Celebs Who Look Like They Haven't Aged In 20 Years
While legends surrounding the fountain of youth have been circulating for centuries, it seems today's celebrities have found what ancient explorers failed to discover. With the help of modern science, healthy lifestyles, and — let's be honest — a dash of good genetics, some celebrities seem to never age. While the pressure for celebrities to continue looking fresh-faced is much more intense than it is for the average person, studies have shown that there's a real stigma against looking older, particularly for women, that is ubiquitous in our society. It's one reason that cosmetic surgery is such a big business in the United States and becoming more and more common among average people.
Sure, celebrities may have a lot more resources to help them continue looking young than the average Dick or Jane on the street, but we can learn from some of their anti-aging secrets all the same. Here are some of the celebs who look like they haven't aged in 20 years and how they do it.
Sandra Bullock
Since her breakout role as Annie Porter in 1994's "Speed" alongside Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock has charmed us all, earning her the title of America's sweetheart. While some things have changed since then, including her countless awards and nominations, Bullock's appearance has remained relatively unchanged. Perhaps surprisingly, given her youthful appearance, Bullock doesn't spend a ton of time on her skincare, famously revealing that her minimal skincare routine takes a paltry eight minutes. While her standard, daily skincare routine might be simple, Bullock has been known to dabble in some lesser-known skincare hacks, like using hemorrhoid cream under her eyes for fine lines and trying the so-called "penis facial."
In addition to her skincare routine, Bullock works out almost daily, including with a trainer, and eats strictly healthy six days a week. In fact, Bullock previously told Oprah about her childhood raised on organic, pesticide-free foods that no doubt set her up for a lifetime of eating well. Still, Bullock understands her celebrity status makes that a bit easier, telling InStyle (via Yahoo!), "I eat really well because I can afford to."
Paul Rudd
Sexiest Man Alive Paul Rudd has an incredibly youthful appearance that has famously inspired quizzes designed to thwart those among us who believe they can tell a young Rudd photo from a more recent one. So we're just as surprised as you to learn that Rudd smoked for 13 years, a habit notorious for causing premature aging.
Despite that one unhealthy habit, Rudd can thank all his other healthy habits for his ageless skin. For one, Rudd is a big proponent of sunscreen, though he doesn't use it to look young. He told InStyle, "Honestly, I wear sunscreen not to prevent wrinkles but because I don't want to get skin cancer." Of course, sunscreen isn't his only secret. He also uses moisturizer, knows his way around concealer, and makes sure to get plenty of sleep. Oh, and his diet is super healthy and he exercises regularly. He told AARP that things really changed when he earned his starring role as Ant-Man. "I started training and eating like an athlete: no sugar, no alcohol, just proteins and vegetables," he said.
Jennifer Lopez
There's no denying that Jennifer Lopez also has a killer hair and makeup team, but her ageless beauty is much more about the canvas those artists are starting with. Lopez is very aware that people want her secrets — it's one of the reasons she created her JLo Beauty line. "For years, the number one question I've been asked is about my skin, and so I felt almost an obligation to share what I've learned," she said of founding the company, and it's not just random products with her name slapped on them. According to Lopez, she is involved with every step of product development.
On top of great skincare, Lopez is also diligent about her fitness. She told Us Weekly (via E!), "Sometimes, I work too late the night before, and I'm like: 'Ugh, I can't do this.' But I tell myself: 'Just do it. It's only an hour.'" But her biggest beauty secret? Sleep. Lopez told InStyle, "The number one tip is to always get enough sleep. I can't stress this enough. Ideally I would love to get nine or 10 hours of sleep, but either way, I always make sure I get at least eight."
Daniel Dae Kim
Though he started appearing on a host of television shows beginning in the 1990s, most American fans first learned of Daniel Dae Kim thanks to the hit sci-fi series "Lost." In the two decades since it premiered, Kim just hasn't aged. We can't help but think that must be due at least in part to his partnership with Clinique. Speaking of his collaboration with the brand, Kim told Vanity Fair, "I've never answered so many questions about my skin-care routine before!" It makes sense given how flawless his skin looks — inquiring minds want to know!
According to the mag, Kim has used Clinique soap and moisturizer since long before their collaboration — for more than 20 years, in fact! That may not sound like much in a routine and Kim knows it. He shared, "I'm a pretty basic guy when it comes to this kind of stuff, and I kind of feel like I know what works for me and my skin, and, so far, it's served me well." It has, indeed!
Rihanna
Just a teenager when she hit superstardom, Rihanna still looks just as fresh-faced now as she did when she released her first album in 2005. Though the beauty mogul and pop star started her Fenty brand as a cosmetics line, she told Harper's Bazaar, while walking them through her nighttime skincare routine, "I've always seen the Fenty brand as more than just makeup, and I knew I wanted to make skin care from the very beginning."
