If you listen to the media, getting ready for life after retirement is all about how much money you can stash away. So, like squirrels, we run around, burying nuts all over the garden, hoping that they will last us through the winter. Then, when we reach retirement (or semi-retirement), we realize that money isn’t everything.

Boomers Say that Health Matters More than Wealth

I read a fascinating report by Merrill Lynch about leisure time in America. Among other things, they pointed out that people over 65 have an average of 7.5 hours of leisure time a day. That’s a lot of time to fill!

In addition, they reported that Boomers were 2X more likely than other groups to say that their health has a bigger impact on their leisure time than their wealth.

Having recently spent 6 weeks in Bali, I would have to say that I agree with this assessment. I’ve been careful with my money on this trip, but, it isn’t the size of my bank account that has held me back. Instead, I have struggled with back pain from a previous injury and stiffness from decades of inactivity.

Of course, the truth is that it is never too late to make improvements in your life. I am completely committed to using gentle yoga, cardio and weights to improve my health. At the same time, it occurs to me that, as a society, we put way too much emphasis on the financial aspects of preparing for retirement.

What Impacts Your Leisure Time? Health or Wealth?

I’d love to get your opinion on this. Looking back, do you wish that you had taken better care of your body? I certainly do!

One thing is for sure, I am definitely going to make sure that my adult children understand just how much my semi-retirement years are being impacted by my lack of physical strength and flexibility. I’m also not giving up. I’m going to work hard every day to give my body and love and attention that it deserves.

What do you think impacts your leisure time more, now that you are in your 60s? Health or wealth? Or, are they, perhaps, of equal weight for you? Please join the conversation.

The number one thing you can do to revolutionize your look is to change your eyebrow shape. As a senior, what techniques do you need to know so that your brows are stunning, in-line with current trends, and easy to work with?

Is your hair
color different from your eyebrows and should they match? What brow shape is
the most flattering for your face? How are eyebrows for senior women different
than, say, a millennial’s eyebrows?

Being a
professional makeup artist and business woman who floats around Instagram and
Facebook, I can attest that the difference is potentially huge. For example, eyebrow
styles for a 25-year-old would resemble Groucho Marx’s eyebrows on an older
woman! As entertaining as he was, a fashion statement for older women he is
not.

As we age, our
faces become more angular and need a softer, more blended look, rather than the
sharp lines and ultra-thick brows trending now. With this in mind, I created
the above video tutorial to show what techniques are more suited to an older
woman.

What are the key
factors to create a perfect brow?

Eyebrow Shape

Eyebrow styles
are regional and also cultural. What this means is that you can create the look
that suits your personality as well as your location. I live in Colorado, where
the women wear yoga clothes to work and mascara is a sufficient amount of
makeup.

That being said,
my best friend lives in Atlanta and the women there wear more makeup than I
would ever wear on a daily basis! The nuts and bolts, however, of shaping your
brows remains relatively consistent no matter where you live.

To shape your
brows, take a pencil or brush and place it from the outside corner of your nose
straight up (line A in the figure below). That is where your brow should start.

Then take the
brush from the outside of your eyeball straight up, and that is where your brow
should arch (line B).

Then, put the
brush from the edge of your nose, to the outer corner of your eye and up into
your hairline (line C). That is where your brow should end.

Lastly, draw a
straight line from the bottom of where your brows begin to the bottom of where
they end (line D).

Should I Color My Eyebrow
Hair?

In some cases,
our eyebrows can become thinner and the color turn different from that of our
hair. This begs the question, should you color them?

Well, it all
depends on what looks the most natural and appropriate on you. For example, if
you have let your hair go grey, and your eyebrows are still blonde or dark,
this might look very pretty and flattering!

On the other
hand, if the blonde in your brows is turning into a dirty yellow blonde shade,
it might be worthwhile to brighten them up.

As a rule of
thumb, you don’t want your brows and your hair color in competition. Therefore,
if you color your hair bright red, you might want to have your brows a cool
brown, and if you color your hair blonde and your brows are silver, it makes
sense to have them match.

What’s
the Best Way to Fill in Your Brows?

