Ah. So this is why we feel furious.
From the truth about midlife rage, to the scam you really need to know about, to a fantastic ghd styling tools giveaway. Welcome to your weekly dose of MID-spo.
HOLLY WAINWRIGHT: ‘I woke up one day and even my hair was irritated.’
No-one likes an angry woman. Not me. Not you.
So screechy. So shrill. So alienating. So… annoying. Ugh. Turn her down, turn her off, kick her out.
Problem is, friends, rage is a wave that women have been trying to ride, tame, quiet, for a lifetime. Some have more reason to be furious than others, and those women obviously, are the ones we tolerate it from the least. But in midlife, rage crashes over many of us at force, uncontainable, unstoppable, all powerful.
I woke up one day and even my hair was irritated.
I was furious at every inconvenience, rageful at every injustice, impatient with everything from the kettle to the Prime Minister.
Seventy per cent of midlife women say that "irritation" is their most regular symptom of fluctuating hormones. And as I only learned in Mamamia's Very Peri summit, even as a woman going through it myself, those hormones don't just plunge once. They rollercoaster for a significant amount of time. For a while there, my mood would stabilise, along with my sleep (my other big hormonal tell) and I would decide I had just had a series of very bad days.
Is anger really that unreasonable a response to 40-odd years as a woman?
Is our midlife anger purely hormonal, symptomatic of that hormone plunge, or are we just sick of all the sh*t?…
🎧 Follow below to hear the latest episode of MID, hosted by Holly Wainwright, who talks to ABC radio presenter and author Jacinta Parsons about why anger might be a very rational response to many things about… life.
👀How could we not offer up Charlotte’s rage monologue for your viewing pleasure? Here ya go.
LEIGH CAMPBELL: ‘3 makeup products I love for over 40s skin’
Sometimes I forget I'm in my 40s.
Maybe it's working with a lot of Gen Z women, or perhaps the fact that I love to be silly and have a good time… or, maybe I don't feel like a grown-up because adults are supposed to have their s**t together. Whatever the reason, I have to remind myself often that I'm not 27.
But the truth is, my face is 42. The pores on my cheeks are getting bigger as I age (thanks, diminishing collagen). My eyelids are starting to listen to gravity and get a little droopy, and overall my skin isn't as bouncy as it once was.
It makes sense that skincare favourites and makeup staples that worked for you two decades ago might not be the most ideal formulas for your more 'experienced' face. Skin concerns change, hormones alter texture and hydration levels, and overall everything is… different.
Erin spoke to beauty expert Amanda Ramsay this week about the skincare products she swears by and recommends for women in their 40s and beyond. I nodded along as I read about each excellent suggestion.
Amanda covered all the skincare essentials, so I wanted to share a few makeup products that are excellent for us 40-year-olds. However, they're ace for absolutely everyone, regardless of age…
🎧Want to hear the You Beauty chat with beauty guru Amanda Ramsay? Follow below and have a listen to Amanda’s midlife skin wisdom…
'Me and my work wife were best friends. Then she got promoted.’
I still remember the day I first met Rachel. We were both in our late-20s, full of energy, working side by side in a bustling office where we quickly became great friends. It was one of those rare connections where you just click, sharing lunch breaks, inside jokes, and the occasional late night at the office. We saw each other socially on a regular basis and got to know each other’s partners. I'd say she was definitely one of my best friends.
When I decided to step away from my job to be with my kids, Rachel was one of the first people I told. She seemed to be genuinely happy for me and she promised to keep in touch. But, as my little family grew, I rarely heard from her. I wasn't worried, though. I always thought that when I returned to work, we'd pick up right where we left off. When I did hear from her, it was to tell me that she'd been promoted and, when I returned, she'd be my superior. I congratulated her and thought it was a great thing that she'd be my boss.
But when I returned to work, I was horrified at the huge personality change in Rachel. It quickly became clear that the power had gone to her head…
THE SCROLL 📱
5 things to feed your mind, fill your heart, nourish your soul.
1. ‘I’m a finance journalist who wrote about con artists. Then I got scammed.’
2. This quick and easy root touch-up lasts for weeks. And it’s $13
3. ‘Three years after I split from my ex, I got a letter. Its contents changed my life.’
4. From today, the sounds of women’s voices in Afghanistan are banned.
5. There’s one vital difference in Kamala Harris’ election campaign. It’s working.
👗MID-SPO STYLE
Top 5 Spring fashion trends made wearable.
Watch below to give your style an easy-as glow-up…
ICYMI 🎧📕👀
So, what’s with all the earthquakes Australia’s been having? 15 classic movies to watch —and they’re all on Stan. I had to stop working to look after a loved one with a disability. Now I survive on $11 a day. In the darkest times of my life, my Aboriginality has saved me. Everyone’s using weighted wristbands again. But do they actually work? I was writing a speech for my sister’s wedding. It ended up being her eulogy. I tried creating new outfits using nine items from my wardrobe. These were the surprising results.
All you need to do to go in the running? Subscribe to Mamamia. (No, seriously, that’s it.)