I’ve been an Angelina Jolie fan for so long, I remember when her skin wasn’t that great. It was in 1990s, when she was breezing by on “being in her early 20s” and not really taking care of herself. But at some point, she went clean and started taking better care of herself. Her skin improved drastically. I also remember when she had a lovely tan most of the time, but in her mid-30s and beyond, she’s gone all-in with being as pale as possible. Anyway, Angelina revealed the name of her dermatologist in a recent interview, and now she’s given her dermy permission to speak about her (Jolie’s) skin care over the years. The dermatologist’s name is Rhonda Rand, and I actually found this interview rather fascinating. You can read the full piece here at Refinery29. Some highlights:
Rand says Jolie keeps it simple & natural: “When [Jolie] knew she was going to have an acting career, she wanted to take care of her skin in the most sensible way. She’s lucky she has her mom’s beautiful, olive skin. She’s always been such a natural beauty, so she didn’t ever have to do much. It was really just sunscreen, proper cleansing with a mild, gentle cleanser, antioxidants, sometimes glycolic [acids], and natural products. Some alpha hydroxy [acids] are good too, and they’re very natural. She doesn’t need major scrubs or products with lots of chemicals.”
Jolie doesn’t wear a lot of makeup: “The thing about [Jolie] is she never wears makeup unless she’s working — it’s probably another reason her skin looks good. She’s also good about removing makeup. I know her makeup artist is super careful about what she puts on her skin and takes good care of it when she’s working.”
She wears sunscreen: “She’s olive skinned like her mom, but it’s not like she lets herself get dark. She’s been so good about using sunscreen from such an early age to protect her skin. She knew that the sun is not good for skin in general — in terms of pigmentation problems and that sort of thing. She’s also good about wearing hats, which is so important. She hydrates a lot and does a lot of good moisturizing, but again, it’s the sun protection that’s going to stop you from aging more than anything.”
What Jolie does get done: “I basically try not to do too much. There’s a light laser resurfacing we like to use sometimes, but just once in a while. It’s used to improve your skin and give it a little bit of a glow, but it’s a little more than a facial. When she was pregnant, she got a little pigmentation. And sometimes, when she’s in very sunny climates working, she can get some pigmentation, too. We can help take care of that with a photofacial or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). We’re super careful. None of these things change the quality of your skin or cause scarring. She doesn’t have any kind of a plastic look because [she] doesn’t do anything drastic — she doesn’t need it. She has really good genes and gets more and more beautiful with time.
How early menopause affected her skin: “Every woman goes through menopause, some women do at 48, some at 53. Yes it’s true that Angelina experienced forced menopause a little bit earlier. But if you take care of your skin, it’s going to look so much better. Even through the menopause changes, as long as you moisturize and use some good, quality products like antioxidants, alphy hydroxys, or maybe retinol — those things are all great for your skin.”
Rand wasn’t asked – or perhaps she declined to answer – any questions about whether Jolie gets a little something extra in the way of Botox or any kind of injectible. Rand would be the person to ask, right? Or do Hollywood women go to someone different for their Botox needs? There have been moments where I’ve thought Angelina was getting a little something extra done, just a “sprinkle” of Botox on her forehead, anything like that. But whatever she does, she doesn’t overdo it and she’s not wandering around with a Muppet-face.
Also: I do think Angelina goes without makeup a lot. She’s never been big on “needing to be made up” or anything. And speaking as someone who stopped wearing makeup long ago… it does improve your skin. My skin got so much better when I broke the cycle of wearing makeup to cover breakouts.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’m always puzzled when I hear people who supposedly know their stuff talk about skincare. ‘antioxidants, sometimes glycolic [acids], and natural products. Some alpha hydroxy [acids] are good too.’ Honestly, what does that even mean? Do I need antioxidants, too? Should I put them on my face or eat them? And what about those glycolic and hydroxy acids, which are supposedly ‘very natural’ (so?)?
Topical vitamin C is a good antioxidant but you have to use a quality brand with a good preparation. It helps fight environmental damage. Lightens dark spots, etc.
Acids help with skin turnover so they can help with skin texture, fine lines, etc.
My explanation is a massive oversimplification. If you’re a reddit user, the SkincareAddiction sub is very helpful.
Get on it girl, time to dive into skincare! Try the reddit skincare forum or intothegloss.com, or google around for green beauty blogs.
I’ve started dabbling more with Deciem products. I don’t really know what I’m doing, plus I have sensitive, combo, acne prone skin. So there’s a lot of trial and error. But I also don’t mind that trial and error because I’m not spending a bunch with Deciem. I had to google around to find what products I should attempt because I don’t know what they’ll do just based on the names, haha. But for 6-10CAD for a lot of their products, I’m not mortified if I have to toss something/give it to a friend. And if I like whatever it is I’m using I can always try a pricier version if I wanted. But I don’t want to spend that initial big chunk of money on a product that doesn’t get along with my skin.
