Gorgeous Women Over Age 40

Did your fav celeb make the list?

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24 Gorgeous Women Over Age 40

Photo:Max Amadian/RedOnline.co.uk

This gallery features 24 gorgeous women age 40 and over starting with Gwyneth Paltrow.

She's both beloved and loathed, but if there's one thing everyone can agree on -- Paltrow (born September 27, 1972) seems to be everywhere these days.

She's on the big screen (hello Iron Man 3), on the bookshelves (2 bestselling cookbooks!), on the cover of magazines (People named her Most Beautiful for 2013 while Star named her Most Hated) and all over the Internet (heard of GOOP? Thought so). She's also graced the TV (Glee and every talk show from Ellen to David Letterman) and now she's hitting the streets as part-owner of a bunch of Tracy Anderson fitness clubs that includes a blow dry salon Paltrow's invested in with longtime stylist David Babaii.

And I forgot: For awhile there, she was also all over the radio with her "Country Song" songs. Good grief.

Despite being busy with all the above, Paltrow lets us know in her various interviews that her most important role is being ​the mother ​of 2 kids. And, by the way, she is the jeans, T-shirt and no makeup kind of woman when she's at home (she owns a few homes, one in London, one in Amagansett, NY, one in Manhattan and one in Santa Monica).

She maintains her physical perfection (she has the butt of a stripper, she's said) by working out for 2 hours a day and going on regular cleanses, some of which she's promoted on GOOP (see what happened when I followed her most favorite cleanse). She cuts out sugar, gluten, dairy, caffeine and alcohol for long periods of time and then in other periods of time she eats well before 6 p.m. and has fun at dinner. On Saturdays, she indulges in 1 cigarette.

Here are some of my favorite quotes about Paltrow's beauty regimen:

  • "For a blonde, she has the thickest, healthiest hair," says stylist David Babaii to InStyle Magazine. "She'll cut it and it will grow back in no time."
  • "When I look back at pictures of me in high school," Paltrow has said, "I was sort of a minimalist. I never went through the big-hair-and-makeup phase."
  • "I consider Gwyneth my muse, so her signature chic straight look will be part of our repertoire of looks to select from," Babaii tells The Hollywood Reporter while discussing his new blow-dry bar.
  • "She loves straight hair," says stylist David Babaii. "Not too many people can pull off a sharp center part."
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Jennifer Garner (1972)

Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner. Jason Kempin / Getty Images

I've always been fascinated with Jennifer Garner (born April 17, 1972). She's a working actress married to a super famous Hollywood director, yet at the same time she manages to be utterly loveable and relatable (unlike Gwyneth Paltrow) as a mother of 3 who picks her kids up sans makeup and in battered jeans and t-shirts with baby spit-up dribbled down her front. She's almost always photographed in dowdy shoes.

But when she dresses up for the red carpet, Garner is utterly transformed into a minx, all sultry eyes and full hair and lips (she didn't always have that fat upper lip, Garner in her younger days had a gummy smile that has been fixed with what seem to be permanent lip injections).

Garner almost always wears her naturally thick, wavy hair to her shoulders or even longer. I once saw her in person and she's not as tall in person as she looks on the red carpet, but she is as naturally gorgeous and looks younger than her years.

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Kyra Sedgwick (1965)

Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Sedgwick. Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Kyra Sedgwick (born August 19, 1965) has been married to Kevin Bacon for what seems like forever, which is a big deal in Hollywood, where relationships seem to be created with expiration dates hovering over them.

She's naturally beautiful and effortless and I particularly love it when she wears her hair curly, as seen here.

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Halle Berry (1966)

Halle Berry
Halle Berry. Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

I've never been very curious about Halle Berry (August 14, 1966). Her volatile relationships are a turn-off and make me think she attracts drama and instability, but she is exceptionally beautiful and no list of beautiful women over 40 could be complete without her on it. No one rocks a semi-quiff hairstyle like she does.

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Gwen Stefani (1969)

Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani. Jason Merritt / Getty Images

I love Gwen Stefani (October 3, 1969) for 2 very shallow reasons: her Southern drawl and her platinum hair color.