So what does that nighttime skincare routine include? She starts with the Fenty Total Cleanser, a 2-in-1 makeup remover and cleanser, then follows that with the Fenty Fat Water, another 2-in-1 product that doubles as both a toner and a serum to help keep her pores small and tight. The third and final step is the Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor moisturizer. Perhaps most surprising about what Rihanna told Harper's Bazaar is that her nighttime skincare routine is the exact same as her daytime routine (the Fenty moisturizer also contains an SPF), making her yet another ageless celebrity whose routine really isn't that complicated.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is one of the hardest-working people in Hollywood as an actress, producer, and director. Despite all that hard work, she has barely aged in the past two decades. As part of Marie Claire's Beauty Around the Clock series, Berry shared the routine that keeps her healthy and her skin looking flawless. She starts her morning with vitamins and fish oils as well as adding collagen to her morning coffee. Then, after taking her kids to school, she works out four to five times a week in some combination of cardio, weights, yoga, and Pilates. Maybe somewhat surprisingly given the conventional wisdom that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Berry revealed she has her first meal at 2 p.m. because it's what works for her, personally.
She further told Marie Claire, "I wear very little makeup these days, other than when I'm going out to an event or something like that, but even then, I try to keep it as natural as possible. And in real life, I'm kind of makeup-free these days, I think it's been working for me." Berry also revealed she has seen the same aesthetician for two decades (Olga Lorencin) and also likes Knesko and Ole Henriksen skincare.
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis famously lied about her age to get the part of Jackie on her breakout series "That '70s Show" when she was only 14, but still somehow looks barely older than her character was meant to be at the time. Like Halle Berry, it seems Kunis' secret to great-looking skin may also lie in minimalism. The star told Harper's Bazaar in 2014, "I don't wear makeup everyday. I think because I have to do it everyday for work, when I don't work I get out of the shower I don't do anything to it." Kunis does claim she often has blemishes so she uses something to cover those and is a big fan of mascara, ChapStick, and the occasional blush and contouring.
As for skincare, Kunis always washes her face twice a day no matter what using Panthenol cleanser, which she says is "the simplest cleanser," but also loves Rhonda Allison products and Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream. Perhaps her biggest beauty secret, however, is changing her pillowcase regularly to reduce how much sweat, dirt, and grime is being transferred from her face to her pillow and then back to her face each night.
Jennifer Aniston
Just like Jennifer Aniston inspired a generation of haircuts as Rachel Green on Friends, she continues to inspire us all with great skin. Aniston told Forbes in 2015 that her skincare routine hasn't changed much in a long time, describing herself instead as a creature of habit. She prioritizes plenty of hydration and sleep (we're sensing a trend here) along with the Neutrogena Cleansing Bar and a rotating lineup of toners and serums. She caps it all off, of course, with Aveeno moisturizer and sunscreen. We would expect nothing less from the official Aveeno spokesperson, who also uses Aveeno's overnight moisturizer.
Aniston also works out regularly and shared an interesting aspect of her routine with Forbes. "I really love an infrared sauna," she said. "It just allows for such beautiful, glowing skin and cell rejuvenation and detoxification." In addition to all that, Aniston shared her secret for true beauty with Marie Claire Australia, saying, "Beauty to me means inner confidence. Knowing yourself. I think a woman looks her most beautiful when she's feeling confident and enjoying herself."
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
While hardcore may remember Joseph Gordon-Levitt from the early '90s classic movie "Angels in the Outfield," Gordon-Levitt had his true breakouts in "10 Things I Hate About You" and the television series "3rd Rock From the Sun" in the mid-to-late '90s. Since then, the star only appears marginally older than he did as a teen heartthrob.
Though some seemingly ageless celebrities swear by a good cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer, for some celebs it's apparently really all about genetics. Contrary to what you may believe, Gordon-Levitt's youthful appearance can't be attributed to a stellar skincare routine. In 2020, the star joined friend and fellow celeb Jessica Alba on her YouTube channel as Alba led him through an Honest Body skincare routine. At one point, Alba looks positively horrified as Gordon-Levitt scrubs his face with a ferocity generally reserved for scrubbing the inside of an oven. Alba commented, "You're being very rough with your face" to which Gordon-Levitt responded, "Oh, was that too hard?"
It turns out it's not all about the products and routine. Some people are just really blessed with great skin.
Beyoncé
You can't talk about ageless beauty without talking about Beyoncé, who arguably looks even younger than she did way back in the Destiny's Child days. Lucky for all of us, the skincare product Beyoncé swears by is also super inexpensive and easily accessible — Aquaphor! She told Elle magazine she puts it on her face at night and revealed, "I go to bed looking totally greasy. It's not all glamour all the time."
While her go-to skincare trick may be a drugstore staple, Beyoncé certainly has a few tricks up her sleeve, too. One of those tricks is that she is widely reported to get the HydraFacial. The treatment, which clocks in between $150-$350, includes a machine-assisted cleansing followed by a gentle chemical peel, then what amounts to skin vacuuming to remove any debris from the peel, and finally a special serum to hydrate.
