Humans are strange creatures

I often think about the way society treats (in particular) ageing women. Humans are strange creatures, we all want to live a long life but nobody looks forward to getting old. click the link to follow me on: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@fiftysister or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fiftysister

Why the change in video style?

I wanted to try something new today as I find choosing a music track for a video quite time consuming and frustrating.

I really enjoy writing, but not everyone knows about my words or my blog. I thought I’d combine my love of making short videos, with my love of writing and so here’s my first attempt, I hope you like it.

Makeup for today.

Today’s cruelty free makeup;

  • Foundation is Amazonian Clay, colour =light medium sand – from Tarte Cosmetics.
  • Highlighter, blue eyeshadow and coral coloured blush from Revolution Pro Palette.
  • Mascara, bronzer, grey eyebrow pencil and liquid lipstick is ‘Dash” from MUA Cosmetics.

Humans are strange creatures, but I know I’m not alone in my way of thinking, to be truly grateful to be gaining wrinkles and ageing everyday. If this happens to be a popular format, I will make more.

It didn’t take long!

Already I’ve received messages and comments telling me I look 64 or more. Why does it matter how old I look? Is it meant as an insult? I don’t think it’s an insult at all. We have been programmed through social media and movies etc, to believe that the images we see are women in real life. I don’t use a filter, and I wish I could upload a video which plays at the same quality as I upload it. Both Instagram Reels and TikTok downgrade the quality which appears to blur my skin somewhat. I find that really frustrating

Thanks for stopping by. Have a beautiful day!

Gail x

If you want to get in touch click here.

Do you want to look younger?

I don’t want to appear younger than my years. It’s perfectly OK that I look my age.

I know the beauty industry tries to convince us that we need to look at least 10 years younger than our true biological age, but why? I’ve received messages telling me I look ten years younger, and also 10 or more years older, it really doesn’t matter how old I look, its how old I feel, and I feel the same as I did when I was 18. I eat a varied whole food plant based diet, exercise daily, limit my time on social media and I spend lots of time in nature. It takes effort to feel good, sadly there’s no magic pill. I feel full of energy and ready to take on any challenge. More on this another day, I write less on Instagram posts as the limit on the number of words is too challenging for me!

I took this shot on arriving home from the construction site. My hair was covered in dust and was happily doing it’s own thing. I wandered into the bathroom and picked up the scissors. You see, my hair is falling out. … It’s normal. I have an under active thyroid and it causes my hair to wave goodbye to my scalp by the handful. Sometimes more than others. It’s OK, it’s only hair. 10 minutes of snipping and I have a shorter style.

It doesn’t matter if I look 54, 64 or even more. I just hope I look healthy and happy, as that’s my only wish.

Have a beautiful day.

Gail x

#older #wiser #hypothyroid #itsonlyhair #silverhair #silversister

Starting over

I suddenly arrived at a difficult crossroads on my blogging journey. I didn’t like where all roads were taking me, so I’ve decided to leave Instagram and start over in a new direction with my blog. Crazy I know, considering I had 75k followers late 2021 (which was slowly decreasing and melting away as I’d stopped posting so regularly). Instagram is changing, rebranded ‘Meta’ and now rapidly going in a new direction which I don’t think will be good for my soul. It started as a photo sharing platform, a way to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Someone who could take better photos from interesting angles and add a few words to share their journey. I really do miss that about Instagram.

Meta (formerly FaceBook and Instagram) makes its money from advertising and selling data from users and creators to provide the product – for free. It’s a great business strategy and worked well until they started censoring the content, based on input and restrictions put on them by their clients. Accounts were shadow banned or disappeared overnight, with no resource or humans available to resolve or even discuss the issue. After all, you are getting the platform for free, so why should they provide you any ‘customer’ service.

Click here to buy my T shirts on my FiftySister store.

Influencers post highly filtered photos which everyone seems to appreciate. Post a photo without one and people will be horrified and share their unfiltered feelings on your timeline in record time. Verbal abuse never bothered me, but the effort deleting, blocking or reporting the accounts was such a waste of precious time.

This place name, without fail, always makes me laugh.

So here I am, back on my blog, all new, starting over from scratch. I am both relieved and excited. There’s no mystical algorithms, trolls or pressure to post daily, but I will post regularly as I miss telling stories, writing and sharing a photo here and there. If you sign up for my mailing list I will send you an update once a month and hopefully will be adding offers, vouchers and promo codes if any companies want to work with a silver haired, unfiltered, cruelty free, midlife woman. Let’s see…

Have a beautiful day.

Gail x

Fresh water swim spot just outside Tavira, Algarve, Portugal.

I’m grateful

In the next month (or so) I will be entering my 53rd year. Which means miles travelled around the sun or my total life score is 4,926,657,771 – how incredible is that? Of all the ways there are to die, I’ve avoided each and every one so far.