See: Can You Get Away With Platinum Hair?

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Salma Hayek Pinault (1966)

Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek. Francois Durand / Getty Images

Ahhh Salma Hayek (born September 2, 1966). What a beauty! She comes across in interviews as such a lovely, strong woman and that, to me, is what makes her most beautiful.

Hayek recently launched her own line of hair products called "Nuance." This is what she told the Philadelphia Inquirer about her naturally thick, curly hair, "For 45 years, I’ve got this big hair and these big boobs, and I’m this tiny person. Sometimes you just want to be…smaller.” But her husband doesn't want her to be any smaller, according to Hayek, who said, “He loves my crazy-maniac-madwoman-just-got-out-of-the-shower hair. He is like the lawyer for my natural hair!”

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Helena Christensen (1968)

Helena Christensen
Helena Christensen. Ben Pruchnie / Getty Images

I used to see model Helena Christensen (December 25, 1968) wandering about the West Village when I lived there in 2004-2008. I fell in love with the little antique and clothing shop she had in the Village.

Some quotes I love from Christensen that show she's very pro-woman include these:

  • “It is disgusting and despicable the way that certain media constantly harass the pregnant Kim Kardashian,” Christensen wrote in an open letter that was posted on The Huffington Post. “It’s enough that they persistently project a negative focus on women’s physical shapes; but a public bullying and attacking of a pregnant woman because of her growing shape is just lower than low.”
  • "It's really intimidating to go on the beach in a bikini. If someone is painting neon circles around parts of your body, like those pathetic tabloid magazines, it makes me so angry. I can't believe that humans have sunk to this level; it's so ingrained, people are brainwashed with it." To the UK's Telegraph.

See:​ Shoulder Length Hair: The 20 Hottest Hairstyles

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Julia Roberts (1967)

Julia Roberts bronde hair
Julia Roberts bronde hair. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

She's had blonde hair, red hair, deep auburn hair, brown hair and deep chocolate hair. It's been pixie short, chin-length and full and curly. But I like Julia Roberts (born October 28, 1967) in her signature long, brown curls.

"Julia almost doesn't need me," hairstylist Serge Normant has said of the Oscar winner's naturally curly hair.

As for makeup, I once read a wonderful little interview with Genevieve Herr, the New York-based makeup artist behind Julia Roberts' fabulous red carpet looks. Some highlights from the Elle Magazine interview which you can use in your life:

  • Play with eyeliner colors. Herr says she tries a coppery brown on Julia's upper lids with a gold liner on the bottom. Or she may try a gray above with silver liner below. She tends to use pencil liners.
  • Julia looks great with a pale lip. Herr masters it by always using a lip liner the color of one's lip, blending the line inward (lip liner helps lipstick "stick"). She then applies a light lipstick with a pop of gloss in the middle of the lip.
  • For the perfect smokey eye, Herr shares a great Kohl eyeliner tip: if eyes are close, set draw in lines on the upper and lower lids, allowing them to meet on the outer corner of the eyes. Wide-set eyes should have lines that meet on the inside corners. For big eyes like Julia's she brings the lines together on both the inside and outside.
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Robin Wright (1966)

Robin Wright
Robin Wright. Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

Sean Penn's ex, Robin Wright (born April 8, 1966) rocks the edgy hairstyle here.

See​: Edgy Haircuts

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Jennifer Aniston (1969)

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston. Michael Buckner / Getty Images

She's America's sweetheart and has always been known for her enviously perfect head of hair. Jennifer Aniston (born February 11, 1969) has rocked this haircut and style for years now.

See: Long Straight Hairstyles

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Vinessa Shaw (1976)

Vinessa Shaw
Vinessa Shaw. Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

I've said it a million times on this site: shoulder-length hair is simply the most versatile, flattering hair length on all face types and for all hair textures. This is a great cut on actress Vinessa Shaw (born July 19, 1976).

