“Modern Family” after their win at the Golden Globes.

Related reviews:

1. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Hyland
2. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Drew
3. Celebrity Skin Interview: Kate Walsh and her Boyfriend

I recently had a chat with Sarah about her favorite products and more. Enjoy!

Tell me about your skin care fave’s?

I really like Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes because they moisturize my face and take off the makeup at the same time. And it doesn’t burn or anything. I also use the L’Oreal Clean Deep Facial Cleanser that comes with the sponge.

What are your makeup fave’s?

I really like Cover Girl eyeliner. The one with the smudgy thing on one end and the pencil on the other end. I really like that one. I also really like Cover Girl lip liner. I’m a huge lip liner fan. I’ve also been using some Maybelline products as well. Their blush is really cool. Dream Mousse Blush. It trips me out. It’s like a sponge, but it’s blush. It’s crazy. It’s cool. I really like L’Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara. It’s amazing. Whatever it does to your lashes when you put it on, it like really extends them and makes them pop. And I love Natura Bisse, The Cure Sheer Eye. You put it under your concealer and it just brightens everything and it’s amazing. It really is magic.

Do you have a favorite lip gloss or foundation of any kind?

I’m not really big on that kind of stuff. I’m very, very simple. I don’t use eye shadow. I don’t like to go too over the top. For my lips, I just do lip liner and then I put Chapstick over it.

Any favorite body products?

Baby Oil.

What’s your “must have” product?

Probably Rosebud Salve.

That’s a good one. Do you have a favorite spa?

No, I don’t go to the spa.

Oh, just wait! You will and you’ll love it! Do you get massages?

I’ve only gotten one massage in my life and that was when we were in Hawaii filming “Modern Family”. I got a massage at the resort. It was amazing.

Do you keep any makeup in your purse?

I just carry all that I told you about in a plastic bag in my purse, because I always do my makeup in the car. I don’t take time to do it at home and stuff.

Do you have a favorite makeup tip or skin care advice?

Always blend from your face to your neck, so you don’t look like a clown.

How’s it going on “Modern Family”?

It’s great, thanks!

Are you having a good time with the other actors?

Yeah!

How do you think you’re most similar and least similar to Haley, your character on the show?

Most similar is that we both can’t really cook. Least similar in the fact that she really takes the time to actually do her hair. I can’t do hair.

What do you think would surprise your fans most to know about you?

I think it would probably be that I really can’t do my hair. I’m not really good at makeup and hair. Other people do that.

Congratulations on being a part of a such an amazing show.

Thank you so much!

Thanks Sarah!

Related reviews:

1. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Drew
2. Congratulations to Sarah Hyland and “Modern Family”
3. Celebrity Skin Interview: Shay Mitchell

Special thanks to Murad for the support and for letting us play for the day. And big thanks to Dan Glaser for shooting this for me.

Related reviews:

1. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Hyland
2. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Drew
3. Congratulations to Sarah Hyland and “Modern Family”

Eva, Zoe, and Olivia being interviewed at the luncheon by Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson.

Eva Longoria directed the short film “A Proper Send-Off” that was inspired by Glamour reader Jan Livingston Mokhtari. As I previously wrote, in my coverage of The Glamour Reel Moments Premiere, I found “A Proper Send-Off” to be very inspiring on the subject of breast cancer prevention. Jacinda Barrett, Sam Page and Victoria Smurfit are the stars of “A Proper Send-Off.” In this first exclusive video clip, Eva Longoria is talking about not having to “man up” as a female director.

Here, Eva is talking about directing an actual makeup artist (who was playing a makeup artist) in her short film, who had never acted before.

Eva Longoria behind the camera, directing her short.

Eva Longora directing Jacinda Barrett

Coming soon: My exclusive videos of Zoe Saldana’s interview from the Glamour and Clarisonic Em(power)ment luncheon.

Related reviews:

1. Glamour Reel Moments Premiere - Clarisonic Hits Hollywood
2. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Drew
3. Celebrity Skin Interview: Kate Walsh

You asked for her back, and you got her! When I asked my readers to choose a favorite Celebrity Skin Interview, out of all the actresses that I’ve had chats with, Kate Walsh sat at the top of their lists. After interviewing her twice, seeing how much she interacts with her fans online and also knowing her personally, it’s no surprise to me that you chose Kate. For the first time ever on My Skin Affair I’m bringing a celebrity back, by popular demand. Also, another first, I’m giving you a Celebrity Skin Interview “mashup”. I’ve combined pieces for you from both of my interviews with Kate because some of you wrote to me about loving my first chat with her last year and some of you wrote about the second chat that I had with Kate this year about Boyfriend. (Seriously Kate, your fans are an incredibly loyal bunch.) Without further adieu, I give you…The Kate Walsh Interview Mashup!  Enjoy.

I met Kate while we were shooting a pilot together for ABC in 2005. At the time, she had only shot a handful of episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy” and there was talk of her becoming a bigger part of the show if our pilot didn’t get picked up as a series. Consequently, when our pilot didn’t become a series, Kate was available for “Grey’s Anatomy” and from there…Kate Walsh quickly became a household name. Next came “Private Practive”, and you know the rest.

I knew a bunch about Kate before we had our first chat about skin care. I knew all about her talent, how funny she is, I know she’s a super cool chick that’s easy to talk to and work with and I know that she’s a fellow animal lover. But, I had no idea how knowledgeable Kate was about skin care and how passionate she is about it. So, chatting with Kate about skin care was a blast. Kate is a true skin care enthusiast. Enjoy!

Photo by Roberto D’Este
Prior to our chat, Kate had told me that she is a huge fan of Kate Somerville’s products and services. So, I wanted to start there…

I noticed Clarisonic on the Kate Somerville site. Are you a fan?

Love Clarisonic! I have one for the face and body. It makes a huge difference. It’s not only good for cleansing but it’s great for circulation.

Why Kate Somerville?

