Olivia Wilde Talks Mommy Makeup, Coca-Cola Cravings and Raising a Feminist Son

You know that girlfriend who can recommend an amazing mascara, make a super simple dress look luxurious, and hold her own in a heated debate about politics and sexism? Well, Olivia Wilde is totally that girlfriend.

We were already fans of Wilde’s effortless beauty, but when she recently dialed us up to talk all things makeup, health and female empowerment, our adoration for the 32-year-old truly deepened. Scroll down to get to know the actress and Revlon Global Brand Ambassador better and see why our love for her is real.

We’re green with envy over Olivia Wilde’s maternity style. (Photo: Getty Images)

Yahoo Beauty: How has your beauty routine changed since becoming a mother?

Wilde: I certainly have less time and I think I’ve just gotten a bit more efficient about getting ready, whereas before I would have a few more minutes to experiment with different looks. Now I kind of know what I’m going to go for and I’m good about getting it done in five minutes.

Yahoo Beauty: Which products do you keep in your makeup bag for your five-minute routine?

Wilde: I always have mascara because for me that’s the most transformative makeup. Some people are born with really luscious, long and voluminous lashes. I’m not one of them. But I do like to fake it. So I fake it with a good mascara. I’m actually a fan of the Revlon Ultimate All-In-One because it really gets each individual lash and makes them super long, glossy, and thick, which is a total illusion.

I’m pretty good about SPF. I’m fair-skinned and I figure that’s one easy thing I can do that’s a little smarter about preventing skin cancer. I always wear a foundation with an SPF or I’ll add an SPF under or sometimes on top.

Another thing about me is that I’m not great at touch-ups. I’m not the girl who goes every 20 minutes to powder her nose or check on her makeup. I kind of forget about it. So I need to trust that what I put on is just going to stay on. And that goes for concealer, foundation, eyeliner.

Yahoo Beauty: What is your stance on the type of products and ingredients you put on your body while pregnant?

Wilde: I just try to stay conscious of it. I try to educate myself as much as possible on what’s in the products. It’s one reason I really like the Revlon Nail Enamels because they are formaldehyde-free.

And making sure that I’m not overdoing it. It’s a bit easier to be minimalist because I don’t have the time to be obsessive with makeup.

Yahoo Beauty: How do you stay fit and active? What’s your approach to living a healthy and holistic lifestyle?

Wilde: It’s super hard, and certainly for the second child, I think it’s a little harder to stay healthy. You’re feeding your first kid chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, and it all looks so irresistible.

I’m pretty active just running after my son and hanging out with him. I try also as a pregnant person to stay limber and relax. Honestly, I’ve been pretty lazy this time around. You have to be forgiving of yourself and realize you are doing something and working hard building a little human. Most of the time, I focus on eating well. One of my weaknesses is that I love Coca-Cola. A terrible thing that I love, but that’s something that I’ll cut out. I’m making baby steps towards a healthy lifestyle this time around.

Olivia Wilde photographed nursing her infant son, Otis, in the September 2014 issue of Glamour. (Photo: Glamour Magazine)

Yahoo Beauty: How do you feel about becoming the “face” of breastfeeding in public after your Glamour September 2014 shoot?

Wilde: I’ve learned a lot about that debate since that photo shoot and certainly since becoming a mother. One thing that is very clear to me is that it should be every individual woman’s choice what she wants to do. But once she makes that choice, she should be publicly permitted to do that in whatever way she needs to. Certainly there should be no pressure on women to breastfeed, or they are made to seem like they are terrible mothers. I think that’s really unfair.

It was an interesting experience because that photo shoot came out of a very organic moment of having to feed my son because it was just my choice to breastfeed. But I did not in any way intend to shame women who had chosen not to breastfeed for whatever reason. It’s a complex issue, but the one thing that’s not complex is that people should be allowed to breastfeed wherever they want, whenever they want.

Yahoo Beauty: Do you have any plans to teach your son about beauty standards and feminism?

Wilde: Absolutely! I hope to raise a child who values people for what’s within them and yet I hope he experiments with his own identity and who he wants to be. I look forward to helping him feel that type of confidence I felt when growing up. On a superficial level, I just experimented with every hair color underneath the sun, every type of makeup look. I’m grateful now that my parents let me go through my own process of self-discovery and I think you can’t restrict kids in that way. They have to make mistakes, play, and then figure it out in the end.

In terms of feminism, yes, I like to think he’s already a little feminist. And he is. He’s a really good guy. I want to promote the idea that the definition of feminism is equality and it’s something that’s not difficult to teach children because they are born with that sensibility. They are only taught to separate people and value them differently once they get older. Luckily, I’m just embracing the perspective he was born with.

A cat eye, well-blended foundation and subtle lip color makes up Olivia Wilde’s signature makeup look. (Photo: REX)

Yahoo Beauty: Speaking of experimenting with different looks, has there been a makeup look in your past you regret?

Wilde: Sometimes when I try a new look I’ll see a photo of it and think, ‘Well, that doesn’t look like me anymore. That looks like someone else.’ So there is a balance between experimenting with new things and maintaining your sense of identity. I’m really lucky that I get to work with all these incredible, professional makeup artists. They can literally transform your face and sometimes I don’t want to be transformed. Sometimes I just want to find a way to make myself feel the most beautiful. But that’s just something that has occurred to me most recently. When I was younger, I wanted to change and look completely different. I think that’s part of a youthful process that’s great. Now that I’m a little older, I’m like, ‘I don’t want to look like anyone else.’

Yahoo Beauty: Is there a makeup look that makes you feel most like yourself?

Wilde: I think for me what seems most natural in terms of makeup is a bit of liquid eyeliner to give myself a cat eye, which is really easy to do. I’ll just do a swipe of liner on my lid and some mascara. And a well-blended concealer, a lip, and eyebrows because they are essential.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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