People don’t believe I’m a 40-year-old mum and they mistake me for my son’s girlfriend – here are my top skincare tips
A MUM-OF-THREE has shared her top tips for keeping a youthful appearance.
Brenda Gabriel, 40, says people never guess her real age as they always think she's in her 20s and strangers assume she is her son's partner.
"As you get older, it tends to dry out a little bit more, so now what I do is oil cleansing."
As for the myth that oil makes the skin break out, she said: “It’s a total lie, especially when you’re getting older. It’s one of the best things to clean your face with.”
She also swears by one brand of budget-friendly skincare: “The Ordinary changed my life.”
Her “hero products” include ‘Buffet’ Multi Technology Peptide Serum, Alpha Arbutin Hyaluronic Acid, and Resveratrol Serum.
As for her diet, Brenda has learnt the importance of a protein to feel and look her best, so enjoys a protein shake every so often, as well as a health-pumped green smoothie every other day.
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Although we've all been told how helpful exercise is for keeping young, Brenda is more interested in listening to her body than hitting the gym for hours each day, and urged others to adopt the same mindset.
“Don’t feel bad if you’re not into meditating or you’re not really into exercise because I’m not really into any of those things at this stage of my life.
"Mindfulness is really important, connecting with your body and getting to a stage where, if you’re stressed out because you’ve snapped at your children or something, you know when to walk away from a situation.”
Brenda said having a stress-free life has also helped with her youthful looks adding she treats herself with care and compassion, which in turn keeps her looking and feeling young, as she’s less stressed.
"Burning the candle at both ends is a sure-fire way to age oneself prematurely: “You don’t get anywhere by constantly pushing yourself," she explained.
Brenda has found herself being mistaken for her 23-year-old’s son’s partner numerous times and is continually met with complete shock when strangers discover her age.
“We were walking down the street in Turkey, my son and I, and my partner was behind us with the two younger kids.
“People were asking my son if I was his girlfriend and he just rolled his eyes as if to say, ‘Here we go again’.
"It’s happened more than once.”
Brenda admits her youthful looks do have their downfall, as she has occasionally been on the receiving end of patronising comments by people who assume she must be young and inexperienced at work.
But overall Brenda loves her youthful appearance, she said: ”I embrace looking younger because it makes me feel like I've got a lot more mileage in me.”
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As for growing older, said while she would never say never to receiving cosmetic treatment, she hopes to age into her 50s and beyond naturally.
“There's a part of me that does worry about what I will look like as I get older.
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"I'm hoping that I will want to grow old gracefully.