While memorizing scripts is a routine part of her acting career, Kate Mansi is not one to memorize the 1,328 substances banned from cosmetics by the European Union.
This daunting task was what the Daytime Emmy winner initially set out to conquer in 2018 when she decided to purify her beauty products. Discovering that U.S. cosmetics regulations (which only ban or limit 11 substances) haven’t changed since 1938, Mansi embarked on a personal mission to ensure her beauty routine was completely clean and nontoxic. This required sifting through thousands of ingredients in her collection.
“I want to know the origins of what I apply to my skin because as consumers, we are always making choices,” shares the actress, recognized for her recurring role on Days of Our Lives. “I strive for my exterior to reflect my interior—making informed choices and acknowledging the significant impact they have.”
But with so many questionable ingredients in various products, how did she successfully transition? Mansi sat down with alive to reveal her journey and share the clean beauty tips she has picked up along the way.
Transitioning to Clean Beauty
Despite her commitment to a vegan diet (having been vegetarian since age 11), Mansi admits that her shift to clean beauty wasn’t straightforward at the beginning.
Trying to remember all the EU-banned ingredients felt overwhelming and unrealistic. Instead, she found a more effective method—a simplified approach that transformed her makeup collection.
“Don’t pressure yourself by trying to memorize every single chemical and toxin in detail. Start with the essentials and build from there,” Mansi advises. For her, that meant replacing her top five skincare and five makeup essentials: eye cream, moisturizer, cleanser, hair products, body wash, foundation, tinted moisturizer with SPF, lip product, mascara, and blush.
Mansi’s Smart Clean Beauty Tricks
Throughout her year-long journey to revamp her beauty routine, Mansi discovered several clever tips.
One of her favorites is a technique known as icing, popularized in the ’80s. “I take an ice cube and glide it all over my face over the sink. It literally wakes up my skin! I noticed a difference within a week!” Mansi explains, noting that the chilly treatment helps minimize pores and reduce redness.
Just remember to use common sense: keep the ice moving to avoid freezing any one area for too long.
Mansi is also fanatical about sun protection. She diligently applies sunscreen every two hours, covering not just her face but her neck, arms, hands, and ears, even opting for natural lip balm with SPF. While on her many hikes, she always wears protective arm sleeves.
“Our Italian and French family often chuckle at how American women think sunscreen is only for the face,” she laughs.
Research supports their wisdom, revealing that sunscreen not only prevents sun damage but can also mend existing harm. A 2016 study published in Dermatologic Surgery indicated that sunscreen can improve skin clarity, texture, and dark spots.
Mansi swears by plum oil for glowing skin and keeps tea tree oil handy for its antibacterial properties to tackle the occasional blemish.
Wellness and Beauty
While Mansi focuses on nourishing her skin topically, her enviable complexion is also a result of her dedication to wellness.
A fitness enthusiast who danced before acting, she discovered acupuncture and cupping for rehabilitation after a foot injury during a half marathon. This embrace of Eastern medicine transformed her outlook. “I consider my physical and internal wellness as an entity I am responsible for,” she reflects.
This mindset has allowed her to recognize her body’s interconnectedness. For example, she learned that her limited movement post-injury led to physical imbalances, manifesting as skin issues, and that stress often triggered breakouts along her jawline.
Today, Mansi stays active by hiking and attending hot yoga classes. She prioritizes self-care, including deep tissue massages with CBD oil to alleviate stress, and she values her mental health, attending therapy weekly when not filming. “Just as I care for my physical health, I also prioritize my mental health,” she shares.
Her commitment to wellness extends beyond her personal needs, reflecting a broader cultural shift. “We’ve moved from focusing solely on individual benefits to considering our impact on others and the planet with every choice we make,” she observes.
