Isabella Briggs Wore This French Perfume While Filming The Summer I Turned Pretty (Denise Would Approve)
Say hello to Unfiltered, a fresh beauty series where you’ll get an exclusive glimpse into the dressed-down beauty routines of our favorite celebrities and content creators. They’ll reveal their guilty-pleasure beauty practices, the five-minute-routine product lineup they can’t live without, the one good-skin tip they’ll be forever thankful for, and so much more. To bring every conversation full circle, we ask each celebrity to send us a selection of self-shot, filter-free photos of their choosing to capture the essence of their Unfiltered beauty philosophy.
Up next, we’re getting to know actress Isabella Briggs, who portrays Denise in the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. Below, she’s answering all of our rapid-fire questions and sharing her (and Denise’s) signature scent, the haircare tips she learned on set, and more. Enjoy!
(Image credit: Courtesy of Isabella Briggs)
This feature will go live after the Summer I Turned Pretty finale, which I’m obviously so excited for. What has it been like for you to be a part of such a successful franchise, especially one that has such a die-hard fandom?
It’s been really incredible. I love to see the enthusiasm from the fans and the love and passion that they have for this project. As an artist and as an actor, it always feels good when you know you’re able to make people invested in a piece of art that you’re a part of, you know? To see how the fans connect with the story and characters, it’s so cool. I’m experiencing this magnitude for the first time, and that’s been really lovely.
The fans really connected with Denise for sure. She’s our corporate girl!
I know! She’s a “tell it like it is” corporate girl. I love her, so I’m happy that the fans feel connected to her and are enjoying the arc that she’s had this season.
What would you say is Denise’s beauty philosophy, and how does that compare to your own?
I think Denise is really about practicality, especially when she’s in the workplace. If anything, she would be more regimented about her skincare than she would her makeup. But when she’s not in the office or she’s going out, I think she likes to have fun, dress it up. That was something we played with in the makeup and hair chairs as well. Maybe she has a little bit of glitter on her. Maybe she has a little bit more blush, a fun lip color… She knows how to use her makeup for whatever occasion she’s going to take part in.
In terms of how that relates to me, I would say practicality is also there as well. I’m kind of a “stick to what you know” person when it comes to makeup. I feel like I do my makeup the same, more or less, every time I do it unless I’m going to an event. Then I’ll try something new or dress it up. But I am an autumn, so warm colors—browns, burgundies, shades like that—are what I typically gravitate toward. I have my makeup routine down pat, so it really doesn’t take me that long to do it.
What would you say are the biggest beauty lessons that you learned from your character?
Probably how to do my hair [laughs], specifically updos. I wear it down a lot, and similarly to Denise, if I’m not wearing it down, I’ll put it in a slick-back. But we played around with some fun updos that involved my curly hair, and that was nice to learn different ways to play with my hair.
Now, I have to ask about your curly hair routine and your curly updos—any must-have tips?
Honestly, I think bobby pins are the way to go—bobby pins and a hair tie. With curls … you kind of have to mold it so that the curls pop out and accentuate your face in the way that you’re intending. So lots of bobby pins. Anytime I’m getting my hair done in an updo, I’m raking bobby pins out of my hair at the end [of the day].
It’s super romantic, the way it frames the face.
Yeah, I love the little pieces, these little tendrils [that] hang down around the ear. I just love that look. It seems like you just kind of threw it up there, but it’s actually perfectly curated.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Isabella Briggs)
Do you have any styling products or haircare products that you swear by?
I use a lot of Briogeo. The Curl Charisma line is something that my hair really likes. My hair type is mostly 3a, and it’s very fine, which means that less product is actually more. If I use too much product in my hair, that’ll just weigh it down. It’ll look a little greasy, [and] it won’t have the desired effect. I also go for volume over definition, so I find that Briogeo’s products work really well for me. I also have been using the Cécred line, which is so phenomenal. The hair drops are great. The clarifying shampoo is great. They’re in my constant rotation.
[Briogeo has a] shampoo, conditioner, gel, and cream that I use—all part of that Curl Charisma [collection]. Using a curly hair shampoo and conditioner has been a game changer for me. That’s actually something I also picked up on set [that] my hairdresser was telling me about. … I should be using a curly shampoo and conditioner. Previously, I had been using a shampoo and conditioner that was for scalp health, but using cleansing products that are targeted toward the type of hair that you have will really allow the definition to come out.
