‘I Want to Look Like Myself’ (Exclusive) : Vanessa Williams, 61, Refuses to Get Botox, Fillers or a Facelift

Vanessa Williams says, don't mess with progression.

The actress, singer and former Miss America, 61, tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story that she welcomes the physical changes that aging brings, and she isn't turning to plastic surgery to turn back time.

"We were literally just talking about fillers, Botox, who's had work, who hasn't done work," she says. "I have not gotten any... I don't do fillers, I don't do Botox anymore. I haven't had a facelift, I do micro-current and nano-current technology, which is amazing."

As for why she forgoes the more intense age-defying measures: "I want to look like myself," she says. "I want people to know this face has lived. That's kind of where I am at at this point, at 61."

She's been inspired by like-minded peers. "I look at Diane von Furstenberg, I just watched her doc. She was talking about embracing the wisdom and the age that you are," says Williams.

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"Yeah, there's some wrinkles," she continues, "but that's because I have sat out in the sun for too long. But I love the sun, dammit! If the sun is out, I will sit out in -

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the sun and do my crossword and have a nice glass of wine. If that shows on my décolleté, too bad. I'm embracing my age."

But that doesn't mean she's not tending to her overall health. "I do bio-identical hormones. I do testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. I do sublingual drops for liver, kidney, adrenal. I do stem cell under my tongue as well," she says. "So I've got all the tricks that keep me feeling good. I kick box, I lift weights, I cycle, I swim, I do whatever it takes. I want to stay alive."

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The mother of four and proud grandma is gearing up to play Miranda Priestly in London's Devil Wears Prada musical, while also releasing Survivor, her first album in 15 years.

"I'm really happy," she says. "Yes, I'm an empty nester, but thank God for FaceTime. I'm doing what I love and I'm in love with life."

For more from Vanessa Williams, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands every Friday.

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