Middle Age Sexy Is The Best

by Linda Franklin

It seems that scarcely a day passes without seeing a survey on some aspect of the middle-aged female experience. Maybe we should feel grateful, because according to one of the surveys I read, pollsters are the only people who find ladies of a certain age even slightly interesting.

This is a sad commentary, but unfortunately it’s true.  Of 2,000 women who were surveyed, most agreed that 46 is the age that they become invisible to men.. 

The good news (according to this survey) is that by the time we get to 60 we start feeling better. That’s the good news????  How about the 14 years we are sitting crying in our beer?  If we’re smart, and I know we are, we won’t let that happen.  We will appreciate who we are, the woman we have grown into at any age we happen to be.

None of us can turn back the clock.  In my middle 40′s, I believed I could.   I was wrong.   I had to figure out for myself, and we all do, how to hold onto your sexy and that fire in your belly.

Here’s a couple of tips I’ll pass on to you if you’re feeling blue because of our age:

• Play up your assets – now it’s time to do what feels good to you  - it’s your turn
• Stop Listening to the naysayers who say life is over at 50
• Don’t hold on to relationships that no longer nurture your soul
• Change your look – go from just OK to sexy sophisticated
• Take a risk – get out of your head – say screw you to the fear  - and watch what happens

We are powerful, fabulous females and even though we may have to play up different assets as we go through the decades, our confidence, our sexy, and appreciation of life will shine through.  Your passion for life will be recognized.

I am convinced that middle-aged women of today are creating another template for aging and it’s not what the pollsters are telling us.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality.  Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Hair Hair Everywhere And It’s Not Yours

by Linda Franklin

More and more women are turning to false hair pieces to enhance their look.  It’s fast, it’s easy and for the most part it looks just like your own locks.

All the celebs wear them and the women you see everyday do too.  It’s fast and its easy when you are in a rush and don’t have time to wash, dry and style.

“It’s not necessarily about poor quality hair — it’s actually about time,” said Peter Gray, a New York editorial and commercial hairstylist.  Human-hair wigs (the gold standard of wigdom) are part of Mr. Gray’s regular bag of tricks for photo shoots and fashion shows. They can provide a new look in an instant, without commitment or damage. They can be washed and styled with regular products and lengthened with extensions. “They’ve become so high quality, you can stand a foot away from someone with a wig on and not be able to tell,” he said.

Human hair wigs are expensive but you do have choices.  I personally like the synthetic versions, because unlike real hair they don’t react to humidity and they are affordable.  You can experiment without breaking the bank.  Just yesterday I ordered a phony pony and a messy bun – getting ready for the summer.  This way I can cut my own hair and still have he flexibility of other fun styles.

Try one – it just might set you free.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality.  Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Pre-Oscar Red Carpet Beauty Treatments

by Linda Franklin

Sunday night some of us will be glued to the TV for the Red Carpet Star Walk.  I imagine that the A-list women, who prepare for this event for months, will be breathing a huge sigh of relief when it’s finally over.

The Los Angeles practioners who administer the treatments are bombarded with clients for weeks prior weeks before to the big event.  That’s good news for them.  Ka-Ching.

To get clients red carpet-ready, Nurse Jamie, a registered nurse and the co-owner of Beauty Park Medical Spa in Santa Monica, California, says every appointment is like a racing car pit stop.  ‘We usually have two or three people in the room, no-one has time, so we have one person tightening the body and another giving a treatment on the face’.

Here is a list of the 10 favorite procedures used to make the stars shine brighter – well at least for one night.

Baby Drop Fillers: A special ‘Gucci’ needle and baby drops of filler can smooth wrinkles even on the day of an event. Nurse Jamie uses a hyaluronic acid- based filler for natural, bruise-free results.

Head-to-Toe Instant Tightening: A ‘non-surgical team’ of registered nurses will tighten every inch with a radio frequency device. Nurse Jamie says: ‘Instantly the skin looks incredibly taut and there is no downtime.’

Botox Lite: ’For a softer, more relaxed look, we inject tiny amounts of the toxin into multiple areas of the forehead,’ Nurse Jamie says. ‘This way, people still have full motion… without the skin looking like an accordion!’

Vitamin IM Injection Facial: An aesthetician tends to the skin, while a registered nurse administers an IM injection, which includes B Vitamins and Vitamin C. It’s better to take them together rather than one at a time. It helps to maintain collagen and protect the skin from sun damage.

Zit Killer: On its own, the acclaimed ‘cort shot’ (cortisone injection) can shrink colossal zits with in 48 hours. As a follow up, skin is smoothed with the Near Infrared light.

Cue the ‘Q’: This is the no downtime facelift. It target redness in the skin and works wonders on the skin’s texture and tone. If a star can’t get in to see Jamie, she tells them to pick up a EGF Stem Cell Repair serum and Beauty Stamp which uses a similar technology.

