Salma Hayek Says Don’t Wash Your Face in the Morning But This Dermatologist Says Otherwise
There’s no doubt Salma Hayek looks absolutely amazing at 56 years old, making us wonder quite often about her skincare routine.
The actress has withstood a nearly-three-decade Hollywood career, and she looks pretty much the same as she did in her iconic 1995 “Desperado” scene. Is it sorcery? Magic? Are we talking “Tangled”-esque mystical flowers that keep you young forever? Or just, you know, direct access to the fountain of youth? Well, the “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” star just shared her big skincare secret once and for all, and it’s… pretty anticlimactic.
Salma Hayek told GQ that her biggest secret to young skin comes straight from her abuelita
Salma Hayek sat down with British GQ in a fun Q&A, reading out a question from a Twitter user. User @yanaolivejuice asked, “What is Salma Hayek’s skincare routine? That woman is in her 50s and looks AMAZING.” We have to agree. In true form, Hayek poked a bit of fun at the question before answering it: “What?! I’m 41… No, I’m just kidding.”
The Coatzacoalcos, Mexico-born star then sat back, and gave us all her most confidential beauty secret. Liquid gold? Crushed diamonds? The fruit of a tree only found in her (probably sprawling) backyard? Nope, it’s actually very accessible… almost too accessible. She explained, “My grandmother taught me never to wash my face in the morning.” That’s the secret?
She asserted, “It’s not disgusting guys. What happens at night is that your skin produces all the oils that your skin needs to look youthful, it regenerates.”
Hayek recommends washing “your face really well at night, but don’t wash the hard work off your skin in the morning.” In that case, has our whole life until now been a lie? Well, not quite.
What do experts have to say about Hayek’s skincare tip?
mitú sat down with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Bertha Baum to get an expert’s opinion on Salma Hayek’s skincare advice. So what’s the verdict? For one, according to Dr. Baum, it’s not necessarily bad to not wash your face in the morning. She explained, “It is not necessarily true that we all must cleanse our faces every morning to maintain a youthful appearance.”
In that case, is the actress really onto something? Not really. Dr. Baum asserted: “Because we often sweat at night and apply creams as part of our nighttime skincare routines, we must remember to wash our faces with a gentle cleanser as soon as we wake up.” So while Hayek’s abuelita might have looked as amazing as she does — maybe the reason is just genetics?
Dr. Baum recommends gentle face washes like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cleanser, which “help remove impurities and any leftover products from the previous night.” Choosing a face wash with hyaluronic acid is also a great idea, to help your skin lock in “moisture” and all the hydration. Glazed donut-esque glass skin coming right up.
The dermatologist also suggests choosing the right cleanser for you. “If you have oily skin, you may need a cleanser that contains salicylic acid to remove excess oil prior to applying your other morning skincare products.”
So, in short, you can try Hayek’s abuelita’s advice if you wish — but we would tread lightly!
