The £5 lipstick that suits everyone and will bring instant joy
In 2001, Leonard Lauder – former chief executive of the Estée Lauder Companies – coined the “lipstick index” theory. He argued that during times of recession and…
Why I tried shaving my face for better skin at 60
Once the scraping is over (and… relax), Izabela finishes by massaging in a nourishing treatment – all done and dusted in about 30 minutes. As I sit…
My partner has started dressing like a boy racer – but I only find him sexy in work suits
Dear A&E, How can I get my 38-year-old boyfriend to stop dressing like a boy racer? We have been together for four years and, at the start,…
The pest controller says I have a squirrel infestation – and that’s worse than having rats
Everyone warns you about pests when you move to the countryside. All my friends have fun stories they like to delight me with about rat-infested barns, mouse-plagued…
Too old to be midlife… too young to be old – are you an ‘inbetweener’?
There are huge variations not just in health and life expectancy but in lifestyle, circumstance, needs, hopes, interests and desires. They should all be equally respected. When…
How to knock five years off your hands in five minutes
No matter how good your skincare regime is, it’s often the hands that are the biggest ageing giveaways. That’s because as we age, our hands lose fat…
The fashion editor’s guide to wearing a boiler suit over 40
Bouguessa Sally cotton-blend jumpsuit, £505, Net-a-Porter (net-a-porter.com); Blockchain loafers, £245, Russell & Bromley (russellandbromley.co.uk) Take the Bouguessa one I’m wearing here: I love that it doesn’t rely…
Why the ‘bespoke’ haircut is the key to looking good as you age
It’s the subtleties that matter most. Fringe or no fringe, layers or blunt lines, shaggy or torn, full in parts, thinner in others are the adjustments that…
My husband wants us to join a virtual orgy – but I don’t think our sex life needs a boost
Dear A&E, My husband wants us to go to a virtual orgy. He started talking about it during lockdown and I thought it was just an isolation…
Why mantelscaping is the perfect spring decor trend
Perhaps it’s the maximalism trend that has crept into our homes over the past few years, or the boom in amateur floral styling; either way, a fun…
I’ve been promising friends elaborate dinner parties, but I secretly can’t cook
I used to go on to my friends in London about how when I moved to the countryside I’d finally have the chance to show off my…
Why you’re never too old for fake tan – in fact, it’ll make you look younger
We may only be in March, but searches on Google for self-tanning have already increased by 90 per cent in the past month. But if there’s one…
The secret to finding wide-leg trousers to suit every body shape
Stretch jersey trousers, £155, Norma Kamali (net-a-porter.com); Poplin shirt, £34.95, (gap.co.uk); Snake print trainers, £22,(asos.com); Leather bag, £115 and strap £30, (megandbee.co.uk) Sweater, from a selection at…
Are you a wrinkler or a sagger? Here’s why you need to know…
Filler is another option for sculpting a lax jawline, but it can so often go awry. “Aesthetically the most eye-pleasing jawline is one that is heart-shaped. However,…
I fancy a single dad at the school gate – but I’m too shy to ask him out
Dear A&E, My divorce was finalised last month and I find myself single – for the first time in 20 years – at 45, with a violent…
I reunited with my first love after 50 years – it was a disaster
We had met in Italy in the late sixties when I was on a gap year. I was an unsophisticated 21-year-old, and this was a huge adventure for me….
Why I waited a decade before I had my third child
That’s when things started clicking into place. My ex-husband and my kids were in a house nearby and they’d come and camp with me on the weekend….
Everyone warned me a stone cottage would be freezing – now I’m worried I can’t pay the bills
Everyone warned me that a stone cottage in the countryside would be freezing, and everyone was right. Now it seems total madness that I came close to…
The new rules of post-pandemic living – how many have you broken?
As for the burgeoning trend for people to WhatsApp photos of their negative test strip ahead of meeting, she admits to having done it herself – but…
How to wear ‘smart’ tracksuit bottoms without looking like a teenager
I find it hard to believe anyone who says that they never wear tracksuit bottoms – especially after the past couple of years. I can understand if…
How to rebuild your makeup bag for under £15
There was a time when the weightier the lipstick and the fancier the packaging, the better. The dressing-table appeal usually came with a luxury price tag, too….
I found condoms in my teenage daughter’s bedroom – should I confront her?
Dear A&E, I was tidying my 16-year-old daughter’s bedroom the other day and I found a packet of condoms, opened, with one missing. I’ve never been squeamish…
Marie Kondo was wrong – here’s why I’ll never declutter my home
However, I recently had my bathroom remodelled. This is also where I keep my clothes and put my make-up on. A lot of things came out of…
I have the same taste as Carrie Johnson, but I’m £112,000 shy of the wallpaper budget
I buy a baby blue for the hallways, palatable in small doses, which – when it’s covered every wall – morphs into the putrid colour of a…
Decluttering is all very well, but it doesn’t work in the Cotswolds
However, I recently had my bathroom remodelled. This is also where I keep my clothes and put my make-up on. A lot of things came out of…