Smiling Gives You Wrinkles

This time last year, Donna decided she'd had enough of hangovers, the 2am post-wine anxiety and the shame spiral that came with trying to keep up with her 'grey area' drinking. So she stopped. In this episode, Donna shares the story behind why she quit and what helped her get through the hardest days of her sobriety. Donna really wants this chat to be helpful, not preachy. It's not about insisting...

Dr. Louise Newson aka @menopause_doctor is a  leading voice in women’s hormone health, and in this episode, she chats with Donna about a topic that’s often overlooked: testosterone therapy. Many women think that taking testosterone is just for libido - but it’s a hormone that impacts so much more - energy, mood, motivation, muscle strength…and it’s an important one for every woman, at every s...

To celebrate her 49th birthday, Donna shares her real-life, no-fuss, joy-sparking skincare routine and chats about the products she actually buys, the beauty rule she happily breaks, and why looking her age is something she celebrates, not fights. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by 10-step routines or pressured to erase your wrinkles, consider this your permission slip to do beauty your way. ...

In this chat, Donna speaks to Tik Tok star Sonia Ramos, who was only 36 when she first started experiencing perimenopause symptoms. Sonia was a mum of 4, working a 9 to 5 job in a small American town, feeling exhausted, invisible and completely alone. But when she started sharing her story on Tik Tok - everything changed - not just for Sonia, but for the millions of women watching. Now living in L...

This week Donna chats with Karen Newby, nutritionist and author of The Natural Menopause Method and The Natural Menopause Method Cookbook.  Since giving up alcohol last year, Donna has noticed how much her diet affects her health and mood. And as midlife is a good time to evaluate your eating habits, Donna wanted to find out what a typical day of food should look like, so we can all get the b...

If you're looking for a  glow up that doesn’t involve expensive products or time-consuming regimes, then this chat with facialist Sarah Bradden is a must listen.  VOGUE calls her a “modern day healer” and your “skin’s best friend”, so Donna felt very lucky to have Sarah take time out of her busy schedule to share all of her amazing skincare tips with us.  Donna actually recorded thi...

There's been quite a long pause since the last episode, and Donna explains the reasons why SGYW is back. Don't forget to check out Donna's website and follow her on Instagram and Tik Tok . You can also join the Smiling Gives You Wrinkles Chat Facebook Group for more chat and behind-the-scenes content. Smiling Gives You Wrinkles is produced by Will Dell

Starting Thursday 5th June, you'll find award-winning Beauty Editor Donna Francis having honest, open and relatable conversations about life, beauty and aging. Like having a coffee with a friend, this is podcast for women like you and me, who want to chat about things that will make them smile, feel better and also help them learn a few things too. It's time to stop being so hard on ourselves as w...

When was the last time that you bought a poetry book? If it’s in the last few years, then it was almost certainly written by Donna Ashworth, the twice Sunday times best seller poet.  Donna started writing poetry on social media in 2018 when she was struggling in her personal life. And when Covid hit, Donna shared a poem called History on her social media and her following grew into the hundre...

Fancy learning a new tool to help you manage stress and feel more confident?  You might not have heard of tapping before and you might think it sounds a bit out there, but in this chat you’ll hear Poppy explain to Donna how you can use this ‘super tool’ every day to really help change your life.  Vogue calls Poppy “the go-to for public figures” and you’ll hear how she has helped some of...

Do you feel stuck in life and your career? Do you feel the best days of your life are behind you? Do you want to feel more ‘seen’?  Please listen to this chat with the wonderful Suzi, also known as @alternativeageing on Instagram. Suzi is almost 75 and has over 100k followers on social media thanks to her infectious positivity and often humorous take on aging.  In this chat with Donna, S...

Crystal is the widow of Hugh Hefner, the creator of Playboy magazine. They got married when Crystal was 26 years old, and he was 86, that’s 60 years older than she was. They were married until his death, in 2017, and since then, Crystal has been living a new life outside of the Playboy mansion.  At 37, Crystal is the youngest guest on Smiling Gives You Wrinkles so far. And Donna wanted to cha...

Want to know which skincare products that you really need? Do you feel that you need a makeup refresh? Would you like to hear how one of the world’s most successful makeup artists approaches aging? Ruby Hammer has worked as a makeup artist on some of the world’s most famous faces including Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Sharon Stone, Tyra Banks and Meghan Markle. Ruby was also awarded...

Do you want to channel more positivity in your life, but don’t know where to start? Are old insecurities holding you back?  Patsy is one of the most recognisable TV stars in Britain, and while that is a brilliant accomplishment for an actor, it comes with its challenges. In this chat, Patsy reveals how positive thinking and talking to yourself better can really help to make some big changes i...

Is the world of dating a bit daunting now that you’re older? Are you dating after divorce and don’t know where to start? And what about your future? What’s the best thing to ensure your happiness?  In this chat with Donna, Candace chats about her one woman show and shares her opinions about the benefits of dating older and younger men. She tells Donna why she thinks older women are at an adva...

Do you feel that your age has become an issue in your workplace? Are you thinking of having Botox but feeling a bit nervous to start? Have you suddenly acquired a love of birdwatching?   In this chat with Donna, Lisa talks all about her love of acting and shares her thoughts on aging in the world of drama. They also chat about beauty and skincare and Lisa opens up about her thoughts on m...

Award-winning Beauty Editor, Donna Francis has spent the last 25 years helping women feel comfortable in their skin and now in her late 40s, she is passionate about inspiring women to feel positive about aging and  everything  that comes with it. In Smiling Gives You Wrinkles, Donna shares relatable and inspiring stories from some brilliant women about how to approach aging positively, a...