Magazines and television adverts are full of the latest ‘miracle’ creams for women 'of a certain age' and a million promises to turn back the clock and make you look 10 years younger. Honestly, I think most of it is bullshit. Just sales propaganda that seeks to perpetuate the idea that you only have any worth as a woman if you are young. Imagine how the beauty industry would collapse if that message was blown out of the water!

Now I won’t lie, I do want to look good but to me that isn’t about still looking 20. I'm a simple woman with simple needs - basically I just want to look fairly healthy i.e. no huge bags under my eyes and spot free skin. I am fine with the lines that are gathering on my face and around my eyes – I laugh a lot so I think I’ve basically giggled them into my face. And I’m okay with that. I have had a lot of fun getting them. I don’t love the age spots that are hinting at their approach on my hands (and yes my face too), but I am not afraid of being ‘old’ I prefer it to the alternative. The bags under my eyes can basically be taken care of with sleep, hydration and less stress.  The spots? Well they need a little helping hand - especially as I have had Rosacea for nearly two decades and now peri-menopause is giving me the hormonal facial ups & downs of a teenage girl - and that is where my #1 beauty product for women comes in.

So, what is my #1 beauty product?

Honey. Yep, that’s right, good old fashioned, nothing added to it, honey. I use it every morning after my shower and it keeps my skin soft and (mostly) spot free. Honey is naturally anti-bacterial and chemical free so it is perfect for all skin types. And, if you have rosacea I can tell you it works wonders. My rosacea has never progressed beyond a very mild redness which I have been told just gives a healthy glow to my cheeks, and if spot do appear (outside of those ‘time-of-the-month’ ones) they pretty much disappear within 24 hours.

Here’s how to use it:

~ Ensure your face is make-up free (this is why I like to use it in the morning after my shower)

~ Using your fingers, wipe a thin layer of honey all over your face - making sure to keep your hair well out of the way

~ Leave it on for a minute or so then wash off using cold water. Once a week I like to leave it on for a full 10 minutes and give myself a mini-face mask.

~ Dry your face gently, and then use whatever moisturiser you like.

Simple.

If you have teenage daughters then this is a great beauty routine to teach them too. My eldest daughter just started using honey after a teenage hormone surge basically erupted on her face. Within 48 hours more than half the spots were gone and all the redness had eased. She used it morning and night as the acne was pretty bad.

The honey I used to use in the UK is an organic one from Holland and Barrett called ‘Tropical Forest Honey’. (I got the runny version not the set one, go instore to find it as the website only has the set one).  You could use Manuka Honey too but it is more expensive and I'm not sure that it works any better. Avoid the cheaper supermarket brands though as they aren’t always as pure as you would like on your face. One pot lasts for several months and is far better value than any commercial beauty product.

So that's it, my #1 Beauty Product for women.  Honey. Give it a try.