Net-A-Porter Sale Edit

SHOES

BAGS & ACCESSORIES

CLOTHES

Q & A about being 42, wrinkles and plastic surgery

Oddly enough, I've been getting a deluge of comments about my "youthful" appearance in the last two years. It all started when I hit the big 4-0. I'm not sure whether it's because I'm now considered properly middle aged or that there's a certain expectation of what a 40+ year old person is supposed to look like. It feels a little presumptuous to cover this topic as I have friends who look way younger than their actual age (check out their interviews here). In any case, let's go straight into the list of questions I've been getting.



1. Have you had any plastic/cosmetic surgeries done?
Nope. I avoid being poked and prodded unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. Some of my friends have had botox, fillers and minor surgeries with good results. Personally, it's not for me unless my face collapses overnight or something to that effect.

Here are my personal thoughts that some of you may agree or disagree with me. Cosmetic surgeries are a slippery slope unless you are disciplined and not become overly obsessed with tweaking every so called minor flaw on your face. I've seen those who started off with getting the eyes done and before long, they think their nose needed some work too. Oh heck, why not throw in some facelifts and fillers while I'm here….. It's awfully strange talking to someone whose excited voice doesn't match her expression.



2. Are you sure you're 42? Can I see your ID?
You're welcome to see my driving license though the photo with my pissed off facial expression may not be all that appetizing to look at. Don't say I didn't warn you. I'm 42. I'm getting as blind as a bat and am one step away from getting varifocals so yes….I'm definitely ageing.



3. You don't seem to have any wrinkles. 
I have fine lines. They're not too obvious at the mo but they're there if you want to eyeball my face. I'd be worried if I didn't have any lest I accidentally discover that I've been made a vampire.

DNA certainly plays a part. Asians tend to age slower but after menopause…..KA-BOOOOOM. God is fair. My grandmother, mother and I share one similar feature. A moon shaped face and very chubby cheeks.  On a good day, we look like cute chipmunks. On a bad day, we look like greedy chipmunks that had overdosed on nuts.



4. You don't behave like a 42 year old.
True. From time to time, I succumb to an intense desire to prank others. You've been warned.

Secondly, I have friends of different ages, from late teens to early 90s. It's fascinating to explore and understand the minds of different individuals regardless of their age. They keep me curious, up to date with the latest trends and push me to try a new challenge that's outside of my comfort zone. How boring is it to be proper and serious all the time?

When you've dealt with deaths, serious illnesses and trauma in your life, you learn not to sweat the small stuff nor be overly concerned about what others think of you. I'd rather be the best me that I can be.

On that note, I don't care much for labeling age with personal style either. It's like hashtagging Carine Roitfeld #over60style and Emmanuelle Alt #over40style. Why bother? Dress according to your personality, lifestyle, body shape and budget. Age has nothing to do with it.



5. What skincare products do you use?
I try to stick to natural products as much as possible. I've covered most of these in my previous posts but here they are again with a few new favorites.

Cleansing
I have oily T zone and dehydrated cheeks and lots and lots and lots of open pores. I finally caved in and bought the Foreo Luna Mini (15% off here with code XMAS15). It's been nearly two months and I'm so pleased with the results. I use it once a day (mostly at night) and it's reduced my breakouts and blackheads drastically. My skin's baby smooth as the tiny contraption exfoliates gently which means I no longer have to spend ££ on AHA acid. My complexion is clearer and surprisingly brighter. It's so economical as I don't have to keep replacing the brush (there isn't any) and one charge lasts for months.

I'm loving Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser (15% off here with code XMAS15). It does a fantastic job of removing make up but doesn't dehydrate the skin. I tend to double cleanse at night, using Bioderma Sensibio H20 to remove my make up and then Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser  with Foreo Luna Mini.



Serums and Masks
I have noticed that my cheeks and the area around my eyes are getting dryer as I get older. The lines get deeper if I'm not moisturizing enough. In winter time, I swear by Apivita Prickly Pear mask and Apivita anti wrinkle eye mask. I slather on the prickly pear mask twice a week and the eye mask every night. All the expensive eye creams that I'd bought in the past were utterly crap with the exception of this Apivita eye mask. With one application, both masks plump and hydrate my skin so much so that they actually reduce the appearance of fine lines in 15 minutes. They work like a magic eraser. The two masks are ridiculously difficult to buy outside of Greece so I've resorted to getting them via eBay.

I've been using oils on my skin for years now. They're fantastic on mature skin but may be a little too rich for those in their 20s and early 30s. Right now, I'm flip flopping between REN Vita Mineral Omega 3 Skin Oil  and my all time favorite, Trilogy Rosehip Oil.


Moisturizer
I tend to spend more money on serums than on moisturizers. I've used different ones but none gave as good result as Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturizer.  My skin stays hydrated all day and actually looks brighter and dewy. I also give myself a mini facial massage every night when I'm applying the serum and moisturizer. I haven't been to a facial in years. They cost a fortune here in the U.K and frankly speaking, I can't lie still for 15 minutes without fidgeting.



6. Anything else? 
Yup. None of this is any good if there's a lot of sun damage on your face. I've always believed that prevention is better than treating the damage. Make sure you pay attention to your neck as well.

Oh and finally, Photoshop was used to increase the exposure of the photos as it was rather dark in my bathroom. I was vain enough to use the healing brush to remove a stubborn zit. As for the rest…..what you see is what you get.