IN London to promote The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey, Oscar-winning actress and SK-II global ambassador Cate Blanchett also found time to talk to us about red carpet beauty regrets, looking like a panda and learning to love pink.
What made you decide to work with SK-II?

When they first approached me they wanted to know if I was familiar with the brand – which I was – as it wasn’t so well-known outside of Japan then. I had first tried it when I was pregnant and I developed Melasma – a kind of skin pigmentation problem. Two of my make-up artist friends recommended it, and I found it worked instantly. So, our working relationship has evolved from there. I love the SK-II LXP Ultimate Revival Essence – it’s from the most luxurious range, which is probably the one I use the most.

I don’t chop and change when it comes to skincare – I’m interested in fashion, but I’m not interested in fashion when it comes to skin! The products are great and I think that through consistency of use they’ve really changed the texture and the softness of my skin. I used to break out sometimes, but now my skin is so much better. Other products hydrate, but SK-II products give your skin a resilience.
Which products do you love?

SK-II has a foundation which I mix with a sunscreen, to make it more sheer. I also love Tom Ford mascara – the whole range actually, the lipsticks and eye shadows are great too – a Dior luminising powder and maybe a bit of MAC liquid liner. Basically anything that doesn’t smudge! I never do a dramatic eye if I’m doing my own make-up as I end up looking like a panda.
It seems you have a team of people that you love working with time and time again.

I love Nicola Clarke – who’s just one of the best colourists – and of course Mary Greenwell, for make-up. I always have an idea of what I want, but then Mary will say: “No darling, let’s do this,” and I’ll say: “No darling, let’s do this!” Eventually we’ll find a way to move forward.

Mary’s great at highlighting colours you might not think would work on your skin. She likes to use a lot of pink which wouldn’t have occurred to me as a good choice for my skin, but actually it works – and I’d be more inclined to use it myself now. Tom Ford does a great line in pinks, there are some lipsticks of his that I love.
What are your beauty tips?

Massage is a really big thing, it makes such a difference – gets everything moving. Also I decant the SK-II Essence into spray bottles and spritz it over my make-up – you know when you put on make-up because you don’t want to be shiny but then you get that awful cakey look? Well that fixes it. I’m always telling them they should do a spray version of it actually. On the plane everyone’s there with their Evian le Brumisateur sprays, and I’ve got my SK-II. I use the Whitening Source Derm Revival Mask on the plane too.

I don’t have facials. I’ll do acupuncture, things like that, but my skin’s at a place where it’s really stable, so I don’t really want people prodding at it.
Have you ever had any red carpet fashion or beauty looks that you’ve regretted?

Oh I’m sure that there are some things I look at and regret, but I just laugh about it. It depends who you dress for – I pick things I love, so there’s never something that I look back on and don’t like at all. It’s more likely I’ll feel like there’s too much hair, or that the dress and the make-up are wrong for each other – usually if there’s too much going on it doesn’t look right.

SK-II is available at www.sk-ii.co.uk

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