MEET the 100-year-old Scots grandma with “amazing” skin – and her secret is never wearing makeup.
Since a young age Ruby Mathieson, who recently celebrated her milestone birthday, thought makeup was “evil stuff”.
Over the years she has simply washed her face every day with cold water – a tip which she learned from her mother.
And photos taken throughout her lifetime show the benefits of such a strict regimen – as she still maintains a youthful glow at the age of 100.
Ruby was born in 1916 in Dalmarnock, Glasgow, and has seen fashion and style change drastically over the years.
She lived through the pale skin and dark lips trend of the 1920s, the full-face popularity of the 1950s, and even the bold and bright 1980s styles.
But despite the ever-changing trends, the grandmother-of-two has managed to keep her skin clear every day of her life – even on her wedding day.
Her daughter Rona, 59, said: “She used to think it was evil stuff, and the only thing she would do in the morning was wash her face with cold water.
“She just didn’t believe her skin would be as clear if she wore makeup all the time – I think she got it from my grandmother who also never wore it.
“On her wedding day she was given a little powder compact, but even then refused to put any of it on. I still have the compact now.”
She says her mother’s habits influenced her, and she only wears minimalistic makeup.
“Growing up, there was never any lipsticks or blush around the house to experiment with,” she said.
“It was never the done thing in our house. The only thing she ever told me to do was wash my face with water every morning. She’s never even put a face cream on.”
She added: “One of my daughters likes to get her eyebrows and nails done, and when my mum sees her she says ‘You’ve got your war paint on’.
“I think it absolutely has made a difference to my mum’s skin – she looks amazing for 100-years-old.”
Ruby, who also swears that she has never touched a drop of alcohol, attributes her health to long walks in the Scottish countryside and regular holidays in the Highlands.
She is also a huge fan of good food, especially quality shortbread and expensive chocolate.
Rona joked: “I very rarely get phone calls but if her biscuit drawer is running low, she will be sure to let me know.”
After leaving school at the age of 14, Ruby joined the dressmaking industry and worked as a tailor throughout her teenage years and into her 20s.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, she went to work in a munitions factory in Clydebank.
She met her husband, John, when she was a member of the Girls’ Brigade Scotland and he was a member of the Boys’ Brigade.
The pair married at Wellington Church in Glasgow on 10 August 1946, and baby Rona arrived in 1956.
Ruby now spends her days at Bupa’s Wyndford Locks Care Home in Glasgow, where she has lived for the past seven years.
