Jennifer Garner Told Me Exactly What She Uses in Her “90 Second” Skincare Routine

Ever since I saw 13 Going on 30, Jennifer Garner stole my heart, and I am sure you can relate. At least, I know I couldn’t wait to reach that peak age — especially when Garner looked that good. Sure, some pink fairy dust was a part of the equation, but after a quick call with the actress herself, I think it was (and is) an uncomplicated skincare routine that really possessed the magic. 

“My skincare routine takes about 90 seconds at the most,” the Neutrogena partner of 16 years exclusively shared with InStyle. “I think I spend longer brushing my teeth than I spend doing my skincare routine.” In a world that favors over-complicated beauty regimens, I was in awe, and wondered how such a minimalist approach worked. The answer is simple; regularity is key. “I would rather have it be something that I can do consistently every single night without fail than feeling like I’ve got to get set up to put moisturizer on,” Garner continued. Naturally, I was eager to learn which products could make a beauty routine so easy to follow — and lucky for me (and you), Garner revealed her go-to products. 

Jennifer Garner’s Skincare Routine   

• Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Facial Cleanser, $10 (Originally $15)
• Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer, $16 (Originally $27)
• Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer, $18 (Originally $29)
• Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer with Sunscreen, $17 (Originally $27)

Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Facial Cleanser

Garner starts her skincare routine like we all should: with a good face wash. She opts for Neutrogena’s $10 Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Facial Cleanser thanks to its fragrance-free formula and sensitive skin-approved ingredients. “It’s going to be in my shower, on my countertop, and it'll travel with me,” she said. Garner continued to call it “super great” and a “no-nonsense” product, explaining that it never strips the skin, but rather allows you to “feel the moisture happening.”

Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer

But you can’t use cleanser without following up with a good face cream, and Garner is well aware of that. Her pick is Neutrogena’s $16 Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer, which revitalizes the skin with its hyaluronic acid-packed formula.  “Your skin doesn’t even absorb it — it just drinks it in,” she said.  “You wake up and you really do feel like you slept in a mask.” Garner called the moisturizer a “skin hack” since it replenishes moisture loss, thus “plumping out any fine lines” as a result. In simpler words, “It’s really great stuff.” 

Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer

If Garner isn’t using Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost cream, then she reaches for the brand’s $18 Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer. She flips between the two “every other night” since the  “magic is in the duo.” “I’m a firm believer that when you’re sleeping, your skin should be working,” Garner explained. Thankfully, the $18 retinol moisturizer does just that, improving wrinkles, fine lines, and diminishing dark spots without any extra work on your end. 

Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer with Sunscreen

However, a good cleanser and a moisturizer isn’t the end of Garner’s routine. “You must use an SPF or else you’re just undoing all the good you did the night before,” Garner told InStyle. Her “favorite” sunscreen is Neutrogena’s $17 Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer with SPF 50, which she calls a “brilliant new delivery.” Not only does it provide supple, soft skin, but it also shields your face from potential harm. “Skin cancer is the most preventable kind of cancer,” Garner cautioned. “It's a really big deal.” Her final piece of sunscreen advice? “Nothing looks better in your 50s than sunscreen in your 20s.” 

When it’s all said and done, Garner’s skincare routine comes down to cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. The three-step process isn’t only quick and easy, but it’s affordable, too, with all of her faves ringing in at just $18 and under. If you’re ready for smooth, hydrated skin à la Garner, replicate her Neutrogena routine at Amazon — I know I will be.