Want to know Nicola Coughlan’s under €35 skincare secret? “It’s simple and it works …”
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Photograph; Nicola wears a lime green opera coat with matching column skirt paired with a pale pink satin top; all by Erdem.
We all want to know how the beloved actor, style leader and self-confessed “skincare fanatic” gets her glowing complexion. She’s just announced a new partnership with Neutrogena UK & Ireland, so before she leaves for LA to attend the SAG Awards – where she’s nominated as Best Female Actor for Bridgerton – we chatted about her bare essentials, her best skincare advice, fashion, trends and how she deals with public scrutiny.
On fashion …
When we chat, Coughlan has recently returned from experiencing the Dior couture show in Paris, together with her sister. “It was such an amazing experience – the craftmanship that goes into couture is incredible. I loved it, it was so special. I’ve been lucky to wear some amazing designers. My sister was always super into fashion when we were younger and we were obsessed with the Olsen twins. We were so excited when someone on TikTok thought we were Mary-Kate and Ashley! They are style icons.”
“I find it really interesting that the skin is the biggest organ in the body and we don’t often think of it that way – so it’s all about taking care of it as an organ.”
On skin …
“Young people have so much knowledge available to them. I was the first of my friends to get interested in skin and I genuinely used Neutrogena when I was young, like the Grapefuit Cleanser, but I wouldn’t moisturise because I thought it would give me spots. I learned later on that if you don’t moisturise your skin will over-compensate and produce extra sebum, which will give you spots!”
On skincare trends …
“I’ve never been very interested in using ‘trendy’ products. I think it’s a waste of time. The partnership with Neutrogena was a no-brainer for me as it’s a brand that dermatologists recommend and also it’s simple. Things don’t need to be very complicated. If you know what an active ingredient does – for example, the Hydro Boost range has hyaluronic acid that’s going to keep you hydrated; the Retinol Boost range aids in collagen production, so it’s going to be good from your thirties on – you don’t need a 50-step routine! Who has the time? As a woman, your life is complicated enough. I just think, ‘don’t get up to do some crazy dermaplaning in your bathroom … sleep!’ Get a good moisturiser [Nicola uses the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser, €16], serum, SPF and you’re good.”
On SPF …
“Growing up in Ireland, I think the lack of sun was a good thing! I was deeply jealous when I was younger of my friends getting gorgeous tans and I was so pale, but now I’m grateful that I spent so little time in the sun. It was only in my late twenties that I realised how important SPF is. I ignorantly assumed that because I’m not in the sun it wasn’t necessary, but now I wear it every day. Some friends say they don’t want to wear SPF because it feels like it will clog their skin, but the Hydro Boost factor 50 is really nice. It’s light and doesn’t feel thick or filmy. You need that protection, it’s so important. Skin cancers are really prevalent, especially in young people, so it’s something I’m very adamant about. And that’s something I really did not know when I was younger.”
On skincare advice …
“Learn about a product’s ingredients and what they do, plus what you need for your own skin. Just because someone else is using a €500 cream doesn’t mean you need it. As for advice I was given, when I was 19 a boss told me to start moisturising my neck and using eye cream, which at the time felt quite wild. Then I read Nora Ephron’s book I Feel Bad About My Neck, so I kept doing it! As I get older, I don’t sweat the small stuff as much. If I look tired or get a spot, I recognise that it reflects your general health. I don’t have perfect skin, no-one does. Sometimes, I wake up with dark circles and think, maybe I didn’t get enough sleep or drink enough water. It’s a gift to tell you what you need, so go and do it. There’s no point giving ourselves a hard time about it.”
“It was only in my thirties that I really cottoned on to retinol. Again, I only want to use something if it’s going to be effective. I think a lot of it’s marketing.”
On retinol …
“Inform yourself and know why you’re using the products you’re using. Retinol aids collagen production, so with the Retinol Boost range [from €31] that active ingredient works for you during the day. If you’re concerned about fine lines, it plumps them and makes your skin look fresh. Dermatologists recommend it and it’s not going to break the bank.”
On travel …
“I have to be pretty strict with myself on flights. When I get on the plane, I immediately take my make-up off and put my Retinol Boost cream on for hydration. I layer it on nice and thick.”
On gadgets …
“I listen to dermatologists, so I just invested in a Current Body LED mask, which are peer-reviewed for efficacy. I’ve had their red light mask for years and you just pop it on while watching TV.”
For an instant boost …
“With my job, the hours can be very unpredictable. A lot of the time you have to get up in the middle of the night, so you wake up puffy. The Hydro Boost range [from €14] is nice for that as I don’t want my skin to feel overly loaded. I put it on and then use an ice roller if I’m on the way to set, which is a gentle way to calm my skin down. It’s not expensive, I think the one I have cost a fiver.”
“The reality is that I do get spots, and I do get dark circles form not having enough sleep. And that’s fine because skin is a living breathing organ and it will go through phases and that’s ok – it’s ok for it not to be perfect all the time.”
On scrutiny …
“It’s a tricky thing. I always want to be honest. For example, the Bridgerton cast is incredibly beautiful, but I say to people that we’re wearing lots of make-up and perfect wigs, so it’s not real. There’s a hair and make-up artist helping you every three minutes! All you can do is try your best to take care of your skin and that feeds into taking care of yourself – that’s the bottom line. There are days when I don’t feel good about myself or 100 per cent confident, but if I’m taking care from a health perspective that’s the best I can do.”
On the highs and the lows …
“The biggest challenge is the hours! The latest Bridgerton season was an eight-month shoot. I wouldn’t change a thing about it, but it was very much my entire life. I didn’t get to see my family or friends very much. It’s a sacrifice I’m totally willing to make, but it can be hard. My family all live in Ireland and I’m in London. I’ve loved acting since I was a little girl, so it’s never lost on me how lucky I am to get to do it. It sounds cheesy, but getting to tell stories and people connecting with that story is an amazing feeling. To be in things that people rewatch is really special. I know what my comfort shows mean to me, so to be a part of that for others is a massive privilege.”
Shop the Neutrogena Hydro Boost and Retinol Boost skincare ranges at pharmacies nationwide, from €14.
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