Beauty is ageless. Shakespeare celebrates that eternal truth in his sonnets, and it is one of my favorite mantras for those women who not only embrace their age, but celebrate it.
There is a new breed of 40s, 50s and 60s emerging, with fierce style all their own, phenomenal women with a zest for life, charisma to spare and grandchildren who inherit their confidence. She dances to the beat of her own drum every chance she gets.
The compliments she receives are not just for the homemade chocolate dessert that oozes simmering hot fudge when sliced into, but also about the natural silver color in her hair, the penetrating blue eyes and youthful mystique. Heck, it was just a couple of years ago when this grandmother was mistaken in Las Vegas for her son”s girlfriend instead of his mother.
Yes, Peggy Gilmer-Piasecki rebels against the myth that women of a certain age must always wear the season”s trend of chestnut brown or mango red hair color and puts to bed those ideas of 60 being subdued. As vibrant as the English garden in her own backyard is the personality and attitude of my second mother.
So, with her as my inspiration, let me showcase some tricks to turn back the hands of time with hairstyling and makeup.
Beautiful hue
First of all, find the best shade of beautiful for you with a hair colorist who knows that whether its au natural or heavily altered, the eye color, skin tone and lifestyle should always predict the hue.
Next, as we age, it is no secret that gravity pulls everything downward, so a coif with intricately designed movement up and away from the face will give instant life to any face. Of course, makeup should always be lighter, with a bit of warmth in the foundation and powder to replace missing color as we age. Cream concealer, eye shadow and blush should become your best friends, because unlike powders, they give the skin a youthful, healthy glow.
It”s never too early to think about your skincare regime, but for those of us who have blown out a few more candles and still crave a more luminous, radiant skin, there are foundations created to lift and hydrate. Remember also that our skin loses vital moisture more quickly as we sleep, so it is essential to moisturize, and then moisturize some more.
Last but not least, smile often, dance even when nobody is watching, and don”t whisper your age. Shout it out loud with pride and reckless abandon, all the while being beautiful. I”m pretty sure my new neighbor and friend will agree!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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