Priyanka Chopra, 33, made a career in Bollywood before becoming the first South Asian woman to lead an American network series — that is, the ABC drama Quantico. Though she is currently filming in Montreal for the show, which has been renewed for a second season, she is more often “based on a plane,” she said.
Chopra was born in Jamshedpur, India, but was also raised in Newton, Massachusetts, and in Queens, in New York City. Her beauty regimen is a hybrid of Indian DIY and Western favourites. Here the former Miss World tells us the secret to her looking her best at all times.
Skin Care
What is most important for your skin care is what you do the night before. You have to remove all remnants of makeup before you go to bed no matter how tired you are. I double wash because I wear a lot of makeup when I work. Right now, I’m using Chanel Intense Brightening Foam Cleanser, followed by MAC Green Gel Cleanser. I have dry skin, but it’s still very important to take off all the makeup and grime. I also double moisturise. I use the Kiehl’s serum called Daily Reviving Concentrate and then a cream by Tatcha. I’ve also found that StriVectin under-eye cream really works for me. I’m also trying some lip balms by StriVectin.
For my body, I moisturise with Bio-Oil and a body lotion from Diptyque. If I’m going in the sun, I wear a face sunscreen by Shiseido. I find most of my products from reading magazines and listening to what makeup artists tell me to do. And I usually do all my shopping at the duty-free, so I keep trying new things. Whenever I’m tired or getting on a flight, I’ll wear the SK-II mask. I’m usually in a cabin on the plane, and I just shut the door and put it on. Sometimes I’ll put on fresh yoghurt as a mask with a little turmeric powder in it; this is like an Indian trick. The turmeric is a healer for your skin.
Makeup
I try to wear very little makeup on a day-to-day basis. I use Armani foundation under my eyes if I need to. Then it’s mostly just lip balm or a lip stain. I like the lip stains by Laura Mercier. I also like MAC and Nars lipsticks when I’m doing something bold. If MAC, I have Lady Danger, Candy Yum Yum, Ruby Woo, Russian Red and Studded Kiss. Nars, I like the Dolce Vita. I stick with the matte lipsticks. I don’t wear gloss. I have really big lips, and when I wear gloss, they look way bigger. I have to keep them in check!
My mum wears kohl all the time. It’s an amazing look and part of our culture for eons. Kohl makes big brown or black eyes stand out that much more. But I’m not big on the smokey eye. I like to keep the eye fresh. I just use YSL mascara and then an Anastasia Beverly Hills pencil for my brows. I actually use my fingers to curl up my mascara. I’m not very meticulous when it comes to my makeup. I pretty much use my fingers, except I’ll use a brush for my blush. Right now, I’m using a Chanel powder blush in Rose Ecrin. The colour comes off very natural. Otherwise, I’m in the makeup chair almost every day.
It’s an interesting thing, the concept of “beauty” as an actor. People have doubted my abilities because of my beauty, and I’ve enjoyed proving to them that beauty shouldn’t have anything to do with your ability to tell the story. It’s important for actors to be chameleons. Beauty is just one aspect.
Fragrance
It’s very important to me. It makes me feel like I’m walking around in my own bubble. Right now I’m using Dolce & Gabbana the One and Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau. I’m a big fan of Diptyque, which I discovered at duty-free. From travelling so much, my information comes from there.
Hair
I’m very blessed with Indian genes. I have good hair. When I was young, my grandmother used to give me coconut-oil head massages. I used to say, ‘I don’t want it!’ Now of course I know how great it was. I like Oribe products. I love the smell, and I find they make my hair glossy. I use the shampoo, conditioner and maybe a serum. Because I’m sitting in the hair and makeup chair all the time, my hair gets blown out, but it’s actually wavy. I let it be and pull it back if it’s my day off. For haircuts, I get trims. I can’t change it much because I’m always filming some scene for a character, and you need continuity. I’m telling a story.
Other Services
I try to get massages whenever I can, but I’m not very fussy. I go to a nice spa in the city I’m in, or I go for a massage at home — somebody that does house calls.
Diet and Fitness
You’re going to be very bored with this answer, but I don’t do anything for fitness. I realise it’s my genes and my age. I’m going to take advantage of it as long as I can! I drink a lot of coconut water. It has electrolytes, which are good for you. And in Mumbai, the coconuts are so fresh.