I clicked on this post just so I could put in a plug for Deciem and especially their line called The Ordinary! I started using their stuff about 3 months ago and random people actually stopped me in the mall and asked what I was using on my face. They told me my skin was “pearly” and “glowing”… yes, I’m bragging a little but given that the average product price seems to be about CAD$8, I cannot believe the results. It takes a little time and effort to figure out which products you need, and the sequence in which to apply them, but it’s WELL worth it IMO.
Same here!! Started using Deciem about 6 months ago and I’ve received a lot of positive comments. Also, if you are unsure what to use. There customer service is amazing.
Omg, Erin, now the delay to process will be even longer than the current 10 days, LOL!! 😂😂
I placed an order a couple days ago, and received notice that due to how busy they are, there will be about an extra 10 days before they can even begin to process the order.
I splurged on a couple NIOD products this time, and I **cannot** wait to get them!!
Looking forward to trying these products! Amazon has them btw. If you’re a Prime member, you can get them in two days.
Skin creams or serums either labeled with AHA ()Lactic, Glycolic are the bigs ones), fruit acids (basically acidic fruits) or something called BHA acids (best for acne). Vit C does a bit of exfoliation but not a lot as the basic acids.
Caroline Hirons! Start be reading her Cheat Sheets.
https://www.carolinehirons.com
Here are the basics: SPF, Retinol, Vitamin C, clean your skin properly, don’t smoke, don’t eat cr-p.
I’ve been using a vitamin C serum for 20 years, it’s done wonders. My skin looks better now, at 55, than it did before I started using it. I had a lot of sun damage.
That’s amazing! Is there a certain brand you use? I’ve been looking for one for a while, but didn’t know which one would hold up in the longer term.
Skinceuticals brand. I use the 20 AOX which is the strongest for Vitamin C. It starts to oxidize after 3 months or so, it’s supposedly still as effective, but it gives me itchy bumps if it oxidizes too much so I don’t use it sparingly. I go through a bottle about every 3 or 4 months. I put it on my chest, neck, back of hands. I’ll put it on injuries (like my cat scratching me, or cutting myself, whatever) and it heals faster and without a scar. I love the stuff.
Thanks so much for the info! I had one last question. If you don’t mind me asking, do you think its led to any accelerated sagging? There’s this possible side effect out there that vitamin C may lead to loss of elastin over prolonged use. I have no idea how true it is, but I thought I could ask some dedicated users if they’ve noticed a difference.
Also, if your skin is either dry or dehydrated, choose more gentle acids and exfoliants.
➡️ https://beautyeditor.ca/2018/02/15/what-causes-dry-skin
➡️ https://youtu.be/_Yw5_bDnRTE
My sister has beautiful olive skin and it’s a tad unfair because she tans far better than me and she looks much better with pale skin than I do too! Her skin when pale is creamy and gorgeous whereas I just look a bit yellow when I’m pale (I have light olive skin). Her kids are lucky – they all got her beautiful skin and not their dad’s pasty white skin that burns like crazy in the sun (we live in Australia so that’s important!)
I’m of Middle Eastern descent and I tan really well too, but when I’m pale (which is most of the time now, as I stopped tanning years ago) I’m almost translucent, hahaha. Like…sort of sallow-pale where you can see every acne scar and dark circle. I’ve found a great foundation that has sunscreen built in but that doesn’t break me out, so I use that all the time; makes me look slightly more alive. 😛
LadyMTL it’s like you are describing my skin to a T 🙂 I have olive skin (Italian with Moroccan ancestry) and since I stopped tanning and try to avoid the sun I am so pale, exactly like you describe! I started using a vitamin C serum to deal with the hyper pigmentation and its helped so so much (I use Hylamide C25)
OriginalLaLa, I am similar too with hyper pigmentation. I’ve been trying everything, and nothing is lightening it. Do you just a serum, or is it a whole line of products/process?
SKF…same..when I have a tan I love my skin, but when I don’t (which is most of the time, given I live in England) my skin has such a strong yellow undertone I look like a Simpsons character by mid-winter.
@Brandy Alexander I use mostly Hylamide and NIOD products (from Deciem) vitamin C, retinol, Hyaluronic Acid and Copper isolate serum (which is AMAZEBALLS). I also basically stopped going in the sun without a hat because it makes my hyper pigmentation worse. I’m a skincare junkie because I refuse to wear makeup so i want my skin to glow on its own. I wouldn’t say that the Vitamin C is erasing my darker areas, but it’s helping. I think unfortunately, that lasers and deep peels are the only way to get rid of them 🙁
Thanks for tips OriginalLala. I’m going to check those out. I agree with you on the treatments being the only real way to get rid of them. But after toying with the idea myself, I have a girlfriend who just did the laser treatment on her whole face, and it made me realize – I will never! It was like they literally burned her entire face off. I’ll stick with topical remedies!
I’m olive skinned too (Egyptian heritatge) and I never go white, no matter how much time I spend in the sun 🙂 I think Angie has white skin that tans well. Not everybody does. But she doesn’t have olive skin.
@OriginalLala, have you had any side effects using the copper peptide serum? There is some urban myth about it causing facial hair growth, but I was wondering how it holds up for long term use.
