For her series, Beauty and Wisdom, photojournalist Robbie Kaye visited salons throughout the United States interviewing and capturing women in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s during their weekly beauty par­lor appoint­ment. Each candid portrait highlights each woman’s personality,  and changes the viewer’s per­cep­tion of beauty and how it is perhaps…ageless.

As Kaye dug deeper, she discovered the profound integrity and grace of these older women, who viewed their salon time ‘not as a luxury, but as a necessity.’ More important than their weekly visit was their undying commitment to maintaining their lifelong ritual for camaraderie and rejuvenation.

According to Kaye’s first-hand observations, the comb & tease style commonly worn by her subjects is a complicated process, lending itself to the necessity of weekly appointments. These styles are not something the ladies could easily replicate at home.

Beauty and Wis­dom visually preserves a dimin­ish­ing pop­u­la­tion of women and certain fad­ing aspects of communal American culture, drawing attention to the fact that these ladies are still vibrant and thriv­ing in a soci­ety that focuses on the beauty of youth. 

Robbie Kaye