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There are few people who inspire more excitement than Nicole Kidman. Whether it’s in anticipation of her ever-changing red carpet hair—at times, a mohawk, at other times, mermaid-inspired—her quick wit, or impossibly lovely singing voice, Kidman is a proper star, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. So, to realize we have something in common is rather thrilling – a reverence for SPF and rather “erratic” use of red light masks.
We’re connecting to celebrate her new appointment as global brand ambassador for Clé de Peau Beauté, and the chat quickly turns to her lifelong appreciation (and at some points, frustration) with skin care.
Growing up in Australia, Kidman was kept strictly out of the sun on account of her exceptionally fair skin. “We’re a beach culture, and for a girl with a really fair complexion, sun protection had to be part of my life from the very beginning,” she tells Vogue, dialling in from an unusually hot London.
Don’t be fooled into thinking sun safety was something she enjoyed, though. “I hated having fair skin. It stopped me from being able to surf or do the sports I wanted to. I always felt like I couldn’t do what all the other kids were able to do unless I wore huge amounts of bright white (or pink) zinc cream.”
Fast forward to today, and the actress has just attended Wimbledon with her hat and Clé de Peau Beauté UV Protective Cream SPF 50 in tow. “I’m so grateful that there are protective creams you can wear that you can’t see and have different choices of coverage,” she says.
“It’s just nice to be able to stay outside,” she laughs.
When she’s not outside, though, I ask: what are the products she’s reaching for? “I’m a huge believer in oils,” she shares. “The [Clé de Peau Beauté] Radiant Multi Repair Oil is a must for me. Moisture is incredibly important to me, and being able to put something on before I go to sleep. [Sometimes] I’ll use it in my hair, too.”
Our allotted time together is short, and we’ve spent part of it laughing about how neither of us can find the perfect time to don our LED masks. (Her current solution is to wear it while she meditates.) So, as we wrap up, I want to know just one more thing: what’s the thing she’d never leave the house without?
“An eyelash curler and mascara. As soon as you curl your lashes and put some on, your eyes suddenly look awake.” And if that wasn’t available, I prod, one eye on the clock? “Red lipstick!” It’s the tantamount perfect choice for a proper star, don’t you think?
