Celebrities are famous partly for having good looks and great skin, and plenty of them have dished about their favorite skincare secrets and products over the years. If you’re wondering how celebrities manage to look so good all the time, here are eight must-try skincare secrets from famous people, from anti-aging skincare products to cosmetic treatments:
Double cleanse your face
Celebrities wear lots of makeup for photoshoots and events, which means that makeup removal is essential for them. Celebrities such as Olivia Wilde prefer a double cleanse method, first using a makeup remover such as a cleansing balm to break down their makeup. Then they follow it up with a gentle cleanser to wash away any remaining impurities. If you struggle to remove all your makeup, the key is choosing an oil-based remover, which will break down cosmetic products much more quickly than a water-based cleanser, which might leave residue on your face.
Exfoliate your skin
Dry patches of skin will age your skin prematurely and make it difficult to get a smooth makeup application. That’s one reason celebrities such as Christie Brinkley swear by a regular exfoliation routine. Brinkley says that she exfoliates every morning, but most beginners won’t be able to tolerate it that often. Start with just once a week and increase the frequency from there. Most people can use an exfoliate two to four times a week depending on how oily their skin is. Note that stronger peels should be used once a week at most; they will irritate your skin too much otherwise!
Use a retinol
Retinols and retinoids (a.k.a. vitamin A) are the not-so-secret anti-aging products that celebrities use to keep looking young. Celebrity Jennifer Lawrence uses a retinol underneath her moisturizer every single night. Retinols promote skin cell turnover and the product of collagen and elastin, helping your skin to stay youthful. Retinols can be quite drying for your skin, so start with a gentler derivative once a week and then increase the frequency as your skin adjusts. Once you’re a veteran vitamin A user, you can talk to your dermatologist about getting a prescription for a stronger retinol.
Wear sunscreen every single day
UV rays exposure is one of the single biggest contributing factors to visible aging, leading many celebrities to promote daily sunscreen wear as an essential part of any skincare set. Cate Blanchett is only one of the celebrities who wears protective sunscreen every single day. You should wear sunscreen every day, even if it’s cloudy outside or you’re just sitting inside all day (UV rays can penetrate through windows). Apply the sunscreen to all exposed skin, not only your face but also your ears, neck, and chest. You can even apply it to your hands, arms, and legs if you’re extra serious about wrinkle prevention.
Sleep on silk
Sleeping on a silk pillowcase or in a silk bonnet is a great way to preserve your blowout, prevent hair breakage, and reduce frizz — which is why several celebrities, from Kristen Bell to Kelly Ripa, swear by them. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase specifically will also help to prevent those unsightly “pillow scars” on your face, which many side sleepers are familiar with. Silk is also more breathable than polyester fabrics, so you might find yourself waking up to softer and more moisturized skin. Just make sure to follow the instructions for laundering the pillowcase; many need to be hand-washed to preserve their properties.
Dry brush before a shower
You may have noticed that celebrities have glowing skin not just on their face, but all over their bodies as well. Dry brushing is an exfoliation technique that is used by many celebrities to get smooth, glowing skin from the neck down. Gwyneth Paltrow is just one of the big names who swear by dry brushing. To dry brush, use a natural fiber brush with a long handle, which will make it easier to reach your back. Start at your feet and work your way up, using wide circular motions and varying the pressure as needed. Shower afterward to rinse away all the dry skin you’ve just removed via dry brushing.
Experiment with at-home skincare devices
Various celebrities swear by different at-home skincare tools, from microcurrent devices to LED light masks to gua sha stones to microdermabrasion devices. As technology advances, these at-home devices become more effective (and the prices become cheaper) every year. They aren’t as powerful as in-office treatments, so you have to use them almost every day to see results, but they can be a convenient and cost-effective way to augment your skincare routine.
We recommend choosing a skincare tool based on your top skincare concern and getting into a regular routine with it before buying a second one.
Get professional treatments
While some celebrities play it coy about what work they’ve gotten done, others, such as Cindy Crawford, are open about Botox, cosmetic surgery, and other treatments they’ve gotten. If you feel like you’ve tried everything, and none of it is working, then it might be time to pursue professional treatments at a dermatologist. If you’re not sure about injections or surgical treatments, there are plenty of noninvasive options such as chemical peels, laser treatments, and more. Your dermatologist will talk to you about your top skincare concerns and make recommendations for what treatments will make the most difference. Have you heard of all of these celebrity skincare secrets before, or are any of these secrets news to you? Have you tried all of these techniques or are you planning to? What other celebrity skincare secrets do you want to try? Let us know in the comments below!
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