I don't know who needs to hear this, but the youth obsession is played out. As a beauty editor with access to the best everything, I'm certainly tempted to reach for the serums and skin treatments that promise to keep me looking younger, longer. But when I really stop to think about it, the constant messaging that younger is better is damaging, problematic, and simply not true. I call bullshit!
Of course, youth has its perks (at 31, I'm now officially a member of the "My Knees Crack When I Sit Down" club), but with every passing year, I become acutely more aware that with age comes wisdom, grace, and a special brand of beauty that you can only earn by living long enough to show a few fine lines and wrinkles. I'm tired of people being shocked when women over 40 are considered among the most gorgeous. Some of the most beautiful humans I know are in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. (My 62-year-old mom and 90-year-old grandma being two of them!)
In fact, my Instagram feed is stacked with ladies in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who make achieving those precious years look so insanely good. I decided to slide into some of those ladies' DMs to get their raw, unfiltered thoughts on aging, how they take care of themselves, and what they do to stay feeling their best. And, hey, if glowy skin and shiny hair happen to come along with it, then so be it! Age is just a number, and these eight ladies are proof of that. Ahead, check out the tips and products helping these gorgeous women age gracefully.
Norma Alcala, 69, Retired, Mother, Grandmother, and Dog Mom
Words of wisdom: "I don't believe that you have to do/not do, wear/not wear certain things at certain ages. I think each of us has the right to design our lives according to our individual preferences, including our body and spirit without trying to adhere to parameters established by culture throughout time. If you find a benefit for yourself (physical or mental) you should feel free to try, experiment, invent, and modify. Have fun!"
Norma's Go-To Products
"I love skincare products because they protect your skin."
"I try many different ones, but this is one of my all-time favorites."
"I also try to work out and eat healthy. I drink green juice every day! Most importantly, I try to avoid stress as much as possible."Follow Norma on Instagram.
Eugenia Russell Hargrove, 65, Senior Pharmaceutical Sales Specialist
Words of wisdom: "My mother and grandmother taught me at an early age, the importance of a regular and consistent skincare regiment. However, I strayed away from self-care as a mom focusing on my children. So I would tell my younger self not to neglect my skincare routine and to go to the dermatologist earlier, in my 30s, instead of 40s once I had adult acne."
Eugenia's Go-To Products
"Its natural ingredients are cleasining without irritating my oily, blemished prone skin."
"Rihanna did a very good thing with this product. It's a light, must-have moisturizer that sinks in and won't pill if I apply makeup after. "
"Not that I'm wearing makeup regularly anymore (maskne is real!), but when I did, I often reached for this primer because it's light but packs a punch to fight to shine all-day."
"During quarantine, I've been enjoying my patio a bit more, which calls for broad-spectrum SPF. This one is fragrance-free and doesn't make my face ashy. A win-win."
Follow Eugenia on Instagram.
Lynn Shabinsky, 58, Yoga Teacher,
Lifestyle Model
Words of wisdom: "Every body is different in size, shape, and color. When you find beauty from within, the confidence will radiate out of you. Let go of the need to compare and let your true light shine."
Lynn's Go-To Products
"My yoga practice helps me find the balance of strength and ease that I carry throughout my day and my skincare rituals allow me to nourish my skin, creating a radiant glow. Be Well Skincare's Graceful Aging Kit is my favorite nighttime ritual. I love the Avocado Sea Moss Exfoliant and finish with a gentle facial massage with the lavender face cream. Not only do these products leave my skin feeling smooth, but the lavender massage creates the perfect ritual for winding down at the end of the day."
"This is my favorite eye cream. It works on fine lines and wrinkles while creating an illuminating effect, which distracts from any dark circles."
"I have fallen in love with Ilia Beauty. Their clean makeup makes me feel absolutely radiant on all levels, giving me the confidence to feel truly comfortable in my own skin."
Follow Lynn on Instagram.
Carla Kemp, 57, Model, Personal Assistant
Words of wisdom: "I don't subscribe to the notion that grey hair makes you look older. If your hair is healthy, styled and you exude confidence, people will admire your hair. Having grey hair is on an upswing. Sometimes dying grey hair can make you look older thus defeating the purpose. I think it's beautiful and super sexy!"
Carla's Go-To Products
"I absolutely love Maison 286 No. 8 Botaniques Rosehip Seed Oil. I use it on my face, body, and hair! The fatty acids and antioxidants in rosehip help reduce fine lines and regenerate my skin. The oils are easily absorbed, leaving my skin with a velvety smooth finish and gorgeous glow."
