Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is a surprisingly reluctant beauty icon.

She may be the face of beauty brand SK-II, and she certainly looks perfectly made up when Bazaar meets her in Picadilly; her fair skin glows and her hair is bouncily blonde and tousled as she perches elegantly on the sofa in a tiny, muted gold Givenchy dress.

Compliments are gently batted away, however. "It's all Mary," she says – Mary Greenwell being Cate's favourite make-up artist – and so the theme continues whenever we ask her about topics such as the contents of her make-up bag ('Honestly, I hardly wear any!') or her hair care routine ('I know it's a good day if I brush it…'). And what about diet and exercise? 'God, I resent them both.'

It's not that Cate is being difficult per se - she had us charmed from the moment she grabbed our hand and told us the cornflower blue nail varnish was such a beautiful colour it suddenly reminded her of her favourite Gaultier dress. It's just that Cate's iconic natural look is, well, pretty natural.

Regardless, we pressed her for details on everything from her favourite treatments to her skincare essentials…

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Bazaar: We find making up fair skin incredibly tricky. What products do you use?

Blanchett: For fair skin, I think it needs to be about texture and radiance so I use minimal product. My essential items are mascara (either SK-II's or Tom Ford's) and a good bronzer. That's really it.

Bazaar: Is a SPF base important to you?

Blanchett: So important, my mother taught me that. I make my own tinted moisturiser by mixing SKII's foundation with either their SPF moisturiser or plain sun screen. Coming from Australia and growing up around all the anti-cancer campaigns, it's been drilled into me; I walk on the shady side of the street. I've recently found a fantastic cream – it's by Spirig and called 'Day Long'. You can use the tiniest amount and you don't need to reapply, so I wear it every day.

Bazaar: Which are the creams and serums in your skincare regime?

Blanchett: My skin is really unbalanced so I'm choosy about products. If I'm travelling I like 'Sensai' by Sisley. My skin can get so dry and when I put that on it immediately takes that away, especially for my lips and around my eyes too. On my bedside table for night time I keep the three products from the SK-II LXP range - plus their eye cream is fantastic. People started commenting, even when I felt like crap, and it wasn't just hydrating my skin it changed its luminosity. My husband even noticed. I could dye my hair blue and he wouldn't notice, so when he said something I knew it was working!

Bazaar: Do you have any tricks when it comes to applying creams and make-up?

Blanchett: I've learnt that massage is really big when applying. I used to just put it on but you actually need to massage it in so it works with your skin and isn't like a masked layer. That why it's really important to know what you're putting into your skin. The SK-II foundation actually has pitera in it [a nutrient rich liquid] so it's not like you're massaging anything horrible into it. My regime is super simple; it's just five minutes in the morning and five at night.

Bazaar: So what's the secret to the glow when wearing make up?

Blanchett: I put the SK-II essence on top of my finishing power. It sets the make up and removes that flat powdery look. That's a really good trick. Also, just don't wear a lot of make-up…

Bazaar: What about family beauty remedies, have you had any secrets passed down through the Blanchett generations?

Blanchett: My mum was huge on sunscreen and moisturiser, especially Oil of Olay, and also looking after yourself beyond just your face. You have to pay just as much attention to your neck too. The biggest thing I took from her though is putting spoons in the freezer for your eyes. If you haven't done that, you've got to try it! I flew into London and I was up with the children at 2am, so I got the hotel staff to put teaspoons in their freezer. I put them on before The Hobbit premiere, it's so brutal you totally wake up!

Bazaar: And how about diet and exercise?

Blanchett: The last two years I have really tried to keep in shape but I must admit when my children have a concert at school or I have to squeeze in another board meeting, those are the first things to go out of the window. I was on stage a lot this year, which naturally kept me fit and I also drink lemon juice and hot water in the morning. There's no grand diet plan but I try to stay away from wheat, even though I love bread as much as the next person, and I avoid additives. Then again, you also need to live your life and there'll be evenings when I drink give glasses of champagne...!

Bazaar: If you ever need to get in shape quickly for a part or a shoot what do you do?

Blanchett: I've done a lymphatic cleanse a few times for liver, kidneys and gallbladder – there's a guy in Los Angles called Dr. Bo Wagner. It's not to lose weight, it's more of a detox but I felt fabulous after it. It's hardcore; it's a month long and all herbal and you detox, cleanse and then renew everything. You don't eat for a week but it really made me feel incredible.

Bazaar: Do you have any treatments you like to book in regularly?

Blanchett: I'm not a fan of facials, I don't like people prodding and poking at my skin. I do love a deep tissue massage though, and acupuncture. If I have free time that's what I book and it needs to be a real pummel. Jill Damon is fantastic in London, but a Korean bathhouse anywhere always seem to be great too.

Bazaar: What about hair care?

Blanchett: Nicola Clarke does my hair, from John Frieda. When you've got a great colour, you can get away with a lot. I'm always grateful when someone styles my hair, otherwise it'll be pulled back or under a hat. Moroccan Oil does a fantastic shampoo and conditioner too, which I stick with day to day.

Bazaar: Finally, what's the trick for red carpet beauty?

Blanchett: If you're going to the Oscars, by the time you've waited in that traffic jam and actually got out of the car it's been ages and your make-up can slip. I always wear waterproof mascara so it doesn't run and I try to avoid fiddling with my face. I'll take the lipstick with me to reapply: the Tom Ford range is the best. They're really mosturising and he makes these perfect natural pink shades. I hear he's coming out with a hybrid lipstick, lipgloss and lip balm which I really want to use next.

Watch Cate discussing her work with SK-II below

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