At the age of fifty, she found herself in a challenging space, with children gone and exhausted from years of juggling career, family, ageing parents and her own health.
She realised that she wasn’t the only one struggling as a midlife woman so set about reimagining her life to help both herself and others.
She is now an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, an award- winning 40+ beauty blogger, prime time presenter on Wellbeing Radio and the founder of TOYL, a beauty subscription box for women over 40.
I’ve been in the beauty industry for over thirty years, originally as a beauty PR, later as the go-to person for reader offers for the national press and most recently as the founder of TOYL, my award-winning beauty subscription box for women over 40.
I loved being a beauty PR and was very lucky to have strong success in it, but in my late forties it all started to change. I felt aged out of the role. My major beauty contacts moved onto new projects and the younger journalists coming in didn’t have the same reference points as me. This also coincided with my menopause and my sons leaving home. Very quickly I found myself in a dark, challenging place and without the help of my husband I don’t know if I’d have got out of it. When, finally, the light came back into the room I didn’t want any other midlife woman to go through what I’d been through. Of course, that’s not totally possible but what I did want to do was create something just for midlife women. Beauty is what I know and so I created the Time Of Your Life (www.TOYL.co.uk) beauty box.
So much of the beauty industry – the marketing, the aspirations, the visuals – are geared to Millenials today and I wanted a total space for us, midlife women. The worst moment I saw in beauty was an anti-ageing range launched by a major brand with the face of a 19 year old. It was insulting.
Midlife women are the fastest growing, soon to be biggest demographic in the world, soon to be the largest demographic in the UK workforce yet we are still under represented in so many walks of live, broadcasting not being the least. My company is about using beauty and self care to ensure that our confidence gets to an all-time high and stays there, allowing us to achieve what we want to with this special part of our lives.
100%.
I know exactly how I want the next ten years to play out. However, I also remember the saying “if you want to make the Gods laugh, tell them your plans” because life will get in the way. That said, I’m planning to succeed and I’ve put the blocks in place to get where I want to. Will it happen? Well, that’s the fun bit of life.
I’m a big fan of Ant Middleton, Jason Fox and the SAS team as I think there is so much that midlife women can learn from the SAS (honestly!)
I went to see Ant Middleton speak and his fundamental truth is “there is no growth without change”. Change is scary, it is challenging on every level but if you want to grow professionally and personally it is the only road to go down. Every day. That brings the daily mental challenge of “can I do it?” to which the answer is always “there is only one way to find out”. Fear is the biggest challenge we all face today. It holds us back in everything but there is no growth in comfort. None at all.
Overcoming fear in any given situation.
Doesn’t matter how big or small or if I fail in the task, if I have overcome fear to do it, it’s a win.
The dog.
Now, that looks like an answer for laughs but I’m serious. Because of the dog I go out walking every day, twice a day for at least thirty minutes. I cannot tell you the number of studies that prove how movement helps the brain think. Darwin, a man very much ahead of his time, created a circular walk within his Kent home and that is where he hit upon the Theory of Evolution, while walking. Perhaps because of walking. Movement starts up the brain and I would suggest that the next time your team are “Blue Sky” thinking take them for a walk. Why creative meetings are held at desks I will never know. The brain doesn’t like the static position, there’s no air, there’s no real stimulus besides verbal, there’s a hierarchy to the seating. There’s also the health benefits of movement.
For women, recent studies suggest that one thirty minute walk each day can half the risk of breast cancer. Your insulin levels spike less if you walk after eating and one of the key things we should be focusing on with our health is levelling out our insulin.
The dog not only gets me outside but because of him I meet other people who want to talk dogs, who want to deepen their level of communication with animals and, as we all know, when life isn’t going well nothing beats the cuddle of a pet.
