Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2025 i Platinum

I’m completely thrilled to be taking the helm of this groundbreaking magazine, created for us Platinum women. I’m 57, and I’m surrounded by friends and amazing women who are all distinctly different (p18). Some are rocking silver streaks, others are still resolutely dyeing their roots and having a little tweakment here and there. Some are retiring. Some are launching a business (p60), writing their first play (p52), or finally giving themselves permission to put their dreams first. And some of us are still working out what we want to be when we ‘grow up’. But what unites us isn’t how we look or what we do. It’s what we’ve lived. We’ve spent years holding it all together: careers, kids, partners, parents. We’ve navigated love and loss, success and failure, and…

Number one Sunday Times Bestseller Adele Parks, MBE is the author of 24 bestselling novels, including First Wife’s Shadow,a twisty tale about a woman newly in love with a widower who is obsessed by his late wife. Look forward to Our Beautiful Mess, an emotional family drama, out in August. Adele is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is a proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. Follow Adele on X @adeleparks and Instagram @adele_parks. Keeps you guessing DON’T LET HIM IN by Lisa Jewell Whenever I get my hands on a Lisa Jewell novel, I cancel the day’s plans. I know I will read it in one sitting and that I’ll be completely engrossed throughout. Don’t Let Him In is the story of…

MINDFULNESS JUST GOT SEXY We’ve heard it a thousand times – meditate for your mental health, your blood pressure, your stress levels… yawn. But now? You might finally have a reason to sit still and focus on your breath: better orgasms. Yup, we’re listening. Women who practise body awareness – whether sitting or lying down and paying attention to their breath, heartbeat and body sensations – report more frequent and satisfying orgasms, according to new research from Dr Megan Klabunde at the University of Essex. ‘Women need to get out of their heads and into their bodies,’ she explains. ‘Orgasms are more satisfying when a woman focuses on how her body is feeling.’ Dr Klabunde also highlights that most research into female orgasm focuses on dysfunction, rather than enhancement or…

According to the charity Carers UK, there could be more than 10.5 million unpaid carers in the UK. You could be one of them and you may not yet consider yourself in that role. Caring often starts with a weekly visit on your way home from work just to check in, or juggling your day to be able to take a relative to a hospital appointment. But all too often the care needs expand and before you know it, you are spreading yourself thinly and neglecting your own wellbeing. I was working with a company called GOPO Joint Health earlier this year and they commissioned a survey of over a thousand carers. The results made for depressing reading. Almost half of all caregivers said they couldn’t remember when they last…

Annie*, 63, never imagined she’d be dating again. ‘I had to find the confidence to re-enter the dating scene having been widowed after a 25-year marriage. This meant it was an awfully long time since I had seen myself in that light, as a shopper for a romantic relationship, someone who would chat and flirt. The dating scene had inevitably changed, particularly because I would now be using online dating, which barely existed way back when. Would I even have the technological skills to manage it?! Never mind the wherewithal to initiate and then progress initial contacts effectively.’ Dating in our third act isn’t just about finding someone – it’s about rediscovering who we are in this new season. It can feel overwhelming, especially when your confidence is rusty. But…

Are wines with lower sulphites better for me? Think sulphites in wine are giving you headaches? Wine expert Elizabeth Hawthornthwaite separates myth from Merlot – and shares four standout low-sulphite bottles to try. SULPHITES: FRIEND OR FOE? At every wine tasting I host, you can almost guarantee that someone will have a question about sulphites. The common perception is that all sulphites in wine are inherently bad for you and will give you a headache the next day. But that’s just not true. In fact, sulphites are a by-product of wine so they will always be present. Sulphur is actually a natural preservative. It grows on the skins of grapes, serving the function of protecting them from harmful bacteria. For this reason, you will never drink a glass of wine…

Meet Karen ‘I’ve just turned 70 and it feels like life is only just beginning – but my wardrobe hasn’t quite caught up.’ Karen lives in London, is 5ft 5in and a size 14. STYLE DILEMMA Since retiring 15 years ago, Karen’s lifestyle has transformed, yet her style remains stuck in a formal, workwear mindset. While she’s not afraid of colour, she often gravitates toward neutral tones for comfort, leaving her current look feeling a bit uninspired. Now, she’s ready to refresh her wardrobe and is looking for guidance on how to evolve her style into something more modern, relaxed and vibrant. NICKY SAYS The first thing I noticed about Karen was her radiant smile and her amazing waist – two fabulous features I wanted to highlight in her new…

