You’ve likely come across an interview with a celebrity who has been asked, “How do you keep your skin looking beautiful?” They usually share something that seems so simple, and rather effortless, yet, does it really work? Is it really how they look so young?
As someone who works with celebrities giving professional facial treatments as well as teaching them how to care for their skin at home, I know that the secret to beautiful skin is not as easy (or as accurate) as they can make it sound.
Here are 4 celebrity skincare secrets’ myths:
1. Ellen Pompeo told Allure Magazine, “Drinking a lot of water.”
While I will always promote drinking water as being good for your health, did you know that drinking water is the least efficient way to hydrate the skin and doesn’t go directly to the skin? It runs through the intestines, gets absorbed into your bloodstream, and then is filtered out by the kidneys. At this point, it will hydrate the cells inside the body. Hydrations levels within the skin have very little to do with drinking water but rather what you are doing (or not doing) topically to treat the skin. Be sure to use a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser, an alcohol-free toner, a skin serum and moisturizer for your skin type. These steps will ensure that your skin cells stay hydrated.
2. Nicole Richie told The New York Times, “I don’t wear a lot of makeup. I try to let it breathe.”
For starters, the skin can’t perform the functions of respiration, so there is no worry there. The fact is wearing makeup (that is appropriate for your skin type) offers a barrier of protection against harmful UV rays. UV rays from the sun are the #1 reason for skin aging. It’s not genetics, smoking, or, believe it or not, even age. The sun is the skin’s WORST enemy. Most types of makeup contain sunscreen, and, even if they don’t indicate an SPF number, most have UV-protecting ingredients like Titanium Dioxide. Based on this benefit from wearing makeup, I never leave my skin bare and never suggest my clients to do so either. So, do your skin a favor and start wearing makeup NOW to prevent wrinkles in your future.
3. Jacqueline Bisset told Allure Magazine, “Good genes.”
Good genes can definitely play a role in certain characteristics your skin will inherit (oiliness, skin color, thickness, and more), but, surprisingly, 30% of aging is genetics, and 70% is up to you. One of the ways this has been proven is through studying how identical twins age. They technically should age the same, but depending on each of their lifestyles (smoking, sun exposure, or other factors), they can age quite differently and not look as identical in the later years. So, good genes can play a part, but how you take care of your skin and body is what really matters. Consult with a trusted skin care professional to get on a good skin care routine exclusively for your skin type and commit to using it faithfully.
4. Kirsten Dunst told Stylelist.com, “I moisturize my skin twice a day. I only wash it at night.”
So for her, she’s implying that her secret is that she doesn’t wash her face in the morning. While people don’t think they need to cleanse their skin in the morning since they don’t have makeup on, I believe this habit is harming their skin, not helping it. While you sleep at night, your skin is in repair mode and will secrete toxins and sebum which can prevent your daytime products from working most effectively. When you wash in the morning (hopefully not with bar soap but instead with a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser), you’re removing the toxins and sebum as well as your nighttime products, so sunscreen (the best anti-aging product ever!) can get into the skin better and protect your skin from daylight and the sun.
No celebrity ever mentions they have a team of people dedicated to helping them look flawless and that their photos are usually retouched to hide imperfections. Trust me when I say, celebrities have skin just like anyone else. They have dark circles, cystic acne, blackheads, brown spots, and all the rest of the problems we all deal with at some point in our lives. Their careers are based on their looks, and they spend a lot of time doing whatever they need to do to put their best face forward. So, don’t be fooled next time you see a celebrity in a magazine. Their beauty routine is anything but effortless.
Here are a few tips that I feel are helpful, along with taking good care of your skin on a daily basis, of course:
– Cate Blanchett says, “I smile a lot. I live a happy life.”
– Ann Curry told Stylelist.com her secret was “redirection.” “If I have dark circles under my eyes, I’ll wear a bright color on my lips.”
– Kate Hudson told Dailymakeover.com her secret is, “I dunk my face in an ice bath to revive my glow.”
– Rihanna told InStyle Magazine that her amazing skin is down to two key elements, “Water and rest for my skin.” I think beauty sleep is super important!
– Gwyneth Paltrow dishes most of the secrets of success on her website GOOP. “I eat two servings of fish per day and plenty of leafy greens to keep my skin young and radiant.”
Renee Rouleau is a skin care expert and celebrity esthetician who believes there’s more to skin than the one-size-fits-all approach. Her exclusive skin care line is based on nine unique skin types, rather than the standard – dry, normal, and oily. Her skin care products, Dallas skin care spas, and her LA and NY pop-up spas attract a celebrity clientele and loyal fans from around the globe. Visit www.reneerouleau.com for more information.
Photo Credits: Zimbio