I’m touching on 50 and am not overly keen on the changes to my face and body. But let’s face it, we are all smart enough to know that makeup and beauty lotions and potions alone can’t stave off the years, despite the blurb on the back of the bottle.
To stay looking well in our middle age, we simply must take more care of ourselves and be kind to our bodies. That means everything in moderation when it comes to food and alcohol, more exercise and plenty of sleep. Even a brisk 30-minute walk every day makes you feel invigorated and I have found pilates classes twice weekly have really helped to tone my core muscles and work wonders on my posture.
It’s easy to get stuck in a beauty rut, still applying the same old skincare techniques and products that we have used for years for fear of change. While we sadly can’t roll back the clock permanently by using just makeup, we certainly can help ourselves look more radiant and more youthful if we do it right.
So here are my top tips for feeling fabulous at 50 and beyond.
Number one is quite simply to drink two litres of still water every day so that your skin looks and feels hydrated. Get into the habit of having a refillable sports bottle in your car, handbag, at your desk, next to your bed and next to your TV chair. Drinking plenty of water also helps considerably with tummy bloating, constipation and hormonal spots. Also, if you smoke, now is the time to stop. Use a good rich face cream on your face and neck. For a budget buy, I love Nivea rich moisturising cream for dry and sensitive skin, which you should be able to find in your local supermarket for less than a tenner. Also, don’t forget to apply hand cream to your hands and feet. Use a primer before you add your foundation. A primer is a bit like a polyfiller. It fills in fine lines and keeps the foundation in place. MaxFactor Facefinity All Day Primer SPF 20 (from stockists including Boots at €15.99) works a treat. If you use a good concealer to cover up dark circles under your eyes, redness around the nose and cheek areas, you will look more youthful. A super cover-up I like is Clarins Instant Concealer (RRP €26 from stockists nationwide). This little tube of magic covers imperfections brilliantly and does not dry out the skin. 
Clarins instant concealer, €26.
A subtle blush to the cheeks gives a fresh look, but always keep away from any products that have a glitter or a sparkle as this will sit in the lines and wrinkles and accentuate them more. Nars Cosmetics has a two-in-one blush and lipstick called Multiple (available from stockists including Brown Thomas at €41). Simply dab onto the apple of the cheeks and the lips for a youthful glow. When applying any makeup to older skin, always remember less is definitely more and apply in a good light, preferably with a magnifying mirror at hand. Tweezerman Tweezermate stick-on-glass magnifying mirror is a really useful little mirror (RRP €22.49, available from McCabes Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy and Boots). I have stuck one on my bathroom window and it so useful for seeing clearly when plucking eyebrows, getting rid of any unwanted chin hair and final makeup checks. 
Do try and stay away from any really bright, punchy eyeshadow colours and keep with the subtly natural autumnal tones. If you stick with a good black mascara, I love Elizabeth Arden Grand Entrance mascara (from stockists including Boots at €26). Curling your lashes before applying mascara will make your eyes appear bigger and brighter. You can pick up a great lash curler in Penneys for less than €2.
As we age, our brows get thinner, so creating a fuller brow can take years off you. If you get your eyebrows tinted first, that will help define the shape, before applying a brow pencil with fine feathered strokes, following the natural shape of your brow. Charlotte Tilbury’s Brow Lift pencil (RRP €30) really does lift your brow and adds definition for the perfect arch. It’s ideal for those of you with blonde, light brown or red hair. Stockists include Brown Thomas and Arnotts.
Charlotte Tilbury’s brow lift pencil .
If you love bright lippy like me, then go for it, but I would advise a more matt-finish lipstick. Bronx Colours Ireland has a beautiful new range of Just Matte lipsticks (RRP €7.90, available in Quinn’s Pharmacy, Ballina, Flanagan’s Instore Pharmacy, Finglas Road, Dublin 11 and Active Life, Talbot Street, Dublin 1). Passion Red and Salmon are two of my favourite colours in the range. Always line the lips first with a sharpened lip pencil before applying your lipstick, as this will help keep the lipstick on. Keep away from a bright lippy with a ton of gloss on top because if you have lines around your mouth, an overload of gloss can start to bleed up into your mouth lines; not a good look.
Bronx Colours Ireland just matte lipsticks, €7.90.
And finally, repeat after me: I’m 50 and fabulous. Read more
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Tips for bright and beautiful eyes