Nicole Richie Used To Need “All The Things.” Not Anymore.

On The Simple Life Season 1, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton might be milking cows or working a drive-thru, but one thing was practically guaranteed to happen in each episode: you’d see them doing their glam. Back then, Richie says, she never left the house without a cat-eye, her hair done, and “all the things.”

“In my twenties, I just felt like I needed so much, which is so crazy to think because [Paris and I] were so young, but I was like, ‘I need the hair. I need the makeup,’” Richie, 45, tells me over Zoom. When it was time to get her extensions redone, she’d take them out the night before her appointment and avoid going out to dinner until they were back in. “I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t because I don’t have [my extensions] in.’ I was very much in my own head and just needed to be all the things.”

These days, Richie’s beauty POV is more pared back, particularly when it comes to skin care. “I’ve learned to take a less-is-more approach,” she says. “The younger me was just trying everything and breaking out all the time, and it was just too much — so it’s all about keeping my skin calm.” It’s a fitting philosophy for her partnership with Eucerin, the dermatologist-backed drugstore brand known for its straightforward, science-led approach.

She’s also learned to work with her natural hair — something she says would “shock” 20-year-old Nicole. “I used to think that I could never in a million years leave my house without extensions,” she shares. “I was like, ‘My hair is just too thin.’ Now I’m extension-free. I’ve figured out my curl pattern, and I’m a free woman.”

Ahead, the actor and fashion designer dishes on her beauty routine, from the treatment she books every two months to the makeup staple she’s been loyal to since seventh grade.

What is the most Nicole Richie thing in your beauty routine?

My liquid eyeliner. My go-to makeup trick is a cat-eye — that’s just what I’ve been doing forever.

There’s a debate online about whether black or brown eyeliner is better. Which side are you on?

I am a brown eyeliner girl. And I’d also like to add in a deep purple. Black is too harsh on my face. I have green eyes, so doing a brown and then a very deep purple combo brings out my eyes. Victoria Beckham has a really great purple liner that I love.

What does your skin care routine look like?

I do my face wash. I have an antibacterial toner I use to treat my rosacea. I’ll do my Eucerin dark spot cream, then I’ll do my moisturizer, and that’s it. I really can’t stray.

What’s the one beauty product you would want if you were on a deserted island?

My grapeseed oil. I use it on my whole body with exfoliating gloves before I put on any cream. It makes the biggest difference as far as moisture goes.

What is the most luxurious part of your beauty routine?

Getting a lash lift — does that count? I do that every two months and I’m very obsessed. It makes me feel alive and like I got a facelift every time I do it. I wake up and look in the mirror and it looks like I have makeup on.

What’s a beauty opinion you have that you think most people would disagree with?

People think they should have lighter hair in the summer, but I go the opposite way. I think you should have darker hair in the spring and summer because you’re wearing a lot of bright colors and your skin is tan, and then in the winter you should go blonder because you’re wearing a lot of black and darker colors. You can get depressed, so you’ve got to keep your hair light to keep your spirits up.

What’s your go-to fragrance these days?

I have a lotion and then a mixture of a few different oils, including a jasmine oil — that’s been my go-to since I was a senior in high school.

Are you more of an eye makeup person or a lip person?

I’m definitely an eye person. I will do a bold red lip occasionally but I like to just emphasize the eyes and do a nude lip. If I’m doing my own makeup, I use M.A.C.’s Spice lip liner. I’ve been using it since seventh grade. I do not stray — I have an emotional attachment to it.

Do you use any beauty tools?

I have a TheraFace Depuffing Wand. I use the cold setting on my eyes to depuff, especially when I’m on the plane. If I’m doing a show and tell of things that are in my bag, that’s one I always pull out that impresses people.

How does your daughter’s beauty look right now compare to yours when you were her age?

She has such a strong sense of style in a way that I didn’t at 18. And she’s so good at makeup and hair. If ever I need my makeup done, I go to her and she does it. If I need a powder, I’ll go to her room or FaceTime her, and she’ll be like, “OK, go grab this product and this spray that goes over the powder.” She’s so knowledgeable and well-versed in beauty.

Who is someone whose beauty look you have always been obsessed with?

Grace Jones, Stevie Nicks — just someone who’s really into going there with their makeup and their looks. It’s always been musicians for me.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.