Well, that is a perfect segue because I’d love to know any other beauty tips or product recommendations that you learned on set!
Definitely the shampoo and conditioner. I also got this Osis+ Dust It hair volumizer that they would put at the roots of my hair on set. I just became obsessed with [it] because it gave my hair volume that I’d never seen before. I got that and use it religiously. That was really major.
In terms of things I did for myself when I was on set? Double-cleansing my face after I would get home. You have so much makeup caked on, so it’s really important that you wash it all off and that it’s squeaky clean. Especially if you have sensitive and acne-prone skin like I do, that is the most important part of your skincare routine.
I would agree. Do you have favorite cleansers that you would always gravitate toward?
I have this Good Molecules gel cleanser that’s really lovely. I love Good Molecules. It’s really great for sensitive skin. Sometimes, I’ll use an oil cleanser to double cleanse, but honestly, I’ve found that if I just double- or triple-cleanse with the gel cleanser, that won’t dry me out, and it’ll get the job done.
Are there any other self-care rituals you do after a long day on set?
Totally. Number one would be taking a long, hot shower. Oh, my God, there’s no more euphoric feeling than taking a hot, 20-minute shower after 14 hours on set. That is probably the best feeling in the world. You’re just washing off the muck and the makeup, and that’s lovely. Sometimes, I would even put these eucalyptus shower bombs in the corner of [my] shower. … That was just so soothing, calming, and a nice way to end my day.
Also, I read a lot of Thích Nhất Hạnh when I was filming in Wilmington, specifically The Miracle of Mindfulness. That was really helpful for grounding myself throughout this entire process. It was important for me to have a clear head going into every day on set, and it’s also just a good practice to have throughout life.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Isabella Briggs)
Speaking of skincare, I’d love to know what your general routine looks like right now and any updates you’re making as we head into fall.
Totally. I’ll cleanse with the Good Molecules gel cleanser, then I’ll go in with Laneige Cream Skin. I won’t do this as much in the summertime, especially if it’s super humid where I am, but especially in the fall and winter and early spring, [it’s] really important to hydrate and moisturize. I’ll do that as a base toner, and then on top of that while my skin is still wet (that’s important), I’ll do the hyaluronic acid [serum] from Good Molecules as well just to really lock in that moisture on my skin.
If I’m exfoliating (I probably exfoliate three to four times a week), I use Lissy Skincare’s mandelic acid serum. That is a really great exfoliator for me. With highly sensitive and reactive, acne-prone skin, I found that retinols and other exfoliators are a little too harsh on my skin and can really damage my skin barrier. Mandelic acid seems to do the trick. I’ll do that, and then I will either use a ginseng Beauty of Joseon under-eye cream (sometimes I forget to put it on, but on days that I don’t forget to put it on, it’s there), and then I’ll use The Inkey List’s Peptide Moisturizer to top it all off.
In terms of translating it to the fall and into the winter, I don’t really change much. If it’s particularly dry outside and I notice that my skin is reacting in suit, I would use the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm. I would dab that under my eyes, around my nose, maybe around any pimples or marks that seem to be getting a little patchy. I don’t blend it. I just let it lay on top so that it really soaks in overnight and gives me that extra added layer of moisture.
I love it. You have such a solid routine, which makes me curious—have you always been this much of a beauty girl?
Yeah, growing up with acne-prone and sensitive skin, you have to know your skin really well. You have to do a lot of research. I don’t recommend this to everybody (go to a dermatologist if you are having skin problems), but what I found that helped me the most is doing my own research and, honestly, trial and error. I’ve had years and years—nearly 10 years—of experience in terms of dealing with acne and just helping my skin.
The thing that my skin loves the most is hydration. I do really well in humid climates. It just soaks it all up. That’s the forefront of my skincare, but just research and understand what products work and don’t work for you. [I also recommend] not using any fragrance in any of your skincare. I don’t understand why fragrance is in skincare. It’s incredibly irritating, especially for the skin on the face.
Sensitive and acne-prone skin is a fun combination. I also have that, so I can relate.
Isn’t it just so cute? Especially when you’re on set and you have to wear pounds of makeup for hours… At that point, you really have to figure it out; otherwise, you’re just gonna suffer. [Laughs]
Totally. Okay, moving on to our rapid-fire questions: If you had to leave the house in five minutes, what are the beauty staples that you’d either apply or bring with you?