My guess is that she has some Botox in her forehead…it’s completely smooth. Not overdone though.
Her forehead isn’t completely smooth though. She has lines, they’re just fine and don’t come across as furrows in photos. That’s what happens when your genes are good and you take care of your skin.
Her poses on the red carpet for pics are always serene and Mona lisa like- so saying someone who isn’t wrinkling their brow in a posed pic is silly. But you only need to Google her candids, watch her films (see Wanted drug store scene where her frown is like Satan’s) or watch her interviews where she’s expressing herself and you see her brow working overtime and her face being expressive as all get out.
I watch too many soap operas and Andy Cohen dreck to know what she does with her face is impossible on the tox.
But hey…
Some women have been dying to age Angelina out (by that I mean hope she gets ‘old’ and by their misogynist definition ‘ugly’ since she was literally Kristen Stewart’s age, like 28)
In the the closeup picture her forehead looks smoother than the rest of her face, particularly the area just below her eyes. I’m an Angie stan, but I know what a 40-something forehead looks like (I’m 65). Whatever she’s had done, it’s been with a very light touch.
Minx, for some reason I had pictured you to be no more than 50. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s the cute pic.
Lol… you can have Botox and still be expressive in your face! Botox doesn’t freeze your face completely when it’s done lightly to smooth lines and wrinkles out. Everyone is getting botox done now, even girls in their 20’s (although I’m not completely sure why they need it), but you can move all parts of your face fine with botox. Actors and actresses alike use botox and they are still expressive.
@milky
Lol That’s a bs line that people who make a living at administering botox want you to swallow….because people who had actually had botox and didn’t like the after effects were complaining about immobility and their faces being weighted down. Don’t believe me? See what actresses like 50yr old Aniston said about it. I’m sure she can afford to have this latest greatest expressive botox you speak of if it exists, and yet she described it differently.
Once again the purpose of botox is to immobilize the area that is wrinkling when you express yourself. It stops that muscular action beneath the skin and that serves two purposes it eliminates the fold or wrinkle you have and prevents new ones.
If you see a forehead that is wrinkling and being expressive in its usual way, it’s typically and usually not botoxed (unless its a bad job or a placebo, lol), as that defeats the whole purpose of botox: stopping the movement that creates the wrinkle.
Other Renee—thanks! I had a baby at 47 (that’s her in my avi, 18 years ago lol).
Jessie, I think that’s when it’s overdone. I have an aunt who used to ‘tox, and I would never have know if she hadn’t told me. She did less than half of what her friends who were/are obviously on it were doing, and it just made her look a little more youthful instead of full on paralyzed forehead.
Hi BrandyAlexander,
Botox probably doesn’t start out as ‘overdone,’ it’s just that actresses and habitual users in general just find it hard to pull back, slow down or take a breather. See the almost unemployable ridiculed Nicole Kidman of a few years ago.
But you make my point. If one is unable to tell that someone is botoxed, (say they’re getting incredibly small amounts and infrequently or don’t do it regularly) and they’re still making the same wrinkle you’ve come to know and love- winking and wrinkling their brow at you (like your Aunt) – what’s the point of people on message boards insisting someone who looks the same (like Angelina) is getting it done?
You know your aunt, but these people don’t know Angelina – so the insistence on what they’re *unable to see* is what is perplexing. It would be like you arguing that your aunt was a botox user before you knew she was, when you admittedly say she looked no different than when she didn’t use it. Does that make sense?
I get that some ppl want her to be a completely manufactured visage, she’s always had these kinds of detractors – it’s just their accusatory nature based on no evidence (‘B-b-but sure, she looks the same and can kill you with an expressive face, a deep frown or an eye crinkle in a movie, or a candid — but I just know she must get botox!’) which tends to show their bias.
I don’t think I explained my comment properly! Less is definitely more when it comes to Botox injections. When people get botox and they express their faces, you don’t see the deeper wrinkles/lines that were there before. But some people still raise their eyebrows in the same way as they did before the botox. After all, it’s natural movement. The difference is, their skin is still smooth in that area..unlike before where you could visibly see lines. Botox should look natural. It’s not supposed to make you look “plastic” unless it’s overdone. Anyway, it’s pointless to talk about this. A truly smooth flawless forehead in the celebrity world is only achieved by a little help.
Oh, I didn’t realise you would be taking this so personally. I get it now, you’re a huge Angelina fan, but I was talking in general. lmao. Carry on.
She has fillers and botox. I know this for a fact. And most shocking – to me, at least – is that she gets her lips topped off. This dermatologist sees her, yes, but is not her injector. This whole thing is really laughable. If you don’t want to talk about, don’t talk about it. But “thou doth protest too much”, and it becomes silly.
@ Jessie: the effects of botox take a few days to kick in fully, and wear off gradually. The “immobilized” bits gradually become more mobile as it wears off. Presumably one can acheive the “fully frozen and now half worn off” level of mobility with smaller doses. It’s also common (at least with my doc) to have the option to go back in within a couple of weeks to “even out” things if need be. Same dosage to the same points on either side, yet one side didn’t react quite the same and needs more.
