Beauty at 60: Redefining Beauty

How do you define beauty at age 60? 

At age 60, I’m learning that beauty comes from within. When you’re more confident in yourself, then you are comfortable in your own skin. Comfortable about who you are, what you look like, no matter your size. Never let anyone define who you are. Through the years I have learned that sometimes people can try to change the real you because they want to see themselves in who you are. So through age and knowing who you really are on the inside, helps your beauty to show through the outside. So that’s how I define beauty at 60.

You’ve lived through 6 decades of beauty trends. What has been your favorite? 

I like the new trends of wigs because I can always be ready. All I have to do is go in my room and pick out what I’m going to wear, just like my clothes. (laughs). That’s one of my favorite trends that I’m glad that was invented for black women. There is no excuse for anybody to walk around with a nappy head anymore. As far as makeup, I love the matte look that they came out with because you can choose to have the shiny look or the more natural look. I like the more natural matte look, where I’m not shiny. I like the matte lipstick. It stays on longer than the cream lipsticks. Those have become my favorites. 

Back in the day, women didn’t wear a lot of makeup. We mostly were either natural or we had our hair straightened with the hot comb on the stove. We had trends and stuff, but as young girls then, we just went with the flow. Whatever the style was, I wanted it! Afros to perms. I remember me and my best friend got our hair cut off when the afros came out. We got all of our hair cut off to have an afro. We went and got shape ups and wore the big earrings. We had it going on. 

What’s your current skin care/beauty routine? I’ve never seen you with a pimple my entire life. What’s your secret? 

Now at age 60, I use Olay Age Defying for my skin care. I don’t wear alot of makeup anymore and I drink plenty of water. I don’t eat a lot of candy and stuff like that. I take care of my skin day and night. Not only my face but also my body. I make sure I moisturize my body with lotion everyday. Everyday. When I take a shower, I don’t even get ashy because of the moisture that I’ve kept in my skin. I use baby oil after I shower, everyday. That’s like a ritual for me. I buy it like I by my facial products. Put it on while you’re wet. You can get the baby oil gel or the regular baby oil. I like the baby oil gel. Put it on while you’re still wet and then dry yourself off. And then after that I still put on lotion. That keeps your skin moisturized. And your feet!

I feel like no matter what age you are, you’ve got to pamper your body. Just like anything else, if you don’t take care of it it’s going to wear down. It’s going to look worn. You’ve got to take care of your body just like you would anything else. It’s time consuming but I have an everyday ritual that I do. That’s why I get up in time so I can do these things.

You’ve had some trials throughout life, breast cancer survivor, loss of your father, and your husband. How have these life transitions changed and altered your perspective on beauty? 

I feel like no matter what you go through in life, first of all you have to trust God to see you through it. I’ve been through challenges in my life that I thought I would never have to go through, but through it all I never gave up on me. And how I feel about myself and how I wanted to look and how I wanted to be and feel. I say no matter what challenges life throws you, you still have to stay in touch with who you are as a person. Whether its cancer, losing a loved one, you still have to try to hold it together, and stay in touch with who you are as a person. Love more, believe more, trust more, not only in yourself but trust God to see you through all things. Without Him and my family I don’t think I would have made it.

What advice would you give to young women like me? 

For women period, sometimes we can be our worst enemy. If you can’t lift each other up, don’t make them feel down. We are sisters, sisters in love. So don’t hate on each other. If you can’t say anything good, don’t say nothing. But the main thing is we are to do for each other is keep each other lifted in beauty and in love. Nobody is alike. Don’t let another person define who you are. Don’t let that be anybody but God and you. Let your character speak for itself. Don’t let people define you because people will tear you down. I’m telling you. Believe in yourself. Whatever obstacles come your way, have enough faith in yourself and God to move them out of the way. You know I told you that youngin. The main thing is love yourself, be yourself, love God, and with all that love you have enough to give others. That’s my advice to young women today.