Kate Hudson shares many things with her mother, Goldie Hawn. Her acting talent, blonde hair, blue eyes and, we learn, a truly immersive beauty regime. “My mom has been cold plunging and doing saunas since the 1970s; I think that both are brilliant for you,” she tells GH, in an exclusive chat from her Hollywood home. “If I do a cold plunge before bed, I’ll have an amazing night’s sleep, even if I just hop into cold water for 30 seconds.”
And like her mother, Kate only gets more beautiful with age. Now 45 and a mother of three, the award-winning actress is leaning into the latest advances in technology to ensure she's looking her radiant best as red carpet season approaches. Lasers have become her go-to for tighter, brighter skin, and as the new global face of Alma she’s a truly glowing example of what non-surgical treatments can achieve.
Here’s everything that Kate really rates in the world of beauty, from her makeup bag staples and skincare musts to the wellness rituals that keep her at her best, inside and out.
I think that wanting to look your best is a function of good health and high self-esteem. When you wake up and wash your face, look after your skin and are mindful of what you put in your body, that’s a sign of someone who feels good.
My personal relationship to beauty is in how I feel internally, and I’m in an incredibly healthy place right now – but I do work at it! The whole matter of appearance is especially complicated for women; there’s a lot of pressure and we’re constantly shown visuals to aspire to, but we’re never quite sure what’s real.
One of the best things about beauty is exploring technology and how good it’s getting. I love the results I get from laser treatments and I prefer them to injectables or fillers. I’ve been seeing [Hollywood skincare expert] Nurse Jamie since my early 30s. She has all the bells and whistles at her LA clinic, and she introduced me to the Alma Harmony laser treatment. It’s now my go-to a few days before big events such as the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. It boosts collagen production and makes skin look amazing – plumper, glowing and at its best. It’s gentle and there’s no downtime, but you can still see a difference. Everything feels tighter and my face looks more awake. I love trying new treatments but I’m also a research fanatic – it has to be safe.
I take coconut oil everywhere I go. That’s my basic: it’s good for my skin, it’s good for my hair and it takes my makeup off. On the other end of the price scale, my dream product is Symbiome The Answer Reparative Serum. It was created by a bioscientist and it helps to balance the skin’s microbiome. It has a really healing effect and I can immediately see a difference if I stop using it. It’s worked wonders to reduce redness in my skin.
There’s so much fun to be had with makeup; it’s just a matter of finding the time! Sometimes I don’t even manage mascara, but if I’m getting ready for an event, I love trying new things. Tower 28 Beauty Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer, £21, brightens my face and gives it a little healthy colour, and I always have Kosas Revealer Concealer, £25, in my bag. I also love the way that Jones Road Miracle Balm in Pinky Bronze, £36, looks and feels on my skin. The founder, Bobbi Brown, is so clever.
When I’m wearing mascara, it has to be ultra-black and fabulous. I love big lashes – it’s the Sicilian in me [Kate’s paternal grandmother was Italian]. I put on Dolce & Gabbana Everfull XL Mascara, £33, and I feel at least 50% more Italian. I actually discovered it when I was in Venice and I’d forgotten my makeup bag. I grabbed it from the Dolce & Gabbana shop right by my hotel and it’s the best mascara I’ve ever used.
When it comes to haircare, I’m lost. I never quite know what to do with it; should I be washing it more? Less? Should I steam my scalp? I need to look into all of that – it’s a work in progress! Ouai is a brilliant brand – I love the way my hair behaves after using anything it makes, such as the Medium Hair Shampoo, £28. I’ve also used Bumble and Bumble Straight Blow Dry Styling Cream, £28, almost my whole life. In general, though, I look at my hair in the morning and think, ‘We’ll just figure this thing out somehow!’
Speaking of mornings, I try not to rush myself awake. I do some stretching and, if I’m up early enough, I read for 20 minutes. Rani [Kate’s five-year-old daughter] just whispered to me that I drink coffee, too. That’s true. I try to do the same in the evening, minus the coffee; ideally with a 30-minute yin yoga wind-down routine to help me fall asleep.
My mom has been cold plunging and doing saunas since the 1970s; I think that both are brilliant for you. If I do a cold plunge before bed, I’ll have an amazing night’s sleep, even if I just hop into cold water for 30 seconds. I find saunas so restorative as well, and I swear by dry brushing my body. I have excess skin after my three babies and while it doesn’t bother me (it’s all part of pregnancy), I think that dry brushing has improved its appearance.
I’ve had laser hair removal with the Alma Special Edition Soprano Titanium. It’s such a personal choice but I enjoy not having to think about leg hair. It was done in just a few sessions and that was it, the hair disappeared.
When I stopped answering my phone so often, I became happier. I have very strict rules around using my phone when I’m with family or trying to shut down from work. It makes me more present, and communicating those boundaries to others has been really good for my health.
Sometimes I need to sleep and meditate and eat well, and sometimes I need to go out and have a glass of wine with friends. You can be too regimented and that makes it difficult to relax; prioritising community and having a gossip and a laugh is important. There’s always a new fad we ‘should’ be following, but it’s about finding what works for you. You’ll know because your body slows down a little. That knot in your stomach disappears. Maybe it’s a bath, maybe it’s a walk and maybe it’s speaking to a friend. I find a walk and talk with a friend can be the best way of breaking out of a negative thinking cycle.
Sure, ageing can be a pain in the ass, but the older I get, the more I’m doing the things I love. You realise that life moves so fast and that trying to be relevant is ridiculous. I’ve gone back to making music – it makes my soul happy and I don’t mind what anyone else thinks. When you hit 45, you start to see changes. Things don’t look the way they did a decade ago and your metabolism slows, but personally I wake up most days feeling more comfortable in my body and with a new kind of wisdom.
True beauty is a vibe; some people radiate beauty in a way that has nothing to do with how they look. It’s like when you’re attracted to a piece of art; it emanates character. You could have an untouched face or you might have had five facelifts – it’s about intrigue and a lightness of being, not beauty standards or following trends.
Kate Hudson is Alma’s global brand ambassador. Alma Lasers celebrates 25 years this year
Sephora KOSAS Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer and Daytime Eye Cream 6ml
