J.Lo Explains How She Keeps Her Skin Looking Ever-Glowing

There’s a reason Jennifer Lopez named her personal fragrance Glow—that woman’s skin is seriously luminous.

Late last year, she threw a lifeline to those of us who wish we had her clear, glowing skin when she launched JLo Beauty. The range includes an SPF, eye cream, and serum and while you can’t get it in Australia yet, it’s instore at Sephora US so we’ve got high hopes for its arrival on our shores soon.

So, what exactly is Jenny from the block doing to keep her visage as fresh as the day she launched onto the music scene with If You Had My Love back in 1999?

What Does J.Lo Do For Her Skin?

Good Genes

We know, it’s not what you want to hear, but genes have a huge impact on your skin.

“People always ask about my skin,” Lopez said back in 2014 when people were already begging for her secrets. “I have to say, I have good genes. My mom and my grandma had beautiful skin, so I was blessed in that way. I haven’t had any plastic surgery…or injectables or fillers or anything like that.”

Sunscreen

You’ve heard it before a thousand times, but adding SPF into your skincare regimen is the best thing you can do to ward off wrinkles, sun spots, discolouration and, obviously, skin cancers and melanomas.

“I like sunbathing like everybody else when I go on vacation,” she admitted last year. “It’s not something I over-abuse, but that’s why a big part [of JLo Beauty] was the sunscreen.

“A dermatologist told me at a very young age to use sunscreen, and I was like, ‘What do I need sunscreen for? I live in New York.’ But the truth is, that was a big part of why I was able to stay youthful-looking because I used it as my moisturiser every single day. It helped me protect myself from the elements, and enough people don’t understand that such a big part of staying youthful looking is using sunscreen every day.”

And don’t cringe—sunscreen today is a world away from the thick, greasy gunk you used to slather yourself in. There are plenty of brands (J.Lo’s own included) making formulations that you’ll actually enjoy applying every day. Just apply all over—including ears, neck and chest—every morning as part of your routine and you’ll thank yourself in a decade. Trust us.

Washing Her Face

Sounds simple, but just wash your damn face—especially after working out and before you go to bed.

“I always, always wash my face after a workout,” she told Hello magazine. “That helps keep my pores clean, and my skin feeling healthy.”

Washing your face after a sweat sesh removes all the bacteria and sweat residue that has accumulated on your skin. At the very least, splash your face with water until you can get to your cleanser, to limit clogged pores and congestion.

And we shouldn’t need to tell you this, but never, ever, go to bed with make-up on.

“I never go to bed without taking my makeup off, [and I use] night creams to keep my skin hydrated,” Lopez told People in 2016.

Washing and hydrating your face before bed takes off the layer of make-up, sweat and grime that’s built up over the day and lets your skin breathe while you sleep.

Watching What She Eats (and Drinks)

“I don’t drink or smoke or have caffeine,” she told Us Weekly. “That really wrecks your skin as you get older.”

“I think drinking lots of water and fresh foods with lots of fruits and vegetables (I keep [them] with me at all time.) all play into the quality of skin’s appearance,” she told People.

Of course, it’s easy for those who can afford to have a private chef on call to design and prepare healthy meals, but you can make an effort by adding skin-friendly foods to your diet. Try carrots, apricots, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, berries, legumes, salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish, and nuts.

She also doesn’t drink much alcohol, which is a known skin-wrecker. Just something to think about before you pour that second glass of wine.

Giving it a Break

We’re not sure we’ve ever seen her without a full face, but J.Lo swears by going make-up free whenever possible.

“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,” she told InStyle.

Leaving your skin free of cosmetics lets it breathe and avoids the risk of irritation. A side benefit is that it saves you time in the mornings—but that’s not an excuse to skip the sunscreen.

Getting The Beauty Sleep

We’re all guilty of shaving a few hours off at either end of the night to get through our busy to-do lists, but that’s guaranteed to wreck your skin. Sleep deprivation can lead to reduced collagen production, causing wrinkled or sagging skin. It’s recommended that we get eight hours a night but looking at J.Lo’s skin, we’re considering a little more.

“Ideally, I would love to get nine or 10 hours of sleep,” Lopez told InStyle. “But either way, I always make sure I get at least eight.”

Using the Right Products

Lopez seeks out hero ingredients like glycolic acid to brighten, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and rosehip oil to soothe. And while she’s a huge fan of luxury products—she keeps a pot of La Mer in her bathroom cabinet—she also has a few less-expensive products on hand, including olive oil—a simple family trick that makes an appearance in her own beauty line.

“Whenever my hair, skin, or nails were dry, I’d go back to olive oil,” she said, which explains why it’s the hero ingredient in JLo Beauty’s Beauty Olive Complex.

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