TIMELESS BEAUTY
Beauty Secrets from Women Over 50
Editor: Dominique Beaumont
Design: MODE Studio
Keeping up with shifting beauty standards can be a vicious cycle for women. For older women specifically, these standards can become even more challenging. Based on findings from the AARP — formerly the American Association of Retired Persons — seven in ten women say they look inward to define their own beauty instead of comparing themselves with others. This is especially true for three-quarters of women over 50.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean keeping up with beauty standards has become any easier. Nearly the same percentage (71%) of all women say most people judge their gender on external beauty, whether for women aged 18 to 49 or those over 50. Meanwhile, the Internet and social media complicate things further. The majority of respondents say advertising and social media are the main entities dictating beauty standards for women and a fifth say that men also influence these standards.
On the bright side, there are so many ways for women over 50 to meet current beauty standards and feel confident about their appearance. In this post, we’ll look at some simple and applicable beauty secrets from other women over 50:
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Skin care
One of the best ways to feel confident is to take better care of your skin. As your skin ages, it grows thinner and paler. Some women also develop pigmented spots, including age spots or “liver spots” in sun-exposed areas. Fortunately, many skin care products and practices can help slow the aging effects on your skin.
QVC’s collection of beauty and skin care products under the Quintessential 50 (Q50) collective focuses on embracing The Age of Possibility. This includes award-winning actress Naomi Watts’ beauty products line, Stripes Beauty, meant to provide beauty and wellness solutions for women going through perimenopause and menopause. Some standout products in the line include the Evening Wear skin renewal night cream to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Previously, Watts has stated she was a “big fan of a Gua Sha”, which is a beauty tool that helps reduce inflammation and sculpt the face. Gua Sha is great after applying your night skin care routine, and you can almost immediately feel its results.
Another crucial skin care tip for mature women is to protect their skin from the sun. According to the CDC, less than half of older adults protect their skin from the sun when spending time outdoors, which may raise the risk of skin cancer. Today, most skin cancers are found in people older than 65. Still, some of the more popular kinds of sun protection among older women include staying in the shade (47%) and using sunscreen (32%).
Hair care
As we age, the hair is going to gradually undergo changes. This includes increased shedding, slower hair growth, dryness, and drastic changes to hair volume. Meanwhile, the loss of pigmentation in the hair strands result in more gray and white hairs. Fortunately, having intentionally gray hair has also become a fashion trend and cultural phenomenon.
For older women, one of the most popular haircuts includes chin-length hair instead of longer lengths. This is because long hair may drag the eyes down, emphasizing drooping facial features. In comparison, a shorter cut is a non-surgical facelift. Many hair experts point to actress Jane Fonda’s iconic chin-length haircuts as a great example for older women to look up to.
Of course, Fonda is also known for her iconic gray hairstyles, which is all-natural and not dyed. She has previously joked about being fortunate for how her gray hair naturally grew out, claiming that it has saved herself “a lot of money and a lot of time and a lot of chemical damage to my scalp.”
Fitness
Finally, another crucial beauty tip for women over 50 is to stay active and moving. In a previous post, we highlighted insights from fitness trainer Jayne Spagnola, who specializes in group fitness for older women through her GIJayne Fit over 50+ online pages. In our post, we asked for tips and suggestions to get someone who isn’t used to being physically active to stick to their health-related goals.
Spagnola suggests starting slow, whether walking once a day, or even parking further from the grocery store. Starting with baby steps is important for ensuring you set attainable and realistic goals and aren’t hurting yourself in your fitness journey.
She also adds the importance of changing your eating habits to support your fitness arc. This includes consuming more fruits and vegetables, which can be super beneficial for other aspects of your beauty and wellness, including improving your skin and hair. If you’d like to shed extra pounds for better mobility, Spagnola suggests cutting down on carbohydrates — but insists the importance of rewarding yourself with ice cream once in a while.
ART EVOLUTION – MULTI-COVER 2025 ISSUE OF MODE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
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