Why stars in their 40s like Kim Kardahsian and Andrew Garfield look younger than ever before

Celebrities in their forties look younger than ever thanks to modern skincare, healthy diets and ‘tweakments’, it has been revealed.

While many people feel the pressure of hitting the milestone birthday, modern celebrities in their early forties or late thirties are at the peak of their careers.

At 41, Beyonce is currently headlining a sell-out world tour, while Chris Hemsworth and Andrew Garfield, both 39, are among the highest-paid actors in the world.

Elsewhere, Kate Middleton, now 41,  is said to have ‘found her style’ at 40, while Kim Kardashian, 42, said reaching her forth decade saw her ‘give zero f****’ and ‘have the best sex of her life’.

But one huge difference between the celebrities of today and those of the past is how young they look.

This is mostly down to better knowledge of skincare, healthier diets and the rise of quick non-invasive treatments and injectables – known as ‘tweakments’.

Speaking to FEMAIL, aesthetics experts revealed how stars of today have such a youthful glow, looking years younger than those the same ages as them in decades past.

Dr Sophie Shotter, an award-winning aesthetic doctor, with over a decade of medical experience, said that how we age has changed in ‘every capacity’.  

‘If I think of how my grandmother was in her mid 50s, she was an old lady. And celebrities would seem to disappear from the public eye after a certain age, as people didn’t seem to cast many females over a certain age,’ she explained.

‘Yet now, many of the celebrities we perceive as most successful and most attractive are older women. 

‘I think this is for several reasons, but primarily because we have knowledge and treatments available to us now which were not available 20 years ago. 

‘This includes knowledge about how we age, and the impact that lifestyle, nutrition and exercise have on the ageing process. 

‘It also includes the availability of treatments, both aesthetic and within the biohacking field, which help us to age better on the inside and out. 

‘I think all of this together is what is helping celebrities to look younger now – it’s not just on the surface, they’re living lifestyles aimed at promoting health span in addition to looking after their appearance.’

It’s certainly true that celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, who looks much younger than her 50 years, and Kourtney Kardashian, 44, have built empires around wellness by selling the secrets of looking young.

Older stars like Jennifer Lopez, 53, Jennifer Aniston, 54,  and Reese Witherspoon, 47, all attribute their youthful beauty to healthy diets and exercise – with both Jennifers known for their love of cardio.

Meanwhile stars like Angela Bassett, 64, who is often praised for her youthful glows says a ‘good aesthetician’ and ‘plenty of good fats’ are a key reason for her youth.

The focus on wellness among celebrities, as opposed to partying in the past,  is a part of the reason  many stay looking young, as well as modern fashion and beauty trends making stars less limited on how they style themselves.

Tania Z. Rashid of the Aesthetics Lab added that there has been a ‘tremendous increase in cosmeceutical skincare and technological advances in the field of aesthetic medicine since early noughties’ referring to topical skincare that is as high quality as medical, meaning the average person looks younger too.

‘Beauty salons have been pushed aside and brand new aesthetic clinics have moved off Harley Street and onto the high street,’ she explained.

‘Add to that more consumer awareness about sun damage, use of SPF, damaging effects of meat and dairy and suddenly it looks like we have a magic formula for delaying ageing process on our hands,’ she added.

‘Skincare technology has developed vastly over the last decades. 

‘Gone are the days of ‘”cleanse, tone, moisturise”, and the era of “no pain no gain”. 

‘We now have skincare which works to promote healthier skin from the inside out – this can be targeted to focus on cellular changes of ageing· 

SKINCARE 

Advancements in skincare is the number one factor in de-ageing celebrities, many experts claim.

Dr Ross Perry, the Founder & Medical Director of Cosmedics told FEMAIL: ‘Skincare and non-invasive anti-ageing treatments are so much more advanced and readily available to all of us not just celebrities. 

‘Celebrities are much more in-tune with lifestyle choices than ever before which all helps with looking significantly younger. Carefully applied make-up is also now much more advanced which can also make us appear much younger in the flesh.

‘Skincare has never been better and this comes with science developed over many years, but skincare alone can’t make you look younger, small but frequent ‘tweakments’ including facials, peels and laser light therapy are now so advanced alongside a balanced healthy diet, the importance of drinking plenty of water and keeping our skin hydrated, sleep, exercise. 

‘Little alcohol, smoking and being more aware of environmental factors such as UV rays and wearing SPF year round also help with looking young.

‘We’re aware now of the benefits of ingredients such as Retinol, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid which are incorporated into everyday skin care products, which we knew very little about in the 60’s and 70’s’ he added.

Dr Rachel Aarons, Aesthetic Doctor and Founder of The Curated Clinic argues that advances in healthcare and medical technology have resulted in better access to healthcare services, more effective treatments, and increased awareness of healthy lifestyles. 

‘This has led to improved overall health and well-being, which can contribute to a more youthful appearance,’ she explained.

The downside however is ‘paralysis of choice’ meaning that people have too many options to choose from.

‘The skincare industry has witnessed several advances in recent years, with new technologies, ingredients, and approaches being developed to enhance the effectiveness and safety of skincare products. 

‘Accessing this knowledge has never been more attainable, and social media algorithms deliver age-appropriate solutions directly to us. 

‘Access to information is not the issue, but given the scale and variable quality of information, the real issue is navigating our paralysis of choice. Of course with increased exposure to tweakments like fillers and Botox, the stigma surrounding the introduction into our skincare routine diminishes,’ Dr Aarons added.

TWEAKMENTS 

While there have been huge improvements in high street beauty, many celebs also opt for regular ‘tweakments’ to keep a young, healthy glow.   

‘Overall treatments such as microdermabrasion, Profhilo, the use of Botox and Fillers alongside lasers to treat premature-ageing have all become so advanced and continue to do so,’ Dr Perry added.

‘Non-invasive face lifts are also an amazing choice with very little downtime, alongside eye-lid surgery which can take years off someone’s appearance.

‘Injectable have become much more advanced now, yes, better products and better results meaning that they are much more subtle and natural looking than ever before. 

‘As a society, looking after our skin and how we look has become very normal, not just for celebrities but also for the general consumer.

‘It goes without saying that genetics play a large part in how we age alongside lifestyle factors such as a good diet, less stress, exercise, skincare, make-up and of course how we style ourselves with hair styles and fashion choices. 

‘We’re also so much more aware of the dangers of tanning, smoking and drinking which are all contributing factors to how we age.

Dr Deepa Panch, surgical and aesthetics doctor, added that previously a surgical face lift was the ‘only way’ to maintain a youthful complexion.

‘There have been huge advancements in the aesthetic market in the last decade which has meant that more non-surgical options are available with less downtime.  

‘Treatments are also far more accessible now than they have ever been. Also we have to remember years ago, it was fashionable to cover yourself in oil and lay out in the sun for hours- nowadays we are all so much more aware of how the sun has a huge role in skin ageing so I think it is a change in behaviours too.’

FASHION 

While huge advances in skincare help celebrities keep a healthy glow, modern styling also helps today’s 40-year-olds look younger.

‘Fashion is now far more accessible across the age ranges,’ Amish Patel, Award-Winning Aesthetics Practitioner, Skincare Expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic told FEMAIL.

‘Dressing for your age doesn’t mean as soon as you hit over 30, you have to change who you are anymore. 

‘These days it’s about showcasing that natural confidence that growing older brings. 

‘Many of my clients are over 35 and living their best lives. 

‘Having regular dermal fillers and Botox is part of what makes them feel good about themselves – they are doing it for themselves, no one else.’

Dr Paris Acharya, leading aesthetic doctor and face surgeon added that make-up trends have also helped to keep people looking young.

‘While full face, heavy makeup looks used to be popular with celebrities, recent beauty trends on TikTok and Instagram are promoting natural, bare-faced beauty which means that more people in general are paying more attention to their skin’.

PHOTO EDITING 

Amish also explained how modern photos may be more flattering, making celebs appear younger and able to smooth out fine lines.

‘Social media as we know it today wasn’t even a thing back then, so while a celebrity might suffer the occasional bad paparazzi shot or two in their career – these days, everyone has a camera on their phone and a social media account they can upload footage and images onto for public viewing so there is not only greater awareness on not only how your competition is looking but also greater scrutiny on anyone in the public eye.’

TREATMENT IN YOUR TWENTIES 

Tania also explained that people are starting skincare routines much younger, meaning they age more slowly.

‘Late noughties have seen a rise in minimally invasive aesthetic procedures or tweakments as they are now called,’ she explained.

‘Advances in injectable techniques with fillers and Botox as well skin boosters means consumer can start the anti-ageing journey at a much younger age without the need to go for an invasive facelift at the age of 40 or 50. 

‘These tweakments instead of ‘filling’ and ‘freezing’ your face, like in 90s,  will enhance, lift and plump. 

‘You no longer have to explain what you are feeling following your Botox treatment as your face will move and eyebrows will lift, however you will no longer have that frown line or wrinkles across your forehead. 

‘New Skinboosters such a Profhilo work on replenishing your skin with hyaluronic acid and working on skin’s collagen production without filling the face and neck. 

‘This means younger consumers in their late 20s and 30s can start using this tweakment to delay first signs of ageing, while older users can continue to look younger than their age with the aid of this product. 

‘Skin boosters can also be used on body areas such as hands, elbows, knees and décolletage, meaning areas that traditionally were hard to treat and gave away your age can now also be addressed and treated.

‘Add to these treatments such as micro needling, radio frequency and HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) as well as laser treatments that non-invasively work on improving skin texture, pigmentation, scarring and stretch marks as well as improving collagen production and we have a wholesome approach to delaying ageing. 

‘These treatments can be started as early as your early twenties when your collagen production is still high. 

‘With the aid of these treatments collagen levels get replenished, therefore delaying first signs of ageing. 

‘What’s best is treatments such as laser resurfacing that previously had long downtime now have less downtime and are far more tolerable in terms of comfort, making it more accessible to any consumer’.

BETTER TECH

Dr Ashwin Soni, of THE SONI CLINIC, explained there is ‘a lot more treatments’ at our disposal, meaning things can be personalised to the patient.

‘The evolution of skin boosters and polynucleotides has lead to patients looking healthier, improving skin quality, and giving that red carpet glow.

‘These products are not volumisers like filler, but can really complement results well by improving the quality of the skin. The days of using too much volume of filler should be behind us now. The goal of non-surgical treatments should be to naturally refresh and rejuvenate, and improve the skin quality with a combination of skincare and injectables.

The technology behind skincare has also evolved with science-backed brands spending a lot of time and money on research. For example, the Techno neck perfecting cream by Skinbetter Science has a chemical called nitric oxide, which vasodilates the blood vessels, and therefore improves circulation and recruits more nutrients and oxygen to the skin of the neck. This is one example of many to show what skincare is really capable of now, but being guided by a provider is always advisable given that everyone has a different skin type.

BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF STRESS 

Dr Ashwin Soni added: ‘We are all focusing more on improving our stress levels, improving the wellness element of our lives, and watching what we eat and drink more. 

‘This in turn is leading to our skin being in better condition, and being the healthiest versions of ourselves possible.’

Dr Aarons also explained how there is a ‘greater emphasis on mental health management today’.

‘Managing stress levels can have positive effects on overall health and well-being, which can reflect a more youthful appearance.