FabMagUK issue 05 - Spring

FabMag uk

issue 05 / spring 2021

Angela Griffin

Our girl from the north Taking a gap year abroad in later life YOU & your body positivity PLUS: Fashion, beauty, body confidence & lifestyle

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elcome to the spring issue of Forty and Beyond. Well, the end of lockdown 3 is in sight! Children have returned to school, the nights are getting lighter and we have a little bit of hope in our hearts!

My husband is due home from deployment soon and he’s missed the whole of lockdown (annoying) and I haven’t done anything I had planned in my head while he was away!!

This month I have a great interview with the gorgeous, talented actress Angela Griffin. I’m talking to her about the arts, Covid and what’s next on the work agenda. Behold the boiler suit!! Yes that’s what I said! My seasonal fashion wardrobe addition for all shapes and sizes is the boiler suit.

We have some fantastic new contributors this month that we know you will just love and relate to.

So welcome, get a brew and get comfy!

Happy spring and all it celebrates!

Zee x 8

fortyandbeyondmagazine.com

www.correxiko.com

Editor Forty & Beyond Magazine UK.

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pring is finally here! I don’t know about you, but I have certainly felt happier & more optimistic these past few weeks. For me, it’s a combination of morning sunshine, the birds singing, the vibrant yellow daffodils sprouting up and the prospect of seeing my loved ones soon...I’m desperate to give my nana a hug!

I definitely have a spring in my step!

Like many I’m sure, I have been living in my ‘comfties’ for the best part of a year now - I’ll admit I know nothing about fashion, but when Zee’s fashion feature hit my desk, I squealed! I just LOVE a set of overalls (boiler suits) and Zee has sourced some FAB ones to share with you all & I now have a wishlist as long as my arm! (That’s without all of the incredible accessories I’m lusting over!)

I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together!

Until the next issue, stay safe & keep smiling x

Alix x

Designer Forty & Beyond Magazine UK.

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Contents 8

Angela Griffin

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mums gap year

18

Gail Genster

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Chalita Frost

On her career, lockdown and her plans for the future

Siobhan Daniels on taking a gap year later in life

Feeling positive at 60

Focusing on mental health

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26 32 30 One step closer 22 Sarah sandison On being a single mum at 40

24 overall overhaul Spoilt for choice with these beauties

26 accessories

A sensational selection of amazing accessories this spring

Hayley Ethers talks to us about the next step

32 Helen ponder On Easter & weight loss

34 make up junkie

Andrea Pellegrini on makeup in your 40’s

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Clare lodge Discovering fitness in later life

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40 Kate Morris

Clinical therapist, wellness expert and founder of Inside Out Wellness

44 Chrissie bray

Sharing her dating experience as a black woman

48 Vampire facials

Everything you need to know about this anti-ageing treatment spring 2021 / issue 05

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FabMag fortyandbeyondmaguk uk

@gmail.com

Our team w

EDITOR Zena Battersby Designer Alix Pamela Shaw

What we are loving this spring:

Zee: I’m loving the lighter nights and the promise of beer gardens, my 48th birthday, my new MPC foundation and reading Meg Mathews book, ‘the new hot’ & ‘Women don’t owe you pretty’

by Florence Given.

OPS & OPS

www.myperfectcosmeticscompany.co.uk

With special thanks to all of our contributors this month...

Claire Lodge, Gail Genster, Sarah Sandison, Kate Morris Chalita Frost, Helen Ponder, Chrissie Bray, Siobhan Daniels & Hayley Ethers 6

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Alix: I’m looking forward to seeing flowers bloom, planting my vegetable seedlings into the garden and being able to be outside more!

Fabmag UK is a registered trademark and an online publication.

Reproduction in whole or in any part is strictly forbidden without written permission from the Editor, Zena Battersby.

The views expressed in the magazine are not neccessarily those of the editor.

All images used are copyright to the photographers, who have been credited throughout the magazine.

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Angela

Griffin our girl from the north Editor Zee chats to Angela Griffin about life in lockdown, the arts, period dramas & life.

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in ‘cutting it’

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name and has an army of women willing her on. The working mum and wife is part of one of the coolest girl gangs in British showbiz. I’m looking forward to catching up with the Leeds actress to ask her all about how the lockdown has affected the arts and work. How’s she’s been keeping busy along with her plans for the future. It was a real pleasure to talk to Angela she’s so lovely!

Straight behind the success of period dramas like Bridgerton, I’ve just found out you will be starring in a period drama on HULU Can you tell us anymore about it and when we will get to see here in the UK? Well the series you’re referring to is actually Harlots! It was made by HULU but during lockdown the UK ran out of shows and so they bought HARLOTS from HULU and showed it here on the BBC.

“I am prone to playing someone quiet vulnerable as well” I played Elisabeth Harvey and she was amazing, really sassy really feisty. My first time ever playing in a period drama! Something I’d always always, always wanted to do. It was amazing, all the costumes and the makeup and the hair! I’ve never been in makeup so long in my entire life! But it really was worth it. I loved it.

photo:@ hulu

ith a television and stage career spanning over 30 years, Angela Griffin is someone we have all grown up alongside watching. We loved her dead pan and cheeky portrayal of Fiona in Coronation Street for which she won an NTA. We watched her in the fantastic 90’s drama cutting it (something I watched during lockdown again and loved even more the second time round) and then there’s the huge back catalogue of British shows HOLBY CITY, CUTTING IT, WATERLOO ROAD, BOY MEETS GIRL, WAKING THE DEAD, MIDSOMER MURDERS, LEWIS, As well as some American work with Idirs Elba and Rob Lowe.

Our girl from The North has been pretty busy over the years!

It’s no doubt Angela is at the height of her career. With her age defying and (annoyingly) natural beauty she has the ability to play each character with such conviction she’s managed to make us invest and fall in love with every character she plays. So its no wonder Angela is still a household

Angela in harlots

Harlots, was a riot. Your character was a sassy and feisty woman. Are you drawn to those characters or do they find you?

I am drawn to those characters yes, but I also think that people assume that that’s who I am as well. So when they’re looking for someone, if they have a character breakdown of someone feisty and sassy they think, “ah Angela Griffin would be good for that role!” So I do love them! If they tend to be quite strong, they tend to have a great

story that goes with them. But I am prone to playing someone quiet vulnerable as well. Multifaceted I suppose, I want to play all angles of all women. You know, all the ones who seem strong have always have a softer side. And the same vice versa, we are complex characters us ladies.

I mentioned above that you have an army of female fans, Do you think its because most of the characters you play are so genuine and we can identify with them so much?

