From centuries-old wives’ tale remedies to cutting-edge treatments and lab-created products, celebrities have mastered the art of keeping their skin youthful and glowing.
And you might be surprised to learn that while some invest in high-tech solutions, many swear by simple, effective routines that anyone can adopt.
Whether it’s a Hollywood icon’s go-to hydration hack or a supermodel’s skincare staples, these expert-approved secrets promise to help you achieve a radiant, younger-looking complexion that’ll knock years off your age.
Celebrity beauty secrets
The five S's for success
Simplicity is the keystone of JLo's secret for looking young and healthy, and we’d expect nothing less from a lady who has stayed true to her roots and will forever be the self-proclaimed 'Jenny from the block'.
“What I've learned is that it's all about simplicity: Less is more,” she responded during an interview with InStyle, when asked how she kept her skin looking so good. “There's this unnatural beauty standard right now, and that's not the way I live my life. The truth is, my secret to great skin is what I call the five S's: sleep, sunscreen, serums, supplements, and living a healthy, sane life, which in Spanish is called sana. When I started delving more into skincare, I learned that inflammation is what causes ageing. You need to attack the inflammation with a great topical and a hydrating routine.”
Collagen serum
Professing her love for the wonders of collagen, Brooke Shields revealed during her video for Vogue that she likes to micromist her way to youthful-looking skin by using a device known as the Droplet.
“It really penetrates the skin,” she said, using the egg-shaped tool over her face, which uses micro-infusion technology that claims to deliver ingredients 20x deeper than topicals. “I just love the ritual of it. I love getting facials. I love anything that’s pampering.” She’s certainly onto something, as collagen is a vital protein that keeps skin firm and smooth, but as we age, collagen production declines, leading to wrinkles and sagging. By applying collagen-infused serums and creams topically you can help to hydrate and improve the skin’s texture for a plumper, more youthful result.
Plant power
Speaking to Today, Screen Queen Glenn Close declared her love of plant-based skincare products. “I’ve been going to Mario Badescu since the ‘80s. I heard about him originally from Carrie Fisher,” she said, highlighting the skincare company started with the founder’s vision of using fruit, vegetable and plant-based ingredients and the natural goodness they contain.
“I use a lot of Mario Badescu. I have his cucumber cleansing cream and the yellow thing you put on afterwards. I don’t like it a lot because I don’t like a long routine. Personal maintenance has always been, to me, very boring. That’s why I have short hair.”
Coconut oil
“I use coconut oil because it's amazing; I use it for everything you can think of!” Tennis superstar Serena Williams confessed during her ‘Go To Bed With Me’ episode for Harpers Bazaar US.
Using a raw and organic product she picked up in Australia, she explained: “I take like a bunch of coconut oil and I like to literally just rub it like all on my face. This can literally be your only step if that's all you want.” In the video, Serena massages the oil into her skin for a few minutes before washing it off using a flannel, not once, but twice. And it’s not just her face which is crazy for coconuts, she also suggests using it on your lips, body, and hair for an all-over silky soft result.
Cardio and weights
Fitness is one of the keys to Angela Bassett’s beauty regime, as she revealed in an interview with the LA Times. “Last year, I started doing TRX training with Rob Thompson of Get Fit By Rob. We start with low cardio, maybe run half a mile, then lift barbells while stepping up onto a bench and do a few machines.” The American actress also explained how the celeb PT also provides her with “food goals”, which she adds to her MyFitnessPal app. When asked how she defined beauty Angela responded with, “Real joy and peace from the inside. I think that’s what’s meant by ageing gracefully.”
High quality sleep
Anyone who knows anything about looking good will prescribe a good night’s rest - after all, it’s not called “Beauty Sleep” for nothing. One celeb who loves a good snooze is actress Jessica Alba, who in an interview with Shape, said: “A good night's sleep is your chance for your body to repair itself and start your day on the right foot. The key is being disciplined about not being on devices at least thirty minutes before bed.”
Scientists agree that it’s good to aim for around 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night, as poor sleep can lead to dark circles, dull skin, and increased signs of ageing. You can improve the quality of your sleep you enjoy by creating a relaxing bedtime routine full of lovely self-care rituals, like taking a nice long soothing bath or performing some peaceful meditation. Also aim to keep the bedroom cool and dark, and avoid screens, caffeine and sugary snacks before bed, as Jessica advises, “Doing things that bring you calm and relaxation as part of your nighttime ritual is super important.”
