Jennifer Garner is the embodiment of happiness, just like the vivacious Jenna Rink that she played in the romantic comedy 13 Going On 30. What’s the big deal? Garner does not use wishing dust in order to travel across time, but she does have a favorite eye cream that “erases the severity of new lines” almost as well as magic.

In this Zoom interview with the actress, we knew all about the fall beauty favorites taking up space on her squeaky-clean vanity, what she loves about being 50, and her contentious perspective on candy corn. Zoom was developed by Google and is used for video conferencing.

Is there anything that you’ve done in the past that affected your skin that you wish you hadn’t done?

To begin with, I was terrible when it came to applying cosmetics. Because I was such a terrible student, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to use any of my high school or college photos. It was strictly forbidden for me to put it on. After that, when I finally did, the only makeup I owned was stage makeup, and more specifically, ballerina makeup. I felt like a clown at the time. It’s like pancake makeup—so terrible. I wish I could go back in time and give that girl a facial cleanse. When I was younger, I was clueless about the importance of having beautiful skin.

As the temperature outside drops, what adjustments do you make to the way you care for your skin, both new and old?

I only add. I never deduct anything. It’s just more moisture and more moisture. As things continue, they will get somewhat dense, heavier, and tastier. It’s important to maintain a healthy level of moisture in your skin while also ensuring that your cells are dividing as frequently as they can. Since I’ve been using Neutrogena’s Retinol Pro+ Serum for a long time, the fact that they released an eye cream this year is the most important new thing I’ve learned about it. In addition to the facial moisturizer. I do all three of these things on the nights that I take retinol. This is making a significant difference, as it is necessary to get your skin’s natural radiance back after the summer months.

I take this complete retinol regimen once every other night, and it does indeed make a significant improvement, which is why I use it to its full extent. When you find yourself infatuated with a product that can be purchased at a drugstore, one of the many benefits is that you are free to make liberal use of it. I apply it on the fronts of my hands, the backs of my hands, the décolletage of my neck, the sides of my neck, and my face.

Following that, I apply this eye cream. Even though I’ve been working with Neutrogena for the past 15 years, the thought of using retinol near my eyes made me anxious. I have faith in their scientific research, and eye doctors have given their approval. So I’m good to go. I have observed that there is a change. It softens the appearance of the creases that have appeared around my eyes in recent years.

On the other evenings, hyaluronic acid is one of my favorite things to drink. You absolutely must include hydration, particularly in light of what you said about California. Hyaluronic acid is wonderful because it draws moisture from your own skin and delivers it to the surface, which gives you the appearance of having more volume. Plump skin is young skin. Throughout the day, I apply Hydro Boost, which contains SPF 50. It is important to always protect your skin from the sun, and using this moisturizer allows you to do so without disrupting the application of your sunscreen. It shouldn’t even be a question.

Is the surface of your bathroom vanity clean or cluttered? Why is it set up in this manner?

It was driving me completely insane. The other day, I did, in fact, give myself a time limit by setting a timer. I got out of bed an absurdly early hour, and I told myself that I would only spend the next half an hour cleaning my bathroom. I don’t normally do interviews or anything like that up here, but I thought it would be suitable in this situation. Because I’ve put everything in its place, if I were to turn my camera around, you’d be like, “Whoa, you actually have your act together,” because I’ve cleared everything out. Now all I can see are adorable photographs of children in adorable poses.

Regardless of the time of year, are there any specific items that you always include in daily routine?

My daily routine includes taking retinol. As of right now, I’m 50 years old, so that just comes with the territory. No matter what, hyaluronic acid will always be a component of my routine, and the same goes for a mild cleanser. I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to cleanse your face before going to bed. You must remove your makeup before going to bed. At the end of the day, if I have a lot of makeup on from working, I use the Neutrogena makeup remover wipes to soften things on my eyes so that I don’t have to scrub that region. This saves me time. After that, I’ll head back to the bathroom and wash my face.

You stated that you are 50 years old. Is there anything about getting older that has taken you by surprise? What aspects of it have you found to be most satisfying?

What has taken me by surprise is that I do not feel half my age. I feel amazing. This is the number that appears in front of you for an indefinite amount of time. When I’m around other individuals in their 20s, I’ll hear them remark things like, “Oh, well she’s like 50.” And I say to myself, Oh my gosh, I’m 50 years old, and I’m still extremely hip. You have no idea how awesome it is going to be right now, but just wait! It doesn’t bother me at all that my children think of me as a nerd. Things simply do not upset me in the same manner as they once did. You have a somewhat different point of view about the current state of affairs.

Do you happen to know of any methods or tactics for maintaining good skin that does not involve using topical products?

A handful are mine to keep. One is that when you smile, you almost always appear better than when you don’t. So just slap one on there. There are two other things, which are: The first is that you will never look or feel better than you do immediately after finishing a workout and taking a shower, and the second is that you need to maintain a routine with your physical activity. When you get to be my age, you find that all of a sudden you are quite concerned about what is going to happen to your brain, your heart, your blood pressure, and your blood sugar. At this point, in every single appointment, I go to, the first and most important thing that they tell me to do is to exercise. You must incorporate this into your daily routine. It’s possible that you won’t be able to pull it off when your children are little and you still have a job, especially if you have more than one child. That’s okay. Keep at it and do what you can with what you have. However, as kids grow older, they will be able to begin preparing their own breakfast on their own. When this happens, you have to put forth the maximum effort to get your life back on track and never give up.

What kind of costume do you have in mind for Halloween?

The identity of my Halloween costume is, of course, a closely guarded secret. It’s the equivalent of asking what I’ll wear to the Academy Awards. But I promise you that you won’t regret it.

Favorite costume of all time?

When I was a tiny kid, I wanted to dress up like a carrot, so I requested my mum to make me one. It appeared to be made of cardboard and was colored green. Because she is skilled in sewing, she also sewed herself a large orange jumpsuit. I really need a photo of that. Of course, I don’t have any images from my childhood; all I have are pictures of me with awful makeup. I also used to be in a mailbox not so long ago, which was something that offered me a great deal of pleasure. And I remember when I was a little old lady, and it felt like I was heading back in that direction. Those were excellent in quality.

Have you ever experienced a trick that wasn’t supposed to be a treat on Halloween?

When we went to a party once, my whole family dressed up as the Wizard of Oz. It was a leased costume, and it was this enormous gown that I wore when I played the role of Glinda. As we progressed through the evening trick-or-treating with three young children, we noticed that they were losing pieces of their costumes. When the Tin Man lost his costume, all of a sudden I was stuck as Glinda, and I had wrath since everyone else was comfy but I couldn’t take off mine. I had everyone in cozy pajamas. I couldn’t do it. When I put on this enormous outfit, I felt like Glinda. The sole saving grace was that I was armed with a wand.

What are your thoughts on candy corn?

I could eat an entire pound of it if it were put in front of me right now. It reminded me of cereal, so I would add milk to it and eat it that way. I couldn’t care less about it. It’s sweet stuff. It incorporates the term “candy” into its name. If it says candy, you can bet that I’ll be eating it.