Vaginal Rejuvenation: ‘Before you pass judgement on this treatment, apparently this  includes front-to-back skin tightening in the bikini area and removal of ingrown hairs, skin tags and discoloration.

Body Fat Tightening: ’We’ll essentially redo the entire surface of their body,’ says Jamie, who uses radio frequency to tighten loose skin. Also in demand is i-Lipo, a fat-busting device that targets belly bulges and love handles.

Electric Facials: This facial uses different types of current to boost radiance, enhance lymphatic drainage, kill acne bacteria, wipe out dark circles, and even spark cellular repair.

Bacteria-Busting Facials: Facials with extractions can trigger more blemishes than they treat. Jamie’s team applies gauze dipped in liquid nitrogen to kill bacterial and sooth the skin.

Phew!! My body is tingling just writing about these beauty fixes.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says, ”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.
 

 

 
 

 

Dare To Bare – How Much Is Too Much

by Linda Franklin

Skin, skin and more skin.  Whether it’s on the red carpet or just walking down the street, women are popping out all over.  So, before you leave the house look into your mirror and ask yourself – how much is too much, especially if you are forty and beyond.

If your clothes are too revealing,  you are most likely sending out the dreaded “desperate vibe”.  But, on the other hand,  if you’re too buttoned up and drab you just fade into the woodwork and don’t get noticed at all.

So how do you know what’s right for you?  How about this. Wear an outfit that reveals 40 percent of your skin and you will get just the right amount of attention.

To arrive at this 40 percent benchmark Leeds University psychologist Colin Hendrie sent four female researchers to one of their city’s biggest nightclubs. They documented on video what the women were wearing and how many times they were approached by the men.

Seventy hours of recordings later it was revealed that women who showed off 40 percent of their skin were asked to dance twice as much as women who were covered up or too exposed.

I have always said, ‘bling and cleavage is not the way to attract the man of your dreams’.  Now research is confirming it.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says, ”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Hair Extensions – The Bloody Truth

by Linda Franklin

Hair extensions can add fullness and length to otherwise sad-looking locks, but the health hazards that accompany the popular beauty aid can far out-way the rewards.

From blinding headaches, to patchy hair loss and sometimes permanent damage, doctors are now warning about the dangers of hair extensions, the must-have accessory of celebrities on the red carpet.

Neurologist, Dr. Orly Avitzur of Terrytown, N.Y., who is also the medical adviser for Consumer Reports, told ABC News: ‘If you start to get hair loss, then stop immediately. The risk of going bald is great”.’

Hair extensions, where synthetic or real hair is attached onto a person’s existing hair or scalp by weaving, gluing, sewing or clipping it on, first became popular with actresses, but the treatment has quickly moved on to the mainstream.  Women everywhere are using them.

Permanent damage from hair extensions is known as Traction Alopecia.  Apparently the weight and tension on the wearer’s hair follicles can cause permanent damage and prevent hair regrowth.

One 46-year-old New York social worker, who prefers not to be named, said she ran to the doctor with blinding headaches. After blood work and an MRI scan of the brain checked out as normal, there was no explanation for the sudden pounding in the patient’s head.

She was sent to Dr Avitzur, who explained: ‘When I went to examine her and simply touched her scalp, she pulled away and winced when my fingertips touched her quite gently.

‘She had hundreds of these tightly braided hair braids. It was pretty clear to me that she did not need a work-up, but that she needed to remove her extensions.

The procedure, costing anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand, can be successful, however it is important to make sure the stylist attaches the extensions using a method that is tailored to your specific hair type.

If they’re attached too tightly, or weigh too much, problems can develop quickly.

Chicago cosmetologist Grace Santiler-Nowik, the president of the Professional Beauty Association’s Professional Council,explained: ‘It’s not something you tread into lightly. People want their hair thick and long, but they forget there’s a whole upkeep portion of it they have to maintain.’

Ms Santiler-Nowik emphasized that customers must return to the salon at regular intervals to have the extensions removed and replaced, and need to take a break from the hair pieces if they’re causing damage to a person’s hair.

‘I think it’s important for people to get education, there’s always a safe way to do things and a smart way to do things,’ she said.

Even Jennifer Aniston, who first gave the extensions a go as her character Rachel in Friend’s, is weary of the procedure.

She told Harper’s Bazaar: ‘I decided to have a couple of extensions, never knowing you would end up with 400 things in your head that cause your hair to break off. Nothing destroys your hair faster than extensions.’

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says, ”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Dallas Is Back and So Are Shoulder Pads and Power Suits

by Linda Franklin

They’re back!!! Looks like Dallas is back on top and with a big bang! Their triumphant return has fans eagerly watching but the fashion world has taken notice too. The two piece suit, bold prints and sales of costume jewellery, including big crystals and pearls, are up by a whopping 34 per cent.

