Big little beauty secrets

Facials, friendship and grace. Reese Witherspoon knows wellness, says Vicki Bramley.

Chatting with Reese Witherspoon about self-care is a relaxation therapy in itself, given she’s so calm and open. Whether she’s sharing her skincare routine or relating smoothie recipes, the common thread is her warmth towards the other women in her life.

A Southern girl through and through, Reese’s earliest beauty memories come from her grandmother. “I would go with her every Tuesday to get her hair done, and every Friday she had her nails done,” says Reese. “When I think about the rituals I have in my life now, a lot of them probably came from my grandmother.”

Now, Reese’s daughter, Ava, is her make-up mentor, and her friends are her wellness warriors. “She knows so much about make-up and she loves facial masks so we’ll do those together,” says Reese. “On weekends I do yoga with girlfriends, I find that really restorative. We have lunch afterwards, it’s a nice way to reconnect. We’re all busy, working moms.”

Refreshingly, Reese welcomes growing older, comparing it to “moving around the table” in career and life. And cosmetic “fixes” are not on that table.

“I don’t feel any pressure,” says Reese. “I feel like

I’m supposed to be the best expression of myself. If that means I have wrinkles, that’s a great thing for my audience to see because they’re growing older as I am. It’s about self-acceptance and loving who you are.”

Currently on screens in Big Little Lies 2, Reese is as sought-after as ever. And if Hollywood does get too much, she has a beauty hack for that, too. “I take a bath with Epsom salts, particularly when I’ve been at an event with a lot of people. I find it kind of centres me before I go to bed.”