We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Regina Foster a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Regina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Why Us?
The essence is to embrace the beauty of aging by developing a skincare and beauty brand that empowers women well into elderhood. While our products will focus on ways to keep you feeling your best as you age, we do not believe that beauty is synonymous with looking younger. We combat ageism by empowering women to be comfortable in their own skin at every stage of life.
QueenAged was founded on the idea that we should embrace the beauty of aging. We don’t believe that feeling great, looking great, and living your best life are exclusively for the young, nor do we believe that beauty is synonymous with youth. We know that you can look radiant, glowing, powerful, and beautiful at any age.
At QueenAged, we are dedicated to dispelling internalized ageism and embracing what it means to be comfortable in your own skin at every stage of life.
Founded by Regina Foster, a gerontologist and healthcare provider, we aim to be an inclusive skincare and beauty brand that empowers women well into elderhood.
Many have been conditioned to believe that everything about getting older is bad. Sadly, this form of discrimination is socially acceptable even among those being targeted, but it shouldn’t be. We debunk this flawed idea and celebrate beauty at every age.
Queenagers, as we are known, are never “anti” to an inevitable life process. We are proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished. While our products help you look and feel your best as you age, we don’t think you need to look younger to be beautiful.
The QueenAged story began when Regina Foster became more conscious of some of the products she was using on and in her body. After switching from fluoride to charcoal-based toothpaste, she received so many compliments on her teeth that she started looking into the benefits of charcoal on the skin. She soon learned it is equally beneficial to all skin types. After about six weeks and receiving the same compliments about her skin as she heard about her teeth, it was a no-brainer that she had found the right path. Thus, QueenAged was born.
QueenAged embraces the beauty of aging. We combat ageism and empower women of all ages to appreciate and recognize their beauty. Our collection of cleansers, toners, and moisturizers invites you to develop a simple, powerful, and effective skincare regimen that will leave you looking great and feeling strong no matter your age.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Regina is a Gerontologist who also practiced as a Physician Associate for 20 years. She completed her first master’s degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2003. Becoming a healthcare provider enabled her to work with a diverse population. However, being raised by her grandparents, seniors have always held a special place in her heart.
Hence, she went back to school to gain more knowledge about the aging process and completed a second Master’s in Gerontology at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2018. Upon finishing the program, she became a Licensed Assisted Living Administrator, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Care Trainer, and Independent Consultant.
On a personal level, her family also cared for her grandmother, who lived with dementia for about 10 years. Regina was a long-distance care partner and understands the challenges faced in caring for her. These personal experiences have developed a passion for training other healthcare professionals in person-centered care.
Both her background and passion have birthed two companies. Foster Senior Services is a platform that provides seminars and consultation services for both healthcare professionals and caregivers who are providing care for older adults living with dementia. Her newest venture is called QueenAged which is a product-based business. The essence of QueenAged is to embrace the beauty of aging by creating a skincare and beauty brand that uplifts older women, a homage paid to her grandmother.
Regina is a creative film writer in her free time.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
After practicing as a successful well-respected healthcare provider for 20 years the energetic pull to pivot was met with much resistance. After all many of my patients only trusted me with their care. I had so much anxiety about making that decision. I knew my heart was no longer in it and my passion was greater. While I needed freedom in my time and the decisions involving my life I was also the main provider for my family. I was so afraid to walk away from a steady income to an unknown income but I also knew that I would have regrets if I never bet on myself.
In the fall of 2022, I got notice that I was being sued by a patient for the first time in my career. This was devastating. I always did what was in the best interest of my patients. During COVID we were forced to do telehealth while my 3 elementary school children were forced to do virtual school. So, I did the best I could to keep up with their work while I was on the phone with patients and charting in between. Something was omitted from the chart of an incarcerated patient and he claimed there was neglect in his care. I knew what I told him but, in medicine, if you didn’t chart it you didn’t do it or say it. This broke my heart because I advocated for offenders as much as I did my other patients. This was just the tip of the iceberg. I continued to tough it out.
When we went back into our clinics administration wanted providers to see double and triple the amount of patients (likely to make up for the money they lost). This led to longer wait times and more complaints. Staff morale was at an all-time low, including mine. I was working late and not seeing my children, except in the mornings when I got them ready for school. Compassion fatigue set in and I knew it was time.
January 2023 I typed up my resignation that included a 1 year exit strategy. At that moment I felt empowered and in control of my life. In January 2024 I started working in the business that was just a thought for years.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Since my target audience is older adults the best source of new clients is often at vendor events for gerontologic conferences. I also get a lot of leads from long-term care professionals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.queenagedbeauty.com
- Instagram: @queenagedbeauty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QueenAged
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-foster-4b5061142/
Image Credits
Marion Woodhouse