Milla Jovovich’s Beauty Journey—and the Lessons She’s Learned Along the Way
Courtesy of Milla Jovovich
Women and age, age and women—everyone has an opinion, and everyone has a suggestion. (Interestingly, it seems like the people with the most opinions aren’t even women. I get the most comments on my aging from men.) With all this new information available and the myriad products out there, there’s never been a better time to take care of one’s skin and body. The problem is, what actually works and what’s just another magical snake oil product—expensive, useless, and potentially harmful? Well, here I am to tell you the truth: I have no clue. But I am a total product whore, so I’ve tried almost everything out there (and messed up my skin on many occasions in the process)! So I’m going to briefly give you a few tips that have kept my skin in (mostly) great shape through the years.
This is the regimen I return to when I’ve tried too many new products and I wake up with red, dry skin and have to take a weeklong skincare break to recover:
First, a great cream cleanser. I love Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser because it removes oily makeup so gently. It takes a minute to get used to, because it doesn’t strip your skin and you don’t feel squeaky-clean afterwards. Now, I’m not a young girl anymore, so my skin needs the extra moisture. And it definitely feels like my face is well-hydrated after using this cleanser.
If I’m on a film or photo shoot and the makeup has been piled on and powdered in for 12 hours, I double cleanse. One of my favorite cleansers to really make sure I get that squeaky-clean feeling, but I know it’s still gentle, is Dr. Melaxin’s Melting Cleanser. It’s wonderful.
Normally, I don’t like to wear a lot of makeup, so the Glossier does me just fine (an added benefit? It even washes away waterproof mascara). I then use a calming serum, like Biossance’s Rapid Plumping Serum. It feels amazing and I know it won’t irritate me. I sometimes layer that with the new Deinde Serum, which has a lot of anti aging ingredients, but is also calming and gentle. I love the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream as a great base for everything else. I also carry one of their travel samples in my makeup bag for a little pick-me-up mid day.
Now, onto makeup. When I was but a wee wisp of a girl, I used makeup like there was no tomorrow. I piled on eyeshadow in the colors of the rainbow, I loved powder blushes and face powder to keep the shine down. Everything back then was in powder form. Once I got to my late 30s, I realized that powder was definitely NOT my friend. It started creasing into my laugh lines. It would cake up after multiple reapplications in an evening. And in the end, it did not make me look gorgeous and glamorous. I felt like halfway through the night, I was already doing the 4 AM walk of shame, looking like a hot mess with powder in places I couldn’t fix on the go.
That made me switch my thinking. Back in the early aughts, there weren’t a bunch of new makeup brands with delicious, creamy products that gave the skin a dewy appearance like there are today. But I knew that cream was the answer for aging skin.
Because I worked with some of the greatest makeup artists in fashion history, I was taught a few tricks. For instance: I noticed some makeup artists using lipstick instead of powder blush. I immediately took that technique and never looked back. I found myself using lipstick as blush and lipstick as eyeshadow—it was the most amazing discovery that allowed my skin to move without creating those creases, which were so difficult to touch up after a few hours. Whether I knew it or not at the time, I’d also ignited an obsession with makeup that had multiple uses.
But the problem remained with foundation. It was still super thick and made my skin look cakey in real life. So I started diluting it with moisturizer. Immediately, I saw how much lighter the coverage was, and how much more I could control it! I would use a brush to apply unadulterated foundation around my nose, where I have redness—but by my eyes and cheeks, I would apply the lighter version with moisturizer. Boom, I knew I had discovered the secret to more beautiful, realistic results that immediately made me look fresh and natural while hiding the bits I needed to cover.
Cut to today. Now, cream-based makeup is more common than powder—and for good reason! Older women have never looked so gorgeous and glowy. Out went the powders, and now we’re allowing our skin to show through and shine! I’ve tried so many tinted moisturizers, but in the last few months, the one I keep going back to is the Supergoop Protect(tint). It’s got SPF 50, so I don’t need to apply an extra layer of sunblock.
I NEVER leave home without mascara because it’s a staple piece that can be used in so many ways. On the lashes, of course, to make your eyes pop and look more awake, but also in a pinch, I use a Q-tip and brush it over the mascara wand to apply at the base of my lashes for an instant smoky effect. It’s saved me on so many occasions when I’d forgotten my makeup bag—but I always carry a small satchel with my essentials.
For lips and cheeks, I love a handy, everything-stick: something I can use on my lips, eyes, and cheeks. For those who like a more subtle makeup look, these kinds of products work especially well. I adore the Ogee blush sticks, which come in some beautiful neutral shades that give the cheeks a sun-kissed glow. Additionally, this product works incredibly on the eyes when applied with the fingers.
On a personal note, I’ve always loved a classic red lip, so I use a wonderful, fuss-free brand called Merit Beauty. They have these gorgeous little pots that can multi task for eyes and lips called Flush Balm. They are truly adorable and so easy to apply.
There you have it: the contents of a tiny makeup bag filled with my history and beauty wisdom, along with a few products I’ve picked up along the way. It’s been an honor and a privilege, ladies! Enjoy! —M. Jovovich