Fabulous at 40

 Ladies it does not have to be all downhill just because we have reached or gone beyond 40. The 40s, 50s and beyond can be a fabulous and beautiful time in our lives.
First, we must realise that beauty begins within. I have seen many older ladies who just absolutely radiate beauty. That beauty starts within and radiates to all areas of their life.
Here are a few suggestions that will help to keep you radiant:
Be gentle on your skin
As we age it becomes more and more important to take care of our skin. Gone are the days when a splash of water and a lick of moisturiser will keep our skin youthful and glowing. Hopefully taking care of our skin is something that most of us started years ago. How we have cared for our skin in the past will affect how our skin looks today, but remember it’s never too late to start.
It is important to be gentle with your skin. The skin is very delicate and over time it shows signs of how well we have taken care of it. Likewise, if we abuse our skin it will show up. Most often skin will become drier as we age. It is of the utmost importance to add moisture and protection to the skin.
The Clarins Extra Firming Skin Care range is for all skin types, for ladies in their 40’s. It helps maintain the skin’s self defence mechanisms and enhances cellular vitality to keep skin looking younger, longer. Facial features are gently ‘lifted’, lines smoothed and facial contours are better defined. 
Invest in a good
pillowcase
How often do you wake up in the morning, with a few extra creases on the side of your face where you’ve been lying? You know the ones that show up in the morning and last for hours? Especially if you are one of those who likes sleeping on your stomach!
Cotton pillowcases wrinkle as you move in your sleep and can cause your face to look older. These additional morning creases can be avoided, or reduced, by replacing those cotton pillowcases with satin (or silk if you can afford it). Silk and satin are slick and tend to move with you instead of wrinkling.
Don’t concentrate
 on flaws
We all have flaws but not everyone concentrates on them and most people will probably not notice them at all if you don’t draw attention to them.
How often have you mentioned a flaw and the person you are speaking to said they hadn’t noticed until you had drawn attention to it? Sure, maybe your midsection is larger than you would like.
Make a decision to dress in a way that draws attention away from that area, and at the same time develop a plan to do something about eliminating the problem altogether. Just because we are getting older does not mean we have to spread out.
For cosmetic flaws remember a light touch and a little help will make a world of difference. Concealed ap-plied heavily will draw extra attention to what we wish to hide. A light touch and a little concealer is all that is needed to hide those flaws and camouflage those dark circles.
Evaluate your
clothing choices
This is very important and not that easy for most of us. We often get stuck in a clothing rut which is easy to fall into but hard to climb out of. Many times a simple change in colour can make us look older or younger. As a fun exercise, take a variety of coloured clothing and hold them up to your face in front of a well lit mirror. A colour that looked great years ago may not look as good as we get older.
Try to avoid anything that is too trendy as it may make a woman look as if she is trying to look younger. We’ve all heard the term ‘mutton dressed as lamb’! The key to actually looking younger is to not look like you are trying.
Don’t make
drastic changes
So often, women feel as though they must make drastic changes only because they have reached a certain age.
Remember that small changes can do wonders. I have seen women cut their hair really short just because they think women their age should. This is not always true! Be sure the changes you make are appropriate for you. Sometimes it helps to think about it a while and get the opinion of your trusted friends.
Do make
healthy changes
If you have not already started, now is the time to start exercising and eating right. While it may be harder to get fit and lose weight now than it was in your 20s, it’s not impossible. It is never too late to improve our health and levels of fitness. As always, small changes make a big difference and this is especially true when dealing with diet and exercise. Make small changes that are sustainable and gradually work your way to where you wish to be.
Enjoy life
Life is only what you make it. Take time to really enjoy each day and assess what is truly important to you.
Cherish those you love and don’t let the little, unimportant things get you down.
Looking after how you look and feel will keep you fabulous throughout your 40s and beyond
.- For all your queries or tips or to be added onto our database — e-mail us at missk@zol.co.zw
 

Personal note from a 40+

Looking fabulous and beautiful after 40 starts from the inside, not the outside. I found that getting rid of all the negativity in my life has helped enormously. I’ve learnt how to let things go. If you feel fabulous, beautiful and have the right attitude, you will exude confidence, and there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman who knows who she is and what she’s about. I think most importantly is taking the time to find out who you are.
 A lot of women spend more time looking after their children, spouses and others that they forget about who they are.
When I turned 40 it was the start of a whole new life. I started to say “NO”, without guilt. I started getting my nails done, went for a pedicure, a massage, and learned that it’s okay to spend money on myself. I joined a gym, got closer to my parents, learned to relax, and learned to accept people for who they were. I also realised that I was okay, that if I didn’t like myself, then why should anyone else. I got rid of all the negative factors in my life, and yes, that included some friends. I surround myself with people who laugh, cry, and are honest. I speak my mind without being rude, I’m polite, kind to myself and others, and most of all I like myself. I’m healthy emotionally, physically and even sexually.
I found a partner that accepts me for me, is kind and thinks I’m beautiful. I’m not with him because I need to be, but because I want to be. Huge difference! I also learned not to settle. I’m worth more than that!
I love being the age that I am!