I was first introduced to actress Torrey DeVitto during my One Tree Hill obsession back in college. If you’re also a fan, you know her as the villian “Nanny Carrie”—she’s also starred in Vampire Diaries and Chicago Med. Here, the former model, musician and Hollywood bombshell shares her thoughts on cruelty-free beauty, the trend she’s not a big fan of, and how self-care plays a role in her overall well-being.
You’re a big advocate of cruelty-free beauty. When did that become a focus in your beauty routine?
“It was when I realized what animal testing really was and learned the horrifying details about the treatment of animals during testing. I think there were some things I wasn’t aware of growing up as a kid, strictly because I wasn’t exposed to them. I still remember sitting at an internet cafe with one of my friends as she showed me a video of what animal testing entailed. I promised myself then and there to try my best to never purchase anything that contributes to anything other than a cruelty-free lifestyle.”
What are your favorite cruelty-free beauty products?
“My favorite skin-care products are Elina Organics. I found Elina while filming in Chicago. Whenever I go film somewhere, there are three things I instantly want to look up: 1) Book cafes near me; 2) Best vegan restaurants near me; and 3) Best organic, holistic facials near me. Elina’s products have completely changed my skin. I love the way every product she has feels, and I love that comparatively speaking, her products do not break the bank. Her products are pure and simple, which I love as well.
Another product I love is called Wild Ice, which I recently found at a farmer’s market. Their products go on so smoothly without any leftover residue. I also love Kevin Murphy for hair products. He has a plethora of products for each different hair day, and they are all cruelty-free! Some of my favorites for makeup are Jane Iredale—I love her bronzer ($56)—and Ilia; its mascara ($28) is my favorite.”
Are there any beauty trends you’ve tried lately that you love?
“I do love my rose quartz face roller and my rose quartz gua sha. I love keeping them in the refrigerator and using them cold. It feels so refreshing, especially in the mornings after a long night. I also love looking up DIY products for my under-eyes. I tried the coffee and honey blend and loved it! I also love the black tea bag out-of-the-refrigerator trick for under-eyes.”
Any trends you’ve tried that you didn’t love?
“The only one I tried that I wasn’t a huge fan of, but could definitely see why it works, was facial yoga. To me simplicity is key, and the facial yoga took up more time out of my day than I wanted to focus on for wrinkle prevention. I believe in aging naturally, and try to avoid any products or therapies that scream ‘anti-aging.’ I believe that the more I focus on stopping aging, when aging is a gift, the more unhealthy my mindset will become around skin care, which I love.”
I know you’re a big yogi and you practice transcendental meditation. How have these impacted your well-being?
“Yoga is special for me because it is like that constant friend that is always there. My body is naturally tight, so when I wake up in the morning and feel extra stiff, it is like an alarm clock telling me to flip on a yoga class. If I can’t get to one, I still devote even five minutes, or whatever amount of time I have that day to myself and my self-care. TM is also really special to me—it is a constant teacher. It is amazing how many times I will try and convince myself that I don’t have 20 minutes in the afternoon to complete my second meditation of the day. It teaches me priorities and it shows me the effects of what I prioritize at the time. If I wake up and go straight to my phone and skip my meditation, I feel it throughout the day. When I start my day and meditate before anything else, it sets the course of my day off to be successful in a different way. It opens me up to all the miracles my day has to offer, and I love that. My mind gets opened in a completely different way.”
You’re also a fan of other wellness practices like energy healing, crystal healing, etc. Have you always been into these things?
“I have always been curious about spirituality and all things healing, ever since I was a kid. It just came out in different ways because I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, or what I was trying to understand. I really started delving deep into energy work in my late 20s. An ex of mine had met an energy healer, Janet Raftis, and reached out to say, ‘You know this isn’t my thing, but this woman is legit and I just felt I needed to share her name with you.’ I was so grateful for that call because I did reach out to Janet, and she did add so much magic and light into my life. I learned how to read tarot cards through her, I got certified in Reiki through her, and I went on a couple of her retreats, which connected me so much deeper with nature. She taught me so many invaluable lessons that I carry with me day to day. I am so grateful for women and men like her who have these special gifts and share them without holding anything back.
I started learning about crystals just on a ‘find them as you go’ basis. I would go to different metaphysical stores in whatever city I would happen to be in at the time, then find whichever crystals called out to me and research them and learn about them. It became such a fun process! I love playing around with stuff like that—I love playing around with everything in life! Most recently though, I’ve been really focused on this book called A Course in Miracles. I have been doing the daily lessons for the past 60 days and plan to complete them for the full year. It has been completely transformative for me!”
Are there any Instagram accounts you follow for beauty/wellness/life inspiration?
“My favorite topic to follow on Instagram related to wellness is vegan recipes! I have found so many amazing alternatives to the meals I used to love as a meat eater in vegan form. I follow a lot of healers, astrologers and great affirmation sites as well. I try not to look at too many ‘beauty-related’ content on Instagram because I find that sometimes that can turn into a bit of a self-judgment rabbit hole for me. So, I like to keep my Instagram searches about very grounded relatable and inspirational things.”
What new projects do you have coming up?
“I have a few projects in post-production right now, one of which is called Skelly. I got to play a Unitarian Universalist minister, which was so fun to learn about during shooting. I read this great book called Love and Death: My Journey Through the Valley of the Shadow, by Forrest Church, which taught me so much and left me feeling so inspired. It is definitely one of my favorite parts of acting: being able to play roles that teach me things I may have never learned about otherwise.”
What are you looking forward to in the new year?
“I am looking forward to continue growing and doing the things I love while surrounding myself with loved ones. I’ve been trying to learn a lot about composting and gardening, while also trying to learn more and more about how to live sustainably. I recently purchased a farm in Michigan, and I’m trying to figure out how I can use that farm to give back to the land that the farm lives on. So that is definitely going to be a goal of mine, to continue researching and learning.”
