With fond memories of Cindy Joseph

WAG was saddened to hear of the passing of Cindy Joseph. Back in 2012, we visited with the woman, a model and creator of cosmetics who inspired and encouraged women to embrace their age.

When a friend messaged me with the news of the death of Cindy Joseph, I was shocked and saddened.

The New York Times reported this week that Joseph, 67 and more recently living in Cold Spring, had passed away July 12 from soft-tissue sarcoma.

I had spent time with Joseph back in 2012 at her then-Yonkers home for a WAG profile, a memorable interview with a kind, funny and spirited woman.

Photographer Bob Rozycki and I were invited to Joseph’s home, which was a rambling 19th-century building in Yonkers on a hill above the Hudson River.

Joseph, a longtime makeup artist in the fashion industry, became a model herself when “discovered” at age 49 on a Manhattan street. She was, certainly, living a life that defied expectations.

She was outspoken. She forged her own way – from being a self-described “total, absolute, by-the-book California flower child” to becoming a true beacon for anyone who struggled with the concept of aging.

As she blurted out, unasked at the time, “I am 61-and-three-quarters years old. Every moment of my life has been important.”

Her modeling career paid homage to her physical beauty, including her striking silver hair. But it also made many pause to consider the very concept of beauty – and the long-held belief that it had to fade with age.

Age, she told us, was simply a part of the glorious life she was living.

“It’s not time to accept it,” she said. “It’s time to celebrate it.”

And she did that through national ad campaigns for companies such as Dolce & Gabbana; work for clients such as Banana Republic and Macy’s; and the launch of BOOM! By Cindy Joseph, a cosmetics line focusing on highlighting a woman’s natural beauty.

All, she said, reflected a lifetime of observations in the fashion industry – and beyond.

“I realized being photogenic was really about feeling good in your skin, not being self-conscious. …By the time I was 49, I was like, ‘This is me. Take it or leave it.’”

Back when we first spoke, she was about to do one of her local appearances and explained what she wanted to share with other women.

“I want women to realize their own value, because that’s when others will value us,” Joseph told me.

Words to remember from a woman who lived a life that continues to inspire.

– Mary Shustack

Written By
More from Staff
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Botanical celebrates Monet’s floral works By Georgette Gouveia He was, of course,...
Read More
Join the Conversation

4 Comments

  1. says: Shoshana

    Thank you for this article and tribute to Cindy Joseph. I, too, was shocked and saddened at her passing. What a beautiful person inside and out and such an inspiration to women, like me, who choose to stop colouring their hair. Her Boom products are the only make-up I have ever used. I started using them a few years ago. I am 57. I love Boom!!

  2. says: Dana Zeppa Schubert

    Such a loss for us left behind. Thank you Cindy for pouring out and sharing the many wonders of You!
    Be at peace and enjoy this latest adventure!

  3. says: Cynthia Elefante

    I was so sad to hear about Cindy passing away. She was so vibrant and when I first saw her on magazine covers I wanted to let my hair grow out natural and I wanted to know who she was and her story. She was so beautiful and her silver hair just added to that allure. She made woman our age look at it totally different. I did let my hair grow out and I get more compliments in it than I ever did when I had my roots done every three weeks to cover the silver. I would never go back to that. I love the silver!!!! You are so missed Cindy and thank you for making us look at ourselves and the aging in a different way. You are missed!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Leave a comment
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *