Tell us a bit about your beauty routine.
"I'm quite a lazy person when it comes to everyday glamour. I'm not very good about setting aside an hour before I have to do something to get myself ready. So, what I tend to do is, I have a glamour routine that's all about the preparation. And I think that if you do a little of that every so often, you don't have to spend an hour in front of the mirror every day, because, I don't know about you, but I don't have the time! So I get my hair colored by a lady named Megan at Sally Hershberger in L.A., and she does a balayage style. She gets it done, in and out, in two seconds. My hair isn't cutting-edge — I've tried a million different styles and a million colors and I've found what suits me. And so I know I wear my hair every day. I could have the latest shoes or the It bag of the season, but your hair is what you wear all the time.
No such thing!
"Particularly when it's accompanied with cheese, which I know is horrible for your skin, but I love it. And so I use it almost as you'd use a face pack whenever you need a little bit of a boost, and particularly for the holiday season, when we're having a ton of pictures taken, we're having drinks, and then we're getting up early and having three cups of coffee — it affects your smile. I think there's nothing more attractive than a confident woman with a great smile. I've never heard from my male friends, 'Oh, she was wearing these fabulous earrings, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her,' or 'Her handbag was amazing…' No, they say, 'Oh my god, she knocked me out with her smile.' That's it. And you actually do make people's days. So, I think it's all about those things."
Do you do anything different for the holidays?
"Of course, there are certain easy bits. Like this season, I think I'm going to experiment a bit with a burgundy lip. That kind of oxblood, wine, glamorous, goth-type look; I'm going to have a bit of an experiment with that. But would I do it all the time? Absolutely not. If I'm not working, I don't wear makeup. Or, I try not to. If I've got really dark circles, I'll do a little bit of that, or some spot of bad skin. Just something so I don't scare the kids. I'll have my eyelashes tinted. I'll curl my eyelashes, do a little bit of concealer, slip on a little bit of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream — I'm still a fan! I like the unscented version, too; the unscented is a billion times better. And I'll go to the supermarket, and none of the kids run screaming from their mummy going, 'It's Halloween! It's Halloween!' So, that's it."
Speaking of smiles, do you have any tips for taking a really great photo? You're a pro at looking good on camera.
"You know, I think the more you can try to look natural and be in the moment, the better. I really do. Because then, I don't think it matters if you're looking at the camera or not. So often what we do is, we try to predict something, or present ourselves in a certain way, and actually, if you just have the confidence to be comfortable in your own skin and be in the moment…like, some of the best pictures of me that I remember are of really kind of monumental moments in my life. And I'm probably guffawing, and pulling the most silly face, but they bring back the best memories. I actually think you're at your most beautiful when you're living life, not when you're posing. And there are certain things, like, I'm a little bit broad here, so I always put my arms back a bit because it makes my arms look a little skinnier. But besides of that, I'd say just be in the moment."
The holidays are all about indulgence — what's your biggest beauty indulgence?
"A great facial. And to me, it's all about moisturizing. So then you don't have to do too much to your face…nothing too invasive. I think if you take care of yourself, and you find the right kinds of products for you. I think a lot of it is identifying your skin type for right now. It's all about moisturization and light therapy and all of those kinds of things. And some of it just comes down to good old-fashioned olive oil. I went to this office in Beverly Hills, and this woman was like, 'Okay, well, you can do this, do that, we're going to give you light therapy, we're going to do this, we're going to do that, and then…use olive oil.' I was like, 'Olive oil?' And she's like 'Yeah, because there's something active in it.' Who knew?"
How do you use it?
"I put it on top of moisturizer, but only when I need it. Or, if I'm on an airplane. I just put it in my hands, warm it in my hands, and pat it on. That's it. And it's one of those really simple things that you would never think of. But that's why, when I'm on an airplane, I'm like the most unglamourous person. I take every scrap of makeup off, and then I slather myself in what looks like goose fat, because it's olive oil and Rodial Glam Balm. And it looks like I'm about to swim the channel, but when I get to the other side, I don't look like a shriveled-up prune lady."
What piece of fashion really elevates your holiday look?
"You obviously have to go to a lot of parties over the season, and normally, it's straight after work. Because if you're anything like me, if you go home, the temptation is just too great to put on your pajamas and watch old reruns of Sex and the City, and you'll never get yourself out the door again! So, my whole thing is, I like to be able to switch up an outfit, just take it from daytime to nighttime as quickly as possible. And that involves a great pair of heels, a slick of some kind of lip color — because then you don't have to touch anything else — and a great pair of earrings. If you have a great pair of statement earrings, you can kind of convince anybody that you've gone home and done a zhush and gone back out again, when really you've just reached into the bottom drawer of your desk. It's one of those things, just a really easy tip to take it from daytime to nighttime."
And are there any brands or designers that you're really into right now?
"I like Stella McCartney's blazers, Matthew Williamson does great little bits of zhush that are a bit twinkly and are great for going from day to night. Monica Vinader does amazing jewelry — those big earrings and rings. I have a pair of boots that I'm loving at the moment from Tabitha Simmons, and I'm really enjoying her! My bank manager isn't enjoying her in the same way. She's got this great pair of boots that are black and pointy and quite sharp and have three buckles and a zip down the front, and they're just brilliant. And Nicholas Kirkwood. I like his shoes, too. I like a shoe where you don't necessarily know where it's come from, so you're wearing the shoe, rather than the shoe wearing you."