Birthday cards from grandma, diamond rings, Sriracha packets — it's hard to deny that good things do, in fact, come in small packages. Take Kristin Chenoweth, for example: The multi-hyphenate star has a larger-than-life voice that defies her 4'11 frame and some of the most voluminous waves in the business.
But it's not always all glitz and glamour for the Broadway star. "I never had skin problems until I moved to New York," she told us in an exclusive interview. "I was 25, and I couldn't really afford to go to a dermatologist — that subway fare, you know? — but pretty soon, I started to notice red bumps popping up on my cheeks and forehead. Maybe it was all the stage makeup, the travel, airplanes, different hotels, different climates, different running water. These have all become huge triggers for my constant rosacea."
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What rosacea? I thought as sat across from Chenoweth. Her skin looked utterly radiant — even glowier than that time I watched her glide across the stage as Glinda in Wicked years ago. She assured me her recent clear skin is a work in progress, courtesy of Rhofade, a new topical prescription cream that's getting a lot of good buzz in the dermatology world. That, and staying away from trendy skin-care fads, like sheet masks, for one.
"Oh, no way I'm going to hop on board that trend," she says. "I’ve tried a lot, and it's always triggered an adverse reaction. When you have rosacea, that's almost like you’re inviting redness to the party. [Laughs.] No, no, no!"
So what's a big, bubbly personality in the spotlight to do if not try all the wacky beauty treatments out there on the market? Experiment with every single one that isn't skin related, of course. Like stiletto nails, pointed a half-inch past the tip of her finger and painted to perfection. "They remind me of a nude pump," she says.
"You know who inspired me to try it? Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande, who are both friends of mine, and I just love them," she says. "Of course, I can't type or text. People get weird emails from me that make no sense because it’s a thing trying to do it. [Laughs.] It’s not exactly practical, but I'll be damned if it doesn't look good."
Now there's a tune worth dancing to.