Scarlett Johansson Reveals Each Step In Her Beauty Routine

In TZR’s Face Time, celebrities and tastemakers share the nitty-gritty details of their beauty and wellness routines — from holy-grail products to non-negotiable treatments.

There are very few household celebrity names more prominent than Scarlett Johansson. The Academy Award-nominated actor has been gracing movie theater screens since the mid-’90s — captivating audiences with her perfectly executed monologues, comedic relief, and impressive action sequences. But in 2022, she added a new title and skillset to her resume, and it wasn’t related to a movie credit. The actor took on the role of beauty entrepreneur with the launch of skin care brand The Outset.

Inspired by her own experience with acne-prone skin growing up, Johansson partnered with co-founder Kate Foster to create this clean skin care line centered around sensitivity. Citing harsh products as the driving factor behind her struggle with breakouts, Johansson wanted her line to consist of gentle yet effective formulas. So all of The Outset’s products are hydrating, fragrance-free, and help prevent irritation, promising results that leave your skin feeling moisturized and more radiant. But, lip care is the one category that brand hasn’t dipped into — until now. The Outset has just launched the Lip Oasis Glossy Lip Treatment. And after spending five years working developing it, Johansson says she’s most proud of the formula.

“I think a lot of lip products just don't meet the same clean skin care standards as the rest of our line,” Johansson tells TZR. “And when we finally came up with this formulation, we were just incredibly proud of its wearability. Also, the fact that it really has those same healing, hydrating benefits that the rest of our line has [and] that our customers come to expect from The Outset. The gloss is playful and really works in different ways. You can wear it over your liner, you can wear it on its own, and then you'll still see those healing benefits.”

Unsurprisingly, Johansson’s entire beauty routine aligns with The Outset’s healing, hydrating ethos. Ahead, the actor breaks down her entire beauty routine, including skin care, makeup, hair care, and what she does to maintain her mental health. Your shopping cart is about to get so full.

On Her Nighttime Skin Care Routine

“My night routine is pretty simple. I wash my face with our Micellar Cleanser. I don't wear a full face of makeup every day, [just] foundation and concealer, so I don't have a full face to wash off. The micelles [in the cleanser] are attracting not only dirt, but the cosmetics that I'm using. I don't need to use a toner or anything after that. I just use the Prep Serum. I use it in the morning, at night, and sometimes, in the middle of the day. I'm obsessed with it. It just helps your skin to receive the moisture from whatever creams you're using afterwards. I [also] use our Night Cream [and] sometimes I'll put a couple of drops of Boosting Oil in there.

[Occasionally], I’ll skin cycle and I'll just use the Boosting Oil and not the night cream. I switch back and forth between those two. I [also] take magnesium at night. It helps me sleep. I feel like it's good for recovery. It's good for your entire central nervous system. I've actually been taking vegan collagen, too. I don't know if it's doing anything. I bought whatever my girlfriend had recommended from Amazon, and we'll see if my hair starts to grow thicker, faster, and shinier. I don't know. My dermatologist was like, ‘It's everything you put on your skin, that's what counts. Anything you're taking internally, none of that is working.’ I'm like, ‘I don't believe you. I'm going try this out.’”

On Her Morning Routine

“[When] I wake up, I check my phone, unfortunately, right away. [For skin care,] I wash my face with our cleanser again. It's not tightening at all. It's really moisturizing, so you can use it several times a day if you want to. I know some people don't wash their skin in the morning, [but] I do. [Then,] I use the serum (my favorite product), our Daily Cream, and then our eye cream. [After that,] I usually put my cosmetics on. I love the old-school YSL Touche Éclat Pen. I use the Diorshow Lash Primer-Serum, and then the mascara. I saw this girl in a department store that had the most beautiful eyelashes I've ever seen. I was like, ‘What are you using?’ She said she was using this eyelash primer, so she sold me on it.

It really does work. I feel like it lengthens and protects your eyelashes. Sometimes mascara is really drying and makes your lashes brittle. I [also] love the Natasha Denona palettes. I'll use her palette for blush and a little eyeshadow, and that's it. Then I’ve got to run out the door. I’ve got two kids. They’ve got to go to school. I don't always have time to put makeup on. Sometimes that's a step later in the day.”

On Her Skin Care Treatments

“I don’t do any skin treatments. I know that sounds insane because there's so much available. But, I have such sensitive skin and I have acne-prone skin, so I'm terrified to use any skin treatments because I'm afraid they're going to break me out. I use our Clay Mask and that is really it. I have a really pared-back routine. Boring, but it's true.”

On Her Makeup Must-Haves

“I've been using the Anastasia eyebrow gel. [It’s] the little eyebrow soap that they have. I love that product. It performs great and it stays in place. It's fantastic. I love their eyebrow pencil as well. It's a sort of slanted shape that's really great and easy to apply. I [also] love the Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks. They have so many lovely shades. M.I. KISS [previously Bond Girl] is a great color of hers. And Verry Victoria is great. You can use those lipsticks and put the Lip Oasis over it, which is awesome.

Gloss, to me, always makes my lips peel off. The Lip Oasis is really an answer to that. It's such a great way to give [that gloss effect] and you're still getting the skin care benefits.”

On Her Hair Routine

“I have tried using different shampoos because I feel like if I use the same shampoo for too long my hair gets tired of it. [So,] I've started using Kevin Murphy products again. They're really great. I love the Young Again Shampoo and Conditioner, and there's even a serum in the same product line that I love. [Also,] Aesop makes a hair polish that's really great for that slicked-back hairstyle. It almost feels like it's like a gel, but it dries hard. It's like hairspray, but it's in a concentrate. Sometimes I'll [add] a mask. Somebody gave me one of those Leonor Greyl hair masks. [It’s] awesome. I have colored hair and it just gets really dry. I feel like I'm about to do a big chop.

Our Barrier Balm is also awesome for flyaways. I keep it in my bag, so I use it for everything: cuticles, lips, elbows, and hair.”

On Her Wellness Routine

“Doing some form of physical exercise at least a few days a week is a very important part of my mental wellbeing. I love to do Pilates. I've been doing Pilates for about 10 years now, and I just love it. I find it to be challenging and also restorative. I feel like it gives me energy. It's not energy consuming like some workouts that I've done, where you really need to recover. I don't have that lifestyle anymore. I have to do exercise that is invigorating, and Pilates is that for me.

I love to use the reformer because I feel like you can stretch on a reformer in ways that you can't on anything else. You get such a deep stretch. It's so good for your joint health and flexibility, but if you don't have any equipment like that, just floor Pilates is challenging. [I do] both.”