Hello, My Age Is: 50
Today Is the Youngest
You’ll Ever Be—Enjoy It
Marlien Rentmeester |
founder of Le Catch
If you caught her in a G. Label bikini, diving into a pool with her identical twin, Coliena last summer (that’s the two of them, pictured here), you might not have suspected that Marlien Rentmeester was anywhere near fifty years old. “Well,” laughs the founder of the wildly chic style site Le Catch and self-described beauty slacker, “I am!”
“Friends keep teasing me about the goop swim thing—like, ‘How crazy is it that at your age, you could do something like that,’” she says. “And I guess that’s a semi compliment? I mean, why wouldn’t I be able to do it? I’m glad I can do it. I don’t have a model body, but I’m in shape.” (An understatement: She exercises every day, loves to run, and surfs, water-skis, wake-surfs, skis, and plays paddle tennis with her two boys, ages eleven and fourteen.)
Rentmeester says she’s late to beauty routines but found a recent bit of positive reinforcement incredibly motivating: “I’d gotten the new GOOPGENES face cream, and I’d been using it diligently—it feels so good going on, and all the clinical results looked convincing,” she says. “Then I went to lunch (outside of course) and across the restaurant a friend saw me, ran over, and demanded to know what I was doing with my skin: ‘Are you seeing that facialist even though we’re in lockdown? Your skin looks so good!’”
“I’m hoping the jolt of confidence that gave me can help me morph from a beauty slacker into a sort of beauty simpleton—a simple plan that I can follow, with the moisturizer, some clean sunscreen, and a few other things,” she says.
Along with that plan (details to follow), Rentmeester’s approach to aging is shaped, more than it is for most of us, by her close family.
1
ACCEPT THAT YOU WON’T LOVE
EVERYTHING ABOUT AGING
Having a twin sister, I’m reminded of what I look like—and how I’m changing—all the time. If I notice her neck, for instance, I unconsciously put my hands on my neck, and then she says, “You’re looking at my neck, aren’t you?” and grabs her own neck. It is like having a 3D mirror—it’s full-on. But then, having a twin to age with, someone to go through it emotionally and physically with, is so comforting and kind of beautiful.
It’s funny, I remember the night I turned forty. I was kind of depressed, falling into this funk. And my mom said the best thing: “Be grateful, because right now is the youngest you’re ever going to be again.” I think about that a lot. Today is my opportunity.
2
THANK THE GODS FOR YOUR MOM
I have to say my mom looks incredible. She just turned eighty-two, and—not kidding—she was recently mistaken for our older sister. And sometimes when she goes to the doctor, the nurses will come back out and say, “Excuse me, ma’am, we think you wrote the wrong birthday here on your form.” I do have hope for myself because of my mom.
3
KEEP YOUR ROUTINE SIMPLE—
AND ULTRAMOISTURIZING
As I’m aging, I’m seeing the aftermath of my slacker attitude toward sunscreen in particular. So I’m wearing it more and trying new products—like the GOOPGENES face cream—to address the new issues. Also if I’m staying inside, sometimes I will layer on face oil, too. And I love the GOOPGENES body butter for all over. It’s got this subtle scent, it feels super moisturizing, and it lasts.
4
EXFOLIATE EVERY DAY
I use GOOPGLOW Microderm almost every day—it keeps my skin soft, and moisturizer works better, too—in the shower. Afterward, I smooth on an OSEA environmental base thing, then the GOOPGENES face cream. And then if I’m going out, I’m getting better about sunscreen!
-
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Instant Glow Exfoliator
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5
EXERCISE EVERY DAY
Even if I’m a beauty slacker, I’m diligent with other things, like exercise. I love to run—my routine is mostly running—but I also love tennis, hiking, streaming a workout, and boot-camp-type stuff. I do it every day even if it’s just the seven-minute workout. I have to do something. It helps that my two boys are super active, so we play tennis, water-ski, wake-surf, play volleyball, run, ski, paddle tennis, and surf together—both have a talent for surfing. It’s the most fun riding the waves together, just pure bliss. And it gives me a chance to prove myself, that I’m capable and cool, and they can’t make fun of me.
6
EAT HEALTHILY MOST OF THE TIME
I’m very aware of what I eat, and our household is both organic and gluten-free. My son has celiac disease, and my husband went through cancer, so it’s mostly vegetables for us, no dairy, fairly healthy. But if I’m not at home, pass the bread basket and extra cheese! It’s a balance.
7
ADD FLATTERING
TOUCHES OF MAKEUP
“I need eyebrows, most of all. I love the brow gel from Beautycounter. I smooth out my skin with tinted moisturizer, also from Beautycounter (it’s got some SPF in there, which is great), and dab on RMS “Un” Cover-Up where I need it. Then it’s just mascara, and this peptide lip balm from Iris and Romeo in rose.
