As I stood at the bathroom mirror this morning (and tried not to look too closely) I had a moment of realization.

I am getting old and my skin looks even older.  Years of scrubbing, masquing (with cheap teenage type masques), picking and plucking have left me with something less than a peach fuzz complexion.  With quite a few wrinkles to boot!

The morning light today was particularly harsh today (the sun was shining straight in) but it made me realise that perhaps I should have listened to the many beauticians who have tried to convince me over the years to have regular facials, dermabrasions, lasers and spend my total monthly salary on lotions and potions.

So as I stood there weighing up my options in terms of looking younger, I had a moment of clarity.  I can either attempt to look younger and reverse the neglect I’ve dished out to myself over the last 20 years or I can embrace the fact that ‘IT IS WHAT IT IS’ and find a work around.

Yes, that’s it.  A work around!  Love those. Always have.

A workaround that makes me look younger?  Hmmm.

No solution in trowelling on the full coverage makeup.  Now that would be mutton/lamb – you know the type and I’d be running for the nearest pack of make up remover wipes before 10.00am.

No there has to be a better way to look younger …

And then it hits me!

Have you ever noticed how often candlelight provides just the right light?

• Movie star leans back against handsome male lead and there are candles on the side of the bath!
• Female gazing into the eyes of her luuverrr across a candlelit dinner
• Beautiful woman relaxing on the couch with a nightcap – glowing an radiant all thanks to the candlelit background

And movies and mini-series aside, don’t YOU feel a little bit more gorgeous when you are surrounded by candlelight?

Subconsciously I’ve always known this – I’m big on candles for dinner parties, I always light a candle on the odd occasion I actually run a bath and I’ll always light a scented candle in our hallway whenever we are home.

So there’s my answer!  Sorry to those who’d like to meet during the day – I’m now only available for candlelit dinners and apologies to those who’d like to grab a coffee while the kids are at Nippers – unless it’s twilight Nippers with a candlelit twist, forget it.

Yes, I may be verging on 60 shades of Twilight but there it is.  Unlike them I don’t sparkle in the sunlight – I wrinkle!

So who’s up for Park Picnic DINNERS, Midnight Matinees and Moonbeam Movies?

If it’s all designed to make me look younger, I’m not misguided am I? Isn’t our outward appearance what it’s all about? Won’t I look exactly like that girl in the pic at the top of this page?