The world is spinning, orbiting around the sun, travelling 92,955,807 miles
per year, but it makes no noise, or we simply cannot hear it. Something I’m still pondering…

I’ve had; scrapes, accidents, incidents, illnesses, diseases, infections, impacts, abrasions. I’ve laughed, I’ve screamed, I’ve cried. I’ve been lonely, loved, hurt and hugged. I’ve been helped and hindered, supported and opposed, treasured and discarded. We all have.
There have been so many highs and countless lows, but I’m still here and I am very grateful. Grateful for the wrinkles, the facial hair, the sun spots, the stretch marks the scars.
The journey so far has been worth it and I look forward to collecting many more wrinkles along the way.
Who else has decided to embrace their wrinkles?


#wrinkles #scars #sunspots #facialhair #over50 #over40 #midlife #emptynest #aging #ageing #proaging #proageing #gratitute #grateful #stretchmarks #bodypositive #agepositive

Changing faces

Changing faces.


Wrinkles, age spots, scars and broken thread veins now adorn my face. Gone are the thick eyebrows and blemish free tight-fitting skin.


I receive many messages from women who hate their changing face. Slowly melting whilst their hair invades the space below their hairline, leaving it ever thinner on top.
My eyebrows need a pencil, my skin needs a good foundation, a swipe of lipstick, a wave of the magic wand of mascara, a bit of blush and dab of highlighter and I’m ready for the day. Happy with the new face which has a little more skin each year. I’m certainly not complaining, I’ve had a lot of use out of this face, it’s had quite a lot of wear and tear!


Don’t you think it’s incredible how you can guess a person’s age so easily? Most will guess within 1 year or 2 a person’s age. That’s how I know it’s a natural process I cannot and will not fight. I’m not attempting to turn back a clock which is naturally and happily advancing forward, day by day, giving me more wonderful days on this earth.


My grandma wore floral dresses (never trousers), had soft silver hair, her eyes were a little cloudy, she was short, squidgy and a soft pillow when I needed somewhere to rest my head. I adored her, and I want to be like her. She had a marshmallow belly, bingo wing arms and wore an industrial strength bra – with a stash of a folded paper tissues tucked inside, always ready to wipe away a tear when needed.


She was perfect.


#ageing #aging #proaging #agepositive #midlife #midlifecrisis #wrinkles #agespots #grandma #middleage #over50 #over40 #50pluswomen #positivity #proageing

It’s difficult to say ‘No’

his morning I’ve been catching up on lots of emails from companies wanting to partner for posts and IGTV. Sadly, I had to decline all of them as their focus is; anti ageing creams/potions/apps, makeup and beauty products made from animals, diet pills or meat focused diet plans all of which I can’t approve.

I love ageing, so anti ageing is a bit of an insult to anyone who has made it to the magnificent milestone of reaching the incredible age of 50. Let’s be honest, there are so many ways to die, it’s a miracle any of us make it to 30 let alone 50 and beyond. Ageing is our greatest achievement. I don’t want to look younger, I want to look and feel healthy.
After researching the best diet to give me back my mojo a few years ago, it lead to a path of enlightenment regarding the use of animals in food and the beauty industry. This was a one way ticket to a cruelty free life, and I’ve never looked back. Cruelty free and vegan products look the same without the pain.

Diet pills are in no way a long term solution to weight loss. Eating a whole food plant based diet changed my shape/weight and life forever. It just takes determination and a change of eating habits established since childhood.

As for high animal protein diets, check out a few documentaries about this and you will never take a life for a moment of food pleasure again.
I celebrate my cheeky wrinkles each day, I love each and every one of those lines left from hours of fun and plenty of belly laughs.
#vegan #crueltyfree #ilovemywrinkles #proageing #wrinkles #ageinggracefully #weightloss #bodybositive #midlife #middleaged #over40 #over50 #fitafter50 #laughterlines #silverhair #grayhair #matureskin #maturebeauty #over50style #maturestyle #silversisters #middleaged #over50lifestyle #aging #healthyaging #agingwell

What am I selling?

I was asked recently ‘what are you selling?’ I’m selling a healthy midlife body and positive mindset. The cost is your time and commitment. It starts today with you appreciating you are still here and have the ability to change, to embrace and adore your perfect ageing body.
One of the saddest things which has increasing monetary value and is highly sought after, is a toy which is decades old, still in it’s perfect box. No scratches, scuffs or creases. Unplayed with. Untouched. Unloved.
That toy never fulfilled its purpose.
I think the secret to positive ageing is to live in the moment. Not in the past. Not in the future. We are here. Now.

