Hailey Bieber says wearing a face mask has removed pressure for her to always look good

From Harper's BAZAAR

Hailey Bieber is used to being photographed. In fact, to understand quite how picture-worthy the model is deemed, you only need to do a quick image search.

While for other celebrities there is a noticeable gap between March and now, with all high-profile events cancelled, that's not true of Bieber. In fact, there are hundreds of photos of her simply running errands or with her husband Justin (who has a fair few fans himself).

Such is her profile it seems, that, despite the pandemic, photographers are waiting to document her every move, even with a mask covering half her face. In fact, she's even used that opportunity to wear one urging her fellow Americans to 'VOTE'.

"Sometimes I feel that if I could wear a full motorcycle helmet without looking like a freak, I honestly would," jokes Bieber. "I actually don't mind wearing a mask, especially in LA where there are always paparazzi. I hate having to think about what my face looks like all the time and it stresses me out. Wearing a mask has helped take that stress away a little bit; I just don't care what my face looks like because you can't see it."

With the profile that Bieber has, it's easy to see why she would feel pressure to look a particular way, especially considering how heavily her life is documented. But sometimes, even she can't quite recognise herself in the photos she sees:

"One thing I will say about photographs and even paparazzi or red carpet photos is that lighting for anyone is everything," she says. "In the wrong lighting, the most stunning person in the world can look insane, so for me, it is all about how you are getting captured and the angles you are caught at."

"There have definitely been photos of myself that make me think, 'I don't look like that', alongside the ones where I'm like, 'Wow, I look good in this photo', she continues. "The one thing I've learned is that I'm always the most comfortable when I look the most natural. So, when I'm not wearing a lot of make-up and when I am in a cool but comfortable outfit, that makes me feel beautiful. It's been a journey of learning what that is and importantly what that isn't."

Whichever way that Bieber is photographed, her appearance certainly gets people talking. When she changes a single aspect of her look – be it bleaching her brows or dyeing her hair - she becomes a talking point in the beauty industry, whether she intends to or not.

"I have never actually intentionally bleached my eyebrows," Bieber reveals. "That was never something that was my personal choice. I think I look insane with bleached brows, but they always photograph really cool, so if it is for a photoshoot I'll always do it if they ask. I actually love my dark brows and I like to keep them the way that they are, unless it's for the right photo."

The commentary around the colour of her brows is a good example of the level of scrutiny Bieber is under, and the model could also be credited for helping power the pastel hair trend when she dyed her hair pink back in 2018. But for now, she has a different focus.

"I've done a bunch of different things with my hair, it's true, and I always loved being pink," she says. "During quarantine though, I just let my natural hair colour grow out, which, I don't think a lot of people know, is quite dark. I really want my hair to be healthy and I don't want to put bleach on it anymore. I'm just going to let it do its thing for probably the next year or so, and see where we get to."

"I've been using a lot of different hair masks and I always use a leave-in conditioner when I get out of the shower", she reveals. "I learnt from having extensions that trying to keep your hair healthy is really important."

This new minimalism in her beauty routine has extended to her make-up bag too, spurred by the lack of red-carpet events and, of course, face masks.

"The only thing you are really showing when out in public is your eyes and brows, so that's what I've been focusing on. I love the new BareMinerals Strength and Length Serum-Infused Mascara and the Brow Gel [Bieber is the bareMinerals Clean Beauty Ambassador] to really define my eyes. Then, I don't really like to cover my skin too much, so I only use foundation on areas that might be a little more red."

"Justin has always preferred me when I'm really natural too. Honestly, his favourite thing is when I'm not wearing any make-up at all. I've been around him when I've had a full face of make-up and he always says, 'Obviously, I think you're stunning but I know I'm going to like it even better when you just shower at the end of the day.'"

One positive way in which Bieber has utilised the column-widths that she tends to occupy is by speaking out about about the issues that matter to her, including her candid portrayal of her journey with perioral dermatitis and her husband Justin’s struggle with acne. With 29.6 million followers, she certainly has a powerful voice to add to those conversations.

"Skincare is something I really care about and it's been a passion of mine for a really long time," she reveals. "I come from a household where my mum and my grandma, who are from Brazil, taught me so many tips and tricks and really educated me on why it is important to take good care of your skin. That's something I have carried with me through my whole life and at the moment, I'm really focusing on what the ingredients are inside my skincare products."

"I'm the biggest skin nerd there is," she declares, and it's a passion she has really unlocked during the past few months. "I was literally piling in on the info like a real student. Taking notes and all."

"During quarantine, I feel like I took a really deep dive into learning more about the skin and what each of the layers mean," Bieber continues. "I took a dermatology course, I read books and I spoke to different experts. I feel like I learned some much more in quarantine about skin than I ever have, so I'm excited to keep pushing forward in my skincare journey."

We sense that 'journey' could mean a skincare line of her own in the very near future, considering the trademark she filed for Bieber Beauty last year (a name currently rejected for being too similar to her husband's).

Perhaps a more skin-focused version of Kylie Cosmetics is on the cards. If so, you can expect it to fall into the 'clean beauty' category – Bieber mentions that it is a focus in her routine – with protective and hydrating formulations if the model follows her own preferences.

"I have quite dry skin so cleansing first with an oil-based or balm cleanser has really helped me retain moisture in my skin," she explains. "I love to keep my skin hydrated so I adore using the BareMinerals Skinlongevity Long Life Herb Serum. There's an ingredient in there, niacinamide, that I am obsessed with. It is such a power-packed ingredient that can be so helpful for all skin types."

If the model sounds busy, it's because she is, but Bieber has managed to squeeze in a little bit of time to reinvest in self-care rituals, which can be especially needed with a life as hectic and public as hers:

"I love taking a bath and putting on a mask at the end of the day – just taking a second to soak and relax," she says. "I like masking my skin because I think it really helps boost moisture, especially if you are a little on the drier side like me. You can just pop on a mask and it helps infuse a little more hydration. Masking, bathing and steam showers – I love all that sort of thing."

So, it turns out face masks of all varieties are an integral part of Hailey Bieber's life at the moment. We can't wait to see what she does next.

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