THIS IS WHAT 57 LOOKS LIKE

Deborah allen is a retired personal assistant from Surrey. She has a 38-year-old son and a grandson.

BRACE YOURSELF

EVERYONE says I have a lovely smile. But this wasn’t always the case: I used to have very crooked teeth — as my husband never failed to point out! Ten years ago, I decided to do something about it. I didn’t want a fixed brace in my 40s, so instead went for a clear, removable Invisalign retainer

(invisalign.co.uk). It cost about £4,000, but you could barely see it and my teeth were straight in two years. It’s never too late to make a change.

SUMMER LASHES

MY BLONDE eyelashes have become sparser as I’ve got older. So, when I go on holiday to Spain (about four times a year) I get lash extensions from my local salon. They only cost about £30 and last a month. It may seem counter-intuitive but they give me a much more natural look as you don’t need mascara or eyeliner.

SUPERMARKET STYLE

LOOKING nice doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Now and then, I treat myself at more expensive places such as Karen Millen and Coast. But I also love Primark and am on the lookout for bargains wherever I go. I’ve had some great finds at Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda, where I brought my favourite outfit: a £14 bright pink dress with black flowers on.

DON’T STOP

YOU are what you do. Despite retiring 18 months ago, I keep busy and do at least one to two hours of sport every day: spinning, swimming, running, golf and 50-mile bike rides. I’ve also been playing in the same netball league for 30 years. My inspiration is a friend from my cycling club, still going strong at 72!

FRIEND HOLIDAYS

A POSITIVE attitude is key to staying young. I couldn’t do this without my friends, who help me stay grounded and optimistic. It is so important to invest quality time in friendships: I am still in touch with people from way back at school. Plus, I’ve created an annual spa break tradition with another group of friends: we’ve been going every year for the past decade.