I see that scientists are looking for women over 50 to eat a bar of chocolate a day. Why? To see if it can ward off heart disease! My grandma always use to say “if it sounds to good to be true, it usually is”. Tempted anyone? 

I’ve had a lovely time today with Frey-Ja Barker, a make up artist at Fenwicks in London. My makeup, which I’m sad to say is my mask, really needed an update as my application routine hadn’t really changed for years. I didn’t want to bare my face in front of a crowded cosmetics counter so privacy was paramount. Frey-Ja has a very good pedigree and there’s not much in the way of makeovers she hasn’t tackled in her professional life from filmstars through to brides. I was in expert hands and I’m glad to say I also now look much younger. My bright pink statement lipstick is gone, along with the blue mascara (my trademark) and the liner round the bottom of my eyes. They have been replaced by softer colours which I didn’t think I’d like but I do. I’m always quoting the phrase “less is more” to my own clients and now I’ve got a dose of my own medicine as my new look is less ‘heavy’. Frey-Ja commented on my clear skin, which although dehydrated was good for my age. This was nice to know as I’ve never actually thought of it like that before, especially with my history of excessive sun bathing, smoking and the fondness for a drink or two. So, the clock has started to go backwards. I look younger now than when I was 49. Keep this up and I’ll be the youngest looking 60 year old you’ve ever met.  Tel: 0207 409 9824 for further details          

I’ve had a bit of a shock over the weekend. I probably knew subconsciously but chose to ignore it and now it’s payback time. The sun was shining on Saturday and it was a lovely day so I decided to forego my normal blue jeans in favour of a pair of lighter weight summer trousers. As my clothes have been the same size for years it was a bit of a shock when I couldn’t fasten them up. No problem, I thought – must have shrunk at the dry cleaners. That excuse only lasted as long as the time taken to try on the next pair – same result. I had been aware that on my last shopping expedition I seemed to need a size larger than usual but we all know that size doesn’t matter. Manufacturers have no standard sizing in the UK so it’s always a bit hit and miss – hmmm! The excesses of my birthday celebrations combined with the menopause, a lack of regular exercise and a high regard for my social life had obviously taken their toll. Well, to cut a long story short, after howling for a while I knew I needed to take action. Some aerobic activity would shift the pounds. So taking a leaf out of Madonna’s book (I’d been reading an article about her that morning and she does 2-3 hours of physical activity a day) I hit the local running shop for some decent footwear. I had just expected to try on a few pairs and that would be that, but no, I was asked to run on a treadmill so they could check me out. If I had have known beforehand I wouldn’t have waltzed in wearing high heels and skinny jeans. You should try rolling them up so someone you don’t know can check out your ankles and calves. My footfall and alignment was analysed by means of a video which was played back with comments on my shortcomings by Dave, the guy who served me. Very professional. I needed some rebalancing and he even got the size of my shoes right, though I was a bit shocked as these were also a size larger than I normally take. Does everything grow when you put on weight?. I was shown 2/3 pairs of running shoes and was asked to test them with a quick sprint round the car park so I could see which were the most comfortable. By the time I’d finished I felt like I’d lost a couple of pounds already. Brilliant service and so different to what I’d had the day before in Cambridge. On Sunday, it was off to the gym where I ran for 30 minutes – not bad for a novice – and loved it. My bum’s still huge and wobbly but we’re on the right path. Just got to give up the alcohol now and then it’s watch out Madonna!  For more details on the fabulous service I received go to http://www.advanceperformance.co.uk/

I had the pleasure of shopping with 2 of my glamorous over 50 clients today. They had some special occasions coming up, including a wedding or two, and obviously wanted to look their best. Instead of sticking to the tried and tested Peterborough, we decided to opt for nearby Cambridge instead. The lure of the new shopping centre, housing the revamped John Lewis. L K Bennett, Hobbs and Phase Eight (all fairly good for our age group) along with the exclusive boutiques (which unfortunately, Peterborough does not have) meant it was a no-brainer really. The positive was that we managed to purchase some great outfits and accessories in 2.5 hours to suit both my ladies’ bodies, their budgets, their style preferences and were guaranteed to make heads turn at all the events. The negative? The service we received. It really was the worst I’ve ever encountered. In virtually every shop we waited endlessly for space in changing rooms and even longer to pay for our merchandise. Without exception, the staff looked miserable, didn’t know their stock and were more bothered about their tea breaks. John Lewis, the biggest culprit, had 1 member of staff on each till, 1 in the shoe department and 1 in the changing room, despite the shop being full of potential spenders. I can see why people who hate shopping throw their hands up in despair and either go home empty handed or take the first thing off the rack that looks OK. Do retailers really not care about their customers anymore or is it just my age prompting me to take more notice?

I was in my yoga class earlier today and got chatting with the girl sitting next to me. By a strange coincidence we both had our 50th birthdays last week and both of us were surprised that neither of us looks that ‘old’. The lady the other side of me, also a spring chicken which I put down to the yoga, amazed us by telling us she was over 60. She has a toy boy of 46 and aims to live her life ‘disgracefully’. What a great concept. In fact I was reading some US research the other day that states that 44 is the worst year of your life if you’re a woman. Approaching 50 is not great either but after 50, you become happier with your life and yourself. I love that idea. Just think, every new day will bring you nearer to a state of joy. Looking in the mirror will hold no fear ‘cos we’ll love every wrinkle, lump and bump. Don’t know why I was so scared!

Yes it was my birthday last week and everyone was worried about what to give me as a 50th present.  I’m known as the girl who has everything – but you and I both know that’s not true.  There’s always something delectable that would make your day.  In my case, it’s made my year – or the next 3 to be precise.  For my birthday, my lovely hubby purchased a new pair of eyebrows for me.  When I was growing up I had eyebrows that Denis Healey would have been proud of.  If you’re my age, you’ll know that the fashionable women of that era had no eyebrows at all, just a thin pencilled line.  We all want to be the same as our peers when we’re 11, so not to be outdone, I plucked them out.  In fact, I plucked them out every day for over 1 year. The result, mismatched, and very sparse, eyebrows giving me a very ‘surprised’ look.   I’ve learned to love them but they have made wearing eye shadow very difficult, as you adopt a panda look and as I’ve grown older, I’ve needed to use more pencil to frame my face properly.  But no more.  They look fabulous and no pain either.  For more info, visit www.denisecollinsonpermanentmakeup.co.uk  

and I’ll cry if I want to – well that’s the song anyway, and it seems to me that many of the women I meet who are also turning 50 this year want to do just that. Over the pond, one woman has a different focus. Jamie Lee Curtis has agreed to pose topless to mark her half century, which falls in November. She will be appearing on the front cover of the May edition of the American Association of Retired Persons magazine (bit of a mouthful – perhaps a re-brand?) which is the equivalent to Saga here in the UK. Even more commendable is that she has said “no” to airbrushing for the shoot and also refuses to dye her grey hair. The actress has said that she wants to convince older woman that they can still be beautiful if they look after themselves. Good on her, though I don’t think I’ll be going that far to celebrate my own birthday, though perhaps I should?  Would you?