Kelly Ripa Reveals Her Exact Skincare Routine for a Youthful Glow at 50
Kelly Ripa celebrated her 50th birthday on Friday, and the Live with Kelly and Ryan host has lots of feelings about the major milestone.
“What I have discovered is that, in each decade, I have learned so much that has been able to improve the following decade,” Ripa told Prevention.com. “So, everything I learned in my 30s, I took into my 40s, and kind of maximized by 40.”
With that, she has endured some learning curves, particularly around how she cares for her skin. “Ten years ago, I was washing my face with soap and water — the harshest soap possible and the hottest water possible,” she says. “And now it’s really about making up for all of that by being gentle with my skin and prepping it before I put makeup on.”
Here’s everything the mom of three does to maintain her radiant complexion at 50.
1. She starts her day with dry brushing.
Ripa is a huge fan of dry brushing first thing in the morning. “Your skin is such a huge organ,” she explains. “I do a good vigorous brush of my entire body. I brush up towards my heart and down towards my hands.”
Want to try it yourself? With a soft, bristled brush, simply sweep your skin to remove dead skin cells, promote blood flow, and de-puff any fluid build-up. Ripa says she loves to dry brush her legs, stomach, and arms. Then, she hops into the shower, where she uses Dove’s Beauty Bar, a classic moisturizing cleanser that is gentle on sensitive skin.
2. Then, she massages her face.
Ripa also swears by a good facial massage. “I take a big bowl of ice and I put my jade face roller, my two rose quartz face rollers, and my Jillian Dempsey Gold Sculpting Bar all on ice,” she says. “While they’re cooling, I moisturize my skin, and then I roll.”
Facial massaging tools like jade rollers can help de-puff the face, boost circulation, and help your favorite serums and moisturizers absorb well into the skin. The stones maintain a cool temperature against your face, which also just feels incredible. “For me, it’s all about skin prep!” Ripa says.
3. A moisturizing face oil is key.
To keep her skin silky smooth, Ripa turns to a hydrating facial oil. “I put on a really good primer, like a skin oil and a primer, and then my makeup on top of it,” she says. Her go-to product is the 2 Note Renewal Facial Serum, which packs skin-plumping hyaluronic acid and brightening vitamin C.
Ripa also uses the Uma Oils Absolute Anti-Aging Face Oil, which is infused with tons of nourishing essential oils.
“I guess this is my anti-aging secret — this and Botox, if we’re being honest,” she previously told NY Mag. “I apply it first thing in the morning when I’m fresh out of the shower, and then right before I go to bed. And when I wake up in the morning, my skin still feels moisturized.”
4. Sunscreen is a must.
Ripa’s non-negotiable beauty tip? Never forget your SPF. “I wear sunscreen always. I even wear it indoors as well,” she says. “My dermatologist said even if it’s the tiniest window, sun gets in. Sun bounces off reflective surfaces and you don’t realize the older you get, it’s the sun you experienced as a teenager when you didn’t protect your skin that comes back to haunt you as a 50-year-old.”
Her sunscreen of choice? La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Light Fluid SPF 60, which is oil- and fragrance-free and packed with protective antioxidants. Plus, it blends in effortlessly and offers a natural matte finish so you never feel greasy.
Now that she’s learned the importance sun protection, Ripa is passing on the wisdom to her 19-year-old daughter, Lola. “I’m constantly on my daughter about wearing sunscreen. My boys do it automatically. My daughter just wants to have a good time,” she jokes.
5. She always takes off her makeup before bed.
Because Ripa’s job revolves around live television, she wears a lot of makeup to get camera-ready — and counts down the minutes until she can take it all off.
“As soon as I’m done with work — sometimes the credits are rolling — I’m taking my makeup off,” she says. “I really believe if I didn’t work on camera, I would never wear makeup. I do my best to let my skin breathe and leave it alone.”
Ripa says the Alcone Make-Off Makeup Remover Cloths are a game-changer. “These wipes are so efficient. You don’t have to scrub your skin to get the makeup off, and they don’t leave your skin feeling greasy either,” she told NY Mag. “The older you get, your skin becomes like a piece of paper, so you want to really be gentle with it.”
A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on Feb 3, 2019 at 9:58am PST
6. Beauty really starts with a healthy diet.
For Ripa, glowing skin starts from the inside out. “The older I get, the more I realize that it was the nutritional aspect. My trainer and all of the nutritionists we’ve had on Live with Kelly and Ryan over the years, they’ve all said it’s 80% nutrition, 20% fitness,” she says.
Ripa eats a “very clean diet,” which she describes as mostly vegetarian. “Very rarely do I have any animal protein,” she explains. Because of that, she also swears by Persona Nutrition Supplements to help “fill the gaps” in her eating plan. (Ripa is a spokesperson for the brand.)
“The older I get, the more I realize it’s about what goes in. That allows you to have the energy to run outside, do an indoor cycling class, or however anyone’s exercising right now,” she says. “As we speak, I’m on the thigh master.”
Ripa constantly keeps moving, too. “I’ve always been fitness-oriented. Since my kids have gone to school, I’ve dedicated a part of my day to doing something for myself in terms of exercise because it was good for my body, and it was really good for my mind,” she says. Happy body + happy mind = happy skin!
A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on May 6, 2018 at 2:09pm PDT
7. Oh, and she laughs at life.
As a public figure, Ripa has certainly experienced the darker side of social media (a.k.a., Instagram and Twitter trolls.) But she doesn’t let them get to her — and leaving that stress behind makes all the difference.
“I don’t take social media seriously. To leave a truly hateful comment on Instagram usually means that there’s something probably very wrong with the person,” she explains, adding that she never interprets the negative comments “to be taken seriously.”
“Usually I find that the people who follow me, at least they are clever. They’ll say something that’s funny. And even when it’s not funny, it’s so ridiculous that it becomes funny,” she added. “And sometimes if you just respond in an equally absurd way, then it all becomes funny.”
We have no doubt she’ll take that care-free attitude well into her 50s and beyond.
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