I both mentor and am a mentee. It is crucial to success and you cannot ever stop learning. My mentors are Lynne Franks OBE, Tracey Woodward (ex CEO of Aromatherapy Associates and ex Head of Beauty for Marks & Spencer), Sue Peart (ex-editor of YOUMagazine for 21 years) and Alison Young (author and beauty expert on QVC). I mentor a female photographer and a tapestry artist to help them maximise their income from what they do. Get the very, very best mentors you can then pass it down the line. Volunteer work and mentoring are something every business woman should do. It’s one of the four pillars of how I live my life.
Sandy Toksvig, co founder of the Women’s Equality Party got paid 50% of what Stephen Fry did for the same job of chairing BBC quiz show QI.
In 2020, it was stated that UK pay equality is still 100 years away.
What could I suggest that brighter people than me haven’t already? But, if I could change one thing it would be the will, in those who are stopping progress, the desire, to get things changed.
Be careful how you measure success.
I was walking through a hotel garden the other day and several young couples were checking out. They all had the suitcases, the Tesla’s, the Chanel sunnies. The talk was all of deals and the Polo and in amongst them was the older woman in her puffa coat, hair pulled up in a ponytail, no make up (I was off to the spa).
Yet I could well be more successful than any of them. Not in monetary terms, no, but through my volunteer work I’m creating a hub to help remove social isolation in our local community and I’m building (with two others) a brand new observatory in the South Downs National Park so that schools, the public, all of us can learn about the universe in a friendly, entertaining way. These two projects will be worth more than rubies to our local communities and the personal satisfaction in these projects is immense. I think that is success.
TOYL has big ambitions.
I’m launching an online, global course (The Ultimate Guide to Midlife Beauty) at the end of May 2022 as it’s only when you hit midlife do you realise that actually, the game has changed and you’re not going to be thirty five forever, however much your brain says you are. Your hormones change, your face shape changes, your skin tone differs from years gone by and so everything needs re-evaluating from make up to skincare. You also need to know about the choices out there. I know a beauty journalist who suffered for years with a wart. She went to see an advanced electrolysis at my recommendation and it went in three weeks. Those issues are so damaging to confidence and so easily fixed. This course is to give guidance to midlife women across all beauty issues, to ensure their confidence is sky high, but the course is just the start. I have the next five years populated with highly ambitious projects, mostly around content, for TOYL and it’s going to take everything I’ve got to get them to fruition.
TOYL is a positive community for midlife women and I’d like to extend that into lobbying broadcasters and Government to “see” this group. Midlife women don’t kick up, but we have a lot to say. We are wise, we have lived and we can help younger women and men see life in the round. We have an incredible amount to offer and we need to be seen as us, not as an age.
Midlife women are the fastest growing demographic in the world, we are the fastest growing workforce in the UK and we control 67% of all household spend.
But, society often sees midlife women as “over the hill” and unattractive while major brands and broadcasters simply ignore us. These years can be the most challenging of our lives with health issues, divorce, the menopause, empty nest adjustments, and losing loved ones being very real challenges.
Written, with experts, to help women over 40 to live these years brilliantly, The Time Of Your Life is your ultimate guide to living midlife well.
February
20feb12:0012:45Creating a menopause-friendly workplace | Free lunch & learn with Menospace
20/02/2025 12:00 - 12:45(GMT+00:00)
This free Lunch & Learn event is designed to provide an introduction to supporting menopause at
It’s a great opportunity to learn how small changes can make a big difference.
Hosted by Haley White, Founder of Menospace, this session will cover key topics such as understanding the impact of menopause in the workplace, recognising common symptoms, and exploring practical strategies for fostering a menopause-friendly environment. Attendees will gain actionable advice on how to implement policies, open conversations, and ensure that those experiencing menopause feel heard, valued, and supported in their professional roles.
This informative and engaging session will take place on Thursday 20th February 2025, from 12.00pm to 12.45pm via Zoom, making it accessible for professionals across different locations. The 45-minute session is structured to fit conveniently within the workday, allowing participants to join during lunch and walk away with key takeaways that they can apply immediately in their workplace, helping to drive meaningful change.
