Look Younger ... avoid black eyebrows

HD black eyebrows work well if you're 20 something, but when you get older black eyebrows can be very ageing.  If you use an eyebrow pencil / shadow always choose one that is a shade lighter than your own natural hair colour, as this will flatter your face rather than age it.  Rachel Welch's eyebrows are still one of her best features even though they are a lot lighter than they used to be:

Stunning Raquel Welch; perfect eyebrows throughout the years!

As for their shape, use a pencil to align against your nose to find the best place to start / end your eyebrows, as shown below.  If you find that the edge of your eyebrow doesn't quite reach the point it should, use an eyebrow pencil to lightly feather in the missing hairs.  If you do this very lightly and add a little powder to set, your eyes will look lifted & you'll look younger.  

Perfect eyebrow shape

 

 

Look Younger ... avoid chapped lips

At this time of the year, lips are prone to get dry and sometimes appear very chapped.  So, if you're suffering with dry lips, with even some flakiness on the surface, here's a quick fix:

• apply a product like Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, or Vaseline, onto your lips
• rub your lips together, and leave the product on for at least 15 minutes 
• use a baby's toothbrush (a new one for this purpose preferably) to gently brush away the product & at the same time exfoliate your lips
• wipe off the excess with a damp warm flannel & pat dry with a towel
• now you're ready to apply your lipstick / lip gloss to those beautiful lips! 

If your lips have any little cracks, don't exfoliate them, apply the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, or Vaseline, overnight.  Apply to the centre of your lips & smudge the product out towards the edge of your lip.  Be careful not to go outside the lip line as this can cause breakouts if you have sensitive skin.  A couple of days will make a big difference.

If your lips are bleeding, due to large cracks, start off using Savlon to heal your lips before doing any of the above.  Always wear lip salve to stop the cracking happening again, and get in the habit of giving your lips a little brush when you brush your teeth.

Get yourself ready for Valentine's Day ;-)

40+ Style ... Mint Velvet

A brand which has 40+ style perfected, as their basics suit any age, is Mint Velvet.  

If you are a fan of black (away from your face of course) & muted colours, you'll be in heaven in this shop. The only downside has to be their love of grey; great if you suit grey, but if you have warm colouring like me, nothing will wash you out quicker!  Never worry though because oatmeal & champagne have started to creep into their collections.

Here are some of my favourite pieces at the moment ... the Capri pants are making me think of a warm summer's evening, even though it's cold & dark outside.

Oatmeal Cable Peplum Knit

 

 

 

 

 

Ivory Half Sleeve Cable Knit

Mocha Waterfall Front Jacket

Nude Stretch Capri

Silver Grey Sparkle Sweater

Look Younger ... with a flattering hairstyle

It's amazing the impact a good hairstyle can have; if you have the right one it will flatter your face shape, the colour should make your skin tone look great (even when you're make-up free), and it definitely shouldn't emphasise any sagging jowls.

At 43, Susanna Reid's longer, layered & lighter hairstyle makes her look younger now that she did a decade ago with short dark hair:  

Susanna Reid

And at 55, Emma Thompson's new shorter style, with lots of body at her temples, has taken 10 years off her!

Emma Thompson

We rarely look at our own side profile, but be aware that your haircut may actually exaggerate sagging jowls:

Reduce your jowls with an uplifting hairstyle!

So, is it time you changed your hairstyle for a more flattering look?  Hairstyle & hair colour is an area included in a style consultation, but you can play around to find your own perfect style with tools such as virtual hairstyler.  Just upload your photo to see how you'd look in different styles, without having to grow it all back if you make a mistake!  Take your favourites along to your hairdresser to discuss which is possible with your hair type.

Inspirations ... Helen Mirren at the Golden Globes 2014

At 68 years old, Helen Mirren does it yet again, she really stood out on the red carpet last night in her figure-flattering, sleeved dress, at the Golden Globes.  The colour and style was amazing on her!  

Helen Mirren, Golden Globes 2014

She understands the power of colour to turn back the years:

 

When she does wear black, she knows she suits it best away from her face, or in a fabric such as lace:

As an actress though she sometimes has to play an older character, which is achieved instantly by dressing her in solid black near her face:

Luckily, in her every day life, she's a fan of colour!

Look Younger ... reduce the wrinkles on your neck & décolleté!

There are SO many products out there that promise to combat the signs of ageing, but they usually come with a hefty price tag.  If you're looking for a very effective, moisturising serum then you'll get it for £7 at Asda (in fact, even better, at the moment they have an offer on 2 for £8!).

The product, which incidentally was also named in Essentials Beauty Awards 2013 for the best neck cream on the market, is called nspa Firming Neck & Bust Serum.  It smoothes, firms and instantly tightens the skin.

It is dermatologically approved for sensitive skin, and to date hasn't caused me to have any breakouts, which a lot of the heavier moisturisers tend to do.

nspa Firming Neck and Bust Serum, available at Asda

2014 ... time to feel 10 out of 10!

A new year has arrived, a time to start afresh.  So, this year, rather than looking in the mirror and being critical about yourself after the festive excesses, turn your critical eye to your wardrobe and rate each of the items in there on how they make you feel when you wear them.  

Everything in there should be a 10 out of 10, or at least a 9 out of 10.  No-one is going to feel good starting their day in an outfit that makes you feel 3 out of 10! 

So, if it's too tight, store it somewhere else until you're that size again.

If there's a button missing or the hem has come undone, drop it off with a local dressmaker. 

If you're keeping items because they have a sentimental value, but you are NEVER going to fit into them again, then store them elsewhere in your house.

If you bought something quite expensive but you just don't feel it's you, then pop it on ebay and use the money you make to buy something that you love.

If you are unsure about colours / styles that suit you, then make an appointment with an image consultant before you waste any more money on mistakes.  A £10 dress in the right colours & style for your body shape will look better than a £100 dress that doesn't flatter you!

This way, when you open your wardrobe during 2014, what is in there will make you feel happy & confident, even while you're losing that half a stone you put on over the holiday period.  

Hope 2014 is a healthy, happy year for you!