Jennifer Garner at 50 Is Not Afraid to Be Real — She Laughs at Her Double Chin & Shows Wrinkles and Folds

Jennifer Garner is an inspiring natural beauty. She is not afraid to go without make-up and is up for making someone laugh, even if it is at her expense. Garner is who she is, and let the haters do what they want with it!

Jennifer Garner is a 50-year-old award-winning actress. She is the ex-wife to actor Ben Affleck with whom she shares three children. The "Alias" star has a reputation for being approachable and pleasant to fans she meets in real life. Many who follow her on social media find her posts funny and relatable.

Garner's life is such that she is required to switch looks between the glamorous movie star and the mom-on-the-school-run look. Her style has had to evolve with the changes in her life, including motherhood and aging. Overall, she prefers to keep it natural and uncomplicated.

The actress is well aware that the superstar image can create unrealistic expectations of the real person behind the movie character or magazine cover model. Speaking about using makeup and other tools of the trade, Garner said:

"We can almost all wear less than we think because, to me, I don't want my kids or people to only see the actor version of me that is perfectly made up by brilliant artists and think that's how I look. I want to look normal and I want to normalize looking normal."

The mother of three has said that when she does glam up, her kids are the first to ask her to get back to her regular look. But she takes that as a compliment because that means her children see the beauty in her just being their mom.

The "Pearl Habor" star has had to get comfortable with being photographed even when she is not "camera ready." There are always photographers looking to get that well-paying shot of a famous person. Sometimes the worse one looks, due to aging, taking care of kids, or just coming from the gym, the more the photo is worth.

She makes an effort to avoid even seeing photos of herself and reading articles about her.

The actress says that breastfeeding was worse on her skin than puberty. But her approach to combating those off-looking days has been to get as much sleep as possible and stay well-hydrated. If all else fails, Garner is not above putting on some more blush as camouflage.

Prettier in Person

Garner has said that she feels lucky that most fan interactions that she has are positive. Many people she meets find her approachable or feel like she is an old friend rather than an aloof celebrity. Citing the most common reaction that fans have on a day-to-day basis, she said:

“They tell me I’m prettier in person than I am on screen. You might as well see it for the compliment that they mean it to be."

Being a public figure makes one a target for all sorts of comments on one's appearance, and Garner has found that the trolling is much worse online. From unflattering photos in publications to posts on her personal Instagram page, netizens can have some harsh responses to what was just a fun photo or video.

When the "13 Going on 30" actress realized that the mean comments were getting to her, she made the decision to disengage. She avoids reading online comments, good or bad. And she makes an effort to avoid even seeing photos of herself and reading articles about her.

It is better to focus on how you can leave the world a better place than fixating on how your face doesn't look like it used to.

However, Garner has found an appreciative fanbase on Instagram, where she posts wholesome content about her attempts at homemaking and her baby-food product line. "The Pretend Cooking Show," where the actress attempts favorite and unfamiliar recipes with varied success, has a solid following.

More Living, Less Worrying

Garner credits her parents with instilling values in her that influence how she lives her life, from her career to motherhood and even beauty. Her mom and dad didn't let her wear a lot of make-up, emphasizing that what is on the inside is more important than the outside. Speaking of keeping that balance, she said:

“It’s important to be in love with how you look without any makeup on and with your hair in a bun.”

The "Catch and Release" star is comfortable baring her skin without layers of makeup or plastic surgery. While visiting "The Ellen Show" she took an unflattering selfie putting her double chin, wrinkles, and skin folds on display. She shared a video of the moment on Instagram proving that she doesn't take herself too seriously.

However, Garner, who has been an ambassador for brands like Neutrogena, knows a thing or two about skincare. It is much easier to prevent damage rather than repair it, so Garner recommends wearing good sunscreen from as early an age as possible. Quoting dermatologist Doris Day, MD, she said:

"Nothing looks better in your 50s than SPF in your 20s."

She also recalls wearing heavy makeup in her younger days as an actress as her one fashion regret, an unfortunate habit from her ballerina days. But Garner encourages her daughters, Violet and Seraphina, to express themselves through makeup, and they tend not to wear too much.

Jennifer Garner, who tries to spend more time doing good for others, makes a final point that cleansing your face is vital to caring for your skin. Whether she's worn heavy makeup during the day or needs to refresh her SPF after being in the sun, using a good cleansing product will go a long way to keep blemishes at bay.