Her products and services are great. It’s two for one…you go to her spa and she’s got the best services in terms of facials, muscle rejuvenation, lasers (red light, blue light, white light) all of these great things. Because I’m a big believer, I’ve not done anything, like I’ve never done Botox, I don’t have any fillers…nothing. And (she laughs) I’m not saying that I never will, but I don’t. So, everybody has their line in the sand and mine is I’ll do everything else other than put any needles in my face, you know…unless I cut myself and need stitches. (laughs) So, what I love about Kate Somerville products and her services there…it’s very natural. It’s great, beautiful skin, fresh, glowing, gorgeous…but very natural. But there’s also the lasers that I love. For example there’s the Titan laser that works on a deep dermal level and helps to stimulate collagen growth. But, I don’t do anything where I can’t go to work the next day. I love the lasers that she has there, and I love the facial.

Do you have a favorite facial you get at the Kate Somerville Clinic?

There’s the Quench Facial, which I love. They’ll do a regular cleansing and do extractions, but anybody can do that. And I’m not a huge fan of doing major extractions anyway. Mostly I take good care of my skin to where, unless it’s hormonal, I don’t have a lot of extractions to do. Luckily, I mean part of that’s genetic, my mom had really great skin and so I’m blessed in that way. But, Kate Somerville does this facial called Quench, that’s like an airbrush that they use to put this Quench serum into your face, pressuring it in with the airbrush. And it’s so super moisturizing and you can see your skin plum up and it’s great to do before an event or a big night or a photo shoot.

How long do the results last?

That just depends, a few days. But, the lasers are more long term. Their salon services are just fantastic. All of the different lasers! And then they have the muscle rejuvenation that stimulates the facial muscles to give it a little lift. And if you do that consistently you really see a big difference. You see it right away too. It gives your skin a little lift. And the other one’s (treatments) are long term. You just go in as regularly as you can, once every couple of weeks or once a month to do the laser stuff. You know, Botox is faster I think, but it’s weird. I mean, I just think we’re on the edge of an epidemic of weird facial stuff happening.

And people just look strange!

They look weird. I’ve seen some actresses that I haven’t seen in a while and (laughing) you’re like “Whoa, okay! You look really different”. And I think it’s really difficult to be objective about your own face. Because we are all aging and our faces change and our bodies change so I think it’s kind of impossible to remain objective. So when you start doing things to actually alter how you look, really alter, it’s a slippery slope.

It is, you’re right. And there’s so much that you can do to avoid that or at least prolong having to do something like that, if that’s what you want.

It’s like working out. I mean, I feel like it’s just like going to the gym. You can’t just go on a crash diet and expect to be in great shape. You have to consistently take care of your body and you have to consistently take care of your skin. Inside and out, too! That’s another thing, in terms of skin care for me. I’m 42 now and your body chemistry changes, hormones change. It’s funny, in your twenties and early thirties you’re like “Yeah, I can do whatever I want”. Now, I have to take supplements and vitamins and eat well because it is the inside out. I make sure I’m taking fish oil to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized and vitamin E. I like Reservatrol. I love that stuff. It’s a supplement. It’s a natural substance that helps promote skin growth and cell growth and renewal.

And you notice a difference?

Yeah, I do. But that’s another thing. You can’t just go in and have lasers washed over your face, or the same thing with a filler or Botox or something. You see these people with the frozen face and then their necks look terrible or the rest of their body is going and it’s like, you have to go from the inside out.

Yeah, it’s like seeing people who get liposuction and then don’t change their diets.

Yeah!

What are your favorite Kate Somerville products?

The products are just ridiculous. They’re all natural, they’re very clean smelling. I love all of them. One of my all time favorites is ExfoliKate. It’s an exfoliating scrub for the face and you can also use it on your body. But I use it on my face and neck and decollete. And it’s got a little tingle to it. I’ll use the Clarisonic to cleanse first. Kate Somerville has a great gentle skin cleanser too, her Gentle Daily Wash. I use that. I put that right on the Clarisonic and go to town. And then I put the ExfoliKate on and I wash it off or use the Clarisonic to scrub it off. It’s a great exfoliator and you see a difference right away. And you can use the Kate Somerville Micro Glycolic Polisher in conjunction with the ExfoliKate. I love mixing that with the ExfoliKate. It’s a combination of glycolic and lactic acid and it’s a good exfoliator. It really minimizes fine lines and wrinkles. The other thing she has which is fantastic is her Mineral Mud Mask which doesn’t really need to dry. I do this in the shower in the morning because I don’t have the time to hang out…you know. It’s plumping and it also extracts. And, again, you feel a little tingle. It’s a Mineral Mud Mask and it’s genius. It’s a newer product of hers. It doesn’t get dry and tight like a traditional mud mask. It’s gives you a nice plump. So, you feel a little tingle in your face as it’s extracting and you feel a little plump in your face. I don’t have big, full, “bee stung” lips and you feel a little plump in your lips after the mask. I love it. And any of these products, you can finish with a Clarisonic too. One of the things that I love about Kate Somerville is that there are four basic things to use. It’s not crazy, complex…having to use six or eight different things. You can use as little or as much as you want of her products. And I love that all of her products sink right in. You can put makeup right over it. I love that. She also has a Quench mask that’s very hydrating as well. And I love the Quench Face Serum. It’s very hydrating. Also, I love the Kate Somerville Line Release. And then there’s just the basic stuff, like drink tons of water. Hydrating is a big thing for me. I get really dry skin.

My favorite, favorite thing, that’s not Kate Somerville is Emu oil. And that is sort of the best thing. It’s from the Emu bird. If you’re a vegan, I’d say jojoba oil is great. Emu oil has healing properties. It’s incredible. My makeup artist introduced me to it. It’s helpful if you have a scar or a scab or if you’ve picked at your face or if you have a burn. It heals scars and burns really well. A friend of mine burned herself badly with a curling iron and put Emu oil on it and it really heals. My boyfriend uses it for a moisturizer. I put it on in the morning before I go to work. After I get out of the shower, I put that on all over my face and neck. It doesn’t make you break out. And then as I’m in the hair and makeup trailer (on set), I let that set in. Your face just drinks it up. You can also put it on at night before you go to bed. Incredible!