Yes, I do think a lot of the characters I play and ones I’m drawn to are definitely characters are quite down to earth and I try and make them relatable. When I’m playing them, I try and access something of my life or something I’ve experienced that I can use to inject something into the people I play, and yes I try and make them relatable and by your comment I hope people who are watching are relating to them too.

How has lockdown affected the arts and your work? I can

imagine it’s been an absolute minefield. But has the time at home been a welcome change from a family perspective?

It’s had a massive impact on the arts and I think that only once we are out of it will we realise the impact its actually had. I mean we’ve lost a whole year of theatre which is so sad and I think unfortunately we will have lost quite a few people in the theatrical world because they weren’t particularly supported with the financial aid that came from the 4 government, just because of the spring 2021 / issue 05

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way our contracts work. So you know those who make these shows happen, like wiggies (wig designers and makers), lighting designers art directors, they weren’t particularly well looked after, so I think we are going to have lost quite a bit of talent but we will only see that once we get back into the work space.

I’ve been one of the lucky ones, I got to work on isolation stories for ITV at the beginning of lockdown and also shot “Done Breeding” which was a series written by Julie Graham that we all self shot at home with the help of our kids, husbands, dogs and any body that would help, so I definitely kept myself busy and created a voice over studio as well in our coat cupboard under the stairs!

(Because it’s very well insulated for sound!) So yeah I did keep myself busy but nothing like its normally like for me. I always saved for that year out of work that might come and that’s pretty much decimated now!! But you know I’m one of

photo:@ jamesfearphotography

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treated, making sure you’re not accepting behaviour you wouldn’t and shouldn’t accept outside work.

I think there’s more parts, I think the industry is opening up to more female led parts, still not equal, it would be great if it was 50/50 but yeah definitely better.

Angela and her family

“Obviously we’ve had our dark days but we’ll forget about those and concentrate on the good!” the lucky ones, I had savings fund.

But yes we’ve loved it as a family.

We had our ups and downs, which inevitably we would have had as a family, but we have made the most of it. My eldest daughter will be going to university in 18

months so its actually been really precious having this time with her and with it being the four of us being together too, as we’ve not really got much longer of that. But yes it’s been good we’ve enjoyed it.

Obviously we’ve had our dark days but we’ll forget about those and concentrate on the good!

You started your career at young age and we’ve all grown up together. Do you think the industry has changed towards women in the time you’ve been working? I mean, YES massively. The “Me Too” movement really had a massive impact on my job and the work environment.

Even if it’s just something as simple as an intimate scene, we now have an intimacy director so you can just have some bloke director shouting “a bit more boob love bit more boob”!! It has changed yeah, it’s made everyone very careful, women included as well you know, how you’re speaking to people and how you’re being

Some people may not know, but you’ve appeared a lot in the theatre as well as on screen. Which do you prefer- I know that’s a tricky question!

I love them both and whenever I’m working on one I want to be doing the other! When I’m on a

“she has the ability to play each character with such conviction” long TV job I’m desperate to do a play afterwards and when I’m in the middle of a play I’m desperate to do TV. Completely different muscle are used for each of those jobs, I love both and cannot live without either. I can’t choose. It’s like asking which child you prefer!

So what’s next for you Angela?

I have just finished shooting a one off drama for Ch4 in Liverpool.

I don’t think I can say what it is

yet. But it’s got an incredible cast leading it and I feel really lucky to be part of it, it’s a really great project, about Covid as well so I’ve just finished. I’m just waiting to sign on the dotted line for a little independent film, which I should start shooting by the end of March. I’ve never done an indie film before so I’m really about it, again another great cast! Yeah I’m managing to keep busy aren’t I? Yep keeping busy. w

Quick Fire Questions Spice Girls or All Saints?

Ooh that’s a really hard one and I’m meant to say these quickly … All Saints!

Favourite Cocktail?

Margarita North or South!!?

(My husbands from Swarcliff in Leeds this is his question!) ooohhhhhhhh this is so funny I’m from the north so that’s where my heart is but I live in London! Ahhh NORTH. Last song downloaded?

Oh my god I haven’t downloaded a song for ages I

listen to Spotify! Ok Andrew Day, I’ve just watched the united states vs. Billie Holiday and the Last song that I kind of I searched for I suppose was “the strange fruit’ Andrew Day which was originally a Billie Holiday song.

Tea or coffee?

Argghhhh Tea always (Yorkshire tea, obviously) Morning Person or night owl?

Night owl, I hate the mornings.

Last thing you ate?

It was a piece of chicken that my husband had cooked earlier on today which was in the fridge,

a spicy chicken and yes I had that, it was completely over cooked haha , but he likes it that way!

How long does it take you to get ready?

In the morning, the hair the hair the hair, it takes a while, so I’m going to say if I have to get up and out the door, without makeup I could probably do it in 15 minutes, with makeup 18 minutes! Haha.

Lea & Perrins or Henderson’s Relish (one is southern one is northern!)

Oh lea and Perrins in my Spag bol all day and all night and in my Shepherds pie..boom!!

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Mothers gap year By: siobhan daniels

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ince my daughter was four I have been a single mother. It’s a role that I absolutely love, especially as I was blessed with the best fun loving and adventurous daughter I could have wished for. From a very early age Sammy went along with all my crazy ideas and we had some great trips abroad and did lots of spontaneous things together.

So when it came to the time for her to head off to University I began to get that tug at the heart strings and started to worry about empty nest syndrome. I played to the crowd saying “yeah I cannot wait!” “It is me time!!” but all the while feeling desperate about how my life would be without her around to have fun with, opening a bottle of bubbly and dancing around the room or chilling with a pot of Earl Grey tea and the Sunday papers.

With all this in mind, approaching fifty, I hatched a plan to lessen the trauma of her heading off to Uni. I decided to take a year off work from the BBC and take a mature gap year.

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skydiving in new zeland

packed a rucksack and headed off around the world.

First stop was Bangkok. I spent three months in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Anka Wat in Cambodia, being one of my highlights. Followed by two Siobhan with her daughter, sammy

“I decided to take a year off work from the BBC and take a mature gap year. I decided to get rid of the nest altogether and sold the house” I decided to get rid of the nest altogether and sold the house, put my things in storage at friends houses. Bought Sammy a car, so

she could go and visit her father during Uni holidays and off she went to Uni. A couple of months later I

“My last three months of travel were in South America, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru” months in Australia. Sammy flew out to meet me in Melbourne. I was late to the airport because I had been partying too hard the night before, so she loves to tell everyone she flew half way around the world to see me and I was not even there to meet her! We made up for it and we had had a blast travelling together for a few weeks visiting Sidney, where we climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge with her cousin Carmel, who lived in

Sydney at the time. We parted company in Brisbane.

