Month: December 2025

A recent cruise trip turned tragic when an 80-year-old passenger of the luxury cruise ship Coral Adventurer was found dead on Lizard Island in Australia after she failed to re-board following a shore excursion. This tragedy offers a powerful warning for older travelers and caregivers supporting them.

It reminds us that luxury, remote environments and age bring unique risks – and safeguard steps matter. As the year ends and your resolutions turn to travel, turn your attention to your ability to travel too.

Do A Realistic Health Check-In Before Departure

Even if you’re active, a major trip – especially one involving hikes, remote locations or group excursions – requires honest appraisal of stamina, mobility and general health. That 80-year-old woman was described as having been hiking on Lizard Island when she “fell ill” and then was left to return on her own while the ship departed.

Ask: Can I comfortably handle uneven terrain, heat, stairs or long days? Talk with your doctor about the trip, any medications you carry, and whether the itinerary is too aggressive.

2. Choose Travel Experiences Wisely – and Map Your Worst-Case Scenario

Remote or exotic doesn’t mean safe. The destination in this case was a gorgeous place, but remote and steep: Lizard Island’s “Cook’s Look” trail is rated “medium to high” fitness and agility even for younger hikers. If you’re 65, 75, 85, the stakes are higher.

Before you book: ask the tour operator about emergency response, evacuation readiness, and how they monitor group members.

Build a plan: what if you get separated? What if you feel unwell far from the ship/hotel?

Caregivers and Travel Companions: Know Your Role – and the Risks

If you’re supporting a spouse, parent or friend on a trip, you may need to do more than share a room. You might need to monitor fatigue, hydration, medication schedules, mobility limits and group dynamics.

In the Australian case, the woman was reportedly directed to return alone, unescorted. That decision – whether by the operator, the group or the traveler herself – proved fatal. Be ready to say “no thanks” to an excursion if conditions, trail or timing aren’t comfortable. And make sure the operator’s mechanism for head-counts or re-boarding is clear.

Build in “Safety Buffers” During Excursions and Remote Stays

Older travelers should allow more time for transitions, rest and unexpected slows. Avoid starting strenuous activities at the hottest time of day – especially in hot climate zones or remote trails. Ensure you carry communication tools (cell phone with local coverage, satellite messenger if in remote area), know the exact return time, buddy-up or ensure accompaniment.

In the Lizard Island incident, the ship reportedly left without realizing the passenger was missing. Build in time and systems so a missing parent or spouse isn’t simply assumed safe.

Choose Travel Operators and Ships with Mature-Traveler Readiness

Some travel providers specialize in younger, highly mobile clients; others cater more to older adults and understand the special needs of that segment. Before booking, do your due diligence: ask about protocols for invigorated shore excursions, speed/fitness assumptions, first-aid and head-counts, staff training in elder care, and emergency evacuation procedures.

The operator in the Australian case is under investigation by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Keep Communication Open, Documents Ready and Health Situation Transparent

Older travelers should travel with updated medical information (allergies, medication list, emergency contacts) and share itinerary and check-in plan with a designated caregiver back home. If something goes wrong, someone must know where you are and when you were expected to return.

Recognize When “This Trip” Isn’t the Best Trip

Sometimes the smartest decision is to scale back or postpone. If a cruise itinerary involves rugged hikes, remote locations, early morning climbs and long days, ask: “Is this truly compatible with my mobility, stamina and medical situation?” In an era when we talk about “bucket-list” travel, maturity can impart wisdom: some trips may be rich in scenery but high in risk.

Bottom Line

Pleasure travel in your 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond can be deeply enriching – but it calls for a new level of preparation, awareness and assertiveness. The tragedy on Lizard Island is a sobering reminder: age does not remove risk, it changes it. For older adults – and the caregivers who support them – the best journey is one where excitement meets experience, and adventure is balanced by caution. Because travel isn’t just about the destination – it’s about arriving there and returning home safely.

Let’s Hear from You:

Have you experienced any health issues or accidents when traveling? How did you resolve them? Do you ensure that after your travels you will return home safely?