Good to know! Is there a specific line of Emu oil that you love?

The kind that I get that I love is Laid in Montana by Montana Emu Ranch. I put it all over my face. It’s incredible. Honestly, it’s one of the best kept secrets. It’s awesome. It not only moisturizes, but it’s got healing properties.

So, it would be great for people who have acne scaring?

Totally! And, going back to Kate Somerville, she’s got great lasers for acne scaring as well. And, by the way, Kate’s products are not a fortune. They’re really reasonable and it’s very accessible. I’ve been using her line for about five years. Also, there’s an old one too that I do at night sometimes which is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. It’s been around forever. It doesn’t make you break out and it seals in the moisture at night to give your skin a break. I’ll put on the Emu oil and then the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream over it before I go to bed and wake up in the morning and have baby skin. It’s incredible.

It sounds like your “must have” product is Emu oil?

Yeah. I’m a big fan. And again, if you’re vegan, you can use jojoba oil instead. I did a movie in New Mexico and it was so dry and windy and the makeup artist there suggested jojoba oil. And you can get it at the grocery store and it’s super cheap. It’s so good for your skin and healing as well.

Do you have any favorite body products?

I’m obsessed with Pure Figi Coconut Sugar Rub. It’s the bomb! I use it in the tub, in the shower…and it’s awesome. The other thing I’ll say for a cheaper option, that’s super hydrating, is Cetaphil Ultra Hydrating Lotion.

Yay, Cetaphil! I’m a big fan of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It’s really affordable and really great.

The Cetaphil Lotion is awesome. I’m obsessed with finding stuff that works and that’s not scented, so I can put my perfume on and not have conflicting scents. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter for feet, elbows, and knees. I love that stuff! By the way, a good tip…while you’re in the shower, put an oil your skin while you’re still wet and then when you go to put your bathrobe on or your towel, you just have that little moisture in there and then you can put your lotion over it. That’s particularly great for people with dry skin. And I love L’annine Hand Cream.

Let’s talk makeup!

I don’t wear it when I don’t have to. If I can get away with it, I wear none. My guy at work (“Private Practice”) uses Armani foundations. I love them. My favorite mascara on the planet, other than Maybelline Great Lash that everyone loves…is Make Up For Ever mascara. I love it. It never clumps and it looks super natural. I don’t like to put a lot of foundation on, but I still use a little bit of Chanel foundation. I use their Lumiere Fluid.

What do you keep in your purse?

I love Jao Hand Refresher. It smells great. Love that! For under eye (dark circles), other than the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat pen that everybody has, I love the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer. I’m obsessed with Cle de Peau. I use the Cle de Peau Concealer in “Ocher”. I use that in combination with the YSL Touche Eclat. If I’m going out and going to do my own makeup I just do a little bit of that under my eyes, super moisture, and maybe mix a little Chanel foundation with a moisturizer and just rub it on almost like a lotion. And then I have a Stila Sheer Pressed Powder. But I try not to even use a lot of that because I try not to have any creasing. I always carry a lip gloss. Right now, I have the Face Lip Gloss that I love in my bag.

Are there any spas or resorts with great spas that you love, out of town?

I like Montage Laguna Beach. And Ojai Valley Inn & Spa is always good.

Photo by Tim Calver

So, I have to ask…when we worked together I think you had only done a few episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy”. What was it like when all of that blew up and then turned into a spin-off for your character on “Private Practice”?

It didn’t happen over night. I had a really great time shooting “Grey’s”. I shot the pilot with you and when the pilot didn’t go I came back to “Grey’s” and it just became huge. It’s something you can’t ever anticipate. It was a crazy ride. I could have never anticipated that.

Kate is a very proud supporter of Oceana, the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation.

What Kate shared with me about Oceana:

”I’ve been working with Oceana for a couple of years. I’m working to preserve the ocean. It’s a food source for a billion people on this planet. We have to help maintain that. Since I can remember, the ocean has been a part of my life. I’ve always been by the ocean. I even thought I’d be a marine biologist at one point…(she laughs) or play one on tv one day”. - Check out this beautiful picture of Kate swimming with a sea turtle.

Photo by Tim Calver

Less than a year after I had my first skin care chat with Kate, we had another chat about her new creation. Kate created the hippest and sexiest fragrance and body care line…Boyfriend. Boyfriend is romantic decadence. Just the way you want your Boyfriend to be. Sexy, cozy, comforting, warm and chic. One of the things that I love about Boyfriend is that it’s so personal. Kate really put her own story and heart into it. Everything about Boyfriend feels personal. It’s personal to Kate and it will be personal to you. From the Boyfriend ad campaign…”Wear Him”. How sexy is that? Wear him!!!

How was this brilliant idea hatched?

About five or six years ago I had split up with my boyfriend and I was in New York and I was shopping and I missed his scent. I missed his cologne. I missed him but I really missed how he smells on my skin. (she laughs) You know when you hug your guy and you have that smell? So I went and bought a men’s fragrance and it wasn’t quite right because it was just a men’s fragrance and it was too strong and not right. At the time I thought, I’m just going to go to the men’s fragrance counter and you don’t need to have a boyfriend to have a boyfriend, ya know? And then I thought, wait a minute, that would be a great idea for a perfume. And I thought of the story of it. The everybody’s got a boyfriend story and the ad campaign was sort of spinning, ya know? You don’t need to have a boyfriend to have a boyfriend, my mother loves my boyfriend, my girlfriends want my boyfriend, even my husband loves my boyfriend. But I thought, oh I don’t want to do a fragrance, because there are people who are much more famous than me and everyone has their fragrance. I wasn’t interested in doing a “celebrity” fragrance or an endorsement deal. For me it was really about creating it, the concept…the guy’s scent on a girl’s skin and it was really the creative venture of it that was really interesting to me. So, the guy who actually inspired it, my ex-boyfriend, who is a venture capitalist…I called him up and he told me that I should just make it, but make it like I would make a pilot. Create it, shoot it, spend the money on it and then go around and shop it. And if you sell it, then you can get a loan from the bank and do it that way rather than going to get investors. So that’s what I did. So this was totally inspired by my ex-boyfriend. And I didn’t do it right away. The idea sort of wouldn’t leave me alone and the thing that was blocking me was just “who needs another perfume in the world”. But I couldn’t find what I liked out there so I thought, well this is a perfect opportunity to create it. So I did!

