Beauty Around the Clock: Lisa Rinna

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

Lisa Rinna is the first to admit that she “lives for a statement—whether you like it or not.” Her new Real Housewives of Beverly Hills tagline speaks for itself and her Instagram dances never cease to entertain. But her beauty look? That’s as statement-making as it gets. She has her signature shag, those *iconic* lips, and damn-near flawless skin. 

Her secret? “It’s really about maintenance. My whole, entire existence is based on maintenance. I’m telling you: it’s the key to everything,” she says. From daily eyebrow tweezing (she swears by it) to religiously applying sunscreen, the reality star has a handful of daily habits and beauty products (including a soon-to-be-released Rinna Beauty launch) that make her statement look so freaking good. Here, she breaks it down, step by step and hour by hour. 

Rise and Shine 

“My alarm doesn’t go off—unless I’m working. I wake up at about 6:30. You know, there’s no more school drop off happening in this house, so I’ll get up and go brush my teeth. I tweeze my brows a little—that’s my secret, that’s how you keep ‘em up. It might only be a couple of hairs, but it keeps them clean as whistles.”

I put on sunscreen before I walk downstairs. The minute you hit sunlight, you’re getting [sun exposure] and I have major melasma issues on my skin. A great skincare specialist, Renée Rouleau told me like 12 years ago, ‘You have got to put sunscreen on the minute you wake up in the morning.’ I’ve done that ever since—that’s a really fancy little trick for everybody.

Then, I go downstairs. I have my tea in the morning. I probably feed my dog at around 8:00. And now, we have a stray kitty in our yard. We named her Kitty. So, I go and feed her. Then, of course, I go online and I look at everything and see where my kids have been the night before.” 

Fitness Fix 

“Yoga, pilates, hiking, and spinning. [I work out] four or five days a week. I’ve done that my whole life. I started doing jazzercise at 16 and just never stopped."

Morning Maintenance 

“I don’t do any skincare until after I work out. I like a doctor. So, I like Dr. Barbara Sturm, I like Dr. Lancer, I like Dr. Sabagh. Sturm is my favorite, but I cheat on everyone. I use all of Dr. Sturm—she changed my skin. I’d have wrinkles and breakouts at the same time and she stopped my breakouts. I have everything. She makes me my own blood cream, which I think is genius. Then I want to shout out my Maria Chicet Bone Marrow Cream. I’ve been using it for 20 years as my under-eye cream. And if you look at my under-eyes, they look really good.” 

Shop Lisa's Favorite Skincare Products 

Power Start 

“I’m not a big breakfast eater. I never, ever have been. If I am hungry in the morning, I’ll have a yogurt or a bar or a smoothie. I do like breakfast on the weekends though—I love a brunch.” 

Signature Look

“My signature look is forever changing. I like my wigs and I like all these different characters I play. Right now, I’m having fun. If you watch the first episode of [Real Housewives of Beverly Hills], I’m having fun with this kind of Gucci, Tom Ford sunglasses look—with my natural Rinna classic hair. It’s kind of a uniform. You know, I love a look. I love a bucket hat. I can only go off what I’m doing right now, because it’s always ever-changing.” 

Makeup Must-Haves 

“I’m loving Jillian Dempsey’s foundation stick. Everyone should have this because you can so easily just do your face in two seconds. I’m obsessed with her kohl eyeliners and then her cheek color or a little highlighter. I’m loving Dr. Lancer Dani Glowing Skin Perfector. I put on the Rinna Beauty Heidi Lip Kit—a classic. And I’m so excited because frosted lip glosses are coming and they are SO pretty. You can’t have enough lip gloss. I mean, my God, we’re going to do frost, glitter—everything.” 

Lisa's Favorite Makeup Products 

Self-Care Ritual

“I like a salt bath with Epsom salt—real simple. I like a spa; I like a facial. I mean, duh. I like a massage. Deep tissue, Swedish, I’ll take any kind of massage. 

Hair Help 

“Will I ever change [my classic haircut]? Well, you know what: my mom had that same hairdo for 75 years. So, I think it kind of runs in the family. I might at some point cut it and make it platinum. I play with that idea from time to time. When you have the wigs, you don’t need to, but I might do that because I just get really bored. Selma Blair just did it and she looks phenomenal.” 

Lisa's Favorite Hair Products 

Signature Scent 

“I don’t have one! I’m actually allergic to perfume, if you can believe it. But, Rinna Beauty is coming out with a scent that is made with natural oils that I’m not allergic to. That’s exciting because I can actually wear it. It’s an oil—it’s going to be a roll on. There’s three of them.” 

Cheap-But-Chic 

“Aquaphor. You know what? You can just use it for everything. My mom always had Vaseline on her face and her lips and stuff. That’s what Aquaphor is for me. I put it on my lips, my hands, dry cuticles—everything.” 

Beauty Icon

“That’s hard. I always love Kate Moss. And I always love Michelle Pfeiffer. She’s in her sixties now and has just done it so beautifully and so gracefully. I think she looks fabulous.” 

Backup Career

“I’d be a stylist. I’d be a big, big stylist and I would be casting for fashion shows or be like Anna Wintour and be the editor of Vogue.” 

P.M. Routine 

“Sometimes I don’t even wash my face and I just go to bed. That’s the truth. But I think the most genius product for anybody aging is Retin-A. Because of my melasma, my dermatologist mixes a little hydroquinone into mine. That’s my secret weapon. I’ll put that on at night even if I don’t wash my face.”  

Lights Out 

“I’m not a night owl, I’m in bed by 10 or 11. Harry and I watch TV. We watch everything. We’re finishing up Ozark, which, oh my god, it’s blowing us away. We’re so obsessed, we can’t even see straight.