The touch-up that has conquered me at 52

Fur

I’m a cat scared of touch-ups, terrified that Botox will make me blind (there’s no evidence this can happen, I’m just a drama queen with an overactive imagination) and that fillers will make me look unbalanced. So anything injectable is not for me, or so I thought. Then I heard about Profhilo, a treatment that uses high concentrations of natural hyaluronic acid (HA) to improve skin tone. Friends in the beauty industry assure me that it’s a basic treatment that leaves you looking firmer and fresher rather than too “done.”

At his London clinic in Marylebone, Dr. Joney de Souza He is cheerful and chatty as he slaps my face in ten different places, symmetrically so that the HA is evenly distributed. Immediately afterwards, my face is dotted with red marks where the needle entered, but within 12 hours they disappeared. Over the next fortnight, my tired, gray complexion becomes more radiant. It’s subtle: the overall effect is that of a good night’s sleep, rather than being trapped in a wind tunnel. I’ll definitely be back for a refresher once it starts to wear off in six months (from £450, drjoneydesouza.com).

Face

I once believed the only way to even out my skin tone was to cover my face with a thick foundation, but with age my makeup choices have become clearer. In Australia last year I discovered Lük Beautifood Instant Brightening Skin Tint (£32, lukbeautifood.com), a game-changer for me as it has just the right amount of shine to give you a natural glow. I love it so much that I now shipped it from Australia, but if you’re not interested in that then Hourglass Veil Moisturizing Skin Tint (£49, hourglasscosmetics. co.uk) is a great but expensive option. However, a small amount is enough, so it lasts. Beauty Pie Skin Brightening Serum with Super Luminous Color (£20, beautypie.com) is easily just as good and priced more palatable to its members.

Eyes

My eyelids are droopier, the circles under my eyes are more pronounced, and the heavy eyeshadow makes me look like a tribute to Barbara Cartland. Subtle is the way to go for my middle-aged eye makeup: a light sweep of Elf No Budge Shadow Stick in Rose Gold (£6, elfcosmetics.co.uk) along the edge of my upper lashes and a single coat of mascara is enough.

If I want to liven up my eyes, I use Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Skin Secrets Immediate Revitalizing Eye Patches (£58, charlottetilbury.com). I had a lot of doubts about its effectiveness before trying it, but in ten minutes my under-eye area is smooth and illuminated. Although they are quite expensive, they come in tubs of 60, so they cost less than two pounds each.

Body

Until a couple of years ago I was lazy about taking care of my body; so my 50th birthday gifts seemed to be dandruff on my pimples and a crepe neckline. A daily dose of Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion to Soothe Skin (£9.49, boots.com) is now part of my morning ritual. It’s not greasy and seeing the skin softening effects inspires me to continue using it diligently.

Hair

For hair loss I have started taking Glowwa hair food supplements (£34.99 for 60 capsules, Glowwa.com) on the recommendation of my brilliant hairdresser Sarah Howard (@sarahhowardhair). Although it’s early, I’m already noticing that I’m losing less hair in the shower.