Meditation and masks
Clearly a crusader for multi-tasking, Kate Hudson says she’ll enjoy the benefits of a good face mask while indulging in a spot of meditation. “For me, meditation is probably the most important self-care that I do in a day,” she says during her Beauty Secrets video with Vogue. “I know that sounds silly but when you have your mask on it's actually a good time to do it. You can do a nice 10-minute meditation. I can thank my mom for her love of meditation and her really being a proponent for that and mental health, and mental fitness we like to call it, because she's been doing that since the 70s.”
Dermaplanning
One sure tell-tale sign that gives away a lady’s age is that soft, fluffy peach fuzz, which is why many of us, including celebrities are turning to the knife. No, not that knife - dermaplaning is a skincare treatment that uses a sterile blade to gently exfoliate the skin's surface, removing dead skin cells and fine vellus hairs for a smoother, brighter complexion.
Sharing her beauty regimes on her Instagram, actress Eva Mendes is clearly a fan of the treatment, as she wrote, “Shaving my face! I received a lot of comments on yesterday’s post from women who’ve been shaving their face for years - OK I guess “dermaplaning” is the preferred word but it is what it is and I LOVE it!” Ensure your face is freshly cleansed, and if you suffer from sensitive skin, you may want to use a lightweight oil like jojoba. Once you're done, apply your usual serums and lotions and notice how much easier your skin absorbs them and how much more radiant you look afterwards!
Stay hydrated
It’s a real no-brainer, isn't it? The human body is roughly 60% water so the more hydrated we are, the fuller and fresher our skin will look. What’s more, drinking your eight glasses a day reduces dryness, dullness, and fine lines, plus boosts blood flow, delivering nutrients and flushing toxins - a real win-win for healthy, glowing skin, and something supermodel royalty Elle Macpherson can't get enough of. “I get up and drink a big jar of water that I prepare the night before with freshly squeezed lime and a quarter of a teaspoon of Celtic sea salt – so before anything I’m completely hydrating my body,” she explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
In an interview with The Daily Mail - Elle’s nutritionist Dr Simoné Laubscher, and self-proclaimed person behind this trick, said the key is to stay hydrated all day long. “Enhancing your daily water with easy, budget-friendly additions such as lemon, lime, or cinnamon can help you stay hydrated, reduce sugar cravings, support metabolism, and maintain energy throughout the day. If you pimp your water to scale up your hydration process, it's cheap, you have most of the ingredients in your house anyway, it will have no added cost to your life and has a massive impact on your mind-body balance if you rehydrate properly.”
Radio-frequency
It’s so easy to forget about the neck during your skincare regime, but it needs just as much TLC as you give your face, as it begins to sag and show signs of ageing faster due to thinner skin and less collagen. During her ‘Softening fine lines and makeup for redheads’ video for Vogue, Julianne Moore says she turns to Nectifirm Advanced a formula for the neck and décolletage, which claims to nurture the skin’s microbiome using prebiotic technology in combination with eight distinctive peptides.
Applying two pumps of the liquid she laughs, “my skincare routine has gotten more complicated as I get older.” Later in the video she also confesses to using radiofrequency - a non-invasive beauty treatment that uses energy waves to heat the deeper layers of the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production to tighten and reduce wrinkles. “I love radio-frequency! It’s something that you can do that’s non-invasive that makes a tremendous difference.”
Eat the right food
Penelope Cruz says the best beauty advice she ever got came from her mother was to really think about the foods she put in her body. “(She always said) to eat healthy and get a solid amount of rest. I remember her sounding like a broken record telling us to eat our veggies,” the actress explained in an interview with InStyle. “She annoyed me, but now, as a mother, I hear myself saying the same things.”
For healthier, younger-looking skin, be sure to pack in plenty of nutrient-rich foods into your diet. Try fatty fish, avocados, nuts and seeds for heaps of essential fats and antioxidants to help keep skin supple. Leafy greens, berries, and sweet potatoes are fab for boosting collagen and protecting against ageing, while tomatoes, green tea, and dark chocolate can improve skin texture, plus water-rich fruits and veggies for a radiant glow.
