Why ageing is a cause for celebration, not consternation

YOU would think she had it all. But apparently not.

The classically beautiful and award-winning actress, Kristin Scott Thomas, confided recently that now at the age of 53, she suddenly feels “invisible’’ and like an “old ragbag’’ next to her younger co-stars.

Such is the extent of her worries, Kristin admits she is even considering cosmetic surgery. “When you’re my age, you’re invariably in a supporting role, so there’s often a young woman in her 20s or early 30s who is the lead, and you’re constantly put next to them. You’re watching yourself get old on a screen that hides nothing,’’ she said.

“At the Cannes Film Festival, I got such a shock. I saw lots of my contemporaries there this year, all looking so beautiful and gorgeous and healthy, and I just felt like an old rat bag next to them. I just thought. ‘Maybe it’s time to do something about it, like a facelift.’ ’’

Ireland’s most successful and long-running model Celia Holman Lee, 62, believes in making the most of your natural assets and accepting the ageing process: “I am so surprised by her remarks, that she cannot embrace being regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world and great actress. It is tremendously sad that she would think like that.”

Celia, who has been a model since the age of 15 and has being running her own modelling agency for more than 33 years, candidly admits that she too has “fallen into that trap” about her wrinkles but now embraces the ageing process.

Kristin also admitted that she now feels invisible. “When you’re walking down the street, you get bumped into, people slam doors in your face — they just don’t notice you. Somehow you just vanish. It is a cliché but men grow in gravitas as they get older, while women just disappear,’’ she said.

Celia acknowledges that many women do feel like this, but suggests: “A woman should never let herself feel invisible. This is when the unhappiness creeps in, I do have days like that occasionally, but I don’t let it in. I refuse to let it into my mind because I am too respectful of what I have achieved in my life and how healthy I feel in myself. ’’

To maintain this feeling of wellbeing, Celia believes in the importance of a good diet, exercise, and the love of your family. “My grandchildren have given me such joy and pleasure. They are the best, ’’ she says.

“But you have to realise that everyone ages, it is the way life is and you have to find the strength to deal with it. Just be grateful that you have got there and for the things life has given you, that’s what I play on.’’

To make sure you do stand out from the crowd, Celia thinks great posture is vital as it gives a “youthful’’ appearance to the body. But also keep your make-up natural as it can highlight wrinkles, and put emphasise on the eyes – make them stand out and maintain eye contact with people.

“Don’t do the mutton dressed as lamb look,’’ she advises. “Go classic and slinky, wear sleeves if you are worried about your arms, but extenuate your best bits. You don’t want to compete. I live in a young people’s world, I love them and think they are divine, but I stay in my own world and embrace my age. If you don’t it will drag you down.’’