6 Ways to Feel More Attractive Every Day

You don’t need to drop a dress size, freeze your wrinkles or carry a designer bag to feel beautiful. So how come so many women do? Age sometimes plays tricks on our ego and what we see in the mirror, leaving otherwise self-assured women feeling invisible, out of date and looking for solutions. I’m a beauty and style expert — not a therapist — but I’ve interviewed, photographed, dressed and made-over thousands of women and celebrities who have shared their advice with me. Here are some of their insider tips to reboot your looks and attitude starting right now!

(Left to right) Leslie Jones, Vivica A. Fox, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Seymour

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images; Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty Images; Michael Kovac/Getty Images for GLAAD; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

1. Own your size, shape and age.

A body- and age-positive attitude is the real key to loving your looks regardless of what the scale or your driver’s license say. Forget the term “age appropriate” and any what-not-to-wear rules you may have lived by for decades. Toss the rack of “skinny” clothes saved for a “when-I-lose-the-weight” future and zip your shapewear into a baggie marked “for emergencies only.” Your weight will fluctuate thanks to hormonal ups and downs, stress and diet lapses … and that’s normal. Now go full speed ahead and wear the shapely dresses and knits, leather leggings and colors and prints you’ve loved from afar.

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(Left to right) Ilia Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream; Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush in Coral Crush; Violette_Fr Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick in Amour Fou

ILIA Beauty; Ulta Beauty; Violette_FR

2. Make your morning routine a snap. 

Maintaining a fresh, radiant appearance doesn’t have to be a full-time job. In fact, just a few quick tricks do it. Start by snoozing your way to a better-looking day by sleeping on a silky satin pillowcase. It is gentle on your skin and hair, and makes sleep creases on your cheeks and bedhead history. Add an eye cream with deflating caffeine like Ilia Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream ($46, iliabeauty.com) and buh-bye to a.m. eye puffiness too! Dot on a creamy blush in a rosy pink like the Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush in Coral Crush ($11, ulta.com) and a tinted lip balm in red or berry like Violette_Fr  Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick in Amour Fou or Sucette ($28, violettefr.com) to fake a healthy look, and throw on a white shirt for radiance. That’s 10 minutes tops for an easy good-to-go look.

(Clockwise from top left) Sharon Stone, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jane Fonda and Emma Thompson

Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic (2); Jason Mendez/Getty Images; Mike Marsland/WireImage

3. Light up your locks with silver.

Who says gray is something to hide? More women these days are asking their colorists to make incoming grays part of their multitone blend or growing out processed color to a silver fox finish. And here’s a bonus: Silvery gray hairs are coarser and add texture and body to thin, fine hair! Start thinking of silver as an icy alternative to golden highlights or as a companion to them the way Gwyneth Paltrow, Sharon Stone and Jennifer Aniston do. If you decide to go total silver like Jane Fonda or Emma Thompson, let highlights or a mix of highlights and lowlights ease the grow-in. Heads will turn.