S​ee: The Year's 20 Best Shoulder-Length Hairstyles

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Charlize Theron (1975)

Charlize Theron in a new pixie
Charlize Theron in a new pixie. Clockwise from left: J. Countess, Michael Stewart, Mireya Acierto / Getty images

What I love about the pixie is how it brings attention to great bone structure, pretty eyes and full lips.

It's the perfect look for trendsetters, short, petite women and women who rock the Audrey Hepburn look. It works on Charlize Theron (born August 7, 1975) because of her great bone structure. It's not so great on heavier women -- if you have curves, you need more hair on your head to balance out your body.

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Naomi Campbell (1970)

Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell. Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images

She's as controversial as celebrities get, but Naomi Campbell (born May 22, 1970) always looks amazing. I particularly love this hairstyle on her.

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Sofia Vergara (1972)

Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara. Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

It's big and blowsy, but that's the way we like Sofia Vergara's (born July 10, 1972) personality ... and her hair.

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Christy Turlington Burns (1969)

Christy Turlington. Frederick M. Brown for Getty

I saw Christy Turlington Burns (January 2, 1969) in the Hamptons last summer (and once in Midtown Manhattan) and she's just as naturally gorgeous in person as she appears in print.

See​: ​Shoulder Length Hair: The 20 Hottest Hairstyles

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Nicole Ari Parker (1970)

Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker. Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

I absolute adore this haircut on Nicole Ari Parker (born October 7, 1970). ​

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Jennifer Lopez (1969)

Jennifer Lopez in March 2013 at age 43
Jennifer Lopez in March 2013 at age 43. Michael Buckner / Getty Images

Of course, Jennifer Lopez (born July 24, 1969) landed on this list.

See​: Long Straight Hairstyles

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Cameron Diaz (1972)

Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz. Tim Whitby / Getty Images

When Cameron Diaz (born August 30, 1972) had her long hair cut into this bob, she reportedly cried. She's been growing it out since, but it's become a favorite of mine because it stands out in a sea of celebrities with long hair.

See: ​The 20 Hottest Bobs of the Year

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Monica Bellucci (1964)

Monica Bellucci
Monica Bellucci. Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images

Monica Bellucci (born September 30, 1964) is an Italian sex symbol, but what I love most about her is her outspokenness. According to Wikipedia, in 2004, while pregnant with her daughter Deva, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair Magazine in protest against Italian laws, that prevent the use of donor sperm.

As someone with many, many friends who have given birth to babies created via donated sperm, I say "hurrah!" to that!!!

See: Long Straight Hairstyles

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Kenya Moore (1971)

Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore. Jason Merritt / Getty Images

If you've watched The Real Housewives of Atlanta, you know who Kenya Moore (born January 24, 1971) is. And you may be wondering how she made this list. Truthfully, I like her hair.

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Paulina Porizkova (1965)

Paulina Porizkova
Paulina Porizkova. Michael Loccisano / Getty Images

I don't find Paulina Porizkova (born April 9, 1965) particularly interesting, but she is exceptionally beautiful so she made my list.

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Chin-length & Air Dried

Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich. Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

 Chin-length hair such as this one on Milla Jovovich (born December 17, 1975) can look amazing on women with a great jawline and long necks. The cut is super elegant on Milla. If you have a double chin or a short neck, this isn't the cut for you. Grow it out an inch or 2 longer than your chin.

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Giuliana Rancic (1974)

Giuliana Rancic
Giuliana Rancic. Getty Images

When Guiliana Rancic (born August 17, 1974) cut off her signature long hair for this A-line long bob, I was impressed. Long hair can be high-maintenance because it takes forever to dry and can look ratty when not styled on a daily basis. This cut is perfect for mothers because it looks good air dried, blown dried or even pulled back into a casual ponytail.

The A-line (also known as the "graduated bob") is a popular long bob option because it gives style and sophistication to an otherwise boring cut. Ask your stylist to cut your hair about an inch shorter in the back, allowing it to gradually get longer in the front.

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Penelope Cruz (1974)

Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz. Max Mumby / Indigo/ Getty Images

Penelope Cruz, born April 28, 1974, is a Latina stunner and worthy of all the best over 40 lists.