Salma Hayek's secret to ageless, 'no Botox' skin in this $13 cream
With leading roles in over 80 films, Salma Hayek is a red-carpet regular season after season — the 57-year-old award-winning actress and film producer never fails to blow us away. On top of all that, she's also a bonafide beauty icon. Wondering what the secret is behind her gorgeous complexion? The screen queen credits one buzzy ingredient in this cream for her glowing skin. You don't have to have a movie star's salary to bring home some for yourself: You can snag a jar now at Amazon for just $13.
Hayek has been steaming up the silver screen for nearly 30 years, but take one look at her youthful complexion and you'd think she was still an ingénue. There's no magic behind her flawless skin, just the bark of a tree.
"I use an ingredient called Tepezcohuite that's used in Mexico for burn victims because it completely regenerates the skin," Hayek told Elle. "Some of the ingredients, when I took them to the American labs, they were like, 'Oh my God! How come nobody is using this?' This is why I have no Botox, no peels, no fillers."
The Tepezcohuite tree is often called the "Mexican skin tree" because its bark is known to help regenerate skin and hair. As a testament to that, it was used to treat hundreds of thousands of burn victims in an earthquake and a gas explosion in Mexico in the 1980s when no medical supplies were available.
Not many American companies have caught on. Our in-house senior beauty editor, Jennifer Romolini, tested out Del Indio Papago Night Cream and reported softer skin, though she found another product with an even higher concentration of Tepezcohuite that may be more effective on wrinkles.
Amazon shoppers rave about the Del Indio Papago Night Cream.
"I read the Salma Hayek article and decided to give it a go," a reviewer said. "I have ridiculously picky skin (rosacea, sensitivities, etc.), and I don't get my hopes up, as most things I try either irritate my skin or cause breakouts. I have sun damage, fine lines and menopausal acne. Basically, I never know what I'll see when I look in the mirror. I've used this for three weeks, and so far, so good. No irritation, my skin is calm and hydrated, and best of all, no acne."
"In all of my decades of trying skin care products, Tepezcohuite has been the most transformative product I have ever used," declared an excited shopper. "In just a week's worth of use, morning and night, I see a noticeable improvement in my skin's tone, feel and texture. My 67-year-old skin glows again for the first time in decades."
One five-star reviewer reported: "I get the hype. It is an excellent moisturizer. My skin feels smooth and hydrated. Small lines are less noticeable."
"When I bought this cream, I didn't know anything about it," related an enthusiastic user. "I was pleasantly surprised at how it made my skin feel and the quality of the product. I will be 70 years old this month, and my skin looks 20 years younger."
If you're after the full 24-hour experience of this skin cream, Del Indio Papago makes a lighter-weight version for daytime use.
And if you're interested in Tepezcohuite, we recommend trying out some other products containing the ingredient:
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.