“Vampire Diaries” Alum Claire Holt Dishes On Her New Fashion + Beauty Ventures

Photo Credit: Melody Mai
Claire Holt is being cheeky. The Australian born actress-turned-beauty brand investor — best known for playing Rebekah on the CW’s The Vampire Diaries — can be seen this month in Nick Simon’s horror comedy Untitled Horror Movie. She will also soon star as the lead role of a Chinese/American co-production called Painted Beauty, directed by newcomer Rob Prior.

We sat down with the 33-year-old actress, who has also appeared in projects like the thriller 47 Meters Down opposite Mandy Moore; NBC’s Aquarius series opposite David Duchovny; and the CW’s Pretty Little Liars opposite Lucy Hale to discuss her latest cinematic projects as well as her beauty and fashion-focused entrepreneurial ventures.

Photo Credit: Melody Mai

Fig. 1 is a beauty brand you are now an investor in. How were you introduced to the brand and how did this partnership come about?

I was introduced to one of the founders, Kimmy Scotti, earlier this year and was blown away by her. She gave me an incredible overview (which is no small feat considering she’d given birth to twins 2 weeks prior), and after trying the products I begged her to let me be involved. I could go on and on about it but really the most important element is that it works better than anything I’ve ever tried. It’s also really affordable. It’s a scary prospect investing in a market that is so saturated but I truly believe in Fig. 1 and the team behind the company.

Do you have any favorite products from the Fig. 1 line? Why are they your favorites?

I’m obsessed with the Micellar Oil Cleanser It’s so gentle but is really effective. I wear a lot of mineral sunscreen which can be hard to remove, but this product gets every last bit off my skin. I’m also a huge fan of the Retinol Renewal Cream No. 1. because I’m desperately trying to stay young!

Now that you’re an investor in a skincare line, what is one skincare tip you wish you followed when you were younger? What is something you’ve learned through the process that you can share?

SUNSCREEN. I’m really paying the price for all those years that I roasted my face. I also used to go to sleep with makeup on, which is crazy. Now I’m obsessive about my nighttime skin routine.

What are your top 5 skincare hacks?

Water
Sunscreen
A clean diet (annoying but effective)
A clean face (at least for sleep)
Fig. 1 (duh).

You also have a collaboration with Andie Swim out. What can you tell us about that project? What were some of the inspirations behind your designs?

I’ve loved every minute of it. I had always wanted to design but was too afraid to try on my own. The team at Andie was so warm and collaborative, so I really felt great about partnering with them. It’s such a natural fit as I grew up on the beaches of Australia, and swimming has always been a huge part of my life. I’m also a mother of two, and I know how hard it can be to find swimsuits that make you feel comfortable. I’ve seen my body in so many different forms over the past few years, and I wanted to make sure that these suits work for all of them.

Photo Credit: Melody Mai

What is one thing you hope to accomplish with this collaboration with Andie?

I want women of all body types to feel sexy, supported, and comfortable in their skin. That’s why I try to design suits for different shapes and sizes.

You also have a horror-comedy movie on the horizon, Untitled Horror Movie. Can you share what the film is about?

It’s a film about a bunch of actors who think their TV show is getting canceled, so they decide to shoot their own horror film. They unintentionally summon a spirit and things go from light to dark pretty quickly.

It’s crazy that you and the actors have never met because you all shot your own footage! Was there something that was easier/harder than you expected about doing it all yourself?

It was a wild experience. The hardest part was being responsible for lighting, camera, and sound. Thank god for our patient DP, Kevin Duggin. He talked us through the entire process from start to finish. Being part of a film like this was really creatively freeing. We knew we were attempting something that had the potential to fail dismally, but we were all so invested in the process. It felt like a real team, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Aside from having to do your own shooting, you were also pregnant during filming. How difficult was that? How did you work around it?

It was pretty exhausting! We shot nights and my son was 1 at the time, so I wasn’t sleeping much (which is why I tried to convince the director to let me lie down for most of the movie). Luckily it was a very quick shoot. It was also really easy to frame out my stomach given that we were mostly acting within the confines of a Zoom screen.

From your past roles, you seem to be drawn to the supernatural. Have you always been a horror movie fan?

I’m honestly a huge baby and can’t stomach the slasher films. I do love a ghost story though!

What are five of your favorite BTS memories from the Vampire Diaries set?

• The free snacks
• The random naps in strange places
• The pranks Daniel and Joseph played on each other
• My wig ‘precious’
• The moments we were all together. We felt like a real family