Natalie Portman Thinks Cupping Is Akin to Being Abducted by Aliens

Welcome to Beauty Around the Clock, Marie Claire's weekly peek into the daily lives of some of the most game-changing men and women in their industries. Ever wonder how they get it all done in a day? Here's your answer.

When you think of Natalie Portman, what comes to mind? Academy Award-winning actor? Harvard graduate? Star of May December? Vegan? Mother of two? All of these descriptors of Portman are fairly commonplace, but what most don’t know is that when it comes to her makeup and skincare routine, Portman is as minimalist as they come. To be clear, you won’t catch her in the latest eyeshadow palette, or gushing over dewy sculpted cheeks, she'd much rather focus on a paired down everyday look: a nude lip, with full brows and a sun-kissed glow. But even with minimalism at the forefront, she has her skincare priorities in order. She knows the importance of wearing sunscreen, although she admits her sun care application has taken a backseat because in Paris, “there isn’t a lot of sun,” she says.

Laughingly, over a Zoom call Portman tells me she has a penchant for rotating between products that smell clean, fresh, and delightful; however, her signature scent, Miss Dior, has a permanent place in her fragrance wardrobe. Perhaps it's because Portman has been the face of Miss Dior perfume since she debuted her first campaign with the luxury brand in 2011. Fourteen years later, the 42-year-old still loves the famed floral and gourmand notes, but she has a special love for the latest parfum version crafted by Francis Kurkdjian.

Here, the actress reveals her skincare routine and why cupping is akin to being abducted by extraterrestrial beings.

I’m pretty simple about my routine. I recently started using Keren Bartov face wash. Karen is a London-based facialist I went to and I use her face wash first then I follow up with her face moisturizer every morning. I live in Paris now and there’s not a lot of sun so I haven't been using sunscreen, but I’m thinking about trying something for the summer.

My signature look is quite natural. Recently I’ve been blowing my hair out. My hair is so long right now, and I haven't had it this long in a while. So I’ve been enjoying having long hippie hair. As for makeup, I don't really wear it. Sometimes I’ll wear concealer and a gloss during the day, and if I’m feeling glamorous, some mascara or a red lip. I’m really low-maintenance and simple!

Someone told me ‘If you can’t get to the gym, make sure you walk 40 mins a day’ and that’s been helpful because I live in an area where walking is a key part of life. So for me, it's easier to wrap my head around walking versus getting to the gym or doing a real workout.

I’m very into scent so I use Christophe Robin Volume Conditioner with Rose Extracts Rose conditioner. It smells like pure roses! It smells so good. I also use ROZ Hair Santa Lucia Styling Oil. Its founder is Mara Roszak and she's a hairdresser I work with.

It’s probably Augustinus Bader face cream. It's very expensive but it’s very, very good. 

I like an Australian brand called Dr. Paw Paw. They have a multi-purpose natural balm that’s like vaseline. It’s great. I always have a tub in my bag. I don't wear any of the special flavors, just the original balm. It’s so good!

I love getting facials. When I’m in New York, I visit Thuyen Nguyen, when I’m in London I see Keren Bartov, and when I’m in Paris I like to see Sophie Carbonari.

My eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul, so if I can only highlight one area it would be that. Eyes are so expressive! If you can accentuate your eyes it always makes your look so fun.

Try to be most like myself instead of trying to conform to someone else's idea of what's beautiful. My family keeps me grounded and focused on things that matter when I'm with them.

I tried cupping therapy on my back last week, and afterward it looked like I was abducted by aliens. The experience left me with huge circles on my back! It was so strange, but it was great. I felt amazing. It was very helpful in increasing blood circulation.

I don't have many beauty regrets, but I did try Fraxel laser treatment when I was in my 20s. I think it's not that great for you, and I realized I didn't need to do it.

SZA and Solange Knowles are on my rotation right now. I especially love SZA's “Kill Bill,” and  Solange's “Cranes in the Sky”.

I would love to be able to do a good line on my eye with eyeliner. It's my favorite makeup look and I can’t do it myself because I have a shaky hand.

I trust my makeup artists Miwoo Kim and Lisa Storey. I always follow whatever they tell me to do.

I love that people are going for more natural makeup looks, but there isn’t a trend that I hate or think is bad. If people feel it's fun to try then I think it's worthwhile.

My night routine is exactly the same as my morning routine. I can’t have complicated routines or I just won't do it. But to relax and unwind, I read a lot of contemporary fiction. I recently read a book called Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. It’s coming out later this month and I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy. I also read and enjoyed Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar.

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