You won’t see her, but she’s there, in the salons, spas and shops, and she’s happy to share her secrets on anti-ageing
I am at a crossroads. There are only two choices: one involves surgery; the other does not.
Things are getting bad. My face is suddenly showing serious signs of ageing. My jaw-line is sagging. The wrinkles around my eyes are so pronounced I can hardly bear to smile. I now hide from cameras because everyone tells me I look moody in pictures. Looking either moody or old. What kind of a choice is that?
I have realised that there is only so much I can achieve now by non-invasive methods such as eating well, sleeping lots, wearing sunscreen, exfoliating, having facials, spending money on face creams with “miracle” ingredients, and all the other countless things women do to try to stay as good looking as possible for as long as possible.
Creams and the like don’t help when there are major structural problems. What is needed is surgery.
I have travelled all around the world looking for the best anti-ageing products and treatments. I have tried everything from laughter yoga to Botox. But I swore I would never go under the knife.
“How stupid,” I argued, “would I feel if I died under the anesthetic? Or if they made a mistake and my face was even worse off than it was before I paid thousands to get it ‘fixed’?”
Now I am beginning to think I may not have a choice. I simply cannot go on deteriorating in this manner. It seems that the ageing process, from which I have been largely spared until now, has accelerated at an alarming rate. If it carries on I will look 60 before the summer.
I have started looking into the possibilities of some minor procedures, especially around the eyes. Just a little nip here and a little tuck there. It is expensive, and painful and risky but is it a small price to pay to be able to put on eyeliner without it looking like it was drawn on by a giddy spider? Or maybe I should just give up eyeliner?
As I said I have started looking into it. But there is one more option I am going to try first. In the course of my research I have discovered that there is in fact a third path at this crossroads. It is a route involving lasers and electricity.
I have invested in a machine that looks like a pair of headphones called a Slendertone. This contraption sends electrical currents into my facial muscles and will supposedly tighten them. Added to which I have booked myself in for a course of five hours of laser treatment that the blurb calls a “lunch-hour facelift” and promises to tighten any sagging jaw.
I will keep you posted on my progress, but for the moment, the knife can wait.
3 of the best
Turn back the clock with these anti-ageing serums, a cocktail of ingredients for younger looking skin
ESTÉE LAUDER PERFECTIONIST CP+ WRINKLE LIFTING CORRECTOR, Dh467
A silky velvet serum that helps fight skin fatigue. With light diffusion technology and a blend of powerful antioxidants, skin looks brighter with an overall lift.
DR BRANDT COLLAGEN BOOSTER, Dh365
This lightweight formula is made with a customised blend of key amino acids to help maximise collagen levels for younger looking skin. Ideal under your moisturiser, increasing skin's overall resilience and elasticity.
BOOTS NO. 7 PROTECT AND PERFECT BEAUTY SERUM, Dh130
An excellent primer for make-up and a great booster under regular night cream, this concentrated serum has been proven to restore the skin's structure.
m loves - The Eye Balm Intense
La Mer's latest secret to ageless eyes is their new Eye Balm Intense. The blurb on the jar promises "seaborne elixir"and claims it is a "miracle broth". As lovers of Crème de la Mer, we at M decided to give this product a road test. Experts say this groundbreaking eye treatment helps to revitalise the eye area, leaving it less puffy. The result? We love the texture and how a dab goes a long way. Our eye areas look fresher and dark circles are fading. Miracle broth or not, we're sold.
La Mer Eye Balm Intense, Dh725, Harvey Nichols, Mall of the Emirates,
04 4098 888; Bloomingdale's, Dubai Mall, 04 3505 333; Paris Gallery stores
across the UAE; www.parisgallery.com
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
MEDIEVIL (1998)
Developer: SCE Studio Cambridge
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Console: PlayStation, PlayStation 4 and 5
Rating: 3.5/5
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: DarDoc
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founders: Samer Masri, Keswin Suresh
Sector: HealthTech
Total funding: $800,000
Investors: Flat6Labs, angel investors + Incubated by Hub71, Abu Dhabi's Department of Health
Number of employees: 10
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Race card
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (Dirt), 1,900m
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB), Dh120,000 (D), 1,400m
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB), Dh92,500 (D)1,400m
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB), Dh95,000 (D), 2,000m
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
UAE medallists at Asian Games 2023
Gold
Magomedomar Magomedomarov – Judo – Men’s +100kg
Khaled Al Shehi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Faisal Al Ketbi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Asma Al Hosani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -52kg
Shamma Al Kalbani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -63kg
Silver
Omar Al Marzooqi – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Bishrelt Khorloodoi – Judo – Women’s -52kg
Khalid Al Blooshi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Mohamed Al Suwaidi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -69kg
Balqees Abdulla – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -48kg
Bronze
Hawraa Alajmi – Karate – Women’s kumite -50kg
Ahmed Al Mansoori – Cycling – Men’s omnium
Abdullah Al Marri – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Team UAE – Equestrian – Team showjumping
Dzhafar Kostoev – Judo – Men’s -100kg
Narmandakh Bayanmunkh – Judo – Men’s -66kg
Grigorian Aram – Judo – Men’s -90kg
Mahdi Al Awlaqi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -77kg
Saeed Al Kubaisi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Shamsa Al Ameri – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -57kg