Timeless beauty

Beauty tips for your 20s

Makeup: Easy on the brows
If you had a theme song, it would be "Anything Goes." Have fun with makeup, get crazy, go wild -- except with your brows. "So many 20-year-olds overtweeze in an attempt to get movie-star arches," says Walmsley. "If you start doing that in your 20s, you'll regret it in your 50s. You will shock the root and the hairs won't grow back.”

Instead, consult an aesthetician or makeup artist to find the best shape for your face. This will give you a basis for at-home upkeep.

At-home tip: Hold a pencil straight up against the side of your nose. Where the pencil crosses the brow marks the ideal start of the brow. Now pivot the pencil to the outer eye; that's where your brow should end. Only tweeze hairs that fall outside those two imaginary points. Keep the area between well groomed to frame those fabulous eyes.

Hair: Dramatic dyes
"Trends are made for the young, and
twentysomethings can carry the day," says Martin Hillier, stylist at Lounge Hair Studio in Vancouver. "Try a daring dye -- but in a shade that complements your complexion." For those with olive skin, Hillier likes burgundy shades or chocolate browns; if your skin has pink undertones, try a rich red; if your skin has yellow undertones, opt for coppers and golds.

Wardrobe: Sweet chic
"At this age you're probably single and dating," says Adrian Mainella, cohost of "Diva on a Dime" on Prime Network. "This is the time for curve-hugging jersey dresses and high heels, low-rider jeans and lingerie-inspired blouses."

Stylist Karen Kwinter, who puts together the looks for Canadian Living fashion stories, believes in investment dressing. "Determined fashionistas might want to start buying a few high-end classics that will last years and years. A Chanel-style jacket, for example, or a cashmere twin set."

Life: Listen to your heart
"The 20s are a time to expand your horizons, but, ironically, you'll also need to hone in on something career-wise," says life coach Ellie Rubin, host of "Negotiating Life" on TVOntario. "You want to spread your wings and leap off cliffs -- you're gutsy, but the trouble is, you are not yet confident." Her tip: Listen to your innermost desires, not to what others tell you. That desire will be your rudder, steering you in the right direction. Then take risks, but make them calculated risks.

Beauty tips for your 30s

Skin care: Start exfoliating
In your 30s, fine lines begin to make an appearance and skin loses its glow. A slowdown in cell turnover is partly to blame, making exfoliation more critical than ever. "The 30s are a perfect time for alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)," says Davis. "They speed up the natural exfoliation process, helping to diminish fine lines and give skin a brighter look." Look for gentle granular scrubs and moisturizers containing AHAs.

Also start using an eye cream, advises Walmsley. "It plumps up the under-eye area, smoothing out the fine lines that are likely becoming visible."

Makeup: Drama queen
At night, do have fun with eye makeup and play up your eyes with dynamic shadows and liners. Walmsley likes the look of black liner paired with pink shadow.

Hair: Keep the lustre
Many thirtysomethings find their hair starts to lose moisture -- particularly after childbirth. And, if you've started colouring to mask creeping grey hairs, hydration is critical. Condition with every wash and use a deep conditioner once a month.

In-the-shower tip: Daniel Fiorio of Salon Daniel in Toronto says that to completely saturate every hair, you should comb deep conditioner through wet hair with a wide-tooth comb, then comb through again with a fine-tooth comb.

Wardrobe: Your strong suit
Has your career become really important? Has your body changed after having kids? If you answered yes to either of those questions, consider investing in a suit -- one that moves well from conference to cocktail party.

“A long, lean, well-tailored pantsuit, preferably in a light, cool wool or wool blend, flatters most women and is a wardrobe workhorse,” says Mainella. Get alterations to achieve a perfect fit, says Donna Demarco, a fashion consultant with Yorkdale Mall in Toronto. “A little tuck here or hem there is well worth the time and money spent.”

And take stock of your bras. “It pays to go for a proper fitting, either in a specialty shop or your local department store. Some lingerie departments have at least one person on staff that has been trained to fit.”

Fit tip:A bra should fit best on the middle hook to allow for weight fluctuations.

Life: Define your goals
You want it all, but can you have it? Perhaps, but probably not all at the same time. Trying to do it all, and coming to terms with the reality of what you can actually do, is the single biggest problem plaguing most thirtysomething women, says Rubin. She counsels clients to regain focus by making a list of goals, rating each from one to 10 based on how important it is right now. This list will help you create your own definition of success.

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