Welcome to The Glowdown, the series where we dive into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and non-negotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they cannot live without, their secrets to getting red carpet–ready, beauty pet peeves, and the genius tips they have picked up along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, Who What Wear UK got to sit down with Scarlett Johannson. Best known as one of the world's most celebrated actors, Johannson has since founded The Outset, her skincare brand co-founded with Kate Foster. Born out of Johannson's experience of dealing with skin issues, The Outset is grounded in gentle formulas that nourish and restore—rather than strip—the skin's delicate barrier. Ahead, Johannson opens up about her skincare learnings, her beauty words of wisdom and her products she'll never be without.

1. What led you to starting The Outset?

"It's such a classic start-up answer, but I had a pain-point and then looked for a solution, and that's how the idea of this was born," says Johansson. "I struggled with acne since I was 12, and when I was younger the messaging around acne and problem skin and was 'wash it all away, wash the grime away'. It was all about using toner, a gritty scrub and drying creams—all of this detoxifying stuff. I would go through cycles of drying out acne and then having dry skin and breaking out, it was just this non-stop cycle," she says. "It wasn't until I was in my late twenties, and I think I was newly pregnant, that I was just over it. I was so terrified to put anything on my skin, just because I thought it was gonna give me cystic acne. I think I was at my wits' end and thought, you know what? My skin is so dry, I'm gonna see if I stop using these oil-free products and use gentle products made for sensitive skin, and use moisturiser, and see how it goes and be consistent about it. And within a week, my skin was healing itself. What I didn't know was that I was nurturing my skin barrier," she says.

"Obviously, that word was not part of the zeitgeist as it is now, and I didn't know that's what I was doing," she says, "but I could see the results and I thought that there's gotta be something to this. That's how it started. I started researching what was out there, what was in the products I was using, and what other people were experiencing. It's been a labour of love, labour being a keyword there; it's been challenging. But it's really rewarding because we see the results in our customers' skin, my own skin, and our skin in the office. You see it in our own customer return rate that people are having an amazing experience and getting what we are now calling ‘The Outset Effect’, where they're getting the compliments on their skin."

2. What do you think your biggest learnings have been about skin care over the years?

"It's been very eye-opening to go down this avenue of creating a clean skincare line. I never realised what was in all of the products I was using before. You know, you buy a $250 night cream and you don't expect it's gonna be full of petroleum and mineral oil. There is no such thing as like a ‘clean beauty standard’, right? It's this kind of nebulous term and the challenge for us was that we wanted to create a line where as many people can participate as possible, and once you see what's in everything you can't un-see it," says Johansson. "And so you go down this avenue of [thinking] 'what does that mean?' It means reducing and eliminating these harmful ingredients and creating something that's nut allergen-free and gluten-free and fragrance-free. But how do you make that effective too? The efficacy of the product is key. We are committed to that. So if we have an idea for something like an SPF, it will take us so many rounds to get there. But we have our own standards here and we are committed to them. So it's eye-opening, it's a challenge, but it's worthwhile."

3. You have spoken about your experience with acne throughout your teenage years and adult life. What advice would you give to others who are experiencing acne?

"I would say get rid of your 20 times magnifying mirror. I need [to take] my own advice because honestly, stressing about your skin is the worst thing you can do for it. All of the negativity that comes with overanalysing your skin quality and picking your skin in that kind of a mirror—it's like a vicious cycle. I think it's bad for your mental health, and it's bad for your skin. So stop looking in the mirror that much. That's what I would say," she says. "Then the consistency of the routine, that's an important thing. When I was having really terrible breakouts, you're just sort of going through all these different things, you know? You're trying different creams, you're trying diet elimination stuff, tonics... all of this stuff and it's just too much. Using all those actives at the same time, in my experience, makes the problem much worse, I think. You have to give [trying a new product] it like 10 days."

4. Are there any beauty rituals or treatments that you swear by before a big event?

"If I'm going out for an event, sometimes I will do a face mask that's redness-reducing and gives you that 'bounce-back' skin. We created our Purifying Blue Clay Mask (£46) that is perfect for that because it's redness-reducing and it doesn't dry like traditional clay masks do. It stays moist, so it's not all cracking off and then you have this red skin underneath, even though you feel like you're getting the purifying benefit. So sometimes I'll use the mask before an event. I try not to do anything too extreme though because you don't know what's the reaction is going be. I wouldn't do anything too out of the ordinary before I was going to a big event."

