Long before she could define it, Marilynn McLachlan watched her mother celebrate life’s everyday moments with style. The New Zealand Woman’s Weekly editor says her mum “always looked put together”.
She says, “I don’t ever remember her without lipstick on. Even when my sister and I put on dance and singing performances in our lounge, she’d arrive looking like she was ready for a night at a Broadway musical. Her hair was done, her makeup glamorous, and jewellery glittered from her hands and ears.”
Marilynn says that while beauty wasn’t discussed, she noticed it in the way her mother Julia could turn the ordinary into something special.
But as Marilynn entered her teenage years, that began to change. Her perception of beauty altered, and she found herself believing that it was something to work towards and measure rather than admire.
She shares, “It was in those years that I learned about comparison. I was striving for unrealistic standards. It is even harder for girls today with social media.”
When Marilynn became a mum, beauty took a back seat. Having four children in her twenties meant her priorities changed and, like so many women, her attention turned to everyone but herself. “I just remember being so busy and tired. If I managed to put on some moisturiser, I was winning.”
Between motherhood, managing a home and pursuing her career, there was little time to think about beauty. “I’ve always liked to make an effort and I would sporadically,” she says. “But I was pulled in so many directions during that period.”
It wasn’t until she approached her 50th birthday that something shifted. With the children older and her career in full swing, Marilynn found herself wondering what the next chapter could look like.
In an upcoming issue, Marilynn enters a new phase shaped by confidence, self-care and the joy of being seen.
The winning formula
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“Invest in getting your eyebrows shaped,” Marilynn advises. “A defined brow will elevate your entire face… plus hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!”
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