Brooke Shields On Being A First-Time CEO In Her 50s

— Bustle; Kai, Commence

In Bustle’s Beauty Detail, we dive into the beauty bags of our favorite talents for intel on the rituals that keep them glowing. Here, Brooke Shields tells Bustle about her newest venture in Commence, her evolving relationship with beauty, and more.

From one of her earliest on-screen roles in The Blue Lagoon to those famed Calvin Klein ads where she posed in skin-tight jeans, Brooke Shields has always been deeply associated with her natural beauty. Her long brown hair, bushy brows, and wide smile have graced countless covers (including this month’s cover of The Zoe Report), and for a long time, she felt as though her image belonged to the world. These days, however, the actor is taking back her power.

“When I was younger, I was absolutely disassociated from [the beauty space] because it was work,” she says. “It was the only thing people talked about when talking about me, and it was not interesting to me.”

For most of her career, Shields associated her hair with work — and because of that, it didn’t really feel like her own. “The minute you sign on with a company, they want to put their stylist on you and cut, color, and fix your hair into something they want,” she says. “And then, when you do a role in a movie, it’s like, ‘Oh, sure, I’ll dye my hair red.’”

But now, with the launch of Commence, a new-to-market hair and scalp care brand backed by Shields, the actor finally feels like she’s in charge.

“Now, my hair is mine,” she says. “With this company and my own products, I’m not morphing into something for somebody else, nor am I trying to look like someone else.”

At 59, Shields is a CEO for the first time in her life — and she doesn’t take the role lightly. “Being a CEO in my late 50s is a terrifying risk, but it’s also exciting,” she says. “I’m a perpetual student, and I’ve been selling products for other people for decades, but I want to be in charge of this. I want to have my creative vision, and I’m always interested in getting to the root of an issue — no pun intended.”

— Courtesy of Commence

Commence is designed for women over 40, and delivers targeted formulas to meet people’s hair needs at every stage of their lives.

The brand hit the market with three products — an Instant Shampoo, a Root Serum, and a Leave-In Conditioner — but Shields is already thinking about what comes next. She’s listening to her community of mature women to develop hair care that addresses their unique pain points, and is even thinking about brushing up on her French and taking perfumery courses to better communicate with the chemists behind the brand. Ultimately, she wants to create the best products possible for Commence’s customers, and is doing everything she can as a CEO to make it happen.

Here, Shields shares her top-used Commence product, and details the beauty essentials that are a part of her everyday routine.

Her Scalp-Healthy Hair Hero

2-in-1 Instant Shampoo

Commence

“I couldn’t find an instant shampoo that wasn’t an aerosol, didn’t have benzene, didn’t dry my scalp or get crunchy — so I wanted to develop an instant shampoo. We reduced hyaluronic acid to its smallest form so that your root could actually absorb it, and the rice powder seeps moisture out of any areas where there’s too much. The efficacy is so evident, and in the long run, you're actually creating an environment for your hair to grow healthier and fuller.”

Her Most Nostalgic Perfume

Kai Eau de Parfum

Kai

“I fell in love with Kai years back, right before I got pregnant. I started using that again and my kids became obsessed with how I smelled. Smell is such an important thing for a mother with her daughter.”

Her Go-To Sleeping Mask

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Sephora

“I'll take the time now [to use a sleeping mask], which I never used to because it used to feel frivolous to me and it was so associated with work. I use Laneige — I love the feeling of it.”

Her Multi-Tasking Color Sticks

Lip And Cheek Stick

Jones Road

“I love the Jones Road color sticks — I put a little bit on my lips and cheeks.”