5. Sustainability is at the core of your brand. How did you go about bringing those sustainable values into your brand? 

"I'm sure you [beauty journalists], probably more than I, are so used to getting these influencer packages. And the packaging is so much," she says. "You know, even while we were developing [The Outset] this in the very beginning, I had gotten some influencer product package from a very popular cosmetics line. And it was like this whole thing set up with like boxes and unwrapping things like foils, and inside was the actual container... it was just crazy. I said to Kate [her co-founder], 'this is the opposite of what I want to do'. I want everything to feel like as stress-free as possible, including the packaging, so that you're not feeling this this burden of having more stuff and throwing things away constantly, which is why we introduced the refills and post-consumer recyclable packaging, and that really resonates with our customers as well. We also have included a partnership with 1% for the Planet. The philosophy behind organisations like that are very much a lot in line with what we're doing here."

6. What is the best piece of beauty advice that you ever received?

"The best piece of beauty advice I ever received was probably from my sister, who told me to leave my skin alone. She would say, ‘stop touching it, leave your skin alone.” And I was like, "Oh, yeah!”

7. What is your signature fragrance?

"I don't know if I have a signature fragrance. I have fragrances that I go back to, that I wear on rotation. I love the Terre d'Hermès Eau de Toilette (£94) and Narcisco Rodriguez (£76). I've worn it forever."

8. Do you prefer a strong lip or a strong eye?

"I like lipstick."

9. You're having your nails done, what's your go-to colour?

"A French manicure."

10. What's your favourite lipstick colour?

"My favourite lipstick colour is is a Charlotte Tilbury colour called Bond Girl [now renamed MI Kiss (£27)]. I love it. I wear it for a lot of movies, it’s a great colour."

11. Candles, reed diffusers or nothing at all?

"I like candles, actually. My favourite candles are when Diptyque comes out with all the Christmas scents. I love those.”

12. If you had to recommend a beauty product to everyone, what would it be?

"Our Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum (£46).

13. What's the beauty product that's always in your handbag?

"Right now, it's probably our Rescue Balm (£31) that we just came out with, which was made to be always in your handbag. It is used for everything. I made it as a lip balm but I was using it on my cuticles, I was using it on my hair, I was using it on my heels. I was using it for everything, and so we decided to make a giant one."

14. Which beauty product gives you the biggest mood boost?

"The biggest mood boost is probably red lipstick."

15. If you could steal someone else's makeup bag, whose would it be?

"I would say that's such a good question. I would probably steal Bobbi Brown’s."

16. You've got a spot—are you team pop it or are you team leave it alone?

"I should say leave it alone, but I can't help myself. I'm an extraction type of person!"

17. You only have one product to use for the rest of your life. What is it?

"Honestly, probably our serum [The Outset Firming Vegan Collagen Prep Serum (£46)]. I use it probably too many times a day so that I end up having to refill constantly. I'm crazy about it."

Shop Scarlett Johansson's favourite beauty products:

Up Next, Sarah Jessica Parker Shares the Beauty Secrets We all Want to Know

When thinking of celebrities wardrobes, we tend to imagine them brimming with designer brands and one-of-a-kind styles. It can be easy to write off their looks as completely out of reach, something to take inspiration from rather than recreate in like. Though this is often the case, we've noticed that more and more celebrities are embracing the expensive-looking finds of our favourite high-street stores, in particular, Mango. 

Kendall Jenner and Scarlett Johansson the latest celebrities to catch on to our undying infatuation with the high-street. When celebrities do shop on the high street, they tend to stick to classic styles that have a designer-passing edge. From the cut to the fabrication, these are the styles that not only look great, but have staying power within your wardrobe. This week, Kendall stepped out in a head-to-toe Mango look, combining a sleek silk shirt with flared wool trousers for a put-together evening look. And just yesterday, actress Scarlett Johansson turned to the high-street for a monochromatic three-piece suit, exemplifying Mango's tailoring prowess. Lucky for us, these pieces are all still in stock and shoppable right now. 

Keep scrolling to see all the celebrity-approved Mango pieces that are available to buy right now.

Kendall Jenner

SHOP THE LOOK:

Scarlett Johansson

SHOP THE LOOK:

More Celebrities Wearing Mango

Sienna Miller

Style Notes: Mango is a great place to find easy co-ords, as exemplified by Sienna's timeless outfit. 

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Style Notes: Taking a break from full look Bottega Veneta, Rosie turned to the high-street for a minimalist halter top and sleek green skirt. 

Selena Gomez

Style Notes: Yes, Selena's striking animal print coat is from the high-street. 

Katie Holmes

Style Notes: Style icon Katie Holmes was spotting striding through the city in a bold orange blazer. 

Pippa Middleton

Style Notes: Pippa wears an autumn-ready green coat from Mango. 

