The Positive Aging Interviews – Tricia Cusden, Look Fabulous Forever

My next guest in my series ‘The Positive Aging Interviews’ is Tricia Cusden from Look Fabulous Forever.  I discovered Tricia through facebook and then subscribed to her website.  I love her elegance and classic look and her passion for showing the more mature woman how to wear makeup to enhance their features and also encourage us all to ‘look fabulous forever’!  Tricia is certainly a role model and an inspiration for Women Over 50.

You can learn more about the products Tricia offers in the links at the end of this post and look for my review of some of her products especially for the more mature skin.  It is amazing that certain tricks and secrets shared through videos on Look Fabulous Forever can make such a difference to our look and also improve our self-confidence.

In my interview with Tricia, she shares her thoughts on positive aging, keeping fit and also why she thinks women should wear makeup.  I hope you enjoy my interview with Tricia and then discover more about her philosophy and products throug her website and social media links at the end. Look for my review of some of her products especially for the more mature skin.

The Positive Aging Interviews – Tricia Cusden, Look Fabulous Forever.

What​ ​does​ ​the​ ​term​ ​positive​ ​aging​ ​mean​ ​to​ ​you?

It​ ​means​ ​feeling​ ​good​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​fearful​ ​about​ ​the​ ​(inevitable)  ageing​ ​process.​ ​So​ ​it’s​ ​about​ ​celebrating​ ​your​ ​ageing​ ​face,​ ​body  and​ ​self​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​fighting​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​as​ ​youthful​ ​looking​ ​as  possible​ ​(which​ ​is​ ​a​ ​zero​ ​sum​ ​game​ ​in​ ​my​ ​view!)

What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​tips​ ​for​ ​keeping​ ​fit​ ​and​ ​healthy​ ​as​ ​you​ ​age?

I​ ​feel​ ​strongly​ ​about​ ​this​ ​and​ ​have​ ​included​ ​two​ ​chapters​ ​about​ ​it  in​ ​my​ ​book​ ​‘Living​ ​the​ ​Life​ ​More​ ​Fabulous’​ ​which​ ​will​ ​be  published​ ​in​ ​February​ ​2018.​ ​To​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​large​ ​extent​ ​our​ ​health​ ​is  in​ ​our​ ​own​ ​hands​ ​as​ ​we​ ​age.​ ​Staying​ ​active​ ​(doing​ ​around  10,000​ ​steps​ ​a​ ​day​ ​for​ ​example)​ ​and​ ​doing​ ​some​ ​simple  exercises​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​balance​ ​and​ ​core​ ​strength​ ​will​ ​really​ ​pay  dividends​ ​the​ ​older​ ​you​ ​become.​ ​

Diet​ ​is​ ​also​ ​extremely  important​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​our​ ​bodies​ ​are​ ​well​ ​nourished.​ ​Eating​ ​a  wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​fruits,​ ​vegetables,​ ​nuts,​ ​seeds,​ ​and​ ​oily​ ​fish​ ​and  cutting​ ​down​ ​on​ ​sugary​ ​calorie​ ​laden​ ​foods​ ​is​ ​essential​ ​to​ ​keep  our​ ​bodies​ ​functioning​ ​well.​ ​

Obviously​ ​don’t​ ​smoke​ ​and​ ​watch  how​ ​much​ ​alcohol​ ​you​ ​are​ ​drinking​ ​-​ ​a​ ​small​ ​amount​ ​has  positive​ ​benefits​ ​but​ ​more​ ​than​ ​the​ ​equivalent​ ​of​ ​two​ ​smallish  glasses​ ​of​ ​wine​ ​a​ ​day​ ​is​ ​not​ ​such​ ​a​ ​great​ ​idea.​ ​Sorry​ ​if​ ​this​ ​makes  me​ ​sound​ ​like​ ​a​ ​po-faced​ ​spoilsport!

What​ ​is​ ​one​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​advice​ ​you​ ​wish​ ​you​ ​had​ ​known​ ​when  you​ ​were​ ​younger?

To​ ​trust​ ​yourself​ ​and​ ​know​ ​that​ ​you​ ​will​ ​have​ ​the​ ​capacity​ ​to  cope​ ​with​ ​everything​ ​that​ ​life​ ​throws​ ​at​ ​you.

