Susan Smit (52) on aging, beauty, and staying true to yourself

Can you embrace aging while still choosing to take care of your appearance? According to author and columnist Susan Smit, the two can go hand in hand beautifully.

In the latest episode of Aēstalks, we sit down with Susan Smit to discuss her book The Second Half of Your Life (De tweede helft van je leven), aging, femininity, and how you look at yourself. An open and honest conversation about a topic many women will relate to.

Taking care of yourself, your way

Susan looks at aging with a positive and down-to-earth perspective. It is not a process you need to halt, but a new chapter in which you evolve and get to know yourself all over again.

At the same time, embracing aging does not mean you are not allowed to do anything for yourself. For Susan, it is all about the intention behind it:

“When I apply cream to my skin, I don’t do it as a punishment. I do it with love. Exactly the same applies to this treatment.”

A treatment does not have to stem from the feeling that something is wrong with your appearance. It can simply be a way of taking good care of yourself.

Natural & subtle

Susan chose a Salmon DNA treatment after seeing the subtle results on Leontine Ruiters up close. What appealed to her most? The natural, understated improvement.

“Seeing that made me feel confident enough to try it too.”

And perhaps that is exactly what graceful aging is all about: not trying to turn back the clock, but making conscious choices that match who you are today.

Or, as Susan says with a wink:

“I'm transitioning from a babe into a lovely older woman.”

Aging is allowed. Changing is allowed. And doing something for yourself is just as welcome.

Watch the episode

Curious about the full conversation? Watch the latest episode of Aēstalks with Susan Smit and discover her perspective on aging, beauty, and the second half of your life.