GET GLOWING
Actress Mandy Moore on what it takes to be happy, confident and camera-ready,
Mandy Moore’s strength has always been her relatability. Yes, her smile could be an ad for Invisalign and her dreamy midcentury modern home has been featured on a slew of design sites, but a realness rarely encountered in Hollywood shines through her seemingly perfect exterior.
It’s the reason we actually believe her when she praises Garnier’s boxed hair colour (she’s partial to Nutrisse Cream in Medium Golden Brown) and it’s also the secret to her successful transition to more “serious” acting in This Is Us.
Even Moore’s musings on beauty are refreshingly human. No, she does not feel confident every day. And yes, it does take more than just drinking water to look camera-ready. Here, the star reflects on overcoming insecurities, getting her glow on and finding joy in the small things.
How has your beauty routine changed through the years?
I’ve relaxed into myself as I’ve gotten older. I’m less fussy about things than when I was a kid. I used to stress out about products and the way I looked in a way that dissipates as you get older.
What’s your must-have beauty product?
As a Garnier ambassador, I’m a big fan of the Soothing Rose Water Mist. It’s a huge part of my routine: I use it as a toner, I mist it before I put makeup on, I spray it on my makeup sponges and it’s the last thing I do before I leave the house. It’s a great way to set your makeup. It also takes away any powdery finish and makes you look glowy and dewy and naturally pretty.
You’ve spoken about being at a place of new-found confidence in your life. What advice would you give women struggling with self-esteem?
I wish I were kinder to myself when I was younger, but that sort of clarity doesn’t really come at that age. You have to earn it, you’ve got to put in the miles. I would tell people to just try to keep their head up and keep plugging along. Embrace whatever your perceived flaws are — those are things that you will eventually learn to love about yourself.
I’ve certainly come around in that regard. I know it can be deceiving now with social media and these curated versions we present of ourselves, but no one is immune to struggling with days when they don’t feel great about themselves or what’s happening in their life and the choices that they’ve made.
It’s just natural. It’s important to recognize that feeling is not forever — it’s a fleeting moment in the bigger picture.
How do you cultivate joy in your daily life?
I try to take a moment when I wake up in the morning and think about what I’m grateful for before I spring out of bed or reach for my phone or go make coffee. Even if it doesn’t happen every day, even if it’s just once a week, it’s a reminder to carry gratitude with you — not in a crunchy way, but in a real way.
A group of us just climbed a mountain, and that was a really grounding experience — there was nothing to rely on during the course of the day other than ourselves.
Our only task was to wake up and put one foot in front of the other. There was something really beautiful about having that mantra in my head. I’ve tried to carry it with me now back in the real world.