Does the coming end of 2020 feel like a blessing or a new beginning to you? As with so many things, it depends, doesn’t it?

If you turned 60 this year, or if you, like me, are starting to slide into 70 (I turn 68 in January), or if you’re like our founder, Margaret Manning, your 60s are already in the rear-view mirror. Consequently, this year might well have felt like a terrible waste.

So many things we couldn’t do, so many things we had to stop doing, so many new limitations. And for far, far too many of us, terrible losses.

However, if I may.

Perspective Is Very Important

As with all things in our lives, you and I have choices. One of those choices is to decide how we frame our situations.

We can concentrate on our losses: our youth, our unlined faces, thighs without cellulite, a youthful pre-kids waistline, any number of body-image issues that you and I might have. By this time in our lives, we have also lost friends and family.

We can also concentrate on what we’ve gained: a modicum of wisdom, new perspectives and experience, the gravitas that only comes with losses and life lessons and failures and the hard-won ability to laugh in the face of life’s worst.

Your time is now. Our time is now. Here’s why.

This Inverse article points out what you and I probably already know but may not necessarily acknowledge: we only truly come into our own right around 60.

Yes. Sixty.

My goodness, what terrific news that is, for those of us who have, and my hand is up here, spent far too much time focusing on the physical and what we lose, rather than celebrating the wisdom and grace that only comes with age.

The Possibilities After 60

I didn’t even begin to take on what I loved best until the year I turned 60. My first book didn’t get born until 58, and the darn thing won three prizes. The only reason why is because by that time I’d been writing for so long, that my “first effort,” as it were, was hardly a first effort.

I’d long since put in my 10 thousand hours. My first book was more so the culmination of decades of hard work.

From the Inverse article:

“Interviews with 1,042 people aged 21 to more than 100 years old reveal that people tend to feel like their lives have meaning at around age 60. That’s the age at which the search for meaning is often at its lowest, and the ‘presence’ of meaning is at its highest, according to a new paper published this week in the journal Clinical Psychiatry.”

I can’t speak for you, but that’s superb news. Because while society in its infinite lack of wisdom begins to devalue you and me for the crime of aging, we are also rising into whom we were meant to be.

We Are Holders of Wisdom

That is if we possess the wisdom to let go of chasing youth and focus more on what the aging processes have given us: the right to mentor, give back, and be in the fullness of our being without the intense pressures of perfection.

One reason I have so much respect for Margaret Manning is that she invested enormous amounts of time and treasure into creating something that serves that very population: you and me, post 60, at a time when society wants to shove our infertile selves aside for youth worship.

If we buy into that message, we stand to lose what we’ve just been given: Permission to be what we have spent six decades learning how to be: our best selves. Without the angst and frustrations of our early and middle years, you and I are free to concentrate on our best work.

We can delight in writing or travel (okay, okay, when the planes fly again, let’s be patient), in exploring not only the world but our inner worlds in ways we simply couldn’t before.

Becoming Your True Self

We have gifts to offer, whether that’s in a new business, or our own family circle, or the circle of friends we have crafted. How will you and I re-create our lives now that, finally, the pressure to live up to impossible standards can be set down?

I can’t speak for anyone else, only myself. Single at almost 68, I have no family but for those I cobble together. My “family” is stretched across 47 countries. As an adventure athlete (though a clumsy one), my life is full of variety and challenge and joy.

This would have been simply unimaginable in my 40s, when I still battled eating disorders and struggled with body image issues. Now free of both, I am living the life that was unimaginable 20 years ago.

This is my time. Your time. This is when we find out what we were always meant to be and give the world our considerable gifts. New lands appear on the horizon at 60.

Lands that we are far better equipped to explore, whether they are emotional, physical, mental, or spiritual, or any combination thereof. We are more ready to head towards those new horizons than ever we were at 20, 40 or even 50. For my part, that is the best possible news, even in a most difficult year.

How are you going to use the time you have now? What gifts have you been given that you can finally now unwrap and enjoy? What are the advantages of having turned 60?

Like her BFF Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner loves to spill the details on her skincare and makeup routine—and we love every second of it. Who wouldn’t want to see exactly how models get ready? It’s like peeking into the chicest medicine cabinet. In a Vogue video, Jenner takes us through her routine, which includes the RCMA Makeup Highlight and Contour Palette.

In the video, Jenner blends the first and the third shades with a concealer brush and applies it under her eyes. “I’m like, so, not a professional,” she says. “You’ll see all the differences between me and Kylie. Kylie is like a legit professional and I’m like, you know what? This works.” And it does. She continues to apply the blended colors in between her brows, down her nose and in a full triangle under her eyes to highlight and brighten the areas.

“I can do my makeup in 15 minutes or less, 20 tops,” she says as she blends the concealer into her skin with a makeup sponge. “Kylie and I are very different because she is, you know, full beat, and I respect it. It takes a lot longer but you know what? She looks fire.”

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

YouTube.

The RCMA Makeup Highlight and Contour Palette is available in Light and Medium/Dark colorways with five colors in each. You can blend any together to get your perfect under-eye shade, zit concealer and contour color. It’s pretty much an all-in-one.