This is my new favorite smell. It’s a very, very sexy scent. Was it difficult for you to make a final decision on the scent?

Yes! It was very difficult. I went to a perfumery in New York and I liked everything that was being put together. They first asked me what I was inspired by and I remember I loved this candle at the Gramercy Park Hotel. I loved this smoky, kind of woody, really sexy scent. But that wasn’t right on it’s own. But I brought that in. And I loved the memory of my first boyfriend’s cologne, which was Polo by Ralph Lauren. I wanted to have these masculine notes but it had to be feminine too because for a while I wore just sort of straight up men’s fragrance but it’s too strong. And for an every day thing, it’s just too much. And I wanted more floral. So we found the balance. So this fragrance opens up with a floral and then the woodiness and vanilla and amber come in later. And it’s a fragrance that you can layer.

But yes, it was very difficult to make the final decision. I kept questioning it and we went round and round…and we got it right! It was an important piece to have the feminine in there too because it’s not just a men’s cologne for a women. It’s really the marriage of both.

That’s exactly what it is. You completely achieved that! And, by the way, awesome idea for the body oil. I love it, it’s light, it’s not greasy. I love it for my arms and legs.

For The Boyfriend Kit itself I wanted to do something that was cute and chic, and I liked the idea of making it portable. So you can take your Boyfriend with you wherever you go.

So, why a train case? Where did that come from? It’s such a cute idea!

I think it’s kind of romantic and vintage. And I was inspired by old movies and also wanted to design something a bit kitschy and fun for Sephora.

Did you choose all of the names on the case?

I did!

Well, I love everything about Boyfriend and The Boyfriend Kit. It’s going to stay on my permanent list of favorites.

And it has…and so has Kate!

For more info on some of Kate’s favorite products, check out my review for the Kate Somerville Clinic and Kate Somerville products!

Super huge congrats to Kate for being YOUR favorite Celebrity Skin Interview. Until the next time I catch up with Kate on all things skin care, check out the awesome Kate Walsh Site for all things Kate.

Photo by Brian Bowen Smith

Related reviews:

1. Celebrity Skin Interview: Kate Walsh and her Boyfriend
2. Celebrity Skin: Kate Walsh
3. Celebrity Skin Interview: Sarah Drew

Between being a new mommy and traveling back and forth from Los Angeles to Hawaii while working on “Hawaii Five-O”, Autumn and I found the time to have a chat. I have to add that halfway through our chat, her four month old baby woke up from his nap and as soon as he woke up, I heard a new mommy completely in love with her baby. Once Autumn had him in her arms, every other sentence that she spoke was followed by the sweetest comments and cooing to her little one. When I told her how loving and cute she sounded with him she said “I love it”. And you can hear in her voice that she really, truly does. It was a very precious thing to listen to. Here’s our chat. Enjoy!

What are your favorite skin care products?

I like Aveda. Leslie got me into it (Leslie is our lovely friend who introduced us). I’m not a huge product girl at all because I have a huge aversion to spending money on beauty products of any sort and then not liking them. So instead I tend to be a girl who just kind of uses what anyone gives me, or if it’s something that somebody strongly recommends. And after, literally, years of Leslie recommending Aveda…I started trying it. I use the Aveda Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Creme and it was the only product that solved an issue of redness that I had around my nose. Makeup artists have been giving me different products for years and nothing ever worked. And finally, Aveda worked great. I love, love, love their products. I also use Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser and I use it when I’m traveling. I also use Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser. Right now I’m using Boots skin care wipes. It’s a product from the UK. I use those or Neutrogena skin care wipes. And I use Neutrogena oil free eye makeup remover. That is my favorite eye makeup remover. I feel like I’ve accidentally tried tons of them and I always come back to Neutrogena. It’s the only one that doesn’t sting and it works really well. I just really like the Neutrogena line. I feel like it’s a trustworthy line, you can get it anywhere, it’s clean, it’s simple, and it’s fragrance-free most of the time. They are my fall back line, I always go back to them because I feel like I can trust them. Other than that, if I’m given something in a gift bag, that’s what I use. Unless it’s just super fragranced or just too over the top for me, then I don’t use it. But most of the time I’m like “Great, it’s free!”. I use everything under the sun for eye cream, literally whatever shows up in a gift bag. I have nothing that I’m super attached to. Honestly, I just turned 31, and I’m thinking that now I should probably take all of this a little more seriously and actually find an eye cream that does what I need it to do. So I’m right at that point of being like “I can use anything I want” and also “maybe I need to have an actual routine”.

I haven’t spoken to anybody on My Skin Affair who has said that they should start doing this or that about anything. For some reason people don’t like to admit that they’re not doing all they can for their skin and I like the fact that you’re saying, “You know what, it might be time”.

I’ve been very lucky with my skin. I had very little problems with blemishes when I was in high school, and I still look young…I’ve got good jeans, My mom still looks really young and so I’ve never really thought much about it. It hasn’t been a big priority in my life. But now that I’m getting older and actually seeing my age in my face a little bit, I’m starting to think that I need to pay attention.

We all do! It’s all about prevention. I probably didn’t start using eye cream until I was around 28. I really wish that I had started using an eye cream much sooner than I did, just for prevention. I feel lucky that I’m not really seeing wrinkles yet. The truth is, in our twenties, we weren’t thinking about wrinkles.

Oh, not at all. And I go to the beach, too. So literally every day, every summer, I was running around getting tan. That was my main concern. So now, I’m thinking that maybe when people said to wear sunscreen, maybe I should have.

Exactly. It sounds so basic, but it’s true. I completely relate.

