The Art of Ageing

“People believe that old age starts at 54 and youth ends at 32. The Government calls for reappraisal of attitudes towards age, given Britain’s rapidly ageing population.”   A survey by the Department for Work and Pensions

How To Age Well

“If I feel good, I am more confident and function better. I’ve learnt to love what I have. I’ve learned that as I age, less is definitely more. I decided never to change my face and embrace how I age. You have to do it with joie de vivre.”

“The great news about ageing is that you’re living and that you have had a full life and have wonderful memories. The sad thing is that you have less time ahead of you. Every day that goes by I look a little less good – that is the truth. My advice to women is:

• Don’t hide your age, either by saying you are younger than you are or hiding it by erasing features in your face. It is all about acceptance.
• Embrace who you are as soon as possible when you are young. Like yourself. Have a discipline. Try to be alert – have your body follow you, have your mind follow you.
• Embrace where you are at in life, every age brings a different pleasure. Feel relevant, active, working, curious. Live fully so that you cannot pretend you have not lived.
• I am afraid that changing my face surgically would make me feel insecure. I would rather be me, without erasing the life that can be seen in my face, erasing me.

  Diane von Furstenberg for Sunday Times

Famous Women on Beauty and Ageing: Quotations

In any culture, beauty has been about perfection but concepts of what constitutes “perfection” have changed over the centuries. As the population ages, it could well be that concepts of beauty will shift. We live at a time of great variety of age, gender, style, background, culture and attitude and contemplating beauty brings pleasure to each of us yet it comes in all shapes, colours and sizes.

Chic, Autentic and Natural

“Being an English person, and having lived in France for 40 years, I am not as nicely turned out as the French but I don’t care like the English.”  Jane Birkin 

“I never put my face in the sun. I am determined not to go the way of my contemporaries and get surgery. I have a lot of facials and take scrupulous care of my skin.” Joane Collins OBE

“Self image is a complicated thing. I campaign against cosmetic surgery because it a grave act in which you don’t necessarily foresee all the consequences. The people who have it are lacking in confidence.” Emmanuelle Beart, French acress by Matthew Campbell for Sunday times.

“The more healthily you live, the better you look. We still want to look like ourselves when we grow older. We lose our sensuality when we have surgery, it takes away a part of who you are. If you look after yourself and use good products, you won’t need surgery or any other intervention.”   Sharon Stone for YOU, January 2012.

The Botox Lovers

“Botox, lasers and fillers have given us new control over ageing. Not by making us look younger but by slowing down how we age. Now, if you choose to, from your early to mid thirties you can enter a twilight zone of ageing in which you are in a reverse version of dog years – for every seven years you will only age one.” Newby Hands for Harpers Bazaar

“The psychological effects of Botox and fillers have been as profound as the physical – the elongation of the life span in which we can feel good about ourselves. Psychologically, women feel empowered by the knowledge that they have this as backup. This may have contributed to a more relaxed approach to ageing, women beginning to feel more comfortable in their own skin. We want to take care of ourselves but we do not mind a few wrinkles or few signs of ageing to show we have lived.” Betty Catroux for Harpers Bazaar

“You can get an instant snapshot of a woman’s character by looking at from whether she says yes or no to Botox… Just from that one apparently superficial decision…Botox lover likes to keep up appearances, is insecure to some extent in either in her relationship, social circle or work. She is competitive, keeps secrets from her partner, is a natural townie, on a diet of some sort, permanently, and not actively involved in the community. She does not have men friends, only admirers. She has women friends but the sort you meet for a glass of bubbly before shopping at the sales, not the sort you watch TV in bed with. She dresses for bed, exfoliates regularly. The un-Botoxed are brave. They will not be coerced – even by the threat of looking uglier than everyone around them – and that suggests a degree of courage as well as confidence.”  Shane Watson for Sunday Times

And Going for Surgery

“Another facelift? I’ll do whatever’s required.” Anne Robinson for Sunday Times

The Science Of Facial Massage

Having just submitted a scientific review to the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, I would like to highlight the benefits of facial massage to broader audience.

The Science Of Facial Massage – Benefits Beyond Beauty

It might be a cliche that facial massage leads to relaxation. But how does it work? I have looked into all that is known about the physical and psychological benefits brought about by a structured, deep and long facial massage.

We are getting older and feel the need to stay looking young with the best anti-ageing skincare products and therapies. Touch, as a human need, is vital for our emotional and physical health and the face is the most accessible part of the human body. Regular facial massage is a health affirming, anti-ageing therapy with significant benefits for both skin and our psyche. It is an alternative to Botox, which has been shown to impact negatively on our social communication by changing our emotional experience. By evoking in-the-moment positive emotions, facial massage contributes to our well-being and it is its psychological effect which provides the rationale for the physiological basis underlying mechanical stimulation.

In order to be effective, clinically proven anti-ageing treatments have to stimulate the production of new, non-fragmented and well-organised collagen and/or papillary reconstruction in order to improve the appearance of aged skin. It is well-known that body massage impacts on vital body signs by inducing a state of relaxation and has a positive effect on neurosis, stress, pain, anxiety and depression. Stress has been shown to play a role in the onset of skin ageing and deterioration by compromising the epidermal barrier function and impairing the inflammatory response.

