TV’s Golden Girls
are living proof that seniors can be SEXY! And you, too, can use their
personal beauty secrets to stay vibrant and young-looking.
Here’s how they turn back time:
Betty White, 70, swears by natural
skin care products she buys at health food stores.
First, she cleanses her face with an
herbal cream, then she freshens it with an alcohol-free toner followed
by moisturizing jojoba cream.
Before bed, she smoothes on pure vitamin
E oil—and she always avoids the damaging rays of the sun.
Says Betty, who plays dimwit Rose:
“My complexion improved when I quit eating red meat, and now
my diet is largely fruits and vegetables. And I use makeup sparingly,
except when I’m in front of the camera.”
She also believes in the youthful effects
of facials and massages. “Facials relax the muscles and firm
them at the same time. Massages make my entire body relax and the
tension ebbs away.”
Estelle Getty, who plays wisecracking
Sophia, also goes easy on makeup when she’s not under the lights.
“I’ve tried all the creams
and lotions on the market and I still don’t look like Liz Taylor,
so what’s the use?” quips Estelle, 68.
But a special facial that she whips
up in her own kitchen leaves her skin glowing.
“I make a wonderful facial with
egg white,” she explains. “I separate the egg, froth the
white, then dab it on my face and let it dry. Then I rinse it off
with warm water, and my face looks fresh and rejuvenated.”
Bea Arthur, 66, wears her walking shoes
to keep her energy level high. “I prefer walking to strenuous
exercising,” she says. “And I’m not into any particular
diet, although I don’t eat as many sweets as I used to.
"I drink a lot of low-fat milk
for the calcium, and I also eat a lot of fish.”
Bea gets nine hours sleep every night
that she can, and she uses either an avocado or oatmeal facial mask
to combat dry skin.
“I don’t worry about looking
older,” says Bea, who plays Dorothy on reruns of the sitcom.
“Wrinkles don’t bother me much—they’re simply
part of God’s plan for us.
“We can’t stay young forever,
even though some women make fools of themselves trying. I accept each
new birthday with thanks that I’m still alive.”
Rue McClanahan, who at 56 is the baby
of the group, says women ought never to give up on looking their best,
no matter how old they are. And if you don’t know how, consult
the experts, she advises.
“No two faces are alike,”
says Rue, who plays man-hungry Blanche on the new Golden Girls
spinoff, Golden Palace, “so look for a specialist to
help you find the best hair and makeup colors.”
Rue’s wild about steam baths
and saunas, which open up the skin pores. She also takes vitamin A
and calcium pills to keep her skin looking young.
“I don’t drink alcohol
but I consume plenty of spring water,” Rue adds. “And
instead of exercising, I rarely sit still. Just like Blanche, I’m
always moving!”