Hailey Bieber is just the right formulation of famous that the internet loves to hate. She was born into a famous Hollywood family (the Baldwins), she recently married one of the biggest former teen heartthrobs of our generation (Justin Bieber), and she's a gorgeous model who hobnobs with famous designers and can often be found dripping in their decadent pieces. The paparazzi follow her every move, snapping photos as she leaves hot yoga or when she shares an intimate moment with her now husband. But without regard for her feelings or knowing who she is beyond her public image, social media users indulge in tearing her apart.
"It's hard. I think no matter who you are, there's always going to be that stuff," Bieber tells me when I ask her how she manages to stay positive and confident through it all. We're sitting in a sun-lit room in Hollywood's Lombardi House for the launch of bareMinerals' new Complexion Rescue Hydrating Stick Foundation, for whom she is the face of. Dressed in an oversized, camel-colored suit with sparkly diamond hoops on her ears and a naturally radiant glow on her face, Bieber looks all the parts of a professional — a seasoned celebrity with a multi-billion dollar makeup brand contract under her belt, no big deal. But as we chat, it becomes clear that she is a totally normal (all things considered), barely 22 year-old dealing with the same insecurities as you and I do.
"Everyone has the feeling of not feeling good enough, I don't care who you are. Everyone faces these anxieties and these pressures in life," she shares. But for Bieber, the scrutiny is astronomical, down to the minute proportions of her facial features.
"Everybody thinks I've done my whole face, which is funny to me because I see photos of myself and I'm like, do people not see my nose is a little crooked [and] one eye is not the same size as the other? Don't they think if I was going to do something, I would've done it to make it perfect?" she questions so fervently, it seems as though it's something that's been on her mind for years.
Thankfully, Bieber has a strong support system to lean on. She credits her parents for being "solid figures" in her life, as well as her husband for being a source of encouragement. "[Justin] is amazing and he's super encouraging," Bieber tells me. "Having people that can really keep you going, because there's so many times when you can't do it for yourself... is a big thing. You can't see what other people see most of the time."
And what people do see most of the time — internet trolls included — is Bieber's natural beauty. Her fresh-faced, girl-next-door look is likely why she's the Clean Beauty Ambassador for bareMinerals and why she's landed five different Vogue magazine covers (Turkey, Japan, Mexico, Arabia, and just this week, the US) over the last year. Bieber is no doubt stunning, but it isn't just because of her good genes and her water intake (though she says her mom always reminded her to stay hydrated). In addition to seeing a dermatologist regularly (she didn't disclose who she sees, only that Justin Bieber has been seeing the same dermatologist for years, too), Bieber is scrupulous about her skin care routine and avoids wearing a lot of makeup when she doesn't have to be on camera or on the runway.
"Usually my routine is pretty straightforward — I use a really good moisturizer in the morning — I like this [Bare Haven Essential Moisturizing Soft Cream] one a lot because I know what the ingredients are and it's natural and it feels good on the skin. I usually start the day off with [that], then maybe like a serum," Bieber shares.
I ask if Justin borrows any of her products, which makes her smirk. "He's definitely not as passionate about skin care as I am. Most men aren't and they don't really have to try, which isn't fair," she jokes, rolling her eyes. "He can definitely use the same stuff that I use, for sure. We share certain things."
Married life has affected her skin care routine in more ways than one. Not only does she have to share her creams and serums now, but she also has had to deal with hormonal acne as a result of taking birth control for the first time.
"The thing is, I had never been on birth control my whole life, and then when I got married, I went onto birth control. And it was the first time my body was like, whoa," Bieber shares. "I got an IUD and I felt like it threw off the balance of my skin, the balance my skin had been so used to for the first 21 years of my life. So that was different for me."
When I ask how she solved it — which clearly she had, since there was nary a blemish on her face — she says she just had to just figure it out from the inside out. "Unfortunately when it's hormonal, it's like, that's what you have to target, it's not just one little breakout and you put some stuff on it and it goes away," she tells me. "So that's just something I've had to adjust to and figure out [and] it is a little annoying. But hey, I'm not ready for any babies so I'd rather that than anything," Bieber laughs.
Bieber's makeup outlook is similar to her "less is more" skin care mantra, which is why she tells me she's "obsessed" with the Complexion Rescue Hydrating Stick Foundation. Although she's worked with the brand for months now, the new product is the first launch she's been the face of, and it's a fitting one at that. Unlike other foundation sticks on the market, the Complexion Rescue Hydrating Stick Foundation is light and creamy and delivers a smooth, sheer finish — a look Bieber tells me she embraces.
"For me personally — someone who doesn't like to wear a lot of makeup, somebody who likes really natural-looking skin — it's like the perfect product for me. It's [got] a good texture, it's good for your skin. I like anything that's benefitting my skin, because you know, [with] traveling all the time, the pollution, being on planes... it's so dry always, so it's just really hydrating and there's lots of [shades] to choose from. It's just a good product," she shares.
This "natural" look that Bieber describes — and the same one she wears as we sit and talk — is likely the look you'll find her wearing on her wedding day, the ceremony they're having for their close friends and family since they already made things official at a courthouse last year.
"I think [my makeup] will probably be on the more simpler side, no matter what," Bieber says. It'll ultimately depend on when the ceremony is "seasonally" since they haven't landed on a date at this point, she explains.
When I ask about her dress (which is being made by an unnamed designer), Bieber seems excited, but a little nervous. "I've seen it already. I've tried it. It's great!" Then, she leans back, almost bashfully. "For me, I don't know why I feel like a wedding is so weird. I feel like, honestly, it's a lot. It's intense. I felt like, oh wow, this is a big deal. This is a big life thing. I think being married already takes half the pressure off though," Bieber says.
With the amount of uninvited criticism she and Justin receive on the daily, it's no wonder Bieber's feeling a little bit anxious. But growing up in spotlight has helped her learn to not let anyone ruin her day — especially this day.
"I'm just not in a rush. I just want it to be perfect and be fun and be right," she smiles.