I headed off from the sunshine in Australia to the winter climate of New Zealand, which is just so beautiful. During my two months there I visited White Island, a live Volcano with sulphuric fumes, climbed Franz Josef Glacier and did a sky dive from 13000 feet and loved it.

After all the adventures in New Zealand I needed to relax. That is just what I did as I explored Fiji for a couple of months, particularly the more northerly Yasawa Islands.

They were breathtakingly beautiful and very unspoilt.

I then went off piste a bit and 4 flew to Vancouver to stay with spring 2021 / issue 05

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Modette model & makeup artist Nicki Donohoe has her very own radio show...

In machu picchu

relatives for a few weeks.

My last three months of travel were in South America, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, where I was able to fulfill a childhood dream.

As a very small child I heard of Lake Titicaca, which borders

Listen at www.barrelhouseradio.com 8

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In Brisbain, australia

“travelling and staying in hostels with people of all nationalities and all ages was life changing for me, I felt ageless and fearless and it just increased my thirst for adventure” Peru and Bolivia, from a teacher.

I remember laughing at the name and it stuck with me. Since then I had this lifelong desire to see it.

I felt quite emotional when I did finally arrive on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

I ended my adventures with a four day Lares trek to Machu Picchu. We reached altitudes of 4,800 metres and it was tough going but well worth it for the breathtaking views.

The whole experience of travelling and staying in hostels with people of all nationalities and

all ages was life changing for me, I felt ageless and fearless and it just increased my thirst for adventure.

It definitely kickstarted a new phase of my life. During my fifties I ran two marathons, climbed the Three Yorkshire Peaks and climbed Mount Mulanje in Malawi. Last year I retired and bought a motorhome and O am currently travelling Great Britain challenging ageism and ageist stereotypes, writing a blog. w Shuvonshuvoff.blogspot.com Instagram:shuvonshuvoff Twitter: Siobhandaniels spring 2021 / issue 05

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Being comfortable Being unique By: Gail Genster

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“B

e yourself; everybody else is already taken.”- Oscar Wilde. This powerful quote about embracing your true self and being unique is one of my all-time favourites. This says a lot (I’m a big quote person).

I find there is incredible value in being comfortable in your own skin no matter what. It doesn’t take much to feel safe doing things that are mainstream, but could you let yourself shine through when you’re doing things outside the norm?

We’re all unique. Everyone has some aspect of themselves that stands out among the rest of us. I don’t care who you are; we all have something to distinguish ourselves among our peers. Let it out!

I’m a 60-year-old woman who’s also a gym rat. I realise I’m not exactly your run-of-the-mill sexagenarian, but doing things like crushing the heavy bag in my boxing class have always made me happy. I also like to dress and live my life in a way that is atypical for someone my age, because who cares what anyone else thinks? In the end, happiness is the main benefit of being unapologetically unique.

My main mission has become instilling this mindset into women my age, who have been unfairly pigeonholed into specific styles and practices. If you are looking for a way to let your hair down in the gym and in life, I’d love to work with you!

Your only critic should be you

“Hiding who you are creates a fake persona designed to please other people instead of yourself” Being unique is something to be celebrated. You can’t help it. You can’t change it. You are who you are and you love what you love.

There are simply two options for you to choose from: embrace it or try to hide it.

Hiding who you are creates a fake persona designed to please other people instead of yourself.

While this can provide a certain level of validation for a time, it won’t fulfill you forever. When you behave like the person you truly

are, however, you’ll find that you’ve surrounded yourself with people who appreciate your authentic self.

You might not end up meshing with every single person you come across, but who wants that anyway?

Always being yourself and doing what you love is how meaningful relationships are built, like the one me and my bestie/travel buddy/ partner in crime have.

Don’t hide your likes and dislikes.

Being unique is a beautiful thing.

Do you!w spring 2021 / issue 05

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Change is beautiful W

Connect Keep reaching out to family and friends, deepening your connection with those around you who enrich your life. Make time to reconnect with people you have lost contact with - they may be thrilled to know you’re thinking of them.

Our world can be a brighter place because of the connections we make and keep.

By: chalita frost

ith the change of

season and spring upon us, there’s no greater time to take a fresh approach to a positive mindset.

For me, spring and all that it offers feels like a truly positive time of each year. Brighter, longer days and the entire summer to look forward to - always fills me with a sense of optimism.

There’s no denying that we’ve had an incredibly challenging time for the past 12 months and winter was tough. But with lockdown rules slowly being relaxed and a roadmap to change - perhaps we can afford to be a little sanguine about the prospects for this year now.

As we filter through what is (hopefully) the last section of lockdown, it is important to stay present, to live each moment of each day as best as possible and to take some time to self-reflect upon this past year. Some days may still feel rubbish and that’s okay too!

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Get active Find a physical activity that you enjoy, incorporate it into your daily routine and stick to it! There is a direct correlation between exercise and positive mental wellbeing. It is as much for the mind as it is for the body - so find a way to move your beautiful self and do it daily.

“It is important to stay present, to live each moment of each day as best as possible ”

Take a moment to think about what you have learned, what you would like to take forward and what you intend to leave behind.

Make a conscious choice not to wish these weeks away, as a rush to get back to ‘normality’ as it could

kindness & the act of giving

Photos:burst.shopify.com

Spring: a reminder of how beautiful change can truly be.

create feelings of anxiety. Focus your attention on doing something that makes you smile daily, even on those days that feel like they are simply about surviving.

So now that spring has sprung, what can you do in order to create a positive mindset?

Here’s what I suggest - five ways to wellbeing;

keep learning & setting yourself personal challenges

Take notice Be curious, notice things around you that you never have before.

Mindfulness is wonderful for balancing emotions and stabilising mood - so take a look around you and appreciate your surroundings right now. Expressing gratitude for what you have can lift your mood and refocus your attention in a positive way.

Keep learning Set personal challenges.

Keep finding ways to learn to be a better version of you.

Learning new skills can boost selfesteem and self-confidence. Sign up for something new online, rediscover an old hobby, work on a DIY project or even try a new recipe. However big or small - celebrate your achievements.

Give to others Research suggests that kindness and acts of giving can create a sense of purpose and self-worth. Do something positive for a friend or a colleague, or maybe even just chat to a stranger in the shop. Kind gestures can make someone’s day, maybe even their week. There’s no greater feeling than giving to someone and expecting nothing in return - the sense of positivity is reciprocal and who wouldn’t want that?

