How I look this good at 65 – and you can too: World-famous make-up guru LAURA MERCIER reveals the anti-ageing secrets that make French women look 10 years younger – including the simple beauty products that are better than Botox

I’m often asked what my beauty philosophy is. As a beauty expert, people expect me to have some kind of complicated multi-step routine, but my approach is very simple and has hardly changed over the years.

My attitude is typically French. It’s about looking effortlessly healthy and fresh, a natural ‘no make-up’ make-up that doesn’t hide your pores or other imperfections. I truly believe that every face is beautiful and has potential.

I grew up in Provence, where the colour, the textures and especially the light, gave me a great appreciation of natural beauty.

Later I moved to Paris and enrolled at the Carita Paris Institute, which is famous for its beauty training. Paris gave me discipline, technique and a real education in skincare and make-up. My brand is really a mixture of these two places. It combines the ease and understated elegance of Provence but is grounded in the artistry, precision and performance of Paris.

It’s been 30 years since I took my tinted moisturiser, moved to New York and launched my make-up brand in the US.

Back then, women were still hooked on full-coverage foundation, and it took a while to get my more pared-back outlook across (these days, of course, a more natural look is what most women are after).

In that time, I’ve learned that make-up is very psychological. You can’t force someone to do something if they don’t feel comfortable. If a woman has never worn red lipstick before, for example, you can’t expect her to suddenly start wearing it every day without a second thought.

For me, a red lip is a signature look and I love the confidence it gives, as there is something very powerful, feminine and timeless about it. Even if the rest of my make-up is minimal, a red lip makes me feel polished immediately. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.

My message of working out what makes you feel good has resonated with women all over the world and I’m so glad about that. It’s what I’m most proud of.

It’s been a great adventure – but hard work too. For 17 years I was on the road constantly with the brand. At one point, I was so tired I thought I might die on the job! But I’m 65 now and my life these days is a little slower.

Generally, I’m very undisciplined and I find that gives me a sense of freedom, but there are some rules I do try to follow, particularly when it comes to make-up and skincare. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years about looking and feeling good well into your 60s.

Focus on what you like about yourself 

It all starts from the heart (as well as the mind). Growing up, I had a complete lack of confidence and lots of self-hatred. I just wanted to disappear from the world. I didn’t accept who I was at all and felt ugly.

That was something I really had to work on and make-up was my therapy. It felt easier to focus on my face rather than my body, which I don’t think I’ll ever fully accept, although I’m grateful it’s healthy.

When it comes to the face, I’ve learned it’s important to express yourself and focus on the parts you do like.

I’ve seen it with so many women whose make-up I’ve done. If you discover something you like, even something simple like making your eyes pop, it makes a big difference to how you feel about yourself.

You only need five products 

When it comes to my make-up bag, I keep things simple. My Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector (£29, lauramercier.co.uk), a classic from my range, has just been updated for our 30th anniversary and each one comes with three shades that can be mixed together to customise your perfect colour match.

It’s a full-coverage concealer with a matte finish which stays flawless for 16 hours. I use it to cover my undereye dark circles, sunspots and other little flaws.

I always need my Tinted Moisturiser (£39) too because I like a sheer coverage.

On the rare occasions I use foundation, I mix it with my face cream as I don’t like heavy coverage.

My Caviar Tightline Eyeliner (£23) is also a must. It’s basically a dark pencil which goes in the lash line to give a little bit of contrast to my eye. I then use an Eye Brow Pencil (£25) to add definition and finish off with a little mascara (Caviar Extravagant Mascara, £28) if I have time.

Make tiny tweaks as you get older 

I really haven’t changed my routine as I’ve aged. I have a hint more coverage on my skin because it has got more uneven – but I would still never use it in the lines around the eyes or in the creases between my nose and mouth.

If you’re going to change anything as you get older, it should be to lighten things up slightly, as too much darker colour can be ageing. If you love a smoky eye, for instance, then just apply the black in the contour and not on the eyelid itself.

Don’t powder like crazy either because your skin becomes drier as you get older so just use it where you need it. And use a brow pencil to accentuate brows as they lose definition as we age.

Keep skincare simple 

I’m a trained aesthetician, which means I can give myself professional facials. I like to give the skin on my face a good scrub once in a while – but don’t do this too much or you’ll make your skin sensitive. For me, it’s about consistency rather than an overcomplicated multi-step routine. I cleanse every evening – I have to go to bed with my skin squeaky-clean.

Use the right skincare for your age and don’t overlay tons of products: I use one good multi-tasking day cream and an SPF, and one serum and a night cream in the evening. I like to use my hands and really work the products into my skin. How you apply them is just as important as their quality.

