While many Bridgerton fans watch the show for the romantic plot lines (read: steamy carriage rides), I, for one, can’t get over Nicola Coughlan’s gleaming skin. It always steals the show. Underneath that regal flush, thanks to a pop of blush, is an enviable dewiness.

From her school-girl braids in Derry Girls to navigating the complexities of mental illness in Big Mood, the 38-year-old is a pro at switching up her look. But the key to it all is a good base.

As the actor announces her brand partnership with Neutrogena, the former Stylist cover star sat down with us to delve deep into her make-up bag and spill her beauty secrets. 

Want to know how Nicola Coughlan gets her skin looking so good? Keep scrolling. 

How Ireland influenced her approach to beauty…

“We’re big fans of the old fake tan in Ireland, so I used it all the time when I was younger. But when I started filming Bridgerton back in 2019, they banned us from using it. I gave it up and haven’t used it since. I went cold turkey. I was forced. Now I can’t imagine wearing it. I’m learning to accept my paleness and focus on keeping my skin hydrated instead.” 

Her beauty non-negotiable… 

“I’ll admit it wasn’t always a non-negotiable because I wasn’t always aware of it, but now I am, and that’s SPF. I wear the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Fluid SPF50 every day. Growing up in Ireland, I was like, ‘It’s so grey; I don’t need it,’ but now I’m aware I need all the protection I can get.”

The most overrated beauty product…

“I love microneedling in a clinic, but these at-home derma rollers are something else. I’ve not tried them, but leave it to the professionals – you don’t need to be microneedling your own face.”

Her greatest beauty discovery…

“Keeping my skin really hydrated on my days off. On set, you wear huge amounts of make-up, and I need to let my skin breathe to give it time to recover. I love the Neutrogena Retinol Boost range as it contains hyaluronic acid that draws moisture to the skin.”

Her relationship with beauty…

“When I was younger, I thought beauty was about hiding or changing things. I think the more I’ve grown into my skin and, y’know, being in my 30s, I’m just accepting it for what it is and trying to make the best of what I have. I think you always look back in 10 years and say, ‘God, why didn’t I appreciate that then?’”

How she embraces big character energy…

“If you think of one of your friends and someone asks you to think of the best thing about them, you instantly think of something. I think a lot of women struggle to do that for themselves. We all have flaws but also have great things about us as well. So just love yourself as much as you can, as hard as that can be sometimes. People love you, and you’re like, ‘Well, there has to be a reason!’”

Her worst beauty habit…

“If I have a spot, I’ll go at it. I have an extractor and everything because I can’t leave spots alone. Everyone gets them; it’s just a part of life.”

Her biggest beauty regret…

“Plucking most, if not all, of my eyebrows in the early 00s. I had one very thin line of hair all the way across. Luckily, they’ve grown back to some extent. Some people were not as lucky as me. My sister recently asked, ‘Do you remember when you plucked all my eyebrows off?’ and I had to apologise.”

The one beauty product she can’t leave the house without…

“I was told a long time ago that the one thing you should be really precious about is moisturising. I can’t bear that tightness I get after washing my face, so I’m never without one.”

The last beauty item she bought…

“The CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask 2. I like to keep my skincare simple but it just acts as an extra little helper.”

How beauty influences her work…

“It can make you feel massively different. Bridgerton is super stylised, and it’s nice to look in the mirror and be like, ‘OK, I am this person.’ And then on Big Mood, it was a case of wearing no make-up. I’d never want to look the same in every role or play the same character.”

Her biggest beauty indulgence…

“An ice roller. I love taking them out of the freezer and making them a part of my morning routine. It’s an accessible thing that makes a big difference.”

A beauty habit she’d never pick up again…

“Having one of those pore-magnifying mirrors. Accepting you have pores is a really good thing.”

Her favourite beauty look…

“I really loved the look from the New York Bridgerton premiere. It came together quite last minute. I was wearing this white Danielle Frankel dress, which was quite bridal and we wanted to move away from that. The night before, I decided to do a modern Marilyn Monroe and Neil Young, who did my make-up, and Halley Brisker, who did my hair, got exactly what I meant.” 

Who’s always on her beauty mood board…

“Taylor Russell. I feel like her skin is always so fresh and beautiful looking, and then anything else complements it. She looks just beautiful.”

How she unwinds after a stressful day…

“I love a bath. Lighting a nice candle and watching something on my iPad – that’s a heavenly evening.” 

Images: Getty; Neutrogena; courtesy of brands