I used to work in cosmetic derm, and she 100% has both botox and fillers. Like it isn’t even debatable. When you’ve seen a LOT of faces, there are little signs you look for, like fullness at the outer corner of the upper lip, or how the face moves when someone speaks. It has nothing to do with her skin, which is great – it’s to do with the underlying muscle, fat and tissue.
Sorry tootsie45 and me…
I’m a dermatologist and I see no signs, especially of fillers. Botox is harder to say especially if you’re often just seeing still pictures. Unless the face is moving and it’s a video clip you can’t say. Her interviews are infrequent when she’s not promoting her work. Her expressiveness in film leads me to say no, or not that much or often, as her mobility and movement in facial musculature would be affected. It’s not. It just isn’t.
I know you’d like that to be consensus when it comes to Nicol- I mean, Angelina, but it just isn’t. No one thinks that about her skin, her face, her expressiveness – they just don’t.
Yes, she has fillers and Botox. Very well done though.
Is she really considered an olive complexion? I always think of her as pretty pale.
Her skin does look very good now, and I’m on board with the minimal makeup and sun protection tips. I feel ready to break out just watching someone else pile on foundation!
I remember her going through a tight, waxy phase a few years back though, so I think she did something a little less “natural” then.
I’ve always thought olive to be an undertone rather than a depth level – so you can get very light olive skinned people all the way to very dark olive skinned people. I’ve noticed that in the US in particular people sometimes use it as a depth level (something between medium to dark skin) which has always confused me. For what it’s worth, I think Angelina has a yellow undertone rather than an olive one.
(Replying to lucy2) Having an olive skin tone doesn’t mean you have to be tan. It’s all to do with the undertones in your skin pigmentation. I’m half Italian and in the winter I’m as pale as Angelina, but in the summer I get quite a bit darker. All year round, my undertone is olive, meaning it has a slight green tinge to it. When I go to match foundation, I have to stay away from anything with pink undertones because as soon as I put it on my face, it looks absolutely ridiculous! I hope this helps you understand a little better! 🙂
I think of her as ‘celebrity pale’. I think I’d likely look like a corpse next to her. There are times when she looks REALLY pale (like in some of the photos above) but there’s others where she seems to have a lot more warmth to her skin. I think some of it really does depend on her hair color at the time and what tones her makeup is bringing out.
I wouldn’t call her ‘olive’ either — then again I think that’s an antiquated descriptor and needs to be phased out. No one is the color of an olive. No one is green. Pale green or dark green. I used to think it was just an old description that western euro descended ppl in the states came up with to describe eastern Europeans (Italians, Greeks, etc)
That said having seen her in person, she is very light complexioned but it’s a complexion with depth not translucent and pale. Creamy. Like a rich light beige. I also remember only one deep tan she had around the time of the tombraider films. It was pretty glorious. She tans beautifully.
In some of her childhood pics (red carpet with her dad) she’s really tanned. Also in Tomb Raider.
Eating water dense food is hands down the thing that’s really bringing my skin back. I have had gorgeous skin all my life but then I turned 30 and it didn’t behave like it used to. It’s an adjustment. I got some good serums that I alternate, and use with my Derma Roller. That and diet – and using oils to cleanse and moisturize – seems to be perfect for me. Thanks for the rec on the subreddit!
Using oils to cleanse is the best thing ever!
I’m 3 months deep into oil cleansing and it has improved my skin so much. It took about 6 weeks to figure out what works for me. I use hemp oil with a small dash of tea tree for cleansing, and a dab of argan oil for moisturizing if needed. Apricot oil broke me out.
Maybe because of the custody issue, she negotiated to have her filming time abroad more compressed? I’m sure there’s plenty of filming they can do without her. Is it also possible she’s filming some in LA? (I was responding to a Maleficent filming question, which is now gone?)
She looks good, but I’m pretty sure she’s had botox. Nobody’s forehead looks like that at 40. Neck and forehead are more concerning than face, I think. I’m a couple years away and my skin is majorly sun damaged, despite constant sunscreen and hats. Eventually, the screen washes off, the hair lets loose and you forget!
She has fillers and Botox. She is very thin and her face would be thin without them.
Karen,
No. Angelina would never have a ‘thin’ face – her bone structure is wide and flat (wide forehead, wide spatial cheek area and high cheek bones, wide square jaw), as opposed to thin and narrow like say Amal Clooney.
So even if Angelina became gaunt in the face due to an illness God forbid, her bone structure is still wide. She shares her Dad’s exact bone structure, even almost has his cleft chin. The wideness creates an illusion of fullness and it also gives them or anyone who shares that same characteristic an appearance of youth and almost cherubic if they do gain weight.
But when they’re slender or too skinny it doesn’t show up as much in the face, because of this wide flat bone structure.
It’s why some continue to hate her. Lol
That’s not true @mkyarwood
I’m 50 and don’t have deep lines in my forehead.
