‘Mum looked fabulous at 25 — and still does at 63’
Vicky Smith, 63, is retired and lives in Duston, Northampton, with her husband Allen. they have two daughters. civil servant Philippa, 25, is engaged and lives in Northampton.
MUM VICKY: I took care of myself but had no confidence
AT PHILIPPA’S age, I was very critical about how I looked. I was convinced that a good photo of me simply didn’t exist. I certainly wouldn’t have voted for me back then.
It’s only now that I can look at my 25year-old self and modestly admit that, actually, I didn’t look so bad after all! When you compare how we each lived our lives at the age of 25, they’re remarkably different.
Philippa works 12-hour shifts, which often include nights. It means that she regularly opts for convenience food or will eat out with her partner.
When I was her age, ready meals didn’t exist. A night out at a restaurant was for special occasions only. In fairness, I had a nine-to-five job, which allowed me to cook from scratch every evening.
The consumption of alcohol is something else that has changed. When I was 25, a bottle of wine might last me the whole weekend!
I find some of the beauty trends that women Philippa’s age are following alarming. The promotion of injectable fillers scares me to death. It’s unnatural — and how will it age?
Looking back, I recognise that, in your 20s, your self-confidence is just forming. That’s why it’s much better to focus on who you are on the inside and work with what you’ve got.
DAUGHTER PHILIPPA: She’s taught me to love skin I’m in
MUM’S always told me that you have to make the best of what you’ve got. She’s my inspiration because she has taught my sister and me to look after our skin.
From a young age, I watched her take the time to cleanse and moisturise her skin every night. Mum’s approach has rubbed off on me. Her meticulous habits meant that she always, always ensured her skin was make-up-free before she went to bed. She also encouraged us to start using anti-ageing products as soon as possible to protect our youthful skin.
At 25, she looked fabulous — and she still does at 63. However, I definitely go out a lot more than Mum did in her early 20s. Most weekends, I enjoy late nights — and that means waking up with a hangover!
As a result, I am sometimes guilty of falling asleep with my make-up still on, which, to this day, is something Mum would never do!
Her ‘quick flick’ approach to grooming just looks so timeless and classic. The pressure nowadays to look ‘done’ all the time is constant. The general thinking is that you always need to have a perfect ‘selfie’ face. You have to be camera-ready.
I would like to grow old gracefully like my mum. I’m hoping if I put in enough effort now, I will futureproof my face — just like Mum did.