‘Every year is a gift, I don’t take anything for granted’ – Helen Skelton on finding self-acceptance since turning 40

We’re big fans of Helen Skelton, both for her amazing sense of style, and for her approachable, down-to-earth presenting manner.

Unsurprisingly, Helen takes a refreshing approach to ageing and beauty standards, which makes us think even more highly of the star.

Helen recently shared that she’s found a sense of self-acceptance since turning 40, and treats every passing year as a “gift.”

You may like

Now aged 42, she also reveals that she has a “boring” approach to her beauty routine, and doesn’t see any point in trying to alter her face as she ages.

“Something that I’ve embraced since turning 40 is that sense of acceptance,” the star says in conversation with Prima magazine.

“I’m chaotic, but I’m great fun,” she adds, saying she now lives by the phrase, “we are who we are.”

“Every year is a gift,” she shares, adding that this definitely rings true when you’ve lost family members young – as she has lost people close to her in their 20s.

Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.

“I don’t take anything for granted, nothing’s promised,” she says, wisely. Helen shares that she’s close to her parents and her brother, and as they get older, time spent with them is even more cherished.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Explaining her beauty routine, or lack of it, further, Helen keeps everything “casual.” She says, “I just wash my face and put on moisturiser. I sometimes have a bit of Botox. I’m really casual.”

As real as ever, she continues, “Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty I’d change about my face, but there’s no point going down that route.”

You may like

The presenter takes the same, very laid back approach to exercising and keeping fit. Explaining that she rarely commits to a single form of working out to prevent it feeling like “a chore,” she shares, “I exercise because I don’t want to be frail.”

She also wants to be able to keep up with her children, Ernie, 10, Louis, 8, and three-year-old Elsie.

Helen owns a punchbag, golf clubs and a treadmill, admitting she uses them “occasionally.” She used to do Pilates, but now just tries to squeeze in any form of exercise daily, even if it’s “just for 10 minutes.”

As a single mother, Helen juggles the demands of her children’s schedules with a busy job – it’s unsurprising that exercise and beauty routines often get pushed to the bottom of the priority list.

“I don’t work Thursdays or Fridays, and swap my days so I can do important things with the kids,” she shares.

Helen adds that she sometimes works with her fellow presenters who are also mums, to move their schedules around so they can all accommodate what their children need them to be around for.

“We’re all in the same boat,” she says, candidly. Helen says, “People preach, ‘be the woman in the room who shouts out other women,’ but don’t just preach, actually do it.”