Nicole Kidman: These are the three steps she uses in her skincare routine

Nicole Kidman's skincare secret is a trio of sunscreen, facial oil and – every now and then – an LED mask.

There are few people who cause more excitement than Nicole Kidman . Whether it's her constantly changing hairstyle on the red carpet—sometimes an undercut , sometimes mermaid waves—or her quick wit or her incredibly beautiful singing voice, Kidman is a true star, in the truest sense of the word. It was all the more exciting for me to discover that we have two things in common: first, our reverence for sunscreen, and second, our (irregular) use of LED red-light masks .

I'm speaking with Nicole Kidman on a video call to celebrate her appointment as global brand ambassador for Clé de Peau Beauté . Our conversation quickly turns to her lifelong appreciation (and sometimes frustration) for skincare.

Growing up in Australia, Kidman wasn't allowed out in the sun because of her exceptionally fair skin. "We're a beach culture, and for a girl with a really fair complexion, sun protection had to be part of my life from the very beginning," she tells me in today's unusually hot London.

However, don't assume that sun protection is something she's always enjoyed. "I hated having fair skin. It prevented me from surfing or playing the sports I wanted to do. I always felt like I couldn't do what all the other kids could do unless I slathered on tons of bright white (or pink) zinc cream."