Author: Grace

THINNING HAIR?

If, like me, you have very fine, thinning hair, read on! I’ve discovered that almost all of my 50+ post menopausal friends are complaining of the same thing. So I thought I’d try and find out ways to combat this seemingly common problem.

My first thought was shampoo and conditioner. I’d heard about Plantur 39 which is specially formulated for menopausal hair thinning. Phyto caffeine stimulates hair growth. I am finding it very pleasant to use – no strong fragrance, no drying out or flattening of my hair and not too expensive. I have to wash my hair almost every day because it’s all over the place when I wake up each morning, so I like the nourishing ingredients in this product. The addition of zinc and niacin boosts hair fullness and improves nutrient flow, making this an ideal choice for those struggling with menopausal hair changes.

You can try both shampoo and conditioner for under £20 at Tesco or at Amazon.

I am also going to try Cornish Seaweed shampoo about which there is a buzz of excitement. With 60% organic seaweed and herbs, their Super Nutrient Shampoo is designed to improve hair strength, elasticity and shine, help balance hair oils, stimulate healthy hair growth, prevent hair loss and soothe the scalp.Will report back on that once I’ve tried it.

Tip: After you’ve washed your hair, let it dry naturally until only slightly damp, then get going with your hairdryer on medium (not full blast) heat. There are heat protectants on the market that you can use but I haven’t tried one yet so can’t recommend one in particular.

I have also been using Color Wow XL Bombshell Volumiser. You pump some foam into your palms and run it through your hair. Am pleased to report that it is weightless and non-sticky. £11 at Amazon. I haven’t found it gives me a huge amount of extra volume like promoted on Instagram but my hair does feel somewhat fuller when I use it.

Another thing I do to add volume to my hair is use sticky rollers once I’ve dried my hair. I pop them in while I’m doing my make up, then remove them and give my hair a spray with good old Elnett Extra Strong Hold.

Last but not least my lovely hairdresser, Emma at Lustig & Webb, blunt cuts the base but makes sure the upper section is graduated and layered. I have my hair cut as short as I dare which gets rid of the dryer ends and gives it more body. Blonde highlights have been my thing since I was a teenager and I always find my hair feels fuller after I’ve had some put in.

Have you got any tips to share with the Our Weekly Whisper readers? Please do leave them in the Comment section below this post if you do. Thank you.

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NEW GRANDSON (AND A WRINKLE FIX!)

Annabel is over the moon because she has a grandson! This is her first time as a granny and she couldn’t be more delighted. So huge congratulations on the arrival of Kittow (Cornish for Christopher).

Although she’s now busy helping her daughter, she did have time to mention one product she’s recently discovered. Not sure about you, but I’ve been inundated with Il Makiage ads on Instagram for some months now and I must admit my interest has been piqued but I’ve never actually bought anything as yet. So I was on the phone to Annabel in an instant to find out what she thought about the product she had been given by a friend – Power Redo Wrinkle Fix.

It’s an anti-ageing blur and smooth wrinkle filler. “It really does work. Brilliant for a special occasion.”

Anyhow, if you’d like to find out more about Power Redo Wrinkle Fix you can check it out here.

This is not an ad or paid promotion.

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LEARNING A LESSON

Grace has been learning a lesson. Like so many other older women we talk to, she found herself feeling as if she had something missing in her life. Do you feel you have been cast adrift? This seems especially relevant when our children have (finally!) flown the nest. Suddenly we have more time on our hands and this can lead to us feeling ‘rudderless’.

Far from being a negative, this time of life can be absolutely uplifting. Whether you choose to revisit a skill that you never had time to develop, or learn a language (rated highly for stimulating your brain), or go back to college as a mature student as Grace has done.

Check out what Grace has to say on our Instagram…

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YOUR STYLE GUIDE TO DRESSING UP

Before you know it the lead up to 25 December will have started. Are you ready to party? Well, Annabel and I have been to see the new fashion trends at M&S to edit the very best that our favourite store has for us older women. You are spoilt for choice with festive sparkle jackets, trousers, sumptuous velvets, classic black outfits with a glittery twist and some elegant dresses. In short, there’s something for everyone. So, without further delay, here’s your style guide to dressing up for Christmas:

Elegant dresses

Animal print is back with a vengeance and I found this midaxi tie neck waisted dress with its elbow length sleeves very comfortable and forgiving of my lumps and bumps. £39.50. We also oohed and aahed over this vibrant yellow sequinned Midaxi Shift dress from Autograph £99. And there’s two other dresses we’d like to highlight to you…

Velvet Round Neck Midaxi Dress £45 in Teal and this timeless Velvet Lace Midi Column Dress £99 – either will guarantee that you look chic.

