This fall, we entered a golden age of reality television. For the first time in its 27 seasons, The Bachelor recruited a man old enough for Medicare to be the face of the franchise. Or rather, an offshoot thereof: The Golden Bachelor premiered on September 28th, and it’s been the subject of group texts, office chatter, and mother-daughter phone calls across the country ever since.
Sure, there’s plenty to say about Gerry Turner, 72, a restaurateur from Indiana who — having lost his wife Toni in 2017 — is on a journey to find love again. But it’s the 22 women vying for his heart — all of whom are between the ages of 60 and 75 — who have emerged as the most talked-about stars of the show. There’s Leslie, a 64-year-old dancer and former aerobics champion; Joan, a 60-year-old school administrator who loves to cook; and Edith, a 60-year-old retired realtor whose hobbies include golf and salsa dancing.
While these contestants have three or four decades on previous contenders, one might argue — and over the last few weeks, some have — that on the whole they have cultivated a youthful aesthetic not too far off from that of the Millennial women who have slept in those bunk beds before them. (Yes, they are staying in the same rooms in the same Agoura Hills mansion.) Hair bounces and shines, teeth sparkle, shoes teeter, necklines plunge. One might also argue – and over the last few weeks, some have – that this season, like the 27 before it, hinges on feeding our own preconceptions about age, beauty, and sexuality back to us.
We hear that. We do. But after eight weeks of watching these dynamic women laugh, dance, and fall in love on our screens, we also want to know: What are they using? There’s been little to no name-calling, hair-pulling, or back-stabbing among this group — they’ve had enough marriages, children, professional success, and therapy sessions between them to know way better — so we’ve had time to focus on the really important questions, such as: How does Edith get her hair so shiny? What lip gloss is April wearing? Is that Faith’s natural hair color?
With the ninth and final episode arriving on Thursday, November 30th, we decided to get some answers. We asked 18 of the women you know and love from The Golden Bachelor to share their beauty secrets. Boy, did they deliver: They got real about plastic surgery, Botox, and their favorite fillers. They also shared the concealers, foundations, lipsticks, and root touchup sprays that they used to appear in hi-definition on the yacht outings, horseback rides, and hot-tub sessions that come with reality TV dating. And here’s where we have to note: Other than on night one, there are no hair and makeup teams. Every loose wave and smoky eye you see is self-made, so these product recommendations are the real deal. Let’s just say your group text is about to start pinging.
Anna, 61
Ricky Middlesworth
On her skin-care routine: In the morning. I don’t wash my face with a cleanser. I use a cold water rinse. I let it air dry. And then I use my favorite splurge product, which is by Natura Bissé. It tightens my skin and moisturizes and just feels fantastic. I wait a few minutes for it to dry, then I use my second favorite product — not a splurge, very reasonable — Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. It has SPF 20. It goes on silky and smooth and has very light coverage.