Laugh like Hillary and look younger

Dear Betsy,I am in my mid-50s and suddenly feel like an old woman. I look in the mirror and don't recognise myself.

I hate the fact that my eyes are badly wrinkled, that I have deep lines from my nose down to my mouth and my boobs are sagging.

My long hair, once my best feature, is limp and lifeless and I don't know what to do with it. My husband says he loves me the way I am so why do I feel so unhappy with myself? What can I do Betsy, without resorting to surgery and expensive treatments, to look and feel younger?

Annie.

Dear Annie,

We all look in the mirror and feel like this sometimes Annie, no matter our age, we can all have those 'off" days.

First of all you need to boost your self esteem and 'think' yourself happy.

Positive thoughts and actions breed positivity, so smile at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how beautiful you are, and believe it.

Exercise is a great way to release those happy hormones, firm and tone your body, energise you and with the stimulation to your circulation, it can really enhance your complexion too. You don't have to spend hours in the gym. Now the weather is perfect for some power walking along the cornice or one of the walking tracks that have sprouted up around the kingdom. Power walking also helps you concentrate your mind and you can take your iPod along with some inspiring music, as this can also help elevate your mood.

Hormonally, this can be a time of change for lots of women, so I would suggest a visit to your gynaecologist to check that everything is as it should. Many women going through the menopause suffer in silence when they could benefit from HRT or other forms of treatment.

Geranium oil is a great hormonal balancer as it is considered an 'oestrogenic' oil and can help lift your spirits and chase away depression. Combine it with some sweet orange and lavender oils and burn it in a diffuser and add a few drops of each to a cup of milk and pour into a warm bath.

Now, practical things that you can do to enhance your look: sagging breasts come to us all eventually, gravity takes no prisoners! Go and have a proper bra fitting in Marks and Spencers or Debenhams where the girls are lovely and well trained.

If your hair is long then I would suggest cutting it to shoulder length or shorter. Having a conditioning treatment and having a layered cut can also improve the condition and and add life and body. As for colour, don't make the mistake of going darker to cover those inevitable grey hairs.

As we age our skin tone changes and darker hair can make us look older and tired. Instead consider going two or three shades lighter than your base colour either by having a full head tint or by gradually adding highlights over a few months.

Also, a warm coral lipstick with a clear gloss suits most skin tones and has the added benefit of whitening your smile. Which brings me nicely to one of the most important anti-ageing therapies I can prescribe ... laugh like Hillary Clinton!

A good old belly laugh will exercise your body and release those all important feel good hormones and there is nothing more youthful or attractive than a smile that lights up your eyes.

BETSY SAYS RELAX

Lots of us grind our teeth in our sleep or clench our jaw throughout the day when we are faced with stressful situations.

To release tension in your jaw, try placing your elbows on a table or desk and using your middle three fingers, beginning at the side of your ear lobes, firmly massage along your jawline until your hands meet in the middle then reverse the movements back to your ears. Repeat three times. Now squeeze your ear lobes between your thumb and index fingers and pull them down firmly for a count of three then release and repeat three times.

Open your mouth as wide as you can, dropping your jaw down and hold for a count of three. Now exhale and relax. Suddenly the world is a brighter place!