Do you have any favorite body products?

My friend Carolina gave me this lotion that I am totally in love with and I am one hundred percent sold on it. It’s one of those things that I will actually go online to buy. It’s John Masters Organics Blood Orange and Vanilla Body Milk. And I use their Body Wash as well. I love the way it smells. It’s not too sweet, it’s a little citrusy. I tend to like really clean, citrusy, summery scents. And I wear Jo Malone Lotus Blossom and Water Lily for my fragrance. It’s really light and clean. I like everything in my makeup and clothing to be as minimalist as possible. And clean.

I happen to be a huge fan of Jo Malone products. Their products are so beautiful. Jo Malone is so lovely. And I love their packaging, it’s stunning.

It is! I was never into fragrance. I never had a fragrance until I was getting married, about two and a half years ago, and I wanted a scent to wear. I found Jo Malone. I like that they layer fragrances. I got Lotus Blossom and Water Lily for myself and I also bought bought Jo Malone’s Dark Amber and Ginger Lily Cologne for my husband. So, I like that they matched. When we’re together the scents all compliment each other. So, my husband wears Jo Malone as well. I got these fragrances specifically for the wedding. I wanted a specific scent and totally fell in love with Jo Malone. I never wanted to spend any time looking for a perfume and my wedding prompted me to do that and I’m so glad I did because I like having something special to wear and I like having the scents that I wear every day. I have a small Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne that I use too.

That’s such a fantastic idea! So you wanted to find your guy a scent to wear, specifically for your wedding because you wanted to have a certain scent on that special day?

Yeah, and I used my wedding as an occasion to do a lot of things that I had been wanting to do and having a fragrance was one of them. To me a wedding is about becoming a woman, in a lot of ways, and that was part of my journey…to find a scent for myself and for my man as well. It was one of my wedding gifts for him.

I love that! I completely agree with you that finding your fragrance is a wonderful thing to do for yourself and I love that you did that for your wedding. Beautiful idea!
So, let’s talk makeup!

I love Aveda Lip Pencils. All Aveda lip products! Go Smile Flashlites. I love those! When I was on “The O.C.”, Peter Gallagher’s friend made them and brought them in for everybody to try. I just thought they were brilliant and I’ve continued to purchase them. I use Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer for foundation and I love it. I use Nars Blush in “Orgasm”. It looks great on everybody and it’s totally reliable. I love it! I have yet to find a mascara that I love. I’m obsessed with Cle de Peau Concealer. A makeup artist had given me the bottom of a tube of it once and I didn’t know anything about it. I started loving it. It’s a pricey concealer but I actually will spend the money on it because it works so well. There’s no other concealer that compares. I like Laura Mercier eye shadows and their palettes. I have a Laura Mercier two layer palette called “Signature Toolbox” that I use. You know what I’ve been using a ton is this amazing palette from Sonia Kashuk from Target. It looks like a little tiny, flat straw purse. It has four brown shadows, a peachy/apricot blush and three glosses. The shadows look great on everybody and the blush is perfect to put right on the apples of your cheeks in the summer. I like a lot of Sonia Kashuk products actually but she makes really great travel products, in particular. Her eyelash curler is what I have in my makeup bag and her brushes are not expensive and they are really reliable. I also use a little eyebrow kit that Sonia Kashuk makes, that’s really nice too. So I use that and I use Laura Mercier’s eyebrow pencil. I love Laura Mercier. It’s really reliable. I use eye shadows instead of eye liner, with a very thin brush.

I did the makeup for all of the bridesmaids in my sister’s wedding. I used a Chantecaille glimmer stick on all of them, that I’ve used for years. You put it right on the top of your cheek bones. I hardly used any makeup on my sister for her wedding. I just used the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, a little bit of apricot blush, the Chantecaille glimmer stick and mascara. I swear that’s all I used and she photographed so beautifully.

What’s your “must have” product?

An eyelash curler, period!

Tell me about your favorite Spas.

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, in Ojai, is amazing. I got married there two and a half years ago. I had this great spa treatment there called the Kuyam Experience. In LA, I go to Kinara a lot. They do really good facials. For massage I go to Massage Envy. It’s great. I had a water treatment at Burke Williams once and all I could think about was how much water we were wasting and I really did not enjoy it. Burke Williams is a great day with your girlfriends/special occasion spa. I’ll go there for a massage. I like Burke Williams, I just don’t like anything that feels too wasteful so I won’t get the wet treatments. I got go Wax for my waxing and it’s really chic and fun and the girls there are great and the decor is really great. There’s a nail salon that I go to that’s for moms, Plush Beauty Bar. What’s so great about it is that it’s a nail salon for moms. So it has a corner that they’ve blocked off for babies with a bunch of play equipment for the babies and all of the products that they use are non-toxic.

What’s your favorite spa treatment?

Deep tissue massage.

What are you favorite products for your little one?

MD Moms makes amazing infant safe sunscreen and I also use the MD Moms Sunscreen Towelettes. A lot of my products are MD Moms. I trust their products. Seventh Generation makes nice wipes too. Palmer’s makes a Cocoa Butter for babies and that’s what I’ve been using for his moisturizer. It smells really good. For body wash, I use Earth Mama Angel Baby. My new favorite line is called Beginning. They have beautiful packaging and they make some lovely baby massage oil. I have their body wash too, that you can use on yourself and on your baby. They also make a room spray that’s really nice. I was just sent a bunch of products from this company called Noodle & Boo. I haven’t tried them yet, but the packaging is so beautiful.

When I was pregnant, I really loved Burt’s Bees Body Butter. And I also used coconut oil on my belly, my legs, and my bottom…anywhere you would get stretch marks. I don’t know if that’s why, but I didn’t get any stretch marks. Of course, I think a big part of it is genetics and how well you take care of yourself.

What’s your best piece of advice for makeup or skin care?

Do your eyebrows! Having nice eyebrows is really important because it frames your face.

Autumn has a blog that’s called M.O.V.E. - Modern, Organic, Vintage, Eclectic. It’s “a blog for girls on the go”. I really like it! Tell me about your blog.

