THIS IS WHAT 59 LOOKS LIKE
Diane Shirley is a hairdresser and lives in Bournemouth. She has four children, emanuele, 19, laley, 30, Jiusy, 31, and irene, 35; and grandchildren, Mattia, five, and Flavia, one.
SUPERMARKET MAKE-UP
I FIND budget make-up works just as well as pricey brands. I used to buy YSL’s Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighting Pen (£26, Boots). But I now use Aldi’s £2.99 Lacura Cashmere Concealer Pen and don’t notice any difference. Plus, I’ve swapped my £22 Benefit They’re Real! Mascara for Wilko’s Essence False Lash Effect Mascara (£3.30). It’s so good that people ask if I’m wearing fake lashes!
THE MENOPAUSE TEA
IT IS crucial to talk about the menopause. I started mine at 51: the insomnia was terrible, and far worse than hot flushes. So I started drinking Pukka Organic Turmeric Gold Herbal Tea before I go to bed (£1.86, holland
andbarrett.com). The turmeric is calming, eases inflammation and helps with digestion. I’ve noticed a real difference and get to sleep quicker.
DAILY WEIGHT CHECK
EVERY morning, I weigh myself, to make sure I stay the same size [8]. If I’ve put on a few pounds, I cut out carbs that week. I lived in Italy for 20 years, so try to stick to a Mediterranean diet. At breakfast, I eat fruit and yoghurt. For lunch, it’s a flatbread, salad and fish. Then, pasta and salad at dinner. I drink a pint of water at each meal, to keep me fuller for longer.
COCONUT OIL SHOWER
TWICE a week, I cover my whole face and body in Coconut Merchant Organic Raw Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (£12.99,
hollandandbarrett.com). It takes a few minutes to massage it all in, then I wash it off in the shower. My skin is super soft afterwards. As I’ve got older, I’ve noticed my skin is a lot drier, so a friend recommended this.
STRONG SHINY HAIR
FIVE years ago, I started on Solgar Biotin Capsules (£16.49, hollandandbarrett.com) as I wanted to stop my hair shedding. It’s really helped to strengthen it. Plus, I now wash it only twice a week, or it gets dry and fluffy. To add shine, I apply a dot of hand cream to my hair — a tip I got from my daughter, who’s also a hairdresser. It helps define the curls, without looking too greasy.