"There are a few celebrities whose beauty stops me in my tracks: Rihanna, Meghan Markle, Lizzo, Sydney Sweeney, Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek, and Blake Lively, just to name a few. They have the best and brightest giving them facials, seaweed wraps, keratin treatments, and more, and their skin and hair show it. But there’s one celeb whose beauty is a bit of an enigma to the rest of the world: Mr. Paul Rudd. We’ve all seen the memes about how Paul Rudd looks exactly the same now as he did in Clueless 30 years ago, which has everyone wondering: What is Paul Rudd’s skincare routine?
Upon a full investigation, Paul Rudd has yet to drop his skincare routine, only hinting at the importance of sunscreen and possibly teaching Elizabeth Olsen how to gently apply eye cream. But there are a few skincare tips and tricks and anti-aging powerhouse ingredients we can add to our routines while we patiently wait for the official Rudd routine.
1. Add these ingredients to your routine
There are a few key ingredients we predict Mr. Rudd might have in his routine that’s keeping him looking positively ageless, but even if he isn’t using these (I swear if it comes out that this man uses three-in-one body wash as a cleanser, so help me God), one thing’s for sure: You don’t have to get a $300 facial every week for good skin.
Retinol
Retinol is the only FDA-approved ingredient for anti-aging to this day, so if there’s any ingredient you want to add to your routine to keep you looking smooth and plump for years to come, it’s retinol. It’s a form of pure vitamin A that quickly promotes cell turnover to remove dead skin and reveal a brighter, clearer, and smoother complexion over time. Retinol won’t work its magic after a mere single use; expect to start seeing results in four to six weeks, and in the meantime, add in a strong moisturizer to limit the drying effects the ingredient can often have on your skin.
Meet our editors' favorite retinol! This one combines retinol with hydrating ingredients and lactic acid to exfoliate while leaving skin hydrated.
This brand new retinoid serum uses a blend of pure retinol and sunflower seed fatty acids that limits the typical irritation you get with retinol without skimping on all the benefits.
Peptides
An anti-aging skincare routine should include some form of peptides, thanks to its ability to help collagen, keratin, and protein stay intact. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that send little messages to your skin cells to keep producing collagen and elastin, two essential factors for keeping your skin firm and bouncy. Luckily, peptides are really easy to add to your routine through moisturizers and serums.
Peptides are great for underneath the eyes because they keep the skin plump and hydrated, reducing bags and dark circles.
Peptides and collagen are a powerhouse duo, working together to promote longevity and skin health over time. This moisturizer is a lightweight cream that leaves skin smooth and super hydrated all day long.
Add a peptide boost to your favorite moisturizer or serum, or use this lightweight gel on its own to plump and firm skin over time.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants limit free-radical damage (which can leave your skin looking tired, sallow, and rough), revitalize dull skin, reduce hyperpigmentation from acne or the sun, and calm inflammation. The most common antioxidant on the market is vitamin C, which you can add to your routine in the morning with a serum. But there are other antioxidants that don’t get as much love, like niacinamide, vitamin E, resveratrol, coQ10, and even retinol.
This oil-free vitamin C serum was made with acne-prone, sensitive, and oily skin types in mind, combining the same vitamin C and ferulic acid we love in the original serum with salicylic acid and silymarin, an antioxidant that prevents oil oxidation and free-radical damage.
Containing vitamin C, E, ferulic acid, and hyaluronic acid, this is the vitamin C to beat. It's hydrating, brightening, and leaves skin ultra glowy—no wonder our editors love it so much.
This simple-to-use, alcohol-free toner soothes sensitive skin, adds hydration, and protects against free-radical and environmental damage.
Niacinamide is basically a do-it-all ingredient: It reduces redness and inflammation, reduces the appearance of large pores, balances oil production, smooths texture, unclogs pores, and more. What sets this serum apart is that it's pH-balanced to be effective and potent on the skin without causing irritation or dryness.
Both resveratrol and ferulic acid protect your skin against environmental stressors that contribute to aging, and this serum combines them both to prolong your skin and improve its texture over time.
2. Stop using a towel to wash your face
If you’re using the same towel over and over to wash your face every night, just think about all the bacteria you’re spreading back and forth every time you use it. According to celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas in her book Glow From Within, regular cloth towels might even be too abrasive for your face, causing redness and irritation with continued use. She recommended opting for muslin or bamboo cloth or using paper towels if you have acne-prone skin. Another option is to invest in Resoré, microfiber anti-bacterial towels that make using the same towel over and over again a little less gross.
These anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic towels make washing your face so much easier. Instead of needing to use a different towel each wash, you can use these over and over again because they break down bacteria instead of spreading it back all over your face. They are an investment, but they're so worth it.
3. Use sunscreen every day
There’s no getting around it: If you want good skin, applying sunscreen every single day is imperative. Along with retinol, it’s one of the only other FDA and dermatologist-approved methods for anti-aging, and all you have to do is remember to apply it daily. The trick is finding a formula you really love that gets you excited to wear it, whether it’s extra glowy, mattifies your skin, has a green tint to disguise redness, or is a tinted formula that acts as your foundation. The best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear every single day.
This has a really moisturizing, glowy finish that makes applying sunscreen feel like a first step in your makeup routine.
This mineral sunscreen was made with acne-prone skin in mind, with a green tint that reduces redness, a fragrance-free formula, and a lightweight feel.
Keep your face shine-free all day with this drugstore sunscreen. This is ideal for long days or wearing under makeup.
Available in both light/medium and medium/dark, this tinted sunscreen acts as a sheer foundation and can easily be reapplied throughout the day.
4. Use both physical and chemical exfoliation
Unless you have extremely sensitive skin, it’s important to use both a chemical and physical exfoliant once a week. Chemical exfoliators have risen in popularity in recent years because they’re gentler on the skin’s surface than a harsh scrub, but they’re wildly effective at brightening, clearing, and smoothing the skin. When used properly, a physical exfoliator can help physically slough off all that dead skin you brought to the surface with your chemical exfoliation to reveal a much smoother, softer complexion. Be sure to never use them on the same day, and make sure the scrub you’re using isn’t too harsh (i.e. no Apricot Scrubs here).
To loosen up all that dead skin and promote cell turnover, our team swears by these daily peel pads. They're so easy to use, aren't too harsh, and are almost as good as getting a professional peel.
Gentle yet effective, this toner combines six different acids to fade hyperpigmentation, reduce the appearance of large pores, and smooth texture.
This scrub combines physical and chemical exfoliation, containing both glycolic and lactic acid to clean out pores and exfoliate rough, oily, and combo skin.
For all skin types, mix this exfoliating powder into some water, and you'll have a light, grainy scrub that gently exfoliates to leave skin super soft. The Apricot scrubs could never.
5. Be consistent
Skincare isn’t meant to work after one use. It requires consistency to really make an impact on your skin, especially active ingredients like retinol and acids or protective ingredients like antioxidants. Build a strong skincare routine and stick to it for four to six weeks before throwing in the towel. Then, if you don’t notice improvements, make adjustments. This is why it’s important to slowly add in new products rather than start a whole new routine at once, because then you can pinpoint the products that work and the ones that don’t.
