From the introduction of the word ‘Glam-ma’ into the dictionary, to the growing popularity of beauty bloggers and vloggers celebrating more mature beauty, it’s fair to say that society has moved on from the idea that getting older means ditching makeup and heels in favour of rollers and slippers.
Tricia Cusden, founder of pro-age beauty brand Look Fabulous Forever, films regular beauty tutorials for her YouTube channel, and they’ve been hugely popular with more mature women who want to stay chic and stylish.
Here, Tricia tells us the New Year’s beauty resolutions she thinks older women should be making this January. Are you doing them?!
1. Ditch the wet wipes
Cleansing your face thoroughly morning and evening is essential. This stimulates the skin’s natural regeneration process and allows the skin to breathe.
A simple cleansing wipe at the end of the day does not provide a deep enough cleanse and generally means that make-up, dirt and bacteria simply get rubbed around your face, clogging your pores. Wipes are usually milder than other cleansing products and this also means all the tugging and rubbing we do when using them (particularly around the eye area) can cause the skin to lose elasticity quicker.
Use a gentle moisturising cleanser, both in the morning and evening and follow with a gentle toner and nourishing moisturiser. Once a week, use an exfoliator to buff away dead skin cells, and a face mask to give the skin a boost. Any moisturiser or serum will be more effective and soak into the skin better if applied to a clean face.
2. Wear SPF every single day
Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your skin is to be mindful of the sun’s harmful UV rays and wear a good SPF every day. Prolonged sun exposure from your younger years can cause all of kinds of skin damage including hyper-pigmentation, enlarged pores, and uneven skin tone – but at least you can stop any further damage being done.
The sun’s harmful UVA rays also break down the skin’s elastin, which causes the skin to sag and stretch, as well as lose its plump appearance. Stay out of the sun when you can and use an SPF daily, even when it looks like the sun is hiding behind the clouds!
3. Adopt a skin-friendly diet
Diet can have an impact on the skin, no matter what your age. Healthier foods improve skin condition, and a balanced diet of course has many other benefits too.
It’s so important to nourish yourself with the right foods to give you all the necessary vitamins and minerals to help maintain a healthy-looking glow. Always avoid processed foods as they are high in sugar, fat and salt. Salt retention will make the under-eye area swell giving an appearance of bags under the eyes and in turn making you look older and more tired.
4. Switch up your makeup
As you grow older you will need to update your make-up to fit with your changing skin and colouring.
As we age skin can become uneven in tone and lose colour from our cheeks and lips and definition from our eyes. The brilliant thing about makeup is that it can quickly and easily even out the skin tone and restore colour and definition.
Start with a face primer (applied after your moisturiser) which will ensure that your makeup lasts and looks smoother. Next apply a foundation (base) and a concealer to unify the skin tone and add extra coverage to any specific imperfections.
Having done this add a touch of luminescence with a highlighter, and a healthy glow to your skin with a pretty blusher. Now add definition and shape to your eyebrows and use an eye primer to hold shadows in place.
Always wear mascara so that your eyes look bigger and better. A lip primer will stop lipstick from feathering and bleeding at the edges so you can finish with a pop of beautiful colour which will bring your whole face to life!
5. Try at least one look that scares you
All too often, we avoid trying out bold makeup looks or trends because we’re concerned about experimenting with something new.
Of course, when choosing makeup, pick colours that complement your skin tone, which is likely to be either warm or cool toned, but don’t be afraid of a bold lip or eye treatment – but maybe do one or the other!
My key beauty resolution for 2017 is ‘Be bold and brave and experiment with new looks’ because looking good is a great way to enhance both mood and self-confidence.
