Emer O'Callaghan: Time to focus on positive ageing

It was my birthday recently - I’m a proud Libra - and I always love to celebrate the day, erra, any reason to glam up.

I took a day off work for myself, would you believe, because getting older even I know there is far more to life than work.

I had my lovely Lipsy dress from Brown Thomas and I did my hair and make-up and felt fantastic to be another year alive and well.

I also did a video about positive ageing, how I am so in favour of pro-ageing and not anti-ageing, and why we women need to change the rhetoric on all this fear of ageing.

You can watch this on our Emerald Beauty Clinic Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages now

Even the wording - old age, ageism, anti-ageing - there is nothing postive or empowering in any of those words now, is there?

These are words the beauty industry often use to define female ageing, but sure, every day you are alive is a blessing.

I have had a very strong awareness of this from a very young age as my own dad died at 40. Getting older is in fact a privilege many never get to do.

I was my dad’s birthday present, I was born the day after his birthday - his one and only girl after four boys.

Oh, I would nearly grow a foot with pride as a kid when mum or my eldest brother would say how over the moon dad was the day Emer was born. That was until my brother two years older than me would say, ‘Emer, you should be thanking me you are here at all, because if I was a girl, they would have never had you!’

Jeez, it used to drive me mad as a kid when he piped up with that one every year, bursting my bubble of importance in the O’Callaghan clan, but I laugh about it now.

Well, I’m still here, thank God and sure, I celebrate every birthday for the gift it is.

In a world where we put far too much emphasis on material things - money, power, status, fame, ego - none of that means anything, we all came from dust and we will go back to dust. I firmly believe that true beauty comes from within, a beautiful soul shines from the inside out, and your mindset is everything.

My motto is, always get up, never stay down, glam up and keep showing up. I am a firm believer, coming from a long line of strong women, that you just can’t keep a good woman down.

Here are my favourite things to do to help you age positively.

FACIALS

My No.1 beauty tip would be to have regular facials. I have been doing a monthly one for 20 years.

As we all get older, every decade the skin cell turnover is far slower so the dead cells build up more. This ages your skin faster and also stops your products fully absorbing into the skin.

A facial every 4-6 weeks is proven to be the most pro-ageing thing any woman of any age can do!

SERUMS

My No.2 must-have positive pro- ageing beauty tool - but not just any old serum. Far too many are full of perfumes and parabens.

I use professional grade serums as they are science-led, made by doctors and scientists, and FDA-approved.

My favourite at present is the new Guinot Age Logic Night Serum, €302, not cheap but it will turn back the clock. And when you invest in the best, you get the best results.

EXFOLIATION AND MASKING

These two steps combined at home keep the dead skin cells away post-facial. Far too many women don’t know the importance of always doing these two together.

I exfoliate once a week with my Guinot Age Summum Exfoliator and I use a variety of different Guinot and Dermalogica masks after.

Masking has been scientifically proven to improve skin hydration 10 times more than any moisturiser, this is why I always say a mask a day keeps the wrinkles away.

I mask while cleaning the house and doing my jobs, it’s fab - no mask says on it ‘please remain seated and don’t move while it’s on’! Us women are queens at multi-tasking.

WATER AND WALKING

These two have been stable parts of my life all my life.

I don’t drink juices or fizzy drinks and I always drink two litres of plain water a day.

Walking is a huge love of mine, I find it’s an all-rounder, it firms and tones the body, clears the head, and it’s so good to be out in fresh air. I have my SPF 50 on all year round for skin health.

THESE ARE NOT FOR ME

Let me start this section by saying this, it’s a personal choice what anyone chooses to do to their own face or body, and that’s no different for me either.

These are just a list of treatments I choose not to ever do personally to my skin, if you enjoy them and like them for you, then that’s your choice to do too. We must all respect everyone else’s choices and views.

Laser

I am fully trained in laser and when I did so, it had only come out. Now, I wouldn’t put a laser machine near me, particularly my face, if you gave me it free.

Botox/filler/injections

It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of these three, . I feel it’s such a shame to see natural beauty lost to a fake look. I promote natural beauty and positive ageing, and aim to stay true to myself. I don’t want to change the face god gave me.

Invasive treatments

When I see so many in the beauty industry today in medical scrubs with gloves on and big machines beside them, I find it off-putting.

A facial is touch therapy and you cannot do one with gloves on.

I also worry that invasive chemicals may damage your skin barrier.

Sun worshipping

Sun damage has been scientifically proven to be the most ageing thing today for skin.

I see this all the time around Cork, with women in particular, some are haggard from the many sun holidays they take, they don’t know the importance of correct skincare products and have abused their skin.

Daily alcohol

Sadly, today, daily drinking is the norm for far too many people.

Studies show women over the age of 50 are drinking far too much at home and daily, using alcohol to self- medicate how they are feeling - often lonely, depressed, in pain, anxious, or stressed.

Daily drinking is not good for anyone’s health or liver.

As a beauty doctor and skin specialist, we always advise clients to aim for at least four days a week alcohol-free and to stick to measuring the amounts and staying within the recommended units of alcohol per week.

Alcohol also dehydrates the body and forms fine lines and premature ageing in the skin, so it certainly would not be a positive pro-ageing daily habit, that’s for sure.

Regardless of your age, it really is only a number; it’s more, I believe, a gentle reminder that we are all only passing through.

Life is short, and no-one knows what age we will leave this earth, but I believe in living every day and focusing on all the many positives i have in my life - all the love and all the beauty that is literally all around us.

Emer O’Callaghan is a multi award winning beauty doctor and skin specialist who won Irish Beauty Therapist of the Year and works at Emerald Organic Beauty Products Ltd, trading as Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949. A Gold Standard Clinic, 2008-2025, www.emeraldbeautyclinic.ie, follow on Facebook/instagram/TikTok pages.

SPECIAL OFFER: All this month, our award-winning Power Cleanse Facial is reduced from €125 to €95, 90 minutes, includes a full skin analysis, eyebrow shape and heated hand treatment, appointments necessary. To book call Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949. Free parking for clients.