Try to get outside as early as possible in the day – if you can’t manage a walk, then just standing in the garden or on a balcony helps. According to David Ray, a professor of endocrinology at the University of Oxford, ‘It’s so important to get outside as soon as you can each morning, as even the daylight on a cloudy day in winter has a powerful effect on re-establishing the rhythms that help to improve mood and energy levels.’
Want to lift your mood? Sing! In the shower, or your car, or wherever you can. It makes you feel happier, more alert and energised, because neurons on both sides of the brain are activated when we sing. That’s especially true when we do it in a group, according to the University of East Anglia.
Wisdom from Cheryl Strayed, author of ‘Wild’ (made into a gripping movie starring Reese Witherspoon). ‘My small contribution to combating age shame is that all my life, I’ve disregarded the ridiculous idea that it’s rude to ask someone, especially a woman, how old they are. I go out of my way to state my age in conversation often, and I don’t hesitate to ask others how old they are, too. Normalising transparency about age is my way of attempting to eradicate a stigma that shouldn’t exist.’
Do you need to double-cleanse? Many top dermatologists insist that you don’t have to bother with an extra cleanse, especially if you have dry, sensitive skin, because double-cleansing can strip skin of lubricating lipids. If you have a cleanser that works for you and takes off all your make-up, that’s just fine.
When doing facial exercises, performing a facial massage or using a massage tool (such as a gua sha or jade roller) on the face, smooth on an extra layer or oil or serum over your face and neck. It makes the skin supple, so that any dragging or pulling is avoided.
Many beauty products can do double-duty, but it really pays to invest in a dedicated product for your feet. According to superpedicurist Margaret Dabbs, ‘Standard body lotions aren’t formulated to penetrate the deep layers of skin we find on the feet. A dedicated foot cream is formulated with the correct ingredients for foot concerns and has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.’
And s-t-r-e-t-c-h! Roger Frampton, author of Stretch and a movement coach, maintains: ‘Seven minutes of your day is the bare minimum you should be stretching.’ He recommends doing a daily spine rotation stretch: sit on the floor cross-legged and hold a broomstick horizontally at shoulder height, arms outstretched. Keep the body upright and rotate from your centre slowly to the left, pausing for a few seconds at maximal rotation point. Return to the centre and repeat to the right; continue for one minute. (If sitting cross-legged on the floor is a problem, we recommend sitting on a cushion or bolster. And if that’s hard, this exercise would also work seated.)
When cleansing, use lukewarm water to rinse or splash, not hot. Water that’s too hot can actually cause redness and dehydration.
Some excellent decluttering advice from Caroline Solomon, organising expert and former beauty editor: line up your daily essentials on the countertop or at eye level in your bathroom cabinet, so that you can go on autopilot in the morning. Other back-up items can go below the sink or on the top shelf in the cabinet. And, she adds, ‘Have no more than two sets of shampoo and conditioner out; it’s a bathroom, not a hair salon. Keep any extras in a drawer or cupboard.’
Wisdom from Roxane Gay, a professor, writer, editor, pop culture commentator and author of the essay collection, Bad Feminist, who we admire. ‘The older I get, the more I realise that work will not keep you warm at night and will not make you feel safe, even though you think it will. So, for me, being able to be personally successful, to have functional friendships and relationships with the people in my life, and my wife, feels like a true definition of success.’
To soften winter-rough hands, try this scrub. Grind 50g rolled oats in a food processor, and scrub your hands gently with a mixture of one part ground oats and one part your favourite natural body lotion. Rinse well and pat hands dry. Then heat a small bowl of almond oil – not too hot, but definitely warm. (Microwave or stove is your choice.) Soak hands for 10 minutes. Wipe away excess oil and push back cuticles, then apply hand cream; the oats slough away dead cells and the almond oil soothes skin and repairs nails.
We worship Lisa Eldridge and her wisdom. And we 100% agree with her on this: ‘I’m a huge advocate of facial massage, and do it every evening with a cleansing balm. Even two minutes can make a huge difference, helping to brighten your whole complexion.’
If you have oily roots, try applying dry shampoo at night instead of in the morning, to give the powder plenty of time to soak up the oils, before brushing through in the a.m.
We all have a tendency to feel a little guilty when giving ourselves TLC. But stop, right now. ‘Self-care is not an optional extra,’ says Dr. Mayoni Gooneratne, founder of Human Health. ‘It is imperative to how we function in our family, at work and in society as women. We cannot look after those around us if we are not taking care of ourselves.’
Many brands tout their bunny-hugging credentials by using the words ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty-free’. But vegan simply refers to the absence of animal ingredients in products, while cruelty-free hasn’t been tested on animals. To confuse things: a vegan product might use ingredients tested on animals, and a cruelty-free product could include animal ingredients. So always do your research, before shopping.
Always use a nozzle when you blow-dry, because it quickens the drying time and helps to achieve a perfectly smooth finish. And remember the cold setting, which sets a style and gives a beautiful shine to hair.
We’re all for foot buffing. (Happy feet make a happy woman.) But listen to superpedicurist Margaret Dabbs: ‘One of the biggest mistakes I see people making is filing wet skin. This weakens the tissue and the file doesn’t adhere well, meaning skin is not removed effectively and results aren’t as long lasting. Always file on dry skin, before a bath or shower.’ (And tactfully communicate that, next time you’re asked to soak your feet at the start of a pedicure!)
Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, has these thoughts on on dispelling misconceptions about ageing. ‘Let me put it this way: I’m a twice-divorced, once-widowed, childless, middle-aged woman, living all by herself. With nobody to love! And nobody to love me. On paper, I’m a cautionary tale – something you might warn a young girl she must never become. But in reality, I’m very likely the freest and happiest woman you’ll ever meet. All I do is lark about, doing whatever I like. It’s glorious.’
The definitive how-to for applying hair mousse, from hairdresser Chris Apleton (hairdresser to Jennifer Lopez and Dua Lipa, among other A-Listers). ‘I like to the apply the product straight to the scalp,’ he says. ‘I then take a big round brush and wrap sections of the hair around the brush, a bit like a roller, before hitting it with some heat from a hairdryer. Instantly the hair will have volume and guts.’
Have you ever considered tongue-scraping? It’s an integral and traditional part of Ayurvedic self-care, and can work to improve dental health. Ayurvedic practitioner Maeve O’Sullivan recommends scraping your tongue once a day as part of your normal cleansing routine, when brushing teeth, to get rid of the bacteria dislodged by the brushing action.