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Last autumn, Claire Hill underwent a full hysterectomy due to suspected ovarian cancer. ‘It was a bolt out of the blue,’ she says. ‘I wasn’t even perimenopausal, then I had the operation and overnight I was parachuted into surgical menopause. I felt like I’d never get the old me back and I’d become an old woman at just 46.’
Claire spent four months curled up on the sofa of the Somerset home she shares with her husband Mark while she recovered. ‘I wore nothing but a hoodie and leggings for weeks on end. And I didn’t really have make-up or skincare routines. I’d put on some foundation if anyone came round, and that was it.’
While natural menopause happens gradually over years, surgical menopause causes hormone production to cease instantly. That means symptoms – from hot flushes to insomnia and fatigue – are more severe and abrupt. ‘I just felt like I’d been left to deal with this massive change, wading through research and trying to return to some sense of normality.’
Claire now takes a low dose of HRT and says the majority of her ‘worst fears’ about menopause haven’t materialised. But, of course, the mental impact has been huge. As she says, ‘I need a boost to get me out of the rut I’ve been stuck in for the past six months.’ And who better to help than the YOU glam squad?
BEFORE
AFTER Dress, £155, jigsaw-online.com. Earrings, £6, sandals, £38, asos.com. Bag, £299, maje.com. Bangles, £30 each, orelia.co.uk
HAIR
Claire usually gets her hair dyed at a local Somerset salon, but Grace Burke-O’Donovan, colourist at John Frieda’s Mayfair salon, thought her one-shade blonde washed out her complexion. Instead, Burke-O’Donovan opted for a less-intense tint to refresh Claire’s look, ‘creating contrast through the ends by adding lowlights’.
The priority for Claire, who’s an in-demand, time-poor interiors stylist, is that her hair is low maintenance. So Burke-O’Donovan kept her roots darker, meaning the colour can grow out naturally and Claire should be able to leave it a little longer between appointments. A simple hack for those with similar blonde dye jobs? ‘Use a blue shampoo once a week to ensure hair doesn’t become too warm.’ Noted. Try L’Oréal Professionnel Vitamino Color Spectrum Blue Tinted Shampoo (£27, lookfantastic.com).
Cut-wise, John Frieda stylist Honey Bowman’s priority was dealing with the ‘excess weight’ through the ends of Claire’s hair, which was making her face look wider. ‘I added layers throughout to help with this,’ Bowman explains. ‘I then restyled her fringe to softly frame the face, and cut off a few inches of length for a healthier look.’ Claire’s hair is wonderfully thick but has a propensity to frizz up. If yours is similar, Bowman suggests using Virtue Healing Oil (£45, cultbeauty.co.uk) for a sleeker finish.
BEAUTY
Like many menopausal women, Claire’s skin is dry, so make-up artist Caroline Piasecki started with plenty of Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream (£79, charlottetilbury.com) for a moisture boost. Given Claire doesn’t wear make-up regularly, Piasecki wanted to create a natural, everyday look she could easily recreate. She began with Nars Natural Radiant Finish Foundation in Fiji (£44, narscosmetics.co.uk), which ‘is great for more mature skin as it doesn’t look cakey or sit in fine lines’.
For the smoky eye, Piasecki used shadows ‘without any glitter, as that can highlight wrinkles’, before boosting lashes with two coats of Maybelline The Falsies Lashlift Mascara in black (£11.99, boots.com). To frame her face and create structure, Claire’s brows were defined with Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat in Taupe (£27, charlottetilbury.com). The look was finished with a brighter lip, thanks to Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour in Muse (£21, selfridges.com). ‘It has a lovely buttery texture that doesn’t bleed or feather into fine lines,’ Piasecki explains, ‘as well as making the lips look fuller.’
FASHION
Claire’s medical treatment has left her more self-conscious around her stomach area, so stylist Hope Palmer selected outfits that disguised her midriff without being baggy or frumpy.
‘The gorgeous abstract print on this Jigsaw dress perfectly complements Claire’s colouring,’ Palmer says. ‘It also has a wrap-waist detail, which creates the illusion of a cinched waist. The jersey material is comfy for everyday wear because it’s stretchy – but switch into heels and you’re ready for a glam night out.’
Dress, £135, Jaeger at marksandspencer.com. Earrings, £115, missoma.com
VERDICT
‘I feel like Cinderella!’ says Claire. ‘It’s absolutely surreal – I don’t even look like myself! I’d never have dared to pick a patterned dress like this, but it just looks so lovely. And the make-up and hair… honestly, I feel like an A-lister. You’ve given me a whole new style.’
Words: Scarlett Dargan.
Hair by Honey Bowman and colour by Grace Burke-O’Donovan, both at John Frieda (johnfriedamayfair.com).
Make-up: Caroline Piasecki
