The 10 secret beauty products celebrities swear by

Beauty


The 10 secret beauty products celebrities swear by

By Sejal Kapadia Pocha

Updated 8 years ago

From frequently flying around the world to having heated tongs routinely twirled around their locks, a celebrity's hair and skin can really be tested.

They know exactly what it's like to have lifeless skin or straw-like hair and spend hours with hair and beauty experts. So if anyone knows what beauty products work (and which don't) it's the A-listers.

In a world where celebrity endorsements can be mistaken for personal opinion, it's hard to know exactly what beauty buys the stars use. But we've handily scoured countless interviews to find out just what beauty essentials famous women rely on.

From cleanser to blusher, each product listed here has been recommended by three or more A-listers. Consider it your make-up bag upgrade...

1) Aquaphor

This soothing balm is clinically proven to help support skin's own regeneration process. "It costs nothing and it's amazing for dry skin, which I have," says Nicole Kidman. "I put it on my face and it's very, very good."

Charlize Theron was recommended the product by the doctor for her son Jackson. "When I started using it on him, I realised it’s one of the best hand creams ever. Great on lips too," said the star and face of J'adore by Christian Dior.

Beyoncé smears Aquaphor all over her face right before going to bed. "I go to bed looking totally greasy," said the singer. "It's not all glamour all the time." Meanwhile, actress Lucy Liu turned to the product when she was shooting a film in Montreal. "It was freezing. If you take a little bit of Aquaphor and dab it on your face, it keeps your skin looking fresh". She dubbed the cream, "Aqua For Everything".

£9, boots.com

2) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

This soap-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and affordable cleanser is a go-to product for the stars.

"I use the cheapest possible skin care — not because it's cheap, but because it's the best," says Olivia Wilde. "Dermatologists have recommended it for years and I've never paid attention. But recently I started using Cetaphil cleanser and CeraVe moisturizer. They're gentle and simple."

Zoe Saldana considers the cleanser her most trusted skincare product, saying, "I’ve always used Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer. My skin’s not very sensitive, but because I travel so much, it sometimes reacts to the change in environments.

Claire Danes and Charlize Theron also regularly use the cleanser, the latter saying she loves "the clean smell".

£5.99, boots.com

3) Benefit Benetint

The rose-tinted liquid from Benefit has been applauded by many A-listers, most notably Nicole Kidman, who said: "I'm a mom so I don't have a lot of room in my bag, but I always try to have an all-in-one product. I use Benefit Benetint on my lips and cheeks."

American actress Leelee Sobieski also uses Benetint on her lips and cheeks for a "nice, flushed look", and Amy Adams and Eva Mendes consider it their favourite lip stain.

£25.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk

4) Vaseline

It's not a surprise petroleum jelly is a multipurpose and inexpensive bathroom cabinet essential, but we didn't know it was equally cherished by Hollywood's greatest. Frieda Pinto uses it on her eyelids to give her a "dewy, angelic look" and Jennifer Aniston is known to use the product under her eyes every night to moisturise and prevent wrinkles.

The OC star Rachel Bilson uses petroleum jelly to aid in removing her make-up, saying it works especially well on hard to get rid of eye products.

And we can't forget Tyra Banks. The model and television personality was famously so enamored with Vaseline, she gave everyone in the audience of her TV show a jar all the while screaming about the product. You can also count Jennifer Lopez, Alek Wek, Kelly Rowland and many others as Vaseline fans.

£2.09, boots.com

5) Crème de la Mer

The name literally means 'cream of the sea' and stars swear by its ability to renew and restore skin.

"I’ve become quite a La Mer devotee," said Amy Adams in a Vogue interview. "I’ve tried other things, and I just keep coming back to it because it seems to repair the dryness in my skin". But with a starting price at £105, the American Hustle actress added, "Sometimes I'll use [The Treatment] lotion. It doesn't always have to be the heavy cream".

Charlize Theron says, "If it’s winter, or if I’m visiting a place that has a dry climate, this is all I use. It’s the only thing that keeps my skin moisturised,". Meanwhile, tennis icon Serena Williams says: "I’m forever putting this on my face".

From £115 for 30ml, cremedelamer.co.uk

6) Nars blush in ‘Orgasm’

For a pared down, natural look, the stars - particularly those with pale skin - turn to this Nars blusher in the peachy pink shade called Orgasm, including Rachel McAdams, Adele, Julianna Margulies and Rooney Mara.

