When you think of actress Laura Harrier, you’d be hard-pressed not to have an immediate Hollywood glam vibe come to the top of your mind. Whether it’s in one of her iconic roles like Camille in Netflix’s Hollywood or as a red carpet staple herself, Harrier’s star is always shining. But despite her gorgeous good looks and perfect skin, the down-to-earth beauty reveals that her glam secrets are actually pretty simple.
ESSENCE caught up with Harrier, who revealed her ultimate do’s and don’ts for beautiful skin.
ESSENCE:Your skin is always incredible. Please tell us about your regimen and what you’re using.
Laura Harrier: I love skincare but have never been into anything too involved. I would love to be one of those girls who have those 12-step routines, but that’s so not me. I wash my face every day with Clarins’ amazing Gentle Foaming Cleanser, I sometimes follow that up with their camomile toner depending on what mood my skin is in. Then I pat on Clarins Double Serum to my face and neck. Then it’s eye cream, always. No matter how tired I am, I never forget eye cream. I’ll top that off with a good moisturizer. I like to keep the routine simple by using products that I trust.
ESSENCE: What skincare product did you recently discover that was a game-changer in your routine?
LH: Clarins Double Serum, for sure. I seriously don’t know what I was doing before I starting using this serum. I honestly notice a difference when I don’t have it on. It delivers great anti-aging benefits and leaves my skin so glowy.
ESSENCE: What tricks have you learned for keeping your skin healthy from being in Hollywood and the demands that heavy makeup or stress can place on your face?
LH: One of the biggest takeaways is to not sleep in makeup EVER, which is so much easier said than done. Whenever I come home from a super long night , I make a point to always remove my makeup and not face-plant in the pillow like I may want to. I also dunk my face in a big bowl of ice water first thing in the morning before events. I leave my face in the bowl for as long as I can stand it and my skin feels instantly more awake. It’s like a big cup of coffee, but for my skin!
Another thing I’ll also always do is a cream mask on the plane. I take a make-up wipe and clean my whole face, then apply a clear mask instead of a sheet one so I don’t look crazy to the people around me! Right now I’m loving Clarins SOS Hydra mask. It feels so good and really brings my skin back to life. Then I’ll spray a rose water on top. Although we’re not traveling much these days, I will be sure do that when work starts back up again.
ESSENCE: How has the pandemic changed your routines?
LH: Probably how much my mental health affects my skin. I noticed how my frustration with everything going on in the world really made my body ache and my face a bit dry. Yoga has been a God send. I need to use super hydrating products to combat dryness. I slather my face with Clarins Multi Active night cream at the end of the day and wake up the next morning hydrated and refreshed. For my hair, I’ve rediscovered the beauty of a nice long deep conditioner! Olaplex is my go-to.
ESSENCE: What did you love most about the Old Hollywood glam of your character Camille in Hollywood?
LH: I loved Camille’s beauty looks for the show. Her red lip and nail combination really helped me get into character-it was classic Old Hollywood glam. I wore a wig everyday which I loving named Ruby, her curls worked just as hard as I did! Something I learned during one of Camille’s photoshoots was that photographers back then would dose actresses in baby oil to make them shine. It was the original highlighter. It contrasted the black and white photos and made Old Hollywood stars look radiant.
ESSENCE:What’s the one beauty trend that you absolutely stan for but still haven’t learned to master?
LH: Colored eyeshadow is something I’ve never been able to accomplish. I want to look editorial and like I’m fresh off from shooting a Janelle Monae video or something, but end up looking like an actual clown.