Rosewater
Actress Halle Berry says her secret to younger-looking skin is a dewy complexion. “No matter what age you are, you always look a little better when your skin is a little dewy, not too powdery,” she opined in an interview with InStyle. “I went through phases where all I wanted to do was be matte and powdered up, but then I found it wasn't the best look for me.” The star went on to explain a key component of her beauty regimen that she believes makes all the difference. “Before I do my makeup, I spray my face with rosewater and let that sink in. It keeps my makeup looking very dewy, and I feel like it just makes me look more youthful, alive, and fresh.”
Luscious lashes
“Life is more fun with lashes!” Eva Longoria urges during her “Hottest Mom” video for Vogue. The actress revealed she uses Lashify Lashify The Control Kit, which was introduced to her by her make-up artist. Eva says she actually uses a combination of lengths from the lash extension system when it comes to applying her signature look. Plumping for lashes C20 and C12, Eva adds shorter lashes to her inner corners and longer ones on the outer edges. There’s no question about it - she’s on to a winner, as false eyelashes cleverly mimic the lush lashes associated with youth. Not only that but they help to lift the eye area, creating a more open and bright-eyed look while softening features for a fresh-faced appearance.
Laser treatments
As refreshing as a sea breeze, Gwyneth Paltrow is only too happy to open up about the treatments she’s tried in pursuit of looking younger. “I really used to be bad with products, but now I exfoliate every night and use a lot of organic oils on my face," she confided during an interview with Harpers Bazaar. “And I have a great dermatologist in L.A. who gave me this amazing laser the last time I was there. It's called Thermage.” Speaking about the treatment which tackles the visible signs of ageing skin by smoothing, tightening and contouring skin without surgery or needles. She added, “It's not invasive. I went out to dinner right afterwards and I didn't look crazy, but it's quite painful. It feels like someone's smacking your face with a rubber band that has an electric shock in it. But I would do it again because I feel like it took five years off my face.”
Microneedling
Microneedling is growing in popularity - perhaps thanks to celebrities like Victoria Beckham, who shared a video on Instagram looking positively relaxed and radiant while having the treatment done. Explaining the benefits, skin and beauty expert Nilam Holmes, who performed the treatment on the fashion designer, wrote: “The Skin Pen makes hundreds of thousands of micro holes into the skin which then induces a natural repair mechanism. (Our body rushes blood and growth factors to the skin to generate new collagen and elastin) … therefore the treatment is organic and relies solely on your body to do the work. It is my go-to treatment for refining skin texture... excellent for improving scarring, pigmentation, fine lines, large pores, skin laxity and crepey skin.”
For Victoria’s treatment, Nilam reveals she “needled” in a medical-grade hyaluronic acid and vitamin cocktail to enhance results. “The skin looks pink for up to 36 hours and no makeup or products can be applied for 24 hours,” she added. “The skin can be dry and flaky for up to 7 days but clients start to see a beautiful glow after 10 days and real results within 30 days.” Claiming the treatment “doesn’t hurt” as a numbing cream is applied for 30 minutes prior, to desensitise the skin, Nilam also warned that microneedling should only be carried out by a qualified practitioner using a medically approved device.
30-day cleanse
If it’s true that we are what we eat, it’s no wonder actress Zoë Kravitz looks as fresh as a daisy! In her Beauty Secrets video with American Vogue, she shared her commitment to Dr. Schulze's 30-Day Cleansing Program. “Every year, me and my mother try to do the Dr. Schulze 30-day cleanse together. It’s just a nice way to reset your body.” This holistic detox regimen targets the bowel, liver, kidneys, and whole body over four weeks, using herbal supplements, teas, and a plant-based diet to eliminate toxins, boost energy, and revitalise health. For those hesitant about committing to a full month, Zoë suggests: “Taking just a week and eating raw, natural foods is a great way to just kind of let your body relax, because it’s constantly working to process everything we are putting in it. So it basically gives your guts a vacation.”
Seawater and ocean air
There’s nothing quite like a trip to the seaside to blow away the cobwebs, but according to actress Thandie Newton, it’s great for the skin too. “When I’m in the ocean, my skin just is glowing,” she told a reporter while being interviewed for The Huffington Post. “Within days, any bumps or tired lines or dryness just disappears. I think there’s something about that wonderful freshness of the ocean air or fresh air in general. You’re out and about, it’s so good for you. We spend so much time indoors with central heating and so on, it really dries the skin out. So I try to get out as much as possible, and not to fuss around with my skin too much.”
