The Star Reveals Her Skincare Secrets

I think by now, most of us have come to the conclusion that 2020 friggen sucks — and not even Laura Harrier can disagree.

The success of Hollywood on Netflix and being the InStyle cover star for our May subscriber issue can probably make up for some of the downfalls of this year, the actress still can't escape the stress of the past 10 months.

In fact, "What a question!" was her initial answer when I asked her how she's generally been doing. But, honestly, is there really any other way to respond?

"It's such a strange thing because there are really so many answers," she continued. "We've all been coping with this craziness differently. Honestly I've been up and down. Some days I'm great and want to have my girls over for cute small dinner parties. Other days I just want to take a bath and cry."

Oh, girl. Same.

The ups and downs of this year have unsurprisingly taken a toll on the star's skin, nerves, and entire body, she tells me. But not being on set so much gives her more time to focus on both skincare and wellness.

"It's all so connected. If I do my yoga and drink tons of water and center myself with friends and family then I notice my body tends to calm down," she shares. "Sometimes — not always — my skin will fall in step."

When it comes to her skincare routine, the actress swears by Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate, which features a turmeric-rich formula to resolve uneven skin tone and boost radiance. She also likes a rich cream and using hydrating face masks post-shower to keep her skin calm, moisturized, and blessed.

"I like to make it into a ritual: I step out of the shower and apply my face mask, lie down, and check in with Laura," she says.

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When it comes to her hair, the actress opted to skip over the hey everyone, let's all dye our hair neon colors phase that the rest of Hollywood went through at the beginning of summer. But that doesn't mean she didn't also have a little fun with her locks. "I've had to get creative with my hair in quarantine," she shares. "I rocked braids for a while which I loved, now I'm back to wearing it natural."

That's why she's been so focused on nourishing her curls as the world locked down, admitting that, like most Black girls, she's a sucker for a good deep conditioning treatment.

"I'm a member of Olaplex fan club — probably president actually," she jokes. "Whether I'm working, and my hair is hidden under a wig like it was for Hollywood, or when it just needs some TLC, this deep conditioner makes everything better."

VIDEO: Laura Harrier beauty looks with MUA Nina Park

While, of course, I wanted to know all about the star's at-home beauty routine, there's no way I could have ended our convo without asking about how she's been keeping her mind at ease (as best she can), all things considered.

"It was definitely hard in the being of the pandemic, in terms of how to adapt, because none of us could really make sense of what was going on," she admits. "It's easy to get anxious and I have worked on releasing that and paying more attention to the things and people who bring me joy. I've been focusing a lot on gratitude."

That said, it makes sense that for the holidays — which, yes, are already creeping up — she's focused on the basics.

"Hopefully a hug!" she says when I ask what she's looking forward to giving her loved ones this year. "Any in-person interaction would be great. I'm really just looking forward to seeing my family, because I haven't been able to in so long. I haven't really thought about material gifts."

And the fact that so many have lost so much this year due not only to the virus, but also the racial tensions in America, is not something Harrier takes lightly, either. "We really can't afford to take anything for granted anymore," she says. "Now more than ever is a time to give back and help your neighbor."

I, for one, could not agree with her more.

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