Spring is a time to resurface in a more hopeful way. Cherish what’s around you and look forward to all the possibilities ahead.

If you’re looking to make changes but don’t know where to start, one to one coaching could be for you. w Chalita is offering a free 30 minute consultation to all fabmag readers with this code; FAB30. www.chalitafrostnlpandlifecoaching.co.uk spring 2021 / issue 05

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Love w w & life w w as a single mum w w w Y

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By: sarah sandison

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Photo:burst.shopify.com

ou were a perfectly successful member of society. The accomplished captain of an adorable young family. Until, BOOM! Life as you know it implodes, and all too suddenly you’re one of those “single mums”.

SHE couldn’t hold it together, SHE couldn’t make it work. This popular perception needs to do one, ta!

Co-parenting’s a ball, isn’t it? Cos when you already feel like you’re doing nothing well and dropping the ball in all areas of your life, it’s dead encouraging to get a text from your ex, fuming at you for forgetting to pack the right trainers.

Or that they’ve been notified you’ve missed one payment on some bill, that is actually in BOTH your names, that you’ve been paying single handedly for years!

But it strikes me that no one’s ever quick to point out, that if you were single and not a mum, at the same age, you’d likely find it more

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Sonny, Sarah and Rescue Dog Mac

difficult to arrange a social life or find someone to go on holiday with. Having a child undoubtedly opens your life up to a much bigger social circle. I can’t go round to my friends who don’t have kids,

and stick Sonny in the bedroom playing Fortnite with only the dog for company, while we drink wine and slag off people on the internet, can I? No! They need a few mates to bounce on the bed with, to afford

you that freedom.

Sometimes it can feel more socially isolating than freeing to have a weekend to myself, while Sonny’s at his dad’s. People have their own lives at our age, and it’s likely they don’t want to go out on the town with you every single Saturday.

But being a single mum has so many good parts! Sometimes, we just have cereal for our tea. Other times we go out for impromptu cake and hot chocolate after school, without having to rush back to make some gobshite his tea. We can do whatever we want!

And when you’ve only a childs imagination to ask for permission, the sky’s the limit! Fancy travelling around Japan this May half term, K! A friend of mine who’s a single

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“We can do whatever we want, and when you’ve only a Childs imagination to ask for permission, the sky’s the limit!”

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mum and business woman has just spent 5 weeks travelling around Australia with her 10 year old son.

You can’t tell me having a fella wouldn’t put a dampener on an idea as outrageously fun as that?

Come off it!

Being a single mum is not dissimilar to what I imagine it would be like to have your own place and money at 14 years old.

Fancy going the pictures and watching three films in a row?

G’wed! Tuna pasta every night for a week? Sound!

It’s also free pass out of any

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awful social event you simply don’t want to go to, guilt and peer pressure free. “Oh your hen do’s gonna be in Ibiza?! And its only £1200 each?! For 4 days?! Sounds amazing, but I’d never be able to get the childcare. SOZ!” Having a fella’s sound. But you can’t tell me he’s chill with you lashing your latest motivational audiobook on Alexa at 6am, while you lie in bed writing silly stories for the Internet, rather than ironing his shirt?

Turn up for your life, girl! Fella’s aint shit! w spring 2021 / issue 05

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Overall overhaul!

k, so its spring and we are in that in-between kind of weather. I don’t know about you but after a YEAR (a year, I can’t believe that!) in comfy clothes, it’s time to ease ourselves back into some kind ‘proper’ clothing.

So I have a small solution to that fashion quandary. Ladies I give you the boiler suit!!

Bear with me here; I know what you’re thinking. Some of us (not all) and I totally applaud those of you who haven’t, have put a few pounds on. Nothing fits like it did and buying a whole new wardrobe is not doable for those of us who have been furloughed or have had to keep children and grandchildren entertained (or have developed a penchant for internet shopping) so I’m suggesting introducing a few key pieces into your wardrobe that you can wear with the shirts, shackets, cardigans and coatigans you’ve already got or your denim jacket or biker jacket.

So banish those thoughts of looking like hale and pace in a pair of dungarees or worry about what other people think of your bold fashion choice and just do it. They’re comfy,

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1

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6 stylish, versatile and very wearable.

In all honesty the boiler suit has been there in the wings just waiting for it’s time to shine. So take some

inspiration from my suggestions and just do it.w *Tag us in your boiler suit photos over on instagram #Fabfashion

1. Pretty in pink - Joanie clothing £50 2. Floral & Denim - Liberty london £145 3. Abstract -Lucy & Yak - £70 4. Blue denim- Marks and spencer£19.50 5.Dreamy denim - Shien £34.49 6.Turquoise - Lucy and Yak £50 spring 2021 / issue 05

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Accessorize with accessories Print headband my gangster wraps £10

Lilac buckle belt Shein £2.49

Headband My gangster wraps £15

Earrings £16.00 each.

My gangster wraps

Tiger hoops IHM on Instagram £19.99

Chunky gold braclet Sarah Christie £59.00 PLUS SIZE ASOS £10.00

Round buckle belt shein £2.99

Clogs POA niqueforde.com Gold necklaces IHM on instagram £24.99 each 26

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Leopard headband Etsy £10

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My Perfect Eyes & My Perfect foundation Made for each other- literally!

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y Perfect Eyes contains a small amount of magnesium which is what prevents the cosmetic from absorbing into the skin, making it safe for

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everyday use.

Magnesium however, does not mix well with ‘oil based’ products which is often the base of many foundations.

My Perfect Foundation was

created exactly for this reason. The two were designed to chemically pair perfectly so you can complete the look and feel confident today with your two partners in crime! w www.myperfectcosmeticscompany.co.uk spring 2021 / issue 05

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Photo:burst.shopify.com

One step closer By: Hayley Ethers

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abbage Patch dolls, Tiny Tears, Baby Shivers you name the doll I had it. I spent so many years when I was younger playing with my dolls dreaming and thinking that I cannot wait until I am older to have a real baby of my own.

However, finding out at 14 I was biologically never going to have my own baby due to a premature menopause was when I realised that dream was not going to be that easy for me.

I understood what the consultant said, but I don’t think I really accepted it until I was in my mid 20’s when all my mates were falling pregnant and that, that was never going to be my life.

