While some of us (OK, most of us) spent the last year hanging out in sweats and binge-watching Netflix, reality TV star and Uncommon James founder Kristin Cavallari was busy building a beauty brand: her new skin-care line, Uncommon Beauty.
Ahead of the line’s launch on May 13, POPSUGAR sat down with Cavallari to chat skincare, beauty regrets, and what makes her line unlike all the rest.
“We have five core products that we’re launching that I really believe should be a part of everybody’s daily routine,” Cavallari said. “They are all very much a part of my daily routine.” The line includes Triple Effect Eye Cream, Daily Water Cream, Pineapple Peptide Nectar Serum, Mango Lip Balm, and Daily Foaming Powder Cleanser.
As for why she opted for powder cleanser instead of a typical liquid, Cavallari said she likes that it’s a multitasker. “Depending on how much water you mix with it, it can either be a really deep exfoliator or if you mix it with more water it can be a really nice gentle cleanser. Also, I travel quite a bit, so being able to throw this in my bag and call it a day is awesome.”
Choosing a favorite Uncommon Beauty product would be like picking a favorite child, so instead we asked what product category she would kiss, marry, and kill. The options? Vitamin C serum, eye cream, and moisturiser. While admitting the choice was extremely hard for her, Cavallari chose to kill vitamin C serum, kiss moisturizer, and marry eye cream.
“I wish I started eye cream as a teenager. My mum always told me you’re never too young to start moisturizing and I’m glad she told me that, but I didn’t start using eye cream until my late 20s and I think that it’s such a sensitive area with such thin skin that we really do need as much moisture as possible there.”
When it comes to beauty regrets from her days on The Hills, Cavallari has only one. “I did have years of time where I would let makeup artists put way too much makeup on my face,” she admitted. But flash forward to today, and she says now she has a better grasp on what works for her. “As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned how to be more vocal about that and say I actually like a more natural look, this is what’s flattering and this is what I don’t like. For a long time I would just sit in a chair and say, ‘Do whatever,’ but now I know what I like and I stick to what I know.”
One thing Cavallari has been open about with her beauty routine is that she has chosen to opt out of Botox, fillers, and injectables. “At a young age I was so against plastic surgery and everything that it stood for because I saw my stepmom at the time lose herself in it,” she said. “My brother actually lost himself in it as well, and so I really hated it and felt like it was just a cover for what was really going on.”
Instead, Cavallari opts for skin-care tools like the Neurotris Pico Toner (a microcurrent tool for facial and body toning) to keep her skin looking fresh. “Your face is a muscle, so we need to be working it out the same way that we would any other muscle, and that’s the opposite of Botox. So instead of freezing it, let’s work it out.” Either way, you won’t see any judgement from Cavallari. “To each their own. I have friends who honestly look better with it – I get it – it’s just not for me.”
Still, she said she hasn’t written it off completely. “I never say never; I’m 34, I don’t know what I’ll be saying when I’m 54. My mom has never had any of that stuff, and really my goal is to never get any.” Cavallari added: “For me personally, I just don’t think we know the long-term effects of what we’re putting into our skin. I also live a very natural lifestyle and that would go against everything I believe in.”
One thing is for sure: Cavallari is always evolving, and we’re always excited to see what’s next.
