Teen TV stars of the ’90s who’ve aged the best, including the WB actress who’s ‘the most natural and youthful of all’
WE’VE all seen the ’90s stars who’ve gotten a bit too carried away with fillers, nips, and tucks as they’ve grown older, leaving them not younger-looking but unrecognizable.
But a few famous faces who made their mark on pre-Y2K teen television have avoided that fate, with one plastic surgery pro revealing who has aged the best in the decades since.
Celebrating the odd wrinkle or a strand of grey seems to be the name of the game for a few former teen TV stars — and it’s paid off.
Aesthetician Tara Garrick Adashev, APRN, has suggested that “collagen” and not “overloading the skin” are key to aging well.
Stars like Katie Holmes, Tiffani Thiessen, and Brandy’s route to ageless beauty could be worth following.
“Most stars in this cohort are in their mid-40s to early 50s and would have been struggling with a lack of collagen,” Adashev told The U.S. Sun.
“When they look in the mirror, they would have looked more tired and hollow.
“These stars must take care of their skin using an SPF routine or adding Sculptra, a collagen-stimulating injectable.
“Stars use skin lasers which also stimulate collagen, just like microneedling.
“Generally, celebrities stay ahead of the aging process, so if they are already getting Botox, they stop it.
“But adding collagen helps reverse and slow aging even more.”
SKIN SLAY
Sarah Michelle Gellar, 47, became famous in the nineties as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which debuted on The WB in 1997.
While appearing in Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer, she found love with costar Freddie Prince Jr., 48.
The mom of two’s beauty regimen is down to Cetaphil and plenty of sunblock.
“What’s lucky is now my kids have picked up on that and are really good about skincare. And sunblock, always sunblock,” the Scooby Do star told Woman’s Day in 2022.
Sarah Michelle possibly could have gone under the knife for some small tweaks effecting her midface.”
Tara Garrick Adashev
Adashev, of Neinstein Plastic Surgery, said SMG has “had some noticeable changes” between 1998 and 2024.
She thinks the star’s tweaks have been “more dramatic than just Botox,” but overall she looks great.
“Sarah Michelle could have gone under the knife for some small tweaks affecting her midface,” she said.
CRUISE CONTROL
Katie Holmes, 45, earned teen dream fame as Joey Potter in Dawson’s Creek, which also ran on The WB starting in 1998.
A high-profile six-year marriage to Tom Cruise followed before she tried her hand at Broadway and movies like Batman Begins.
Adashev said the star “also aged gracefully.”
Maintaining her looks and the mom of one swears by Olay and sunscreen. Katie also gets plenty of sleep.
Katie uses the right providers and skincare routine.
Tara Garrick Adashev
“My schedule is pretty busy, so I’ve learned to do my makeup quickly because I prefer to sleep…I’ll wait until the very last minute to wake up and get ready in about 20 minutes,” she told Into The Gloss.
“First thing, I drink about a liter of water,” she added.
“Nothing is overdone here,” said Adashev. “Nothing has been corrected or overcorrected.
“Here is a good example of a celebrity maintaining her youthful appearance.
“Katie uses the right providers and skincare routine.”
SPRAY IT ON
Jennie Garth, 51, became a megastar as Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210, which premiered on Fox in 1990.
From there, the twice-divorced mom of three continued to work in Hollywood and became a podcaster.
Jennie credits her youthful looks to the odd cosmetic treatment and a homemade spray.
“I just did Morpheus8; I did a series of three of them. It’s supposed to tighten, lift, refine all the good things over time,” she told New Beauty.
“I’m excited to see how that will turn out! It’s a spray mist that I use and it has hyaluronic acid in it, essential oils, some aloe vera, and I use it morning and night,” she added.
Adashev said Jennie “is also looking fabulous with some slight changes in her midface region.”
“There is much more volume, and her skin quality is excellent,” she went on.
“I would pair these changes with fillers and lasers for the results present.”
SKIN SAVER
For a certain generation, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, 50, will always be Kelly Kapowski from Saved by the Bell — or Valerie Malone on 90210, which she joined in 1904.
These days, the mom of two hosts a comedy show on MTV and lives in California.
“Tiffani Thissen has aged very naturally and gracefully as well,” said Adashev.
The former Miss Junior America credits her youthful beauty to water and sleep.
“A lot of people are like ‘water and sleep aren’t really beauty items’ and I’m like ‘No, but look at it, sleep is free and water is to a certain degree too,’” she told US Weekly.
“But you know, those are things that are super important and I invest in those highly,” she added.
Both on Saved By the Bell and in photos taken this year, Adashev said you “can see her facial structure being very similar.”
“Her skin has some laxity, but overall, she has maintained good midface volume,” she added.
“She has potentially turned to using some fillers, but it is minimal.”
DRIP EFFECT
Grammy Award winner Brandy Norwood, 45, became famous in 1996 on UPN’s Moesha — and for her singing career.
Her turn in the title role in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is considered a classic to Disney fans.
“Brandy has aged so gracefully as well,” said Adashev.
The R&B star and mom of one credits her youthful looks to IV therapy and working hard on her skin.
“I used to go to a lot of dermatologists because I had eczema at one point,” the Queens star told Glamour in 2021.
“Now I’ve found my groove and the products that work for my skin.”
“She has maintained that youthful appearance by not changing her face shape or features.
“She has not loaded her face to be overfilled and kept her complexion well.”
RICH GIRL
After a stint on Disney’s The All-New Mickey Mouse Club alongside Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, Keri Russell, now 48, cemented her star status on Felicity, which hit The WB in 1998.
She went on to appear in The Americans and The Diplomat.
“Keri Russell has aged extraordinarily well and looked after her skin,” noted Adashev.
These days, Keri’s answer to glowing skin is getting facials and rich moisturizers.
“That weird mechanical [microcurrent] device called the NuFace. I do notice a difference,” she told Shape in 2020.
“Beyond that, I try to wash my face at night.”
Adashav said Kery “remains the most natural and youthful of all.”
“I don’t believe she has had any noticeable plastic surgery contributing to her youthful look.
“Her face shape has changed but not dramatically. This is just normal aging.”
Aesthetician Tara Garrick Adashev's top 5 anti aging tips
- Use SPF and get into a routine.
- Do not overdo plastic surgery or use too many fillers.
- Keep up a routine, and do not fill the face all at once or alter it.
- Practice good skin care and use lasers to maintain collagen production.
- Enjoy a good diet to help the skin and aging from the inside out.