I was told back in 1995, that in order to become a Mother I would need to undertake IVF egg donation. But for me that was not the path I wished to take, to

become a Mum. I had been aware of my diagnosis from such a young and the want for being pregnant was not something I longed for. I wanted to find my child through adoption. Even if I had conceived via egg donation that child was never going to be half of me, and I struggled in my head that it was going to be half of my husband and half a lady I did not even know. It may sound selfish, but I had grieved and recovered from the loss of being a birth mother and I was also scared to try IVF in case it did not work.

It would then make me go back to that place years ago when I felt like a failure of a woman. I would also wonder if my husband would resent me if we tried IVF and it did not work and I would have felt like I had let him down again. Not only would I have to deal with my own grief I would have this on my

“That dream of becoming a Mother and a family is soon hopefully going to become a reality”

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shoulders too.

I made it clear when I met my husband my thoughts on becoming a parent and I was extremely lucky that he understood and accepted it. He said he did not want me to go back to that dark place and if adoption was what I wanted then that would be the route we would take to become a family.

So back during the first lockdown we finally made the initial call.

While others were moaning about

home schooling and being stuck at home with their kids, we sat there and thought we would love to be at home with our child.

It made us realise we were at the right time to embark on the adoption journey.

I will be honest, it is tough.

But when you want something so much it makes it all so much more bearable. There is lots of paperwork and learning to do.

You must pass a Pre-stage before

you even make it into Stage 1.

That then involves training days, homework, medicals, first aid courses and then a detailed review which will then establish if you have made it into Stage 2.

I am happy to say we are now in Stage 2 and the learning and assessments are in full swing. It is all being done via Microsoft Teams which is a bit strange, but COVID-19 will not stop us.

We have built an exceptionally

good relationship with our Social Worker and she knows things about us both which I do not even think we knew about one another.

She is currently building a report on us and preparing us to go to panel in June this year to find out if we are suitable to become adoptive parents.

That dream of becoming a Mother and a family is soon hopefully going to become a reality w spring 2021 / issue 05

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By: helen ponder

I

t is one of my favourite times of the year - the promise of new beginnings, the blossom on the trees, blankets of snowdrops, lighter evenings, splashes of yellow, birds singing early in the morning and to know sunnier brighter days are coming.

I have been on my journey since August and I am not going to lie, at times it has been hard to stay

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“We need to refuse to compare ourselves to others – we are all unique!” focused trying not reward myself with something for just getting through the day. I am proud I have stuck with it but there always seems to be something trying to get

in the way – Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and now Easter! Thank goodness I have never been able to find marzipan filled easter egg – now there is a thought!! I think making conscious choices seems to help and I like to pick my vice, glass of wine or handful of mini eggs? What would I prefer? Well, if I am honest both!

But I will make the best choice for

Photos:burst.shopify.com

Spring a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be

me and while trying ignore all of the beautiful foiled wrapped eggs while in Waitrose! I’ll grab myself some beautiful tulips – they last longer than the mini eggs and wine!!

In this third lockdown I promised myself that I needed to stop overthinking trying to be slimmer, to stop obsessing over my failures, to stop doubting myself and to see the greatness in me. I have focused on what is in front of me and I am taking one step at a time and even one meal at a time! This has made me feel more positive and in control of me! I felt like I needed a refreshing change, I am a great Instagram fan and came across the amazing Richie Norton he’s a former professional ex-rugby player he is known as the ‘The Strength Temple’ and he really is a temple of strength. He guides you through Yoga and Breathwork with daily practices and he runs a community called ‘The Vibe Tribe’ which is rooted in nature and designed to lift your vibe one small step at a time – there is a small subscription fee but wow just wow he has changed the way

“I have focused on what is in front of me and taking one step at a time” I breathe I can get into to some amazing poses and positions and it has worked wonders with my anxiety – give him a follow www.instagram.com/richienorton_ Are you ready? Are you summer ready? This time of year we all start to feel the pressure and we start to see all the adverts ‘lose 20lbs in 7 days’ ‘lose weight and keep it off’. It did not take long for the media to jump onto this too, all of the magazines are advertising their best weight loss plans and how to look and feel fabulous!!

Ironically, they’re always situated opposite the shelves filled with all the yummy easter eggs and beautiful easter cakes! I think most of us can relate to the burden we feel and the need to be slimmer and strive to have the perfect

summer body. This year there is even more need for us to take notice of all these adverts due to a whole year of being in lockdown.

June is when we could be back with our friends and family and the worry of how we are going to look looms in our thoughts!! But to be able to see our loved ones again will be just fantastic and we need to refuse to compare ourselves to others – we are all unique!

We have all been so very comfortable in the colder months wrapped up in our loungewear and now we have to start thinking of warmer days and less clothes – yikes! But we need to let go of the ‘should have beens’ and embrace everything that is today.

Be grateful for how it is even if you had wished things to be different.

Embrace it all acceptance, gratitude, joy, and love – we really must choose to love it all.

Have a wonderful Easter enjoy the brighter days… w Love, Helen xx spring 2021 / issue 05

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Makeup Junkie by:Andrea Pellegrini

“Time to ditch those old cosmetics you’ve had in your makeup bag for years and update that routine you’ve been doing since the 90’s” In 2014 at the age of 39 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and after a bit of persuasion from my husband and daughter started up my own You Tube channel Baldly Beautiful, doing makeup tutorials for ladies like myself going through chemo and still wanting to look like ourselves, and look and feel beautiful. I gained so much 34

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interested I ended up in various magazines, the London news and even on the Lorraine show!

This channel is still there for all who need it.

After 12 years at Mac I decided to leave and concentrate on my own freelance business and last year during lockdown decided once again to start up makeup tutorials, this time on IGTV called Fab Over 40. I felt there was a need for ladies in the older age bracket to have someone show them how to apply their makeup in a way that was relevant to them.

These videos are available to watch on Instagram @ andreapmakeup1. It was whilst going through chemo that my dreams

of starting up my own makeup brand started to fester and last December after many months of planning I launched Miss Angel Face www.missangelfacecosmetics.co.uk finally my dream had come true!

We are only just starting out and going from strength to strength, I have finally found my niche and having so much fun! Miss Angel Face is a totally vegan and cruelty free brand and committed to providing luxury but affordable makeup that does what it claims. We celebrate all women of any age and every shade.

Here is my super easy guide to refreshing your look!

Time to ditch those old cosmetics you’ve had in your makeup bag for years and update that routine you’ve been doing since the 90s.