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Originally posted at: Rachel Zoe’s Vintage Gucci Bag at Kathy Hilton’s

Cold weather and glowing skin don’t always go hand in hand, especially for those of us on the other side of 50. Winter air pulls moisture right out of our faces, making dryness, dullness, and texture much more noticeable. But glowing, hydrated skin is absolutely possible with the right winter makeup routine.

Today I’m sharing the exact techniques and products I used on my gorgeous model, Tracy Jo, to keep her skin looking dewy, fresh, and alive, even in cold weather.

Whether you’ve got holiday parties and winter gatherings to attend, or simply want to look radiant through the colder months, here are my favorite winter-friendly makeup products and tips to help you glow all season long.

Start with Skin Prep

Winter makeup always begins with great skin prep. Cold air can strip your skin’s natural oils, so hydration is key, especially for mature skin.

Look for these hydrating ingredients:

• Hyaluronic acid
• Ceramides
• Niacinamide
• Oil-soluble Vitamin C

I always tell my clients: internal health is 80% of skin care. If topical hydration isn’t cutting it, consider adding:

• 2–4 tablespoons of Omega 3-6-9 oils daily
• A quality Vitamin C, E, and A supplement

These nourish your skin from within and help you maintain moisture and elasticity throughout winter.

Choose the Right Foundation for a Winter Glow

In cold weather, skip the heavy matte foundation and powder formulas. They sit on top of the skin, emphasize dryness, and instantly age you.

Instead, opt for:

• A lightweight CC cream
• A tinted moisturizer
• A creamy foundation with a radiant finish

For Tracy Jo, I used a CC cream mixed with a bronzing serum to add hydration and soft luminosity. You can also apply the luminous serum or hydrating primer before your foundation; it’s an easy way to keep your skin glowing all day.

Application tip: Use your fingers. The warmth from your hands blends product into mature skin more smoothly than a brush.

Finish with a touch of concealer only where needed, gently tapped in. Working on Tracy Jo, I filled in her brows using my favorite pencil/gel combo for silver or light colored hair, Silver Queen. It opens up her eye area without looking too dark or heavy.

Cream Blush: Your Winter Secret Weapon

If you’re over 40, cream blush is your best friend, especially in cold weather.

Powder blush can sit on dry patches and look flat, while cream blush melts right into the skin for a youthful, hydrated glow.

Where to apply:

• High on the apples.
• Blend upward toward the temples.
• A dab on the brow bone or neck (if you’re especially pale).

You can also add a small amount of highlighter to the cheekbones, brow bone, and tip of the nose, but don’t overdo it. Too much highlighter can settle into fine lines.

Use Cream Eyeshadow for Smooth, Hydrated Lids

Winter is not the time for dry, flaky shadow. Cream formulas from PrimePrometics add hydration and never emphasize texture on mature lids.

On Tracy Jo, I used:

• Toffee: all over the lid, lash line, and underneath.
• Espresso: on the outer third and next to the lash line for depth.
• Wood (dark brown liner): in the top and bottom waterline.
• Mulberry liner: between the lashes for brightness and a flattering pop.

Always blend with a soft brush to get that diffused, smoky, elegant look perfect for the holidays.

Finish with a black mascara. And for fun? I added small false lashes on the outer corners for that festive winter sparkle.

Find more products here: 18 Best Mascaras for Older Women.

Finish with Dewy, Hydrating Lips

Matte lips in winter? Not ideal. They emphasize dryness and make lips look smaller and more textured.

Instead, go for:

• Creamy lipstick
• Gloss
• Lip oils

I used a reddish-brown cream lipstick topped with a hydrating gloss called Nude Glow. Then a matching liner slightly outside the lip line to subtly enhance lip shape.

Warm tones are essential on mature skin in cold weather; they prevent the washed-out look and tie everything together when most of us are losing color.

Party Like It’s 2025!

Winter makeup doesn’t have to mean dull, dry skin. With the right prep and creamy, hydrating products, you can bring your glow back instantly, no matter how cold it is outside.

The keys to winter radiance are simple:

• Hydrate deeply.
• Choose creamy formulas.
• Blend with warmth.
• Add soft luminosity where it matters.

With these tricks, your glowing skin will stay hydrated no matter how long the party or family gathering. Please let me know if you have any questions, thoughts, or stories, I always love to hear from you!