By attending this session, participants will better understand why menopause awareness is crucial, how to implement small but impactful changes in the workplace, and how organisations can create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing menopause-related challenges, leading to improved wellbeing and productivity.
Whether you’re a business leader, HR professional, line manager, or employee interested in learning more, this session is an excellent opportunity to gain practical knowledge and be part of the movement towards greater workplace inclusivity and better support for menopausal employees.
Join the conversation, learn from an expert, and take the first step towards making your workplace menopause-friendly and empowering your team!
25feb09:0017:30International Women's Day Conference & Exhibition 2025 | ThinkFest IWD
25/02/2025 09:00 - 17:30(GMT+00:00)
Millennium Point - Birmingham
Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG
Join us for a kick-ass International Women’s Day Conference & Exhibition, celebrating and empowering women from all walks of life! International Women’s
Join us for an inspiring and empowering event celebrating women’s achievements and promoting gender equality. The International Women’s Day Conference & Exhibition will take place at Millennium Point – Birmingham. This in-person event brings together influential speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and a vibrant exhibition showcasing the talents of women from various fields. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired by remarkable women from around the world. Come and be part of this incredible celebration of women’s accomplishments and the journey towards a more inclusive society.
The Event is split in two, a ticketed Conference and a free to attend Expo.
FREE TO ATTEND EXPO – This part of the event will feature a number of exhibition stands as well as seminar stage delivering content to individuals, small businesses and young females. This is completely free to attend and we have content running throughout the day.
For more for more information about all of the sessions we are running, please take a look at our website. www.IWDExpo.com
We look forward to welcoming you all there, don’t forget it’s not just for women, we need more men in the room to create a greater alliance for gender parity.
10:00 AM Welcome & Introduction
10:30 AM Motivational Networking
11:00 AM How to Start and Scale Your Business
11:30 AM The Magic of Writing Your Book
12:00 PM Funding Females
12:30 PM Mental Health & Wellbeing
1:00 PM Women In STEM
2:00 PM Women in Media
3:00 PM Empowering Girls for Career Success
4:00 PM Building Your Personal Brand
4:40 PM Monetise your Passion
5:10 PM Finish
PAID TICKET CONFERENCE – The content delivered at the conference will be targeted towards senior leaders across business and corporate as well as third-sector organisations. We will be exploring a range of different topics, looking at key issues that women face and what we can do to improve the experience for women in the workplace. A key part of the conference will focus on how we increase the number of male allies for females and have a dedicated panel of speakers discussing this. To top it all off we will be hearing from fashion entrepreneur Karen Millen OBE, founder of Karen Millen.
25feb10:3011:30The FTSE Women Leaders Review | Report Launch Tuesday 25 February 2025
25/02/2025 10:30 - 11:30(GMT+00:00)
We are delighted to extend to you a special invitation to the live broadcast launch of the FTSE Women Leaders Review report on Tuesday 25 February 2025 from
The FTSE Women Leaders Review has made remarkable strides, with the FTSE 350 achieving over 40% women’s representation on boards ahead of the target. However, our work is far from complete. Achieving gender balance and diversity on boards and leadership teams has never been more crucial to harness the wealth of experience, expertise and skills essential for business to navigate complex issues successfully.
With just one year remaining to reach our recommendations, realising genuine equality and enabling further progress will require a united commitment from us all to achieve the 40% women in leadership target and to drive more appointments of women into the ‘four key roles’; the Chair, Senior Independent Director, CEO and Finance Director.
We therefore warmly invite you to join us for the 2024 report launch, where we will share new and exclusive findings on the progress made in achieving gender balance during the year. We are delighted that the Secretary of State for the Department of Business & Trade and the Minister for Women & Equalities will be sharing their support for the Review, and we are excited to host a panel of distinguished guests who will share insights on how they are accelerating progress.
