LOOK FAB AFTER 50
15 tops tips on how to look amazing, whatever your vintage.
TURNING 50 has never been so popular – or looked so good!
But, while Hollywood A-listers may have the budgets to look tip-top at all times, with a bit of tweaking – and some TLC – we can all look fabulous, whatever our vintage.
Here are some ideas to help you get heads turning... GETTING your teeth whitened will knock years off. Aim for a natural finish by a professional. MOISTURISE, moisturise, moisturise. Dry skin is very ageing so slap on a decent moisturiser. Good value products such as Epaderm or E45 cream are great for sensitive skin. AS oestrogen levels fall, many women start sprouting whiskers. Electrolysis is a permanent solution but is pricey and leaves scabs in the short-term. Threading is a good option, and some people swear by facial epilators. OUR face shape changes as we age. Many of us discover our cheekbones for the first time in our 50s – but sadly also our crow’s feet, so make-up needs to reflect that. Smokey eyes with pale lipstick is a very flattering palette on older women. Invest in a silk pillowcase to stop your face looking as creased as an elephant’s bottom in the morning. A light fake tan can work wonders on older skin. Find the one that gives you a glow that’s closest to your own skin tone, and exfoliate well before applying. MADONNA, 56, proved that no matter how young your body looks, your hands will always betray your age. Just keep your hands well moisturised and nails clean, and neatly square-oval shaped. Contrary to popular opinion, grey hair is finer than pigmented hair but, because it’s lost its oils, it feels coarser. Heavy conditioners will make grey hair limp so choose a style and hair product that give it volume, like silver fox Helen Mirren. WHEN covering grey hair, staying blonde is easier than keeping it dark. If you do dye your hair dark brown, make sure you break it up with low-lights. CUTTING your hair short can be as ageing as refusing to chop off your old straggly, thin locks. If your long hair is in good condition like 54-year-old Julianne Moore’s flame-haired locks, there’s no reason to cut it off. IF you do go short, avoid elfinstyles as they’re hard to carry off unless you are actually an elfin queen like 45-year-old Cate Blanchett. Mid-length, choppy shapes suit most older women. You’re not too old to wear short skirts but it depends on how you wear them. In the winter, team short skirts with sharp-looking ankle boots and thick tights, while in the summer, go for a casual look with pumps and a sloppy. Figure control underwear is your new BFF after 50. As muscle tone turns to flab and falling hormone levels encourages fat stores around your tummy, you will come to love your Spanx. More importantly, you’re never too old to wear denim. Jeans are ageless and suit every shape and size. Wear with a crisp white shirt and trench coat for a classic look. IF you wear suits for work, then soften the look with a pussy bow collar and jackets with nipped-in waists, or 80s-style blazer over a loose, white shirt. Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, 56, may look like she means business in power pin-stripes, but Kelly Hoppen, 55, looks a million dollars.