Kate Hudson’s Hair Is Full Of Secrets

It's a universal fact: everybody loves Kate Hudson. Whether she’s playing a bushy-tailed young journalist in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or the newly-appointed owner of a pro basketball team in Netflix’s #1 show, Running Point, Hudson always seems to radiate joy and authenticity, both on screen and IRL. Her positivity is infectious, her star power transcends generations, and her glow these days is practically blinding. So, it’s no surprise that hair care brand Joico recently tapped Hudson for their 50th anniversary campaign, The Joi of Healthy Hair — a celebration of the brand's half-century of innovation, dedication, and commitment to toss-able, luscious locks. "I really only like working with brands I’ve used and know. When that alignment happens, I get excited because it's good for everyone," Hudson tells Bustle.

Her relationship with Joico isn't just professional — it's personal. "I was like an OG K-pack user,” she says, referring to the brand's famous deep conditioning line that launched in 1989. “I don't think I've ever had a shower that hasn't had that product in it." Reestablishing her connection with the brand felt effortless for Hudson. "When we started to reconnect and try to see if we were going to do this, it was so fun,” she says.

Ahead, in this exclusive sit-down with Bustle, the actor and mom of three spills on everything from her go-to list of everyday beauty products to the wellness rituals she swears.

On Her Favorite Hair Products:

I try to wash my hair every other day or every other two days. I start with Joico’s Defy Damage Sleepover Overnight Nourishing Treatment — I love it. I do it the night before I wash my hair, then when you wake up you have to rinse it out. And then I’ll do Joico’s Dream Blowout Thermal Protection Creme. I have curly hair, and so I put it in and then I let it air-dry for a smoother texture. And then the Joico Power Spray Fast-Dry Finishing Spray is awesome — I've been using that now since I've started the partnership and have fallen in love with it. My hair is so processed that if I brush it, my hair breaks (and that's not great), but this helps with that.

On Her Beauty and Makeup Must-Haves:

I'm not big on a full face everyday kind of girl. I like the Monika Blunder Blunder Cover — it’s this amazing pot of foundation-concealer. I also really love the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF; I try to always go a little more clean. I have the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick, which is great when you want to look a little more dewy. I do a brow gel too, I like my Anastasia Brow Gel. And then I love all of the Ilia lip colors. I feel like they have really good lipstick shades, and I use the Kosas Wet Lip Oil all the time. It’s so good. There's a shade I love that's kind of a brownie pink one — it's my go-to. And I like their Kosasport Balm — it’s a tinted lip balm, but I do it everywhere. And then, mascara. I will always love Lancôme Définicils Mascara, the one in the long square tube. I really love the Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara, too — it's really feathery and natural.

On Her Skin Care Philosophy:

I’ve gotten really into intense moisture because my skin can take it. But I'm a big believer in very simple skin care. If I start doing too much, my face gets weird. I actually use a lot of oils. I like the Beauty One Love Botanical B Enzyme Cleansing Oil and I love True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm — that's a great oil cleanser. If I really need it, I'll do a clarifying bar — like a charcoal bar — so I can really cleanse. I love the Tata Harper Regenerating BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, but I don't use it all the time. I love my creams. There's a brand called Ayuna and I love their face cream and masks, too. There's a May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon Moisturizer that I use a lot. And then, if I really need it, I'll go in for the classic Crème de la Mer, like if I'm in Aspen and it's just so dry. Symbiome’s The One Restorative Cream is one of my favorite new ones. My skin always looks the best when I use it. It was created by a microbiome scientist — it's all fermented plants.

On Her Wellness Rituals:

I would say sauna and coconut oil are my go-tos, but first, I’ll dry brush. I’ve been starting to dry brush every morning. I’m a dry-heat sauna girl. I like infrared, but I prefer dry heat because it gets so hot. I try to go to the sauna at least three times a week. Then coconut oil, coconut oil, coconut oil. I just lather myself with it. When I’m at home and have the time, I keep my oil in my shower. I kind of dry off and then I oil my body in there, put my robe on, and sit in it for a while.

On Mindfulness & Parenting:

I'm a big Insight Timer [meditation app] girl, but my big thing right now is reading. I think it's important to keep your phone out of your room, away from your bed. I try to avoid looking at my phone and stick to a routine of 20 minutes of reading at night before bed and again in the morning. It just makes my day better. I don't know why — I’m not a scientist — but I'm sure there's a reason for it. Right now, I'm reading this book called The Whale Bone Theatre; it’s historical fiction set in the 1920s, it’s really cozy.

We also don’t use phones at all at the table or in restaurants. We have a no-phone journal, and whenever we're curious about something — like, 'What was that thing in 1885 we were talking about?' — we’ll write it down. Instead of looking it up immediately, we talk about it. You realize, like, oh my God, remember when we actually used to talk about the thing we didn’t know? And you couldn't immediately go online to discover what it was. We actually had to go into our brains to see if we remembered. At the end of dinner, we look it up, but it slows you down and all of a sudden your entire energy changes.