“I’m a self-professed Vanity Queen!” So says Ann, 57 year-old mother of three and Registered Nurse. Ann grew up hearing that the 50’s are supposed to be the happiest years of a woman’s life. She lives her life to the fullest and enjoys theatre, reading, opera, symphonies, and staying fit through walking.

“I don’t see the difference between colouring your hair and putting on a collagen face cream, getting microdermabrasion, or whatever the latest beauty treatment is.” She is determined to continue to put her best face forward, but is self-assured enough to do it on her own terms.

Still, she feels the societal pressures to have different feelings about herself than she intuitively does as it relates to aging and beauty. “You look good for your age” is not the type of compliment she is happy to receive. She was hoping to be described as elegant, lovely, stylish, happy, healthy or graceful as she aged. Now, she no longer aspires to the notion of “aging gracefully”.