There are
basically three different ways to fill in brows: a cream or liquid/gel, a
powder shadow, or a pencil. In the video, I focus on shadow and pencils to
shape and boost the brows, as in my not-so-humble opinion, using a cream or gel
provides lines that look too sharp on older women.

If creams and
gels are your preferred method, then feel free to ignore my advice, but in
general I use the other two methods.

Pencil is a
wonderful and simple way to fill in brows. Be sure to use
short strokes so that it matches your natural hair growth and length. Then use
your finger to blend it in so that it loses the sharp edges and “lined” look.

Eyeshadow is an easy to use method to fill in
brows as well. Using a slanted brush, or small tipped brush, fill in your brows
according to the preferred shape. You can use the edge of the brush, or your
fingers to blend in the color so that it looks the most natural. On the whole,
I use eyeshadow when filling in brows on older women because it’s fast and
blends well.

Have fun with these
ideas to shape and color your brows and see what works best for you. Or you
might be like my many Colorado friends, who do nothing at all and are totally
happy. Whatever your choice, I hope this has been helpful!

What are your
struggles with eyebrows? What works best for you? Do you fill in your brows or
color them, or both? What techniques do you use? Please share with our
community!

We know there isn’t an instant cure for most fatal illnesses, there are ways to simply make healthier choices for an overall boost to your health. And right now, it seems everyone is looking for the best zinc supplement with the hope of improving their immune system, even if it’s the smallest adjustment. Though it isn’t exactly “groundbreaking” news, a lot of us are only just learning about the nutrients that are especially helpful to the body’s healing process, whether it’s for common illnesses like the cold or flu or something as simple as a cut or bruise.

For instance, probiotics help regulate cells within the gut that just so happen to aid the immune system. Vitamin D is another key nutrient found in immune system receptors. Zinc is similarly beneficial to the immune system and several other bodily functions. According to Dr. Josh Axe, zinc “catalyzes nearly 100 enzymes and is essential for proper protein synthesis in the human body.”

And although you can get zinc through a number of healthy foods (lentils, chickpeas, cocoa powder, etc.), the truth is…most of us aren’t following perfectly healthy diets and could benefit from a daily supplement. With that being said, here are 7 top-rated options that are actually still in stock.

Bio Schwartz.

Bio Schwartz Clean & Ultra Pure Immunity Boost

By now, you’ve probably heard that zinc isn’t the only vitamin or mineral especially equipped to boost your body’s immune system. In that case, if you’re looking for something that includes a handful of all-stars, this supplement features zinc, vitamin C, elderberry and more.

Buy: Bio Schwartz Clean & Ultra Pure Immunity Boost $24.97

Zhou Nutrition.

Zhou Nutrition Elder-Mune Gummies

These delicious three-in-one berry-flavored gummies deliver a daily dose of elderberry, zinc and vitamin C to the body for aiding the immune system against common illnesses including the cold and flu.

Garden of Life.

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc

This completely gluten-free and dairy-free supplement is housed in a vegetable cellulose capsule and made without binders, fillers and synthetic nutrients. In addition to 30 milligrams of zinc, there are mineral, probiotic and enzyme blends made up of raw veggies and other natural sources.

Solgar.

Solgar Zinc

This vegetarian-friendly supplement, which provides 50 daily milligrams of zinc, is also free of dairy, gluten, and artificial preservatives.

Natures Plus.

Natures Plus Mega Zinc 100 MG Supplement

A super-sized amount of zinc (100 milligrams) is included in this daily supplement, powered by a special base that releases the ingredients over a longer period of time.

Ancient Nutrition.

Ancient Nutrition Ancient Nutrients-Zinc

Dr. Axe’s supplement is inspired by traditional Chinese medicine with enzyme-activated zinc, probiotic-fermented vitamin C and herbal extracts.

MegaFood.

MegaFood Zinc Supplements

MegaFood’s zinc supplement is paired with the brand’s Nourishing Food Blend, a mix of veggie-derived vitamins and minerals for a more well-rounded dose of daily nutrients.

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 and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Having finished my book Grey Hair & You, I came to the realisation that the greatest prejudice against grey hair in women comes from women themselves.

There is an incredible number of women who believe they look younger with dark hair. I have yet to figure out why that is. In reality, dying your hair can be too harsh once you’re past a certain age.

