A Day In the Life of Lily Collins

JB LACROIX/WIREIMAGE

8:00 A.M. I usually wake up at 8, but I’m shooting a show now and some of my call times have been 5 or 5:30, so I’ve had to try to become a morning person. I like setting an upbeat song as my alarm, but I have to constantly change it so I don’t start hating it. Right now I like the Chainsmokers, Drake, and Banks—I went to high school with her! I check social media to see what my friends around the world have been up to. Instagram is my main thing; it’s where I’ve had such a huge interaction with young girls, which really inspired me to write my book, Unfiltered. And then I have to read every e-mail in my in-box. I can’t leave anything unopened. That number next to the mail icon is very unsettling to me. It has to be zero.

8:10 A.M. I’m normally still half asleep when I get out of bed, so I immediately splash cold water on my face. I’ve learned a lot of my morning routine from working with Lancôme. I really like their Énergie de Vie products—the cleanser, the serum, and the cream. If I’m going straight to hair and makeup, I don’t spend at lot of time getting ready, but even when I’m not working I’m pretty basic. I just try to enhance what’s already there. I always feel like the less there is on my face, the less there is to go wrong. I’ll put on a light foundation with a little bit of blush—I don’t wear bronzer—and lip balm, with maybe a dab of nude Lancôme lipstick or concealer. I let my hair do whatever it wants, especially since I usually have it all done up or wear a wig for the show. I’ve learned a lot of tricks over the years, but I tend to save them for a night out or an audition.

8:30 A.M. I’ll go into my kitchen and have a glass of water with lemon to kick-start my system, and make oatmeal in a pot and have it with fruit.That really energizes me and fills me up. While the oatmeal starts to cook and do its thing, I get dressed. If I’m working and it’s super early, I don’t care what I’m wearing, so I’ll throw on jeans or sweatpants before getting in my Range Rover and driving to the set. Otherwise I’m going to work out and I’ll wear clothes that I want to sweat in. I’m not going to dress up to go to the gym.

9:00 A.M. I try to be active every day. I’ve been going to Body by Simone for a couple of years now. I work with a trainer doing isometrics and cardio, and it’s all about lengthening and toning and feeling good in your own skin. I have a lot of girlfriends who go too, and it’s a fun time in the morning. I grab tea on my way to the gym at the Coffee Bean nearby—the first person I speak to every day is probably the barista there. It’s nice to have a morning conversation at your local spot.

10:00 A.M. Post-workout, I’ll wear either slouchy boyfriend jeans with a cropped sweater or an oversize jean jacket with high-waisted pants. I’ve started wearing Parker Smith a lot, and also Ström, Paige, and vintage Levi’s. I’ve had a pair of Chloé ballet flats for four or five years now that are so easy to throw on. They’re a slightly different color than they were when I bought them because they’re so used, but I like that. I’m not going to wear heels unless I have to.

1:00 P.M. For the show, I’ve been wearing 1930s outfits that are very fitted, so I don’t want to do a crazy lunch because it’s uncomfortable. But I’m a clean eater anyway, so it always includes some sort of protein—salmon or chicken—a salad, and maybe some quinoa. I don’t eat it all at one time; I try to make it last. And I snack on veggies and juices throughout the day to keep myself going. I’m really bad about drinking water, but I try to force myself. I haven’t had coffee in a couple of years. I was kind of addicted, and it became a little obsessive. Now I limit myself to two cups of caffeinated tea per day because it can be just as bad for your system as drinking coffee if you have it all the time. I get cold really easily, though, especially on set, so herbal teas are necessary.

Collins in Alberta Ferretti

3:00 P.M. After shooting I typically have meetings or scripts to read, but if I have the afternoon off in L.A., I try to see my friends. Recently some childhood friends and I went down to the Santa Monica Pier and just rode the Ferris wheel all afternoon. I hadn’t done that since high school—it felt like I was playing hooky! Or the other day I had a surprise day off, so I asked my friends from elementary school to see Beauty and the Beast. We were all singing along because of course we knew all the words. I was a Disney fanatic growing up. I have photos of myself with my parents at the premiere of the original in England—that was everything. So seeing the remake as grown-ass adults was the coolest day off work ever. It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy.

6:30 P.M. I usually eat out for dinner. I like to bake, but I’m not going to cook for myself. Last night was my mom’s birthday, and we were down by the beach at Gjelina, sitting outside with little blankets. It was so nice. I’ve been trying to get out of my comfort zone and go with foodie friends to places I don’t know about. I can be pretty grandma-ish about having a really early dinner, so I have friends who will be the 6:30 crew.

8:30 P.M. If I don’t have to prepare lines for the next day, I’ll stay out for drinks. I used to be a vodka girl, but I was at a Mexican restaurant recently and ordered a spicy margarita just because the name sounded cool, and suddenly I was hooked. I’ve graduated—I’m a tequila person now.

10:00 P.M. When I come home I shower and get comfortable and take off my makeup and everything. I have to watch reality TV as a guilty pleasure. Bravo just gets me; they get what I need at the end of the workday. Either that or I’ll be classy and read Jane Austen. I’m so British at heart.

12:00 A.M. I’d like to get eight hours of sleep, though that doesn’t always happen. I usually go to bed close to midnight, but I’m very proactive at night. It can be hard to fall asleep because I think I could be doing something. If I’m lucky, a reality show will just lull me to sleep in a bit of a daze.

Lily's Must-Haves:

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From left clockwise: "I've had a pair of Chloé flats for years now that are so easy to throw on. Chloé flats, $495, chloe.com; "I've learned a lot of morning routine from working with Lancôme." Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer, $31, lancome-usa.com. "I'll either wear slouchy boyfriend jeans or high-waisted pants." L’Agence jeans, $225, barneys.com. "I’ll put on lip balm with a dab of nude lipstick.” Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Hydrating Shaping Lipstick in Beige Mirage, $32, lancome-usa.com. “I really like Lancôme’s Énergie de Vie products.” Lancôme Énergie de Vie Day Cream, $55, lancome-usa.com.

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