Joan Partridge, a spirited centenarian living at the Millcroft care home in Redditch, Worcestershire, has become a viral star on TikTok. Her beauty tips and full face of saved looks gripped the TikTok audience from day one! Partridge, an unexpected beauty influencer who is known as the oldest resident at her care home, has taken great joy in abandoning any rigid notions of makeup. She’s been using it as a powerful platform to share her philosophy on confidence and self-expression.
Partridge was born and brought up in Birmingham. Her remarkable self-sufficiency allowed her to live completely independently until the age of 102. So in 2024, she made the leap to move into Millcroft. There, she continues to be a source of inspiration to everyone around her—from her fellow residents to the dedicated staff.
At 87 years old, Joan Partridge, still extraordinarily spry and lively, refers to herself as an “old lady.” Mia follows the same makeup application steps every day. She maintains that the transformative power of makeup is the most dramatic confidence builder.
“I do my makeup every day, every morning, I think it is your confidence,” – Joan Partridge
More recently, Partridge went viral on TikTok, with one video of her using rouge reaching over 199,000 people. Her friendly style and down-to-earth tips are empowering and relatable to all. Take, for instance, when posing questions related to putting on makeup, to which she would just tell you,
“Put it on, take it off, sort of thing. Just do it gently.”
Her talent for makeup extends beyond her own routine. She has assisted other residents at the care home with their makeup needs. Sophie Childs, the lifestyle manager at Millcroft, shared her experience with Partridge:
“I went, what’s rouge? And she went blush, and she showed me how to put it on.”
Along with her viral TikTok stardom, Partridge’s influence transcended the care home. Annies Anstey of Collection Cosmetics said they were thrilled to be working with Partridge. To help her keep sharing her beauty tips, the brand gifted her a host of products. Anstey remarked,
“We had to get in touch and gift her a range of our products so she could continue to share her inspirational beauty tips. We hope this collaboration inspires others – no matter their age, gender, sexuality, race and size – and shows that makeup and beauty looks different for everyone, there’s no right or wrong. Joan is the summer beauty icon we all need in our life!”
At 103 years old, Partridge inspires us to rethink what it means to grow older and push back against negative stereotypes about aging. Her attitude toward age is a breath of fresh air. She says,
“You’re as young as you feel and I only feel that’s a number. It’s nothing else, it’s a number. And so I never worry about it.”