We’ve long had a special place in our hearts for actress Kristen Bell, ever since her days solving mysteries as TV’s sassiest sleuth, Veronica Mars. With that chapter behind her, these days, Bell is on to new adventures: she’s currently starring in the TV comedy The Good Place with Ted Danson, and she’s gearing up to reprise her role as Anna in Disney’s much-anticipated sequel to Frozen, Frozen 2 (slated for a 2019 release). She’s also raised a family with actor Dax Shepard, with whom she has two daughters, Lincoln and Delta. As an ambassador for Neutrogena, Bell knows a thing or two about skincare, and here, she dishes on her skincare secrets, love of sunscreen, and her involvement in Neutrogena’s #MimicMommy campaign to encourage parents to promote good sun safety habits for their kids.
Q: Why is skincare such an important part of your beauty routine?
KB: My skin is my biggest organ and it’s something that I and other people have to look at every day. So, for vanity reasons I am on camera for my job and have an obligation to try to keep healthy looking skin. Personally, I want my skin to be healthy because I care a lot about my body and how it functions and that I never get sick or have to deal with skin cancer which I know is preventable.
Even with your busy schedule what part of your skincare routine do you always find time for? Is it cleansing, moisturizing, SPF etc.?
Even when I am busy I really don’t cut anything out of my skincare routine. I have worked to make it quick and easy so that nothing needs to be cut. When I am on my way home from work, from places that I wear a lot of makeup, I will usually do a wipe in the car on my way home to get the majority of my makeup off so double cleansing with the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Make-Up Removing Wipes and then I use the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser when I get home in the shower just to make sure I have gotten all that makeup off. I am required to wear quite a bit of makeup on camera and going to bed with clean skin to let my pores breath is one of the most valuable things for me I think.
What is the best skincare tip that you have every been given?
Nothing really like a trick, more just the two pieces of advice: Always go to bed with clean skin and always protect yourself from the sun.
What is your favourite type of sunscreen (lotion, spray, stick) and favourite Neutrogena SPF?
I like the lotion, spray and the stick for all different reasons. Sprays are really great when I am trying to get out of the house quickly, which is every morning. The stick is great for travel and for reapplication if we are at the park for a long day. The Beach Defense sunscreen is fantastic because it is water-resistant and it smells really good, so, if we are in and out of the pool or at the beach, that is really helpful. I especially like the Sheer Zinc sunscreen from Neutrogena because zinc is one of the best naturally-derived sun protectors that we have and it’s sheer, so we don’t look like we are fresh out of the 80’s with zinc all over our face.
Do you remember wearing sunscreen as a child?
All the time. My mom taught me really early on that it was necessary because we were fair skinned and she also taught me that a full skincare regimen including sunscreen would do my skin favours later on in life.
Why are you excited about Neutrogena’s Mimic Mommy Campaign?
Having kids now I realize how hard it is to get them to do things that are good for them. It’s not easy, but with the Neutrogena Mimic Mommy campaign, you are using the natural curiosities your child has to help them form good habits. My kids watch me do everything. Fifty percent of the time after I put my makeup on in the morning, my child reaches in to my makeup drawer and puts the exact same lipstick on. They want to see the habits that adults have and copy them. It’s in our DNA, so acknowledging that and using it to our advantage will create healthier habits for our children. It’s so much easier to lead by example than it is to be constantly telling your kids what to do. If you aren’t putting sunscreen on, of course your kids are going to call you on it and not take you as seriously when you ask them to put theirs on.