Hoorah for 7l year old Linda Gray!  She plays the matriarch of the Ewing family, Sue Ellen, and is the one driving this fashion trend.

Sales of tailored dresses and jackets similar to those worn by the actress have more than doubled since Sue Ellen reappeared on the small screen. It’s being dubbed the “Dallas Effect”.

Also popular are glamorous 80’s trouser suits and pointy toe stiletto heels, which shoppers are buying instead of last season’s chunky platform sandals.

It’s as though Dallas reminds people of a time when the economic outlook was bold and bright – just like the cast’s wardrobe.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Husbands Afraid To Tell Wives “I Hate Your Clothes”

by Linda Franklin

What does your husband REALLY think when he says ‘you look lovely’? Some brave men come clean about their wives favorite outfits and it ain’t pretty.

I wonder how many men are afraid to tell you they hate how you dress?  Sometimes my hubby will tell me he doesn’t like the way an outfit looks on me and I have to admit I didn’t like my choice either. But you know what, even though I had come to the same conclusion it still stings. And they talk about the male ego being huge!!!

A recent survey found one in four men regularly don’t like what their partner is wearing — but half of them are too afraid to tell the truth in case sparks fly.  Smart guys, they have been conditioned to take the easy road. Guess that’s the YES DEAR approach.

So here are two of the outfits the women like and here’s what the husband really thinks?

To see all the comments and what they would prefer to see their wives wearing click here.

 

“Her wardrobe’s 50 shades of grey – but it’s done nothing for our love life”

‘”She looks like a cross between a Russian peasant and an Inca tribeswoman”

 

 

Stilettos Out – Fashion Week Loves Shoes Made For Walking

by Linda Franklin

Women’s shoes are painful, impractical and walking in them is pure torture. The five, six and even seven-inch heels have been the rage so are poor feet have suffered for the sake of fashion.

I prefer a three inch heel and they have been almost impossible to find.  Our choices were limited – either it was the ridiculous stilts or the super flat ballet pumps.

But that is about to change — because this season the hottest heel height is a demure one inch, perhaps two if you push it.

Dubbed the ‘petite pump’, the new ‘It shoe’ featured in the collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloe and Chanel, has been the heel of choice for fashionistas at London Fashion Week.

‘We don’t want to wear instruments of torture any more,’ says fashion expert Brix Smith-Start. ‘These heels are the perfect height to make you stand a little taller, they’re smart and structured, but you can wear them all day.’

 

Could it be,  that we are seeing the death of the sky-high stiletto?  One can only hope.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Carmen Dell’Orefice – Living Large at 81

At 81, Carmen Dell’Orefice walked the Norisol Ferrari Spring / Summer 2013 show during New York Fashion Week on Monday.

“I don’t know if it’s good or silly,” she told TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager of her current modeling career. ”It’s what I enjoy doing, and I’m able to do it.”

In my opinion, that’s not silly at all.   Loving what you do, not taking life too seriously, and realizing each day has something wonderful to capture is the secret to living the dream.  She is a wonderful example of what all of us dream of achieving - True Happiness.

Carmen says,  “I think America may be growing up and accepting the fact that the bulk of life exists beyond 50. Because demographically … the vast population is over 50″.

Yes, she admits to getting some help with her looks – admitting to using fillers, with the philosophy, “If your ceiling was falling down, wouldn’t you fix it?”

I don’t know Carmen personally but I do know a good friend of hers.  My friend is a wonderful women who is also in her 80′s.  She is my inspiration. She doesn’t think about age or let it stop her from doing whatever she wants to do.  Last year she went on safari to Africa and this year has already planned her Christmas holiday trip to Havana.  She works out at the gym twice a week with the energy of a 35 year old.  And, she loves driving around in her Silver Bullet – a 1966 Mustang convertible – top down.

These two women prove to me the limitless value of living in the moment and the excitement of trying and enjoying new things without fear or reservation.  They don’t fight getting older because their curiosity and vitality keep them tuned in to what’s important.  Both of these women illustrate beautifully what it means to be a Real Cougar.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Braids Are In – Forget The Blow Dryer

By Linda Franklin

 

Braids have moved from the red carpet to local hair salons all over the country.  ’Braid Bars’ now offer different styles for a fixed price.

The demand for braids has been soaring: following the success of The Hunger Games.  Now the braid bars are jumpin in to take advantage of the demand.  A typical  menu offers cord braids, French braids, waterfall braids and herringbone or fishtail braids.

Each service costs you about $30, and you are out of the chair in 30 minutes or less.

Looks like there is going to be a braid in everything we look at for awhile. Braids have now become a fashion accessory.

About a half-dozen stylists do between 40 and 50 braids a week at John Barrett Salon in New York. The salon opened offers a menu with nine braids.

I like the look and think I will check out the ‘braid bar’ for a special party I have in September.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality.  Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.