Your lines depend on your genetics and bone structure. If you have a very wide brow and forehead the skin is naturally going to be stretched taut over those areas, same with cheek bones and jawline, giving you a smoother appearance -esp in photos. It’s basically why we say some people are ‘aging beautifully,’ or ‘aging well,’ because despite what the skin is doing (and as mentioned she does have lines, they’re just fine lines and when her face is in repose they don’t show up on camera)- you see classic bone structure unobscured by loose skin or deep folds.
Those are genetics.
You can imitate that look with surgery or fillers but it doesn’t always go well and is usually noticeable.
I am 42 and have no wrinkles except around the eyes when I smile.
I’m 51; no forehead lines, a few around the eyes, never had Botox or fillers. Also never smoked and drink a ton of water.
I’m 57, and I’ve had bangs most of my life. I have one very fine line across my forehead, and while I don’t drink a lot of straight water, I drink over half a gallon of black tea daily.
She has had gorgeous skin for years…
I think the reason she doesn’t tan is due to the risk of skin cancer. She already has to worry about breast and ovarian cancer so probably didn’t want to add skin cancer on the list.
So good to see Angelina rising above the hatred thrown towards her. Her humanitarian work and career is on fire.
Maleficent 2 and Ivan currently shooting, producing and possible directing Native American hero Jim Thorpe biopic, massive leak/rumour that she will play the villain in the next Bond movie and Shoot like a girl also seems to still be in the pipeline.
The jewellery she co designed for charity was an immense success and a wonderful tribute to her daughter Zahara.
Anyone care to share what skincare products they use? Sort of mid-range please –
All these buzzwords are great, but I am still on the Clarins moisturizer, korres eye cream and done bandwagon, and as I’m hitting mid-30’s I definitively need to do more!
(Please don’t send me to Reddit/blogs I want to know what y’all use!)
Beginning in my mid-30s my skin began getting noticeably dry. I switched to oil cleansing, which I especially like in winter. I use much less moisturizer, which tends to clog my pores, as a result. The most important thing, though, is daily sunscreen.
My routine/products are minimal and in my early 50’s have better skin than my 40 something sister. I see a dermatologist 2x a year for a skin check, have been seeing one since grade school as I had horrid acne. Every dermatologist I’ve ever seen says the best way to good skin is sunscreen every day, even midwinter and gray skies, stay hydrated, and don’t smoke. Anyway, my products.
Morning/Evening wash with Purpose, Neutrogena Gentle Facial cleanser or Cetaphil (depends on the season).
Daytime: EltaMD Tinted sunscreen, 50 SPF, mixed with a drop of either Cerave evening moisturizer or Neutrogena hydro boost. Use on face, neck, back of next and ears.
Night: Retin-A .04 alternating nights with Trader Joe’s Nourish enriched intensive face lotion. Also use on neck and chest.
Most expensive product is the RetinA but I got my derm to give me a written prescription and I order from a Canadian pharmacy so it’s less than half the US price but same manufacturer. You don’t use a lot either so tube lasts a long while.
I’ve done a few peels over the years and they make your skin feel/look amazing once the peeling stops but RetinA, if used diligently, can have the same results. When I’m lazy st night, just cleanse with Neutrogena or Costco brand makeup remover wipes. Seriously, I’m about as lazy as they come with skincare.
I love the Elta tinted spf. I don’t wear makeup so I feel like the tint goes on really well and smooths out my skin a bit. I also use trader Joe serum before I put on the spf. At night I’ve started using differin gel which my dermatologist recommended. It’s over the counter now and I believe works like a retin A.
I’ll have to try the TJ serum under, good idea!
I’ve been using Toulon products (I buy on Amazon) for almost a year now and my skin is noticeably brighter and smoother (my best friend says it looks “calmer”). I was not struggling with acne or massively dry skin, just aging (I’m 43) and some poor lifestyle choices (massive stress, intermittent sunscreen usage and frequent dehydration).
I use the cleanser, hyaluronic acid and a moisturizer. I am looking for an oil (as opposed to cream) based moisturizer for summer as the cream can cause weird white cysts when I sweat a lot. The product prices are reasonable and I really recommend them. I’m NOT a beauty junkie so someone more in the know may rightly know more about these products than I – they just work for me.
I use Skinceuticals brand across the board. Cleanser, Vit C serum, eye cream, moisturizer. It is more expensive but I don’t go through it very quickly, I buy it twice a year, except for the Vit C serum, I buy that every 3-4 months. I slather that stuff everywhere.
I’ve had oily skin my whole life so that’s probably helped me. These days I’m not producing as much oil but what I did produce saved my skin and it literally doesn’t look that different than when I was 30. I had acne in my early 20s so unlike most ppl, I’d never go back to the skin I had when I was 22. Lol
Again, genetics, but I will say a good rough washcloth is your best friend.
I once read something that said men don’t wrinkle up like women because they’re constantly shaving their face. Removing dead skin with a razor. So while I don’t recommend that, lol, a good scrubbing and any kind of gentle exfoliating by whatever means done on a fairly regular basis is the best treatment. Followed by using a good water base moisturizer..and a good night cream. I’ve heard the tatcha brand is excellent. Plan on trying soon.
