‘Queen of Funk’ Chaka Khan marked her 73rd birthday on Sunday…but the US singer, who’s a great grandmother and enjoying the fifth decade of her career, looks significantly younger than her years.
The Ain’t Nobody singer – real name Yvette Marie Stevens – this week shared that she doesn’t believe in cosmetic surgery and, unlike many of her showbiz peers, has never gone under the surgeon’s knife in the name of cosmetic enhancement.
The 10-time Grammy-winner was a guest on the latest episode of the Table Manners podcast with singer Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie this week – and divulged just how she keeps looking so fresh-faced in later life.
Khan, who’s just launched the I’m Every Woman musical in London’s West End, discussed both her surprisingly humble beauty regime – with Jessie telling her: ‘You look absolutely outstanding’ – and her disdain for cosmetic surgery.
Chaka Khan appeared on the latest episode of popular podcast Table Manners, hosted by Jessie and Lennie Ware, and revealed her age-defying beauty tips to the mother-daughter duo (The singer pictured in January in Los Angeles)
She said: ‘I’m 73 this month, I’ve never been cut, never been snitched or snatched. I don’t believe in it.’
When Lennie, who’s 74, complained about the appearance of fine lines around her mouth, the soul legend revealed how she prevents them – and it involves a product that retails at just £1.75 for 100ml – baby oil.
The singer said: ‘What I do. You’ve got to grease that face all up before you go to bed.’
Khan added she used: ‘…some good oils. You can use anything from baby oil to your favourite lotion. Just pop that s*** on and go to sleep!’
The Chicago-born singer, who’s just launched the I’m Every Woman musical about her life in the UK, revealed she uses baby oil or body lotion at night to help fend off fine lines
Khan pictured at the height of her solo career in 1981 at the age of 28
When Jessie asked if the singer used any massage techniques, down-to-earth Khan replied: ‘Oh hell no. I don’t have time for any of that.
‘I’ve got kids. The kids are grown but the grandkids, and the great grandkids!’
The funk legend isn’t the only celebrity fan of baby oil as a skin care must-have.
Martha Stewart has previously revealed she always has ‘Johnson’s Baby Oil in my medicine cabinet’.
The US domestic goddess added: ‘At night, I wash my face really well, because I have to have my makeup done a lot. Johnson’s Baby Oil with a warm washcloth is one great way to take it off.
This month sees the launch of I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical in the UK, with Alexandra Burke taking on the lead role.
Khan, who grew up in South Side Chicago and has been married three times, shot to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of funk band Rufus, which had its biggest hit in 1975 with Tell Me Something Good.
However, it was her solo disco hit, I’m Every Woman, that propelled her to global stardom in 1978.
