

Not to mention all of those aches and pains that creep up on us.

Depressing stuff, eh?

But don't panic!

If you have enough money (and time) there are many fabulous procedures that can 'fix' your face, and all your wobbly bits too.

In the blink of an eye.

(Almost) Pain free.

Some can even be done on your lunch hour!

Right?

Well....not really.

With every cosmetic procedure comes risks and potential failure.

Some can cause serious health problems.

Of course, there are some (seemingly) amazing results out there.

But, bare in mind that facelifts can look really odd in real life and (ironically) look better on younger women, in their 40's as opposed to women in their 60's.

Filers can go horribly wrong.

Even something as common as botox has it's risks.

Also, these procedures need maintenance.

So, what can we do to look younger?

Answer...(and you won't want to hear it)....NOTHING!

What?!

Hang on a minute!

Aren't there hundreds of lotions, serums, gels, sprays and dyes out there, to turn back time?

Can't we get "things done" that will bring back our youthful looks?

Well, the big cosmetics companies (and pharmaceutical brands) will tell you, YES!

You need to spend a small fortune on:

Specialist cleansing systems.
DNA-infused face creams (or ones with snail slime in them).
Buffing machines.
Gadgets that electrocute your face.
Expensive masks, serums and eye creams.
Youth-giving foundations.

{The list goes on and we need to remortgage the house to pay for it all}

And, goodness knows we (as women) buy into it!

I don't mind admitting that I am a sucker for a deliciously scented lotion in beautiful packaging.

But....

{I am going to play the Scientist card here, sorry}

Contrary to what the big brands would have us believe, most of the creams on the market contain the same basic ingredients, whether they cost £1 or £100.

Yes, of course, there are added extras in some, but the basics are the same.

I am not saying don't buy the pricey creams.

If you love them, do it!

If it means you spend a moment pampering yourself by applying these lovely lotions, then go ahead and enjoy it.

{Massaging the face is very beneficial}

However, if you are on a tight budget and think that you need these creams, you don't!

Buy that basic cream (like Nivea) and spend time massaging it it in, just like an expensive one.

You will notice a difference in your skin.

Beauty secrets (that are not so secret).

Smile and try to be positive. This is the most important secret of all!

Has anyone has ever read Roald Dahl's book "The Twits"? His description of Mrs Twit is a beauty lesson that all women should listen to:

"If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until it gets so ugly you can hardly bear to look at it.

A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."

Wise words indeed!!

Drink plenty of Water. I am guilty of not drinking enough. BUT, I do drink gallons of tea and I hope that counts!

Don't eat too much sugar (including fruit sugars). Sugar really does age you. If I have a heavy night of eating cake or crisps I wake up with a puffy and bloated "Carbohydrate face".

Eat well. Don't eat (too much) processed muck. I am not going to pretend that I don't eat junk food. I do, just not all of the time.

Sleep....{if only}...but WOW what a difference a decent sleep makes. Sleep is the most powerful beauty tool. Forget spa treatments and £200 creams. A night of unbroken sleep is the BEST.

Clean your face. Not necessarily with pricey lotions, just do it WELL with something that does not irritate you. A double cleanse works wonders too.

Exercise. I am not saying go crazy at the gym, just talking a brisk walk boosts circulation and brings more blood to your face. Great for oxygenation of your facial tissue and removing toxins. You also get to clear your head AND it stops your bum sliding down the back of your thighs! Win-win really.

Don't smoke. You have heard it a thousand times, and it is true. Nobody wants a mouth like a cats bum.

Don't drink too much booze. A glass is good , a bottle is not. Drinking REALLY shows up on the face, I know, I have seen it first hand. Think of the "drunks" portrayed in films...red faces, broken veins, purple noses, bloated, puffy big beer belly (yes women get beer bellies too) enjoy your tipple but don't go OTT.

Protect your face. Shield your skin from harsh weather. Wear sunglasses and a hat in summer, wear a scarf in winter. Easy.

Makeup is your friend! Especially when it comes to brows and eye makeup. I know how pale and "old" I look when my makeup is not up to scratch (You can see this in some of my photographs). There are so many tutorials online, but my favourite is Lisa Eldridge. Look her up...be warned, watching her videos is addictive!