Beauty Through the Ages

"When I first told him I was an older lady he told me, 'I don't care. I just enjoy your company.'" Martin says doing her part to stay healthy also helps. She gets about 10 hours of sleep every night and eats well, making sure to have at least one or two green vegetables every day. She enjoys doing the hustle and occasionally swimming when the weather's hot enough. Her hair remains the same dark brown color it was from childhood. "I don't dye my hair. I wear a wig because my hair is thinning and I think the wig helps me look younger," she says. "If you don't have it, add it," she says with a laugh. "Just because you're old, that doesn't mean you have to look old," says Martin, who gets a facial with her daughter once a month. "You just have to keep yourself up." Margarita Roberts, 72, retired teacher, St. Clair Shores, Mich.Margarita Roberts takes no credit for her smooth, blemish-free skin. "I think it's my ethnicity," she says. "I'm Mexican American. My mother's skin was like this." But she adds that she takes preventive steps to assure she's in good health, which she suspects contributes to looking good. "I see my dentist twice a year and my doctor at least once a year," she says. "I always wanted to keep my own teeth. I eat well, and I stay busy."

Roberts is active in the public speaking group Toastmasters, St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. She credits her husband of 34 years, Bill Roberts, with getting her involved in lots of activities, many of which continue to keep her busy since he passed away last year. The other task that keeps Roberts going is her eight grandchildren, ages 2 to 24. "I see them almost every day, when I'm not too busy," she says. She enjoys borrowing books and movies for them at the local library and reading to them or having them read to her. Roberts has no morning or bedtime beauty regimen. "I wash my face at night, but not with any particular soap. I use whatever I have," she says. "I do a little make-up when I'm going out, and I've always colored my hair." She has never smoked. Every now and then she appreciates a glass or two of wine with friends. "And I try to walk every day at the local park," she says. "Just a short walk. I can't go very far before I get tired. But I try to get in a few minutes -- 10 to 15 every day." Caren Maceyko, 64, Ms. Senior Michigan 2009, Shelby Twp., Mich.Caren Maceyko entered the Ms. Senior Michigan pageant on a whim. She came across a flyer last year and saw organizers were looking for someone over 60 who'd be judged on talent, poise, philosophy on life and looks in an evening gown.

"No bathing suit, thank God!" she thought after deciding to enter. She was crowned in July and proudly wears the tiara and sash fulfilling her queenly duties -- speaking at events promoting Michigan. Maceyko is flattered when people compliment her looks, but says it's what's on the inside that counts. "Ageless beauty is really about desirable attributes. Are you still loving and engaged in life and smiling, smiling even in adversity? My philosophy is attitude is everything. It's the only thing in life you can control. It's the thing that exhibits your inner character and beauty. "You can be the most beautiful person on Earth, but if you have a nasty attitude no one wants to be around you." There are steps that Maceyko takes to look and feel good. "I stay away from processed foods as much as possible," she says. "I indulge in a piece of chocolate cake from time to time, but mostly I try to eat real foods. I've never smoked. I enjoy social drinking. It's good to have fun. But moderation in everything." Maceyko exercises at least three to five times a week, including weight training, stretches and a variety of cardio exercises. "But mostly I burn a lot of energy just by staying busy," she says. She volunteers with several groups, including the American Red Cross, the Belle Isle Women's Committee, and she is active at Trinity Lutheran Church in Utica.

"My advice is not to think about your age. Think about living your life by your heart. It's about a happy attitude. That's what makes you feel young." Hala Abu-Hamdan, 48, community liaison, Dearborn, Mich., Fire Department and mayor's office Hala Abu-Hamdan takes care every day to make sure she's dressed nicely and looking her best. "It makes me feel good about myself no matter what stressful circumstances I might be facing," Hamdan says. She shops for clothes that are flattering, professional and classy. Her favorite stores are T.J. Maxx and Marshall's. She adds nice accessories -- earrings, necklaces and scarfs -- to complete her look. She doesn't spend a lot on makeup, but uses simple products like Olay Regenerist skin creams, purchased in bulk at Costco. "I never use soap on my face," says Hamdan who with her husband of 30 years, Imad, has four children ages 10 to 28. She believes her diet and belly dancing help keep her in shape. She doesn't attend a regular class, but belly dances to Arabic music around the house. "Belly dancing keeps you in a good mood and also keeps you fit because you move every muscle in your body," she says. A native of Lebanon, Hamdan eats a Middle Eastern diet rich in vegetables, beans and rice.

