Scarlett Johansson’s Must Haves: From a Prada Purse to a Niacinamide Cream

Scarlett Johansson knows that the celebrity-turned-beauty-founder arc is a little played out — especially in the industry’s current state. As someone who has sat in countless makeup chairs and served as the face of several major brands (often while quietly navigating her own skin-care woes), Johansson’s also witnessed the beauty space evolve pretty drastically throughout her career — which is why at this stage in her life, she’s much more interested in finding ways to cut through all the noise rather than adding to it.

“I worked as an ambassador for brands for a very long time, and eventually I just felt like I didn’t want to represent other people’s beauty standards; I’d outgrown that as a person. But I didn’t know how to begin. It’s such a completely different industry than what I do in entertainment,” Johansson says. “I started this deep dive, trying to understand if what I was looking for was also what the consumer was looking for, so it didn’t just feel like I was making something for myself.”

After five years of meticulous research and brand-building, that “something” in question later evolved into The Outset, Johansson’s skin-care label that she formally launched in the spring of 2022 alongside her cofounder, Kate Foster Lengyel.

Unlike other beauty brands, The Outset’s ethos is rooted in a “less is more” approach, with a refined product assortment that’s designed to support even the most sensitive skin types thanks to its “radically gentle” ingredient base.

Now, with a couple years of market experience under her belt, Johansson’s working to make The Outset’s skin-care products more accessible to consumers. Just recently, it expanded to Amazon and QVC after previously only being available at retailers like Sephora and Nordstrom.

“Connecting with an audience through different retail avenues and amazing products has always been a goal of mine, and we’re really getting to do that this year as we continue to expand with QVC and Amazon. It’s such an exciting time for the brand,” Johansson says.

Ahead, we spoke with Johansson about her relationship with beauty, how she drew inspiration from her own skin-care journey in order to build her brand, and all of the product essentials she can’t live without. From a luxury designer handbag to a hydrating foundation stick and slanted tweezers, shop Scarlett Johansson’s must haves below.