Gwen Stefani Turns 45: How Women in Their 40s Can Keep Their Skin Looking Youthful & Radiant

Gwen Stefani shows off her famous 

washboard abs at a concert.

Gwen Stefani turns 45 today. That's B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

The rock star and style icon may be "Just A Girl" (certainly not a "Hollaback Girl"), but she looks better than ever. In her new role as a judge on the hit singing competition show The Voice, she goes glam with an old Hollywood look--platinum-blonde hair coiffed in cascading curls, bright red lipstick, long beautiful lashes, arched dark eyebrows and flawless porcelain skin. 

The look: Old Hollywood style.

Stefani seemingly does it all in her career with effortless ease. The songstress became a fashion designer of her own clothing lines L.A.M.B in 2003 and Harajuku Lovers in 2005. She now collaborates with 7 For All Mankind founder Michael Glasser in a recently launched line called DWP (Design With Purpose). Plus, she has two more albums in the works--one as a solo artist and another for No Doubt, the rock band in which she cofounded and serves as the lead vocalist.

The mother of three boys and wife of singer Gavin Rossdale actively works with various philanthropic causes. The do-gooder diva donated $1 million to Save the Children's Japan Earthquake–Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund for the relief and recovery efforts in 2011. She also supports amfAR. 

A balanced lifestyle likely serves to keep Stefani looking a lot younger than her 45 years. Women in their 40s typically begin experiencing fine lines and wrinkles, a dry and lackluster complexion, loosened skin around the neck, and crinkles and furrows around the eyes and mouth. 

To slow down signs of aging, we present the latest treatments, serums and creams for women with maturing skin. They contain anti-aging ingredients such as shea butter, peptides, hyaluronic acid, green tea leaf extract, aloe vera juice, and vitamins A, C and E.

Will these products smooth and soften your skin to help restore radiance and youthfulness? No doubt!

SHINE: Altcheck MD Night Treatment. BEAUTY: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E replenish moisture and suppleness to your skin while you sleep. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: B-Leve B-Youthful Face & Eye Serum. BEAUTY: Leave skin looking luminous and lifted with peptides and grape fruit cell extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: DeVita Natuaral Skin Care Optimal Rejuvenation. BEAUTY: Alpha lipoic acid, aloe vera gel, hyaluronic acid and peptides aid in firming and filling in fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no FD&C colors, lead, carmine, cochineal, gluten or parabens.

SHINE: Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil and T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. BEAUTY: Even your skin tone and diminish signs of aging with aloe vera leaf juice, green tea leaf extract, hyaluronic acid and marula seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of glutens, sulfates, PEGS, SLES, SLS/hydroquinone, dyes, lanolin, alcohol, parabens and phthalates.

SHINE: Fleur's Wrinkle Correction Cream. BEAUTY: Shea butter, passion flower oil and mango fruit extract help nourish your skin and reduce the depth of wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. 

SHINE: LATHER Vitamin C Peptide Renewal. BEAUTY: Liven up lackluster skin as hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamin C aid the skin's natural ability to fight the effects of pollution and sun exposure. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates and parabens. 

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Age Antidote Complex. BEAUTY: Hyaluronic acid, olive fruit and argan kernel oils, and green tea leaf extract act to stimulate collagen production in maturing skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial colors and fragrances.

SHINE: Phytomer XMF Pionniere Reset Eye Fluid. BEAUTY: Reduce creasing, dark circles and puffiness around the eyes with Algoreset (marine sugar and blue micro-algae), shea butter and sunflower seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Refineé Age Recovery Cream. BEAUTY: Peptides, green tea leaf extract and aloe vera leaf gel maximize elasticity, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Robin McGraw Revelation Awaken Youth Regenerating Overnight Treatment. BEAUTY: Tighten and brighten skin while you sleep with edelweiss extract and vitamin E. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of dyes and parabens. Supports When Georgia Smiled. 

SHINE: Yon-Ka Paris Elastine Jour. BEAUTY: Coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamins A, C and E help repair and restore your skin's suppleness and smoothness. BEACON: No animal testing.

Peptide Guide: How to Help Aging & Damaged Skin Defy the Odds

Photos by Rhonda J. Wilson

Some things defy explanation. Take the tree that grows sideways in my neighborhood. It springs across the sidewalk and street in a proud but precarious position, committing horizontal hijinks on the hundreds of pedestrians and drivers who journey underneath it on a daily basis. It never ceases to amaze and delight the locals.