Facial massage is a form of psychological intervention; a relaxation technique with music and focused attention to the massaged area of the face. Research confirms that stress management techniques lead to reduction of skin disease symptoms.

Having done massage treatments on a day-to-day basis, I am able to compare published research to my client’s experiences. For more information about my treatments, please go to www.faceworkshops.com

Facial Massage & Relaxation At Home

• It is a nice feeling to indulge in a relaxing afternoon with a scented candle or calming eye pads but making time for relaxation in our demanding day to day life is essential for our health. Goal setting and stressful, aggressive work environment changes our hormones (adrenaline, testosterone levels are higher) and this can have a negative impact on our skin. As 80 – 90 % of illnesses are stress related, relaxation should be an important part of our life.
• The main benefits of a facial massage are calming effect, increased blood and lymph flow, muscle relaxation and increase in endorphins that make us feel good.
• Start with massaging decollete, shoulders and neck with flat hands. Sweep upwards and outwards in a slow motion, use organic plant oil and remove it with a hot flannel. Invest time into massaging the areas prone to sagging (use your thumbs and index fingers) to increase blood flow and slow down the ageing process. 

Choose the Right Oil

• Use light oil with sensual, smooth feel (not a sticky base) and pleasant aroma that transports you to a far away place.
• Dim your lights, wrap in warm towels, light a scented candle – breathe deeply and listen to relaxing music.

 Inspired by Pure Beauty (October 2011).

 

FaceWorkshops Club Forum: YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum Review (February 2012)

The FWC Members have tested the YSL serum on 13th February 2012 to have luminous and plump skin for Valentine’s Day. Please read their comments below.

FaceWorkshops Trial Review:
Silky, fine textured serum leaves skin feeling more soft, smooth, tight.  Next day – luminous, bright and “more alive”. Perfume and alcohol in the formulation not great for sensitive and dry skin! Best for normal and combination skin types.

FaceWorkshops Expert Rating **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Claims – Luminosity > Wrinkle Reduction > Plumping.

- A great pre-party serum with an instant illuminating WOW effect and a potentially promising anti-ageing ingredient – but we are still waiting for the scientific evidence.  L’Oreal have launched a rhamnose-based serum previously (Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 Youth Enhancing (£29.50/30 ml), but this is the first skincare launch of the prestige YSL brand (known previously for make-up only) – and hence can the serum can command a higher price tag (£60/30 ml).

• AESTHETICS: As always with prestige skincare, the texture of the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum is luxurious and refined. However, I would prefer less fragrance – that is to say that this is the least fragranced product from the skincare line.
• INGREDIENTS/EFFICACY:  The serum contains Rhamnose (hydrating and potentially anti-ageing through cell signaling – to be proven in a clinical study) and Glycerin (short and medium-term hydration) and Hyaluronic Acid (long-term hydration). I am not happy with the high content of alcohol and would not recommend the product for dehydrated/stressed or sensitive skin types.

Ageing Face & Lifestyle

Bad Lifestyle Habits Impact on Your Facial Ageing
These photos speak for themselves. Drinking, smoking and junk food affect our appearance in the long-term. The 42-year-old freelance journalist Anna Magee worked with a forensic artist to create images of what she’d look like 10 years from now adopting different lifestyles.  She admits to having cheek fillers and Botox injections in the past.

The three projected images show her face 10 years from now:

SMOKING

After 10 years of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Please note the deep wrinkles, dark under-eye circles, and sagging brow, eyelids, and cheeks.

A survey of over 1,000 Yahoo! users found that only 28% of smokers admit to being addicted and dependent on cigarettes with 72% claiming “I choose when I smoke and can go without at any time.” 41% of the people ages 18-34 said they only smoke in a social setting, but if you want to avoid these nasty signs of aging, every cigarette may count. Fifty-six percent of people ages 18-34 said they smoke when drinking.

Sun Protection: Applying Enough?

Government recommendation that sunscreens with an SPF of 15 are sufficient to prevent sunburn – and the subsequent potential cancer risk -  is based on standard test conditions, not on how much the public use on their skin in reality!

During the testing, manufacturers apply 2 mg/cm² of the sunscreen to the skin but in real life people usually apply much less, only around a quarter to half of this amount (0.5 – 1 mg/cm²) and reduce the protection indicated by the labelled SPF. Therefore, a sunscreen with a high SPF such as 50 will only give an SPF of between 3 and 19.

To meet the government recommendation, an adult would need to use 35ml of sunscreen (SPF15) per application. If reapplied every two hours, as is also recommended, a standard 200ml bottle would be used up in two to three days. This is impractical and expensive.

