Jenna Lyons Says People Are Too ‘Judgmental’ About Cosmetic Surgery: Do ‘Whatever Works for You’

The 'Real Housewives of New York' star tells PEOPLE of her love of Shiseido skincare products and supporting healthy aging

Jenna Lyons is a girls' girl.

If you want to get cosmetic surgery, Lyons has your back. If you don't, she still has your back.

"We're all so goddamn judgmental," Lyons, 56, tells PEOPLE of society's view on cosmetic surgery. "Whatever works for you. I think people need to do what makes sense for them and what feels good for them. I think it's a really personal choice."

Jenna Lyons at Shiseido Potential Has No Age Summit. 

As she ages, Lyons says she does "struggle a little bit" with her evolving appearance and admits her own opinions on cosmetic surgery is ever-changing. Her first response to cosmetic surgery?

"Sign me up!"

Lyons, who spoke on a panel at Shiseido's Potential Has No Age Summit on Feb. 19 in New York, also tells PEOPLE, though, that filler "scares" her because she likes expressions and visible emotions.

For her, she likes to turn to trusted skin care and self-care to take care of her own wellness.

"I love putting on body oil, I love taking a bath, I love getting my gua sha out and laying in bed. I enjoy the process," she says. One such product that she treasures in all of this is the Shiseido Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Advanced Cream — Lyons raves about how it boosts her mood and her skin.

But when it comes to the choices other people make about how they take care of their own skin, Lyons just wants you to do what makes you happy. If that's a cosmetic procedure, Botox or something more: "Have at it."

Agnes Landau, Linda Evangelista, Jenna Lyons and Moira Forbes at Shiseido Potential Has No Age Summit. Carly Gropper

Lyons joined the cast of Real Housewives of New York for season 14, putting her more in the public eye than ever (she has an extensive background in fashion, which catapulted her into the industry), and it's contributed to a complex self-view, she admits.

Seeing herself on screen in her first season made her incredibly judgmental — and she's had to walk that back, which has been hard.

"I have to take a really careful look at myself when I'm on TV — and I do pay attention," she tells PEOPLE. "I remember the first season I did the show. I was really hard on myself about the way I looked, and I was comparing myself to women who were 20 years younger than me. They're all much younger than me. The second season I had gotten so much positive feedback from people — particularly people who were like, 'I love that you're letting your grays show.'"

Lyons says it was a "bummer" that she was turning to outside validation on her appearance but she knows she's only human and it's a natural reaction to do that. Now she just tries to be "gentle" on herself.

"I was hard on myself, so my message now is to be more kind."

During a panel at the Feb. 19 titled Facing the Pressures to Look Youthful, she, supermodel Linda Evangelista and Shiseido CMO Agnes Landau opened up about their wellness practices and feeling beautiful in their skin in their 50s and 60s.

For Lyons, she shared about discovering the beauty of Japanese products, including Japanese skincare like Shiseido. She joked that she would trust anyone Japanese and anything made in Japan, simply because of the attention to detail.

The event, celebrating the brand's new Vital Perfection Concentrated Supreme Cream also hosted a panel with content creators Tennille Jenkins and Ana Dias along with dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry called Starring in Your Second Act all about leading an authentic life on social media and making a career move to content creation.