Brows First things first don’t go heavy on the brow makeup! Eyebrows really frame the face and make us look younger but too much runs the risk of looking like something out of Sesame Street! Pick a brow brush such as NYX Precision Brow Pencil, which has a retractable

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

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I

’ve always been a makeup junkie, my earliest memories are of playing with the makeup testers in my local chemist at about age eight, praying the sales assistant wouldn’t catch me and march me out before I could try out the latest lipstick arrivals!

Starting my career in Makeup with Mac Cosmetics, my dreams of playing with makeup all day had finally come true!

It’s so easy these days to get confused with all the new products constantly launching, the YouTube tutorials mainly aimed at the under 30s, all those insta glam pics bombarding your feed and all those gorgeous products you were sold by the immaculately made up (20 year old) sales assistant on the beauty counter in your local department store, who demonstrated them perfectly but when you got them home you couldn’t remember what went where and what they did, needless to say they probably all ended up in a drawer gathering dust!

Here’s a simple guide to looking brighter and fresher and where you should be applying what and where it needs to go!! lead on one end and a brush on the other. Use light strokes and fill in where needed, brush through to blend the product into the brow hair for a more natural look.

Concealer Use a liquid concealer under the eyes, my favourite is Magic Away

by Charlotte Tilbury make sure you bring the concealer right into the inner corner - the skin which rests against the side of your nose, most ladies forget this area, the skin here tends to go dark so concealing here is a really easy way to brighten up the whole face!

If your under eye bags are very dark, pick a slightly pinker shade to counteract the darkness and tone it down then pop a lighter shade in the inner corner to really

brighten. Use a blending brush to really get into the corners, under the eyes I like to pat the concealer in with my finger to really melt the product into the skin. To stop the concealer from going cakey, creasing and fading use a finely milled translucent powder under the eyes to set. My favourite is Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, use a small fluffy brush to lightly dust the powder under the eyes.

Eyes To make eyes look bigger always use a lighter shade of eye shadow on the lid and a darker colour in the outer corner, don’t go too crazy just a light smudge of a darker colour is enough.

4 To really make your eyes pop spring 2021 / issue 05

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Superfan Mascara Smashbox £19 www.smashbox.co.uk

Photo:burst.shopify.com

and look brighter, a lighter colour on the inner corner and brow bone is a must! Line those upper lashes to make your lashes look longer and really frame the eyes! No need to go heavy use a super fine liquid liner such as Miss Angel Face All Day Drama Waterproof liner which has a super fine tip, enabling you to create the thinnest of lines. Or for a super soft look dip an angled or straight edged brush into some

NYX pencil £9 available from www.boots.com 36

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“Not many ladies understand the power of these metal looking scissor contraptions” eye shadow and press into your top lashes to create a soft line. To stop the look from being too harsh, use a dark brown or grey instead of black.

Lashes Let’s talk about eyelash curlers!

Not many ladies understand the power of these metal looking scissor contraptions which can look quite scary but trust me they will make so much difference! My favourite are from Keyvn Aucoin available from Look Fantastic, carefully place them into the lashes and from the base squeeze and release moving upwards, do this a

Kevin Aucoin curler £17 www.lookfantastic.com few times to make the lashes really open out, then follow with a few coats of your favourite mascara, my favourite is the Super Fan by Smashbox, this mascara lengthens and thickens without going clumpy and is really long lasting and won’t smudge.

Blush Now for the cheeks. When applying blush stick to the apples of the cheeks for that rosy flush, just smile and apply, always stick to the upper part of the cheek, the lower down you go the more it drags the face down, the trick is Hollywood icons lipstick £12 www.missangelfacecosmetics.co.uk to keep the blusher higher so as to lift the face up. Great colours and contain antioxidants and anti to go for to really brighten up thinner and flatter, always line the aging ingredients. An extra tip to the complexion are tones on the lips and my trick is to apply lipstick making lips look ultra juicy is dab peachy and coral sides to from the bullet then line some gloss in the centre to give the really lift sallow and the lips after to illusion of bigger lips. w dull skin, the even out the darker the shape this skin tone the helps the Miss Angel Face was created by richer and liner to Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist brighter glide Andrea Pellegrini. Having trained shades you more as a Makeup Artist and Hairdresser should go. easily Andrea started her career in the They may when creative industry working on look scary the makeup counters for the most in the pot lips have prestigious brands and then going but on the skin product on on to build her own successful will really pop and them already, freelance business. She has done brighten. My favourite you can really see Extra dimension everything from Balayage to Baftas, powder blushers are where you need to shape blush mac £24 www.

Bridal to London Fashion week and the extra Dimension and if you wish to over maccosmetics.co.uk much more in between. blushers from Mac line then you can do or for cream the new so whilst seeing where Andrea first had the idea to create Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out the product needs to go rather her own brand in 2014 after losing Freestyle Cream Blush are than over lining too much. Matte all her hair due to chemotherapy gorgeous. textures tend to make lips look through having breast cancer. flatter and smaller so if you love During treatment she created LIPS the matte look but want juicier her own YouTube channel Baldly As we age looking lips go for a Hollywood Beautiful, creating tutorials not just our lips Icons lipstick and matching lip for others going through chemo become liner from Miss Angel Face, to cheer them up and show them these lipsticks have a semi matte how they could still look and feel texture, they are moisturising, beautiful but makeup looks and tips Hollywood icons lipstick £12 long lasting and leave a stain on that could work for anyone. www.missangelfacecosmetics.co.uk the lips, they are totally hydrating spring 2021 / issue 05

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As the easing of restrictions draws closer, I’m wondering how to reconcile the need to get excited about exercise again with the apathy that months of biscuits, boxsets and elasticated clothing have left me with.

B

y way of background, I first started exercising properly and consistently when I was 39. I joined a gym just days after my marriage ended and was like a fish out of water. My needs had been so unimportant to me for so long that it hadn’t occurred to me to buy the right kit, and I arrived for my showround wearing battered trainers, normal leggings and one of my ex-husband’s old t shirts. I didn’t even have a sports bra (a HUGE oversight in every sense given that I often wear two nowadays).

Mortified, I looked around at all the members who seemingly had it all: the right gear, fantastic figures and their dignity, and felt like a hopeless and unworthy imposter. But as I was still sharing a home with my ex-husband at the time, the gym became my great escape and I started living for the classes. In the early days, I’d be so exhausted that I felt like I was going to throw up afterwards, but fast forward just a couple

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By: Claire Lodge

claire lodge

of months and my shape – and mindset – was really starting to transform. I began to feel excited about the future, and although my approach to exercise has become

more moderate, it will always be a crucial part of joining the dots between my spiritual and physical self.