Use the code THEBEAUTYSHAMAN at PrimePrometics for 10% off.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What’s your biggest winter skin issue? Do you prefer to use skin-surface products, or do you nourish from within?

META Description: Get glowing, hydrated skin all winter long. Discover the best makeup products and pro-aging tips for mature skin in cold weather.

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Originally posted at: Erika Girardi’s Corset Print Button Down Shirt

I’m sure most of you will remember hearing someone say to you or someone else, “You’re going to learn your lesson!” Or “It’s time you learn your lesson!”

Well, this is a variation on a theme, and I say, “It’s time you UNlearn your lesson(s)! Especially those that aren’t so helpful or healthy in retrospect.

So, I sat down one night with a few Trader Joe’s dark chocolate caramels (actively unlearning the lesson not to eat chocolate too close to bedtime!), and I wrote down the first 3 lessons that came to mind, in no particular order, which I believe are outdated and quite worthy of being unlearned!

#1: Don’t Question Authority

I never ascribed to this one… you can ask my mom. The word Whyyyy? may as well have been my first word.

These days especially, we must question authority to maintain our basic safety, rights and freedoms! Seniors can be very vulnerable if they aren’t empowered to advocate for themselves whether it be at a restaurant, grocery store, doctor’s office or retirement community setting.

At the other end of the age timeline, I believe that kids need to know that it’s ok to question someone in a position of authority, especially if they feel unsafe or if something doesn’t feel right. As we know all too well, there are those in power who will abuse their position. We all need to speak up and be our own advocate.

So, if you grew up learning the lesson not to question a person of authority, let’s start to unlearn it?! Your quality of life… and even your life could depend on it.

#2: Behave: Don’t Laugh Too Loud, Act Too Silly, or Stand Out in a Crowd

The other day I was listening to Martha Beck on her podcast. She was talking about how we’re made to feel ashamed when we are being what may be considered as ‘too much’. The gist of it was, we’re taught to always behave. Well, she used one example of laughing loudly in a public place, and I flinched because it took me back to an incident that happened to me… as an adult.

I was out to dinner with family and friends at a noisy family style Italian restaurant with lots of people and kids etc. I was not a kid… I was a mom, my kids sitting next to me. Somebody said something funny, and I laughed out loud… a big hearty that-was-SO-funny laugh. At that moment, another adult at the table, in my generation, yelled at me from across the table, “Nancy! Lower your voice!” Needless to say, I was appalled that my contemporary was scolding me for laughing loudly… in a noisy restaurant! With time, I have forgiven this offense but clearly have not forgotten it… which was helpful in beginning the unlearning process.

Back to Martha Beck… when I heard her encouraging listeners to laugh loudly, dance, look silly, be you, I felt so validated and reminded at how preposterous it was that I was shamed for expressing joy in a perfectly appropriate setting. It’s not like I was dancing on the tables naked!

Of course, I have since realized that it was more of a reflection of what was going on for that person and didn’t have anything to do with me.

My point: Unlearn the lesson that you should dim your light and blend in to keep others comfortable. Let your freak flag fly!

#3: Always Put Others Before Yourself

This is a doozey, isn’t it?! This lesson helped create the disease to please and caused it to go viral.

I’ve talked about this before and got some pushback. To clarify, I’m not saying to be a narcissist or never think of others and only do what’s best for you. With all this and the two prior examples, common sense prevails.

Some of us are on people-pleasing autopilot, which makes it easy to crash and burn without notice. 

We learned the lesson to serve everyone else first, take the broken cookie, have sex when we don’t feel like it… to name a few.

If we don’t do what we need to do for ourselves first, whether that looks like taking a break when we need one, feeding ourselves first, or going to bed early when we need to… then exhaustion, resentment toward others and passive-aggressive behavior are just three examples of the debris from the wreckage that can come from neglecting ourselves.

We need to Unlearn this lesson one ‘no,’ and one ‘not right now,’ at a time.

As I mentioned at the beginning, these are the first three examples that came to mind when listing lessons that I feel no longer serve us.

How About YOU?

I’m curious: What lessons have you learned that you feel are important to Unlearn? Please share in the comments!