The same can be said about peptides--those powerhouse plumping ingredients used in skincare formulations to create Botox-like results. These teeny-tiny molecules, also known as small chains of amino acids, defy the odds and produce big results. They not only signal the skin to create more collagen, but they also significantly soften fine lines and wrinkles with no side effects.

Meet the most powerful anti-aging peptides available:

Palmitoyl pentapeptide: Absorbs deeper into the skin to stimulate collagen production and improve hydration. 

Heptapeptide-7: Strengthens skin's structure and restores firmness. 

Tetrapeptide-2: Improves tone and texture, and helps the skin defend against visible signs of aging.

Hexapeptide-3: Relaxes facial tension and reduces wrinkle depth.

Oligopeptide: Smoothes skin for a more rejuvenated look.

Take a look at the latest serums, moisturizers, and eye and hand creams that contain healing and hydrating peptides. They're designed to repair and renew your skin--as well as amaze and delight.

SHINE: VB Cosmetics Abrioné Face Lifting Serum. BEAUTY: Firm sagging skin and wrinkles with palmitoyl pentapeptide, green tea leaf extract, hyaluronic acid and marine algae extracts. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Apothederm Firming Serum. BEAUTY: Heptapeptide-7 and hexapeptide-14 help tighten and brighten skin to create luminosity and a lifted look. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, phthalates and fragrances.

SHINE: Dionis Green Conscience Wrinkle Cream. BEAUTY: Ease fine lines and wrinkles with oligopeptide, tetrapeptide-7, sunflower and jojoba seed oils, and marine algae extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Hand Cream. BEAUTY: Pentapeptide-4, hexapeptide-3, and the juices of aloe, apple, lemon and white grape help hydrate your hands and mend hyperpigmentation. BEACON: USDA Organic certified. Free of parabens, petroleum, propylene and butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes and synthetic fragrances.

SHINE: Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair. BEAUTY: Maximize elasticity and firmness, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with macadamia and jojoba seed oils, hyaluronic acid and oligopeptide. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Lily Herbceuticals Reishi Youth Restore Revitalizing Day Cream. BEAUTY: Mushroom and ginkgo biloba leaf extract, tetrapeptide-2 and shea butter help tighten and brighten skin. BEACON: Contains no petrochemicals or parabens.

SHINE: m-61 Hydraboost Eye. BEAUTY: Replenish moisture and reduce the appearance of dark circles/puffiness with tripeptide-38, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba seed and avocado oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances and dyes.

SHINE: Murad Advanced Active Radiance Serum. BEAUTY: Hexapeptide-2, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid promote collagen production, and help restore radiance and resilience to your skin. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Hippophae Pepto-Ceramide Complex. BEAUTY: Increase moisture retention and prevent premature aging with oligopeptide, and ginkgo biloba leaf and St John's wort extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial colors and fragrances. 

Sleeping Beauty Creams

Getting adequate sleep prevents premature aging. Perhaps that's why so many high-profile politicians have been spotted practicing this beauty ritual.

Vice president Joe Biden dozes during a recent budget speech.

It's lights out for former President Bill Clinton during a Martin Luther King Day speech.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney catches up on his beauty sleep during a meeting with former President George W. Bush.

Sen. John McCain counts a few sheep during a State of the Union address.

Night creams can also turn back the harsh hands of time--sans public humiliation. In honor of National Better Sleep Month, check out the latest multitasking formulations.

BEAUTY: B. Kamins, Chemist Night Cream contains vitamins A and E, and apricot oil, to repair and restore the skin's moisture balance. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports PJs For the Cure and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. 

BEAUTY: Burt's Bees Radiance Night Creme utilizes almond oil and Royal Jelly, which is made of nectar, pollen, flower parts, vitamins and minerals, to replenish and refresh the skin. BEACON: Supports The Greater Good Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

BEAUTY: Murad Age Reform Sleep Reform Serum contains peptides and algae extracts to help increase collagen production and firm the texture of the skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Also supports and sponsors animal rescue groups and oceanographic teaching institutions. 

BEAUTY: H2O Plus Sea Results Deep Sleep Recovery Serum utilizes peptides, retinol and marine extracts to hydrate the skin and soften the appearance of expression lines. BEACON: No animal testing.