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Laura Dern’s skin completely transformed on the set of Big Little Lies. The actress was working with makeup artist Simone Siegl while filming the second season of the show when Siegl began using True Botanicals’ Pure Radiance Oil to prep her skin for makeup. “I’m not kidding,” says Dern. “Within three weeks of her constantly using it on me in the morning, my skin changed.” It not only looked brighter, but there was an evenness she hadn’t seen since she was pregnant (women often experience skin changes because of the hormonal fluctuations). She says: “I haven’t done anything to my face other than use skin care, and my girlfriends are saying that my skin looks more youthful and healthier than it did ten years ago.”
Dern was so blown away she wrote a letter to Hillary Peterson, the founder of True Botanicals. “I said, ‘I want to thank you for what you’ve done. I’m in love with this product, and it’s changed my skin.’ It was only a thank-you letter; I was just a consumer buying their products,” says Dern. But Peterson extended an invitation for her to become an ambassador, and now she is part of the brand’s “band of activists,” which includes Olivia Wilde.
She’s just as enthusiastic about the other products in her routine: She raves about her moisturizer (which she has used since she discovered it more than 20 years ago), her go-to face mask (which her daughter also loves), and her body lotion (which she discovered in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic). “For me, getting older is about managing stress more than it’s about managing looking older,” she explains, “Aging is scary if we imagine ourselves alone and afraid, but I am determined to not let aging scare me because somebody else is ageist.”
Keep reading for Dern’s skin-care essentials including the moisturizer she’s used for more than 20 years, a face oil she swears changed her skin, and the only sunscreen on the market she likes.
The Serum
“This is newish in my regimen. I started using it a year ago. We were all so stressed, and I was going back to work on what was considered the first movie ‘back’ during the pandemic. The times were so scary for all of us, and on top of that, I felt like my skin looked dry and tired, so I started using this. The texture of it changed, and it felt really moisturized. There’s also been a difference in terms of my fine lines. I just am in love with it. I usually start off with the True Botanicals Nourishing Cleanser, which I’m obsessed with, and then I’ll follow it up with this serum.”
The Moisturizer
“I have been using this moisturizer for over 20 years. I started getting facials at Face Place at that time and have used it ever since. I’ve never used another moisturizer. I mean, I’ve tried others, but I’ve never stuck with any.
This one has always been particularly wonderful under makeup — if I have to wear a lot of it sometimes I’ll mix in a few drops of my True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil. It just lets the makeup float and not kind of seep in the pores as much; I think of it as a kind of protector of the skin.”
The Face Oil
“Before this oil, I felt like I always needed to have foundation on or some type of coverage to help balance my skin and make it look its best. But since I found True Botanicals, I’ve honestly never used foundation in a movie unless I have to be a warmer tone because I’m supposed to be tan or something. We really just use this skin-care product as my foundation.”
The Sunscreen
“I’m very sensitive to sunscreen. It’s the only thing I’ve ever had a severe allergy from. When makeup artists have had to use SPF on me — and they were reputable products — my skin really reacted and rashes appeared. Besides these Sun Drops, there’s only been one other sunblock that I’ve ever been able to use, and it was from the company Dermalogica. But what I love about Dr. Sturm’s drops is that they’re so easy to apply; I just put the drops into my moisturizer and know I’m covered.”
The Face Mask
“I love Eminence. They are also protective of the planet. Their Probiotic Masque is amazing. I love the concept of it: We’re so focused on using probiotics internally for digestion, and we know their value, but I never thought about using probiotics topically until this product. Both my daughter and I use it, and we feel like our skin changes instantly. It leaves your skin so soft.”
The Body Wash
“I am obsessed with the smell of this soap. It uses a very curative Japanese wood called Hiba that is naturally antimicrobial, and it smells amazing. I use it as a soap for my body in the bath and for my hands.
The brand is a great company filled with integrity. Keiko Matsuo, the woman behind it, is an amazing Japanese healer and physiotherapist, and she started learning about the effects of ingredients that are local and indigenous to where she is from. And the colors of her soaps are beautiful. This particular one looks like a ball of sunlight.”
The Body Lotion
“Augustinus Bader changes skin. I don’t know how, but particularly when we were all in lockdown, everyone started writing about self-care. And it was like, Are you kidding me? When am I gonna have time to do anything? I heard some people say, ‘Oh my God, I got in such great shape,’ and I was like, Washing dishes is my arm workout. But the one thing I gave myself, which is my holy grail, is bathing and the luxury of taking that time to take a bath and go, I’ve got these minutes. I’m going to make it matter. I’m going to put magnesium bath salts and lavender in the bath. I’m going to light a candle. I’m going to meditate while I’m soaking, and then I’m going to get out and slather myself with this Augustinus Bader Body Lotion. That was my evening solace. Whether I was getting it in before making dinner or at the end of the night, it was my time. And my skin was never better because I was taking the time to do it consistently and had found this product that was useful for my body.”
The Foundation
“When I have to wear foundation, this is so light and so easy to apply. I can use the tiniest bit for coverage, and it works so beautifully. I’ll mix it with my Radiance Oil — I’m in love with that combination.”
