“I used to be born in Queens, New York. My mom has a really thick accent, and he or she’s third technology Queens. I moved to Port Washington, Lengthy Island, and that’s the place I used to be all through highschool. Then, I lived in New York Metropolis for faculty, and went to Tisch Faculty of the Arts at NYU, learning drama. I bear in mind combating my mother, saying, ‘I don’t must take driver’s ed! I’m going to stay in New York Metropolis for my whole life and solely do theater and I’ll by no means should discover ways to drive a automobile.’

CAREER
About two years after I graduated school and I used to be ready tables and doing off-Broadway and actually doing the ‘struggling artist’ factor, I received it in my head to strive Los Angeles, the place I must do my facet hustle far much less. So I moved to LA at 25, and nonetheless had a facet hustle for years, waitressing and babysitting and catering and private helping, and each job I might get my fingers on till Shonda Rhimes modified my life with Quinn Perkins and Scandal.”

Taking part in Quinn was unimaginable. Not solely was it unimaginable as a result of I set to work with Shonda Rhimes, who’s some of the prolific, unimaginable writers of our time, but in addition, I received what all of us name the Scandal fam, the place actually with all my coronary heart and soul we’re a really, very, very shut solid. We textual content day by day, we Zoom dangle, we go away on Scandal reunions… Kerry Washington, Darby Stanchfield, Bellamy Younger—the opposite women of Scandal—are expensive, expensive, expensive associates of mine. Even not simply the women—I used to be texting with Josh Melina, George Newbern, and Scott Foley yesterday. Tony Goldwyn and I are repeatedly in contact, Joe Morton and I repeatedly work collectively on theater. It’s a true household. Not solely on digicam was it a complete dream job, as a result of I received to play a really difficult, enjoyable position that modified a lot over the seven seasons, however off digicam, I realized a lot and made family and friends for my lifetime. Gladiators [Scandal fans] had been such an enormous half. We wouldn’t be capable of make the present with out the Gladiator followers. It’s form of like a particular language or membership or one thing. Each time I meet somebody, they’re like, “No, I’m an OG Gladiator. I’ve been with Scandal since day one.” I’m like, “Okay, we’re already cool.” It’s simply an computerized connection.

I’m very fortunate that I occur to work like 5 minutes from my home, which, for motherhood, is the perfect factor that ever occurred. I liked my labor. I’ve a mother podcast referred to as Katie’s Crib, and we’ve got a whole lot of being pregnant tales on it, and sure, there are some scary issues and scary experiences. However I all the time assume it’s vital to listen to. There are additionally a whole lot of ladies who’ve a good time and who’re effective, and all the pieces goes nice, you understand? Individuals actually wish to war-story about it, like, “I used to be in labor for 50 hours after which I had a C-section.” However I can’t let you know what number of tales I’ve in my head which can be simply quite boring. “I went in, I received induced, they did the pitocin, I took a nap, I wakened, contractions began, I received the epidural, I waited, they advised me to begin pushing, I pushed for thirty minutes, and the infant was right here.” And that’s what you need. You need boring and nothing to jot down dwelling about—I went in, I conquered, I rocked it, I got here dwelling, and all the pieces went effective.

SKINCARE
I do an entire regime from Biologique Recherche. I stay by it, so a whole lot of my face merchandise are from there. I take advantage of P50 to take off my make-up at night time. Then, I take advantage of a serum from Future Cosmetics referred to as Magnificence Drops. Then, I take advantage of their Excessive Cream throughout the day and Biologique Rechere Placenta Cream at night time. Then, I take advantage of Strivectin Neck Cream. My eyes are actually delicate to something that has retinol or something in it, so I’m actually all pure in regards to the eye space. I often go between Mario Badescu Olive Eye Cream or Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream. It’s thick and shimmery, and I’m all about holding the realm hydrated. I hold attempting completely different de-wrinkling eye cream, and it is perhaps okay for an evening, after which at day two or three, I’m like, “My eye is totally purple and blown up.” I can’t do it.

I’m massive into my facialist, this lady Nousha (@rejuvenatewithnousha). She does one thing referred to as a Reiki facial. She additionally does aqua gold facials, which is a superb brightening pick-me-up for occasions. She’s superb. She has probably the most unimaginable face and physique oil referred to as Rejuvenate With Nousha that may be a huge staple in my home. The Reset—oh my god. It’s unimaginable. I apply it to my physique if there’s any mosquito bites, as a result of there’s a whole lot of therapeutic properties in it, so if I’ve any mosquito bites or a small lower or one thing, I put it in every single place. I take advantage of it most nights additionally as my final moisturizing layer earlier than I am going to mattress and I apply it to my fingers and stuff. She initially created it, I’m fairly certain, as a face oil for all of the nurses and frontline staff who needed to put on PPE. I bear in mind at first of the pandemic, they had been exhibiting how bruised their faces had been. It was initially for that, after which we had been all like, ‘That is unimaginable’.

Each time I meet somebody, they’re like, “No, I’m an OG Gladiator. I’ve been with Scandal since day one.” I’m like, “Okay, we’re already cool.” It’s simply an computerized connection.

