Beauty Advice
Lorraine Kelly’s beauty rules for midlife
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly tells us how the menopause made her switch up her skincare routine and reveals the beauty products lining her bathroom shelf.
Lorraine Kelly on beauty, menopause and midlife
What do you wish you’d known before menopause?
I think you’ve got to be prepared for the changes that happen during the menopause – especially with your skin and hair, as that can come as quite a shock. As well as my skin getting dry, I found that my hair lost so much moisture because of the hormone changes.
My hair is always getting dried and straightened for work and that takes all the goodness out of your hair, so it’s important to look after it, both before, after, and during the menopause. I found the Super Healthy Hair Moisturizing Conditioner + from Beauty Pie worked wonders for me.
How did your skin change during the menopause?
The menopause definitely made my skin feel a lot drier and look a lot redder and because of that, I felt like I needed to add more moisture back into my skin. My go-to product at the moment is the Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Anti-Ageing Cream, but I’m also a big believer in collagen powder and I take that first thing in the morning.
Another product that I think is great for combatting menopause dryness is a fantastic eye cream. At the moment, I really love the Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream from Beauty Pie.
What are your tips for midlife makeup?
I don’t think I realised that as you age, your skin is probably going to change. My makeup artist, Helen, told me it’s not just the texture, but the tone of your skin also alters as you get older, so you’ve got to be open to changing your beauty routine up a bit.
I think a lot of us are guilty of trying to replicate the same hair and makeup from when we were in our 20s or 30s, but actually, you need to embrace those changes as you age and try new products and styles. Especially with your foundation, blusher and mascara – I’ve found that really black mascara and eyeliner is too dark on me now, so my makeup artist uses a very dark brown or even a very dark blue mascara – but it depends on what suits you.
It might feel daunting getting rid of makeup that you’ve had for years (I’ve got some that are as old as my daughter!) but it gives you a chance to treat yourself to some new makeup!
Do you have any beauty non-negotiables?
For me, it’s all about cleansing. You wear quite a bit of hair and makeup on TV and even though it isn’t as bad as it was 10 years ago, it’s still a lot on your skin.
Cleansing is something I’ve learned from my daughter as well. She double cleanses, and she is evangelical about it! I use a balm and a facecloth and I love that with the facecloth you can wash that and use it again. Liz Earle was such a pioneer of that!
Also, I now always use an SPF, even in the winter and even in Scotland! My favourite one at the moment is the Featherlight UVA/UVB Sunscreen + Primer. I always thought that we don’t need to use sunscreen in the UK, but actually, we have to make sure that we protect our complexion.
Tell us about your everyday beauty routine.
I use the Super Retinol from Beauty Pie which is superb, and I also use the Super Healthy Skin Cleansing Balm. I’m wearing an awful lot of makeup every day because my job is in front of the cameras, so I take my makeup off with that, and then I use the Neck & Chest Super Serum Spray. I really love that product as it’s dead easy to just give yourself a quick spritz!
Then, finally, I use the Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Anti-Ageing Cream. I think having good skin is just getting into that routine.
Why are you partnering with Beauty Pie?
Beauty Pie is something I’ve known about for a little while. It was recommended to me during the pandemic when we all started shopping online!
It’s just so important to have a brand that you trust. That’s why I love Marcia Kilgore [the founder of Beauty Pie]. She’s working hard to give women access to amazing beauty products without them having to pay stupid amounts of money.
What she’s doing is cutting out the middleman and you get all the benefits of a subscription beauty service, without the huge price tag. What I love most about the products is that they’re for anyone. Myself, Rosie and my mother all use them, so they really are for everyone, regardless of your age.
Lorraine Kelly is an investor in the beauty buyers’ club, Beauty Pie. Visit beautypie.com.
Photography: Lorraine Kelly for BonMarche
