After being a staple on our TV screens for years, Jessica Rowe feels like a firm friend to most Aussie women. Her openness and honesty about life, and its highs and lows, has endeared her to all.
By refusing to wear the mask of perfection many of us feel forced to hide behind, she’s helped women embrace themselves – flaws and all.
Here, the 49-year-old continues her informal tradition of encouraging us, with some tried and true pearls of wisdom, to love our bodies and minds exactly as they are.
1. It’s not all about looks
“My mum used to get cross with me if I spent any time looking in the mirror. She’d say, ‘Pick up a book and stop looking in the mirror’. I think that’s some of the best beauty advice, because when you step away from the mirror and stop fixating on all the things you see, you realise how beautiful you really are. Go out and embrace life, and yourself, and realise that you are wonderful and beautiful enough.”
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Jess credits her mum as her inspiration.
(Image: @jessjrowe/ Instagram)2. Fashion has no rules
“Fashion, to me, is all about choosing things that make you feel good. As I get older, I gravitate toward strong colours and bold patterns. Don’t be afraid to embrace those brighter, quirkier elements of your personality or style. If anything, as you get older you should embrace fun fashion even more because beige and all of that can be very ageing and it’s boring. Who wants to wear beige all the time?!”
3. Step out of your comfort zone
“You’re not going to learn about yourself if you don’t put your hand up for that opportunity and give something a go. I feel very strongly about teaching my girls to draw on their own bravery and courage in order to take risks.”
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Always smiley, Jess accepts her flaws and all.
(Image: Getty)4. Skincare secret
“I’ve found that as I get older, my skin is much drier. Now, I’ve discovered Bio-Oil’s new dry skin gel and it’s the best thing I’ve ever used for dehydrated skin. I use it every morning and it’s great because the gel-to-oil formula absorbs easily and you don’t need to use too much, so there’s no product wastage. It’s a really lovely product that’s improved my dry skin greatly.”
5. Fitness can be fun
“I’ve never been into exercising at a million miles an hour, but in the last couple of years I have discovered Pilates. I try and go once a week with a friend – it’s a great way to catch up, too. With exercise, as with most things in life, you’ve got to find what’s right for you and something that you genuinely enjoy doing otherwise it’s hard to keep it up.”
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Pilates classes are a must for Jess and her friends when it comes to fitness.
(Image: @jessjrowe/ Instagram)6. Parenting is a journey
“My kids possibly teach me more than I teach them! The thing with parenting is you’re constantly learning and it’s all about what works for your family. There’s no such thing as being the perfect parent, but when you embrace that and are comfortable with that you enjoy it more, too.”