Infrared saunas
Oodles of celebs have apparently gone potty for infrared saunas including the likes of Lady Gaga, Jennifer Aniston, Elle Macpherson, as allegedly the light deeply penetrates the skin to heat the body within, which increases blood circulation - delivering nutrients and oxygen to the skin, and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin - essential for maintaining skin elasticity and firmness.
Speaking to Women’s Health magazine, TV Presenter Cat Deeley says she started using the hot boxes after discovering one at the health centre where she’d been receiving oxygen therapy to treat her long Covid symptoms. “After I had Covid - I was left with aches and pains in my hands, and doctors couldn’t help so I started looking for other things to try and make myself feel a bit better,” she explains. “I saw that they often treat MS patients with oxygen tanks as it helps with rejuvenation. I found a place locally that has one, and they also have a red light sauna and a cryo-chamber and I was like 'In for a penny in for a pound!'.”
Collagen supplements
According to Hello Magazine, Jennifer Anniston can’t get enough of collagen supplements, as she often posts on her Instagram her love of adding Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder to her morning coffee. As we age our collagen production slows, impacting the vitality of our skin, nails, bones and hair, so supplementing orally is a great way to boost your dwindling resources of the protein. In fact, Jennifer Anniston is so into collagen powder that she joined Vital Proteins as the Chief Creative Officer in 2020. “Collagen is the glue that holds everything together,” she said. “I've always been an advocate for nourishing your wellness from within, which is why I started using Vital Proteins so many years ago.”
Zinc Suncream
Almost all celebrities, especially those hailing from sunnier climes like L.A. and Australia, will adamantly extol the virtues of sunscreen, just as Nicole Kidman did in her video nighttime skincare routine video for Harper’s Bazaar.
“I love running and I love swimming, but I cover myself usually in zinc… clear zinc, and I always wear sunscreen.” In an interview with Vogue Australia she added, “I like the SPF 50 for me, which is the one that I use and I also love the sheer zinc because for me it’s such a great protection for my nose and for my shoulders and when I’m working.” Recalling as a child how she was covered in pink and white zinc to block the sun she said, “It was just humiliating on the beach”. Nowadays, she has no qualms about slathering it on. “To now have sunscreen you don’t see, yet you still get the protection, because it was actually the only thing that really protected me, particularly my nose. I just totally believe in it and I would have the worst skin now if I hadn’t have protected it.”
LED masks
LED masks use light therapy to boost collagen production, reduce fine lines and improve skin texture, thanks to the “red light” setting, while “blue light” is said to target acne by reducing bacteria. Kim Kardashian recently gushed over her love of red light masks on her Instagram, saying, “You can find me right here... Face, neck and hand red lights for the win!" and shouting out brand Omnilux, claiming she’d even brought a bunch for Christmas. “I'm obsessed with these. I gave them as gifts this year."
Create a crease with eye makeup
Cindy Crawford revealed in her video for beauty and lifestyle channel Allure that, “It’s not about the colour you use, it's about creating this crease so that your eyes look more deep set and big.” After first defining the whole lid area with a natural shade, Cindy opts for a deeper, cooler shade for the crease. “I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older I try to keep my eye open when I do this because I want to get it in the right place. If you close your eye, you don't really know where your crease is.” The former supermodel sweeps shadow over the lid up to the crease, and then from halfway, out towards the outer edge, then blends. For a younger look, she advises popping a lighter shade on the inner corners.
Olive oil
Sharing her skincare routine with InStyle Jennifer Lopez revealed using olive oil is a family tradition. “My mom and aunts swear by olive oil to deliver a glow.” Olive oil is said to be amazing for skin, thanks to the fact it's packed with antioxidants, particularly vitamin E, which can help protect against free radical damage, soothe irritation, and reduce inflammation. It’s also super moisturising due to all the healthy fats, leaving skin feeling soft and supple.
Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
If there’s one thing supermodel Naomi Campbell loves, it’s lots, and lots, of moisturiser. “I’m constantly moisturising: masks, face masks, creamy masks, paper masks," she explained in a video on her YouTube channel supermodel shared video. “I like my skin to look greasy and oily,” she added, during a video for Vogue. “I’ve been taking care of my skin since I was a child because my mother always told me I had to moisturise.” During the video she sprays a fine mist of La Roche-Posay’s Serozinc Face Toner, for hydration that also mattifies, then runs a microneedling tool across her chin, jawline, and cheekbones before adding hyaluronic acid and vitamin C powder cream, stating, “I like the skin to be shiny and dewy!”
