Sarah Michelle Gellar Opens Up About Aging, Cosmetic Procedures and More

One of skin-care’s most iconic creams, OLAY Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, just got a glow up. The upgraded formula contains a unique synergistic compound, Triple Collagen Peptide, which has been proven in clinical studies to help strengthen cellular bonds within the skin. This supports the skin’s natural collagen to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and dullness for visibly firmer, smoother skin. In fact, results showed 97 percent of testers saw visible results in just two weeks. (The beloved red jar got a glow up, too.)

And of course, OLAY chose an iconic face to pair with its best-selling cream for the campaign: actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, 48, who we’ve adored since the ’90s (are you even a millennial if you didn’t watch Cruel Intentions on repeat?). At an event hosted by OLAY in New York, the actress shared her thoughts on aging, confidence, skin care and more.

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Aging is a privilege, but can also feel quite jarring. Have you ever felt disconnected looking at yourself in the mirror?

“All everyone ever wants to do is show me a picture of myself from 20 years ago. I’m really faced with having to look at what I looked like then and what I look like now. And let me tell you right now, I don’t want to be 20. Would I love the skin of a 20-year-old? Oh hell yeah—I did not appreciate it in my 20s. But that’s not realistic, or maybe it is now as we’re learning more. I feel like OLAY and I are like sisters in a way. I want to keep learning and getting better. I want to make what was original about me even better now, and I think that’s similar to this product release. We all trust OLAY—it works—but what if it could be even better?

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I also have those weird moments when I see those filters on our phones these days. We have these false expectations of what we look like, and we have to remember that we’re going to look different everywhere. There’s good lighting and bad lighting. And speaking of that, why do all stores have overhead, fluorescent lighting? Don’t you want us to buy your stuff?”

What are your thoughts on cosmetic procedures at this stage of life?

“When I was in my 20s, the word ‘facelift‘ didn’t exist. That’s what you got when you were 70 and fabulous [laughs]. And I see these young girls, and it’s so heartbreaking because their bodies haven’t even developed yet. They don’t even know how their face is going to develop, and they have these unrealistic expectations. For me, I want to look like me. As someone who is now older, there are products that slow all of that down and you still get to be you. If I could say one thing to those 20-something girls, it would ‘don’t,’ and instead, find the confidence inside.”

Do you ever struggle with confidence?

“Yes, I’m not going to lie, I do struggle with it sometimes. I see girls who are so much younger than me and I start thinking to myself, should I be doing that? Is that what I need to do to be relevant? But no, that’s not what I need to do. I don’t want a completely different face. I want to be the best me I can be.”

Why were you inspired to join OLAY’s campaign for the new Micro-Sculpting Cream?

“Skin care has always been so important to me, and accessibility to skin care is important to me, too. I’m not a gatekeeper when it comes to this stuff. We should have access to good products backed by science, and skin care doesn’t have to be complicated either. You don’t need to have 50 products. Just clean your skin, put what you need back in—a little serum here and there. OLAY makes that accessible for all of us. I could just rest on the fact that my mother used it and she looks great, I trust it, I know the ingredients are good, I know my skin is going to react well to it, but OLAY wants to do more, and do better. And that’s inspiring to me.”