If the HydraFacial isn't in your budget, fear not! Queen Bey has another trick that's easy peasy. "[Sometimes] I put a little gold eye shadow in the inner corners of my eyes—it's more subtle than white, but it still really makes you look more awake," she told Elle. It's a great trick that keeps her looking young and Sasha Fierce.
John Legend
Singer-songwriter-musician John Legend has skin that looks even better today than it did when he was new to the music scene 20 years ago. Part of his secret is that he has taken moisturizing seriously since he was a kid, but he also gets one to two facials every month, something he acknowledged isn't possible for a lot of people. He told The Cut, "I'm aware that some people can't afford facials, that's why more luxury-style products at affordable prices are needed."
In 2023, Legend took matters into his own hands and launched an accessible skincare line for people with melanated skin. The line, Loved01, isn't sold at fancy department stores, but can instead be found at drugstores like CVS and Walgreens. Legend told The Cut, "I wanted to bring something to people who look like me in stores where they shop and at a price they can afford. Everyone deserves to have beautiful skin."
Skincare aside, hydration and plenty of sleep are key for Legend. He told The Cut, "As a singer I always feel like I'm killing two birds with one stone by drinking a lot of water and resting, because I'm helping my voice and my skin."
Eva Longoria
While many of the celebrities who seem to never age also seem to have pretty minimal skincare routines, Eva Longoria isn't one of them. "I do so much skincare," she told Glamour, calling herself a "skin care maximalist" — and it's paid off; her bright, glowing skin is positively radiant. Longoria revealed to Glamour that her routine takes around 20 minutes. First, she uses a cleansing balm and cloth to remove her makeup followed by a cleansing oil. Next, she uses a face mist, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
In addition to her extensive daily routine, Longoria also doesn't shy away from different beauty treatments and devices. In May 2023, the actress shared an Instagram video touting the benefits of Morpheus8 fractional radiofrequency microneedling, which she said "was really the thing that did the trick and made my confidence surge again." In June of the same year, Longoria also told Glamour that she does facial massage with the Facify Beauty Wand and uses an at-home cosmetic laser called the LYMA Laser. Sometimes, more is more.
Mario Lopez
Forget not aging for the past 20 years, Mario Lopez hasn't aged since his "Saved by the Bell" days in the late '80s and early '90s! If there's one celeb whose secrets we want to know, it's Lopez, who not only stars in the "Saved by the Bell" reboot but also hosts "Access Hollywood" and its spinoff "Access Daily." For Lopez, staying young is all about being healthy, which includes a daily workout and doing everything else in moderation. He told Men's Health, "I don't feel like I've even really woken up until I've broken a sweat," and credits his daily workouts for giving him the energy to maintain an incredibly demanding schedule.
Exercise aside, Lopez also credits his youthful appearance to something a little unusual. "I've got really oily skin," he told Kelly Clarkson. "I'm like if you took a piece of fried chicken and just wiped it on my face." Though it sounded like a joke at first, Lopez is onto something. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, oily skin tends to be thicker than dry skin and helps ward off wrinkles!
Gabrielle Union
Mario Lopez isn't the only ageless celebrity to credit his oily skin with his youthful appearance. The ever-ageless Gabrielle Union has said the same of her own skin, telling Elle, "I mean, it's part genetics. And it's a blessing and a curse to have oily skin, but I'm starting to believe it's like embalming fluid that's sort of keeping me youthful looking." On top of her genetics, Union actually adds a moisturizing oil on top of her already-oily skin. She acknowledges that it sounds strange, but it works, telling Elle, "I thought, 'This just feels redundant, why would I put oil on top of oil?' It's really transformed my skin."
Over the years, Union has talked about products running the gamut, from a partnership with Neutrogena to the fact that her family all uses Dove, proving that you don't need expensive products to look great. Union is also a big proponent of sunscreen and skin protection. She spoke with Essence about dispelling the myth that women of color don't need sunscreen because the melanin in their skin is protective enough. "No one is exempt from sun damage," she said. "If I have to be worried about it, everyone needs to be worried about it."
Busy Philipps
Whether you know her from her teen acting days on "Dawson's Creek" and "Freaks and Geeks" or you were first introduced to her comedic genius in "Cougar Town," Busy Philipps is no new kid on the acting block, but she certainly hasn't aged since those early days. Her secret is a combination of high-end and not-so-high-end products and treatments.
"I've been getting pretty consistent spa facials since I was young," she told Us Weekly. "Partially because I've been on television and they put a ton of makeup on you and you need to get your skin professionally cleaned out, but beyond that I find it to be very long-lasting and enjoyable." Other than that, however, her preferred skincare products (almost exclusively Olay products these days) cost around $40 total from the drugstore. The actress told Us Weekly, "When I was a young actor in my 20s, I thought that I needed to spend a lot of money on skincare products. I wish someone would have told me to save my money."