Yes, Nicole Richie tested to see if Urban Decay’s new mascara really is “sex-proof”

I’ll never forget how Nicole Richie’s eyes popped on the cover of her 2006 book “The Truth About Diamonds.”

That is the power of a good set of thick black lashes plus a glorious helping of eyeliner and mascara (not to mention good genes). So when I found out Nicole was the new face of Urban Decay’s most high-drama mascara, Troublemaker, it was like hearing, to quote “Mad Men,” that Jesus had nabbed the loaves and fishes account.

I got to meet Nicole and talk to her about Urban Decay’s Troublemaker mascara last week, plus attend the brand’s launch party at Hubble Studio in LA. Not only was there a tattoo station with Amalia Mahoney inking up legions of LA cool kids, there was also an In-N-Out truck and a ball pit. All perfect for troublemakers, non?

Nicole, if you’ll recall from her “The Simple Life” days, is an OG troublemaker of our generation who probably shouldn’t be allowed within 15 feet of a Sonic anymore due to her antics.

“I’ve always known I should be a professional troublemaking model,” she said of her new partnership with UD, “and I’m so grateful that Wende Zomnir and Urban Decay saw my true talent and appreciate my craft.”

The Troublemaker mascara wand is super high tech — UD founder Wende Zomnir informed me it’s got hooks to make sure your lashes separate properly — and we can’t wait to get our hands on it. Read on for our interview with Nicole about beauty inspo, sex-proof makeup and more.

How did you and Urban Decay decide to work together?

I had a meeting with them and they were going over their girl and their message. They are all about beauty being an individual experience and really appreciating that girls have to rebel against the trends in beauty, and the idea that somebody else can’t tell you what beauty is. [They’re all about] taking that power back and defining it for yourself and really diving into self-expression.

It’s so aligned with who I am and what House of Harlow is all about. We have a lot of the same messaging and it was like, immediately, we’re so aligned with where we are, so we should do this.

It really does make sense for you to work together. When I got the press release, I was like, “Oh my god, duh.”

Yeah, it was an immediate decision for me, for sure.

I know they say it’s sex proof — can you confirm?

Did I test it? Yes. It’s been through many tests and according to Joel [Madden, her husband], it’s sex proof.

What kind of outfit and hair would you go with for the ultimate Troublemaker look?

If you’re going to get into trouble, it’s always good to look the opposite so that you trick people. You still can do you, but do you in a toned down way. Regardless of how much trouble you get in, you don’t wanna get caught for it. You don’t wanna be on Front Street. So I think you gotta lay low physically.

What’s your makeup philosophy in general?

Probably to pick one or two things you want to go with for that day. Obviously when we’re working in an environment like this, it’s a different thing. I’m somebody who, I don’t wear a ton of makeup. So I choose my things I wanna roll with and go with that. Some people only feel like themselves when they have a full face of makeup on, and that’s cool too. That’s the cool thing about makeup. You can be whatever you wanna be.

What’s one fall trend you wouldn’t do?

I stay away from trends altogether. We don’t do it with House of Harlow. I think that trends limit people and make people who can’t buy into the trend feel bad about themselves. I stay away from all of them. Unless they’re like, making your eyebrows look thicker, I’m all about that one.

Do you believe in saving dramatic eye makeup for night time or would you rock it all day?

I feel like I would be down to wear that in the day. There are so many outfits I’m trying on for night [that make me say] to myself, oh, this would be great with no makeup and slicked back hair, because the outfit is enough. So I kinda like to choose. I think it’s cool when people are wearing a big dramatic eye with jeans and a t-shirt. I like that look.

What’s the most extreme makeup you’ve ever done, and do you regret it?

Probably in ninth grade, I was experimenting with every single color eyeshadow on the planet and using different eyeshadow colors as eyeliner, which can’t be great. I did red one time and I came down to go to school, and my mom was like, “You look like you are sick. You look like something’s wrong with you. You cannot do red around your eyes.” So now I know.

For you, what’s the biggest difference doing your own makeup and having it done professionally?

Well, I only have two tricks. So that’s the difference. Usually when I’m doing my makeup, I have to get it done [professionally]. I can do a mascara, an under-eye concealer and a red lip [myself].

Do you remember the first major makeup moment you had as a kid or teenager?

I grew up here [in LA] so I would go to the West Side Pavilion to Nordstrom and I would get Urban Decay makeup, because they were all about bright colors. And this is when I was first wearing makeup, so I was like, oh my god, I love all these colors. There was a gunmetal eyeshadow called Uzi, and that was my first eyeshadow.

Did you know what Uzi meant?

No. I don’t even know why I remember that’s what it was called, but it was. I didn’t think about it, I was just just like, “Get this on my eyes.”

I remember being the same way about Urban Decay’s amazing eyeshadow names!

Zero idea, you don’t care.

Which 2000s beauty trend needs to make a comeback?

What is a 2000s trend?

White eyeliner, body glitter…

I’m not mad at the white eyeliner to make your eyes look bigger. I’m not mad at that.

Photography by Michael Simon and Arnelle Lozada

Gimme More Beauty


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