LaeTania Richardson often hears she looks youthful, but a recent night out with friends took it to a new level. After being carded, the 52-year-old woman went viral on TikTok, proving age is just a number.
“I was going out to celebrate my friend Danielle’s 50th birthday and so I decided to take her to dinner,” Richardson told PEOPLE. “We went to Level 8 here in Los Angeles.”
“As we approached the [security] stand there were some people ahead of us, and the guy kinda let them in, and then he stops us and then he says, ‘I’m gonna need some ID from you,’ “ she recalled. “And I’m like, “What? I gotta get this on camera because I know you’re not asking me for ID.’ “
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“Yeah I need your ID,”, the security told the Los Angeles resident and entrepreneur.
In a fitting nod to her youthful appearance, she captioned her viral TikTok video, which has garnered over 3.6 million views, with “when you get carded at 52.”
After deciding that the moment needed to be captured, Richardson said that she “gave my camera to the host, who was standing next to him, and she started recording.”
Richardson was so surprised by the bouncer’s request for her ID at age 52 that she asked him to repeat himself. When she revealed her age, he simply replied, “What?”
She noted this happens often but was surprised as those ahead of her weren’t carded. Feeling flattered, she said, “Thanks for the nod, thanks for the recognition,” appreciating the compliment on her appearance.
Still, even though she thought what happened was “a cute moment,” she admits she was shocked that the video “blew up.”
“It has become this thing,” she added, “it’s crazy to me.”
Richardson, a TikTok user for just a year, started sharing her life on the platform to celebrate her pride in being 52.
“For me aging is a luxury that’s not afforded to everyone. I feel like a lot of women get to 40 and they feel like, ‘You know I’m old, I’m afraid to start over’ and they get in their heads,” she said. “And for me, I’m just one of those people that’s like ‘No!’ Be proud of who you are, you have so much experience behind you…I embrace it wholeheartedly.”
When asked by PEOPLE about her secrets to staying youthful, Richardson revealed there is no big mystery behind it.
“I’ve been using Noxema since the age of 12. I get this little cocoa butter stick from the beauty supply store and then every six weeks I get a microdermabrasion,” she said. “So, that’s the complete routine.”
Additionally, sticking to a “very disciplined” diet aids Richardson in her appearance, as she told PEOPLE that she “hardly ever eats any fast food” and doesn’t “drink any alcohol” or “smoke cigarettes” — and abstains from soda in favor of “lots and lots of water.”
If there’s any secret, Richardson believes it’s “keeping a youthful spirit.”
“I think sometimes when we get a certain age, people feel like they need to kinda bring it down,” she said, sharing that one thing she tries to avoid at all costs is unnecessary stress.
Richardson also credits her youthful appearance to being a mom to a 21-year-old son, though he didn’t always appreciate having a young-looking mom during high school.
Despite the compliments on her age, she believes there’s an even bigger compliment she cherishes.
“I live my life everyday with the intent of what’s going to make me happy. The biggest compliment I receive, especially on social media, is when someone says my insides match my outside,” she said.
“That means the world to me.”
