We’re officially in summer blockbuster season and no one is more excited than Melanie Liburd. This Friday, the actress stars alongside Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the anticipated action-comedy Bad Boys: Ride or Die—no spoilers, but she plays Smith’s wife—with an ensemble cast that includes Vanessa Hudgens, Tiffany Haddish and Alexander Ludwig. As Liburd shared with us, the team had a “lot of laughs” during the long days, which also called for some very specific skin-care moves.
Congrats on the movie. What are you excited to share with fans and anyone new to the ‘Bad Boys’ franchise?
The movie is so much fun and I think it’s going to appeal to such a broad range of people. I think it reflects the fun we had on set, really. The cast was amazing to work with and there was a lot of laughing and crying on set. When you’ve got two leaders as funny as Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, there’s never a dull moment. I’m just excited for fans to see the comedy and the fun we had. It is really action-packed.
I think people are excited to see it. Are there any beauty secrets you can share from on set?
I love my products, and on set we do really crazy long days. For Bad Boys, we were doing a lot what we call “splits.” We start in the afternoon and we finish at 4 a.m. My biggest beauty goal is just to keep fresh. One of my favorite products that I always have in my bag is Botnia Rose Water Toner ($44). It always wakes me up. It’s a spritzing spray that gives you a quick lift and a wake up and some hydration. I love it—especially if it’s late. I use it for flying as well.
That’s a really nice product.
Do you know it? It’s so funny. Someone used it on me on one of my last jobs and I was like, “What is this, it’s so lovely?” I got addicted. Now, it’s in my bag wherever I go.
When you are done filming and it’s that late at night, do you have to unwind to get that space between your work and your personal life?
Oh, it definitely takes me a minute to unwind. When I get home, I shower or get in a lovely bubble bath and I’ll take all my makeup off. I’ve got a whole cleanse. I love a Chanel cleanser, and I love a cleansing oil. If I have heavy makeup on, I’ll do the Dermalogica Precleanse (starting at $15) and then I’ll go in with the Chanel Oil ($125) and then I’ll sit with a mask on. I love this one by Origins, which is called Drink Up ($35). I’ve been using it for years. When I like a product, I stick with it. I also ly a lot, so I slather that on wherever I’m on a plane or in the bath, and it just soaks in. Then, I’ll maybe do a vitamin boost, a vitamin C, an oil and then I’ll do some Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (starting at $30). I layer it on.
You had the ‘Bad Boys’ red carpet last week. Are you a person who plans ahead for a big appearance with your glam squad?
Yes, I do like to have a little bit of a plan. We planned out what I’m wearing and we do Pinterest. I share that with my glam team, so we have some ideas about makeup. Once I settle on a dress, it all kind of falls into place. For last week, I knew I was going for a bright dress, so we wanted to do a little something on the eyes and then keep the rest quite simple—dewy and fresh skin. Let the dress do the talking! It’s always a collaboration, and I love it. It’s really fun. We got ready in a hotel room in West Hollywood. It’s really simple and relaxing and we play some good music. I’ve known my glam team for a long time, so we can really relax around each other and have some fun. It’s a party.
That sound funs. What else are you excited for this summer?
Oh, my goodness, I can’t believe it’s June already. I’m excited. I’m going to be doing some traveling to go back to see my family, and I might be working in the UK for a while. I just love the summer. I love summer in Europe and I love seeing all my friends and family. And I’m really excited to see how the release of the movie does. Hopefully, it’s a summer blockbuster!
Melanie Liburd’s Skincare Picks
