03/01/2009

Beauty Talk: Halle Berry

You’ve just created your first fragrance: Halle. What inspired you? I’ve always wanted to have my own signature scent. When I was younger, I never wanted to smell like every other girl in class. Even as an adult, I’d often mix different perfumes together. And some days it would be great and people would say, “Oh, what fragrance is that?” And I would say, “Well, it’s about five.”

How would you describe your beauty philosophy? Low maintenance: Less is more. When I wear too much makeup, I feel like a man in drag.

Has your look changed much since you first came to Hollywood? I don’t have as many bells and whistles now. I just saw a picture of me from the ‘90s, where I was wearing a polka-dot-and-flowers pantsuit. Today I’m a girl who knows you do polka dots or flowers, you don’t do both.

Was there a beauty equivalent to polka-dot-and-flowers look? In the ‘80s it was all about big hair, lots of makeup, and trying to look older than you really were. I looked older when I was 20 than I do now, at 42.

How has your daughter, Nahla [1 year old], changed your perspective? Now all of my efforts are for the baby. I don’t do my hair much anymore, but I do hers all the time!”