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Sonia Kruger reveals the real reason she doesn’t look her age: “It’s inevitable that we’re going to get older”

And the budget serum she swears by for plump skin.
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“The world has changed with regards to women getting older,” says Sonia Kruger and for her that means embracing ageing and every smile line that comes with it.

At 56, the TV icon counts 73-year-old Vera Wang among her ageing “goals” and thinks Helen Mirren is the ultimate example of a hot woman in her 70s.

According to Sonia, age is very much a state of mind and she wants to keep a “young at heart” attitude no matter how many candles are on her birthday cake.

In fact, she’s always felt like a “tall kid” and regularly forgets how old she actually is – maybe that’s the reason she doesn’t look a day over 45!

Sonia Kruger ha sbeen lighting up our screens for decades but has a refreshing approach to ageing.

(Image: Getty)

“You look at the women out there like Jennifer Lopez, Elle Macpherson, Elizabeth Hurley, Jennifer Anderson – there are a lot of women now who are in their fifties and beyond who have changed the way we view ageing,” she says.

Happy to follow their lead and bare her skin in her 50s, Sonia is “very minimalistic” with makeup and when she’s not working.

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Her go-to beauty look consists of just mineral powder, lip balm and a pair of sunnies.

“It’s inevitable that we’re going to get older and we’ll have laugh lines and the effects of aging will appear on our face,” she reflects, and Sonia doesn’t want to cover them up.

WATCH: Sonia Kruger’s daughter makes her TV debut in 2015

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“We can try and minimise that as best we can, but really they’re like memories made on our faces. If you’ve got smile lines, that’s just proof that you’ve lived a happy life, so that’s something we should embrace.”

But embracing your skin at any age also means treating with care; in Sonia’s case, that means a consistent and effective skincare routine.

“I try to make sure every night I go through that routine of cleansing, then trying to get some hydration back into my skin,” she says.

“I started using serums a few years ago and now I feel like I just have to use serum every night.”

Sonia on the set of Big Brother 2022.

(Image: Instagram)

After all, skincare does its best work while we’re sleeping, and Sonia is the first to admit she can’t get away with cutting corners when it comes to her skin anymore.

“When I was younger, you can get away with almost nothing,” she laughs.

“I remember sometimes it would just be washing my face with water. That was it. I don’t think I even bothered moisturising half the time.”

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These days she refuses to skip her skincare routine for a single night, even when that means cleansing her face three times after a 12-hour TV shoot.

She tries to only use products that are allergy tested and gentle on her sensitive skin, with active ingredients that aren’t too harsh for daily use.

“That’s why I like the new L’Oréal serum, it’s something I can use every day, it’s gentle but I feel like it improves quality of my skin and make it look plump and more hydrated,” Sonia says.

“And it’s a beautiful bottle to have in your cabinet! It gives luxe kind of feeling but it’s affordable and that’s what I really like about it.”

She’s talking about the brand’s new Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum, on sale for $30 at Chemist Warehouse instead of the usual $59.95, which promises effective and dermatologically proven results without the massive price tag.

WATCH: Beauty tips for youthful skin without surgery

Like the rest of us, Sonia likes to keep her skincare budget low and prioritises affordable products over pricey high-end brands.

It’s a trick she learned from makeup artists through her decades working in TV, as they often warned her that price doesn’t always equal results.

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“For most women, we want something that works and we want something that isn’t going to break the bank too,” she says. “You can’t be spending $500 a bottle.”

As for other tricks she learned behind the scenes on shows like Dancing With The Stars and Big Brother, Sonia says a good skin day is all about preparation.

Sonia looked glam at the 2022 TV WEEK Logie Awards.

(Image: Getty)

“Professional makeup artists spend a good 10 minutes just making sure you’re starting with clean skin… they love to use moisturisers and primers,” she explains.

And the golden rule is to leave yourself enough time to actually take time with your makeup.

“If you want it to look good at home, you can’t just try to do it in five minutes flat, which is usually what I’m trying to do,” she laughs.

Sonia Kruger has joined the L’Oréal Paris family as the new face for their Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum. Shop it here.

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