Actress Nico Parker Shares Her Minimal Beauty Routine

It’s insufficient to say Nico Parker is on the rise in the entertainment industry. At 19 years old, she’s already made large leaps in the acting world. Parker burst onto the big screen in 2019, landing roles in films like Dumbo and Reminiscence. Since then, she has continued to take on impactful projects in movies and television shows, earning quite a few accolades along the way. This year, the Gen-Z actress took home the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance at the Sundance Film Festival for her portrayal of “Doris” in Suncoast. Parker also garnered a nomination for the 2024 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as “Sarah Miller” in HBO’s The Last of Us.

Parker’s interests don’t only rest in acting, however. She’s also a total beauty girl, evidenced by her recent appointment as Lancôme’s newest and youngest-ever global brand ambassador. “I’ve tried to verbalize what it means to be a global ambassador for Lancôme in a way that feels true to what it is, but I haven’t quite been able to accomplish it,” she says. “In the simplest of terms, it is a dream come true. To join this team and family is an honor, one that I do not take lightly. I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who helped make it happen, and I couldn’t be prouder to be one of the faces of a brand centered around such a good ethos and nature.” 

Ahead, Parker opens up about her relationship with beauty, the products that help her achieve her signature minimal makeup look, and her career journey thus far. Keep scrolling to get to know more about the next-generation talent.

What’s your earliest beauty-related memory? 

“All my early beauty memories begin with watching my mum [actress Thandiwe Newton] do her makeup. She had this big mirror in the bathroom with all these drawers underneath, and I would just sit on the floor and watch her put on makeup for as long as she’d let me. Sometimes, I’d pick her brain on what she was doing, and sometimes, I’d just observe, but it always felt like an intimate thing that I was allowed to be a part of. I cherish those memories a lot.” 

What’s your go-to makeup routine when you’re not on set? 

“My makeup routine verges on the minimal side. I like being natural enough that my beauty marks and freckles can peek through. I like achieving this with the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Serum Foundation. I will forever be a die-hard advocate for any Lancôme mascara; they are truly the best. Nothing makes my eyelashes look as good. My favorite at the moment is Lancôme Hypnose Drama Mascara. And then, to top it off, I’ll throw on some blush and bronzer. It’s a pretty boring makeup routine, but it always leaves me feeling confident, which is the most important thing.”

Which beauty products never leave your bag and why? 

“Unfortunately, this makeup product does leave my bag, but that’s because my friends are thieves, and I find it in their bags instead. The Lancôme Lip Idole Squalane-12 Butterglow Hydrating Lip Balm is an absolute staple. It’s so buildable, and the finish feels so chic and effortless that I don’t often leave the house without it.” 

Can you walk through your skincare journey and usual skincare routine?  

“My skincare journey has changed a lot as I’ve gotten older. I used to have this one-size-fits-all mindset and would go on YouTube for hours, watching people’s skincare routines and then just assume that what worked for them would work for me. I would end up with these chemical burns from how many different products and active ingredients I would apply to my skin. Now, my skincare routine has been simplified, so I can add and subtract the stronger products when needed. The Lancôme Advanced Génifique Radiance-Boosting Hydrating Serum has been a bit of a game changer for me in terms of calming irritated skin while maintaining a glow.” 

Do you have a signature fragrance? What notes are you into? 

“I love something warm and indulgent to wear and a scent that melts into your skin, transforming into something slightly different for whoever wears it. At the moment, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle has been my staple. There’s a sweet undercurrent that cuts through the scent, and it’s gorgeous. It’s the kind of fragrance that makes people stop and ask what you’re wearing, and I’m always very proud to tell them.” 

What’s the best piece of beauty advice you’ve received from a woman in your life? 

“To embrace my individuality. It seems simple, but in these times, when beauty standards become more and more unrealistic, it can be tricky. While I cherish the things about myself that make me different, I still find myself struggling to accept those elements of myself. I say that because, while I love that advice, it’s important to note that everyone who gives it can also be struggling with self-image and self-value. I find comfort in knowing that it removes some of the loneliness of being an individual.” 

What inspired you to pursue a career in acting? What impact do you hope to make as a next-generation actress? 

“I think to set myself a goal of impact I’d like to make will only leave me disappointed. There’s so much I want to do, and it always feels like this race against time to achieve it, so instead of putting that pressure on myself, I’d simply say that whatever impact I can make, I’ll be proud of. If one person watches something I’m in or reads something I’ve said and feels seen, validated, heard, or just feels anything at all, that’s enough of an impact for me. I also think that’s what drew me to pursue a career in acting. To be in a line of work where evoking emotion is a key element of the job feels sacred, so if I can accomplish that, I’ll be happy.” 

2024 marked the release of Suncoast. What can we expect from you, acting-wise, in the new year? What are some of your dream roles? 

“Honestly, I used to have such a vision for what projects I wanted to do and the order in which I wanted to do them. It felt as if there needed to be a structure I was aiming for, a technical sequence that I must strive to stick to. But now, I feel much more led by intuition and trust that what is meant for me in any given moment will be there. I also have an incredible team that makes this mindset easy; they do a lot of the heavy lifting. With all that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to personally let Sofia Coppola know that I would happily play a tree in whatever her next film is if she’ll have me. It doesn’t need to be a talking tree.” 

What are your favorite ways to practice self-care? How do these rituals help ground you amid your busy schedule?  

“Self-care has always been a pivotal thing for me. I love allowing myself the space and freedom to decompress in a way that fits me most. A bath with a nice candle is a pretty standard one, but it always leaves me feeling good and recharged. An incredibly long skincare routine calms me down. Therapy. I’m into a lot of holistic approaches to wellness and self-care, too, so taking some good supplements always makes me feel like a more nourished version of myself. I also binge-watch any true crime I can find and eat cookie dough. I’d say that’s a pretty good mix of stuff there.” 

What do you love most about being a part of Gen Z? 

“There’s a really brilliant quote from Margaret Mead that says, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ What I love so much about my generation is that it doesn’t feel like a small group.”