"I think 40 is not just the new 30, it's the new 20," People magazine senior editor tells ET. "We've got this crop of stars that actually look better today than they did when they were in their prime and really it's sending a message that, 'Hey, at 40 you can not only be a star but be a sex symbol!'"

Espinoza says many like Halle Berry, whose 40th birthday is in August, aren't affected by the stigma the age once had. "She's just someone who radiates being comfortable in her own skin," the People senior editor says of the Oscar® winner. "All those hang-ups she had earlier about her body and what she looks like, she doesn't have those anymore. She says just be comfortable in what you wear and that's the best beauty advice she has."

Reaching 40 has even helped the stars' careers. "Matthew Fox says that getting older has only made him sexier," Espinoza says. "For so many years he was criticized for being too young, he wasn't getting the kinds of parts he wanted to, and now thanks to 'Lost' and thanks to his maturing look he's very convincing as a doctor and as a hero."

So how do they keep looking so good? While "Grey's Anatomy" actor , who turned 40 in January, says he works out four days a week he also admits to getting regular injections of Botox. But Espinoza says it is a healthy lifestyle that keeps the celebs in tip-top shape.

"Look at someone like , who was the supermodel in the early '90s -- she's still a top model today," Espinoza says. "She's always lived a very healthy lifestyle. She exercises regularly and eats well and she's got two young kids who keep her running around."

Espinoza feels this trend is here to stay. "I think these stars are really embracing turning 40 because 40 isn't what it used to be," she says. "These stars are more successful than they've ever been and they look better than they ever have."

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