Julia Garner on Fearless Fragrance and the Secret to Flawless Curls

Plus, the one trend she just can't co-sign.

The One Thing

Our series The One Thing is a Sparknotes version of the products, rituals, and moments your favorite celebrities and influencers swear by—their go-tos, must-haves, and can’t-live-withouts. So go ahead—take a brief, intimate peek into the lives of your favorites through the things (and people, and moments) they hold dear.

Julia Garner exudes a quiet confidence that feels almost at odds with the larger-than-life characters she's known for. Her roles in "Ozark" and "Inventing Anna," both of which earned her multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations (and three wins), are brazen, audacious, and tough as nails—and feature some fairly outlandish accents. But the woman behind it all has a keen sense of self, one that is at once demure and bold.

So it's no surprise she serves as the face of the iconic Gucci Guilty, a fragrance designed as a tribute to love and self-acceptance in all its forms. The sophisticated scent is a little warm, a little floral, and a little creamy—with just a hint of coolness to it. It's not trying to be anything it isn't, but it's also a little bit of everything. "There's something very authentic and just bold about the whole thing," Garner gushes. "I've always loved fragrance, and I've always loved Gucci Guilty." That authenticity is something Garner and Guilty share—and it's as obvious in a single spritz of the scent as it is in just a few minutes of conversation with the star.

Ahead, Garner chats about her curly-girl essentials, the advice she'd give her younger self, her guiding beauty philosophy, and more.

The One Thing She Loves About Gucci Guilty

"When I got the phone call [to be the face of the fragrance], it was the easiest yes. Because not only is it Gucci, but the fragrance is iconic. I collected perfumes as a little girl and had [Gucci Guilty] on my dresser growing up. I was really, really, really excited. I'm still excited every day to be a part of it.

And there's something—if I were to describe it—there's a fearless element to the smell. It smells bold, and it has this confidence to it. It has this boldness and openness—fearless in a way—but it's warm, all at the same time. And that, to me, is Gucci Guilty."

The One Thing She Looks for in a Fragrance

"I'm always attracted to things that have a contradiction in a way. And it's the same with scent. It should feel subtle but not so subtle. I like things that smell clean but with a pop to it. It could be anything, but it has to have those elements."

Gucci Guilty Pour Femme Eau de Parfum ($133)

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The One Step of Her Skincare Routine She Never Skips

"With skin, it's all about finding a good cream. You gotta find the cream that works for you... I've [used] the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream ($290) for years."

Her Beauty Philosophy

"I play different people as a living, so I'm different people all the time. When I'm not playing these characters and presenting myself in public, I want people to see me. Even when I have my makeup done by a professional, and I'm wearing a lot more makeup than I would on a normal day, I still always try to look like myself—I want to look like me. Playing with what you have naturally and enhancing your natural beauty is always the way to go."

The One Product That's Always in Her Bag

"Well, it's not so much a product, but I always have an eyebrow brush. I can have makeup on my face and know that my eyebrows will be fine, but if I don't have [one] in my bag, I get weird anxiety. That's a big thing for me. I always need an eyebrow brush."

The One Thing That Smells Like Home

"Home to me—well, I grew up in New York, so it's different smells. I personally love it. It's all walks of life, quite literally. That's what I think of."

The One Piece of Advice She'd Give Her Younger Self

"Just stay true to who you are—continue doing that because everybody's different, and no one can take that away from you. That's what makes you. I would give that advice to anyone, and I would give it to myself continuously."

The One Beauty Tip She Learned From Her Mother

"My mother has great skin, and she was always taking care of her skin very early on. She really taught me about putting on cream and making sure to put on sunblock. 'Don't go in the sun.' That was a really early memory."

The Beauty That Makes Her Feel the Most Herself

"It's so cliché, but it's true: I feel the most myself when I have really platinum hair, like really blonde hair, and short. I don't like it getting too long. I feel I look better with shorter hair; I feel better. And a really good lip—nude, red. A really good lip, in general, and platinum hair [are] kind of my thing."

The One Hair Product She Can't Live Without

"The Christophe Robin Luscious Curl Defining Cream ($32). That's very good. And that's really what I use. I try not to blow dry it if I have enough time. And don't dry it with a towel, do it with a t-shirt and scrunch it. That's the best for the curls."

The One Beauty Trend She Can't Get Behind

"Some of the Y2K stuff. That was a bad era that doesn't need to come back. It's very strange that it's coming back to me. I'm just like, 'Wait, what? Really?' We worked hard to get out of that, let's not go back."

Up Next: Emily Ratajkowski's Go-to Fall Outfit Formula Is a Good Coat, Boots, and Fragrance

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