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Scarlett Johansson skincare routine
image caption
Scarlett Johansson at the 2023 Cannes photocall for Asteroid City.

How to Do Scarlett Johansson’s Skincare Routine

How she cleared her adult acne with a “back-to-basics” approach.

Ever since Scarlett Johansson made her big-screen debut in the early 2000s, she’s been considered one of the world’s most beautiful women. Although her skin may have looked flawless, she says that underneath the makeup, it was anything but.

“I relied a lot on really incredible makeup artists to conceal my teenage and adult acne. I had struggled with acne as a teenager and then in my early twenties it was all about stripping it away and attempting to clear it with toners, retinol, drying creams and scrubs. I had this horrible cycle of drying out my skin and then it would get more irritated. Back then we didn’t have the information about skin barriers [that we do now], and I was terrified of putting moisturizer on my face.”1

One day, in desperation, she decided to ditch the harsh products and focus on hydration instead. Much to her surprise, that’s when she finally started seeing results.

“I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll just stop using everything and try to heal my skin by putting this moisture back in,’ and my skin immediately responded to it and started healing itself. But I was now nourishing and protecting my skin barrier. I started just using very gentle products, a lot of moisture, and being consistent with my routine. If I veered from it, I would have an issue, and if not, it would stay calm—and that was a huge revelation for me.”2

Her newfound approach to skincare was so transformative that she was soon getting compliments on her skin. “I hadn’t had skin like that since I was 12. People would ask me if I’d just had a facial. I knew there was something there but I just couldn’t find a brand that had a cohesive regime.”3

So she decided to create her own. In 2022, she launched The Outset, a range of clean, non-irritating skincare essentials. “I wanted to create a line that played well with others and wasn’t going to cause a crazy reaction with whatever other products people choose to use. Really, it’s a return to basics.”4

Now, at age 39, it’s one of the only brands she’ll use. “Before I started using The Outset regularly—Frankie [Boyd, my makeup artist] used to spend a lot of time correcting my skin, because I had so much acne and congestion, so it felt like I was putting on a mask. Now my favourite part of getting ready is having clear skin that I feel proud to show off and not self-conscious about, and that’s really a result of being so consistent with my skincare routine.”5

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From The Skincare Edit Archives

Keep reading to find out how Scarlett cares for her skin, day and night.

Scarlett Johansson skincare routine

Scarlett Johansson at the 2023 Cannes photocall for ‘Asteroid City.’

Her Morning Skincare Routine

1. Cleanser

The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser

The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser: “I wake up and wash my face every morning. I know some people don’t, but I do. I use our Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser.”

2. Exfoliator

The Outset Exfoliating Caffeine Micro Polish

The Outset Exfoliating Caffeine Micro Polish: “Using a really gentle polish followed by the Collagen Prep Serum and the Daily Moisturizer cleared all of my acne. Because the Antioxidant Cleanser has micellar in it and the Polish removes dead skin cells, that should remove the step of toner in my opinion. It helps with brightening and firming, and strengthens the skin barrier rather than stripping it.”

3. Serum

The Outset Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum

The Outset Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum: “I love this serum because it’s so moisturizing. It doesn’t pill under makeup and it doesn’t have that tackiness that some products with hyaluronic acid do because it has the vegan alternative to hyaluronic acid.”