Women from three different cultures give candid insights into how they feel about ageing and their perception of beauty as they get older.
Story by Chloe McDermott
Antoinette Roovers (53)
- Dutch/Turkish
- Social work
How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up?
Quite comfortable. When I go to work or something where I have to make an appearance then I really would like to have some mascara on.
Do you have a particular skin care routine?
I put mascara on in the morning and I don’t take it off all day. I wash myself under the shower and I clean it off with a cleansing towel.
Do you use anti-aging products?
I have but I have been on the menopause for two years and I stopped because I was sweating with the cream on my face. I believe they work a bit. Not so much but maybe a little.
Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising?
I don’t feel pressure, but I am influenced for sure but not pressured.
Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now?
I don’t think it really changed much from when I was younger or older. I haven’t felt much confidence with how I look but that hasn’t changed.
Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of ageing?
You don’t see male make-up. Certainly not in the bubbles I’m in. I think when it comes to my age group products advertised to men are mainly for hair loss or shaving like razors.
Suzanne Duffy (45)
- Scottish
- Support for learning assistant
How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up?
I feel fine leaving the house without make-up. But I don’t feel fine leaving the house without my Vitamin E on. I just feel I need something on my face.
Do you have a particular skin care routine?
I always use a facial cleanser in the morning and then apply the vitamin E cream before going out. That works well for me as well as a healthy diet and drinking lots of water.
Do you use anti-aging products?
It either works for your face or it doesn’t. The vitamin E base works for me because I have extremely oily skin. It takes away the redness and the rawness of the weather- beaten look.
Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising?
I wouldn’t say I am ever bothered by adverts really. I just try things. Then when I find something that really works, I stick to it.
Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now?
I am more comfortable in my forties, than I was in my thirties and in my twenties actually. I am more comfortable now than the last twenty years.
Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of aging?
I think the majority of guys my age expect a woman to be a certain way, but they don’t want to make the same level of effort. I think that’s ridiculous.
Sabrina Alamudi (44)
- Dutch/Indonesian
- Secondary teacher
How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up?
I do feel comfortable. I don’t mind not wearing make-up, but I only do that when I drop off the kids at school. However, if I have to go to work or when I go out then I do wear make-up.
Do you have a particular skin care routine?
I always start off with a moisturiser. It is not an expensive one, it is a really cheap one actually. Then the most important thing, I always put on SPF sunscreen. In the evening I always cleanse. I take everything off and that is also very important.
Do you use anti-aging products?
No, I don’t. My anti-aging product is the SPF. I don’t believe in anti-aging products. I believe it’s just a way to sell things and I don’t believe they work.
Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising?
I get the feeling sometimes that I have to buy it even though I know it is just PR or a commercial but I never buy it.
Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now?
Well, when you are younger you haven’t got a clue that you have this lovely skin. Then when you are older you have a wrinkle here, a wrinkle there. I wish I appreciated it more when I was younger.
Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of ageing?
Women have to work harder to get what they want. They say when men get older, they get more handsome, but women get told they get uglier.