Jaime King’s Royally Smart Take on Beauty

You may know Jaime King from her memorable screen performances in “Hart of Dixie” and “Pearl Harbor,” but the actress is also a dynamo on the red carpet. Her blond hair is the hue of dye-job dreams, and she’s just as alluring in radiant, neutral makeup as she is with bold-red statement lips. We caught up with King, who stars in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” set for an August release, and got the inside scoop on her beauty routine and skin care philosophy. Let’s just say she’s come a long way from her humble beginnings in Omaha, Nebraska…

Yahoo Beauty: What’s your morning beauty routine?

Jaime King: In the morning, I wash my face, and I exfoliate several times a week. I like to use Kate Somerville ExfoliKate ($85) or Koh Gen Do Soft Gommage Gel ($45).

Right now, I’m really loving La Mer’s Moisturizing Soft Cream ($155) and their Eye Balm Intense ($185).

YB: What beauty product are you currently obsessed with?

JK: I’ve been using the Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream ($11.99), which is absolutely awesome. [Makeup artist] Pati Dubroff introduced me to this cream, and it’s so delectable because it hydrates your skin and illuminates your skin, but it doesn’t leave any sticky residue. And over time, as you keep using it, it has skin-firming benefits. It’s great for red carpet, but any woman could wear it during the summer and feel beautiful.

YB: Are there any spa-like products you use at home to help you unwind?

JK: I really like the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask ($90). It’s amazing. And I love the La Mer brush-on Lifting and Firming Mask ($230). It’s really delectable. But also, there are so many great products at the drugstore that make you feel beautiful, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money or make stuff at home.

YB: What’s an example of a treatment you might make at home?

JK: Take olive oil and sugar and a great essential oil and rub it all on your skin as an exfoliator. Another simple one would be to run a hot bath, put in some Epsom salt from your local drugstore, and add some aromatherapy. I think it’s important that women know you don’t have to have a gazillion dollars to feel or look beautiful.

YB: What’s the difference in your beauty routine when you’re off-duty, versus when you’re working?

J.K.: When I’m off duty, I don’t really wear makeup — I just make sure I have a lot of moisturizer on and I curl my lashes. When I have to wear makeup, I typically use a mixture of Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF ($43) with Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation ($57). I mix those together so I have SPF and a bit of coverage. I use Koh Gen Do Moisture Concealer ($54), and then I use YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils mascara ($30), Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara ($30) or Maybelline Volum’ Express mascara ($5.94). I’m talking high and low, which is something that’s really important to me because I came from Nebraska and I didn’t have access to any kind of expensive things. For lips I love the Lancôme Juicy Tubes ($18) because they’re really sheer and beautiful. But if I’m going to do a lipstick, I love the Jason Wu for Lancôme ‘L’Absolu’ Rouge ($30). And, if you want to really splurge, Tom Ford’s red lipsticks ($49) are incredible.

YB: What were your favorite products growing up in Nebraska?

JK: I loved Maybelline mascara. And if you want to get really old-school, Wet n Wild nail polish ($1.49), which was the bomb because it was 99 cents. As a kid, I loved Debbie Gibson’s [sings]“Electric Youth”($14.99)! I thought the bottle was so awesome. In my teen years, I used Kiehl’s Musk fragrance ($42.50), and when I was older, I used Thierry Mugler Angel ($80). But now I don’t really wear perfume.

YB: Did your mother give you any great beauty advice that’s stayed with you?

JK: My mother always taught me to stay out of the sun, even before the awareness of skin cancer and UV sunscreen and all that. She was adamant about us wearing sunscreen, so I really attribute that fact to why my skin is so healthy.

YB: What makes you feel beautiful?

JK: My son.

YB: What advice do you have for days when women look in the mirror and don’t like what they see?

JK: We all look in the mirror and don’t like the way we look sometimes. That’s part of life. But I don’t care if you look at yourself and think you’re the ugliest person in the world — I want you to find one thing you can appreciate. Maybe it’s your eyes, your nose, your mouth, your ear, your eyelashes, the cute dimple you have on your chin. But also, if you feel like you don’t like the way you look, start going inside yourself.

Photo: Getty Images