The ‘Simple Life’ icon’s sun-girl confession, her 20s skin-care mistakes and the rich cream she wears year-round.
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If you came of age in the Simple Life era, Nicole Richie was the blueprint—oversized sunglasses, boho layers and a confidence that made everything look effortless. Two decades later, the actress and fashion designer is still a style reference, and her glowing, even-toned skin has fans asking what she’s using.
What fans may not know, however, is that she’s refreshingly candid about her beauty missteps. Richie recently joined Lucy Hale as a face of Eucerin’s Radiant Tone collection, which targets dark spots and dullness, and in an interview with NewBeauty she explained why the partnership was personal. Ahead: the body-care rule she’s followed since birth, the sun habit she paid for later, the cream she wears all year—and the hair product she’d rather forget.
Why did the Radiant Tone collection feel like a natural fit?
Richie calls herself a sun girl: she loves lying out, and for years she skipped sunscreen. Now she uses it—sort of, she admits. She’d long used Eucerin, and when dark spots arrived as expected, she was hoping someone would make a product to keep her tone even. Eucerin did, which made the partnership an easy yes.
Why it works: Dark spot correctors fade existing discoloration, but daily SPF is what stops new spots forming. Pair the two for results that last.
Her body care is quite literally a family rule—so what is it?
Richie grew up with Southern parents, and one rule held from day one: never leave the house without both oil and lotion on. Ignoring the body simply never crossed her mind. “Skin care is body care to me,” she told NewBeauty.
Try it: Apply body oil to damp skin straight out of the shower, then seal it in with lotion. Layering locks in far more moisture than either step alone.
When did the dark spots show up, and what finally helped?
She first noticed them about ten years ago. She’s tried different products but has to be careful with her skin, so she keeps to a less-is-more approach. She also said lasers aren’t an option for her because of her skin tone. Eucerin’s formulas have been the ones that worked.
Why it works: Some lasers carry a higher risk of pigment changes on deeper skin tones, which is why many people start with topicals. A board-certified dermatologist can advise on what’s safe for you.
Does her routine change when the weather cools?
Not much, she joked, since she lives in L.A., where it barely gets colder. The surprise: she uses a heavy winter cream on her face all year long, because her skin can handle that much moisture.
What has she learned about ingredients?
She needs formulas that are as simple and natural as possible. Grabbing a random mask off a store shelf leads straight to breakouts, so she knows what works for her and sticks to it.
How has her approach changed since her 20s?
Back then, she’d try anything. When she ran out of face moisturizer, she once used body butter on her face until she could restock—which she says was a bad idea. Her biggest lesson: she was simply doing too much to her skin.
Try it: If your skin is reacting, strip your routine back to cleanser, moisturizer and SPF for two weeks before adding anything new.
Okay, but what about Sun-In?
She loved it, and it never worked—for her or anyone she knows. Instead of turning beachy blonde, she says she turned orange, and was convinced she looked gorgeous anyway.
Shop Nicole Richie’s Routine
- Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum Dark Spot Corrector — her pick for evening out her face. $45 (prices at time of writing)
- Eucerin Radiant Tone Dark Spot Corrector Body Cream — brightening care from the neck down. $25
