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Beauty

Jaclyn Smith’s Top Beauty and Style Secrets: How She Looks So Good at 77

Discover the easy, inexpensive oil she uses to keep her hair thick and beautiful

Jaclyn Smith knows what it’s like to juggle multiple roles. But even as the 77-year-old juggles designing her new women’s apparel line for HSN, her home decor line, her own line of wigs in partnership with Paula Young, and a self-entitled a beauty line, the former Charlie’s Angel is keeping her focus firmly on family.

“I think as you get older, the balance of things is more important. I don’t want to miss the moments,” Smith told First for Women in 2017. “If anything recharges me or keeps me sane or keeps me grounded, it has to be my family. I don’t know how you make it if you don’t have your loved ones. To have a sense of the value of time and loved ones is the best part of life.”

“One of the joys right now is watching my daughter be a mother, and she is such a good one,” the actress said. “My granddaughter Bea smiles all the time. It’s like a gift from the heavens.” And to keep up that joyful outlook as she navigates the hectic schedule of creating her new fashion line brings, Jaclyn relies on a few smart, easy strategies she’s learned over the years:

Jaclyn Smith beauty secret: deep conditioner

“If you dye your hair, I believe you should deep-condition it every four to six weeks,” Smith told us. “I use a cholesterol conditioning cream. Or you can go into your kitchen and throw on something moisturizing like olive or coconut oil. Then once it’s on, either put a heat cap on or wrap your hair in plastic wrap and just cover it with a hot towel for 10 to 20 minutes. It just gives your hair a break.” (Click through for more on how to do a coconut oil hair mask and to learn more about why her signature butterfly haircut is back in style.)

Jaclyn Smith style secret: less is more

“My mother was very fashionable well into her 90s and had a natural sense of how to mix things up and make them her own. She always looked like a million dollars,” Smith says of her style inspiration. “But if I’m ever in doubt, I always say less is more and turn to the classics. I have certain things that when I’m rushing around, I know I can reach for and they’re always comfortable — and always look great. A great pair of black pants or jeans, a white silk or cotton shirt and a blazer always works wherever you go. These are just classic things that I call ‘no-brainers.’ You just put them on and they work.” (Click through for genius ways to style around wide-legged pants.)

Jaclyn Smith fitness secret: planks

“At this point in my life, I’m not going to be a slave to working out. If I’m asked if I want to work out or hold my granddaughter, she comes first,” Smith said. “But when I play with her or hold her in my arms, I’m instantly more aware of the muscles I need to work on and build. That little girl gives me the motivation to do it. So now I do circuit training. It’s a mix of weights, stretches, and core work — a lot of planks! They keep my core and lower back strong. I may add an arm or leg lift with the plank so it’s not just stagnant.” (Click through for more details on how do to do a plank and other ab workouts for women.)

Jaclyn Smith nutrition secret: once-a-week cheat

“I grew up on a farm eating fresh foods with no hormones or preservatives and still try to eat that way,” Smith said. “I enjoy a lot of raw vegetables, organic meats, all forms of lettuce. I love okra, whether it’s fried, steamed or pickled. But I also believe in everything in moderation — you can’t be too disciplined. Being too regimented sort of steals the joy sometimes.” Here are some of Smith’s guilt-free pleasures: “Once a week I’ll enjoy a little fried Southern food, some Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, or a nice lean hamburger with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and a little mayonnaise and mustard — because that’s how we like them in Texas.” (You won’t want to miss this delicious ‘grandma pizza’ recipe.)

Jaclyn Smith beauty secret: the right moisturizer

After decades of trying out beauty products on set, Smith has seen what works and what doesn’t — and she put that knowledge to work when developing her skin-care line. “You want to find a moisturizer that doesn’t separate makeup,” she said. “That way, you can take a sponge and dab a little moisturizer on over your makeup and it refreshes it. It gets into the lines and brings out more color and vibrancy to your skin so it doesn’t look dry. I often reapply this way midday if I have to go somewhere.” To keep wrinkles at bay, Smith relies on a potent antioxidant. “I’m a big believer in retinol at night. It’s the gold standard for anti-aging. It takes away brown spots, it diminishes pore size, it builds collagen, and it sloughs off old skin.” Indeed, a study in JAMA Dermatology found that using retinol three times a week reduced the appearance of subjects’ fine lines and wrinkles by 31 percent over six months. Sounds like the closest we’ll get to the fountain of youth in a jar! (Click through for the best retinol eye creams for women over 50.)


For more on Jaclyn Smith:

Jaclyn Smith Today: From ‘Charlie’s Angels’ to Style Icon, She’s Still Absolutely Timeless

Jaclyn Smith’s Hair Color Almost Kept Her From Being Cast in ‘Charlie’s Angels’

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