Jane Seymour’s Secrets to Aging Gracefully at 70 Are Simpler Than You Think
As the oldest woman to pose for Playboy and to look uh, freaking incredible, while doing so, 70-year-old Jane Seymour has mastered the art of aging gracefully. But what’s her secret? It isn’t Botox, she tried that and didn’t like it. It’s not a night cream or herbal tea either (though she appreciates both of those things).
It’s acceptance. When unexpected changes occur—be it a new forehead line or a full-on global pandemic—rather than dropping her head in defeat, the former Bond girl seizes the opportunity to pivot, learn, and grow.
“I had a near death experience many years ago and was resuscitated,” Seymour reveals. “And I realized that when you pass, the only thing you take with you is the love you’ve shared and the difference you’ve made.”
That’s why, when most of the world shut down last year, she set off to film projects in Australia, Spain, Ireland, and England, and is now working on one in the United States. It’s also why she got crafty in isolation, “bringing light and color” to women’s lives with handmade scarves that don’t care about their quarantine weight gain. “It’s ‘What can I do?’ rather than ‘What can’t I do?’” she tells Prevention—an attitude that was inspired by her mother.
“She never had any money and couldn’t afford any kind of facials,” Seymour explains. “She took care of herself … and her whole philosophy in life was that everyone had a challenge, and when they did they had to accept it, open up their hearts, and reach out to help other people. And in doing so, [they] would help themselves.”
For instance, her monumental Playboy shoot at 67 “was empowering,” but moreover provided representation for her fellow aging women; her choice to spend her last few dollars on custom portraits inspired her painting hobby, which led to her Open Hearts Foundation; and her love of simple skincare became a partnership with Crepe Erase to spread the gift of smooth skin. “It’s all connected,” she explains. “There’s not one thing that I do that’s not connected to mind, body, and soul.” And while there’s no proof that these acts reverse aging, they’re certainly keeping her youthful.
When it comes to the technical bits of Seymour’s self-care regimen—diet, exercise, and skincare—simplicity and balance are key. “Diets for me, never really worked because I’m a foodie. I grow my own vegetables and fruits and I love flavor,” she says. “So the whole idea of getting to a number on a scale … I’m not, you know, crazy about it.” She has tried intermittent fasting, though, and finds that it works for her. Otherwise, she compromises glasses of wine and dark chocolates with having fresh veggies and guacamole as a snack.
Seymour also works out regularly—Pilates, gyrotonics with “light weights, “very careful sit-ups,” and “some yoga poses but not all.” Most importantly, she listens to her body because “as you get older, you know, your body can’t function the way you’d like it to function.”
Then, there’s skincare, a hot topic for the seemingly ageless actress. “I do not believe in doing anything permanent,” she says, referring to plastic surgery and facelifts. But she does believe in taking care of her skin as a whole. “Nobody thinks of the skin beneath their neck,” she urges. “They’re so obsessed with getting rid of a wrinkle or a line on their face that they forget the dead giveaway to age is basically your neck, your décolletage, your arms … the dry skin on your shins and your feet.”
That’s why she uses Crepe Erase’s Advanced 2-Step Essentials System to keep her full body moisturized. And for her face, she has a simple routine: cleanse meticulously (“None of this mascara on the pillow stuff.”), exfoliate with retinol or alpha hydroxy acids, replenish with moisturizer, and protect with SPF. That’s it!
“It’s about what I can do to be the best me I can be, rather than trying to be like someone else,” she explains. “I’m not Cindy Crawford. I’m Jane Seymour.”
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