This 101-Year-Old Woman Says She Won't Stop Working Anytime Soon and Credits Her Youthful Look to Not Using Soap on Her Face She's been working at Jo Ann Fabrics and Crafts in Mason, Ohio, since 1997.
By Jane Ridley •
Key Takeaways
- A 101-year-old woman went viral on TikTok for her youthful look.
- She says she has no plans to retire from her job as a fabric cutter.
- She added that one of her beauty secrets is never using soap on her face.
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
TikTokers were astonished when Maggie HusVar made the first of a series of videos highlighting the 80-year age difference between herself and her colleague Jayne Burns.
They couldn't believe that Burns was born in 1922 or that she was still working in a store at 98. Some left comments such as "Jayne is an icon." The video went viral.
"I talked about how well Jayne and I got along and only thought our coworkers would see it," HusVar, 21, told Insider, adding that "there turned out to be a massive reaction."
Since then, Burns has appeared regularly on HusVar's TikTok — one of her videos has nearly 10 million views — as fans have demanded to see more of her.
@maggiehusvarthe long awaited Jayne content !
♬ original sound - Maggie
Husvar and Burns say they're BFFs despite the 80-year-old age gap
"I'm going to keep on working for as long as I can or as long as they'll have me," said Burns, a fabric cutter at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts in Mason, Ohio. She's worked there since 1997.
She added, "I enjoy what I do, so I want to keep on doing it."
She said the best parts of her job were "the people I work with" and "the customers who are very nice."
Most of the TikToks of Burns and HusVar show them as a comedy duo bantering during lunch breaks — they contemplate the meaning of life and dance behind the counters of their store. They appear in their green aprons and name badges in the aisles, next to red shopping carts, or beside the cutting table where Burns is stationed.
The two women chat about everything from how Burns met her husband, Dick, to how she looks at least 20 years younger than her age.
Burns, shown here in her 20s, said she'd always looked after herself. Courtesy of JoAnn's.
Their most popular video so far — with 2.1 million likes and over 16,300 comments — shows HusVar pretending to interview Burns with a mic and asking, "What's your best piece of advice for the fans?"
Burns looks into the camera and says, "Keep moving."
People were charmed by Burns. According to HusVar, someone sent a letter from Egypt, and another dedicated follower gave matching black T-shirts to the pals with "Keep moving" on the front.
The soon-to-be centenarian never uses soap on her face and wears a full face of makeup every day
Burns told Insider that she's "always tried to look after" herself and that some of her tips for living a longer life are to exercise, "get busy," and "stay on task."
She said that though she typically eats "plenty of fruits and vegetables," she enjoys having one pastry with her breakfast and another after dinner. "I just like sweet stuff," Burns said, adding that her favorite treats are doughnuts and sweet rolls.
Burns, a great-grandmother of eight, added, "It's not hurting me any."
She said she has never smoked and drinks alcohol very rarely. "I do like to have a little Kahlua or Baileys on top of my coffee," she said.
As for how she continues to look youthful, Burns, who wears a full face of makeup every day, said she never uses soap on her face — "only a cream cleanser followed by moisturizer."
Her daughter, Donna, who she lives with, said her mom is as sharp as ever. "She tells us stories about living through the Great Depression," she said.
HusVar said she's hoping to make more TikToks with Burns as they work together. She said she believes people watch their shtick as an "escape from the bad things going on in the world."
"Jayne is a gem," she said, "a walking ray of sunshine."
