Jennifer Lopez insists "you've got to love yourself first" before you can have a successful relationship.

The singer-and-actress - who split from husband Marc Anthony in July after seven years of marriage - claims she has finally learned the secret to what makes love last after decades of romantic experience.

She told Glamour magazine: "I think I've finally learned the biggest lesson of all. You've got to love yourself first. You've got to be OK on your own before you can be OK with somebody else. You've got to value yourself and know that you're worth everything. And until you value yourself enough and love yourself enough to know that, you can't really have a healthy relationship."

Jennifer - who has three-year-old twins Max and Emme with Marc - also revealed she plans to embark on any new relationship away from the glare of the spotlight.

The 42-year-old Latina beauty - who is rumoured to be dating actor Bradley Cooper after being spotted with him on several occasions -added: "I think to give something a chance, to really get to know somebody, you want to do it out of the public eye."

As well as her marriage to Marc, the 'I'm Into You' singer has been married twice before to waiter Ojani Noa - who she was wed to from February 1997 to January 1998 - and former backing dancer Cris Judd, who she tied the knot with in September 2001 and split from in June 2002 before their divorce was finalised in January 2003.

Jennifer - who broke down on stage last weekend while discussing the nature of love - has also had high-profile relationships with rapper P. Diddy and actor Ben Affleck.