Photo Credit: Instagram

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Real Style magazine. Become a Real Style subscriber and get the hottest fashion, beauty and celebrity news, enter exclusive subscriber giveaways and be the first to receive the full digital version of Real Style magazine every month. Click here to subscribe for free! 

Actress and model Tricia Helfer shares her beauty must-haves.

On caring for her skin: I’ve been pretty lucky with my skin. I never had a bad teenage phase and actually deal with breaking out more often now than when I was young. I almost never have facials or treatments of any kind. I know I should and I wish I did get around to it more, but I just never seem to find the time.  I do use a mask once in a while at home and I have a Crystalift microdermabrasion machine at home. It’s not very strong, but I can tell a difference when I use it. 

As for products, I have a mixture and like to vary it up depending on the weather and the climate I’m in. In the summer or humid climates, I tend to use Nars Aqua Gel Luminous Oil-Free Lotion, AquaGel Luminous Mask and Eye Cream Concentrate and Kiehl’s Microdermabrasion serum. In the winter or dryer climates, I use La Mer Concentrate Serum, La Mer Eye Cream and Crème de la Mermoisturizing lotion. I also love Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate Oil and eye cream. That was the only thing that kept my skin from windburn and chapping while on a cross-country motorbike trip. The best sunscreen I’ve ever used is Kiehl’s SuperFluid.

I like to use Proactiv cleansers when I’m working, because they seem to deep clean the skin from all the set makeup. When I’m not working, I use a Kiehl’s Rare Earth cleanser and cucumber toner. For toners, serums and moisturizers, I vary it between Nars, Kiehl’s, Prai and La Mer. When I was filming in New Mexico last fall, the climate is so insanely dry that the only thing that kept my skin from falling off was La Mer.  It’s so expensive but it certainly did help with that crazy climate.

Generally, no makeup unless I’m going on a meeting or something. I use mostly Nars, although I have a mixture of a bunch of brands. Mascara is pretty much always one of the L’Oreal ones, usually the volumizer one in carbon black.

On her hair: My hair has been every colour and cut. I modelled for 10 years so it was short, long, cropped, blonde, black, red, brown, everything. Now I’ve been acting for 12 years, so it changes a lot as well. I just recently chopped 10 inches off. I’ve never had one look. If I had to choose one for the rest of my life, it would be long and light brown. But there’s no need to choose one look. It would be pretty boring if you only ever had one look, no?

For the last couple of years, my colourist has been Jeremy at Salon Benjamin in LA. Natalie (also at Salon Benjamin) cuts it, and did the most recent chopping off. My good friend, Brian Magallones (freelance in New York) also cuts it quite often. That usually entails cocktails and a gab session while he’s cutting away.

On her personal style: My look changes constantly with work, but my personal style has always been pretty low maintenance.  I am generally casual but do enjoy spicing it up every so often. Of course, style changes with the fashion, but overall, I’ve always been pretty low key.  It’s just too much work to always be styled and coiffed. I don’t know how some people do it. I have too much stuff I’d rather be doing than getting all done up just to go run errands.

Tricia’s Beauty Faves

• Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye, $48 
• La Mer Eye Concentrate, $215
• Nars Skin Optimal Brightening Concentrate, $101 
• Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, $35 
• L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Volume Building Mascara, $10.51