When you take the time to massage the skin, everything looks fresher, more rested and better prepared for make-up.

I love a French pharmacy too; there is something very reassuring about them as the products are effective, gentle, and not overly complicated. I’m not attached to any particular brands, I just look for products that support the skin and feel beautiful to use. I also love natural oils and textures that feel nourishing.

Exercise at your pace and no one else’s 

When I travelled a lot, I brutalised my body with all the jet-lag. Then I started to understand that in order to maintain energy, you have to understand yourself. So a great gift to myself was no more planes.

I’m asthmatic and grew up in an era when that meant you couldn’t do sport. Of course, today we know better, but it framed my thinking for years.

For me, still, it’s not about exercising like crazy. Now I live back in Provence, my life isn’t about rushing or running around everywhere but doing what I can and listening to my body. The rhythm of life here is slower, less full-on. I walk a lot and swim too as I’m lucky enough to have a pool.

Yes, I’ll always take the stairs rather than the lift – but I don’t wake up too early.

I spent so many years working internationally, moving between cities and constantly being around the fast pace of fashion, beauty and business. At a certain point it felt natural to return to a place that gives me calm, space, and perspective.

Eat the not-a-diet diet 

I used to be a sugar junkie because of work, stress and travel, but I put weight on easily so now I try to eat in what I call a normal healthy way.

People have this idea about French women always being thin, but not every French woman looks or lives the same way – or feels the same about her body. Beauty and confidence are very personal.

French or otherwise, it’s about learning to feel comfortable and taking care of yourself in a way that feels realistic and kind, as well as finding the things that make you feel confident in your own skin.

So, these days, breakfast is usually eggs. I love an English breakfast, but in France it’s most often wholegrain toast (I’m very fussy about bread and can’t digest white bread) with butter, jam and a green tea.

For lunch it could just be vegetables, and maybe some roast chicken; I try to restrict carbs to breakfast.

I don’t tend to have dinner as I find it means I can’t sleep, but if I do have something it would be an apple and some yoghurt.

Nowadays, I don’t drink alcohol and will only have dessert if I’m eating out and it seems worth it. I also take a magnesium and omega-3 supplement.

Embrace having shorter hair 

I have very thick, curly hair, which has always been a key part of my look, so I do take care of it. I prefer a natural and nourishing approach rather than anything too complicated.

I love organic oils, especially rose, and I often find beautiful, simple products in pharmacies or markets in Provence or Paris.

I recently had my hair cut shorter, which I’m enjoying as it’s more low-maintenance and age-appropriate but still feels like me.

Find your fragrance 

I have always loved amber. I discovered it when I was around 16, and have been in an almost exclusive relationship with it ever since.

There is something special about it that feels warm, sensual and comforting, but also it is never overpowering.

I love fragrance that feels soft and personal, almost as though it melts into the skin. Fragrance and body care have always felt like such a natural part of the Laura Mercier world as they are about ritual, memory, and emotion – not just scent.

That love of comforting scents is reflected in the brand’s Ambre Vanille Eau de Parfum (£75) and accompanying body products which combine two of my favourite notes: the softness of amber and the richness of vanilla.

Don’t be a slave to fashion 

My fashion manifesto is similar to my approach to make-up: understated and personal. I prefer pieces that feel timeless rather than trend-led, focusing on beautiful fabrics, a good cut and neutral tones.

Comfort is key for me. I like clothes I can move in, so am drawn to wider cuts and softer, more flowing silhouettes.

I think true style comes from accepting who you are and dressing in a way that makes you feel confident rather than trying to force yourself into something that doesn’t feel like you.

I also have a number of signature accessories. I never travel without a cashmere scarf – it’s practical but still feels chic – and also love jewellery. A statement necklace or earrings can really bring some excitement to an otherwise neutral outfit.

Face up to facts! 

I can’t say I’m loving everything that’s happening with age – the wrinkles, the change in the jawline – but I’ve decided to accept them.

I’m not criticising anyone who has tweakments or even a facelift, but I’m not going down that path. Not only am I scared of injections and surgeries, I also believe that, while these things might make you feel more confident for a bit, their effects fade and then you’re locked in a cycle of having to do them constantly. And, let’s be honest, at a certain point, no matter what you do, your face is going to drop.

My philosophy is not about trying to look like someone else or to erase every sign of life and experience. Instead, I’m all about accepting yourself – because otherwise you don’t accept life.

Be proud of who you are, be individual, express yourself. That’s where the real beauty lies.

As told to Edwina Ings-Chambers