Women under 50 need not respond

[AnotheChinHair]

Sorry for such an ageist subject title, but I am often drawn to threads that ask for foundation, shampoo, etc. recommendations and then realise that the OP and respondents are in their 30s and feel like I need some discussion with women my age.

My hair has changed, my skin looks different, my body aches, my eyebrows are faint and full of greys... I was wondering if you're 50 or over, could you share your wisdom on how you've adapted your grooming?

I'd be particularly interested in hair products (my hair is fine, prone to frizz and def. thinning and receding), my skin is still combination I think, and I would like to find a long lasting oil free full/medium coverage foundation that doesn't look dry around my eyes (currently using ELDW), and also supplements that make you feel and look better.

I have a horrible carb face after the sugar excesses of Christmas, and I have stopped drinking alcohol as I clearly don't tolerate it anymore.

I should exercise more but my knee hurts.
Recently started hrt patches and that has helped with night sweats.

Hope others can share what's been helpful.

For hair, I have found nothing works! Despite spending loads on hair products, I think I am just going to get my hair cut very short. (Disclaimer: I am 2 years off your target audience but my hair doesn't know that!)

I'm 50 in February (so will get on the vaccine list - every cloud!)
My hair has really thinned just in this last year. Can anything be done about it does anyone know? Would ask the GP but they are probably inundated right now.
Sorry no suggestions, but hope you get lots.

I now take a daily multi vitamin (well women) and have tried the 'no poo' hair method back in November and I think there is some wispy growth at the front but it is definitely thin and I am going to have to accept this.

Im 49 and also need help so am watching with interest. Main issue is hair, its thinning and so brittle that my hairdresser wouldnt colour it last time I went. Ive been using Plantur 39 but I cant see any difference.

I’m 56 and still going through the menopause, I have recently started using Bravura Glycolic Acid , my skin does seem a bit smoother. I’m lucky that my hair doesn’t seem to have suffered but have ordered olaplex 3 to help with keeping it strong. My skin is soooo dry and now go to bed smothered in good old nivea.

Have a look at the Nioxin products. They are made for thinning hair. I use Nioxin 2 for natural hair as mine isn't coloured. I am 58 and my hair has never looked better.

I have upped vegetable intake and try to have eight rather than five a day.

For example and apple, pear and orange each day and then five types of veg or legumes with dinner

Trying to be more active, as my job is sedentary, and have to make more effort where previously I did not.

Sleep is what makes me look better however two teenagers, one doing GCSE's, peri meno and covid are slowly ageing me

HRT. Get your thyroid checked as well.

Hi OP, 56 here.
1 HRT, give it time. A lot of the things you mention are hormone related.
2 Minoxydil is the only thing clinically proven to help hair loss.
3 a really good hairdresser should be able to advise on a style that suits your new hair texture (and face).
4 exercise, exercise, exercise. Try lots of things until you find something that you'll stick to.
5 Pilates or yoga to keep you supple, moving stiffly will make you look and feel older.
6 lift weights. Absolutely essential for burning calories and protecting your body as you get older. Muscle loss after menopause is shocking, fight back.
7 ditch the ELDW, does no-one any favours unless they are under 20, with perfect skin (when they don't need it anyway). I use IT cosmetics cc cream diluted with moisturiser. Find something lightweight that lets your skin show through.
8 drink three times as much water as you think you can.
9 you look like what you eat, stodgy white carbs ?
Sorry if that all sounds a bit harsh! It's what I've done to keep me feeling like me.

PS. I can't tolerate alcohol any more either

I’m over 50 and not yet menopausal and I’ve always had fine hair , what has helped mine is not washing it as often , it looks loads better than it used to .

damecelia wise words

My hair was always sparse and thin and very blonde. It has got even thinner, and nothing I have tried shampoo wise seems to make a difference to the actual hair re-growth. Some thickeners so make a difference though, a recent find was OGX Moroccan Argan Oil thickening, seemed to make a difference.

Also, I have found Evening Primrose Oil seems to help, slightly, with regrowth, but tbh I am never sure whether it is my imagination/placebo.

With regards to make up, I no longer wear any. It is incredibly liberating, and actually, I look younger. I use good, but not expensive, creams, alternate between Body Shop Vitamin E, Aloe, and No 7 Intense. I will occassionally wear some tinted moisturiser, which I find just sits on the skin nicely, gives a bit of a glow, and doesn't give that hard, over make-upped look.

I needed this thread today!

Feeling the same, including knee pain!! I have been doing Jillian Michaels weights dvd but my right knee is not happy with the side squats!!

Really could do with foundation recommendations too.

