I have yet to meet anyone, celebrity or not, who claims they’ve never made a beauty mistake, and I’m thrilled to add another big name to the list of those willing to admit them: Nicole Richie. The actress and fashion designer recently partnered with Eucerin, joining Lucy Hale as a face of the Radiant Tone collection, a lineup of products formulated to reduce the look of dark spots and boost radiance.
And, as I learned when we spoke, the partnership is a natural fit. Richie’s admitted skin-care mistake was skipping sunscreen as a self-described “sun girl,” which she says led to the dark spots she manages with Eucerin today. But that’s not all I found out. Ahead, the notorious hair product we both regret using, the Southern-parents rule behind her body-care routine and the heavy winter cream she wears year-round, even in Los Angeles.
What made you want to partner with Eucerin on the Radiant Tone Collection?
“I’ve been a Eucerin user for as long as I can remember. I’m a sun girl. I like to lay out in the sun, and unfortunately I didn’t use sunscreen. I do now, kind of, but that’s just who I am. So I was expecting the dark spots, and I was trusting the stars that somebody would come out with a product to help me keep everything even. And here we are. Eucerin ended up doing it, so it was a very natural partnership, and I’m really happy to work with them.”
A lot of people focus all their effort on their face and forget the rest of their body. When did body care become a priority for you, and what’s a step you never skip?
“I have Southern parents, and it was a rule from the day I was born: You never left the house without both oil and lotion on. It would never occur to me not to focus on body care. Skin care is body care to me. That’s just the way it’s always been.”
You’ve been open about your dark-spot journey. When did you first start noticing them, and what finally made a difference after trying other things?
“Probably 10 years ago. I was like, ‘Oh, here they come.’ I’ve tried different products, but I have to be really careful with my skin, so I always take a less-is-more approach. I can’t do lasers and all of that because of my skin tone. Eucerin is such a trusted brand, and it’s really worked for me.”
As the weather gets colder, what changes in how you care for your skin from the neck down? What are your must-haves this time of year?
“I live in L.A., so unfortunately the weather isn’t getting that much colder. I actually use a heavy winter cream on my face truly all year long. I can handle that kind of moisturizer.”
Is there an ingredient or type of formula you’ve learned to look for, or stopped using because it didn’t work for your skin?
“I really have to use something extremely natural. I can’t get fancy with products. I can’t just pop into Sephora and grab whatever face mask or anything else off the shelf. I simply can’t do it. I break out, and it’s bad. I know what I need, and I stick to it.”
Your beauty routine has been public since The Simple Life era. What’s the biggest difference between how you approached skin care then and now, and is there anything you’d tell your younger self to start or stop doing?
“The biggest difference is that in my twenties I was down to try anything. There was a stage when I would put Body Shop body butter on my face because I’d run out of face moisturizer and figured I’d get more later. I’d grab anything I could and use it, and it was really bad. I was doing too much to my skin.”
Very relatable. I used to go overboard with Sun-In. It was like an addiction.
“Oh, I loved Sun-In. I forgot about that. It didn’t work for anyone. I don’t know anyone who became a beautiful blonde from it. I would be orange.”
Same. In the moment, I thought it looked really good.
“No, I was like, ‘I am gorgeous…’”
Shop Eucerin’s Radiant Tone Collection
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