When a big event is on the horizon, most of us don’t have a personal make-up artist on speed dial. I’m often asked where to shop for products that work on mature skin – and how to apply them with confidence. Make-up counters can be overwhelming (not to mention intimidating). Sales staff tend to push the latest trends, which may not suit those looking for an essentials kit that actually works for mature skin. What we really want are high-quality products with skin-loving ingredients and practical advice on how to use them. You might be a total beginner who’s never worn make-up, someone returning after a break, or you may be revamping a make-up bag full of old favourites that no longer do the job. After plenty of research, I’ve…

Alex Fisher ‘You can have amazing, luxury holidays in the UK’s seaside spots,’ says Alex Fisher, Editorin-Chief of Coast magazine. From boutique beachside boltholes to chic coastal retreats, Alex has rounded up some of her favourites in our Staycation Special on page 100. Expect sea views, stylish interiors and all the charm of a coastal escape, without needing your passport. Preethi Nair After writing her first play, Preethi performed it solo in her fifties – and now a TV company has optioned it. Here she tells her extraordinary story of resilience, reinvention, and choosing herself. ‘What would I say to anyone else wondering if it’s too late? It isn’t. The most powerful thing you can do is back yourself. Choose yourself. Even when nobody else does. Especially then.’ See page…

Full disclosure: I’ve known Nicky Hambleton-Jones for 25 years. We met at a book club when we were both lonely souls who had just landed in Britpop ’90s London – me from the North East of England and Nicky from Cape Town, South Africa. Nicky was stuck in a job she hated, dreaming of doing something brave with her life, and I was just starting out as a journalist. We bonded over a shared love of Chardonnay and books. Early on, I watched her take the leap – start her own styling business and, through sheer grit and vision, land one of the first mega-makeover shows on TV, 10 Years Younger on Channel 4. She was always the glamorous one in our gang: stylish, cool, put-together. I, on the other…

THIS IS WHY I JUMP You’ll usually catch me doing it when no one’s looking. A fallen tree in the park becomes my launchpad – hands down, knees bent, ankles zipped tight as I bunny hop over it. Sometimes I land on top, steady myself, take in the view, then jump off again. Forwards. Backwards. Because, why not? If you’re lucky, you might spot me leaping onto low walls or a bench – though I’ll admit, this sort of behaviour tends to raise eyebrows where I live. But the truth is, jumping makes me happy. It’s playful, yes – but it’s also essential. I am 51 and a personal trainer and I include it in my own workouts and strength sessions with clients. It’s one of the simplest ways to…

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer. But like many daughters of immigrant parents, I followed the safer path. I became a management consultant. I wore suits, talked strategy, and buried my dreams under data and deadlines. But the stories never left me. My parents came to the UK in the 1970s. We lived in the East End of London and had very little money. My dad believed the way out of poverty was education, so he spent his savings on a set of Encyclopedia Britannica and insisted I read them aloud to him after school. I was seven, reading about law, with no clue what any of it meant. He wanted me to be a lawyer. I just wanted to write. But I…

Hello and welcome to The Nest! I couldn’t be more delighted to write this new column about home, decorating and the joy of creating your very own sanctuary. What started as a quick chat about my new book – turn the page why don’t you! – has turned into this lovely corner of Platinum, where I’ll be sharing ideas, inspiration and reflections on what home really means. A little about me: I’m an interiors journalist, stylist and lifelong homebody. I’ve spent my career surrounded by paint charts, pattern books and the comforting chaos of photo shoots. I’ve styled everything from magazine covers to commercial campaigns, co-founded The CONTENTed Nest, and written books about how to create soulful spaces that support and reflect the people who live in them. But that’s…

A stroll down the pasta aisle in any Italian supermarket will instantly make you realise that the concept of enjoying pasta, despite the number of people who for whatever reason have in recent years become intolerant or even allergic to gluten or wheat, has simply meant that more and more variations on the theme of gluten free pasta have emerged as a result. Far from even vaguely considering eating less pasta, something that is frankly unthinkable for any Italian I know, Italians have embraced the gluten-free pasta necessity as a happy challenge rather than a difficult problem. I was quite surprised to find on my last visit to Italy and my own perusal of the supermarket shelves that there were almost as many gluten-free varieties of pasta available as the…

Welcome to my first Tweakment column – your monthly peek into the world of subtle enhancements, just in case you’ve ever wondered what’s out there. Let me say this up front: I’m all for ageing with grace, character and confidence. But I’m also all for women making their own choices – especially when it comes to how we look and feel. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or already a fan of a little “helping hand” now and then, this column is here to inform, not persuade. I’ll be sharing what’s available, what works (and what doesn’t), and the kind of treatments that can give you a boost without changing who you are. Because here’s the truth: looking after yourself in your 50s, 60s and beyond doesn’t have to stop at yoga…