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​favourite​ ​fashion​ ​or​ ​beauty​ ​tip​ ​for​ ​Women  Over​ ​50?

To​ ​stay​ ​engaged​ ​with​ ​the​ ​world​ ​of​ ​beauty​ ​and​ ​fashion​ ​even  though​ ​it​ ​isn’t​ ​very​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​you!​ ​We​ ​are​ ​told  meaningless​ ​things​ ​like​ ​‘what​ ​not​ ​to​ ​wear​ ​after​ ​50’​ ​or​ ​‘less​ ​is  more​ ​when​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​makeup​ ​for​ ​older​ ​women’.​ ​All​ ​of​ ​which  is​ ​intended​ ​to​ ​make​ ​us​ ​doubt​ ​ourselves​ ​and​ ​think​ ​that​ ​we​ ​have​ ​to  assume​ ​a​ ​more​ ​toned-down​ ​and​ ​self-effacing​ ​style​ ​as​ ​we​ ​age.  What​ ​a​ ​nonsense​ ​that​ ​is.​ ​In​ ​my​ ​view​ ​older​ ​women​ ​need​ ​to​ ​wear  makeup​ ​​more than​ ​younger​ ​women​ ​-​ ​but​ ​it​ ​has​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​right  kind​ ​of​ ​makeup​ ​which​ ​will​ ​work​ ​well​ ​to​ ​enhance​ ​their​ ​older  faces.

Your​ ​website​ ​is​ ​‘Look​ ​Fabulous​ ​Forever!’​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​why​ ​you  started​ ​it​ ​and​ ​a​ ​little​ ​about​ ​the​ ​motivation​ ​behind​ ​it.

I​ ​had​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​for​ ​LFF​ ​early​ ​in​ ​2013.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​65​ ​and​ ​kept​ ​thinking  ‘what​ ​am​ ​I​ ​going​ ​to​ ​do​ ​with​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life?’​ ​I​ ​had​ ​always  loved​ ​makeup​ ​and​ ​business​ ​and​ ​I​ ​had​ ​long​ ​hated​ ​the  ‘anti-ageing’​ ​rhetoric​ ​of​ ​the​ ​beauty​ ​industry.​ ​So​ ​I​ ​approached​ ​a  cosmetics​ ​manufacturer​ ​and​ ​together​ ​we​ ​created​ ​our​ ​range​ ​of​ ​13  products,​ ​all​ ​formulated​ ​with​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​older​ ​women​ ​in​ ​mind.

I​ ​also​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​write​ ​a​ ​blog​ ​every​ ​week​ ​about​ ​being​ ​an​ ​older  woman​ ​living​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world​ ​today.​ ​This​ ​now​ ​goes​ ​out​ ​to​ ​150,000  women​ ​worldwide​ ​every​ ​Sunday.​ ​I​ ​write​ ​about​ ​things​ ​which​ ​I  think​ ​will​ ​resonate​ ​with​ ​our​ ​customers​ ​and​ ​my​ ​blog​ ​followers and​ ​am​ ​motivated​ ​by​ ​a​ ​desire​ ​to​ ​inspire​ ​them​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​better​ ​about  themselves​ ​and​ ​not​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​into​ ​the​ ​assumptions​ ​of​ ​our​ ​very  ageist​ ​society.

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​advice​ ​for​ ​those​ ​about​ ​to​ ​retire​ ​or​ ​who​ ​have  retired​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​they​ ​enjoy​ ​this​ ​special​ ​time​ ​of​ ​life?

Don’t​ ​see​ ​it​ ​as​ ​retirement​ ​but​ ​renaissance.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​the​ ​very​ ​first  generation​ ​to​ ​know​ ​that​ ​we​ ​will​ ​most​ ​likely​ ​live​ ​very​ ​long​ ​lives.  The​ ​word​ ​‘retirement’​ ​means​ ​‘withdrawal’​ ​which​ ​is​ ​what​ ​it​ ​was  for​ ​our​ ​grandparents​ ​and​ ​maybe​ ​also​ ​for​ ​our​ ​own​ ​parents.​ ​We  need​ ​new​ ​road​ ​maps​ ​and​ ​new​ ​signposts​ ​for​ ​our​ ​own​ ​‘third​ ​age’.  Ask​ ​yourself​ ​two​ ​questions​ ​‘​ ​what​ ​am​ ​I​ ​living​ ​for?’​ ​and​ ​‘What  would​ ​I​ ​most​ ​regret​ ​not​ ​having​ ​done​ ​on​ ​my​ ​deathbed?’​ ​and​ ​set  about​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​fulfilling​ ​final​ ​act​ ​of​ ​your​ ​life.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​determined  to​ ​live​ ​my​ ​life​ ​to​ ​the​ ​full​ ​until​ ​I​ ​draw​ ​my​ ​last​ ​breath!

