Kristin Cavallari on Uncommon Beauty and Life After Divorce

You know your routine is working when strangers stop you in the produce aisle to ask about your skin. No, seriously. It happens to Kristin Cavallari. Whenever she’s out-and-about—even at the local farmer's market—people ask her secret to glowing skin. The simple answer? “It's truly from my moisturizer,” she says. 

So, after years of fan questions (and no doubt quite a few DMs), Cavallari finally decided to expand her lifestyle brand Uncommon James with a comprehensive skincare line filled with her clean beauty favorites. To get all the details on the new launch, I hopped on Zoom with the 34-year-old entrepreneur. Ahead, she opens up about her first beauty collection, life after divorce, and why she prioritizes self-care. Plus, we got details about her return to The Hills. Read on to find out why Uncommon Beauty might be the next great addition to your vanity.

On Uncommon Beauty...

"The inspiration actually came from constant questions about my skincare routine. Curious about the products that I was using at the time, my team and I sent them off to our lab. They tested everything. When the results came back, I learned that the products I thought were clean and high-end were actually the complete opposite. They were full of silicones, fillers, and everything that ages us. Right then and there, we decided that we should create a line of beauty products that are clean and really effective.

"I know what works really well for my skin and what doesn't. From there, my team and I put together a list of items that we wanted to create. We ultimately decided to launch Uncommon Beauty with five core products that serve as the foundation for the perfect skincare routine."

The Products

The Daily Foaming Powder Cleanser is a powder that you can control the consistency of depending on how much water you use. It can either be a really deep exfoliator or just a really nice gentle wash. I love it. I use it every single night!

The Daily Water Cream is a daily moisturizer that feels like a water gel. It's really light and it absorbs into the skin really quickly. I have combination skin, which means I'm a little bit more oily and I'm definitely prone to breakouts. However, this moisturizer never clogs my pores.

The Triple Effects Eye Cream, which I would argue is the most important product in the skincare line, is thick and luxurious. I love a thick eye cream because I want it to feel like it’s seeping into my fine lines. 

The Peptide Pineapple Nectar is essentially a peptide, vitamin C serum. Vitamin C and peptides are anti-aging, brightening, and hydrating, so it's sort of like it's 2-in-1. 

Lastly, I use the Mango Lip Balm every morning. It just smells so amazing. I have it with me everywhere I go! This chubby stick lip balm will hopefully become everyone's new go-to. 

On her approach to beauty...

"My favorite product from the line is the Pineapple Peptide Nectar! I love it because I've never seen anything like it before. I love that it's two products in one. It's brightening, it's anti-aging, and it's hydrating. It checks every box that I want in serum, and it smells incredible.

"Beauty starts from within. So, everything going on inside your body will come out through your skin. Water is not food, but I think hydration, in general, is so incredibly important. I’d say my top three foods are green leafy vegetables, apple cider vinegar shots, and lemons. I think they are really great for detoxifying your body, alkalizing your body, and all of that."

On her return to The Hills...

"I'm a completely different person than I was 12 years ago. When I filmed The Hills, I didn't have to worry about anybody else. Now, I have kids and I have to be cognizant that I'm representing my family. Honestly, I'm not going to be on more than one episode. So, I don't know that I would call it a return necessarily, but I had the time of my life. It was so much fun filming it and seeing everybody. You'll obviously have to wait and see it, but it was nice. And the drama wasn't about me for once!"

On Laguna Beach Style regrets...

"Do I look back at photos and say that maybe it wasn't my best moment? Absolutely! You know, I wore this black leather choker all the time. I think it's funny—I was in high school, and those were the times. So, I don't regret anything."

On Finding "Balance"

Well, being a reality star is not really on my list anymore, which has freed up a lot of time and made my general work-life balance a lot easier to manage. I've always had a work bucket and a family bucket, and work never spills over into family. Those are just boundaries that I've always had. 

Obviously, I'm going through a divorce—I only have my kids half of the time now. When I do have my kids, I'm 100% mom. I'm all in. Then, when I don't have my kids, that's when I really work hard. You know? I do stuff like [Zoom chats]. I've been able to balance it out that way, which is nice.

On Life Lessons from 2020

It's interesting because the pandemic marks the biggest transitional phase of my life regarding everything I've been going through personally. I'd say I'm just really starting to figure out who I am. I've learned that I'm a massive homebody, and I’m okay with that. Part of that lesson was getting my own home, creating my sanctuary, and arranging how I wanted things. I love being at home and keeping my circle small. 

Coming out of the pandemic, I'm in a better place than I was going into it. I think for the first time, I'm just really at peace. So, I think that's a good thing.

On Prioritizing Self-Care

When I don't have [the kids], I make self-care a priority. Hair washing, taking a bath, putting on a face mask, doing all of those things are all a part of my self-care ritual. I also do hot yoga.

If we don't take care of ourselves, we can't take care of anybody else. When I get my kids back, I am fully energized and ready to go. I am the most present I've ever been—I am right there with them the entire time.

On Her Summer Beauty Look

To be honest, I'm not a big makeup girl. I love getting all dolled up to do press or walk the red carpet, but in my day-to-day life, I'm minimal. For me, it's really about having a great skincare routine to let my natural skin shine through, but when I dabble in makeup, I fill in my brows and do my mascara.

Editor's note: Quotes have been revised and condensed for clarity.