This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

Next up, Mango Just Dropped the Most Sophisticated Autumn Capsule, and I'm Obsessed 

Lily-Rose Depp has officially given us our favourite dress of the Venice Film Festival so far thanks to the lilac Chanel princess-style gown she wore to the premiere of The King last night, in which she stars opposite Timothée Chalamet. But that's not the only showstopping Chanel outfit she's worn at the film festival. Earlier, she opted for a pink tweed minidress by the label. It's hardly a surprise that she's now firmly on our fashion radars—her mother is Chanel muse Vanessa Paradis, after all. 

Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel.

But Lily-Rose isn't the only one who's been giving us great red carpet fashion moments. The 76th annual event kicked off on 28 August and will run until 7 September, and now that we're deep into the festival, we've seen some spectacular looks. A-listers such as Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep and Sienna Miller have all been in attendance so far, with Sienna's Gucci dress being a particular favourite. Billie Piper also deserves a mention, as the actress has shown off great outfit after great outfit. One minute, she's wearing a sparkling Erdem frock, and the next, she's channelling La Dolce Vita in a black lace Saloni dress. And don't even get us started on Penélope Cruz in that white taffeta Ralph & Russo dress.

As usual, this festival isn't just reserved for actors—there are also international models gracing the red carpet, making it an even more glamorous affair. Case in point? Iman, who stunned in a blue, white and red feathered Valentino gown. Other notable looks have come from model Madalina Doroftei, who wore an oversized Tinkerbell-inspired look, and Candice Swanepoel in a slinky gold Etro gown. 

Ready to see the rest of the most over-the-top red carpet of the summer? Keep scrolling.

SEE THE BEST LOOKS FROM THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

WHO: Lily-Rose Depp 

WEAR: Chanel

WHO: Lily-Rose Depp 

WEAR: Chanel

WHO: Sienna Miller

WEAR: Gucci

WHO: Penélope Cruz

WEAR: Ralph & Russo

WHO: Kristen Stewart

WEAR: Chanel

WHO: Zazie Beetz

WEAR: Valentino

WHO: Cate Blanchett

WEAR: Armani Privé

WHO: Meryl Streep

WEAR: Givenchy

WHO: Tessa Thompson

WEAR: Miu Miu

WHO: Billie Piper

WEAR: Erdem

WHO: Monica Belluci

WEAR: Dolce & Gabbana 

WHO: Iman

WEAR: Valentino

WHO: Laura Dern

WEAR: Gucci

WHO: Eleonora Carisi

WEAR: Valdrin Sahiti

WHO: Scarlett Johansson

WEAR: Celine

WHO: Billie Piper

WEAR: Dundas

WHO: Juliette Binoche

WEAR: Armani Privé

WHO: Molly Sims 

WEAR: Zuhair Murad

WHO: Madalina Doroftei 

WEAR: Yezael by Angelo Cruciani

WHO: Billie Piper

WEAR: Miu Miu

WHO: Mel B

WHO: Alessandra Mastronardi

WEAR: Armani Privé

WHO: Laura Dern

Related: Meet the Expensive-Looking Items Our Editors Are Buying for Autumn

WHO: Stacy Martin

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

WHO: Sofia Richie

WEAR: Twinset

WHO: Kate Upton

WHO: Candice Swanepoel

WHO: Juliette Binoche

WHO: Paola Turani

WEAR: Twinset

WHO: Charlotte Groeneveld

WHO: Candice Swanepoel

WEAR: Etro

Related: 30 Epic Autumn Shopping Picks From & Other Stories, Zara and Arket

WHO: Alessandra Mastronardi

WEAR: Gucci

WHO: Annabelle Belmondo

WHO: Eleonora Carisi

WHO: Ruth Negga

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

WHO: Catherine Deneuve

WHO: Liv Tyler

WEAR: Givenchy

WHO: Martha Hunt

WEAR: Alberta Ferretti

WHO: Barbara Palvin

WEAR: Armani

WHO: Elsa Hosk

WEAR: Etro

WHO: Gabrielle Caunesil

WEAR: Rami Kadi

WHO: Liv Tyler

WHO: Anais Gallagher

WEAR: Salvatore Ferragamo

WHO: Barbara Palvin

WEAR: Armani

WHO: Elena Cucci 

WEAR: Ermanno Scervino

WHO: Sylvia Hoeks

WEAR: Alberta Ferretti

WHO: Alessandra Mastronardi 

WEAR: Alberta Ferretti

WHO: Barbara Palvin

WEAR: Armani

WHO: Monica Bellucci 

WHO: Isabelle Huppert

WHO: Annabelle Belmondo

WHO: Billie Piper

WEAR: Ulyana Sergeenko

WHO: Brit Marling

WEAR: Miu Miu

WHO: 

