Crazy Rich Asians’ Gemma Chan shares her exact skin care & beauty routine

An ‘it-girl’ both on and off-screen, (name a character more chic than Crazy Rich Asian’s Astrid Leong, we dare you), Gemma Chan not only lights up a red carpet, but she also spends her time campaigning for female education rights and calling out big name publications for anti-Asian racism.

Yep, the 38-year-old actress proves there’s way more beneath the surface than just dazzling beauty.

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Image credit: @gemmachan

BUT… that doesn’t mean that we can’t have a moment to fawn over her silky smooth complexion right? The woman is an ambassador for L’Oréal after all.

In fact, in a recent interview with Vogue Gemma unpacked L’Oréal’s infamous “because you’re worth it” tag line, expressing the importance of this message, particularly in 2021 where ‘self-care’ needs to be made a priority. “It still resonates [today] because it’s an expression of self-worth. It’s permission to take care of yourself and that’s so important at the moment.”

Talking everything from her mum’s best beauty advice, “always take your makeup off” to the step in her routine that warranted some strange stares, Gemma spared no detail when she discussed her daily regimen with the publication.

So, naturally, we scooped up every single beauty tip she dropped!

Image credit: @gemmachan

Her affordable skin care buys

While she’s disciplined with her routine, each night doesn’t necessarily look the same. “If I’m wearing a lot of makeup and I’ve just come home from work, I might need a more thorough cleansing,” she explained to Vogue UK. “But in general if my skin isn’t too made up. I actually love using a micellar wipe.”

Which one, you ask? Well, it turns out Gemma has been a long-standing fan of sensitive skin-friendly brand Simple. Quoted back in 2018 when speaking to Allure, Gemma said she loved their Micellar Cleansing Wipes as “they don’t leave an oily residue on my skin, which I can’t stand”. 

Fast forward three years and she’s still a Simple stan. “My skin can be a bit sensitive so I like the Simple micellar wipes, I find them good at taking off waterproof mascara as well”.

Other micellar products we love: Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Wipes, Swisspers Cleansing Facial Wipes with Micellar & Coconut

Her tips for bright, hydrated eyes

Leaning heavily on L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler [+ Hyaluronic Acid] Eye Cream, the actress revealed that this is a multi-use product she will always “take around with me, it’s really versatile”.

The hyaluronic acid-rich formula hydrates more than just Gemma’s small eye area. “You can use it around your eyes or face if you get a bit of dryness during the day, which I sometimes do,” she shared.

And her bright-eyed hacks don’t stop there. 

The FOREO Iris Illuminating Eye Massager (AKA a vibrator for your eyes), is the tech tool Gemma swears by for de-puffing.

“It mimics the tapping used in traditional Asian skin care” she revealed, speaking to InStyle. Referring to it as her ‘eyebrator’, Gemma admitted “it looks like a vibrator; I get funny looks when I use it in the back of a car or when I go through customs at the airport, but it’s so soothing”. Hey, whatever works. 

The beauty buy she’s stealing from Astrid Leong

Gemma Chan has taken some makeup inspiration from her Crazy Rich Asians character Astrid in her beauty routine. “Astrid was my favourite character when I read the book, so I was thrilled to get offered the role,” Gemma told Allure. “There’s a wonderful kind of pink, peach coral lip colour that Astrid wears at the end of the movie, in the engagement party scene. It’s a Yves Saint Laurent colour that I immediately had to buy. I’ve got it here somewhere. It’s the Tatouge Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain in number 22.”

Need a new matte lip colour for your makeup collection? beautyheaven loves Garbo & Kelly Rock Matte Liquid Lip in Encore and Revlon Matte Lipstick in Paradise Pink.

Image credit: @gemmachan

Her affordable skin care buys

Gemma is a fan of pharmacy beauty buys! “I swear by Boots No. 7 for their skin creams. I use their Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Serum as well as their Early Defence Day Cream. It has UPF, but is still a lighter formula. I use their Protect and Perfect Night Cream as well. It’s effective, super affordable. I also use the Simple Micellar Wipes. They’re great because they don’t leave an oily residue on my skin, which I can’t stand.”

Want to boost your budget skin care? beautyheaven loves Olay Moisturising Lotion, Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Wipes, Sukin Super Greens Facial Recovery Serum and Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream.

Her straight hair saviours

Gemma has silky smooth hair that can be hard to style so she has to rely on intense volumising products. “I have that very silky texture that’s a bit of a nightmare to style because there’s no texture. The ones that work for me at the moment are the Living Proof Dry Volume Blast with the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray,” Gemma explains. “They smell great and they’re absolutely amazing for my kind of hair texture. After I’ve blown my hair dry, use them at the end to get texture and hold. [My hair colourist’s] name is Katie Allan. She’s fantastic with dark hair. She used to work for Charles Worthington, but she struck up her own salon called Mayfive on Devonshire Road.”

Desperate to add some volume to silky straight hair? beautyheaven loves TONI&GUY 3D Volumiser Spray and muk Haircare Fat muk Volumiser.

How she gets lush lashes

Gemma has a sneaky hack to get her lashes looking just right. “I’m lucky I have long lashes, but they’re straight and they’re very fine, so the most important thing to me is to use lash curlers and then find a mascara that holds the curl,” says Gemma. “I use Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, the one in the purple tube. I use the waterproof version, so it really holds the curl. Here’s my secret, though — I use the brush from an old Maybelline mascara, the define-a-lash formula. It works perfectly to separate and coat every single lash.”

beautyheaven loves e.l.f. cosmetics Essential Lengthening & Defining Mascara and COVERGIRL Plumpify Mascara.

Do you use any of the same beauty products as Gemma Chan? Which are your favourites?

Image credit: @monikablunder