I don't know who needs to hear this, but the youth obsession is played out. As a beauty editor with access to the best everything, I'm certainly tempted to reach for

the serums and skin treatments that promise to keep me looking younger, longer. But when I really stop to think about it, the constant messaging that younger is better is damaging, problematic, and simply not true. I call bullshit!

Of course, youth has its perks (at 31, I'm now officially a member of the "My Knees Crack When I Sit Down" club), but with every passing year, I become acutely more aware that with age comes wisdom, grace, and a special brand of beauty that you can only earn by living long enough to show a few fine lines and wrinkles. I'm tired of people being shocked when women over 40 are considered among the most gorgeous. Some of the most beautiful humans I know are in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. (My 62-year-old mom and 90-year-old grandma being two of them!)

In fact, my Instagram feed is stacked with ladies in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who make achieving those precious years look so insanely good. I decided to slide into some of those ladies' DMs to get their raw, unfiltered thoughts on aging, how they take care of themselves, and what they do to stay feeling their best. And, hey, if glowy skin and shiny hair happen to come along with it, then so be it! Age is just a number, and these eight ladies are proof of that. Ahead, check out the tips and products helping these gorgeous women age gracefully.