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Saturday, Aug 08, 2026

Zoë Kravitz Wants a Reason to Wear Red Lipstick Again

Zoë Kravitz Wants a Reason to Wear Red Lipstick Again

"Even if I'm going to the drugstore to buy tampons."

Zoë Kravitz is missing her red lipstick - hard.

Pre-pandemic, a swipe of lipstick would boost any diehard makeup wearer's mood. Now, between wearing face masks for the foreseeable future and having virtually no social events on the the calendar, Kravtiz, a self-described makeup lover, can't wait for the first post-pandemic situation that calls for a red lip.

"I would feel kind of crazy right now putting on a red lip to go to the grocery store," she tells InStyle. "It's something that will feel like a really, really special occasion. And I'm so excited for any situation that allows for a red lip."

Lamenting over beauty products collecting dust is the exact sentiment you'd expect from someone who's the face of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and launched their own makeup collection in collaboration with the brand.

And while Kravitz is inherently cool and unabashedly confident, two qualities that allow her to float effortlessly between roles, from Bonnie Carlson, a bohemian housewife on HBO's Big Little Lies to Catwoman in the upcoming The Batman film, she's incredibly warm, open, and unfiltered, which makes her a damn joy to chat with.

Ahead, Kravitz dives into her quarantine self-care routine, why she's down for wearing lipstick under face masks, whether she's swapped beauty tips with father Lenny Kravitz, and everything else in between.

This year has been tumultuous, to say the least, and you're known for having a really chill, cool attitude. Do you have a self-care routine that you've been following to help you relax and stay centered?


I think healthcare is so huge right now, both mentally and physically. What have I been doing? I've been drinking a lot of wine. That's self-care.

It definitely is.


Also, trying to balance that out by drinking water and staying hydrated. I’ve been trying to do a lot of fun masks and stuff, which is really great. There’s a Barbara Sturm mask I really like, and the YSL night shots, especially the Pure Night Shot. It’s a really nice little serum you put on your face before you go to sleep. Obviously, no one’s going to a spa anytime soon, so it’s nice to do little things like that for yourself.

Spending more time at home has given us more time to physically look in the mirror and look inwards with ourselves, too. How has quarantine changed your perception of beauty?


I didn’t realize how much getting ready, getting dressed, putting on makeup, and all of that was such a huge part of my life. At first it felt like a nice break, and now, it’s funny because I really do miss the ritual of it. Even if someone calls me and says, “Let’s go for a walk.” I’m like, “Ooh, I get to put on a little bit of concealer and blush.” It’s crazy how much a little bit of makeup makes you feel, I don’t know, like a person. I really think a huge part of my relationship and my love for makeup and beauty products is the putting on the music and getting ready and the adornment of it. So, I have a newfound appreciation for it, and I can’t wait until I have a real reason to get ready and go somewhere again.

Do you have a particular product you turn to for a mood booster, or is there a specific look you're really looking forward to trying once you have a reason to go all out?


I would feel kind of crazy right now putting on a red lip to go to the grocery store. It's something that will feel like a really, really special occasion. I'm so excited for any situation that allows for a red lip.

We have to create our own red lip-worthy situations in 2020.


Or just surrender and commit to putting on an incredible red lipstick to go to the drugstore and buy tampons. Like, I'm down for that.

Anyone who puts on a full makeup look to go to the drugstore right now deserves a moment of respect.


I guess you wouldn't even be able to see it. I mean, this is real makeup love, like putting on a red lip and knowing it's only for you because you're wearing a mask.

You would also find out what lipsticks actually last.


Exactly. Yes, you do. This a good time to test it out so that when we're allowed back in the world again, we know what's up.

Your dad recently joined the YSL family and I read that he likes to use sand from his island in the Bahamas as an exfoliator. Have you ever tried that?


[Laughs] Oh, that's funny. I wonder if I have done that. I've definitely done it on my body and when we go to the Bahamas, the sand and the salt water is so, so good for your skin in general.

Have you ever swapped beauty tips?


I mean, yeah. Obviously, he's not wearing makeup or anything, so we can't really bond over that. But, we both love the brand so much, too, and he was really excited to do it. Not only because he loved the brand, but he's also seen how my relationship with them has been so amazing. I truly love all the people who work at the company and what they stand for. So, I think it was a really cool thing for us to have that in common, and I'm glad that he's in the family.

What has your haircare routine been like in quarantine? How has your relationship with it changed?


I did definitely cut it a few times and it was okay. There were, without a doubt, some weird situations going on in the back. And I think I had two little bald spots at one point. So, that was in the heat of quarantine. Now I'm, happy to be back at work and to have some assistance. Because, yeah, I need help. It's funny because at first cutting my own hair was a necessity. Then, it almost became just something to do, which was really dangerous. That's when you end up with a weird, weird haircut. So I encourage people to be careful.

You're playing Catwoman, a strong female lead, in The Batman. There are a lot of things up in the air regarding women's rights this year. What does it mean to you to be a strong female in 2020 and what do you do to feel powerful?


The theme of this year for me has been dismantling a lot of the systems that have been in place our whole lives, and really starting to question all of the things that we're told that we are supposed to want or told, "This is what it is to be masculine. This is what it has to be feminine. This is what it is to be a man. This is what it is be a woman." I've always been really intrigued by what femininity really is. It's not a dress. It's not the heels. When you take those things away, what does being a woman mean? I really think it's something way more abstract and something we're all learning right now. There are so many things up in the air right now in terms of who gets to say what over our own bodies.

So, I think what it means to be a strong female right now is to be brave enough to question all of those things; to be brave enough to ask yourself, "What do I, as a human being in the world, want without all of these ideas I've been conditioned to believe?"

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