In an interview, ageless beauty Dayle Haddon once said, “Two of the saddest words in the English language are ‘Why bother?’” As someone who has lived her life to the fullest, she should know—there’s never been any stopping Dayle.

Dayle was born on May 26, 1949, and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, speaking both French and English fluently. As a child, she was enrolled in dancing classes, and at age 13 she became a member of Les Grandes Ballets Canadiennes. She attended L’Ecole Suprieure de Danse de Quebec in Montreal and once danced with the famed Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow during its Canadian tour. “Dance gave me discipline,” she explains.   

With the intention of earning enough money to study ballet in France, Dayle began modeling at the age of 14. Her photos attracted the attention of the Ford Modeling Agency, and she quickly became a hugely successful model, appearing on the cover of the 1973 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. She was twice named to Harper’s Bazaar’s 10 Most Beautiful Women list.

Dayle also had a busy international film career in the 1970s, with 16 feature films to her credit—her first role was in the Disney movie The World’s Greatest Athlete in 1973. Dayle moved to Europe and made Madame Claude in 1977, North Dallas Forty with Nick Nolte in 1979, and Spermula in 1976. She returned to America for marriage and the birth of her daughter, Ryan Haddon.

Dayle took time out to raise her daughter, but the sudden death of her husband in 1991 left her in the position of needing to go back to work. The things she knew best were modeling, dancing, and acting, but when she tried to find work in any of these fields, she was told repeatedly that she was now too old. Dayle refused to be put off and started knocking on doors to tell major cosmetics companies that they were really missing something. After many disappointments came a breakthrough: Clairol featured Dayle as spokesperson for a major hair color line. Then she was chosen to represent Estée Lauder’s new antiaging products, and she became the face and voice of L’Oréal's Age Perfect line. According to The New York Times, Dayle’s multiyear contracts with L’Oréal and Estée Lauder “shattered age taboos.”

She started her own groundbreaking, multimedia lifestyle company, Dayle Haddon Ageless Living, Inc., where she translates her own self-care practices and knowledge of beauty and health into helping women incorporate healthier lifestyles into their professional and personal lives. Dayle promotes Ageless Living by inspiring, educating, and offering practical solutions for female baby boomers in the areas of beauty, wellness, spirit, and community with the single goal of empowering women to realize their full potential, irrespective of age or life circumstances.

Her own philosophy is the basis for the company’s programs, products, content, and services. “I believe it is time to establish a new blueprint for aging, one that acknowledges and applauds our enduring value and celebrates what we have gained, not what we have lost.” In addition to writing hundreds of columns and articles and serving as a contributor to CBS’s The Early Show from 2005 to 2008, Dayle has written two best-selling books that aim to help women celebrate their age: The 5 Principles of Ageless Living and Ageless Beauty.

Dayle is also an active supporter of OCRF Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, and in 2008 she was named a UNICEF ambassador, traveling to different countries in Africa to bring attention to the lives of women and children in war-torn regions.

“Stress is bad for you; happiness is good,” Dayle has said. “It ultimately shows in how you look.” She must be pretty happy that she has looked wonderful for more than 40 years.