Killer acting role leads to killer skin care? Not exactly, but both are true for Jodie Comer, who is known for her role as the sociopathic but charismatic assassin Villanelle on the darkly comic “Killing Eve,” just back for Season 3. These days, Ms. Comer, 27, is sheltering in place with her family in Liverpool, England, where she grew up. Hear what she’s putting on and also cooking up.
Caffeine First
For me, it’s definitely coffee before anything. I treated myself to an espresso machine recently, and it’s changed my world. I read a little bit. Then at some point, I get up and wash my face and kind of do what I’d be doing anyway if I was going to a day’s work.
Getting Into Her Skin
When I was in high school, I literally used to baby wipe my face. I’m mortified to admit this. Through my late teens, I was a big makeup girl. I was born in Liverpool, and I don’t know if you know this, but the girls here and in Manchester and Essex too, we love our makeup. I mean the full get-up. So much effort goes into all that. I loved it — the eyes, the full face. That was definitely me.
Skin care wasn’t something I thought about much until a friend introduced me to a facialist in London, Jasmina Vico. It was through Jasmina that I became educated about the importance of skin care and how it can signal what’s going on in your body. Like now, I recently changed my contraceptive, and my skin has gone crazy. I didn’t realize how much hormones can freak out.
I’ve always had kind of good skin — I’m really lucky. Now, it’s like, Whoa! I know, I know, I’m trying to not be a drama queen. Being indoors so much more probably doesn’t help and disturbs everything a bit. I think there’s something to letting the sun be on skin.
The New Routine
Now I’m on a routine with a step-by-step with Noble Panacea products. The brand approached me, and I liked how the products complement one another. I particularly like the eye cream and the serum. I find the serum kind of great if you’re working out. I have oily combination skin, and I don’t want anything heavy on my skin when I work out, but I don’t want it feeling dry either. The serum hydrates just enough.
And the moisturizer has such a gorgeous consistency. It feels like there’s a thin layer that continues to moisturize all day. I try to exfoliate once a week. I use the Clarisonic tool with the different brushes. I usually do that on Sunday.
Makeup Cleanse
The film I was doing went on hiatus. When I came back home to Liverpool, I cleaned all of my makeup brushes. I’m waiting for the day when we can all go out and party together again. The brushes, they are ready to go!
Right now, I’ve just given up. I haven’t worn makeup for the past couple of weeks. I have no shame on Zoom meetings either. When I’m on sets, they’re constantly reapplying makeup. It’s kind of nice to let my skin breathe. That’s my excuse at least!
In more regular daily life, I love Hourglass. You just can’t go wrong. I love the foundation sticks. They have a thick consistency, but I put it on the back of my hand and then put it on with my finger tips. I also have the highlighting palette. That’s always good for giving me the illusion of a healthy glow. I get them here at Space NK.
I was very lucky that Pat McGrath sent me some of her products when I met her last year. I love her mascara, and there’s a lipstick in a color called Love Supreme. The shade is very close to my natural color but a little bit more pink. Otherwise, Nars lip crayons, they’re always a good go-to.
I used to buy crazy colored lipsticks. When I was out of work when I was younger, I actually did a makeup class in Liverpool. I just hoarded makeup then. Now I’m just into giving my natural lip a boost.
What Does Killer Makeup Look Like?
When I think of Villanelle, I think comfort above everything. For her, makeup is not a necessity. So for her look, it’s natural and simple, day to day, and then she experiments with the other personas she inhabits. But more often than not, when I rewatch something, I’ll think, “Oh God, that makeup feels too much.” I don’t think she would be into upkeep. I don’t think she has the time to take out a lip liner and reapply.
Fragrance
I wear Le Labo Santal 33. I feel like everyone in the universe wears it now. But it smells different on each person — or so I want to think! I definitely copied off an actress I worked with. We would ride the lift every day, and I would smell it on her, and it would be that amazing smell. But we’re all copying each other. I have no shame in admitting.
Gym Time
I do Pilates with my trainer David Higgins. He’s in London, so we just do a FaceTime call. I need someone to make sure I’m not slacking. Also, we have a little makeshift gym in the back of my parents’ house. We’re all making appointments for it — it’s good fun.
Or I just use these elastic bands that I have for travel. And I have a foam roller. If I just stretch out and roll my back and legs, I feel like it releases so much tension. It’s satisfying to hear all the clicks on your back — it’s like I’m a new woman. Otherwise, I’m just taking walks, really.
What Diet?
I just had six chocolate digestive biscuits! I’m having one of those days. I did download the Deliciously Ella app. They have a lot of vegan and vegetarian recipes, and me and my mum have been trying them. What I’ve realized during this time is how much I enjoy cooking. If I’m working long hours, I can’t be bothered. It’s the first thing that goes.
There’s a place in London called Detox Kitchen, and the lady who owns it has been doing little Stories on Instagram on how to make a meal of what’s left in your fridge. You can also make the meals and stick them in the fridge or freezer — although there are four of us in the house, so nothing really makes it to the freezer.
Chocolates are big. It was just Easter. We have so many mini eggs. I don’t know if you have them, but they are just so good.
The weird, crazy, bizarre thing when you’re off work is that you lose track of time. We might be half into the day and it’s sunny out and we’re like, “Should we have some wine?” It’s like, “No!”
You can’t do that every day, but there is really no right or wrong. The Pilates keeps me sane, but then so does the chocolate. Just do what you need to do in the moment.
