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Chloë Grace Moretz has been the face of many things, including horror films, designer shoes, and the Democratic Party. But this time—for the first time—that face is makeup-free.
“I mean, I think it'd be inhuman not to be a little nervous,” she tells me in reference to photos of her makeup-free skin that are about to be plastered around the world as a part of the SK-II #BareSkinProject. “I've never done a campaign where you're sitting in front of a photographer and he's taking an intimate photo where it's just you—you know, the you that you wake up with.” The goal of the campaign is simple: to promote honest, healthy, and natural skin in a world of filters, foundation, and FaceTune.
Moretz, now 21, began acting when she was just 5. Three years later, she had her big break in the 2005 movie The Amityville Horror. Since, she’s become something of a Renaissance woman, dipping her toes in creative and political fields outside of Hollywood. (While we chatted, she referred to Hillary Clinton as her “bestie.”) The latest on her résumé, of course, is the launch of her first campaign with SK-II—no makeup, no frills, just Chloë.
Though you’d be hard-pressed to find a pimple in these makeup-free photos, Moretz dealt with aggressive bouts of cystic acne from a young age. “It was hard when I was younger. I had really, really problematic skin. I'd lay my head down on the pillow, and the pain I would get just from [that] was unbearable,” she says.
And how did she get it to stop?
“A lot of it, I think, was stress management, [and] not working myself up. Because when I worked myself up, it would get worse.” She also came up with her own highly-effective DIY face mask of olive oil and honey. After testing product after product, she tried the homemade mixture on a whim. It worked so well that she cut every other acne product out of her routine. (Keep in mind the DIY route might not work for everyone. It’s best to consult a dermatologist if you’re trying to find an acne solution.)
Her beauty regimen today still remains rather simple. “I don't wash my face in the morning—I only wash it at night. I use SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence, some rose water, and a little bit of eyebrow gel and lip balm, and that's it. Maybe some mascara.” After years of temperamental skin, Moretz decided to cut foundation out of her makeup routine all together.
This focus on being her true self spills over to other avenues of her life, too. Whether she’s challenging a Kardashian or speaking eloquently about the #MeToo movement, Moretz prioritizes authenticity above all. And though Chloë makes being (and looking like) Chloë seem easy, she’s quick to point out that it wasn’t always that way. If there’s one thing she wants to make clear, it is this.
According to a 2018 Piper Jaffray survey, teen girls are spending $368 per year on beauty products, especially skin care, where spending is up 18 percent since 2017. Between the infiltration of brands like Glossier on social media and celebrity lines like Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kits, it’s no surprise that teens are consumed by cool-girl campaigns that promise clear skin and effortless beauty. So, Moretz is careful about the brands and campaigns she supports.
Though Moretz has 65 film credits under her belt, she can count the brand work she’s done on one hand. While turning down acting roles that don’t represent strong female characters is a no-brainer, navigating other parts of being a public figure, and doing so with integrity, can be a bit murkier. In roles where she’s working with brands like Coach or SK-II, Moretz is no longer a character. She’s just Chloë.
With the right messaging, Moretz believes that fashion and beauty ads can be a positive tool. “It can be empowering to throw on a nice sexy eye or lip color,” she says. “But I don't think you should be using it to change who you are. You should be confident in who you are, first and foremost. It should just be like, ‘Oh, I'm going out on the town with my girlfriends, I want to do this. I want to put my eye makeup on.’ But I shouldn't be like, ‘Oh my god, if I don't do this, I won't be able to leave the house.’ I think that's unfair to yourself.”
So, at a time when the beauty business and the next wave of female empowerment are simultaneously booming, where does she see the industry going next?
“Women are standing up for themselves and for what makes them feel beautiful,” she says. “There isn't a blanket femininity that makes us all feel empowered. There's not a blanket of what beauty is for everyone. That's the next wave.”
