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In a world where beauty can be defined by how much makeup you do or don’t wear, it’s refreshing to hear about how the makeup world has started to be redefined amongst industry professionals and the actresses who have spent their careers in many makeup chairs. One of the brand’s trailblazing this discussion is Clé de Peau, the Japanese beauty brand that is now fronted by Dakota Fanning, Ella Balinska and Diana Silvers. Not only does the brand produce incredible products, but they have devoted some of their brand to focusing on female empowerment and opportunities for them. We sat down with Balinska and Silvers to chat about their daytime and nighttime beauty routines, their go-to products and the best tips they’ve received from makeup artists throughout their careers.

What does it mean to you to be an ambassador of Clé de Peau? Since the brand is one of the first ambassadorships for both of you, what drew you to this collaboration?

Ella Balinska: I for one was absolutely thrilled when I was asked to be an ambassador. It is obviously a huge honour to be part of an amazing brand that not only creates incredible skincare, but also their core values, their philanthropic endeavors, especially girls education and opportunities in STEM— that speaks so loudly to me. To be able to do that with the homies, Diana and Dakota, is really special. Not only that, but the [Clé de Peau] team are all really great, too. It feels like a lovely family.

Diana Silvers: When I got the call, I was so honoured and excited that I got to be a part of [the brand] and the more I learned about [Clé de Peau], and the more I was talking and working with the team [I noticed it] is mostly women, which is so cool. Like Ella was saying it’s not even about external beauty but it’s inner beauty and beauty through empowering others, specifically women. It’s love and it’s power and the bigger picture of it all—it’s not just about skincare, it’s deeper than that. That’s why I feel so at home with the brand too.

How does Clé de Peau fit your vision of beauty?

EB: One of their core values is all about radiance. It’s all about embracing who you are and how you know, Clé de Peau can really help [with that] and how you walk around the world and affect other people. I think that anything rooted in that positivity not only is an amazing reflection on being part of an amazing brand but it makes you want to live your life that way too. It’s amazing. There’s nothing more fulfilling knowing that a brand that is rooted in such rich radiance and empowerment.

DS: The Clé de Peau team are leading by example. They are practising what they preach in real time and that is so inspiring and it makes me want to do the exact same thing in my personal life, and how I interact with the people around me. Like we were just talking earlier about what our biggest fear is, and I was like, I’d never want to leave a situation, making someone feel bad about themselves. I always want to leave a situation where everyone feels good after and like every time I talk to the Clé de Peau family, when I talk to Ella, when I talk to Dakota, I always feel good after and I feel like it really is like women supporting women in its purest, truest form. We’re empowering others and hopefully will inspire other people to do the same in their personal lives—on the smaller scale with their friends and family to a larger scale with their communities.

What’s your daytime and nighttime beauty routine like?

EB: I love doing a routine—I’m a huge routine person! In the morning, I start off with washing my face with the Softening Cleansing Foam, and then I love toning before I do anything. Afterwards I’ll use The Serum, because it’s a miracle formula. Then, of course, La Crème—I love having a bit more of a dewy finish. Whenever I do my makeup, I love using the Radiant Fluid Foundation. The thing I find with the cream and the natural foundation is that they blend really well together—the synergy between the products is incredible. I also find that it lasts throughout the whole day, especially because I’m super active and I do a lot of physical activity. I’ll be able to do a workout and somehow find myself at dinner and I haven’t touched my face yet.

At the end of the day, I always wash my face using the cleansing foam. Then I love using the Intensive Fortifying Cream—I really like waking up feeling quite hydrated because when I sleep my skin gets quite dry. It’s really great to wake up and still have that moisture going on without it feeling oily.

DS:  My daytime and nighttime routine is pretty similar. In the morning, I don’t wash my face with anything, just with water. My skin is really sensitive so I have to be very gentle and Clé de Peau makes something for my soft little baby skin. I’ll put The Serum on, which is like a miracle product and then I’ll use the Hydro-Softening Lotion to lock in all of the moisture, so I look dewy and fresh all day long. I always wear SPF every morning of my life—oh my neck, the décolletage.

At night, I wash my face to get all of the debris and the pollution from our wonderful Los Angeles off my face. I’ll use the Clarifying Cleansing Foam and it’s really gentle—it smells fresh and nice. Then I will again use the serum because it keeps everything moist. My favourite thing at night is the famous La Crème— it is like heaven in a jar. I wake up every morning feeling so good and like I’m alive.

Both of your careers have picked up in the last decade, and you’ve certainly had the chance to work with some of the top beauty professionals in the world. Diana, you’ve worked in the modelling and film industry, and Ella, you’ve been on many film sets. What are the best tips you’ve learned from them?

EB: There’s some really interesting things that we learn on set. Especially with camera tips and tricks, because being on set with all those lights. You know you learn some amazing things about how to keep your skin hydrated. [I use] the Hydro-Softening Lotion, mix it with a nice alkaline water, and spray it on my face. That keeps long lasting hydration throughout the day without having to use blotting powder. It doesn’t make you shiny, it just keeps you fresh [which] is incredible.

DS: Unfortunately for me, everything I’ve done I had to look not cute. [If I have] makeup on me I get told, maybe you shouldn’t be so hydrated. And I’m like, come on, guys. Let me glow on camera, please. Hopefully I’ll have more tips and tricks if I do a project where I have to wear funky fun makeup, or there’s more action going on with my face.

When do you feel the most beautiful?

EB: Safe is the key word. When you feel like you can just be totally around yourself with people that you trust and that you love, and they love you. On top of that as well, I think on a professional level, for any of my characters that I play, it’s those moments on set where the only thing I can call it is like the twilight zone, where it’s sort of like you’re not trying to please anybody else. You’re just open and present and listening in the moment. Completely living a truth for a character.

DS: When I’m with my people, like my friends and my family. It’s such a cliche, but I really do feel the most safe and the most comfortable— we’re all laughing and smiling and you’re with people that make you feel really good. It’s so easy to feel beautiful in those moments.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

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