RCMA.

Instead of using it for contour though, Jenner grabs a bronzer stick from her collab with Kylie Cosmetics. “I just like to be able to apply it like a marker,” she says as she defines her cheekbones, forehead, jaw and nose. “My biggest fear is having lines on my face because I didn’t blend it,” she adds, buffing the color out with a powder brush.

Because we know you’ll want to try the palette to see what all the fuss is about, we got you an exclusive discount code just for STYLECASTER readers. Use code STYLECASTER for 25 percent off now through December 23. It’s the perfect gift for yourself this holiday season.

It looks like we might have a long winter with the pandemic, even with the vaccines beginning to roll out. As we continue to bunker down and stay safer at home, it can get harder to entertain ourselves. Though it’s not the real thing, the Internet provides us access to the outside world without even opening the door.

Get Some Culture from the Couch

If you haven’t discovered Google Arts and Culture, it’s a great place to start. It features content from over 2000 museums around the world. Google has you covered if you are looking for museums, street art, or want to enjoy the wonder of parks. Check it out and use it as inspiration for further learning or future traveling.

Beyond Google, various museums are creating their own virtual experiences.

• One option is the Louvre in Paris, where you can visit the museum rooms and enjoy the views and architecture.
• Collections of the Prado Museum, the main Spanish national art museum located in central Madrid, allows the exploration of its vast array online. On top of this, virtual visitors can learn more about the restoration work in its website’s multimedia section.
• Buckingham Palace, an iconic building and the Queen of the United Kingdom’s official London residence, has opened its doors for online visitors. Discover the Throne room, Grand Staircase, and White drawing room without leaving your own living room.
• The Sistine Chapel, which wasn’t easy to get into before the pandemic, can now be admired as often as you like. The Vatican Museums are also offering you the chance to take a tour around their immense collections.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has a 360-degree tour. You can also sign up for a live virtual group tour with your own tour guide.
• The National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC has online self-guided, room-by-room tours.

Travel Without Traveling

While traveling through your computer or phone might not be quite the same, a virtual getaway can be a nice escape from everyday life for just a little bit.

Missing the beach? Listen to the crashing waves and do some people watching in Greece or experience the Maldives’ peacefulness with these 360-degree videos.

It’s nearly impossible to take your eyes off aerial panoramic views of Switzerland’s most picturesque sites shot at different times throughout the year. Each video shows a small map graphics in the corner – to make it easier to find once you decide to hit the road again.

Take an adventure with the Machu Picchu tour. Or have some fun at Disney with their virtual tours or their Virtual WDW 360 degree videos.

Transport yourself in real-time anywhere in the world with live cams. See the hustle and bustle of Times Square in New York City, the Eiffel Tower twinkle in Paris, whales in Hawaii, or watch your favorite animals at the San Diego Zoo.

Find Live Entertainment from Streaming Options

Many other virtual options can help keep you distracted during this unprecedented time.

Musicians and entertainers are moving some events online because they cannot perform live. Google “live stream music” or “live-stream concerts” are just some of the options. Many holiday performances are available online during the next month.

If you are interested in cooking or baking, check out live-streamed cooking classes. Whatever your hobby or interests, you can probably find a way to experience it online. Honestly, you just have to Google it.

Plan Your First Post-Covid Adventure

While it seems like wishful thinking, using these virtual experiences to satisfy our yearning can lead to lust for what we’ve been missing. Use the information to plan your escape once we can be safe and travel.

Getting familiar with hotels, sights, art, and culture now is a great way to be ready. There are more opportunities to learn about places far and wide and more time to do it. Think about alternative methods of traveling that might feel more comfortable.

If you are most comfortable with a road trip, map out destinations, routes, and possible accommodations. If you think a train trip will make life easier, look for close-by sights that you’ve never taken the time to explore.

Check out cruises that may interest you. Many cruise lines are booking now for April through the end of 2021. If you have seen something in the virtual world that you would love to experience in person, find those routes, along with dates and itineraries.

Have you been enjoying any virtual traveling or learning experiences? Which ones are your favorite? Did you know these options existed before reading this article?

I’m not a big fan of anti-aging tips and tricks. In fact, if I see one more online ad with a tagline like “Doctors hate her! Discover the one weird trick this woman used to look 10 years younger,” I’m going to scream.

I’m not sure what makes me more frustrated – the fact that companies think that we are naïve enough to buy their latest pills or potions, or the fact that so many of us still fall for their lies.

These Are the Only Anti-Aging Tips You’ll Ever Need

By now, we know what a 60-year-old body looks like. We live in one every single day. Even those of us who purchase the latest anti-aging creams and capsules know they won’t make us look younger. Not really.

So, what’s the alternative? Should we abandon trying to look our best? Should we accept invisibility? Heck no! There are still plenty of things that we can do to look and feel great. But the anti-aging tricks that we need are not the ones that will cost us hundreds of dollars a month.

Here are 7 anti-aging tricks that every woman over 60 should use.

