Seven seasons and 166 episodes down, we’re still as obsessed with Modern Family as we were when we first watched it all those years ago. It’s hard to pick a favourite character as they’re all so different in their own way, but one that we relate to a lot is Claire Dunphy, played by American actress Julie Bowen. Recently, we got to chat to the star about her beauty routine, go-to exercises, and her favourite way to relax.
On her skin care routine…
“It’s pretty simple; my whole goal is to keep my body, skin, and hair in good shape so it’s a good blank canvas for when I really need to go out there and hit a red carpet or something. On a daily basis I’m not going to get super fancy. I’m old school and love washcloths – I scrub my face with a washcloth, followed by a gentle cleanser, sunscreen and moisturiser. I usually don't have any time to mess around with facials and a million little steps, which is why I keep it simple and primarily rely on a good retinol. I swear by Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair – the day and night moisturiser. I just look in the mirror and literally think, 'Wow. Where did the wrinkles go?!' Seriously, it's that good. My daily routine is really basic: I cleanse and I use a day cream that has sunscreen during the day. I'm not very high-maintenance, but I do believe that if you have great skin, you have to work less hard at everything else. The rest of me – I’m way meaner to the rest of my body, I work out hard and I don’t like it but it’s good for me.”
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Anti-ageing Day SPF 15 Moisturiser
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturiser
On why sunscreen is important…
“It’s definitely something I learnt as I got older. I had a bad reaction to the sun so I got really serious about finding sunscreens that are extra gentle because you only need one or two bad burns to really know that it feels bad and looks bad even when you’re really young. Now it’s such a joy that it’s in so many products. It’s not just a thing that they add, it’s integrated seamlessly and it works perfectly.”
On how her beauty routine changed after having kids...
“Oh boy! Well my body changed, my face changed; everything changes. My skin is oddly somewhat kind of better, I don’t know if that’s because I take better care of it, and maybe my routine is simpler and my skin didn’t want to be jerked around. But my skin seems content and happy with all the sunscreen and all the regularity. But my beauty routine has to be crazy fast, I have to be able to get things done fast. I do have a timer on my toothbrush now, a two minute timer because I can’t skimp on that one so I need to make sure I brush my teeth for the full two minutes otherwise I’m like “front, back, top, side and done.” And I make my kids do the same thing.”
On what she likes to do for exercise...
“I’ve changed it up - it used to be enough just to run, but now I need to throw in some other stuff. I’ve been taking different classes that do explosive movements – I have no idea what that means but all of a sudden they’re telling you to jump for something and then hop to something else! It hurts in a different way and that’s good.”
On whether she does her own makeup…
“I can put on the very basics but there is no substitute for a professional. And for hair, I’m really awful - I will just put fake hair on, [like] a fake ponytail. Because I’m not good at doing my own hair and I have fine hair, I keep it in a cut that looks cute, especially for when I take the kids to school. But if I have to go to an event or go to a party or something, I have no problem putting on fake eyelashes and some fake hair because it's just like putting on high heels or a skirt. Every time I think ‘Oh I have really nailed that hair and makeup’, I will see pictures and go ‘Wait professionals really are important’.”
On the biggest beauty mistake she’s made…
“I think that the 90s sperm brow is not a good look for anyone, you know, that funny little over-plucked comma above the eye was not good. I also allowed someone to talk me into dying my eyebrows lighter, like bleaching them! I also know the 90s are coming back and I’ve seen a lot of this dark matte lipstick that was never a good look on me, I’m not going back to it.”
On her best time-saving beauty trick…
“When my hair is damp, I put a setting spray in it, tie it up in little knots all over my head, stick little pins in it and let it dry. That way, when I’m running around town, I can take it down later and it will actually look like I’ve done something with a curling iron. It looks so wavy and pretty.”
On taking time out to relax in between filming…
“I’ve taken up piano; I used to take lessons but my work schedule doesn’t really allow for another thing to be scheduled so I just bought some books and play at home. I’ll download some music or buy a book and it seems impossible, but after a week or so it's not so impossible.”
Iantha is BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editor, and has been part of the team since the site launched in 2016. Besides pinky-nude nail polish and wispy false lashes, she has a healthy obsession with face masks and skin care ingredients. Her previous work can be found in Virgin Australia Voyeur, Women's Health, and SHOP Til You Drop.
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