MAKEUP
I’m actually good about taking off my make-up. I believe in my early 20s, earlier than I used to be on Scandal, I’d have these nights of sleeping in make-up, and I’d be like, “Who cares?” Now, I’m sort of a naturalist. If I’m not working, I by no means, ever put on make-up. If I do, it’s the Profit Gimme Forehead Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in shade 4.5. It’s a bit little bit of the Profit Hoola Matte Bronzer for contour, as a result of I had a child, and that helps round my cheekbones and beneath my jawline. It’s the blighlighter from Jamie Make-up on my cheeks, which is a combo between a highlighter and a cheek tint. I’m a traditional woman of the L’Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara with the Shiseido eyelash roller. I’m a Burt’s Bees tinted chapstick particular person. Very pure.

HAIR
I’m actually, actually cautious about placing warmth on my hair. A part of my job is to place a lot warmth on my hair, so at any time when I’m not working, I actually simply rock it pure and go days with out washing it and stay by dry shampoo and ponytails and headscarves. I all the time sleep with my hair down as a result of I don’t need it damaged from any hair ties. I realized from Kerry Washington to undoubtedly sleep on a silk pillowcase. My aunt Joan was all the time like, “Practice your self to sleep in your again! Practice your self to sleep in your again!” [Laughs] And I strive my hardest, but it surely’s fairly onerous. From all of the stay tweeting and all of the cellphone stuff we’re doing, I attempt to be very aware about how a lot I’m trying down, due to my neck.

After I wash my hair, I combine between Davines and Bioplex. I’m actually cautious as a result of I’ve to focus the shampoo on my scalp and head, and actually solely situation the ends. Somebody simply taught me {that a} yr in the past—that you just’re not speculated to situation your entire head. I couldn’t determine it out. I used to be like, “Why have I washed my hair and my roots are form of greasy?” They had been like, “No, simply shampoo your head on the scalp after which situation the ends and the place your haircut ends.” I used to be like, “Oh, I’m not speculated to dump conditioner at my roots?” [Laughs] That’s simply what works for my hair, as a result of then I can go days with out [washing my hair]. I in all probability solely wash my hair two occasions every week. I’m an enormous air dry particular person. I really like placing the Advantage Break up Ends Serum on the ideas of my hair, and holding the roots dry. I’m actually fortunate. My hair has this form of pure beachy wave factor, and I simply rock that.

My hair is horrific in my regrowth from being pregnant. I’ve these brief, horrible bangs within the corners of my head. It’s from all of the fallout from my hormones from having a child. I put my hair up in a messy bun and I pull these wisps and fucked up bangs—excuse my language—from the corners of my head down, and so they curl up and so they’re all bizarre, and I simply rock it with pleasure. I’m like, no matter, it’s going to come again. I received it again from my first child, and it’s coming again for my second. However each single pregnant lady I do know has misplaced their hair and had that second the place they give the impression of being within the bathe and it’s like a freaking toupee within the drain, and so they’re like, “Oh my god, I didn’t assume this was going to occur to me.” [Laughs]

BODY + FITNESS
Even my physique this time round—I’m not on the quantity I need to be at, not that numbers actually matter. However truthfully, my physique’s simply completely different, and I’m form of into it. I’m additionally fifteen months postpartum. I actually haven’t even began a exercise routine. I’m simply beginning to be like, “Oh, it feels good to stroll. It feels good to hike.” My doula could be very strict, like, “Don’t exercise for the primary yr. Heal. Go on walks. Do issues that really feel good.” Your physique’s going by means of a loopy time. It’s superb. Being pregnant is difficult, and the tip is a particular sort of hellscape. [Laughs] The tip is the freaking worst. What’s so loopy is that you just really feel fearful of labor and you are feeling fearful of these issues, however you are feeling extra scared to proceed your life pregnant. So that you’re like, “Please let this finish.”

I am going to mattress utterly lotioned inside an inch of my life. My physique is caked on this stuff referred to as Kiki Cream, it’s a extremely pure, all natural shea butter. I began it all through my pregnancies too, on my stomach, but it surely’s meant in your entire physique. My nails are a catastrophe. My ft are a catastrophe. I ought to actually be doing higher at determining what I could possibly be placing on my cracked heels. I attempt to do the Kiki cream on my heels after which put on socks to mattress, and that’s all the time good, but it surely by no means occurs.

FRAGRANCE
I’m sort of in between fragrances proper now. I take advantage of a whole lot of Eau de Orange Blossom from Coqui Coqui, however I’m additionally sort of a hippy. Through the chilly season, I’m into utilizing On Guard Protecting Mix from Doterra. I’ve two little germ-filled kids who’re disgusting, and so they’re always battling colds and diarrhea, so I’m always sporting these items referred to as On Guard, which has a bit little bit of a cinnamon scent, but it surely’s extra of a necessary oil. I really feel like I’m round lots of people in shut quarters at work, so I don’t need to be too overly scented. I’m actually taking pictures a comedy scene as we speak the place there’s six of us in a mattress rolling round. I simply don’t need folks to be like, “Whoa… Katie… Relax with the fragrance.” I actually additionally like Lakshmi Perfume Oil. I’m massive into that. It’s like, abundance and all that crap. [Laughs] It’s scrumptious. It’s so scrumptious. Additionally, equally, for Inventing Anna, we received to shoot in Morocco, on the lodge the place my character was conned, in Marrakech, referred to as La Mamounia. It’s some of the unique, fancy, elite lodges on the planet. They’ve their very own scent that they blast by means of the lodge. We shot that two years in the past, and I purchased a few of the scent, and I simply spray it as a pick-me-up. It’s a reminder of the final place I traveled internationally pre-COVID.”

— As Advised to ITG

Katie Lowes photographed by Katie Thompson in LA.