Having resolved some of the

Walking with her dog, ozzy

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Fitness in my 40’s

deep-rooted issues that sat behind my questionable relationship with food, I thankfully didn’t carry the worst of my all or nothing approach to diet and fitness into my 40s. But although I’m much kinder to myself these days, it can still be hard not to succumb to the insidious 360° messages which insinuate that I should approach exercise in a certain way and have a certain-sized waistline, especially given that the celebrities in my age range who manage it are put on a pedestal and the ones that don’t are degraded. I’d imagine that as a 40 plus woman in the media you can’t really win; your popularity is inextricably bound up in your physical appearance and you’re constantly being pitted against someone else (add an extra sprinkle of glee if that someone is younger).

Depressing stuff.

Although I’ll never be a person who survives on a lettuce leaf a day or does a ‘shred’ that doesn’t involve duck, of course I still want to look and feel good. But like many of us, I’m now wondering how to reconcile the need to step things back up with the apathy

“I’ll never do a shred that doesn’t involve duck” months of biscuits, boxsets and elasticated clothing have left me steeped in. I’m guessing this will take time. Like so many things in life, being mentally ‘in the game’ is like chemistry on a first date: elusive, fragile and not something you can force. But the one thing I can control - if not the negative, ‘meh’ self-talk - is staying physically in the game. That’s why I keep making myself do some form of physical activity three times a week. Some days it’s a run, others it’s twenty minutes with Joe Wicks or a long walk with my greyhound. And while exercise might not be the centre of my universe, it’s still a valid part of it, and for that I’m proud.

On occasion, I’ve even been known to get genuinely excited about exercise. Fewer restrictions mean more time to travel, and one

of the things I’m looking forward to is exercising somewhere other than my own four walls. I’ve always liked the idea of taking my running kit on holiday with me but until recently, never actually got it out of the case. On holiday in beautiful Whitby last year, I surprised myself by running three times, including a euphoric sprint along the cliff edge next to the Abbey in thick, early morning fog, powered by the sound of the North Sea crashing against the shore. It was a fantastic way to get under the skin of a place I already know and love and I carried that magic around with me all day.

Let’s face it, exercise is far from easy, whether we’re panting our way up and down a track, punching our way through a 90s dance tune, or shaking like a shitting dog while holding the tree pose, but we also know it makes life better. And when you stay in the game - even as more of a reserve you’re winning.

Regardless of what Gwyneth Paltrow is doing. w spring 2021 / issue 05

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K Kate Morris-Bates Clinical therapist, wellness expert and founder of Inside Out Wellness Ltd, also former track and field international Athlete 40

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Kate covers

• Chinese Medicine • Acupuncture • Body therapy for pain support • Natural aesthetics • Medical skin care needs for burns and scars • Wellness and life coaching • Stress, anxiety and emotional wellbeing • Pain management • Natural approaches to Skin therapy including for medical need such as scars and burns

ate Morris-Bates, 45 from the Cheshire/ North Wales border is a straight talking, practical wellness expert who swapped her high heels for a clinic coat – she is on a mission to empower women over 40 to take control of their bodies and their minds. Kate fuses Eastern and Western philosophies to health, wellbeing and beauty to create premium individual treatments, from the inside-out.

Kate wasn’t always a therapist, for over 20 years she was a corporate hard hitter, a high flying woman in a grey suited man’s world, a Top 100 Exec leader earning six-figures in a huge national company, leading 600+ people and being responsible for hundreds of millions of pounds.

It was one of the biggest jobs of its kind in the UK. She was living the high life and she loved it, until

her world imploded in her midthirties... “when you lose one baby, your perspective changes. when you lose six, your life changes. when it happens inside 2 years, your world changes.”

Kate is now on a mission to empower other women to be body proud and not let our hormones, health issues, aches and pains, the lines and wrinkles that come with the ageing process define us, yet choose to honour our bodies. Kate knows first hand how it can feel when your body lets you down.

As a former track and field International Athlete, Kate knows the frustration of realising your body can’t do what it used to do - or doesn’t look like it used to do and she also knows the grueling heartache and the emotional and physical toll that comes with 4 miscarriages and fertility issues. spring 2021 / issue 05

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Kate’s Professional Practice Kate started InsideOut Wellness with a clear vision - to empower people of all ages to access a range of credible complementary therapies and alternative medicine treatments. To aid their overall wellbeing, and their story by providing these in a beautiful wellness space.

Kate is personally passionate about empowering women – she said; “To be your best powerful self - the woman you’d love to be and know is deep inside somewhere then you have to put yourself first.

And not feel guilty or ashamed about it. Easier said than done though, right? Which is why I can help you, with a range of proven treatments, and honest advice to connect with the best version of you. Because if you prioritise your own needs you are telling yourself you matter. That’s powerful.

Because when you have that, not only will you feel stronger, fitter, healthier you will also feel more confident, have more self-belief and feel like the strong, awesome, head-turning woman you are.

“Everything I do is tailored to your individual health and

“Everything I do is tailored to your individual health and wellness needs” wellness needs. I’m talking using hands on, practical, and proven, action orientated body therapy techniques, combined with real, honest coaching support. I’m an expert in a variety of health and wellbeing therapies, from coaching to pain management to worldleading skincare which I will combine to create your bespoke plan.”

Via her one-to-one sessions in her skin and pain clinics, clients are treated as individuals with individual needs and there is an emphasis on working together as a team to achieve the individual’s

wellness goal, whether it is to manage a chronic condition, recover from an operation or get healthier skin! Kate’s Whole Women Wellness experience takes client wellness to deeper depths of personal discovery and change.

Kate was delighted to hear that in January 2020, after a 4-year consultation, the Government health organization NICE now encourage doctors to prescribe natural medicines such as; acupuncture, coaching and exercise in support of the management of chronic pain. w www.katemorrisbates.com Facebook: @insideoutwellnessuk -www. facebook.com/insideoutwellnessuk Instagram: @katemorrisbates_wellness Twitter: @InsideOut_Well LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ katemorris-bates-wellness-expert spring 2021 / issue 05

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Dating...as a black woman By: chrissie bray

Photo:burst.shopify.com

B

ody Confidence is something that has to come from within. As a black woman I’m finding that I’m having to dig that little bit deeper to reach it. Is it any wonder as black women that we have body confidence issues when our bodies are frequently hyper sexualised and fetishised. Even something as

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simple as dating raises up an ugly narrative and challenges our self worth and body confidence. Ask any black woman who has a dating app and the most two common statements in her inbox will be “ I don’t date black girls” or “I’ve never been with a black woman before” usually followed with “Do you like white chocolate?”