It is four years ago this month that I walked away from the BBC Breakfast sofa for the last time after 20 years presenting the programme. It was a job that I loved and the decision to call time on it was one of the hardest of my life. In the end, the decision to quit came to me very clearly – after another exhausting week of telling our 6 million viewers bad news gently but truthfully, I sat at my kitchen table and wrote a list of reasons to stay and reasons to go. Right at the top of the pros and cons were the numbers 0346, that was when my alarm was always set to get the studio on time. Almost every point on my list that followed…

Noted & noteworthy August’s nature marker – the swifts’ quiet exit As August unfolds, the familiar cries of swifts begin to fade. By mid-month, they’ve left for Africa – no fuss, just gone. It’s one of those subtle shifts in the season that you notice when you’re really paying attention. Their departure marks a gentle reminder: summer’s still here, but she’s not staying forever. So, light the candles, pour the wine, and make the most of those warm, golden evenings while they last. Mindful Moment Savour the in-between August is summer’s exhale – that golden pause between the buzz of July and the to-do lists of September. The big plans are behind you, the woollies are still in storage, and the days feel made for dawdling. Think slow mornings, sun-warmed…

They say that you never know how many friends you have until you buy a holiday home abroad. Which is precisely why, however much those afternoon TV shows try and beguile us to do so, I would never buy a house in a tourist hotspot. A friend who “lived the dream” (or so she initially thought) and bought an finca just outside Valencia, ended up selling it after just five years because of the relentless work involved in not only its upkeep but in entertaining a constant stream of guests. Naturally, her friends always wanted to come in high season, so she’d find herself flying out a week earlier than her first arrivals to prepare the house for the busy summer ahead. Then she’d find out that the cleaner she…

By the time I was in my mid 40s, I’d smoked 15 cigarettes a day for more than 25 years. A mother of two young children, I was also working long hours in a high pressure job. I’d dash home to read to them in bed, then slump on the sofa at around 9.30pm with a microwaved ready meal and a couple of glasses of wine. Oh, and I did no exercise. At all. After a decade or more of living like that, the strain was immense. I had debilitating migraines two or three times a month and shoulders like granite. Not surprisingly, I was permanently exhausted. If you’d said to me then that just by changing a few habits I could maintain the same workload while feeling incredible, I…

Before she became a self-made millionaire and bestselling author, Denise Duffield-Thomas grew up in a low-income family near Newcastle, Australia. ‘My family used to daydream about winning the lottery,’ she says. ‘But even as a kid, I had this spark that whispered – what if I’m the ticket?’ Denise walks the talk. ‘Constantly working on your mindset is honestly the most important – if not the only – thing you have to master. I have created a multi-million-dollar business without taking outside investment or working my guts out (while raising my kids) and I believe it’s all about my mindset.’ Denise, 46, hails from near Newcastle, ‘a working-class town in Australia’, brought up by single mum Vicki. Coming to London in her 20s she decided to leave the corporate world…

As the self-proclaimed “Queen of Makeovers”, my mission is to empower women to be bolder, braver, and more playful with fashion. In this column, I’ll share styling tips and standout pieces that I hope will inspire you to elevate your wardrobe and embrace your personal style with confidence. Contrary to popular belief, great style has nothing to do with age or body shape — it’s only ever limited by the rules we place on ourselves. “I can’t wear that anymore,” or “That’s not for someone my age”. Sound familiar? I’m here to help you bust those myths and rediscover the joy of dressing up, just for you. Here on the fashion pages of Platinum, we’re serving up fabulous, quality pieces and real-life inspiration. Whether you’re ready for a full style…

OUTFIT PLANNING Let’s get strategic. Count your days and nights away, then plan one outfit for each day and evening. Now remove two of each. Trust me, you won’t need them all. Start with your favourite looks. Lay them out on the bed and sort into day/evening piles. Look for multitaskers – like a kimono that works as a beach cover-up and a dinner jacket, or a beach bag that doubles as your carry-on. Limit footwear to four pairs max: • Trainers• Wedge or block heels• Two sandals (day and night) Finish with a few accessories – necklaces, bangles, earrings – to elevate your look without overloading your luggage. And yes, it helps to write a list and tick it off. WARDROBE SAVIOURS Keep your clothes fresh and hotel-ready with…

We’re excitedly working our way through all the products that have been sent in for the 2025 Platinum Magazine Beauty Awards. Almost every day sees the launch of a new wonder product or tool, existing ones having a revamp, or an old forgotten favourite popping up again. At Platinum we never underestimate the importance that skincare, haircare and make-up play in our everyday life and how getting it right or wrong can affect our confidence and mood over the day. That is why I’ve put together an incredible panel of expert judges to bring their expertise to testing out haircare, skincare, make-up, fragrances and gadgets. And 2025 sees an even larger panel of experts but with some familiar faces. This year’s panel is made up of a group of Platinum…