"Most days, I like a soft and natural look on my lips. These give my lips a glossy luster with just enough color. Three come in this collection and I adore each one!"
"Sometimes, mascara just isn't enough, and I'm not a big fan of crazy-long lash extensions. The D'Lashes lash kit has been perfect! It has everything I need to enhance my natural eyes. It comes with three different strip lashes, tweezers, and an adhesive eyeliner pen."
Follow Carla on Instagram.
Caroline Labouchere, 56, Model
Words of wisdom: "Visit a good consultant dermatologist to get a simple, effective lifelong skincare routine. Don't waste money on products that aren't going to work long term and don't put your face in the sun! Learn to listen to your body so that you know when something is not right."
Caroline's Go-To Products
"This is my daily moisturizer, and although the texture took some getting used to, it's better than the alternative, Vaseline, for me. It can be used on top of your retinoid at night time, too."
"I have used this for a long time now and cannot imagine not using it. I get many compliments on my brows and lashes. I love them."
"This has the perfect relaxing, clean smell for the end of the day."
Follow Caroline on Instagram.
Sandrine Picard, 53, Teacher
Words of wisdom: "Do what you want because whatever you do, people will criticize anyway. So keep doing what you like doing, wear what you like wearing, and show people how wrong they are!"
Sandrine's Go-To Products
"I think it is important to keep a few hours to yourself during the weekend just to take care of your skin, face, and body. It's so relaxing to love yourself for a while. First I'll do the Filorga scrub which is a foam exfoliator. I love the texture, the smell, and my skin is just, like, renewed when I use it once a week on Sundays."
"These are the best eye patches to look fully awake before photoshoots."
"The British hair company White Hot keeps my grey hair bright and luminous. I use this once or twice a week."
Follow Sandrine on Instagram.
Carla Martin, 48, Model, Silver Hair Ambassador
Words of wisdom: "Enjoy everything, be yourself, embrace your uniqueness and stand out. Care less of what others think about the things that make you happy. Also, use a moisturizer every day and protect your skin from the sun. A tan looks great for a couple of days, but it can damage your skin in the long run."
Carla's Go-To Products
"I love a face massage. I do it by myself twice a week, sometimes with my hands and others with face cupping or face rollers. I use rose-hip oil, and it only takes five to 10 minutes. I've noticed that it makes my skin glow afterward. But first, I clean my face with Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. It has a great smell and it leaves my face feeling clean without drying it."
"Rose-hip oil is light and I love the smell."
"The Glossier Priming moisturizer has a soft smell, it feels lavish, and makes my skin feel soft and moisturized."
Follow Carla on Instagram.
Trina Albus, 45, Founder of Magenta Agency, 40+ Skincare Creator
Words of wisdom: "I don't believe in preventative Botox. My YouTube channel features alternatives to Botox and filler, including skincare and beauty devices like microcurrent and radiofrequency. I don't hate on injectables—I just don't think they should be the first thing you try. So many younger people are getting injectables, and I want everyone to know there are other options! I don't agree that when you reach a certain age or see your first fine line that you need to get injectables. There are so many other things you can do to rejuvenate your skin."
Trina's Go-To Products
"I like the Current Body LED mask because it's a flexible silicone wrap around mask that is very comfortable and easy to use. In just 10 minutes per session, you get the benefits of anti-aging red and near infra-red light therapy that improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin tone, texture, and firms the skin. I've had my eye on other LED masks that offer more light settings, including the Best Life Company mask and the Arduro mask. In addition to red, these masks offer up to 6 other colors that fight specific aging concerns. There are also LED neck masks that I haven't tried yet!"
"I've just started using the Newa RF device. Radiofrequency uses heat to penetrate into the deeper layers of your skin to boost collagen, tighten your face and neck, and reduce wrinkles."
"While there are many wonderful microcurrent devices available, my absolute favorite is the Myolift Mini. This device includes two modes: Erase to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and educate to lift and firm muscles in your face and neck. The Myolift Mini offers a more targeted treatment, and you can reduce to a frequency of one to two times per month after the initial 60-day period. This means I have more free time to test other devices."
"I just received the Nira laser, which I will use for just two minutes per day to tighten my eye area (hopefully lifting up my hooded eyes) and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. I can't wait to get started with this as I've seen impressive results on social media so far. I've read that you can use the device for other areas, like your smile lines, so I'll be looking into all the available options. I am fortunate to have working relationships with many device manufacturers so I can always reach out to ask questions that help me and my community get the most out of our devices."
Follow Trina on Instagram, Tik Tok, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.
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