These same women believe, along with many of their sisters, that grey hair makes them look older. This is true for some women because they fail to consider the two most important factors in dealing with the challenge of grey hair.

There are just two considerations – yes, only two.

Your One Shade of Grey Hair

White-looking hair is fabulous; scaffold-grey is not. Simple, really.

Of course, white hair isn’t white; it’s clear in colour. The difference between the white and the grey hair is caused by the pigments eumelanin (dark) and pheomelanin (light).

More often than not, you will find both eumelanin and pheomelanin in hair. In grey hair, though, that’s largely unlikely as eumelanin is the more common.

The range of colours produced by melanin is limited to shades of yellow, brown, red and black. Grey hairs contain only a few melanin granules spread throughout the hair, and those granules are likely to be eumelanin.

White hairs contain no melanin at all: their whiteness is an optical effect, due to the way in which they reflect the light.

Make-Up Changes and Grey Hair

Silver or grey hair is an excellent backdrop for a complete make-over in the make-up department. Since grey hair can make you look washed out, using warmer tones in your makeup will make you look and feel brighter!

This is the perfect time to have fun in some of the major department stores. Also, remember that in this instance, less isn’t always more. You can afford to be a little heavier handed when you have grey hair but please, do not forget to use blusher-without-sparkle – you want to look brighter not like a Christmas Tree.

In Grey Hair & You we have included an entire chapter on Makeup Tips For Looking Great With Grey Hair. We’ve also added a chapter with Tips for Colouring Grey Eyebrows, which isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Steel Grey

A colour always deserving of special mention, steel grey is often reminiscent of scaffolding! Loved or loathed, trying to colour any hair that is predominantly non-pigmented usually results in a flat-looking colour.

Since grey hair is technically hair that has no pigmentation, a natural look calls for some variation in the shades – as it does with any hair colour. This can be achieved by using translucent dyes which leave the hair’s true colour variations visible under the added shades.

If you actually want steel grey hair, you can achieve it with foils – small, random strands throughout the hair – and a dye which will provide you with steel grey. Your best bet is to consult a professional colourist who can recommend the right colour application.

Instant Santa-White Hair

Snow-white hair is almost impossible to achieve unless you’re prepared for some torture. Really, it’s best to wait and hope your genes do the right thing.

In reality, you can’t make the snowy white colour of Santa’s hair because he is 100% grey. His hair lacks any pigmentation whatsoever and is therefore slightly translucent.

To get somewhat similar results, you may be able to lighten your hair to the lightest possible hue, and then tint it using a platinum blonde tint. Also, you will have to use a toner (which is purple but doesn’t look purple).

However, the operative word here is may: the effect you accomplish largely depends on the colour of your natural hair. So, you should definitely see a colourist!

Does grey hair make you feel invisible? Have you changed your makeup to go with your grey hair? Do you see grey hair as an opportunity to re-style and re-invent your look and even, to some extent, your persona? Please join the conversation!

One of the most important numbers that we need to consider as we build our retirement plans is our life expectancy. After all, our expectations regarding how long we are going to live influence everything from how aggressive we can be with our investments to when we should start taking Social Security.

The problem is that the way that we look at life expectancy, in my non-professional opinion, is somewhat backward looking and may not fully account for potential developments in biotechnology, medicine, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Ok, that’s a mouthful. Basically, what I’m trying to say here is that at the rate at which technology is improving, we may live much longer than we are planning for.

In this article, I’d like to talk about some of the implications for our financial lives if, as I suspect, we are at the beginning of a longevity revolution. But, first, a couple of caveats.

I’m Not a Doctor and I Don’t Play One on TV

Because life expectancy is such an important concept when it comes to planning for our financial future, I want to be clear that I am not providing specific financial advice.

I am not a statistician, doctor or financial professional. As a result, it’s best to think of the information in this article as a “what if”… something to explore with the medical and financial professionals you normally rely on.

Ok, all that said, let’s dig into this topic more deeply!

Why Living to 120 May Become “Normal”

According to Our World in Data, “In practical terms, estimating life expectancy entails predicting the probability of surviving successive years of life, based on observed age-specific mortality rates.”

