“As I’ve gotten older, I do less and less to my hair. I’ve come to realize that dumping gallons of styling goop on it comes to no good. So I use minimal products and keep it shoulder length, and I think it looks better than when I once worked hard for big hair.”
“I exercise more now than I did 20 years ago—and I’ve lost 130 pounds. I am told I look like I’m in my midthirties, not the forty-something I really am.”
“At about 40, I stopped comparing myself to other women, worrying about whether they were cuter, dressed better, whatever. And I began looking at women who are older—say, 60-plus—who are so full of life and vitality and really enjoy one another. They inspire me and make me look forward to aging.”
“My skin looks better today, but I do work at it: retinoids (Rx and over the counter), sunscreen, regular exfoliation, high-end moisturizers. I also walk regularly, kickbox, take vitamins and drink lots of water—and I recently discovered green drinks.”
“I don’t believe attitude can be stressed enough during this thing called aging. I may not be as fleet of foot as I once was, but when I wake up in the morning, I’ve never been more comfortable.”
“I can’t say that I look better than I did at 25. That was more than half a lifetime ago, and no one can escape the natural effects of time passing. But I have so much more perspective and less concern about what other people think of me or my looks. I also don’t fall prey to quick fixes or so-called miracles. I believe your looks reflect what you eat, how much you move, how much sleep you get and how deeply you love.”
“I take much better care of myself now than I did in my twenties. I run four days a week and work out with weights three times a week. Being fit is an excellent way to feel good about yourself. And at 52, I can rock a bikini.”
“One of my favorite things about aging is the companionship. It’s like joining a club of people who’ve been there, done that and survived with grace and dignity. Despite all the occasional aches and pains, getting older is more enjoyable than I ever thought possible.”
“I finally quit dyeing my hair the year I turned 50. It looked so good that I didn’t just wish I’d let the gray grow out sooner—I wished I’d never colored it in the first place.”
“I think one key to liking your looks as you age is to accept that you will look different at different stages of your life, then embrace those changes rather than try to hang on to what you looked like at 25 or even 35.”
