Celebrity Skin Secrets

Our skin is constantly under pressure. So why not steal some secrets from the stars and ensure that your skin is glowing – not growling!

Jennifer Aniston swears, “Most nights I just use Neutrogena soap. It’s perfect for my skin.” Can it really be this simple? Well, yes it can. Sometimes we can over complicate things (and I’m not just talking skin care – have I told you about my relationships, recently!) Many anti-ageing products contain harsh ingredients, often with strong chemical exfoliants that give the short-term appearance of younger looking skin by stripping off too many layers of surface skin. Sometimes taking your skin care routine back to basics gives your skin a simple, straight forward boost.

Queen Latifah insists, “I’ve been washing my face with baking soda for years. It’s not harsh on the skin and gives me a glow.” What we’re talking about here is exfoliation.  The point of exfoliation is to slough off the cells from the top layer of skin and reveal the younger, healthier cells underneath and baking soda can do just that.

Of course, if you don’t fancy raiding your aunt’s pantry you can still avoid harsh chemical cleaner by choosing something like Clean Zyme by Jan Marini.  It’s made with papaya which has enzymes acting as a natural exfoliant.

“There are nights when I’m tired or busy with my daughter, but I do force myself to wash up and moisturize,” says Jessica Alba. In other words, don’t get into the habit of sleeping with your makeup. Use a cleanser before you go to bed and you’ll wake up looking fresh (even if you don’t feel it). Simply Clean by SkinCeuticals is great because it combines an exfoliating hydroxyl acid blend with botanical extracts to gently remove impurities, excess oils and make-up.

Jennifer Lopez uses masks and moisturisers that have honey in them for a young and fresh skin. This is one Hollywood fad which isn’t a load of hot air (see Cabbage Soup diet). Honey is a very versatile natural beauty product that has been used throughout the centuries by historical beauties such as Cleopatra. Honey is full of nutrients, antioxidants and other anti-aging, skin clarifying and moisturizing ingredients that make it a must-have among natural beauty experts.

Look for a serum that contains an antioxidant and layer it under your moisturiser like Emily Blunt. She uses products such as Serum Supreme by Dr Sebagh. Not only does it improve the skin’s overall appearance, but it improves tightness, retexturises, reduces fine lines, hydrates and improves elasticity!

The key is to ensure that the products you use are suited to the type of skin you have and the problems you experience with it. This handy little skin test can help you identify your skin problems and find the products that can help.