Daily Mail

THIS IS WHAT 54

LOOKS LIKE

- Interview by LIZ HOGGARD

RuBy HAMMER is an internatio­nal make-up artist and Creative Director for make-up at the Harrods beauty salon, urban Retreat.

WASH YOUR FACE TWICE

I DON’T think any woman can just layer on make-up in the morning; you have to clean your skin first. Use your fingers or a muslin cloth to work the cleanser in. Rinse it off, then do it again. My pet peeve is face wipes. They are a temporary solution for when you’re travelling — they’re not the basis of a skincare regime. If women ask: ‘How do you look so good Ruby?’ it’s because I cleanse. I wouldn’t look this well-preserved if I didn’t put some effort into it.

KEEP EXERCISE INTERESTIN­G

AS WE get older, we need to keep moving. It could be a fast 40-minute walk, or yoga and Pilates — great for stretching and they stop us becoming hunched old ladies. But we also need to do something weight-bearing. That doesn’t mean lifting weights but it could be a lunge or a squat. If you can’t stand running, even gardening can be good exercise.

BUY GOOD UNDERWEAR

YOU need proper support, whether it’s a bra or Spanx. This is not to make you look smaller, but to give a smoother line. I don’t believe you can get rid of cellulite, but you can improve the texture. Dry-brush your skin before bathing, and swap your usual body moisturise­r for a firming cream.

SCENTS TO BOOST MOOD

USING scent is a powerful way to get through tricky days, especially if you haven’t slept much, which is common during the menopause. Lavender soothes, eucalyptus stimulates and rose makes you feel peaceful. I love Aromathera­py Associates’ Rose Renew Body Cream (£36,

aromathera­pyassociat­es.com).

I wore it on my wedding day.

EAT LESS AND EAT BETTER

I’VE been a Thin Lizzie my whole life and could eat anything — but that’s not the case now. I don’t believe in diets; it’s better to change your way of eating. I could never cut out carbs but I try to eat them in the day when I’m active. In the evening, I make sure my plate is as colourful and crunchy as possible, with lots of vegetables, plus turmeric and garlic to pep things up.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom