Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Biggest Beauty Regret Is Horrifying

In case you couldn't already tell from her flat lays on Instagram or product reviews on Snapchat, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley knows her shit when it comes to beauty. It's not just in the makeup she creates (Rosie For Autograph) or the hair elixirs she swears by and gets paid to push (Moroccanoil), either. The proof is in the way her skin and hair always manages to look damn near flawless — despite the jam-packed schedule that comes with being a model-slash-actress-slash-new mom. Which, she'll tell you, takes a hell of a lot more work than it appears.

"My skin is, essentially, the canvas of what I do, so it's important for me to look after it the best way I can," she tells Refinery29. "I'm diligent. I take the time to learn about my skin and invest in the best products I can."

Her medicine cabinet sees no shortage of all-natural blends that are effective yet self-indulgent — which makes her partnership with French beauty brand Caudalíe picture-perfect. Ahead, Huntington-Whiteley shares the biggest skin-care lessons she's learned, what it's really like to be backstage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and more.

Her Biggest Beauty Regret

"When I was 19, I remember going to the [tanning] salon in New York before a big shoot, and laying down on the bed and thinking, 'This is so warm and lovely.' Then I got home and started to move around and felt that my bum was really sore. My butt had never seen daylight before, so it was that milky, English, white skin, and now it was red and raw. It was sore for at least three days — I couldn't sit down — and it took weeks for the swelling to go down."

What Backstage Is Actually Like

There's a reason the phrase, "The bigger the hair, the closer to Jesus," comes to mind when Huntington-Whiteley was asked to describe her time walking the Victoria's Secret runway. "We lived by two things: dry shampoo and hairspray," she says. "If I could sum up my career in one scent, it would be the L'Oréal [Elnett] Hairspray. Any time I smell it, it takes me right back to being 16 on my first shoot."

The first time she got a whiff of the Caudalíe Beauty Elixir was also at a fashion show. "It was one of those crazy moments where I was being pulled around backstage; someone was taking off my makeup, and after they were done, they sprayed it on my face. I remember being transported to another dimension almost [laughs]."

How She Made Her Big Career Jump

When Huntington-Whiteley transitioned from modeling to movies (she starred in back-to-back action films Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Mad Max: Fury Road), she noticed one major difference: "Beauty on a movie set is so different to how it is in fashion, because with movie makeup you're not learning how to use the products in real life," she says. "The makeup artists on set are trained completely differently."

Shooting was different, too. "Both were environmentally intense. With Mad Max, we were in the desert for six months. I had prosthetics put on my face every morning; I had scars applied with makeup, and I was [outside] with wind and dust, so it was havoc on my skin. You hair also gets really battered because you're in the hair and makeup chair every single day, five or six days a week, for six months. I think that the thing I've picked up on a movie set is a hair treatment."

The remedy, Huntington-Whiteley says, is the conditioning treatment Olaplex — well, that and the ol' model standby: "lots of water."

Your Ultimate Guide To Korean Skincare

From French pharmacy finds to Sephora hauls, here in the UK we love investing in beauty from faraway destinations. However, when it comes to skincare and makeup innovation, it's Asia we turn to, in particular South Korea.

While for many in the UK skincare is simply face wipes and a bit of a moisturiser, in Korea, taking care of your skin is a way of life and embedded in their culture. Skincare routines are drilled into young girls (and boys) from a young age and glowing skin is a sign of health and something worth investing significant time and money in. In fact, according to the BBC, South Korean women spend twice as much of their income on beauty products and make-up than their American counterparts.

Unsurprisingly, South Korea is the market-leader when it comes to creating new game-changing ingredients, formulas and products, and by always being a few years ahead of the West, big skincare companies around the world look to Korea for inspiration when dreaming up new lotions and potions. BB creams, double-cleansers, sheet masks are all K-Beauty trends that have made their way into the mainstream beauty market. And thanks to selection of Korean products available online here in the UK (try Cult Beauty, Beauty Mart, Beauty and Seoul, and The Silk Rose), you can get a slice of the real deal at the click of the mouse.

So how do you go about investing in a new Korean inspired skincare-routine. We've broken it down for you…

The daily Korean skincare-routine

7-step? 10-step? 15-step? The jury is out on how many steps are actually in a Korean skincare routine, however, one thing is for sure, there is a lot more than the classic cleanse, tone and moisturise we're sold here in the UK. While it may sound intimidating at first, it's important to point out that not every step is needed every morning or night, and some are only once or twice a week. Plus, it goes without saying that choosing to embark on such a routine is a time commitment (in the evenings it can be up to fifteen minutes), however Korean women see this is as a positive - they view skincare as a ritual to treasure and look forward to at the end of a busy day. These are the key steps to try...

Double Cleanse

Cleansing is possibly the most important stage of the process - without properly cleansed skin none of your other products will be able to work to their full potential. First up, you need to remove makeup, daily grime and SPF with an oil-based cleanser - massage into skin and wash off with warm water. Then go in with a water-based cleanser (foaming, milky or creamy cleansers all work a treat), for a deeper cleanse of the skin. FYI: double cleansing is only needed in the evening, in the morning you can just do the second step.

Essence

Next up it's an essence - not a word we are too familiar with in the Western world but surely one we are likely to see more of. Used post-cleanse, essences are all about giving your skin a hit of hydration and providing a helping hand for the layers that come after. Spritz over damp skin before going in with your serum of choice.

Serum

ICYMI: moisturisers don't actually moisturise your skin (they can't go deep enough) but simply act as a final protection layer. To target skin issues - whether that's dryness, redness, oiliness or more - you need a super-concentrated serum. Choose the product based on your skin type and apply sparingly by pressing into the skin after spritzing your essence. Mix and match depending on how your skin feels that day, and don't be afraid to layer more than one serum at a time just like the Koreans do.

Eye cream

According to the Korean school of thought, the delicate eye area needs a separate cream. Apply by gently tapping using your smallest finger below the eyebrow and under the eye.

Moisturiser

The penultimate layer before your SPF/makeup is moisturiser. You can use the same product for day and night or a different one if you fancy - you might prefer a more lightweight option under makeup, and a richer formula for evening.

Superior SPF

While a whole myriad of products claim to either prevent signs of ageing, the only thing guaranteed to slow down the aesthetic ageing process is wearing a wide spectrum SPF every single day. Yep, even here in grey England. While suncreams of the past were white, thick and greasy, the formulas have come on leaps and bounds, in particular in Korea where people have a religious like attitude to SPF. Apply every morning to your face, neck and decolletage.

Sheet Masks

One of Korea's most successful beauty exports, you've probably seen a sheet mask selfie on Instagram. Essentially a cotton mask infused with a cocktail of skin boosting ingredients, leaving the mask on your face for up to half an hour helps to penetrate the ingredients deep into the skin. They are not the easiest to apply (and you may scare your housemates), but they work a dream when it comes to hydrating the skin. Some Korean women would apply a face mask daily but realistically it's probably better to aim to do one once or twice a week.

Sleep Masks

Make the most of those precious hours of kip with a mask that will work while you get your shut eye. In Korea, the phenomenon that is sleep masks (or sleep packs) are super popular. Rich and reparative overnight treatments, they deeply hydrate whilst also protecting your face from the dehydrating atmosphere.

Exfoliation

Once or twice a week, Koreans exfoliate their skin post-cleanser to buff away dead skin cells and increase the skin renewal process. Not only will it leave your complexion both clearer and brighter, it will maximise the potential of the products you put on after.

Fashion’s repeat performers include bow blouses, fanny packs and ruffles

When it comes to fashion, designers do delve into the past and attempt to re-create favorite styles for contemporary times. Many things from previous decades have made comebacks in recent seasons – from fringe, flares and short suede skirts to jelly sandals, hair scrunchies and cold-shoulder tops. Recent runs of designer fashion shows in New York – plus a look at what retailers are offering for Fall 2016 – revealed a few more.

Below, we highlight just five (and be sure you read the story on Page F3 on TV tray tables making a comeback, too).

Chokers

It may sound odd to say that something that dates back to the world's earliest civilizations has made yet another comeback, but we'll say it anyway. Chokers are back – again. In March, the National Jeweler publication noted this online: "Long before they encircled the necks of goth girls in the 1990s or were made popular by the Princess of Wales in the late 1800s, chokers were donned by women in ancient civilizations, worn to protect what even back then they understood to be a very important part of the body, the neck."

Now, they're all over the runways and are spotted hugging the necks of celebrities. Last February, after designers unveiled their Fall 2016 collections in New York, Wmagazine.com wrote this: "Whether you're more of a downtown Alexander Wang girl, or an uptown Oscar de la Renta lady – chances are, you'll be wearing a choker come Fall 2016."

And possibly next spring, too. Tory Burch, Zang Toi and Monique Lhuillier were just a few designers who showed them earlier this month. Shop the stores now and you'll find chokers bejeweled or plain in a variety of materials and finishes including silver- and gold-tones, velvet, faux suede and more.

Puffed sleeves

Actress Karla Souza wore a dress with puffed sleeves to the Carolina Herrera fashion show earlier this year. Singer Bebe Rexha attended the iHeartRadio Music Awards last spring wearing a long-sleeved cropped top with puffed sleeves. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, appears to prefer a slight puff at the shoulder seam as well. Very slight, as seen on the bright-blue shirt dress from designer Joseph Altuzarra she recently wore and the cream-colored blouse by British brand Goat Fashion she donned in May.

More exaggerated puffed sleeves appeared on the runway showcasing the Marc Jacobs collection during the recent New York Fashion Week. They were seen on an army jacket worn over a camouflage-print dress but grew even puffier on baby-doll dresses with balloon sleeves. Ultra puffs! On Vogue.com, fashion critic Suzy Menkes wrote that Jacobs' "long, puffed sleeves suggested a costume party for 7-year-olds."

Tie neck blouse

Tired of wearing scarves? The tie neck blouse – once associated with the '70s and power dressing – has made strong showings in recent seasons. Last year, the Huffington Post suggested women not run in the other direction but rather give them a second look and consider a few tips: "First, when wearing a tie neck blouse, keep the rest of your outfit simple, so it doesn't look like you're wearing a costume (the blouse makes a statement on its own). If you want to play it safe, buy a tie that you can add to a blouse instead of getting a blouse with a tie built in. A cream blouse with a black necktie is a classic, but if you want to really take a risk, go for a paisley or floral pattern – they go perfectly with most denim bottoms."

During this month's New York Fashion Week, model Niki Taylor wore a polka-dotted dress with tie neck to attend the Marc Jacobs show, while Justin Bieber music video star Cailin Russo wore a gold blouse with a huge bow – paired with a green tweed miniskirt, long coat and platform shoes.

With fall shopping season now underway, note that Macy's includes some tie neck blouses in its fall collection, including one from Charter Club in an oversized floral print shown with a long cardigan and slim-fit ankle pants. J. Crew offers some, too – as well as blouses with ruffles, which leads us to the next comeback trend ...

Ruffles!

We've written about ruffles before. Plenty of times over the years. Ruffles cascading down the fronts of cardigans and blouses. Ruffles on toss pillows. Ruffles in tiers on skirts. Some years are more ruffled than others – and this may be one of them. Buffalo native Adam Lippes showed them in New York earlier this week, including a ruffle trim on the bib of a black jumpsuit. Many more ruffles were found at New York Fashion Week – at J. Crew, Christian Siriano, Michael Kors and others.

Fanny packs

Forget the jokes – and even the awkward fanny pack photos found online. Fanny packs, if they ever really did go away, have made fresh appearances on the runways and are readily available from retailers ranging from Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters to Eastern Mountain Sports and Macy's (which offers styles from MICHAEL Michael Kors and other popular brands). Variations go by names such as "belt bag" and "waist pack."