Sunscreens carry the ‘Boots star rating system’, which indicates the ratio of UVA and UVB protection. As discussed in a previous blog, the SPF refers to the amount of UVB protection offered and the stars indicate UVA protection; more stars, more UVA protection. UVA makes up more than 95 per cent of UV radiation and contributes to ageing, UVB is the main cause of sunburn. A 5-star product at a lower SPF (SPF 15) could provide less protection than a 3-star product at a higher SPF (SPF 30), so apply higher factors to all unprotected areas. Spread sunscreen evenly rather than rub it in and re-apply regularly.

http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Market-Trends/Advice-on-sunscreen-not-so-NICE-for-UK-public-claims-DTB

Facial Moisturisers: Does Skincare Work?

At my talk to the Society of Cosmetic Scientists last week, the discussion revolved around the real performance of skincare. The industry agreed with me that skincare will never match the instant results (and risks) of surgery but small step-by-step visible improvements (like when we exercise) benefit our appearance. The SCS president emailed later to say “I used your gym analogy to a reporter from The Sunday Telegraph on Friday who was writing a piece on whether skincare works…” Analogies help to illustrate what to really expect in the ever-so-hyped world of skincare. But let’s look at the facts now.

• Unilever research shows that a well-formulated moisturiser will improve wrinkles by at least one grade (1/5 on a 5 grade wrinkle scale) in 6 months. This will be a visible result – people will notice and compliment you on a softer, plumper look!
• A benchmark dermatologist prescription treatment, retinoic acid, will improve wrinkles by two grades (2/5 on a 5 grade wrinkle scale) in 6 months but often with side effects including redness, scaling and inflammation.
• Using a skincare routine with ingredients matched to your skin type and concerns will improve the results.
• As always I hasten to add that skincare only accounts for 1/3 of the success! Youthful looks require well-shaped muscles and good jawline definition achieved by regular anti-ageing facial massage and exercise!

Have you seen the change in the mirror yet? See the results for yourself.

Garnier, a L’Oreal company, launched an interesting campaign. Davina has a dry skin type and, as any presenter, using strong facial expressions and being in and out of make-up all the time, she is prone to premature lines and wrinkles.

I don’t recommend Garnier for dry/mature skin types very often as there are no anti-ageing peptides in the formulation. But this is a fun exercise to see how well your anti-ageing moisturiser works!

Please note that the Garnier wrinkle scale has 10 grades (not 5 as the research scale above). That means you should see a difference earlier!

Link to YouTube Garnier Ultralift Challenge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvvcNMGuDxU

Link to the Wrinkle Reader

http://www.ultraliftchallenge.co.uk/GarnierUltraLift_range_ruler.html

Ageing Gracefully

A private ritual of the Goldberg family in Buenos Aires, they photograph their faces every year on June 17th to document the passage of time.

http://zonezero.com/magazine/essays/diegotime/time.html#

Look At Me @ Sunday Times

According to Jane Shilling, author of The Stranger in the Mirror, a book about her own experience of becoming middle aged “you go through a long process of testing if your allure is still there, in the same way that, as an adolescent, you test out whether it has arrived.”

She says that usually on the cusp of turning 40 - I will be 40 next week – you are going to lose your allure in a culture that worships the youth. One minute you matter and will be noticed, the next, you are filed under “wasn’t bad when she was younger”. 

We all want attention on some level – but we dont want to try to be the same person we were 20 years ago. Our culture says being sexy and successful equals looking and acting youthful. But look at the French. Being attractive is art & fun there – long past the age of 40.

Sunday 23rd January 2011; Look At Me by Shane Watson.

FaceLift or 12 Years Of Anti-Ageing Facial Massage. Same Price.

In terms of facial ageing, prevention works always better than repair! A facelift in your 50′s and 60′s or 12 years of relaxing facial massage – the price is the same!

Dr Frances Prenna Jones, a London based dermatologist, states that a British woman starts to show signs of facial ageing at the age of 26. And it is not a coincidence that in continental Europe, the age of 27 is the point when women start investing into their preventative facials. In Britain this is not always the case – as with any preventative treatment, we might not see and therefore appreciate the long-term benefit. We are busy building our families and professional life, and give more attention to our bodies, yet not the face. The consequences of inadequate care come later, when we reach the menopause, for a British woman around the age of 51.

Reduced levels of estrogen lead to a sudden drop of hydration, increase in lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity and sagging. The sun damage done in our teens and twenties comes to the forefront as an uneven pigmentation. We wake up wanting a radical, quick fix!

The costs of a face lift with a good surgeon goes to £7000 – £8000 in the UK. There is a risk associated with any surgical procedure that we might not be entirely satisfied with the final result, subject to our individual skin and bone structure, ability to heal and our psychological well-being. The same investment would get you more than 12 years of monthly facials – preventative and relaxing treatment that becomes a part of our lifestyle.

We pay great attention to our hair and have a hair appointment at least once a month. But our facial skin is a living organ, far more delicate and susceptible to damage that is difficult to repair than our hair that can always grow back.

Our facial skin requires regular attention and professional care, one-off pampering is not a solution. Contrary to common belief, it is not the skincare products – these work mainly on the skin surface – but the treatment of facial muscles that support the structure of our face, facial massage and facial yoga – that are the key in anti-ageing!