We see movie stars every day in magazines, television and on the silver screen, and the one thing that they all seem to have in common in that they have beautiful skin. We all assume that they have personal assistants on staff who they pay ungodly amounts of money to to make sure they look perfect every time they step out into the public eye.

But did you know you can have skin like that, too? It’s true! And you don’t need to have your own dietician and stylist, either. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the process isn’t easy. There isn’t one cream, one concoction or one diet plan that will instantly give you skin like Nicole Kidman. It is a process that results in a gradual improvement over time.

The first and most powerful influence on our skin is our genetic make up. Now, granted, there isn’t much we can do about our DNA, but we can improve what we were given. The second big influence is what we eat.

And not just what we eat, it is what we drink, too. You don’t need to have your own dietician on staff to know that you want to stay away from processed fats and sugars and concentrate on lean meats, fish, fruits, veggies and whole grains. This is common sense to the vast majority of people out there, the hard part is sticking to the diet.

The most important thing to remember is that just because you are on a sensible diet doesn’t mean you can’t have decadent things like chocolate or ice cream. It does mean that you can’t gorge yourself on those things. Have them in small amounts and not only will your waistline thank you, so will your complexion.

Believe it or not, but exercise is another big influence on the quality of skin you have. While you would think that getting al sweaty would actually be bad for your skin, exercise increases blood flow throughout your body and there is nothing that young looking skin loves more than oxygen that is delivered through increased blood flow.

You do, however, want to make sure you shower and clean yourself up as soon as you are finished working out. You don’t want all of that sweat and dirt to build up on your skin.

Next on the skin health ladder is your general health. If you are prone to getting the flu and colds, then, chances are, your skin will suffer for it. If you are one of those lucky people who only gets sick once per year then your skin probably shows it. By following the steps above, you will build a better immune system and stave off most colds and flues and your skin will look better as a result.

Our mental health also has an impact on how we feel and how we look. It is cliché to say that happy people are healthy people, but the studies that have been done on the matter tend to bear this out. If you are beset by emotional struggles and stress, chances are your skin will show the wear and tear that does not only to your mental well being but also your physical well being.

The final, and believe it or not, least important factor on this list is how we take care of our skin. This is a testimony to how resilient our skin really is to the daily beating it takes. Wear a hat and use sunscreen when you go out, use moisturizer when you can and use common sense when it comes to treating your skin right. It may sound too easy, but you can have movie star skin if you want. The choice is up to you.