SPF, absolutely. I use Beauty of Joseon sunscreen. Without a doubt, every single time I leave the house, I will have sunscreen on.
Then I’ll usually do some concealer. Tower 28 has a great concealer that I like. I’ll just dab that under the eyes, on any spots, [and] maybe around my nose. I’ll gel my eyebrows really quickly, and then I’d be good to go.
Do you have a favorite gel that you usually use?
I use Rare Beauty’s gel. That holds my eyebrows really well. I really like it.
What would you say is your favorite feature to enhance, and how do you do so?
My eyes and my lips, I would say. I have green eyes, so anything that makes them look greener I love. I do a nice little trick: I’ll take some brown eyeliner, gently line the top of my lids, and I’ll smudge that out. Then I’ll line just the upper waterline—not the bottom one—and I find that really just brings some depth to my eyes without it looking like I did much. Then I’ll do mascara. I do both the top and bottom [lashes] because I find that brings out my eyes in a very beautiful way and makes them look bigger.
For my lips, typically what I’ll do is take a lip liner and just line them normally (I don’t typically overline them) with either a brown, sort of pink [liner]. Rare Beauty has a really beautiful one. I think it’s in the color Wise. I’ll line my lips, and then I’ll just put [lip balm] over that and let the color from the lip liner be the star of the show.
What eyeliner do you use? And then the lip balm—is there a favorite?
The eyeliner is just Sephora’s eyeliner—a dark brown from the Sephora line that I’ve used for maybe 10 years now. I just keep repurchasing that specific eyeliner because it works for me. And then [lip balm]… Honestly, [it’s] Aquaphor. Sometimes, I do use Summer Fridays. I got a Summer Fridays sample for my birthday this year at Sephora. I used that up, but that was really nice, and it smelled really good.
That Sephora Collection is so underrated.
It’s great! They have some strong products there. I used to get my eyebrow pencil from there as well. That was also great.
I love it. Who What Wear editors love fragrance—I’m curious if you have a go-to perfume. What do you think Denise’s signature scent would be?
Yes! I love perfume. I have a perfume collection. Specifically, I love Diptyque and Le Labo. I’m obsessed with them. The Philosykos and Do Son scents from Diptyque are some of my favorites. The Jasmin 17 and Thé Matcha scents from Le Labo are some of my favorites as well. For Denise, I see her as a very smoky, woodsy type of girl. I think she wears a perfume that has a lot of depth. There’s this perfume that I have from Bleu Torch. It’s their Tobacco Silk, and I think she would love that perfume. That’s definitely something that she would gravitate toward.
Would you ever spray that when you were filming, or would you stick to your own go-tos?
That’s the scent that I would use when it’s fall or winter. When I use perfumes, I have my summer scents, I have my spring, my fall, so that’s definitely a fall and winter scent. I think I just had Philosykos with me when I was in Wilmington, so that was something that I was wearing. But I think Denise would appreciate that too because it’s not flowery. I don’t think she likes [florals], and it’s light enough that it wouldn’t be offensive.
Okay, my last question is one that we ask at the end of all of our interviews: What is your Unfiltered beauty philosophy in seven words or less?
Do whatever makes you feel best.
Shop Isabella Briggs’s Unfiltered Beauty Edit
CÉCRED
Restoring Hair & Edge Drops
CÉCRED
Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub
Briogeo
Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating Shampoo
Briogeo
Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Shea Curl Defining Conditioner
Briogeo
Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel
Briogeo
Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Leave-In Defining Creme
Good Molecules
Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel
Laneige
Cream Skin Refillable Milky Toner
Good Molecules
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
lissy skincare
Mandelic Serum 5%
Beauty of Joseon
Revive Eye Serum
The Inkey List
Peptide Moisturizer
La Roche-Posay
Cicaplast Balm B5
Beauty of Joseon
Day Dew Sunscreen Lightweight SPF 50
Tower 28
Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer
Rare Beauty
Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel
Rare Beauty
Kind Words Lip Liner
Sephora Collection
Waterproof 12HR Retractable Eyeliner Pencil
Aquaphor
Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment
Diptyque
Philosykos Eau de Toilette
Diptyque
Do Son Eau de Toilette
Le Labo
Jasmin 17 Eau de Parfum
Le Labo
Thé Matcha 26 Eau de Parfum
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