Salma Hayek’s Skincare Secrets

I-can’t-believe-she’s-54-years-old Salma Hayek is gung ho about going makeup-free. The actress recently shared some silky-skinned selfies on her Instagram, and her complexion is absolutely spectacular. So what is her secret?

This A-Lister learned the do’s and don’t’s of skincare from her grandmother, who was trained in cosmetology. The star shared with Glamour magazine, “I think that my beauty routine, and how I see beauty, is from what I learned from my grandmother.” Here’s a rundown of some of Salma’s skincare secrets, straight from the source!

1. Skip the Morning Scrub

“My grandmother taught me that at night, your skin replenishes all the things you lost during the day. I never cleanse my skin in the morning, because I usually cleanse very thoroughly at night,” Hayek shared with the New York Times. However, the skin is not formulaic, it requires you understanding what it needs. “For hydration, sometimes I put rose water. Sometimes not. Sometimes straight to the cream. You have to see how your skin feels every day.”

2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Hayek launched her own brand of makeup, skincare, and haircare products in 2011. Her product line is inspired by her family’s heritage, and their collective vision of beauty. Her favorite product is the AM/PM Anti-Aging Super Cream, which she had a hand in formulating. “I told the developers the ingredients they needed to put into the cream. They were shocked because they didn’t know about them,” she told Glamour magazine. She also ensures that her skin stays hydrated by using a mix of serums and oils, depending on her skin each day.

3. Ease Up On Exfoliation

Hayek is genuinely careful with her skin. “Exfoliating a lot may make you look good in the short term, but maybe not in the long term”. She’s right too, studies have shown that it is easy to exfoliate too often, which can actually inflame your complexion, scratch your dermis, and cause irritation. Dermatologists often recommend being extra gentle and starting with exfoliation once a week at most.

4. Good Food, Good Skin

Hayek has loved makeup since she was fourteen years old. While she is constantly dolled up for work on camera and for the press, her normal daily routine involves a tiny bit of foundation and lipstick, which doubles as blush on her cheeks. She is adamant however about never forgetting to take it off at night, and she swears by coconut oil, followed by rose water to take off the residuals. If you want to be extra, which you should when it comes to taking care of your skin, try dipping a towel in rose water and then heating it up slightly in the microwave for a quick steam. Not too hot though, you don’t want to scald yourself!

Hayek also likes to tinker around with other natural products that can be easily found in the kitchen, like oatmeal, water or almond milk, and a dollop of honey. Mix it all together, let it soak, and then use it to cleanse your skin.

To get celebrity soft skin, the lesson from Salma Hayek is clear: take care of your skin, and it will take care of you!