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​favourite​ ​way​ ​to​ ​relax?

I​ ​have​ ​a​ ​house​ ​in​ ​the​ ​south​ ​of​ ​France​ ​and​ ​spend​ ​6​ ​weeks​ ​there  every​ ​summer.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​blissful​ ​-​ ​a​ ​beautiful​ ​calm​ ​and​ ​peaceful​ ​place  -​ ​and​ ​my​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​family​ ​come​ ​and​ ​stay.​ ​I​ ​return​ ​to​ ​London  from​ ​there​ ​every​ ​year​ ​totally​ ​invigorated​ ​and​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​on  working​ ​as​ ​hard​ ​as​ ​ever​ ​despite​ ​being​ ​in​ ​my​ ​70th​ ​year!

What​ ​was​ ​the​ ​last​ ​book​ ​you​ ​read?

I​ ​am​ ​an​ ​avid​ ​reader​ ​and​ ​during​ ​my​ ​summer​ ​break​ ​I​ ​have  consumed​ ​nearly​ ​all​ ​of​ ​Helen​ ​Dunmore’s​ ​wonderful​ ​books.​ ​She  has​ ​just​ ​died​ ​of​ ​cancer​ ​in​ ​her​ ​sixties​ ​and​ ​wrote​ ​her​ ​latest  “Birdcage​ ​Walk’​ ​knowing​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​her​ ​last,​ ​which​ ​I​ ​found very​ ​poignant.

Meet Tricia Cusden

Tricia Cusden…Founder of Look Fabulous Forever (Make up for older women)
Photo credit: Tom Stockhill

Tricia has long shown entrepreneurial flair, starting and running her own slimming club from 1974-1986 while caring for her young family. At the same time she gained a first class BA honours degree in 1986 at the age of 38.

From 1986-1986, she worked as a management training consultant with The MaST Organisation before setting up her​ ​own​ ​training​ ​consultancy​ ​in​ ​1996. Until the birth of her granddaughter India in 2012, Tricia worked with a variety of corporate clients including Accenture, Dixons Stores Group, Nomura and Esso Petroleum. Unfortunately India was born with a rare chromosomal disorder which necessitated long periods of time in hospital. Tricia therefore stopped all client work to help to support her family.

Early in 2013 when India was much improved, Tricia decided​ ​that​ ​she​ ​needed​ ​a​ ​new​ ​challenge. At the age of 65, Tricia spotted a gap in the market for a new approach to cosmetics for older women. She invested her own savings in a range of specific makeup suitable for more mature eyes, faces and lips.

In October 2013, Look Fabulous Forever​ ​was​ ​launched​ ​to​ ​80​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​family​ ​at​ ​a​ ​party​ ​in​ ​London. At the time of the launch, two makeup tutorial videos which Tricia had made with two friends acting as models to demonstrate all the LFF products, were uploaded to YouTube. Slowly these videos gained in popularity and were the starting point for the fast growth of the business. There are now over 70 tutorials on YouTube with nearly​ ​3m​ ​views​ ​between​ ​them.

In November 2015, she was awarded CEW’s Digital Achiever of the Year Award and in 2016 LFF was shortlisted for Amazon Digital Business of the Year part of the Lloyds National Business Awards. Tricia also recently won Nectar Small Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year and SME Emerging Businesswoman 2016 awarded by​ ​HSBC’s​ ​National​ ​Women​ ​in​ ​Business​ ​Awards.

Tricia has two daughters, Anna and Suzy, who both work in the business, and five grandchildren.​ ​She​ ​divides​ ​her​ ​time​ ​between​ ​London​ ​and​ ​France.

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Let’s Keep Sizzling!

More of The Positive Aging Interviews series here