From early 2000’s classics like Vanilla Sky and Pirates of the Caribbean or modern-day hits like Ferrari, Penelope Cruz has been a staple actress in our lives for decades. With various awards from BAFTAs to Academy Awards, Cruz has been killing it on screen since the beginning of her career.
Not only is Cruz an incredible actress, the Spanish star is also known for her remarkable good looks. From her impeccable bone structure to her luscious brunette strands and radiant skin, we’re always in awe of Cruz’s beauty. Today, the mom-of-two turns 50, but she doesn’t look a day past 25. To celebrate Cruz’s milestone birthday, we’ve rounded up some of the best beauty tips she’s shared throughout the years.
When it comes to looking and feeling good, sleep is key
Don’t get us wrong—Cruz has a curated skin-care, beauty and wellness routine that is largely responsible for keeping her looking and feeling her best. But, at the end of the day, Cruz knows that for both our health and our beauty, nothing can replace a good night’s sleep. In an interview with Elle Canada back in 2021, Cruz said, “I wake up around 7:30 a.m.; I need seven or eight hours of sleep a night. If I’m not working, I try to exercise in the morning. Then I have breakfast with my family, and if it’s a school day, I get my two kids, Leo and Luna, ready to leave.”
She keeps her diet well-rounded and her caffeine intake minimal
zEating well and avoiding too much caffeine is not easy, but Cruz swears by good nutrition to stay in tip-top shape. In the same interview with Elle Canada, Cruz revealed that a healthy breakfast is key to starting her day, citing “Eggs, fruit, homemade cereals or spelt toast and sometimes celery juice” as her go-tos. “I also take some natural supplements and have an organic protein shake,” she adds. “I love organic arabica coffee with almond milk, but I have no more than two a day.” In terms of her overall diet, Cruz notes, “I love eating healthily. I don’t follow a particular diet, but I love organic, healthy food; my kids also eat this way.”
This was not the first time Cruz has spoken about her passion for nutrition. In 2016, she told Vogue UK, “I’m passionate about [nutrition]. I really believe it’s true that your stomach is your second brain,” explaining that she recommends seeing an expert regularly to find out what nutrients you’re deficient in, and revealing that she takes an array of enzymes, probiotics and vitamins.
Her skin-care routine is simple and effective
As we all know too well, overdoing it when it comes to skin care can wreak havoc on our skin, sometimes making it worse when we’re trying to make it better. Cruz has it down to a science, though, keeping her hair, skin and makeup routines simple with some tried-and-true products. In 2017, Cruz told InStyle that her favorite beauty products include Kérastase’s Nutritive Hair Masque ($64), Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray ($36), Lancôme Génefique Serum ($89) and Lancôme’s Grandiose Liner ($32). She also told VogueUK that she is “very disciplined” about her skin health, always removing makeup before bed and always applying SPF during the day.
She has a favorite workout routine
In addition to her top-tier nutrition routine, Cruz also makes moving and exercising a priority, explaining to InStyle, “I do Bikram yoga, which has completely changed my body. You’re drenched in sweat throughout the entire class. It’s 90 minutes, but once you conquer 60, the last 30 gets easier. I used to be sluggish, and now my level of energy is through the roof. It’s like magic, but you have to earn that magic.”
She knows that beauty is a state of mind
While Cruz has a very solid beauty, wellness, exercise and nutrition routine in place that is largely responsible for her ageless beauty, one of the most important parts of Cruz’s beauty journey has been her understanding of beauty as a state of mind. As she told InStyle, she feels most beautiful when she’s “serene, relaxed, and present and I’m able to have gratitude for all that I have. That’s when beauty can be there. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter what my hair looks like or what makeup I put on.”