Let’s face it. When it comes to beauty (and pretty much every other aspect of life), everyone wishes they were Jennifer Aniston. The recently engaged “Friends” star is now 43 years old, but she doesn’t look a day over 30. How does she do it? Sure, she gets $450 red carpet facials every month, and her chemical peels cost almost $300 a pop, but Jen’s at-home routine actually has some very affordable aspects.
Jen starts off her 30-minute nightly routine by steaming her pores for ten minutes. Steaming open the pores is great for the skin because it clears out all of the dirt from the day, and it’s completely free. If you’ve never tried steaming your pores before, I highly recommend it; your skin will feel softer than ever! No wonder Jen makes it a part of her daily routine.
After cleansing, using toner, and applying moisturizer, everyone’s favorite “Friend” gives herself a ten-minute facial massage to stimulate skin cells and tighten muscles. As college women, we think that we don’t have time for this, that we would rather spend that time sleeping. In reality, there is no better way to relax after a long day than a facial massage. Plus, if this will really make us look like Jennifer Aniston when we’re 40, then it’s worth the extra time, right?
Jen also uses Anna Lotan Vitamin A treatment, but it might be a little much for our broke college selves to spend on anti-aging cream. The good news is you can get a product with the same active ingredient, Retinol, for a lot less. I recommend Puritan brand, which can be purchased online for $11.99 (Bonus: The bottle lasts forever, and they usually have buy one get one specials). I’ve been using retinol every night for almost two years, and in addition to (hopefully) preventing wrinkles, it really clears up the skin.
While the Vitamin A soaks into her skin, Aniston breaks open Vitamin E capsules and applies them to her shins and elbows. This might seem a little strange, but can you really deny that Jen’s skin glows on the red carpet? It turns out that Vitamins E and A can both be absorbed through the skin, unlike most other vitamins, so soak in as much as you can.
Yet another awesome tip from Jen: don’t be afraid to combine products. Aniston uses no fewer than six products on her face every night. Try mixing Retinol cream with your favorite moisturizer (or two!). Just make sure to apply the products from thinnest to thickest.
Finally, my favorite piece of Jennifer Aniston beauty advice is to dab a little Vaseline under each eye before bed. It’s like eye cream, but even more moisturizing, so it’s great wrinkle and dark circle prevention for the especially thin skin around the eyes. Added bonus: Vaseline is also great for the eyelashes. The $3.00 drugstore staple is great for anywhere that needs extra moisture, really (just ask Tyra Banks).
We can’t all be Jennifer Aniston, but luckily, we can steal some of her more affordable beauty tips. It doesn’t hurt that Jen has a contract with Smart Water (she drinks 100 ounces every day), since water is also great for the skin. She even dunks her face in a sink full of ice water every morning to decrease puffiness. It turns out that Jen’s beauty routine is more hard work than it is expensive, so it’s certainly worth a try.