"People always say 'Oh my gosh, you always look so good.' I give credit to my parents. ... Plus I refuse to be bored. I love people. I'm always very positive and very kind and I always try to be helpful to anybody; family, friends or strangers." Kimberly Smith, 38, owner of event planning and decor business Every Detail, Redford, Mich."People mistake me all the time for someone younger," says Smith. "I'm flattered." She believes good genes and a healthy, stress-free life take years off. "I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't eat red meat," says Smith who with husband, Will, has a 6-year-old daughter, Loren. "And I try to drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep." Smith says she never learned how to wear makeup so she rarely does. "The last time I wore eye shadow was for my wedding in 2002," she says. At most, she'll occasionally put on a bit of mascara and lip gloss. Smith regularly washes her face with Dove Bar for Sensitive Skin. Recently, she heard Tyra Banks' mom says she puts Vaseline around her eyes and mouth at night, so she started doing it, too. And for the past few months she's been taking a multi-vitamin, and an Omega 3 and Vitamin D supplement daily. She'd like to add exercise to her daily regimen.

"I'm so busy coming and going that I don't fit in regular exercise. But I'm not the kind of person who lays around doing nothing. "I try to live a stress-free life," she says. "I stay away from negative people." Looking Good Takes Work Here is expert advice on how women can address the signs of aging and retain their swagger: 30s-40s: Crunch time What happens: Because of the hustle and bustle of life, women in their 30s and 40s can easily be, and begin to look, overwhelmed, says Dr. Henry S. Lodge, coauthor of "Younger Next Year For Women," (Workman, $12.95). "Women need the energy to be in control of their lives," he says. Wrinkles and frown lines can start creeping in. Extra weight may become harder to shed. Advice: "A lot of things are preventable if you have a good skin care regimen," says Detroit dermatologist Lorna Thomas, who urges women to start paying attention to their skin in their 20s. Moisturizing and gently exfoliating is important, but protecting the skin from the sun "365 days a year" is vital. "Wear sunscreen every day, without question," says Thomas. "I am never without sunscreen. It is in my moisturizer." Thomas recommends that women develop a relationship with a dermatologist early in life, and contends that you don't have to spend a fortune on potions.

She likes the Cetaphil line of products. She recommends that every woman over 30 use an eye cream: "The skin around the eye is so fragile and thin. It needs special attention." And she is a fan of retinoids to help fight the signs of aging. Henry Ford physician and athletic medicine specialist Nancy White advises women to avoid smoking and minimize consumption of alcoholic beverages. Lodge says: "If you make a real commitment to getting sleep, regular exercise, and eating fundamentally well, you will approach your life with more energy. You will live better as a mother, a wife, a worker. You will live two better decades." Enter 50s: Be fabulous What happens: Once-plump areas -- lips, cheeks, breasts -- become less perky. Wrinkles and expression lines on the face are an issue for many. The aging process can bring down the eyes, cheeks, jaw, chin and neck. For some women, hyperpigmentation -- age spots, liver spots, etc. -- is a concern. Advice: "There is a difference between wrinkling that is due to sun damage, and frown lines, which are dynamic wrinkling. Those frown lines are due to muscle movement," Thomas says. Dynamic wrinkles can be smoothed with injections of a neurotoxin such as Botox, Thomas says. But beware of the expressionless "spa face," she warns.

"There is an art to doing this," she says. "If you put too much in and in the wrong place, you are going to get a frozen face." Thomas recommends that neurotoxin injections be administered only by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Hyperpigmentation, Thomas says, should not be ignored. "It is not medically threatening, but it really contributes to the appearance of aging," she says. Treatment for hyperpigmentation can range from prescription bleaching creams to resurfacing involving lasers or lights. White says women should make exercise a big component of their lives. She suggests exercises that are easy on the joints, such as Tai chi, yoga and swimming. Strength training also helps. Get regular physicals, making sure that doctors check on blood pressure, heart abnormalities and diabetes, all of which can worsen with age. At 50, women should get a colonoscopy. 60s & 70s: Glory days What happens: "These are the decades where the chickens come home to roost," Lodge says. "Women who hit 60 strong -- physically, mentally and emotionally -- will be better off." Advice: It's important to have regular checkups to avoid or control health concerns common in older women, particularly low bone density.

Stretching exercises are even more important at this age because balancing becomes more difficult as vision deteriorates, White says. She recommends a bone density test at age 65. For those dealing with volume loss in the face, which can also show up earlier in life, Thomas recommends fillers. "There is no cutting. It is nonsurgical. A filler replaces volume; that is its sole function," she says. "We replace the volume by injection. And viola!" The downside, says Thomas, is that filler injections are not permanent and "it is not cheap." The first treatment can hover around $1,500, and some procedures can last about a year. 80s & up: Time to shine What happens: Life. Either you are going to be a young old or an old old, Lodge says. Advice: To put things in perspective, Lodge offers this: "Dynamic beauty is the concept that we all should be thinking on. You think about who you want to be with as you get older. It is not the prettiest person; it is the person that smiles and that has a twinkle in their eye. "That is where beauty lies."