Any of the above dresses will look wonderful with the comfortably flat yet feminine Bow Block Heel slingbacks in Black or animal print £35.

Co-ordinates

If you’re unsure of what to wear, think about coordinates because they have got to be the easiest kind of outfit. The styling is done for you – just add shoes and jewellery! Lots of Christmassy colours ie standout red and chic greens.

Embellished Relaxed Single Breasted Blazer £75 (available in both green and black) and matching Wide Leg Trousers £55 (in three lengths) . There’s also a matching long sleeved top £35 in petite or regular. Red is such a wonderfully festive, standout colour. I was impressed by this Collared Short Tailored Jacket £59 and matching tailored straight leg trousers £39.50.

Cosy coats

One word for the M&S winter coats – wonderful. Generously sized, stylish and essential to keep you toasty on the way to and from a night out. Particular faves are the red Single Breasted Longline Tailored Coat with Wool £89 that Annabel is wearing in this photograph and the Textured Longline Tailored Coat £79 that she is holding. Or there’s the unbelievably good to touch Faux Fur Longline Coat £79, Lavender Grey Feather and Down Longline showerproof puffer £125.

We’d also like to give a shout out to the Checked Longline Trench Coat with Wool £109 which is a classic that you’ll wear again and again. Last but not least, the very smart (and generously sized) navy Wool Blend Collarless Longline Coat £89 which in my humble opinion is an absolute must-have bargain!

Keeping it (relatively) casual

As some of us prefer to add a touch of glitz to our outfits – for example if you’re invited to a more informal occasion – there’s plenty on offer.

We were delighted to see that M&S has even given denim a festive twist. There’s a Denim Diamante Trucker Jacket £55 and Ivy High Waisted skinny jeans £32.50. Wear with some Sparkle Flat Square Toe Ballet Pumps £45 and you’ve got a fabulous relaxed party look.

Other single pieces you might find useful are the Sleeveless Sequin Top in Petite or Regular £35, the elegant High Neck Blouse £29.50 in Red or Black or the supersoft red cashmere long sleeved crew neck £89 (available in 14 colours).

Collaborations

We’re really enjoying the M&S collaborations and the standout Sienna Miller piece in our book was the wool blend double breasted blazer £125 in winter white (available with matching trousers and waistcoat). Check out the entire Sienna Miller collection here.

Dressing up for a night in

When it’s time to relax, we’d like to recommend some seriously cosy clothes to curl up on the sofa in while you watch Christmas films on TV. Teddy Fleece Dressing Gown £25 in five sizes and six colours and the one size fits all Fleece Star Print Oversized Lounge Hoodie £22 in Navy or Grey Mix. Lower the heating thermostat and open the popcorn!

We hope you’ve found the above dressing up edit useful and that you’ll be celebrating Christmas in style.

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Summer is here (at M&S at least!)

The warmer (and unfortunately, wetter) weather has arrived and so I suppose we can say that Summer is finally here. However, forecasters are predicting heatwaves in July and August, so Annabel and I were keen to meet up at our favourite one stop store to give our summer wardrobes a refresh and prepare for the sun. Here are some of our top picks that, at the time of writing, are available in store and/or online and are all very reasonably priced…

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  • Linen Rich Printed V-Neck Midaxi Dress £45 (available short, regular and long lengths and in black/white colourway)
  • Linen Rich Printed V-Neck Tunic in Bright Sage (also available in same lovely pattern as the dress Grace is wearing) £39.50 in short, regular and long lengths. Worn with Suede Flat Mules £39.50 and Straw Tote Bag £45
  • Pure Cotton Striped Shirt £35 worn with Lyocell Blend High Waisted Wide Leg Jeans £35 (available in three other colours and short, regular and long lengths)
  • Pure Cotton Embroidered V-Neck Beach Dress £39 (also available in black)

In addition to our personal choices for older women that we’ve featured in the photographs above, there were stylish shorts of varying lengths, plenty of sleeveless tops and dresses, some great lightweight jackets, hats, jewellery, sophisticated swimwear and super cool sunglasses.

In fact there was so much to choose from in store (not forgetting M&S’s delicious coffee and the delights of the Food Hall), but you’ll also find even more brands and styles online – either way, M&S definitely has us older women covered. Why not have a look?

Have you checked out our recent recipes yet?

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