HELEN SHER, 67

A happy marriage, regular exercise, good nutrition and her lifelong passion for skincare and cosmetics are the factors that Helen Sher feels have kept her complexion youthful and her body toned.

I've always been interested in skincare and make-up and nowadays I call myself a skin psychologist. As a child, I loved watching my mother apply her make-up and I used to melt her lipsticks and mix up my own colours. When I was young, I always imagined I'd become a very glamorous and sophisticated woman and I always tried to look older. I wore a lot of make-up and always wore my hair pulled up in a sophisticated style. Now people say I look much younger; so when you look at photos spanning my life, it's actually quite hard to notice any difference.

'My passion for natural skincare led me to develop my own system, The Sher System, which I've done every day for years. It's based on repeated rinsing with different temperatures of purified water and it stimulates circulation, controlling and balancing the skin. It's important to take pride in your appearance. I've always looked after myself and I wear make-up every single day, even if I'm ill.

'My skincare regime is certainly partly why my skin looks so young, but I think looking young is about the whole person. When you are happy and have a good relationship, it makes such a difference. So many skin problems are caused by stress. I've been very lucky; I married when I was 16 and we are still together and very happy 50 years on. Because of my husband and close family, I have a strong support system, which helps me to manage stress. I'm also a real optimist and a very social person. I think life should be an adventure and that's what has kept me young. It's all about your attitude. I always look forward to the future.

I'm very disciplined. If I know something is bad for me, I won't do it. I don't have any vices; I've never smoked or drunk alcohol and I don't have a sweet tooth. I think you can get away with bad habits when you're young, but between 30 and 40 you have to start looking after yourself, and the younger you start, the better.

'My diet has always been pretty healthy. I buy organic whenever I can and I don't eat much meat. I have oatmeal, muesli or fruit for breakfast, or a protein smoothie and wheatgrass. Lunch is usually pasta and I never eat between meals. I drink a lot of herbal tea or hot water and lemon and have a glass of water as soon as I get up in the morning and before and after every meal. I have a cappuccino at the weekend, but not during the week.

'I've always done a lot of exercise, too. I jogged and played tennis for years, but when I turned 60 it became too much. Now I do exercise videos, rebounder work, weights and a lot of stretching. I work out every day during the week but have the weekends off because you have to give your body a rest. The body is like a machine, if you don't use it, it rusts and I'm determined to see how long I can stay in shape.>

'For me, the most important thing is to have balance in your life. Look after your skin, exercise, eat well and love yourself - but don't do any of it to excess.'