I wanted to start a blog because I love the blogging world and I love other girl’s blogs. It’s still a journey for me, but it’s a way for me to share things in the design world that I love, things I discover on my travels, and it’s a way for me to connect with fans. It’s heavy on photography because I’m an extremely visual person and I love photography. The blog reflects my taste. I love doing it. It’s a big part of my life right now. And I’d love to develop it into a line of products as well. I’d like to do a line of housewares and stationary…things of that nature. I love paper goods. I’m kind of obsessed!

Tell me about the movie you have coming out, “So Undercover”. What was your experience like working on that?

I flew to New Orleans (to work on the movie) for just two days and I play a fashionista. My character is an expert in sorority girl lingo and sorority girls. I train Miley Cirus to go undercover as a sorority girl. My scenes were with Miley and Jeremy Piven, which was really fun because I love working with Jeremy. We had a great time! And I was five months pregnant, so trying to look like a skinny fashionista while five months pregnant was no easy feat.

I’m sure! How’s it going on “Hawaii Five-O”?

It’s great! Going back and forth to Hawaii is pretty awesome. It doesn’t suck! (she laughs)

Is there any bikini pressure on that show?

God, I hope not! (we both laugh) So far, I haven’t had any beach scenes.

Keep your eyes out for Autumn on “Hawaii Five-O” and in “So Undercover”. If you’d like to check out Autumn’s blog M.O.V.E., click here.

Thanks Autumn!

All of the pictures of Autumn on My Skin Affair were taken by photographer, Adam Hendershott.

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3. Celebrity Skin Interview: Kate Walsh and her Boyfriend

First of all, when I say “a little goes a long way”, a little goes way more than the usual “long way” with this product. In fact, without fail, I always put more Special Cleansing Gel in my hands (or on my Clarisonic brush head) than need be. Good for all skin types, this particular Cleansing Gel produces a nice, smooth lather. This soap-free, foaming Gel, is gentle and effective. I really love it. Special Cleansing Gel is non-drying and rinses off easily. I’ve now used it many times and feel very confident recommending it to anyone. In my opinion, along with using this product for yourself, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel would be the perfect facial cleanser to have available in your guest bathroom for anyone who might need to wash their face while visiting you. It’s a really great all-around cleanser.

From Dermalogica: Special Cleansing Gel was, “designed to thoroughly remove impurities without disturbing the skin’s natural moisture balance.”

8.4 oz $33.00

Related reviews:

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I recently had a chat with Shay and I have to tell you…she is SO easy to like. She’s a foodie who cleanses and a self-proclaimed drugstore junkie (in the very best way possible). She loves hosting “spa night” at her house with her friends, which I’ve always loved doing with my friends. She’s upbeat, sincere, aware, open and gracious. Of course, you don’t see all of that until after you get past how beautiful she is. Have you seen this girl? Such a beauty! My favorite thing about Shay, that I found in our chat, is that she laughs very sweetly when she says something authentic that might not necessarily be popular or what’s expected. It’s that sweet laugh that let’s you know that she’s aware it might not be “cool”…but she’s just fine with that. It’s clear that Shay is going to be herself, not what she thinks anyone else wants her to be. That’s the impression that I got, and I was impressed. See for yourself!

What are your skin care fave’s?

For a face wash right now, I’m using Cetaphil. I like it because it doesn’t dry out my skin and I can get it at any drugstore. I’m kind of a drugstore junkie. My favorite moisturizer is Jouer. It’s a tinted moisturizer so it gives you some coverage along with having an SPF of 20 in it as well. I use Burt’s Bees Eye Cream in the morning and at night. I’ve also been using the Midnight Recovery Concentrate from Kiehl’s. It’s a replenishing elixir with essential oils. So I’ll do a couple drops of that and put that onto my skin before I go to sleep at night just for the extra moisturizing.

Any favorite products for your body?

Yes. For the shower, I honestly love this bar of soap, and I know it’s so plain…but it just smells so great. It’s the Irish Spring Moisture Blast (she giggles). And honestly, it just smells so wonderful (she giggles more, sweetly laughing at herself). It’s just a bar of soap, so I throw it in my overnight bag. And I don’t know if it’s for guys or what, because it’s a “deodorant soap”, but I just love the smell of it. I put it in my drawer and and every time I open my drawer it’s this huge scent that I love. It’s just fresh. I love any kind of body wash that smells fresh. More than a fruity smell or vanilla or anything like that…I love the fresh body washes. I try a bunch of different one’s, but I’m really into this bar of soap right now. So that’s what I’m using.

Makeup fave’s?

The base that I always start off with is the Jouer tinted moisturizer. And it kind of covers a lot of stuff. My concealer that I use under my eyes and for any kind of blemishes that I have, that the moisturizer doesn’t cover up, is Tarte. It’s the Tarte Eraser Concealer. And I’m obsessed with it. My favorite mascara of all time is the Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara. I’m obsessed with that and I always do waterproof. I just feel like if it were to rain, I’d be okay. Or if I cry…I’m kind of emotional (she laughs). I know the waterproof mascara’s are a little bit harder to take off but I always feel like I’ll be covered on a rainy day or if I see a sad movie or something. And for my blush, I use NARS Blush in “Orgasm”. It’s the prettiest color. It’s like a pinky, peachy, bronzy shimmer. And I feel like it goes on any skin tone. Even my friends that come over that have paler complexions than I do…when they put it on it just looks so nice. I use Bobbi Brown eye shadow. It comes in a palette and it’s all neutral tones, so that’s one that I bring with me all the time. I’m not really crazy with my eye shadow, so I like things that are just very natural looking. For lips I use whatever is in my purse. I don’t have anything specific, it’s really whatever lip gloss I have. I love lip glosses, I love different colors and I keep a bunch of them in each bag. So, it’s more like a surprise. And for a bronzer, I really like the Benefit Hoola Bronzer.

What is your absolute, “must have” product?

