Cosmopolitan magazine wanted to find out, so they called the dermatologists to the stars for the inside secrets to ageless skin. Here's the bottom line: It's not just what they do now. It's also what they did when they were a lot younger. "These women started taking care of their skin decades ago," Beverly Hills dermatologist Harold Lancer told Cosmo. While 20-somethings don't have to worry about wrinkles and brown spots, what you do in your 20s and 30s will determine if you have such worries in your 40s and 50s.
Here are four skin care secrets of the stars, according to Cosmopolitan magazine:
1. Celebrities are obsessive about sunscreen.
They may spend lots of time outside in exotic, sunny places the rest of us only dream about, but they never go outside without wearing sunscreen--even if it's the middle of winter. "They don't live in a cocoon to avoid rays, but they also don't lie out in the sun for hours, and believe me, they are always putting on sunscreen," New York dermatologist Albert M. Lefkovits, who treats celebrities and supermodels, explained to Cosmo.
The takeaway: Look for a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Apply it about 15 minutes before you go outside and again a few hours later. Also, protect your eyes and prevent crow's feet by wearing sunglasses, preferably with large lenses with UVA/UVB filters.
2. Celebrities have always used retinoids.
Many scientific studies have proven the benefits of retinoids, which are vitamin-A derivatives that speed up cellular turnover. First available in the early '70s as an acne medication, Retin-A was used by today's 40-something celebrities when they were teenagers to control their pimples. It was decades later that the anti-aging benefits were realized. Retin-A encourages the production of collagen, reduces fine lines and improves elasticity.
The takeaway: Creams with retinoids are worth the money. You don't even need a prescription anymore. Apply nightly.
3. Celebrities are exfoliating queens.
If you really care about looking younger, you need to banish the old, dull cells to look fresh and dewy. Dr. Lancer says that requires diligence about removing the top dead-cell layer by using derm-abrasion, peels or scrubs so products can penetrate better. It also increases blood flow and that in turn brings more oxygen to the skin's surface and spurs collagen production.
The takeaway: Get a professional facial once a month to exfoliate your skin. Maintain the results in between appointments with an at-home scrub.
Find out how to take five years off your face--all in the comfort of your own bathroom.
4. Celebrities never tolerate a skin freak-out.
When perfect skin is a job requirement, you quickly learn that even a single pimple just will not do. At the first sign of a skin problem, be it acne or a rash, celebrities see a dermatologist.
The takeaway: Don't pick at your pimples, since that can cause inflammation. Do treat blemishes with an acne spot-treatment that contains salicylic acid. Wash your face every night, fully removing all your makeup, and do use the right moisturizer.
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