No one is going to pretend that aging as a woman in the spotlight is easy. The scrutiny is intense and often unfair, and that is no doubt why many ‘stars’ feel the need to fight mother nature in an effort to look younger.
Some do it in a subtle way; some do it in a not-so-subtle way. But there is no way around the fact that the overwhelming majority of women-of-a-certain-age in the public eye have had some amount of work done.
Honesty, however, is hard to come by. Stars credit water, self-care, yoga, sunscreen, and healthy eating for their preternatural looks. And while all of those things play a role in taking care of yourself, they alone do not explain why a 50-something woman in Hollywood has a snatched jawline with nary a wrinkle in sight.
On a recent episode of The Nerve, Maureen Callahan clapped back at what she called “BS Hollywood beauty tips” hawked by A-listers like Salma Hayek, Jennifer Aniston, and Gisele Bündchen. And she joined Megyn on Friday’s show for a candid discussion about aging and skincare.
BS Beauty Advice
On The Nerve, Callahan ticked through a litany of Hollywood stars who have extolled the virtues of ‘clean living’ as it relates to maintaining their gravity defying visages and physiques. For example, Hayek, who just covered the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue at 58, has credited meditation, joy, and, of course, water for her youthful glow and bombshell body.
Aniston’s facialist told InStyle last year that the beloved Friends star drinks a lot of water, gets a lot of rest, and eats really well – as though that alone can keep a 56 year old looking like a 36 year old.
Back in 2020, Allure interviewed Bündchen about her “shockingly simple” skincare routine that includes washing her face with – gasp! – only water. The supermodel told the mag that skin is a reflection of overall health and wellness, which is not wrong. But it also doesn’t tell the whole story of how you end up with a face devoid of any lines, wrinkles, dark spots, or laxity as you approach middle age.
In some cases these women have outright denied ever having any professional work (think: Botox, filler, lasers, and/or more invasive surgeries) done. And while we can only take them at their word, there is no question such “advice” creates unrealistic expectations about what women should expert to look like as they get older. “It’s a load of bullsh-t they sell to women, and I hate it,” Callahan said. “It is designed to make us all feel terrible about ourselves.”
Talking Transparency
As Megyn and Callahan agreed, it is not hard to spot ‘bad work’ (read: duck lips, pillow faces, Spock brows, and emotionless faces) in Hollywood. It is harder to pinpoint the ‘good work’ that leaves a patient looking rejuvenated and refreshed in that ‘I just got back from a super relaxing vacation’ kind of way. Many, many women in Hollywood fall into that bucket, but very, very few are talking about it.
That is their prerogative, but Megyn and Callahan said a little transparency would go a long way. “I know a friend of mine had a leg lift, so that the knees don’t look old. And she laughingly said, ‘Don’t get that. I’ve got such bad scars. With my bikini line, I will never, ever leave my husband,'” Megyn shared. “She’s very open about what she has done, and she had me in hysterics talking about this… So, this nonsense of ‘it’s just my water’ is a bridge too far.”
Megyn has been open about getting Botox and laser treatments on her face, but she said she also tried a laser on the skin around her knees for a less invasive ‘lift’ than her friend opted for. “It hurt so badly, she gave me nitrous oxide… It hurt like a MOFO. It did make the knees look better – I’m not going to lie – but then it goes right back,” she said. “I recently saw a picture of Cindy Crawford and of Melania Trump, where they both have the knees starting to sag and I thought, Thank God. You know, it makes you feel better.”
While Megyn is “strongly opposed” to facial filler because, in her experience and opinion, “you just look weird,” Callahan credited a bit of filler in the tear troughs – administered by her board certified dermatologist – with helping rejuvenate her under-eye area.
‘Elegant’ Aging
Ultimately, Callahan said her “aging goals” are inspired by “women who age gracefully” à la Emily in Paris actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu.”She is so stylish, and she is so cool, and she is so obviously in her mid-fifties,” she explained. “She has lines, her skin is kind of saggy, but she has so much confidence and so much style that you’re just like, I want to be that person.”
“There is an elegance in not doing [too much] to yourself. It shows a level of self-confidence,” she concluded. “Most of us really want to look our best, but it shows a sense of humility because time comes for us all. Age comes for us all.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Callahan by tuning in to episode 1,079 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.