Oily skin here too. I use a gentle Clinique cleanser and a clairsonic for exfoliation, and my skin has finally stopped breaking out. I rarely wear makeup and stay out of the sun as much as possible. My skin will never be movie star perfect, but as long as I don’t have to deal with big breakouts anymore, I’m happy.
Paulas choice was my intro to the world of skincare until it became really expensive. I still love their Calm Redness sunscreen, it’s so luxurious and doesn’t feel like sunscreen. I’ve transitioned to The Ordinary almost 100% and I love liquid gold by Stratia which is also inexpensive. Copper peptides, retinol, niacinamide are all star ingredients I couldn’t do without!
hey girl! i’m in my early-mid 30’s too with oily skin (used to hate it, now it’s a godsend). I’ve done tons of research and tried many products. Here’s what I use and why!
Cetaphil gentle cleanser: non-foaming (doesn’t have surfactants) so it doesn’t strip skin squeaky!
Avene Thermal Water: softening, balances Ph of the skin beautiful, preps it for serums
Paula’s Choice BHA 2% solution: says to apply with a cotton pad, but girl i put a couple drops in my palms and pat it in – saves so much product! (this improves skin texture, minimizes pores, exfoliates the pores and prevents breakouts)
Renee Rouleau Anti Cyst Treatment: THIS IS A MIRACLE TREATMENT! I use one drop of this nightly on problem areas. (my jawline, it’s a hormonal thing. it has the added benefit of preventing ingrown hairs, also a lovely hormonal thing!)
The Ordinary Agiriline solution: targets dynamic (deep) folds. apply this to my forehead, eye area, and smile lines.
Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic and Retinol eye serum: on the lids and around the orbital socket. this stuff is ALSO A MIRACLE! it has fully halted my increasingly hooding eyelids, and fought off crows feet entirely.
Drunk Elephant LaLa Retro: an amazing moisturizer for all over the face, is a particularly awesome targeted eye cream as well.
The Ordinary Rose Hip and Marula Oil: 2 drops of each to top and seal in my moisturizer (rose hip is for acne hyper pigmentation, marula is a beautiful emollient moisturizer from heaven).
Dr. Brandt Pores no More and Smashbox Pore Filling Primer: pores no more around the perimeter of the face, smash box in the centre (thought I’d include this, as this combo of primers is amazing for oily skin for anybody reading and preps the skin so very well for makeup…although it’s so smoothing that you hardly need anything, just a little spot concealing and your skin is perfect for 8-10 hours and can go another 5-7 more with a simple blot).
Much love and luck to you in your skincare journey!!
Any chance that any of the products you listed are unscented? I mean no smell at all. I need products that have no aroma whatsoever.
i joined Beauty Pie in December, and my skin has never been better. it can take some getting used to [their model], but selling things at cost [and being able to run the business due to membership fees] has allowed me to afford much higher quality skincare than i could previously, and my skin has definitely improved because of it. my favorites at the moment are the super retinol line, the japanfusion line [though I think the moisturizer from that line might be a bit heavy for me], micropeeling drops, and the five minute facial weekly acid mask. i just got the new vitamin c capsules and they seem great too, but have not tried them for long enough yet to have a true review.
their makeup i have tried i’ve liked fine, but the true stand outs for me is the skincare.
@ Clare
First, I have a very hypersensitive skin, but I’ve figured out what works for me over the years.
I never drink alcohol or smoke, luckily I don’t like sweet or salty foods.
I completely stopped eating dairy 28 years ago and the only meat I eat is wild fish once a week, the rest of the time I eat only very clean plant based organic diet, heavy on veggies, berries, lentils beans, basmati brown rice, wild rice and sweet potatoes. No fast food, no fried food, no chips or sweets. I drink 4 liters of clean water everyday and I do not drink coffee only herbal tea.
I love to cook, which helps so much.
I wear sun screen everyday and I avoid the sun altogether during peak times.
I wear a tiny bit of make up, Bare Minerals Matte Powder for a bit of color for my pale skin and not as a cover up, very little medium brown pencil smudged on my upper eyelids and peppermint lip balm.
My skin care is pretty simple, but I love masks : Youth to the People Superfood mask is amazing, I use it once a week for 1 hour, Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask is wonderful, I use it once a week for 1 hour, I very rarely get a pimple, but when I do, I apply Tata Harper’s Clarifying and PurryfyingMask.
Once a week I apply, two organic avocados mashed to creamy texture to my face and neck, leave it on for at least 1 hour and wash off with lukewarm water.
I use Organic Jojoba oil for cleansing and my all time Favorite is Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil from Australia by KOSMEA for hydration and as my moisturizer.
I’ve tried many, many oils and this is by far the best one for me.
I’m 50 years old and the oldest I was ever guessed at is 34, I have no wrinkles yet, but I’m very diligent.
Unfortunately, I don’t come from good genetics when it comes to skin and aging.
ok Jane, we get it. you’re better than everyone. lol. i’m kidding, i’m obviously threatened by your discipline :p
@ j
Not really, I’m kind of a mess pretty often (emotionally).
