While for some it may just be an ordinary Tuesday, for Sex and the City fans, it’s something of a national holiday. Believe it or not, today is Sarah Jessica Parker’s—yes, the Carrie Bradshaw’s—60th birthday. In the 27 years since the New York-based romantic sitcom first aired, Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker has become one of the most unmistakable pop culture icons, essentially inventing the NYC fashionista, It-girl archetype we all strive for today. So many pop culture, fashion and beauty lovers grew up alongside Parker as a model for all things style, luxury, love and friendship, and her 60th birthday comes with a certain shared nostalgia to relive our SATC journeys for the first time.
At 60 years old, though, Parker is nowhere near slowing down. Between the now beloved Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That…, her self-made wine brand, inclusive publishing company and more, SJP is just as fabulous as ever, and she’s always looking and playing that unstoppable It-girl part. To celebrate the star’s 60th birthday, we’ve rounded up some of her best beauty advice from her nearly five-decades-long career.
Aging Isn’t Everything
When you’ve grown up in the spotlight like Parker, you’re no stranger to the stress of aging in Hollywood. But, Parker has made clear several times that her perspective on beauty and aging is not a fearful one. “I don’t spend huge amounts of time looking at myself online,” the actress told British Vogue in 2023, explaining that when she looks back on her life, it’s much more about experiences than appearances. “The other night, someone was talking about George Michael, and I was trying to remember the last time I saw him play at Madison Square Garden,” she explained to the outlet. “The next morning, my friend sent me a photo of me leaving the concert. It was 2008. I didn’t look at it and think, ‘Oh gosh, look at my skin and my face!’ It just made me wish I could be at that concert again.”
Parker’s 2022 campaign alongside skin-care brand RoC further solidified her stance on aging, joining forces with the brand for their #LookForwardInitiative aimed at “inspiring women to turn their focus from ‘anxiety about aging’ to ‘joy about living.’” The initiative was inspired by RoC’s 2022 research that provided evidence of how pervasive women’s fear of aging really is. “When I heard about RoC’s Look Forward Project and its commitment to supporting women take on an optimistic outlook about the future, I felt compelled to help amplify this important conversation,” Parker said in a press release. “So much of our younger lives are spent trying to figure out who we are. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become much better equipped to problem solve, to appreciate, to hear things that aren’t necessarily pleasant. The time spent living and the experience that comes with it adds up—and that’s something to look forward to.”
Judgement Isn’t Cute—Medical-Grade Skin Care Is, Though
Nowadays, it feels like speculation about celebrity plastic surgery is just about as normalized as it can get. While Parker herself opts to keep to noninvasive treatments and science-backed skin care, she never places judgment on others for choosing to undergo any aesthetic enhancement. “I can’t speak for other people, but I’m not opposed to anyone doing anything,” she told British Vogue. “I hold no opinion or judgments.” She then went on to explain that she doesn’t get Botox so she can fully express herself through her forehead when acting, but she does have her own regimen of dermatologist services and products to help her stay looking and feeling her best.
“I talk about the things I do, which is Sofwave,” Parker told British Vogue. “It’s great, but it hurts. I used to do glycolic peels at the dermatologist, too. And sometimes, in the rare emergencies when I have a zit, my dermatologist will give me a cortisone shot, which is cheaper than removing it in post-production.” In terms of products she uses on her own, Parker is a known proponent of all things RoC, calling out the Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Night Serum Capsules ($33), Eye Cream ($30) and Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($33) as personal favorites.
Less Is More When It Comes to Makeup and Skin Care
Despite the high-maintenance Carrie Bradshaw image we have of SJP in our heads, her beauty aesthetic and rituals in real life are rather minimalist, letting her natural beauty shine inside and out. “I look at what I can do to maintain my skin without spending hours or huge amounts of dollars on it,” she told Women’s Health. “I have great admiration for women who want to do nine skincare steps, but that’s something that I don’t have the patience or concentration for; I also don’t understand why we are asking that of women; all our time is valuable.” One of her favorite time-saving, skin-loving products? Sundree’s Facial Cooling Globe ($14), as revealed through an on-set trailer product haul in 2021.
With skin as beautiful as hers, makeup is merely an accessory, and as And Just Like That… makeup lead Sherri Laurence told Harper’s Bazaar back in 2021, SJP’s makeup routine includes “the Koh Gen Do Moisture Foundation ($108) for the base, the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate ($95) for contour, Stila Convertible Color ($25) for blush, Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick ($24) and MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush ($28) in shade Cheeky.”