1. Wear a Genuine Smile

Nothing will make you look older and more tired than wearing a perpetual scowl. The opposite is also true. A genuine smile activates all of the good muscles in your face and tells the world that you are a confident, happy person.

Smiling can also make you happier, through a process that psychologists call the “facial feedback effect.”

This is great news, because, the happier you are, the more likely you will be to engage in activities that keep your body and mind in great shape.

2. Spend Time with Young People

Nothing will make you feel 10 years younger quicker than playing in the park with an ice-cream-fueled 5-year-old. As I wrote previously, young kids can also teach us a surprising amount about getting the most from life after 60.

If you don’t have young kids in your family, why not consider volunteering at a local youth center or becoming a mentor? Giving back has been shown to make you happier and it may just keep you feeling younger too!

3. Burn Fat the Old Fashion Way – By Walking!

Ok, I get it. Staying in shape really is harder after 60. It requires commitment and discipline. But, if we are honest with ourselves, we all know that exercise, combined with a healthy diet, is the single best way to look and feel youthful.

If you are looking for a way to “trick” anti-aging, here’s an easy way to get in shape in just one minute a day.

Let’s say that you want to start running. Try the following. On the first day, go for a one-minute walk. The next day, walk for two minutes.

Continue this process until you are walking for 30 minutes at the end of the month. Now, start running for the first minute and walking for the remaining 29.

If you continue this process, by the end of the second month, you will be running 30 minutes a day. To easy? That’s the whole point!

4. Embrace Your Passions

Most of our adult lives are spent looking after other people. As parents, we often put our children’s needs ahead of our own. As employees, we support our co-workers and managers. Now, in our 60s, it’s time to start embracing our own passions.

Anti-aging creams often claim to give you a “healthy glow.” Well, I promise that nothing will make you glow brighter than knowing that you are making the world a better place, in your own special way.

5. Stop Helping the Clock by Smoking and Spending Time in the Sun

When doctors are working with a patient, they always try to “first do no harm.” The same applies to anti-aging.

There are very few, if any, guaranteed anti-aging tips or treatments. But, there are plenty of things that will take years off of your life, while making you look older.

By the time we reach our 60s, it’s easy to assume that “the damage has been done.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Once again, we all know our problem areas. If you still smoke in your 60s, now is the perfect time to quit. Read more about the 4 bad habits we should kick in our 60s.

6. Give Your Skin What it Really Needs – Water and Nutritious Food

Your skin is amazing and, for the most part, it is perfectly capable of taking care of itself. Sure, using a natural moisturizer will help to lock moisture into your skin. But, for the most part, all your skin needs to stay healthy is sunscreen, water and a balanced diet.

Despite what the supplement companies might want you to believe, the best way to get the vitamins your skin needs is to eat a balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Want to find out more about healthy eating tips for women over 60? Read our article that lists the best things you can do to improve your health.

7. Find Friends Who Make You Laugh

Good friends are an essential part of your “anti-aging kit” for two reasons. First, laughter is a natural mood and energy booster. With the right friends on your side, you will be more likely to engage in the healthy behaviors that will keep you feeling healthy.

Second, and more importantly, surrounding yourself with good friends will remind you to be true to yourself. This means learning to love your aging body.

No anti-aging pill or potion is going to make you more perfect than you already are.

In the next couple of decades, advances in biotechnology, genetics, and nanotechnology will almost certainly give us the ability to reverse many aspects of the aging process. If your doctor offered you the option of reversing the aging process would you take it? Read our article about the real anti-aging revolution that is on its way.

What other anti-aging tips would you offer to women in their 60s? Please join the conversation.

For some reason, bangs are always a bit controversial. Curtain bangs are no different. Some love them and some aren’t feeling them and others think people are calling long layers bangs when they’re really just a layer. Bur regardless, Ashley Benson does have new curtain bangs are they look great on her. The actress shared a video of her on set wearing a wavy bob wig and apparently, it inspired her to make a real change.

Not only did Benson get curtain bangs, but she also went shorter allover and much lighter. “The focal point of this look is the cut and color combo,” her hairstylist Joseph Maine said in a statement. “I love how the platinum color really compliments her skin and the dark root gives her a lot of depth, making her light blonde pop. The depth in her root also goes with her eyebrows and makes her eyes stand out. For the style, I wanted it to look effortless and just slightly tousled.”

Instagram.com/ashleybenson.

“I love working with Ashley because we get to try so many different looks,” the Trademark Beauty co-founder said. “She’s always up for new things. This is our first time really playing with her hair since Paris Fashion Week in March where we did eight different looks. It was fun to try something new today! While this is a wig that she’s currently rocking, we were so inspired by it that we ended up chopping her real hair super short too. It’s pretty drastic!”

Source: Instagram

Benson’s new bangs will take a little styling work to get used to but they’re very versatile. She can wear them straight forward, blown-out in a cool ’70s way or even just tuck them into the rest of her hair when she’s not feeling then. They’ll also grow out easily right into her chic bob. We love them and hope she keeps them around for a while—until she switches it up again.