Some teenagers celebrate their 18th birthday with a big party or a fun trip with friends. Not Millie Bobby Brown. The Stranger Things star — who celebrates the milestone birthday on Feb. 19 — is ringing in adulthood in a way that lets her fans partake in the fun: with the launch of a new birthday collection for her beauty brand Florence by Mills.
“This collection for my birthday is a timepiece, something I can remember forever and share with the world,” Brown tells Bustle over Zoom. “It's very exciting.” The launch is an ode to bold lips, hydrated skin, and a flawless base. Products like the Oh Whale! Tinted Lip Balm keep your pout on point. And the Head To Toe Hydration Kit tackles winter dryness head-on, making sure your hair, lips, and face are moisturized (the kit is also a great Valentine’s gift). Of the collection’s 10 products, the Be A VIP Velvet Liquid Lipstick is Brown’s favorite. “It’s non-drying, and the ingredients and pigmentation are amazing,” she says.
From famously shaving her head to play Eleven to rocking 1990s-inspired pigtails, the actor is fearless when it comes to trying new looks. Here, Brown tells Bustle more about Florence by Mills, the makeup look she’s excited to start wearing, and more.
You recently debuted bangs and a new hair color. What inspired the switch up?
I've always expressed myself through my style, hair, beauty, and clothing. I shaved my hair off when I was 10 years old. I want to try every single hairstyle there is, so I tried this one. I figured my hair needed a cut, because sometimes it’s not as hydrated as I wish it could be. It was a new year and I wanted to do something new.
What hair care products have you been using to style your new look?
The smell of the [Florence by Mills] hair mask is my favorite. I actually used it for two months before it came out while filming Stranger Things, and everyone was asking me why my hair smells so good. And I said, I can’t tell you! I'm also really into our wide tooth comb. I have so many of them. They really help with the bangs.
Tell me more about the Color in Wonderland collection.
The overall aesthetic is Wonderland themed, which is something that I felt like I've been living in for the past few years. It's been a very magical and scary time, and I’ve had all kinds of different feelings. I felt like I’ve expressed that through color.
I created Wonderland to help me understand and identify my feelings through color, specifically with red for power and strength, and blue with more mellow and calm emotions.
How do you keep your skin moisturized during colder months?
My lips tend to get dry during the winter and our Glow Yeah Lip Oil is amazing. Hydrating masks are a must, too. And then moisturizer, moisturizer moisturizer. I can't stress that enough.
How has portraying Eleven on Stranger Things influenced your beauty perspective?
It really left an impact on me that Eleven’s character was so vulnerable. She was like a clean canvas and so impressionable. And these boys told her what she should look like. They put a wig on her and they put makeup on her, and Hopper does the same, kind of, and tells her how she should look and how she should be. Even unconsciously. And I found that what I loved about Eleven, especially in the beauty aspect, is that she loves herself first and foremost. You can tell that she is quite vulnerable with the fact that she doesn’t understand herself and her skin and her makeup. She doesn’t understand the world of beauty. It’s so incomprehensible to her and that’s what I felt growing up. I just really didn’t understand [beauty] because I didn’t understand who I was. What I appreciate is the naiveness going into beauty, but the willingness to learn.
You have a milestone birthday coming up. What excites you about official adulthood?
I’m really excited to experiment with red lipstick. I've always stayed away from bolder looks because I’m quite young. But as I turn 18, I’m looking forward to wearing a statement lip and bolder beauty looks. I’m excited to be bolder in the projects I choose and in my personal life, too. I’m really excited about this year and what it has to offer Florence [by Mills]. And myself.
The Color In Wonderland collection is available at Florence by Mills and Ulta.