"I'm embarrassed to say, one of my favorite shades is Orgasm," says Mara. "I toss one of these sticks in my bag and rub it on whenever I need a hit of colour.”

£23.50, narscosmetics.co.uk

7) Olive oil

Alongside oil-based beauty products such as Josie Maran Argan Oil used by Emma Stone and Mila Kunis, celebrities are also cracking open a bottle of basic kitchen olive oil.

"I have a big bottle of olive oil on my sink," says Emma Stone. "So I just put it on my face, and I smell like focaccia. And it’s really sexy," joked The Amazing Spider-Man actress.

"I’m allergic to everything so I’m pretty limited. Anything that’s oil, I want it all over my entire body," she added.

Gwyneth Paltrow turns to olive oil for her hair. "I often recommend that people use a half cup of olive oil and work it through dry hair, concentrating on the driest parts, combing it through but avoiding the roots," recommends the actress.

Dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone also advised Paltrow: "The most powerful member of the olive oil polyphenol group is Hydroxytyrosol. Extremely rare, and effective in even small concentrations, this super antioxidant, anti-inflammatory has been proven to be effective in improving general health and appearance".

Italian icon Sophia Loren has said she owes her natural beauty to "the odd bath in virgin olive oil," an ancient Rome custom. Loren's Mediterranean diet also ensured she was able to include at least two tablespoons of the stuff in her food every day, while routinely rubbing a small amount into her skin kept her complexion glossy and moisturized. To have an olive oil bath add a few capfuls into hot water for a nourishing skin soak.

£2.45, waitrose.com

8) MoroccanOil Treatment

It's the most searched for hair oil brand on Google and since its launch in 2009, the brand has become a celebrity favourite.

"I’m very anal about my hair," says The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev. "When I first got my job on the show, my mom told me, 'We know they need your hair for today, you need it for life. You can’t let them sizzle it off.'" To maintain Dobrev's long luscious locks, the show's hairstylist Riawna Capri, washed her brunette strands three times a week and rotated in one of three mask treatments every third wash – a Keratin treatment, Softa Treatment by Unite, or a hair mask by MoroccanOil.

But the serum is not only preventative. "My hair once broke off from too much dye, and this product helped it get healthy. I use it like a leave-in conditioner," says Charlize Theron.

Celebrity stylist, Robert Vetic, used the product to tame and smoothe Scarlett Johannson's hair at the Golden Globes.

From £13.45, feelunique.com

9) Epsom bath salts

Epsom salts are not actually salt but a natural compound of magnesium and sulcate that can regulate over 300 enzymes in the body, help flush out toxins and form proteins, according to the Epsom Salt Council. Soaking in Epsom salts has been a long time soothing ritual, especially for athletes, but stars are now using it to relieve aches and pains and calm their muscles and mind.

Gwyneth Paltrow is a big fan of the miracle mix. "I take an Epsom salt bath every night to wind down," says Paltrow when discussing the natural way she relaxes.

Health and fitness expert and Jennifer Lawrence's trainer, Dalton Wong, gave the actress some Epsom salts to bathe in the night before the BAFTA Awards in 2013 to help get rid of any bloating in the body. "It’s a great trick that anyone can use if they’re working up to wearing a particularly clingy dress," said Wong.

Victoria Beckham and Elle Macpherson are also said to be fans.

£5.99 for 1kg, westlab.co.uk

10) Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer

This concealer continues to win major awards year-after-year so it's no surprise it's a favourite among celebrities.

Zooey Deschanel, Chrissy Teigen and Jenna Dewan Tatum have all commended it as the best concealer they've used.

"My mom was the one who told me about this stick," said Rooney Mara. "It gives such good coverage, yet you look as though you're not wearing anything at all.”

From £53, cosme-de.com

Want to find out more about the latest beauty trends? Why not attend ‘Game Changers: The five beauty products every woman needs in 2018’ at Stylist Live. In this session discover ground-breaking newbies to cult classics, don't invest until you've heard this talk from the best in the beauty business, Cult Beauty founder Alexia Inge. Find out more at: live.stylist.co.uk 

Stylist Live brings everything you love about Stylist magazine to life across three days of experts, interviews, comedy, food, beauty and fashion exclusives.
10 -12 November, Olympia London.

Main image: Rex Features

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