What is the most impactful thing you've done to turn back the clock (non surgical)

[PassportPhotosAreHorrific]

Tldr version: What's the most powerful way you've found to turn back the clock sans surgery (I'm not getting a face-lift)? Creams, pills, those weird light masks, massage?

Longer version (an SOS): my work was in the public eye until about seven years ago, and since then, I've had children and moved to the country. All good, v happy.

However! I have some new projects in the pipeline and need to make myself look a lot better by next summer. I thought I was doing okay but recent passport renewal photos showed me that I'm looking HORRIFICALLY mumsy. 😬

Really don't want people to die of shock when I emerge from my bucolic chrysalis next year, so please, please help. 😩

Diet
HRT
sleep
less alcohol
spf 50

Marking

Money which can help reduce stress. Stress is very ageing but often overlooked.

I have used tretinoin for about 8-10 years but it is tricky to use. I can be super irritant if you don't use enough moisturising products. I joined the Facebook group I have attached below and it has made a HUGE difference to my skin when I followed the recommendations. They recommend you apply most moisturising products in the morning instead of at night over tret as your skin turns over so quickly at night so no point adding lots of layers of hydration at night. They also recommend lots of layers of lovely Korean skincare each morning under spf which is sooo nice. It leaves my skin bouncy and glowy but is a bit of a commitment.

Definitely aim to get to sleep before 1am!

hair dye and whatnot at a salon, not from a box. At least in the run up to your re-emergence!

Cared-for teeth. Don't get shockingly white Turkey teeth but see a hygienist and don't have visible gaps.

Very true. My hair is a disaster zone and it ages me!

What teeth whitening do you recommend, I've tried ones that weren't great.

I use Tan Luxe,the small 10ml bottle lasts forever (literally just two small drops that I mix with Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum and apply every 3 days). I started using it on maternity leave to hide lack of sleep ;).

Those saying HRT - what does it do for your appearance?

@WorriedMama12 I don't think you'll find any evidence based studies of the benefits of HRT on skin as no company/institution is going to fund this. However I like to think that as we have oestrogen receptors all over our body (joints, bones, heart, brain etc etc) that oestrogen receptors in our skin will uptake HRT and benefit from it. I'm not sure if HRT has helped my skin but I'll stay on it for the rest of my life and I reckon my skin may have deteriorated much more if I hadn't gone on HRT.

I can’t take HRT (annoyingly) but oestrogen helps with collagen levels so on a basic level the more oestrogen we have the better we look. Also helps with elasticity of the skin, hydration etc.

Studies have shown women are more attractive when ovulating (oestrogen is higher). I’ve noticed I look worse just before my period when oestrogen is low.

@Teacherprebaby I use the Crest Whitening strips bought either when I'm in the USA or from slightly dodgy companies online selling them here. My dentist has approved these (he uses them too).

Anything over the counter is not great and can damage the teeth. I ended up getting trays done at the dentist then getting the specialist whitening syringes. Then every 6 months or so I order some new syringes and do a few days top up with the trays in.

SPF every day.
Drink more water (I used to drink hardly any)
Melatonin patches to aid a good nights sleep
Azelaic acid to even my skin out (redness).
Getting my eyebrowns threaded.

I use the cheap and cheerful 'Summer Body' by Garnier and use it as an all over moisturiser once or twice a week, with another non-tanning moisturiser on the feet, knees, anywhere it might collect. It's very light, it just takes the edge off the blue pallor, it's not a dark tan at all, so good for what I want which is to look fresh and well, not an entirely different colour.

Pilates, sleep, vegetarian diet, almost no alcohol and moving out of London to live by the sea!

All been said but if I had a year I'd focus on

Sleep top of the list, if you're not getting enough sleep it doesn't matter what else you're doing or not doing, you're going to look knackered and grey.
No alchol
Drinking loads of water ever day
Cut sugar
Fresh air and an excercise that you can stick to

I Botox the 11's which are the lines between the eyebrows. It's the only area I have done, and it knocks years off me. I'm happy with all the other lines and creases, just not the ones that make me look permanently pissed off.

Hair, find a great stylist, tell them what you want to acheive, take their advice and see them often.

See your dentist about whitening and Invisalign, you can get good results within a year

Botox. Putting on a bit of weight

gentle exercise (walking and yoga),
good quality sleep
delicious food
very little alcohol

DH is older, has done none of this and is now really really struggling with his health.

He is an awful warning to the rest of us.

Give up smoking, alcohol and refined sugar (fruit is ok).

Get enough exercise, walking is fine if you do it fast enough and get a couple of dumbbells to build and maintain strength.

Get as much sleep as you need (try to regulate your patterns so you don't need an alarm clock).

That'll tick all the boxes, trust me.

Following!

Let go of all unwanted relationships
Drink a lot of water
Sleep with window open
Get therapy
Wear and do and say what you want

Please could you recommend the YouTube video for light bright makeup? I've had a look and got one with quite loud eyeshadow colours!

I watch Andreea Ali, yes, she is beautiful anyway, but her make-up tips are great and there's a new video on summer looks. I use gloss or tinted lip colour now, and a bit of highlighter (tiny tiny bit) and with a light rest of make-up, I think it looks good.