You heard it here first: Despite what the media, society or even your besties may say, your beauty, allure and relevance has no expiration date. You really can look and feel as fly as you want to be at any age. All it takes is some self-love, a positive attitude and OK, maybe a few weekly sweat sessions.
Looking for inspiration? Find it in these stars of your smartphone screen. In their 40s and older, they’re celebrating the passage of time, as well as their evolving beauty, by nurturing their minds, bodies and spirits, and demonstrating that self-care is more than a buzzword — it’s a necessity.
Tennille Murphy, 41
Creator of the lifestyle blog “The Tennille Life,” this interior designer-turned-corporate flight attendant shares her passion for food, fitness and fashion on her YouTube channel and Instagram feed. There, more than 13,000 followers — many drawn to her striking and unapologetically silver hair — take her tips for travel, design and healthy living.
Self-care secret: “Beauty starts from the inside out, and your body is a reflection of what you’re eating as much as what you're not. I drink about a gallon of water per day and eat a plant-based diet, while avoiding alcohol and sugary processed foods.”
Julie D. Harbour, 54
This Los Angeles-based stylist and administrative professional is “on a mission to crush negative perceptions about aging” and uses her blog, “Stylish Paradox,” to do just that, offering style and spiritual inspiration to almost 12,000 Instagram followers.
Self-care secret: “My routine includes morning meditation and prayer, self-affirmations, exercise and inspirational podcasts or music. [Now that I’m in perimenopause,] I’ve been researching alternatives to hormone replacement theory such as acupuncture, herbal supplements, exercise and dietary changes. Don’t wait until you’re older to begin caring for yourself mentally and physically. It’s not just self-care, it’s self-preservation.”
Glenda K. Harrison, 53
If you’d expect a woman who calls herself a wholistic stylist to be a self-care advocate, you’d be correct. (Style, she says, encompasses the soul, body and mind, as well as your wardrobe.) The Southern California-based author shares tips with her YouTube and Instagram followers on everything from facial rolling and dry brushing to wearing white after Labor Day.
Self-care secret: “I’m a natural introvert [and] gain my energy from time alone, so I carve out moments of quiet throughout my day. It’s during these times that I’m most in touch with myself. I embrace my age and [strive] to be the best possible Glenda, regardless of the decade I’m in.”
Arlinda McIntosh, 61
Her clothing and accessory brand, Sofistafunk, is built around her signature billowy skirts, inspired by family who worked in North Carolina’s cotton plantations. McIntosh’s fabulous style and effervescent personality has garnered features in magazines, including Essence, and earned more than 23,000 followers who get a daily dose of the New Jersey-based maven on Instagram’s “Sofistafunk”and “Funking After 50” feeds.
Self-care secret: “My morning and evening mini-facial is a quick steam with hot water, a white washcloth and rosehip oil, followed by two drops of raspberry seed oil, which is a natural all-over UV blocker, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.”
