Timeless beauty

Beauty tips for your 40s

Skin care: Vitamin A repair
Sun damage, loss of resiliency -- many women in their 40s are looking for skin-repair solutions. Vitamin A, marketed as tretinoin in prescription products or retinol in over-the-counter products, can be effective. As we age, the epidermis (the uppermost layer of the skin) thickens from years of sun exposure, while the subdermal layers of skin thin (as cells weaken and fall over). Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so it bypasses the epidermis altogether and heads straight for the juicy subdermal tissues. There it performs the nutritional equivalent of a double-header. While vitamin A works away at rebuilding the misshapen cells that form the skin's support structure, it also encourages natural exfoliation, sloughing off dead, dull cells to make room for plump new ones.

Makeup: Little buys, big perks
Your two best friends are now concealer and blush. A good concealer will cover up your shadows, while a little blush will give you a much-needed lift.

Blush tip: For a fresh, flushed cheek, "concentrate blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend up to the temples," says Walmsley. Choose pale pinks if you have pinky skin, light plums if you have an olive complexion and peach-pinks if your skin has a hint of yellow.

Hair: Pump up the shine
This is the decade that you notice your hair really beginning to dull. Arm yourself with a good shine serum or spray. Look for one containing silicone, which smoothes and seals the cuticle, creating shine. Apply it from midshaft to ends, keeping it away from the roots, where it may weigh hair down.

Wardrobe: Get an edge
Your wardrobe is well-grounded with classics. Well, now it's time to throw a curveball. "For so many women, turning 40 is a really big deal," says Demarco. "Push your comfort zone. Try things you wouldn't normally try. You can change the look of a black suit entirely by pairing it with a pair of killer boots." Demarco encourages her fortysomething clients to invest in knockout shoes or boots in a punchy colour such as red or amethyst.

Life: Strike a balance
"The 40s are about reaching your stride," says Rubin. "You feel powerful and energetic. The trick is to maintain momentum without tipping the balance so that you feel like you are back in your 30s -- scrambling and scattered." She tells fortysomething women to pay attention to energy levels and practise saying no when reserves are depleted. If no is a hard word for you, try: "Let me recommend someone else," or, "I can do that, but not right now."

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