Ageless Moms From Around The World Share Their Coveted Beauty Secrets

The Fountain Of Youth may be much closer than you think. Just ask mom!

A few weeks ago I spoke with Dr. Stacy Chimento about treating your toes at home. She recommended something straight out of my Canadian mom’s beauty book - - coating your feet in oil before bagging them and going to bed. My mom did this at least once a week. I can still see her slathering her calloused heels in Mane & Tail Hoofmaker Horse Protein (which I wasn’t even sure was for people), before encasing them in Saran Wrap and hitting the hay (get it?). 

This reminded me how much of an influence our mothers have on our beauty routines. So, I reached out to a few friends to find out what other gems we can learn from the youthful women from around the world who brought us up.

M. Kiguwa and Margaret Bercy 

Writer and entrepreneur M. Kiguwa founded a luxury rental service for designer and artisan jewelry that has since blossomed into an online presence meant to celebrate and empower women across the globe. And while M. is about as outgoing as a person can get, writing poetry about her exploits from Uganda to the U.S. to London and back again, her mom, Margaret, is very much the introvert. She prefers the simpler things, especially when it comes to beauty. Here are her basics:

• Eat a bowl of fruit every morning - this provides vitamins, potassium and fiber.
• Exercise. “Walking and jogging is essential for overall beauty,” Margaret says. 
• Wash your face when you wake up and before you go to bed, and use a day and night cream suited to your skin type.
• Use products with natural ingredients. Margaret relies on Shea Moisture African Black Soap, rose water and a natural hair spritz (the recipe includes distilled water, avocado, olive, peppermint, and ginger oils).

• Beautytap’s community of Beauty Experts (professional makeup artists, aestheticians, facialists, and hair stylists) recommend this deeply hydrating hair mask. 

Dr. Stephanie Han and Marie Ann Yoo

Writer, educator, reformed actor, and professional speaker Dr. Stephanie Han lives in Hawaii and is descended from the very first wave of Koreans who immigrated to the United States. Her maternal clan has been on Oahu since 1904, so it is probably no surprise that her mom, Marie Ann, is a little preoccupied with her skin. Dr. Han remembers being told, “At some point, you need to make a choice between your body or your face; the thinner you are in your old age, the more hollow your face.” Rather than look older than her years, Marie decided to prioritize a wrinkle-free visage, moderate exercise, and eating more or less what she wants. So, how did she get that face? The list goes something like this:

• Sunblock
• Sunblock
• Sunblock
• Don’t pull down on your face when washing or applying, well, sunblock

Marie Ann also cautioned Steph not to make unnecessary left turns (believe it or not, this is one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers you can make) and to not only carry a hairbrush, but to use it, and often.

• Beautytap’s community of Beauty Experts (professional makeup artists, aestheticians, facialists, and hair stylists) recommend this all natural sunscreen. 

Michelle and Martha Lainez 

Chef Michelle Lainez believes that food is the foundation for holistic healthcare. Taking a scroll through her IG feed will tell you that. She is big on Persimmons. Packed with lycopene and beta-carotene, they contain anthocyanins which are good for your heart. So, it’s no surprise that when we asked Martha, Nana to those in the know, her beauty tip is one you can eat:

• Organic Coconut Oil. Nana puts it on everything, from the frying pan to her fanny. Wait, what? As a woman of a certain age, she says, “Doctors will give you hormones to retain moisture. I use coconut oil. It’s an antibacterial, it smells great,” and, she says, it keeps her swimsuit areas supple and moist.  

She told me this over the kitchen table, and after I got over the surprise of hearing this come out of her mouth, I did some searching. Turns out, she was right. Studies have shown that coconut oil has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal (anit-disease-causing) properties. It can reportedly also enhance your immune system.

Brandi Neal and Karen Edelman Woods

Writer Brandi Neal has worked from home for close to a decade. And while some of us can’t even muster the strength to shower in this new normal, Brandi is sure to be Zoom ready, and that’s because of Karen’s influence. “My mom was so glamorous to me when I was a kid,” says Brandi. “Her hair and makeup were always flawless.” As a result, Brandi starts every morning with a cup of coffee and some light cosmetics. Here are two of Karen’s top tips:

• Treat your perpetually puffy eyes by lying down with wet tea bags over your lids for 10 minutes. Using tea bags as a compress like this reduces swelling, redness and under-eye circles, as well as giving you time for your daily meditation. 

• If you have dark circles under your eyes, instead of going straight for the concealer, which can sometimes look unnatural, dab a few dots of lipstick (not too red) under your eyes and blend it with your concealer to cover your under-eye dark circles. 

• Beautytap’s community of Beauty Experts (professional makeup artists, aestheticians, facialists, and hair stylists) recommend this alluring lipstick. 

I have to say, I have already adopted the coconut oil and the tea bag tricks, and can’t wait to try the lipstick/concealer combo. Now, tell me what tips and tricks you learned from your mamas!