How To Look Fabulous in Your Forties

When I first hit age 30 I remember feeling a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand I felt proud of all of my accomplishments as a wife, mom, and professional. But there was also a feeling of dread that I was getting older and starting to age. Ten years later, when I turned 40, I felt that mixed bag of emotions all over again.
And it got me thinking that there is something inherently wrong with feeling "bad" about the aging process. The media bombards women with images of beauty and thinness that are not at all realistic. In fact, they even alter images of rail thin models to make them appear even thinner. Fashion models in their late teens and twenties are routinely Photoshopped to erase all facial imperfections such as pores and fine lines.
I remember feeling the pressure to aspire to look like a fashion model when I was a young girl. Even back then, I was not immune to the distorted messages the media was sending to young girls. And today- over 20 years later- the pressure to be young and thin is even more prevalent in our society.
I have finally learned to embrace my age and feel good about how I look on the inside and on the outside. I think working on the inside is a very involved process- and beyond the scope of what I want to talk about here. But looking good on the outside is really not hard to do at all.
Here are some of the key factors I use to look great.
Adequate rest. I can no longer party long into the night and look fresh and feel good the next day at work like I could in my 20's. And that is ok. In my 40's is really important for me to get my beauty sleep every night. I go to bed around the same time every night and get up around the same time every morning. My goal is 7 to 8 hours of rest a night. Sleep is one of the most important things a woman can do for beauty. When rested, you look your best and you also feel and perform your best too.
In order to get uninterrupted sleep and also feel my very best, I love my goLITE BLU Energy Light. This helps me wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated. I originally bought this because I suffer from seasonal affective depression (the winter blues) but this light is terrific all year round. It is my secret to a good night's sleep.
Tone down the makeup. Smoky eyes and new foundations may be all over the fashion magazines, but aging skin needs to be treated differently when it comes to makeup. The skin around the eyes gets thinner, so I use a very light hand with eye shadows and mostly stick to neutral tones. I also don't use black liquid eye liner anymore. It just looks too harsh. Instead I use a dark brown pencil along the upper lashes only. Heavy liquid foundation makes fine lines appear more noticeable, so I don't use it. I like to dab on an under eye concealer for my dark circles. Corals, pinks and neutrals also work best when it comes to lipstick.
For a night out on the town, I can glam myself up a bit more with makeup with brighter colors, blushes, or even false eyelashes. But for during the day, I stay away from heavy makeup.
I take really good care of my teeth. Nothing makes a woman look older and more washed out than having stained teeth. And nothing makes a woman look more beautiful than a bright smile. I see my dentist twice a year for professional cleanings and check ups. And for my every day brushing, I use the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Plus. It was recommended to me by my dentist because it cleans so well and is also gentle on my gums. Gums naturally recede with age, but it can be slowed a lot with this toothbrush. You can read more at my Philips Sonicare review.
Feeling confident about how I look in my 40's is one of the best things I can do for myself. I no longer worry about looking old and instead focus on living my life to the fullest!