I don’t have good genes in regards to skin and aging, so I try to compensate with discipline.
Seems to be working so far, my skin, hair and teeth are in nearly excellent shape, my nerves not so much, have to still fix that.
A lot of domestic violence, abuse and alcoholism in my home as a child, I’m working to make peace with it all.
I’m 47, post menopausal and have aging skin. I can literally see a significant amount of aging over the last 3 years since I stopped menstruating.
A couple of months ago I upped my skincare game (I’ve always cleansed, toned and moisturised every day) and changed my products. I was spending $110 on a moisturiser – Dennis Gross from Sephora, but I got a reco to use Paula’s Choice products. They’re a lot cheaper (I got a new eye serum, 0.1% retinol serum, and moisturiser for about the same cost as my singular moisturiser).
So far, the impact has been amazing. I have really felt a difference in smoothness, pore reduction and less deep wrinkles. I don’t expect it to make me look 30 or even the way I looked before the menopause, but I feel great! Can’t recommend their products highly enough.
I have sensitive skin that looks better the less I do to it esp when it comes to exfoliation. Can’t use VitC (makes my skin look blotchy) but my face loooooves Replenix Power of 3 Cream which is a great antioxidant serum (not really a cream or moisturizer) which I use after washing with Cetaphil moisturizing cleanser. Then I use Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil and Vanicream face lotion. Lastly sunscreen on top — Citrix Vitamin C sunscreen (doesn’t have much vitC). At night I skip the sunscreen and add Advanced Skin Technology Green Cream Level 9 — great soothing retinol that works better than retin a or differin for me. Once in awhile products are Glytone Mild Cream Cleanser, Origins charcoal mask, Juice Beauty eye serum, and other Kahina and Replenix masks and moisturizers.
What worries me is how sun damage is cumulative and from what I understand, what you did (or didn’t do) in terms of protecting your skin in your younger years has significant implications on your skin (skin cancer) and its appearance later on. I am vigilant now but in the 70’s and 80’s sun screen was simply not on people’s radar as it is today.
Tell me about it! We would slather ourselves with baby oil and lay out with as much skin in the sun for as long as possible. The first time I heard the word “sunscreen” I thought the person meant an actual physical screen and that I would have to lie under it…
Are you pale? And did you get a lot of sunburns back in the day? If so, best rec is to see a derm for skin checks 2x a year. (Well– start with one and see what the derm thinks, I imagine the need/frequency varies depending on the person)
I inherited my dad’s pale irish skin and had many bad sunburns throughout my life. Now, in my 40s, I have had 3 bits of skin cancer show up in THREE years. They were basal cell, so they need to be removed, but are not life-threatening like saymelanoma. Next month, I am getting surgery on my nose to remove the latest one. The first two were pretty straightforward procedures. But THIS one? Due to location, will require a skin graft and then reconstructive surgery later. Get yourselves checked ladies!!!! And if you have kinds in your life, make sure THEY are taught the importance of sunscreen. Those early burns are what led me here.
Yep, that’s me too. Good luck with the surgery.
Botox
Old news
I admit to doing absolutely nothing but washing my face. I’m over fifty and have really good skin so I don’t tamper with it. I drink a lot of water and that helps. My only areas of concern are the genetic dark circles under my eyes which I’ve had since childhood (I use Laura Mercier concealer) and the tiny wrinkles that have recently appeared on my eyelids and above, where I put on eye shadow. The only solution I can see is Botox. Thoughts?
Mom is that you?! You are so sweet, you sound just like my mom who only used Oil of Olay soap her whole life until recently!
Botox might lift your brow a bit, but the area might get better benefit from a serum; I’d definitely recommend Dr. Dennis Gross ferulic and retinol eye serum. iI swear by it! You put a little bit on your ring fingers and pat it around your whole eye socket and on your upper eyelids before bed. It’s a REALLY great product! I’d top it with Drunk Elephant Retro LaLa cream, which is for the whole face but it’s awesome as an eye cream.
I also just recently found Trish McEvoy’s instant eye lift; it’s a color correcting concealer, and it’s absolutely amazing at cancelling dark circles better than anything I’ve ever tried. And it layers beautifully, so you can use your Laura Mercier on top!
If you find your eyeshadows are creasing or settling into the little fine lines (girl, we all have them) I’d recommend a shadow primer! Urban Decay has really great ones (I love the original, but they come in several varieties now).
Hope this helps my love!
I’ll probably get jumped on for this, even though it’s in no way a criticism, because Hollywood is Hollywood… and no one is immune to aging. As a woman in that business, “maintaining” is an investment in your career. I also didn’t read the original article but I would guess her dermatologist is shilling some sort of product or products. My take:
She probably went pale because she started using retinoids at some point and they make you photosensitive. (Said from personal experience). Going in the sun while using those will increase your risk of skin cancer.
She does botox. Smooth forehead and those little “bunny lines” on your upper nose when you smile are dead giveaways. Her doctor is good.
