This Actor Overhauled Her Beauty Bag

While memorizing lines is integral to her career, actress Kate Mansi was unwilling to take on the challenge of memorizing the 1,328 substances banned from cosmetics by the European Union.

That daunting task was initially what the Daytime Emmy Award winner considered when she decided to detox her beauty collection in 2018. Upon discovering that U.S. cosmetics regulations, which only prohibit or restrict a mere 11 ingredients, hadn’t been updated since 1938, Mansi resolved to ensure her beauty routine was entirely clean and free from toxins. This determination meant removing thousands of ingredients from her collection.

“Whenever I apply something to my skin, I need to know its origin because we, as consumers, are consistently making choices,” states Mansi, recognized for her role on Days of Our Lives. “I want my external appearance to represent my internal values—that I’m consciously making choices that reflect my awareness and that I understand the significant impact of my decisions.”

However, with so many questionable ingredients present in numerous products, how did she manage the transition? Mansi spoke with Daitrl, sharing her journey and insightful clean beauty tips she had gathered along the way.

Making the switch to clean beauty

Despite her commitment to a vegan lifestyle (and having been a vegetarian since age 11), Mansi acknowledges that her shift to clean beauty wasn’t easy at the beginning.

The thought of memorizing all the ingredients banned by the EU felt overwhelming and impractical. Instead, she found a more effective method—a simplified approach that forever altered her makeup collection.

“Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself about the need to know every single chemical and toxin in detail,” Mansi advises. “Start with the essentials and progress from there.”

For Mansi, this meant replacing her top five skincare and makeup essentials: eye cream, moisturizer, cleanser, hair product, and body wash, in addition to foundation, a tinted moisturizer with SPF, lip product, mascara, and blush.

Kate Mansi’s insightful beauty tips

During her yearlong journey to a cleaner beauty routine, Mansi discovered several clever hacks.

One particularly interesting technique she swears by, reminiscent of the ’80s, is icing. “I take an ice cube and literally hold my face over the sink, rubbing the ice across my skin. It wakes up my face! I noticed a difference within just a week!” Mansi exclaims, emphasizing that this frigid ritual helps clear pores and reduce redness.

However, she advises using caution with the ice: keep it moving to avoid freezing any one area of the skin for too long.

Furthermore, Mansi is exceptionally diligent about sun protection, applying sunscreen religiously and reapplying it every two hours. She covers not only her face but also her hands, arms, neck, and ears, using a natural lip balm with SPF. When trekking on hikes, she ensures to wear protective arm sleeves.

“Some of our family members are Italian and French, and they often remark on how amusing it is that American women believe sunscreen is only necessary for the face,” she chuckles.

Research supports this advice, indicating that sunscreen not only prevents sun damage but may also help reverse it. A 2016 study published in Dermatologic Surgery found improvements in skin dark spots, clarity, and texture with regular sunscreen use.

Mansi also swears by plum oil for glowing skin and keeps tea tree oil on hand for its antibacterial effects to manage occasional blemishes.

Wellness for beauty

While Mansi meticulously cares for her skin topically, she also credits her radiant complexion to her dedication to overall wellness.

A devoted fitness enthusiast who once trained as a dancer, she discovered acupuncture and cupping therapies after injury during a half marathon. This dive into Eastern medicine transformed her perspective. “I envision my physical and internal wellness as a separate entity that I am responsible for,” she reflects.

This new perspective enabled her to recognize her body’s intricate connections. For instance, she noticed that the lack of physical activity following her injury led to imbalances that manifested as breakouts. Stress-related blemishes along her jawline also became apparent during this time.

Currently, Mansi stays active through hiking and hot yoga sculpt classes. She indulges in deep tissue massages with CBD oil to release stress and prioritizes her mental health. “When I’m not filming, I attend therapy weekly to make space for my mental well-being, just as I do for my physical health,” she shares.

This self-care philosophy extends beyond her own needs; she believes it reflects a broader cultural shift.

“We are moving away from a mindset of ‘I want what’s best for me’ to one that emphasizes ‘What’s beneficial for others? What choices are best for the planet?’” she notes.