Michelle Collins
AN INTERVIEW
I first met Michelle about 20 years ago, when I was working in London. Back then, there were many nights filled with laughter, fun and frolics! Michelle was the impossibly glamorous girl, who never failed to make an entrance with her gorgeous looks. So when I caught up with her after far too long, it didn’t surprise me that she’s just as beautiful!
It’s very hard to believe that Michelle is now 55, and more comfortable in her own skin than she’s ever been. She’s healthy, vegetarian, exercises regularly and most importantly, in control of her life. As well as continuing her incredibly successful acting career, she has her own production company and has recently launched her fantastic new brand of skin care, Pellum Vero.
“Over the years, I’ve been asked to endorse other brands, but I had to be completely convinced that the product actually worked!” she explained, “I wasn’t prepared to put with my name to just anything”. Michelle thinks there might have been a bit of serendipity involved, she happened to meet someone who worked for cosmetic raw material giant Croda, who were so incredibly helpful with their experience and expertise. This helped Michelle to keep everything British, which was so important for her. “It was a labour of love really; we spent two years developing this range - I wanted to get everything absolutely right”.
Michelle is a walking advertisement for Pellum Vero; unlike many other celebrities, not succumbing to the surgeon’s knife. The Brand is part of a range by her company M C Skin Truth, Michelle scrutinising every ingredient. “There is truth in the name”, Michelle tells me, “all the products are extremely good quality, feel luxurious and actually have a real impact on fighting the signs of aging”. Her amazing eye-cream for example has an instant lift, and you can really feel it working!
We love Michelle’s range and she’s kindly offered an introductory 10% discount to all Beautiful Thinking readers. Click the link and enter BEAUTIFULTEN at the checkout www.mcskintruth.com
We’re also grateful to Michelle for answering our 5 Beautiful Thinking questions….
1. What’s the best thing about getting older?
This is a hard one for me. Obviously, I feel wiser and happier in myself. But I will be honest, as an actor I wish that older women were respected and thought of more within the industry. We have a lot to offer, and I can’t understand why we are pushed aside and seen as “old”. It’s time for older women to be taken more seriously and that’s why I have started my own production company. I want to see more roles for older women.
2. Who is your female inspiration and why?
I think Sheila Hancock is my female inspiration - she was our guest speaker recently at the “Women in Media” breakfast club I run at The Hospital club. She's 85 and still a working actress; she has been through so much in her life and as a working-class woman has had to fight her way through - something I can relate to. She admitted being fearful every day of her acting life but thrived on it - rather like me too. Her honesty was so refreshing, she is such an inspirational woman.
3. What’s your top tip for growing old gracefully, perhaps one beauty tip?
I think you should wear and do what you want and feel is right; it's not about age at all, it's about being you. My only tip would be no sun on your face – always factor 50!!!
Drink loads of water, try to get four nights of 8 hours sleep a week and also take disco naps in the day - such an energy boost! Take Vitamin C and zinc every day and get a dog to walk and love! Laugh a lot too!!
Always take your make-up off at night and wear MC SkinTruth 5 step skin care range on your skin – you’ll notice the difference!
4. What would your younger self say to you now?
I’d say stop worrying what people think of you and be proud to be you; there's only one of you - you are unique!!! The future will take care of itself - live and let live!
Be proud of where you've come from and don't try to hide it. I was sometimes embarrassed of having a working class London accent when I was 16; God, people now invent them and pretend. I think it's called Mockney!
5. What are your dreams for your future?
I want my daughter to be healthy and happy, my Mum’s health to improve, to be able to buy my boyfriend the really expensive bike he wants and to produce my own series. Also to be in a huge West End / Broadway hit, and the world to be a better place to live in and people to be nice to each other!!!!