Good concealer
Revealing the contents of her beauty bag in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, actress Keira Knightley says the secret to her age-defying look is a good concealer, and in particular, her fave Dermacolor Camoflage creme mini palette. “This is the thing that every single screen actress has,” she enthuses. Pointing to the circles of cream-like neutral colours she adds, “These are all of my skin tones and this is the cover-up. This is what I need to cover any blemish.”
Full eyebrows
“I pretty much destroyed my eyebrows when I was younger,” reveals actress Julianne Moore in a beauty tips video for Vogue. “Then I let them grow in, and then I destroyed them again, and now they won't grow back.” Working with Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Mechanical Brow Pencil, she confesses, “Drawing in my eyebrows is a major, major feat for me. Believe it or not, the shade that I use is ‘Blonde’. So a lot of people think that redheads have red eyebrows, but they very rarely do.” Offering advice on how best to apply the makeup, Julianne says, “I take the pencil and I start right in the middle. I brow under and fill it in so that it looks straighter. You rest your pinky on your nose so that gives you a bit of balance.”
Face tapping
According to experts, among other beauty benefits, face tapping brings blood to the surface, stimulating circulation and promoting collagen production. “I worked with a makeup artist once who just kept hitting me,” laughs Hollywood actress Jessica Chastin during her skincare video for Vogue, as she gleefully pats her cheeks gently, moving over the forehead and under chin. “She kept doing this to my skin with the products, and I was like, “What are you doing?” I realise it made my skin look better.”
Acupuncture
“Growing up and until my gosh, early-mid 30s, I had terrible, terrible skin,” reveals Sandra Oh, as reported in Red magazine. “It made me feel ugly and insecure.” In a bid to heal her soothe the multitude of inflammation-causing ailments she suffered from, including eczema, asthma, and allergies, Sandra turned to an acupuncturist for help, who she still sees today. “She changed my life. This was not an overnight thing. I saw her regularly - sometimes twice a week - for two years. After four years, my whole being felt better, from the inside to out. No creams, no inhalers but from a cellular level, my insides have changed, and it’s reflected on my skin.”
Hyaluronic acid
Ask any Hollywood celebrity and they will most likely wax lyrical about hyaluronic acid - a natural substance that retains moisture, keeping skin hydrated and plump. “I happen to know about hyaluronic acid,” says Jennifer Garner in her skincare video for Vogue, “because I’ve been buddies with all these chemists for all these years and the thing about it is it brings and locks moisture at the surface of your skin. So it adds like a layer of “poof”.” Jennifer’s favourite go-to is Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which claims to smooth fine lines, boost elasticity and promote a youthful glow.
Soft and gentle
Put down the sandpaper - exfoliating your skin needn’t be painful, it should be pleasurable and is something model and actress Brooke Shields strongly believes is helping her to look much younger than her years. “I used to use really harsh cleansers because I thought that was ideal - to strip the first layer of skin off, but now as I've gotten older and I don’t have as much elasticity in my skin, I realised that I need to be more gentle.”
Brooke spoke out about this revelation during her skincare video for Vogue, saying, “Another thing I used to do when I was younger, was just rub my face, and I was really brutal on my skin as a kid because I had to wear so much makeup and I was always taking my makeup off. As I got older, if I don’t have to wear makeup I don’t.”
Remove makeup before bed
You wouldn’t go to bed in dirty clothes, so the same ought to be true of your face, or so says actress Salma Hayek. “I've never gone to bed without washing my face. Never in my life," she reportedly told InStyle. "Even if I'm sick, tired - heck, even if I was drunk! I might forget to take off the dress, the shoes, and the jewellery, but not the makeup. It's second nature.” Removing makeup before bed prevents clogged pores - reducing the risk of breakouts and irritation - and that’s just for starters. For those keen on keeping a youthful glow, removing old makeup helps maintain hydration, which prevents premature ageing by reducing free radical damage, and in particular - protects delicate areas like the eyes.
A good routine
“I really think that beauty starts from within - from your health, your gut, your beauty routine, your skin routine, being hydrated, and then you don’t have to use makeup to cover yourself up,” Zoe Kravitz says in a video with American Vogue, where she shares her typical daily skin routine which involves several stages and products, including cleanser, serums, facial mist, eye concentrate and sun butter. “It’s good to keep your skin hydrated in between serums!”
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