Actress Jane Fonda, who will turn 87 in December 2024, continues to inspire many with her youthful appearance, though she is now advocating for self-acceptance over surgical alterations. She openly admits to having had past plastic surgery, including face-lifts and breast implants (which she later removed), confessing that she did so because she “got tired of looking tired when I wasn’t.” However, Fonda has drawn a line, stating to Elle Canada that she is done with procedures: “I’m not going to cut myself up anymore.” She acknowledges the hypocrisy, wishing she were “braver” and didn’t feel the need to alter herself, but asserts that she is now trying to embrace her true self.
Fonda’s approach to looking and feeling good is rooted in emotional and spiritual well-being. Despite enduring several serious health scares—including cancer, a mastectomy, and osteoporosis—she holds a powerful, intentional outlook on her later years. She frames aging not as a decline into decrepitude but as “ascending a staircase,” where one gains wisdom, spirit, and the ability to live with intention. She admits that self-acceptance doesn’t come easily and that she has to “work every day to be self-accepting,” even though she admires “lived-in faces” like that of actress Vanessa Redgrave.
Fonda emphasizes that external beauty must be supported by consistent habits. She stresses the importance of a proper skin regime, advising women to “keep it clean and moist,” a sentiment she shared with Grazia. Furthermore, the workout icon maintains a regimen of regular exercise and great nutrition. Exercise is key as it increases skin temperature and stimulates collagen production, helping to maintain skin elasticity. In addition to physical care, Fonda strives for honesty in her public image, intentionally posting “haggard” photos—and even one with her “fake tooth out”—to use social media as a platform for realistic aging.
As a spokeswoman for L’OrĂ©al Paris Age Perfect, Fonda actively works to change the narrative around age and beauty. She highlights that the company chose her “not in spite of my age but because of my age,” demonstrating their commitment to the idea that beauty is not exclusive to the young or “model-perfect” but is present in all people, regardless of ethnicity or stage of life. She believes the stigma around aging needs to change drastically, moving away from the old paradigm of peaking in midlife and then declining.
Fonda distills her comprehensive approach into a simple, easy-to-follow guide for maintaining a youthful appearance and attitude. Her core secrets are: staying active, being positive, keeping good habits, caring for your hair, staying calm, and ensuring enough sleep. Above all, she feels that living a life filled with optimism and low stress is one of the main components to remaining beautiful in one’s senior years. Her no-nonsense advice serves as a crucial reminder that taking time for self-care has a positive ripple effect across all aspects of life.