She’s been evening out her top lip to bottom lip with fillers for years. She’s likely used them elsewhere on her face because we all lose volume there as we age. The saying about choosing between your ass and your face at a certain age is very true, and AJ has not gained weight.
I would say that she’s also had small surgical corrections done, early enough into incipient problems that they haven’t been obvious. At one point several years back, she looked to be developing the beginning of slight jowls (something her father has, so she maybe inherited that tendancy from him). Those are gone. I would also put very good money on her having had an eyelid lift at some point in the past few years as well. Her eyelids are “bigger” now than they were younger, there is no fleshy padding above them like before, and there is no sagging skin either. At 40, unless you are Asian or African, that’s just not really possible since lasers, retinoids etc are not supposed to be used on the delicate skin around your eyes and that’s usually the first to go.
From my point of view, and I don’t make a living from my looks but actresses do, so it’s likely far worse because you can be 200% certain they get misogynistic feedback… if it bugs you enough, if there’s a solution, if you can afford the solution and you have a good doctor, do what works for you. And if you make your living totally or in part on your looks, write it off as a business expense while you’re at it.
It’s pretty clear there have been alot of nosejobs (it was very wide) and boobjobs( lara croft) over the years, which is also par for the course for hollywood/famous persons.
I agree with the skin lightening due to the topical products and IPL and injectables.
Her genetic background is basically german and romanian.
Brad Pitt has had at least one nose alteration (thinned-out) as well.
Her father clearly has had nose jobs as well.
It’s pretty clear her jaw has had work, which can be made less heavy using botox procedures.
In this area of the world, why people call people natural is hilarious. There is nothing to be ashamed of choosing high maitenance skin care working in these fields, yet the even the professionals have to cater to the massive egos the ‘stars’ have. It is a lot of work for the people who work in these cosmetic/surgical industries, but they make a lot of money so it evens out.
Why can’t people just embrace the technology and enjoy having the ability to do this?
Everyone can see what’s going on!
NO! ONLY sunscreen and hats!! Lol
I’d LOVE to know what Cate Blanchett’s skin care regime is, aside from the facial she had done with Bullock
She looks wonderful, whatever she is doing. She is aging very slowly and looks natural.
All those different acids are often used as plumping agents in skincare products. I wouldn’t call them natural, and remember anything you put on your skin has to be metabolized by the liver.
ok. I’ve been lurking here forever, but this is the first time I post. I just can’t help it. How can the dermatologist say that Angie has olive skin.?Her skin is totally white and pale. What is she on about???
Well, I think you can be pale and still have an olive skin tone. Like my brother. He is pale when he’s not in the sun. But when he is in the sun, he usually tans, not burns and he gets pretty dark. Me i burn then tan. I have a reddish undertone to my skin. So yes, I think that’s what is meant by her dermatologist’s comment
She is fake
I’m not a fan of her but there’s no doubt she has a great skincare routine (keeping out of the sun). You always see her in hats. Bit pale though but that’s an okay price.
A few years ago, I’ve discovered some really great skincare products in my local health food store. (with a smaller price tag and without chemicals)
They really work well for me and the price is much better, because no heavy marketing costs like paying a fancy model for her pics and advertising is involved.
I especially fell in love with certified organic oils that I use for cleansing : certified organic Jojoba oil and Cacay oil.
Coconut oil is wonderful for my hair, gives shine and makes a great hair mask.
The best hydration and moisturizing I get from my certified organic Rose Hip Oil by Kosmea, it’s from Australia.
Doesn’t clog my pores and absorbs very quickly, my skin is much brighter and very supple looking.
A little goes a long way.
In my 20s and 30s I drank a lot of Coke. Yet all I heard from people all the time was “You have great skin! You must drink a lot of water.” Nope.
In the past 5 years or so I stopped drinking soda. It was hard to kick that habit but I finally did it. Now I try to choke down a couple of bottles of water a day, usually SmartWater. I still hear that I have great skin and people say things like I must go to spas all the time, get facial peels, etc. People also say things like “I know you don’t wear make up [foundation] but it looks like you do!”
I always tell people my “secret”: I use Coppertone Sport SPF 30 (in mid-summer I switch to its SPF 50) in the blue bottle. Been using it for years now. At night I use peel pads from Sephora, either by Dr. Gross or Peter Thomas Roth or sometimes even L’Oreal’s pads (from the drugstore).
My 5 years-younger sister does not wear sunscreen; she is a firm believer in getting her vitamin D by sitting in the sun. She has a ton of lines and crinkles and crevices in her face, but she doesn’t mind and doesn’t give it a second thought. So, different strokes for different folks.
What? Angie does NOT have olive skin, she has a really pale skin, unless she deliberately gets tan.
I have gotten IPL facials with AMAZING results! I used to burn a lot when i was a kid, now I ALWAYS wear sunscreen & use high quality products from Source Vital, here in Houston. I am a Licensed Acupuncturist and have also used cosmetic acupuncture as well, with more subtle but good results. I have also (sacre bleu!) had botox injections with mixed results. It is a combination of things, really, like any positive outcome that will make a difference. My skin looks fantastic for being 52 years old and as much sun damage as i had growing up.