Here's Exactly How J.Lo Gets Her Healthy, Glowing Skin
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Jennifer Lopez is 51 years old, though you'd probably never guess it just by looking at her. The star is in amazing physical shape and has nearly perfect skin, making her look decades younger than she actually is. While we're all about aging gracefully at EatingWell, we wanted to know the tips and tricks behind J.Lo's youthful appearance. Here's what she swears by for healthy skin.
Related: 8 Secrets to J. Lo's Killer Physique
How to Get J.Lo's Glowing Skin
Nourish yourself from the inside out.
Jennifer Lopez's daily diet is chock-full of veggies, fruit, lean proteins, nuts and whole grains. While a nutritious diet is important for overall health, certain foods that J.Lo loves (like berries, nuts and green veggies) are also linked to more youthful-looking skin.
Beyond her diet, she's known for chugging her bedazzled J. Lo cup full of water. Her trainer told US Weekly, "She drinks a minimum of seven glasses a day" and starts each day with a glass of lemon water. Hydration is key to plump, moisturized skin, so we should pretty much all get a bedazzled cup and start drinking more water ASAP.
Lopez is also a big believer in getting her beauty sleep. She 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."
Don't drink (or drink in moderation).
J.Lo shared in an Instagram video that she doesn't ever drink alcohol. We're guessing this has something to do with her lit-from-within glow, since alcohol consumption is linked to skin dehydration, wrinkles, redness and more. Not to mention, since she doesn't go out late and drink, she stays more hydrated and ready to crush those intense a.m. workouts.
Stay active.
Between dancing on stage and her daily workouts, J.Lo loves to break a sweat. And it turns out, that may be one of her secrets to healthier skin. According to research, exercise can help improve blood flow and may actually make your skin look younger and healthier. Not to mention, exercise can reduce your stress levels, which could impact your skin's appearance.
Related: J. Lo Reportedly Eats This Classic Comfort Food Every Week—and Still Has Killer Abs
Invest in your skincare routine.
"For years, the number one question I have been asked is 'what do I do for my skin,'" Lopez said in an Instagram post. She said so many people wanted to know, that she "felt an obligation to put it in a bottle."
When she was working with a team to formulate the line of products, she knew one ingredient she definitely wanted to include: olive oil. The star said she's tried everything from drugstore to name-brand products, but ultimately she went back to the skincare secrets her mom told her when she was young. "Olive oil was kind of a cure-all for your hair, your skin, your nails, your body. It's like nature's magic ingredient. That's the thing that makes that natural glow."
Her entire line of products at Sephora contains "JLo Beauty? Olive Complex," a blend of squalene, fermented oil, extra virgin olive oil and leaf extract for mega hydration. You can snag them at Sephora.
- 64 Available at Sephora
Practice positive thinking and self-care.
Lopez said in an Instagram post, "As women, people are so ready to write us off once we're past 25, 35, and I just kept waiting for that to happen. And then I realized, 'no, I'm not going to let that happen'...It's about being powerful and realizing your own worth...beauty doesn't really have an expiration date."
And part of realizing her worth means making time for self-care—even if she just has a few minutes. J. Lo told InStyle, "I am a big bath person. I like putting flowers, oils, salts, and emollients into the water. Then I put a mask on. I love taking 30 minutes for myself in a hot tub and not letting anybody in."
Sip on green tea.
Green tea has tons of health benefits—including glowing skin. Sipping on green tea every day can help reduce inflammation in the skin and protect it from free radicals (think: UV rays and environmental pollutants) that can speed up your skin's aging process. So choosing tea over a sugary coffee drink is definitely a smart move on J. Lo's part.
Take a break from makeup.
Wearing lots of makeup comes with the territory of being a celebrity, but taking a break from all of the heavy foundation and concealer is important for letting your skin breathe. J. Lo told InStyle, "I am pretty low-key when it comes to my day-to-day beauty routine. I have to wear a lot of makeup for work, so when I am not working, I tend to wear little to no makeup."
Always wear SPF.
Lopez's glowing tan is certainly enviable, but she doesn't bake in the sun to achieve it. "I am a firm believer in SPF. I try not to stay out in the sun too long," she told Instyle. J.Lo's makeup artist revealed to The Skincare Edit that he likes to use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 on her. (Buy it: $7.59, Target)
It goes without saying that sun damage can prematurely age your skin and cause skin cancer, so it's worth taking a page from J.Lo's book and slathering on the SPF before you head outside.
The Bottom Line
We can all try to emulate Jennifer Lopez's healthy lifestyle for glowing skin (and better health in general), but it's also worth remembering that we shouldn't hold ourselves to Hollywood's beauty standards. Get your beauty sleep, eat well, exercise and slather on the SPF, and you'll be well on your way to better skin!