I AM NATURALLY OPTIMISTIC...
EMMA JOHNSON finds out why Sarah Jessica Parker wants to help women focus on the joy of living
We have just seen her tackle the subject of women getting older in style in her smash hit series, And Just Like That.
So who better than film and TV icon Sarah Jessica Parker to be the face of RoC skincare’s new initiative, which seeks to make women feel better about themselves and their future?
Sarah, 57, was very vocal about the criticism she and her fellow cast mates received, about everything from their skin to their hair colour, when they returned to our screens.
She told Vogue at the time: “Everyone has something to say. ‘She has too many wrinkles, she doesn’t have enough wrinkles.’”
RoC teamed up with Dr Daisy Robinton of Harvard University, to examine the feelings women have about ageing.
Its research revealed that 90% of women feel anxious about getting older, and the number one driver of these anxieties is the way they look.
It also discovered that age anxiety impacts all age brackets and more than half of women aged 24-35 believe that society, culture and social media drive this pessimism about getting older, while 60% of women are more worried about their ageing appearance than about having enough money for retirement.
Despite this anxiety, there is growing scientific evidence that embracing optimism has a positive impact on our lives, with studies suggesting optimists live on average 11-15% longer.
Says Sarah: “When RoC approached me about joining them for the Look Forward Project, the goals of this campaign excited me.
“The idea of focusing on the ‘joy of living’ versus ‘fear of ageing’ was especially aligned with the values I find important.”
She adds: “Society puts a huge emphasis on youth when it comes to beauty standards, but it’s not productive. There should be no apologies. I am not trying to cover anything up with my approach to skincare, fashion, or beauty.”
As for the project’s focus on optimism, Sarah is fully on board: “I’m fortunate that I am naturally optimistic – and that I am able to choose to confront each day with that mindset...”
She adds: “I don’t want to make others feel like they must adopt my approach, because their life experiences may be different than mine – but I will say that, personally, I like being hopeful because I find it makes things bearable when they are at their worst. Optimism is almost like a vitamin, or some type of battery, or something I use when I need to resurface.
“When things are difficult or complicated, it gives me the resilience I need.
“And in the good times, it pushes me to be creative, outrageous, and truly enjoy the time I get to spend just living.”
The mum-of-three is also more than happy to share her favourite products.
“I love the Hydrate & Plump Trio – the moisturiser with SPF 30 (currently £34.20 at feelunique.com) is an everyday staple for me, and I love using the capsules (£35.99, feelunique.com) at night. In my night-time routine, I also like to use the Max Hydration Cream (£35.99, feelunique.com), another one of my favourites.” ■ For more on the Look Forward initiative see rocskincare.com/pages/ lookforward