The key words here, in my opinion, are “based on observed age-specific mortality rates.” Statisticians (and scientists, more generally) like to work with observed data. They can’t just speculate about how long people will live if researchers cure cancer or biotechnology is able to modify our genes to reverse the aging process.

But, according to many experts, from a longevity perspective, we may be just years away from transitioning from linear progress to exponential progress.

For example, in an interview, technologist, Ray Kurzweil talked about the fact that our bodies are now being looked at as information systems that can be analyzed and reprogrammed for optimal health. As he said, “We will reach a point, 10 to 20 years from now… where we are adding more than a year (to our life expectancy) every year, not just to infant life expectancy, but, to your life expectancy.”

Think about that for a second. If you can hang in there for 10 to 20 years, which most of us can, your life expectancy could start to change *in real time*!

I’m using 120 as an example of the kind of life expectancy that even our generation might be able to expect, but, the truth is none of us really know how long humans can survive.

So, now, let’s assume that we are dramatically underestimating our life expectancy and talk about how this might impact our financial future.

Will Social Security Be There for You at Age 120?

In a word, no. Even with current, arguably ultra-conservative, estimates of life expectancy, Social Security is a dead man walking. It is only a matter of time before the government is forced to cut benefits, raise the retirement age or, more likely, both.

One thing that I can guarantee is that none of the existing models for how long Social Security will last consider the fact that many of us will likely live to age 120 or older. Even if you think you can count on Social Security to be there for you until age 85 or 90, you should be highly skeptical about its ability to support you if people start living to 120.

This is not intended to scare anyone. It’s a simple fact that Social Security wasn’t designed to support people for 55 years in retirement.

So, as you think about your retirement, it is even more important that you have multiple sources of income and significant savings to weather the coming storm.

Do You Need to Rush to Retire at Age 66?

One of the reasons that many of us rush to retire as soon as possible is that we feel like we have a limited number of years ahead of us. More importantly, we feel like the number of years of good health and independence that we still have left are limited. We want to experience as much as we can, while we still can.

But, consider this. It’s not just our life expectancy that will improve in the coming decades. The same technological forces that I mentioned earlier in this article will be working to keep us fitter and healthier longer. If I had to make a prediction, I would say that, by 2030, it will be possible for 85-year-olds to have the bodies of 55-year-olds… if they can afford it.

So, the question is this… if you agree with the assumption that people are going to start living until 120 in relatively good health, does it still make sense to retire at age 66? More importantly, could you afford to retire at age 66 if you had to stretch your savings until 120? That’s 54 years of income free life to plan for!

Are Your Risk Assumptions In Line with Your Longevity Assumptions

One of the reasons that older adults tend to move their money into “safer” investments over time is that they feel like they have fewer years ahead of them to ride out any bumps in the stock market. In a world where you are planning on living 10-15 years, this makes a lot of sense.

But, would you look at your investment strategy slightly differently if you thought that there was a high probability that you would live for significantly longer? Would it make sense for you to look at your investments in multiple buckets – one short term, one medium-term and one long-term, with a different risk profile in each?

Once again, I am not giving specific advice here. I am simply suggesting that you discuss your longevity assumptions with your financial planner. After all, their advice can only be as good as the data that it is based on. If you think that you will live for longer than 20 years, they need to know that.

Are You Ready for Your Second Life?

Through my work with thousands of retirees, I have come to understand that the transition to retirement is a complex and often emotional experience. Many men and women that I know who have reached retirement age, describe going through a process of reinvention.

Imagine a world in which 65 was the new “middle age.” Would it make sense to see “retirement” as a time of taking it easy and relaxing? Or, would it make more sense to see this as a completely new phase of life, one in which we could start over and really focus on our passions, businesses and causes?

The problem is that you won’t know whether you really are going to have the opportunity to live until 120 until you are in your 80s. So, you will need to make this decision early.

If like me, you believe that 120 is going to be the new 80, you will want to act aggressively now to build a financial, social and psychological foundation for your life. Instead of looking at life after retirement as a time for slowing down, see it as a time for speeding up. This is the only way to position yourself to take advantage of everything that the future has to offer.

Do you think that you will live to 120? Why or why not? How would living to 120 impact your financial future? Do you think that you are ready, socially, financially and psychologically to live to 120? Let’s have a conversation!