WEAR:

WHO: Billie Piper 

WEAR: Saloni

WHO: Annabelle Belmondo

WEAR: Ottod'Ame

WHO: Penélope Cruz

WEAR: Ralph & Russo

WHO: Molly Sims

WEAR: Monique Lhullier

WHO: Rebecca Dayan

WHO: Chloë Sevigny

WEAR: Miu Miu

WHO: Isabelle Huppert

WEAR: Armani Privé

Next up, the biggest autumn/winter 2019 trends you need to know. 

If you're petite, you know all too well that shopping can be somewhat of a struggle. While some brands do cater for those under 5'4", petite women are still a largely underrepresented group within the retail realm. Trouser hems are ridiculously long—so much so that they often leave me looking like I'm setting off for my first day of clown college (while the waistline tends to slip down to my hips). It's frustrating, to say the least. Which is why I've turned to the A-list to help me with my petite plight.

So many short celebrities have excellent fashion sense (think Sienna Miller, Zoë Kravitz and the ever-stylish Olsen twins), so I've deciphered their go-to looks to create the ultimate petite capsule, the fruits of which you'll find below. The goal isn't to change the way you look; instead, it's about making your physique more in-proportion. Once you crack how to do that, you can wear anything you please. From the dress Sienna swears by to the shoes Ashley rarely leaves the house without, keep scrolling to see the few key pieces short celebrities rely on.

Style Notes: Be it in suit, trouser or dress form, vertical stripes are an essential part of any petite girl's wardrobe as the lines create the illusion of length, as evidenced by 5'2" Zoë Kravitz. Furthermore, ensure you keep the look tailored to enhance your shape.

Style Notes: Ashley Olsen's go-to shoes are undoubtedly flesh-coloured pumps, which she's worn on a multitude of occasions. By matching your footwear to the colour of your skin, you trick the eye into thinking you have longer legs, balancing out your silhouette in the process. We'd never believe Ashley is a mere 5'0" in this outfit.

Related: The Olsens Use This Accessory to Make All-Black Outfits 10x More Interesting

Style Notes: Ashley isn't the only Olsen who knows how to dress her petite frame well: Mary-Kate—who stands at 5'1"—is also an expert. One of her failsafe tricks is to cinch her waist with a wide belt. In doing so, she divides her body proportionately, making her seem taller in the process. Simple but so effective.

Style Notes: You might not think it, but high necklines give the appearance of a longer torso, which in turn makes your overall frame look longer, too. Case in point? Lupita Nyong'o, who, at 5'4", looks significantly taller in her Gucci dress.

Related: Whatever the Trend, Julia Roberts Did It First and Did It Better

Style Notes: Measuring 5'1", Nicole Richie continually serves up excellent petite outfit inspiration, and this ensemble is no exception. Her bold printed blouse commands the overall focus, allowing her block-colour maxi skirt to elegantly drape to the floor, which bestows her longer-looking legs. Masterful.

Style Notes: You might not think it, but midi skirts are extremely flattering on petite frames. They sit neatly on the waist, helping to define it while skimming your legs to create a flattering silhouette. The flash of ankle on show then makes your legs look leaner. Indeed, we'd never guess Jenna Coleman was 5'2" in this getup.

Related: Rosie HW's Magic Trio Will Instantly Make You Look More Put-Together

Style Notes: Scarlett Johansson, at 5'3", knows that wide-leg trousers are a petite's best friend. They're classic, hang elegantly and make your legs look never-ending. Make like Scarlett and pair yours with a fuss-free tee and strappy sandals.

Style Notes: If you're constantly having to take long dresses to your tailor to be hemmed, it's high time you added a dip-hem style to your wardrobe. Sienna Miller, who is 5'4", wears them on repeat, as they give the same elegant air as maxi styles but require no alterations whatsoever. Also, much like midi skirts, the subtle flash of ankle helps break up your overall silhouette, making you look taller, too. 

Related: 8 Easy Holly Willoughby Outfits We Want to Copy ASAP

Style Notes: Just because you're petite doesn't necessarily mean your body is in proportion. If you're like Lucy Hale, who is 5'2" and has shorter legs in comparison to her torso, try balancing out your frame with a pair of high-waisted jeans.

Style Notes: Her penchant for lycra is undeniable, but Kim Kardashian West, 5'2", also knows that long coats look chic and frame her physique perfectly.

Opening Image: Getty Images

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