Another troubled friend was worried about the recession last week, not just about her bank balance, but rather her looks!
“It’s causing me to break out in spots and I definitely have new wrinkles with all the stress,’’ she shrieked alarmingly.
Of course compounding the problem was having no spare cash for indulgent beauty products in her efforts to turn back the clock as she rapidly approaches 30.

While the recession is certainly stressful, I guess I'm lucky when it comes to the ageing process. I am constantly being told I look younger then my years but, rather than be happy with my unchanging face, I was always annoyed at often being treated a good five years younger.
It’s only probably in the last six months as I veer further away from my mid-20s that I am starting to appreciate what a blessing it is to have a few years shaved of my age.

Certain I would awake haggard one morning after a year of losing two jobs and the in-between worrying, I guess I was pleasantly surprised to be asked for id in a city supermarket last week
I hadn't been id'd in at least two years!

Complete in tracksuit and red face from hilarious attempts at jogging, the thought of leaving without my bottle of wine was not an option and I sternly informed the cashier that I was fast approaching my 27th birthday and left, thankfully, a few minutes later, mortified but at least with my alcohol in tow.
When my embarrassment subsided I allowed myself the compliment of being mistaken yet again for the face of an 18-year-old.

My Mam is the same; the clock seems to be ticking slowly despite her nearing 50. She loves to have our visiting friends gush over her youthful appearance. Despite the most stressful year of her life, the closing of her business at the start of the recession seems to have left her face without any additional lines, perhaps the only part of her that hasn't been affected.

Of course while recession stress might so far be evading my face, unfortunately I can't say the same for my body. My job searching in January was accompanied by much- needed comfort eating and I have helped console many an unemployed friend over a cheap bottle of wine these past few months.

The damn recession is affecting my figure as well as my bank account.

Now, if only I had the metabolism of an 18-year-old as well

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