Growing older without beauty-pressure- is this even possible

I want to look beautiful too. Who doesn't? It's not always easy to accept that you still feel like you're 30 in your head, but the mirror shows a 63-year-old. That can hurt.

Yes, I've had my share of procedures – from breast surgery to eyelid correction. The latter was a disaster. I had to have four follow-up operations. Today, I would rather live with my drooping eyelids. Actually, it even looked quite charming. Ultimately, the result of my two operations was sobering, unnecessary in fact, and neither of them improved my life or my self-esteem. 

Today I know that even though I am not against minor procedures, they do not automatically make you happier. 

My children, my partner, my friends, walks in nature with my dog and a life in which I have found passion and meaning make me happy. And I don't even have to look good for that. But no one can take that experience away from you. That's why I don't judge anyone who resorts to cosmetic surgery, Botox, fillers or filters. How could I, when I'm in the same boat?

Nevertheless, I ask myself: where is this pressure to be beautiful, this obsession with perfection that the media, society and often women themselves impose on each other, leading us? Instead of supporting each other, we like to point fingers, compare and criticise each other.

We alter our faces, our bodies, our photos and in doing so, we mistreat our souls. Because what lies behind all this meddling: the hope of being loved and admired. Unfortunately, that doesn't always work. I'm sure you're familiar with women whispering behind closed doors, mocking each other's botched and clearly visible cosmetic procedures, but then telling the person concerned how ‘great they look.’

I have never resorted to Botox or fillers. Sure, I have wrinkles, but that's okay. They are hard-won and testify to a rich and exciting life. Maybe that sounds strange. You would expect that I, as a model who has been in the business for over ten years, would be willing to erase all signs of ageing.  No, I'm not. If a client doesn't want to book me because of my wrinkles, they can forget it.

That's why I've decided not to use filters on my private photos on my Instagram account! I want to show my followers the unvarnished face of a 63-year-old woman. That's me! With all my wrinkles, scars, pigment spots... even if that doesn't always go down well, because not everyone sees it that way.

Nowadays, it almost takes courage to show yourself ‘unfiltered’. We are already too accustomed to the smooth, eternally youthful, flawless faces on social media. That worries me. We live in a society where beauty dictates are celebrated and ageing is hardly accepted.

Beauty is increasingly equated with perfection, smoothness, flawlessness – only achievable with fillers, Botox, cosmetic surgery and filters. 

Appearances are increasingly becoming the norm and thus normality. Perhaps it will soon be the case that you have to justify yourself if you have not undergone any cosmetic procedures.

Therefore it was a big pleasure for me to discuss for the Septembre-issue of Donna-Magazin (Heft 9/2025) with five inspiring women about the theme „getting old beautful“.

Because that is the real question: 

How can we grow older with dignity and pride – in a world that constantly tells us that we must not age, that we must hide ourselves, optimise ourselves or only show ourselves with filters?

I have the utmost respect for women who have the courage to show themselves as they are – without filters, without perfection. Because that is exactly what true beauty is: authenticity.