MARG HELGENBERGER: LUMINOUS AND LOVING LIFE
Prevention Magazine March 2010
by Kate Hahn
She’s known for her dazzling red locks and porcelain glow, but this TV and film veteran’s true beauty comes from within.
At 51, Marg Helgenberger is newly single after splitting from her husband of nearly 20 years – and feeling utterly optimistic about the next phase of her life. Over lunch at a Santa Monica bistro near her home, the flame-haired CSI star, casual in jeans and a soft corduroy jacket, spoke candidly about aging, cheating on her diet, and the true secret to her flawless skin.
Q From your start on Ryan’s Hope, to China Beach to CSI, you’ve been in the public eye a long time. Has the scrutiny ever made you feel self-conscious about how you look, especially as you age?
A Everyone has insecurities from time to time, you know…I don’t think I’m plagued by it, but obviously this is a town that’s filled with young, beautiful women (laughs). It’s easy if you allow yourself to go there. You can think, I’m just going to stay at home and watch TV and curl up. But I’m not that insecure that I get bummed out by it.
Q You keep yourself in great shape. What’s fun and keeps you off the couch?
A I love yoga. I started in the mid-’80s. Right now, I go to a place called YogaHop. The play hip-hop and R&B. The teachers are really good, and you can leave early without feeling like you’re going to be chastised. (laughs).
Q Is there a yoga pose that’s a killer for you?
A The Wheel – where you get into a back bend. And the Vinyasa Flow yoga – the last 10 minutes of that is always hard. It’s tough to hold the poses – you just want to be done.
Q I’m guessing you have a trainer, right?
A. (Nods). Three times a week, we do an hour of free weights and weight machines. And I do a lot of jumping – it helps build bone density. A while back, I had a bone density test, and I’d lost some of that, so I pumped up the calcium and started jumping exercises. It’s helped.
Q What about cardio?
A I try to break it up. I’ll do a stair-climber — it’s low impact, but you can break a sweat – or I run to get my heart rate up, or I do the elliptical.
Q Have you gone vegan or raw like so many in Hollywood?
A (Grins) Well, I am the daughter of a Nebraska meat inspector, so no…but I’m thinking about it. Because of my work schedule, I get food delivered from Freshology. It’s healthy. The portions are smaller, but I cheat constantly.
Q Ah, now we’re getting to the good stuff. What are your guilty pleasures?
A A glass of wine. And chocolate. I love See’s candy and Dove dark chocolate. My favorite is the Nestle 100 Grand bar.
Q Chocolate must be good for the skin if yours is any indication. What’s your skin care regimen?
A I do electronic toning [a noninvasive procedure using low levels of electric currents to stimulate production of collagen] with an esthetician. I’ve been doing it a long time – every 4 to 6 weeks. I couldn’t tell you the science behind it but it works – it gives you a slight lift.
Q What else?
A I’ve used fillers. Juvederm. I just do a smattering of it twice a year – I don’t want it to look obvious. (Pause) I’m being very honest today, aren’t I? Usually I don’t say anything, but I figure, whatever.
Q What not let everyone know that you like the results?
A. It’s much better than the knife! Now that’s really scary.
Q Any gripes about getting older?
A Ailments you didn’t have to deal with when you were younger. (Wryly) And the dating world is much, much harder when you’re older. The pool is so small.
Q Besides yoga, what helps you de-stress?
A I’m trying to get back into meditating. I did it just this morning. Something was bugging me last night, so to stop the nonsense in my brain, I meditated. It took an awesome effort, and I didn’t do it for very long, [but] at least I was attempting to rest my mind from excessive chatter, a lot of which is negative.
Q On a different note, your mom is a breast cancer survivor, and you’ve been very active for the cause. There’s been so much controversy about the latest mammogram guidelines, but what’s your opinion?
A I do think that at age 40, you should get a mammogram every year. I started getting them earlier because of my family history. And self-exams are important – I’ve met women who said that they had a mammogram and nothing showed up, but they ended up getting breast cancer.
Q Finally: Any tips for staying happy and positive?
A Do things for other people. Love your friends and family. There will always be fights, arguments, and disagreements, but know that there are people who will get in the foxhole with you. Surround yourself with people who love you and who you love back.
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Marg’s Must-Haves
We asked our cover girl to divulge some of her beauty secrets:
Lips: Chanel lip gloss in Glaze ($27) and Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick in Casual Beige ($26)
Face: Darphin Cleansing Foam Gel ($38) and La Mer “The Concentrate” treatment ($350)
Eyes: Shu Uemura eyelash curler ($19) and Dior Backstage Diorshow mascara in Black ($24)
You can find scans of this magazine in our image gallery: Marg in March 2010 Prevention Magazine