My “must have” product that I always bring with me everywhere is Pantene Flowing Body Mousse. For me it’s a must have for before I style my hair, before I blow dry it. I always put it in after I get out of the shower while my hair is damp. I put in the Mousse and when I blow dry my hair it gets bouncy. Like when you come out of a hair salon after it’s been styled. I can actually do that look on my own which is why I love the product so much. And it lasts the entire day, which is great. When I’m running around and doing a bunch of things, still having great hair at the end of the day is always awesome. That’s why it’s my favorite product.

Do you have a favorite skin care tip or any advice?

Yes! I am going to tell you my number one beauty tip. And it’s my secret that I’ve held onto for so long, but I’m going to tell you. It’s coconut oil. I use that anytime. Whenever I’m out in the sun and I feel like it’s going to dry up something, you can put it anywhere. You can put it in your hair, you can put it on your skin, your cuticles… and it smells wonderful. It’s so moisturizing and it’s natural. That is my favorite. I love it! It’s my beauty secret! Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. It’s my biggest advice I could give anybody for skin. When you get out of the shower, load it on. Especially when you travel, you want to have a little bit of the coconut oil with you. And, the golden rule of always taking off your makeup before you go to bed.

Do you have a favorite spa?

When I was on hiatus, we had a month off, I went to We Care Spa in Palm Springs for three days for a cleanse and a spa. And because it’s so close to me, I just drove down there. Just to kind of regroup, catch up on myself and eat healthy. Or in this case, cleanse really healthy. I’ve also been to The Optimum Health Institute in San Diego, for two weeks. You eat all raw foods there. I love both of those places. I like these kind of cleansing retreats just because I feel like every once in a while, after working so much, I just need to kind of go somewhere, where I can get away. I don’t bring my computer, I don’t bring my phone, I just go with a bunch of books. I like to do these retreats on my own. I don’t like to really go with anyone else. I just like to go and be by myself and eat really healthy. I think that every once in a while I need to do that for myself. I’m a very big foodie and I love trying out different restaurants and sometimes I get so into that, that I’m eating out more than I probably should. And I like to feel what the effect is on my body after eating really healthy. So when I come back from those places I continue to juice, and I am a regular juicer. I really think it’s a good idea to sometimes pause and think about what you’re putting into your body. I really like those places.

I haven’t been to too many spa’s in LA. I go to Thai massage places because I love Thai massages. Those are probably my favorite. I like deep tissue massages, almost to the point where it’s hurting. I have a lot of great friends in LA and I like doing things at home. I was doing this last night actually. We’ll go to the drug store and pick up one of those green clay mask’s and come home and cut up cucumbers…it’s not very fancy. I do my own facials and I love to make hair masks. And I also do my mani and pedi at my house with my friends. We kind of do that as we watch a movie and it all makes for a very fun night. So, it’s like a spa night!

What’s in your purse?

I always carry hand sanitizer, gum, and I also have Listerine strips for the times when you can’t chew gum. I have a lip balm and I always have a lip gloss. The Rosebud Lip Balm is great. I found these little fragrance roll-on oils that I am obsessed with and they are so cheap. They’re called Kuumba Made and I have two scents that I always switch up. One of them is Zen Rain and the other is Persian Garden, and I get them from Whole Foods. Throughout the day, I’m constantly rolling those on because it’s such a fresh scent and it’s not too strong. And now I feel like I’m going to go buy twenty of them (she starts giggling), just in case they sell out or ever get taken off the market…I’m always scared of that. So I have a lot of them in my bathroom and I keep one in each purse.

Tell me about your experience so far on “Pretty Little Liars”. How’s it going?

It’s been absolutely amazing. I wake up every morning just feeling so blessed that I have such a great job and that I get to go to work with, honestly, the most amazing people. My cast members and the crew…we have such a wonderful crew. I love all of those guys and girls who are all on the team. And it’s just become one big family. We couldn’t be happier. The show has done very well and I’m loving growing with my character with each new episode. And hearing the feedback that the fans have, I think it’s amazing. So I couldn’t be happier. I’m living a dream…my dream.

Thanks Shay!

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I happen to be a big fan of “Grey’s Anatomy”. Spoiler Alert: If you didn’t see the season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy” this week, Sarah’s character, Dr. Kepner, was named chief resident of Seattle Grace Hospital. If you’re a fan of the show, like me, I think we can count on next season being very interesting for Sarah’s character. I’m really looking forward to it!

Born and raised in Stony Brook, Long Island, Sarah knew that she was destined to act since the age of five when she performed in a school play. “Acting has always been a deeply rooted passion,” she explained, “and I was fortunate to have parents that supported me every step of the way.”

I recently had a chat with Sarah about skin care, makeup, “Grey’s Anatomy” and much more. Enjoy!

What are your favorite skin care products?

What I use on set (“Grey’s Anatomy”) which I really, really love and is amazing is a Dermalogica moisturizer. And Dermalogica also has a really good exfoliator that I’m in love with. We also use, on set, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. It’s a daily moisturizer that’s really amazing for going under makeup. It ends up really kind of creating this luminescence. It’s pretty amazing. We also use Clarins Makeup Remover. So, that’s what we do on set and I love all of that stuff and think that my skin looks fabulous on the show so I’m definitely a big fan of that. What I have at home for when I take showers at night, when I do all of that stuff at night…I use this product called Natura Bisse. I’ve got neck cream, a face cream, and an eye cream. I use all of those. Every time I get out of the shower, I use those Natura Bisse products. For body I just use Jergens Body Lotion. I definitely am a big fan of lotion. I use a lot of lotion. But I just use the kind of cheap stuff for that.

Makeup fave’s?