Immediately after seeing those type of messages in your inbox you are then forced to find peace with your own body and strength to deal with the underlying message that a black woman’s beauty lies in her sexual prowess. Furthermore the mainstream media has oversexualized black female bodies for centuries. This has caused

black women to be increasingly objectified and demoralized. It has more so influenced body image, and how in particular black bodies “should be,” that has plagued the black community and that in turn has filtered down to the indigenous population. It’s a common stereotype for black women that we are seen as more “sexual”, “exotic” and “hot. As a young black woman looking for body acceptance and confidence how can we navigate our own self worth when surrounded by these constant challenges?

As a black woman, accepting my own body and feeling confident throws challenges towards the dating world as this platform generally serves to destroy the self worth and body confidence of the average black woman. At one extreme, potential suitors may offer their interest but purely as a task for objectification and to corroborate the fetishisation of the black woman. Messages asking if you taste of chocolate, if they can lick the chocolate off your skin or if you like cream in your coffee are all sent with ease. The killer jugular comment though has to be “you are pretty for a black girl”.

With comments like these thrown around so casually, how as a black woman can we practice self-love when we are so blatantly fetishized or condemned.

In the dating world, black women are often made to feel like we’re not good enough and that we’re only worthy of

‘black women are often made to feel like we’re not good enough’

“I love myself and want to attract a partner who loves me not for my skin colour but for who I am” helping a man tick ‘sex with a Black woman’ off his bucket list, rather than actual love and a healthy meaningful relationship.

I love myself and want to attract a partner who loves me not for my skin colour but for who I am.

Things won’t change overnight and some men will always perpetuate this type of behaviour but it’s hugely important to press for change and increase our

awareness. Furthermore with a global pandemic thrown in the mix, the dating arena is now even trickier to navigate.

Dating, as a black woman will always throw up challenges, as there will always be men who will ignore me, fetishize me or hate me. But I am hopeful. Every rom com out there is telling me that there is someone who will accept my love for Boho interiors, head wraps and appreciate the novelty of cupcakes. It just looks like I just have to be patient, and date a lot of trash men, to find him. w Find Chrissie on instagram at: instagram. com/chrissiescorner spring 2021 / issue 05

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xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

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Vamping it up!

The name Vampire Facial sounds kind of menacing – but is actually a very exciting antiageing treatment that’s fast gaining in popularity.

T

So, what does the Vampire Facial help with? w Improves the appearance of wrinkles, scars and stretch marks w Rejuvenates the under eye area w Reduces the size of open pores w Plumps and volumizes any area of the face or body Since 2015, the uptake of the Vampire Facial has grown massively, and its popularity has continued to increase steadily ever since, thanks to huge media coverage and several celebrities announcing that their youthful

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he Vampire Facial (also referred to as a blood facial) is one of the most talked about anti-ageing treatments of this decade; rather than undergoing invasive surgery or using unnatural substances to fill, remove or reduce wrinkles, the Vampire Facial harnesses the very powerful, natural healing ability of your own body to reduce the signs of ageing, resulting in a fresher, firmer and more youthful appearance in a more natural way. appearance was partially as a result of this innovative procedure.

But is this just another beauty fad that’s going to disappear as soon as the hype dies down I hear you ask?

Personally, I don’t think so, and here’s why…

It harnesses your body’s own regeneration power The real beauty of the Vampire Facial is that it doesn’t manipulate or change your body forcibly like surgery, but instead harnesses your body’s own ability to heal and

regenerate. A Vampire Facial is a type of PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment that uses the platelets from your blood to stimulate a healing response.

During the treatment, a medical professional will take some of your blood, similar to when you go for a blood test, and then place it in a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma. This plasma is then inserted into the deeper layers of the skin on your face using a microneedling device.

This pen like device creates thousands of minute puncture

It’s non-surgical and pretty much pain free The Vampire Facial is a non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment.

This means there is no need for a general anaesthetic and there is no trauma or scarring to your face.

Ahead of the treatment a local anaesthetic cream is applied to help numb your face and reduce any discomfort, and most people have described the procedure as being a relatively pain free experience.

The aesthetics nurse then uses the microneedling device to create tiny puncture holes, pushing the regenerating platelet-rich plasma into the skin. Although this might sound unpleasant, the holes are so minuscule that it’s actually more comfortable than you would expect.

It’s safe and there’s no recovery time needed PRP treatments are safe, effective and have been used for medical purposes such as healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints for many years.

Because the Vampire Facial uses only your own platelets, there is no risk of any allergies or adverse

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holes in the skin, also known as ‘microchannels’, by moving it over the skin repeatedly.

Once inside your body, the platelets get to work stimulating the regeneration of old, weakened skin cells and promoting the growth of new collagen and elastin.

The result: brighter, healthier and more youthful-looking skin.

reactions. A few people experience some mild redness and swelling due to the tiny microneedles, but this resolves itself without intervention within 24-48 hours.

There is also no need to rest or take any time off work to recover following the treatment.

“no need for a general anaesthetic and there is no trauma or scarring to your face” It does more than just anti-ageing A surgical facelift can tighten your skin and stretch out your wrinkles. Injectable fillers can help reduce wrinkles and plump drooping or sagging skin.

However, a Vampire Facial can do more than just anti-ageing ...

Because it works on healing and regenerating the cells in your skin, it can help give your face a more vibrant appearance. Dull skin can be brightened, wrinkles smoothed, large pores reduced and skin tone

and texture improved. Resulting in not only fewer wrinkles and a younger-looking skin but a brighter, firmer and healthier appearance too.

It’s a very affordable treatment The popularity of non-surgical anti-ageing treatments is on the increase, and it’s easy to see why.

Not only are they safe, painless and less traumatic to the body t han surgical treatments, they are low cost too.

My main mission is to enable people to access these types of treatment, boost their body confidence and help them to feel more comfortable with their appearance.

Here at Nix Natural Aesthetics a Vampire Facial starts from just £200, making it affordable and accessible to the likes of you and me, not just the rich and famous! w For more information contact: @Nix_natural_aesthetics @the.luxe.clinic Nixnaturalaesthetics@gmail.com spring 2021 / issue 05

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A L LOW YO U R S E L F TO D I S C OV E R THE BEAUTIFYING PROPERTIES O F C R Y S TA L S W I T H O U R C O N S C I O U S LY C U R A T E D C O L L E C T I O N O F TA L I S M A N S

WELCOME TO YOUR MINDFUL BEAUTY RITUAL TA L I S M A L O N D O N . C O M