Skin Smarts

What is the #1 thing that celebrities do to keep their skin looking fabulous?


Stay out of the sun. “I had one young actress come to me and I ended up turning her away because she wouldn’t stop going to tanning booths and the beach,” says Dakar. If you need proof of what the sun does to your skin, just compare a section of your bod that never sees the sun [like your belly] to a section that does [your forearm] and note the difference in texture. Most stars are pretty sun-savvy-either they prefer to stick with their natural fair-skinned tone, like Nicole Kidman or Scarlett Johansson, or they’re like Christina Aguilera, who gets her bronze-Betty look from self-tanner instead of hours spent in the sun. The easiest way to make sunscreen a part of your daily beauty regimen is to buy either a moisturizer or a tinted moisturizer that contains an SPF. “For the face, I suggest nothing less than SPF 15,” says Dakar. Also, don’t forget other sun-sensitive areas like the earlobes and, if you part your hair, keep in mind that your exposed scalp can also be burned.

Do celebrities eat anything special to make their skin look so good?


While we know that eating chocolates isn’t going to give you acne, that doesn’t mean you have free reign to go and devour the whole drive-thru and expect a glowy complexion. “It’s important to get the right vitamins for your skin,” says Dakar. For teen clients she always suggests zinc [found in meat, milk, and beans], vitamin C [citrus fruits], and flaxseed oil [can be bought at the health food store and drizzled over a salad]. Zinc and vitamin C work to protect the skin and strengthen it. Flaxseed oil actually has the power to thin the blood in your skin a little bit so pores may not get as clogged. All three of these help the skin to heal more quickly, which, if you’ve ever picked a zit, you know can take a while. “Also, don’t forget to drink water,” adds Dakar, “without it your skin can look dry and tired.” Not that you need to go on a crazy diet to have good skin, just remember to balance out the fries with lots of natural stuff like fruits and veggie—these naturally contain a lot of vitamins and minerals your body needs, plus, they’re more filling than popping a pill!

THE BEST WAY TO GET SAFE SUN
1. When hitting the beach or pool, always coat your entire body with a generous amount of broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with at least SPF 15; look for zinc oxide or Parsol 1789 in the ingredients.
2. Protect your face with oil-free SPF 15-and-higher sunscreens; don’t forget your ears, nose, the part in your hairline, and lips.
3. Show off sun-savvy chic with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection.
4. If you know you’ll be sweating, coat yourself with a sweat-proof sunblock.
5. Always apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside, giving it time to be absorbed into your skin; reapply sunscreen every two hours and after swimming.
6. Everyday, rain or shine, slather on body and face moisturizers that contain SPF 15. Damaging sun rays can shoot through your clothing and harm your skin—a white T-shirt only has an SPF of 8.
7. Be extra careful in the sun if you have pale skin, freckles, light eyes, blond or red hair, or are on antibiotics.