I cannot compare my face or body to the newer showroom shiny one I owned (and didn’t like so much) when I was a teenager. Nor should I. I now have plenty of miles on the clock, lots of scratches, bumps and prangs gained from joyriding my way through life.
It takes more of an effort to spruce myself up each day, no longer not just a quick flick of a mascara brush and away I go. But I’m happy I can still see with the help of my glasses. My hearing is diminishing, so I will be in need of a hearing aid before too long – thanks to many car journeys screeching along with Evanescence for hours on end.
Today I pruned my peach fuzz face with a razor. Plucked my brows which grow everywhere except where I need them. Put in my velcro rollers, then slapped on some makeup to create the best version of my well worn crinkly face.
I don’t look younger, I look my age and I’m completely happy with that.
It’s so important to love your wrinkles, crinkles, scars and all. Never aspire to be the toy in the box.
#ageing #aging #agepositive #positivity #bodypositive #midlife #vegan #plantbased #healthyaging #silverhair #grayhair #over50 #over40 #wrinkles #positiveaging #matureskin #maturewomen #peachfuzzface #womenwhoshave #maturemakeup #olderwoman #fitover50 #pastelbluehair #bluehair

Wakeup Mid Lifers!

I’ve been hitting the bottle again today. Don’t panic! It’s the same temporary vegan hair colour I’ve used before. Instead of adding it straight out of the bottle I’ve mixed it with my shampoo for a softer effect. It will wash out within 1 week, quicker if its sunny which it should be for the rest of the week.

My sister sent me a recipe for dandelion honey yesterday. I was intrigued but not convinced it would be a successful experiment. Seb jumped over a high wall and collected lots of flowers for me from a meadow next to Churston Woods. I could have jumped over but didn’t rate my chances climbing back as I don’t have his Spiderman climbing skills.
I’ve been getting a bit frustrated lately, I just can’t help it. I hear so many people talking about supporting the NHS by staying home or clapping once a week but they still smoke or are grossly overweight. They don’t consider or appreciate, the additional load their poor choices or lack of care places on the NHS.

I struggled with my weight all my life and never gave my body the care and attention it craved. It eventually crashed and it was only then I realised how stress and neglect was affecting my body. My life chasing the next goal was taking me closer and quicker to my grave.
The only goal I want to achieve now, is to wake up other mid-lifers up to the long terms effects of their current lifestyle and diet. If I can do it, anyone can.
What inspires you to make positive changes?

#vegan#plantbased#aging#healthyaging#violethair#purplehair#over50#over50style#maturebeauty#matureskin#maturemakeup#50plus#healthyeating#midlife#middleaged#wellbeing#fitover50#over40style#silverbraids#braids#maturehairstyle#over50hairstyle#silverhair#olderwoman#ageing#ageingwell#agingwell#aginggracefully#crueltyfree#selfcare

The one thing I hate about ageing

Sadly as we age, those ahead of us must leave to make way for new life….

I have realised the one thing I do hate about ageing. It’s losing the wonderful and precious souls who have positively contributed to, and influenced my upbringing, making me who I am today. Providing love, affection, guidance and support in every possible way.

Sadly as we age, those ahead of us must leave to make way for new life, ultimately allowing us to take their place as senior members of the family, if we are lucky enough to live into our seventies, eighties or more. Older, perhaps wiser, we are able to provide the same support and loyal counsel to the younger members that we once were.
I love everything else about each and every year that leaves it’s little mark or impression on my ageing body. Each wrinkle, sun spot, stretch mark, silver strand and scar is a perfect treasure and reward for a life well lived.
#aging#ageing#midlife#loss#ageinggracefully#silverhair#emptynest#wrinkles#agepositive#braids#silverbraids#bluehair#matureskin#maturemakeup#over50#over40#goinggray#healthyaging#maturewoman#over50style#over50makeup#wrinkles#scars#over50hairstyle#gettingolder#older#bodypositive#positiveaging#proaging

Who is FiftySister

Who is a Fifty Sister?

She has sparkling hair, or maybe cherry red… or any colour of the rainbow. It’s whichever colour makes her feel happy and confident.
She cares.
She’s kind.
She wears what she wants. Dr Marten boots with a pretty dress? She likes it, thats all that matters.
She wears her hair long, in a messy bun. Or maybe her head is shaved, an undercut, dreadlocks. Her choice.
She dances, she sings, she loves her life.
She knows she is lucky, she is here.
She’s visible.
She’s bold.
She’s brave.
She’s fearless.
She’s wise.
She loves every stretch mark from weight gained, weight lost, perhaps a baby, or maybe not.
She likes her squidgy belly. It’s warm and soft. A perfect pillow.
She walks.
She talks.
She breathes in the morning air and is thankful each day.
She smiles.
She makes time for herself, to be the best she can be.
She’s caring.
She’s mindful.
She’s compassionate.
She wears sexy undies, big knickers, no knickers, she can wear whatever she damned likes.
She wears pink lipstick, red lipstick, no lipstick. They are her lips to choose.
She has tattoos, no tattoos, dreams of tattoos, get that tattoo!
She’s slim, she’s shapely, she is lean, she is the shape she wants to be.
She is everything she never dared to be.
This is her time to shine.
She is me.

#over50 #midlife #emptynest #silverhair #grayhair #over50influencer #over50style #matureskin #older #over40 #agepositive #she #maturewomen #midlifecrisis #middleaged #empynestor#shadows #fitover50 #over50selfie #thisis50