Tracee Ellis Ross, 47, Says She “Loves Getting Older” in Unretouched Bikini Photos (2024)

• Tracee Ellis Ross just celebrated her 47th birthday with a gallery of unretouched, makeup-free bikini photos on Instagram.
• “I’m 47 today and I’m filled with gratitude. I LOVE getting older,” the Black-ish star wrote.
• Ross has tons of tips for living an “abundant, juicy life” which includes getting proper sleep, regular exercise, and self-care rituals.

Tracee Ellis Ross is 47 and thriving. Some might say their 20s or 30s brought their best lives, but Ross isn’t one of them. On her birthday, she shared a few unretouched, makeup-free bikini photos to Instagram that celebrate aging and all it has to offer.

“It’s my birthday,” she wrote on Oct. 29. “I’m 47 today and I’m filled with gratitude. I LOVE getting older and I LOVE my life. I’m so grateful to be living this life I’m in. I’ve worked so hard to feel good in my skin and to build a life that truly matches me and I’m in it and it feels good. I remain curious and teachable. And so it will all keep getting better. No filter, no retouch 47 year old thirst trap! Boom!”

In a society that, for a long time, has typically only celebrated the young and conventionally attractive woman, Ross’ commentary is empowering. But you can rest assured that her positive outlook and glowing skin aren’t without a bit of effort. According to a recent interview published by the New York Times, she puts a lot of work into the person she is, inside and out, which is why she’s so proud to share it with the world.

“At 18, I woke up like this,” she told The Times. “At 46, I care for it.” She often shares her luxurious skincare rituals (Gua sha, anyone?) and exercise routines on Instagram. For her fans, it’s great content. But for her, it’s a distinct refusal to fall victim to the “weird anxieties” of getting older.

She has a lot of expert tips for living what she calls an “abundant, juicy life” which includes getting as much sleep as possible, working out at least twice a week, and delighting in a regular relaxing bath, per The Times. “If I’m working out, I remember to engage my abs to stand up straight, and I have an open heart,” she said. “My body physically being strong has helped my heart and my mind be able to do the things that they want to do.”

Similarly, she recently shared five commandments for staying young with her Instagram followers, and they’re not necessarily what you’d expect. She implores everyone to “giggle as much as possible,” “sleep when you’re tired” (when you can), “drink so much water… like, seriously,” have as much “consensual, connected” sex as possible because “it brings out the best in your skin,” and lastly, “love with a full and open heart.”

With all of that being said, the Black-ish star and Mixed-ish executive producer understands how busy life can get, and that sometimes, those commandments aren’t easy to follow. “There is no amount of self-care that can match sometimes the amount of things that I have on my plate,” she told The Times. But it matters most that she tries.

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