I have always thought Angelina Jolie was one of the most beautiful women in the world.
Lately, though, I couldn't help but notice that the celebrity vixen was looking a little … well … old.
And when I saw a shot of Vanity Fair's August cover, I understood why.
1. She's too thin, which generally is aging on anyone over 30.
2. Her hairdo belongs on someone wearing a Laura Ashley dress.
3. Too. Much. Makeup.
Oh, I realize that even with these factors, she's still far better looking than the average woman. But I take an interest in The Aging of Angelina, because she's only a few days older than me. If one of the sexiest women on earth is looking older, I may not have a chance in hell.
And Angie's not the only beautiful celeb who's suddenly aging very badly … Wanna know who's aged ten years in the last three? Read on ….
Each time I've seen photos of Nicole Kidman recently, I've thought about how much she's changed just in the last few years, for many of the same reasons as Angelina. Her hair looks dry and bouffant-y. Her skin looks like its seen a few too many chemical peels and Botox injections. I happen to love Nicole, and I'll watch any movie in which she has a starring role. But again, when someone so beautiful starts looking old overnight, it scares me a little because if someone who has every aging technique at her disposal is looking long in the tooth …
How on earth am I supposed to stop the ravages of time?
The good news is that plenty of celebrities 40 and up are looking fabulous, and they all seem to have a couple of things in common. Witness:
Halle Berry is always radiant, even after several bad break-ups and in the midst of mothering a small child.
Sandra Bullock is pretty much ageless. In fact, I think the older she gets, the prettier she looks.
And then there's Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox, Friends who are aging about as well as anyone.
What do these women have in common? A few things.
All of them stay in shape without getting to the stage of emaciation. Exercise seems to be a key component to maintaining a youthful appearance. Beyond that, all of these women have shiny, healthy-looking hair, which they style very, very simply. And all of them keep their makeup on the natural side.
I think that the older we get, the more we try to "camouflage" our age with more makeup and more heavily-styled hair — so taking a look at celebrities who are aging well — and those who aren't — is a great reminder of the steps we can take to stay "forever young."
Which celebrities do you think are aging gracefully — and which aren't?
Images (top to bottom): Vanity Fair; EdwardMartinez1/Flickr; brava_67/Flickr; Made in Hollywood/Flickr;