So, this is now my all-time favorite base, it’s a Korean base, it’s called Koh Gen Do. I have two different shades of it that I mix with the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Or sometimes I use the Dermalogica moisturizer with it. I mix it all together, and that’s my base. And I’m camera ready with that base. I use MAC a lot. I like MAC blushes and I like their shadows and their pot paint. I really like their black eyeliner. My favorite pencils are Chanel. They have this smooth quality to them. It’s like putting butter on your lips. It’s amazing. And the colors last and it’s just great. The other thing is that I dress up vintage a lot. 20’s, 50’s, 60’s kind of thing. So I like to do bright red lips. And the best lips that I’ve found is L’Oreal’s Infallible Lip Color, and it’s the “Beyonce” color. I love it, it’s my favorite! And it stays on all night. It doesn’t matter what you eat, it doesn’t matter what you drink, that L’Oreal lip stain does not come off. You have to actually rub it off at the end of the night. I have a ton of vintage clothes and jewelry. I do my hair in that era all of the time. I just went to The Edison (in downtown Los Angeles) with girlfriends on Saturday night and we got completely dolled up, 1920’s. And we do that a lot. I have this one particular best friend, and the two of us have an obscene amount of vintage clothing. And we like to go to places that have an old timey feel and we just like to be the belle’s of the ball. When I went out on Saturday night, with my “Beyonce”, I also used my L’Oreal Lavender Smokes and Blackened Smokes. It’s great. It’s a little eye shadow quad that’s for smokey eyes and it has four colors of shadow in it. So there’s a Lavender one and a Blackened one, and I use both.

What’s your “must have” product?

My must have is actually lip balm, with no color. It’s called By Terry Rose Lip Balm. I think all of us use it on “Grey’s Anatomy”. We’re all completely obsessed with it. It has this insane smell. It smells like you’re rubbing rose butter on your lips. It’s so delicious. And Michelle, who does my makeup on the show, gave me a little container with a scoop of it in it. So I have that with me all the time. It’s like a little taste of luxury at any moment in the day, whether you’re wearing makeup or not.

What’s in your purse?

The By Terry Rose Lip Balm, at all times. I also keep Aveda Hand Relief in my purse. I love the Aveda Hand Relief. It is so luxurious and it doesn’t have too strong of a scent. I get really upset if I run out of it or I can’t find it. My hands get dry a lot. I use a ton of Aveda stuff. All of my hair products are from Aveda. I’m a total fan. I’m a member of their rewards program. I use their shampoo, their hairspray, and Be Curly. I love Aveda. I love their tea. I have their tea in my house right now. I love it, it’s so good. I actually am a huge Aveda fan. If this was a hair interview, it would be all about Aveda. Unless I’m at an event, I don’t have a lot of makeup in my purse. I don’t wear makeup ever unless I’m going out and getting dolled up for something specific, or I’m walking a red carpet, or I’m on set. A normal day for me…I don’t have a makeup routine/regime. I don’t wear a stitch of makeup, nothing, on any normal day of the week. My favorite hand sanitizer is Jao. It smells amazing. We have it on set and I’m always asking for it.

Do you have a favorite spa?

What’s funny is that I’ve, truly, never been to the same spa twice. I’m not really much of a spa girl. I have a guy who gives me massages if I need them. And my favorite is a deep tissue massage. I really like it when I’m getting like elbows jabbed into my back. I don’t like any of this “relaxing” and just grazing the skin. No! I don’t go to get a massage to relax, I go to get a massage to get out the kinks.
Something I just discovered…my Korean-American friend brought me to Wi Spa, which is a Korean Spa, and it was like a full on cultural experience. Totally relaxing! It’s got four floors and seven different types of sauna rooms (that part is co-ed). Then you can go to downstairs to the women’s only area, and you have to go naked, and there are different kinds of hot tubs and you can get body scrubs. They really scrub you down! That was a really, really cool experience.

Did you have a first makeup or skin care favorite when you were teenager?

I literally did not own a hair dryer or a set of makeup that wasn’t specifically for stage makeup until I got married. When I was 22 years old and starting to audition for movies, I had agents I met with that told me I needed to learn to do makeup and that I needed to get a hair dryer and learn to do my hair. I was a total tomboy growing up, and I have just become so girlie. Every day of college, I was wearing overalls and bandanas. I didn’t put on makeup or moisturizer. I didn’t even use conditioner. I just literally would take a three minute shower.

You don’t see a lot of Hollywood “beauty makeup” on “Grey’s Anatomy”. It’s more about the natural look on your show, less makeup. Must be right up your alley?

It is. But the funny thing is that I’ve worked in television and film for the last ten years, so I’ve been in a lot of makeup chairs and I’ve played a lot of roles. But I’ve never had the roles that require a lot of beauty makeup. So, to be honest, I feel more beautiful and more beautifully made up on “Grey’s” than I have on any other show I’ve ever been on. It’s totally subtle but I watch the show and see that I’ve never played a role where they’ve made me look this good.

Do you have any good skin care or makeup tips?

This one really just started while being on “Grey’s”. Michelle, my makeup artist, she’s amazing at putting in these little individual cluster eye lashes and I will say that it makes all the difference in the world. I think eye lashes just make your eyes pop in a way that they just can’t without them.

Tell me about your experience so far on “Grey’s Anatomy”.

It’s been amazing. It was all such a surprise, in a wonderful way. I came on to do two episodes and then went away and they brought me back and it’s just been good news ever since then (becoming a series regular). I’ve felt completely embraced by the community over there. I feel like part of the family, one hundred percent. I love the group of people that I get to work with and I love the story lines that they’ve been writing for me. And I’m having so much fun working with Peter McNichol. He’s such a brilliant actor and he’s so interesting and he’s surprising on set. He’s amazing. It’s exciting to have that energy on set.

How has your life changed since becoming a series regular on “Grey’s Anatomy”?

One big thing is the neurosis of being an actor has calmed down. I’m not constantly trying to get a job. So (she says with a chuckle) I will say that my anxiety has gone down since being on the show, because of that. There’s definitely a level of comfort being on a show that is as successful as “Grey’s. And it’s amazing how far-reaching the show is. For the most part, I live a pretty quiet life. I don’t go out all of the time. I have a lot of parties at my house and I love to host people. And that’s not changed. That’s been the same, before and after being on the show.

It was lovely having this chat with Sarah. I can’t wait to see what happens with her character on the next season of “Grey’s Anatomy”.

Thanks Sarah!