CBD oil for the aches and pains.
B vitamins for the nerves.
Vitamin D for the bones, etc.
Aussie hair serum for the frizz.
Eyelure for the grey eyebrows.

Should have said I am 54, and not in proper menopause yet.

Good idea for a thread OP. I’m 57 and still menopausal. HRT is great, glad you have that sorted

Hair - I know it’s not for everyone but I bit the bullet during lockdown and went grey. I have a short crop at the moment and love it. I use a purple shampoo once a week and can’t see me going back to dying it

Face - I use Neal’s Yard Frankincense cleanser and moisturiser. I find less is more when it comes to make up. I use a light, sheer foundation (either Lancôme Teint Miracle or Boots Hydralumineuse). I find my eyebrows need defining so I use powder and a brush on them, eyeliner and mascara only on the top lids. I use brown now instead of black.
Don’t wear lipstick any more because of masks but I miss it.

My head looks ok but the rest of me needs attention desperately! I used to swim a lot and do weights at the gym but that isn’t possible at the moment so I need to up the exercise which currently consist of walking the dog when it isn’t raining. Need to shed a couple of stone.

I need to drink more water too.

I would also recommend an eyebrow dye kit. It's very easy to do.

I am only 49, but am feeling 59 today 😏

For hair: I only wash every 4 days now, or it gets too damaged. I use a silicon free conditioner (REN , there are other brands)

For skin: I use La Roche Posay vitamin B5 cream, then hyaluronic acid then Haushka Rose cream (yes, 3 creams on top of eachother!)

I use eye brow powder and gel to eliminate the washed-out look

Eye liner and mascara to stop my eyes from being “2 raisins in a bun”

And bling earrings every day

Hair - collagen powder. I have 2 tablespoons in my coffee every morning and I can't tell you the difference it has made. My hair was really thin, didn't grow past my shoulders without snapping and just looked a bit dull. Ive been taking collagen quite a few months now and my hairdresser thinks its some kind of miracle. Its thickened up and grown quite a few inches and just looks really healthy and shiny. Quite a few people have commented on it, even my dh has noticed . I think it helps with skin and nails too.

Aches and pains i all but eliminated with a low carb diet. Like you I've had a carb fest over Xmas and feel awful. Bloated, achey, quite a few pounds heavier. Low carb again from today and dry January I'm hoping will sort me out. Yoga also helps massively. Adriene starts a new 30 days of yoga today called Breath. Its free on you tube and would really recommend.

Skin - I find i really need to keep up a heavy duty routine now - what works best for me is a combination of acids, retinols, serums and light moisturizers and always sunscreen!

Oh yes, vit D3 sublingual spray.

55 with dire hair so I can't help. Mine looks like thinning pubes.
But what's made a difference to me
HRT patches
Tretinoin from Dermatica
LVL lashes and eyebrow tint
YSL Touché Eclat foundation
Couch to 5 K, running 3 times a week has helped me lose weight and I feel so much better.
Think I'm going to love this thread.

Oh and Foundation I have been a lifelong Chanel devotee but my mum bought me some Tarte make up for Xmas and their Foundation is amazing. Light but with great coverage and dewy without being greasy. I really recommend it.

I can’t wear proper foundation any more- I dilute a BB cream with a couple of drops of facial oil so it just gives a light glowy coverage which looks much better on me. And creme blusher.

I also can’t tolerate much alcohol anymore but I’m still a bit in denial about that...

Less make up suits my older face. I sometimes get reddened patches and on those days I use Eborian Green Colour Corrector (think it is a CC cream), it's expensive but very good. The Hourglass ambient face powders (especially Diffused Light or the darker one Dim) seem to streamline my face! Mascara top lashes only.

Depending on your hair colour, if you are fair YSL do a grey eyebrow pencil. Sounds odd but the grey shade is better for blonde hair.

Sleep is now essential to my face! I find drinking water is particularly beneficial to my joints too. If I am dehydrated my old shoulder injury hurts. Alcohol is definitely unfriendly to my face these days, and the rest of me too. I find it harder to tolerate.

Hair is thinning too, receding hairline covered by a fringe. I only realised my hair was receding when it was taking me longer to wash my face. (Joke courtesy of Harry Hill.) I doubt this is something that can be reversed. Ruth Langsford wears hair extensions for this reason. If somebody with her funds has not found a way to reverse this, I doubt us ordinary women will be able to.

Flexibility is something I need to get a grip on. I used to be fit, strong and flexible but my shoulder injury for last 15 months put paid to that. I need to find something that won't aggravate it.

Supplements, multivits, flaxseed oil, etc

I think we cannot hold back time but there is a lot of stuff we can help ourselves with.

Following with interest.