Scarlett Johansson is many things: actor, mother, and founder of the skincare brand The Outset. But as she tells it, her beauty routine is far from complicated. In a recent interview, the 41-year-old opened up about her philosophy of doing more with less, a mindset that defines both her personal approach and her product line.
Johansson, who describes herself as a Scorpio and Sagittarius cusp with a Libra Rising, says she is currently feeling energized, excited, and tired. That mix, she explains, comes from balancing her work with raising two children. “I’m energized by the work that we’re doing here, but I’m tired because I have two children and I’m over 40,” she said. “So it’s just kind of my resting state.”
At the heart of The Outset is radical simplicity. The brand’s packaging is minimal, the formulas are clean, and every product is designed to fit into a busy schedule. Johansson emphasized that an 18-step routine is not necessary. “My skin is so sensitive that I really focus on each product doing what it’s supposed to do,” she noted. One product she always keeps in her bag is the brand’s Botanical Barrier Rescue Balm, which has become a family favorite. “My kids use it,” she said. “It gets a thousand fingers stuck in there.”
Johansson’s earliest beauty inspiration came from her older sister. “She’s five years older than me. Everything that she was wearing, I was, too,” she recalled. That included makeup from Bobbi Brown and MAC, which she would buy and probably drive her sister crazy with. When asked to choose between serum, toner, and moisturizer, she didn’t hesitate: “Kill toner.” She argued that toning only dries out the skin after cleansing. She also declared her love for serum, calling it “the gift that keeps on giving,” and chose to marry cleanser because it’s “tried and true.”
On beauty trends, Johansson is candid. Threading is one she secretly hates. “I don’t get it. What about just plucking or waxing?” she asked. As for old trends making a comeback, she appreciates the return of ’90s makeup, like brown palettes and matte colors. But there’s one thing she hopes never returns: over-tweezing. “I did that to all my friends. I’m so sorry,” she said. “They’re still suffering.”
When she’s not working or caring for her family, Johansson finds time to reset. “I have a very busy household, so if I can get everybody situated and then throw on our clay mask and take 10 minutes to just sit in the bath, chill, and read a book or even just zone out,” she said. That small moment of self-care, she added, is something she truly appreciates.
She’s also been indulging in some unsettling literature. “I’ve been reading a bunch of short stories by Daphne du Maurier, which are terrifying and extremely unsettling,” she revealed. On screen, she enjoyed the second season of The Four Seasons and finally caught up on the film No Other Choice, which she called “incredible.”
As for the rest of 2026, Johansson is focusing on her goals. “I have a lot of work that I’m doing this year,” she said. “I hope that it feels fulfilling and that I will have a sense of accomplishment by the year’s end.” That sense of purpose, much like her skincare routine, is built on simplicity and intention.