Our panellists include:
– Allison Kirkby, CEO BT Group Plc
– Lee Chambers, Business Psychologist, Speaker, Author
– Yetunde Hofmann, Non-Executive Director Cranswick Plc
– Mary Ann Sieghart, Author of ‘The Authority Gap’
Please confirm your attendance at this virtual event by completing this registration form. If you encounter any difficulties during the registration process, our team is available to assist you at [email protected]
This year, our event will be exclusively a live broadcast, and so we encourage you to share this invitation with your network.
27feb08:3014:00Clarity Connect International Women's Day Conference | Clarity Leadership Ltd
27/02/2025 08:30 - 14:00(GMT+00:00)
Bloomsbury Ballroom
Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1B 4DA
Ahead of IWD2025, please join Clarity Leadership as we hear from leaders and generate discussion around the key themes of gender equality. Ahead of International Women’s Day
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2025, please join Clarity Leadership as we invite you to join us for an open and inclusive morning of presentations and lively debate. To follow the IWD 2025 theme, #AcclerateAction, the speakers will be generating discussion and debate around female leadership, gender equality and the creation of an inclusive and more gender-equal world.
We will be joined by two exceptional leaders, Lee Chambers, Founding Director of Male Allies UK, and Riham Satti, Co-Founder and CEO of MeVitae, Creating Fairness in the Workplace. They will share their experiences, challenges, and the obstacles they’ve overcome in their efforts to create a more equal world.
We also invite you to hear research, experiences, and views from a group of leaders who identify as women from several leading organisations, including Pfizer, Microsoft, Vodafone, Reckitt, and Bayer. The speakers join us from all over the world and around the UK, providing a global perspective on their discussions. This is the culmination of six months’ work by 16 leaders who identify as women, who have been through our Women in Leadership Programme. The final part of their journey has been the design and delivery of this event.
This is an event for everyone and we look forward to welcoming you!
Free
27/02/2025 12:30 - 13:30(GMT+00:00)
We are delighted to be joined by Laura Bates, Best-selling Author, Keynote Speaker and Founder of the Everyday Sexism Project.
Laura will be setting out the existing and potential ways in which emerging technologies can have unintended negative impacts on women and marginalised groups, both in and outside the workplace. From the metaverse and deepfake technology to AI and adult robots, these technologies are fast becoming the building blocks of our future societies, so it is vital that we understand the risks and act now to prevent them from reinventing existing forms of inequality in our brave new world.
Laura Bates is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project. Her books include Everyday Sexism, Girl Up and Fix the System, Not the Women. Laura writes regularly for the New York Times, Guardian and others, and is a frequent media commentator and consultant for TV productions tackling issues around gender inequality.
She works closely with government, schools, businesses, police forces and bodies from the United Nations to the Council of Europe on sexism and inequality.
In recognition of Laura’s work surrounding sexism and gender inequality, she was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List and has been named Woman of the Year by Cosmopolitan, Red Magazine and The Sunday Times Magazine. She is also an Honorary Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Please note, this event will be hosted as a Teams Town hall. Please register your place on Eventbrite and we will share the Teams meeting link.
We look forward to seeing you!
free
27feb18:0020:30Planning and Goals Workshop | WeAreTheCity
27/02/2025 18:00 - 20:30(GMT+00:00)
Nomura
1 Angel Lane, London, EC4R 3AB
Join Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE to discover why and how to create your career strategy and plan in order to
This interactive session is aimed at injecting the “va va voom” back into your career.
Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, CEO of WeAreTheCity, will share why leaving your career solely in the hands of your line manager is no longer enough. Vanessa will provide insights on how to take charge of your career, create a strategic plan, and actively seek opportunities to propel your professional growth.
The workshop focuses on why and how to create a career strategy and plan, to unlock your potential and path to success. This session is not about theory, science or blue sky thinking, it is about a realistic look at what you want to achieve and actions to take in order to get where you want to go!
Session includes:
By the end of this session, participants will have the foundation of a career plan they can continue to develop and implement throughout 2025.
We will close the evening with networking and drinks/canapés.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please note that on arrival at Nomura guests will be asked to provide photographic ID, a passport or driving licence.