Cush Jumbo is a busy woman. Whether she’s on-stage performing in Macbeth or filming long days for the hit Apple TV+ thriller Criminal Record, she’s become adept at managing a full schedule. As a result, she has become acutely aware of the importance of self-care and prioritising skincare – a lesson she learned later in life. “I didn’t wear moisturiser until my late teens,” she tells us. “I think way more about skincare and beauty than I used to.” We’re talking from her suite at the London Edition, where she’s preparing to attend a party thrown by the beauty brand Hourglass, in celebration of its new lip collection.

These days, she says, her beauty philosophy is all about hydration and nourishing herself from the inside out. “You can be dressed up to the nines and still not feel very good about yourself,” she explains. So when does she feel her best? “When my son tells me I do, which can be when I’m making pancakes in my pyjamas. He’ll just turn to me and say, ‘You look beautiful today Mummy’. Those are the moments you remember.”

Here, Jumbo chats to Bazaar about her evolving relationship with beauty and style, her skincare priorities and why fashion is anything but frivolous.

How has your relationship with beauty changed over the years?

“I’m 38 now, so I’m approaching that middle stage of my life where I think about skincare and beauty more than ever. I didn’t wear moisturiser until my late teens! Quality skin care for younger people wasn’t as available when I was younger. I’m also definitely less concerned about how ‘beautiful’ people think I am – now I’m more concerned about how I really feel.”

Cush Jumbo getting ready in her suite at the London Edition

Are you experimental with makeup?

“I have strong facial features – I’m half Nigerian and half English – so I have big eyes and a strong jaw. So I stay away from a strong make-up look as otherwise, it feels way too much. I love opting for dewy, fresh skin with an accentuated eye or lip.

“Today, my make-up is the perfect example of that – I have light coverage that’s hydrating my skin and gives me that healthy-looking glow, Hourglass’ Skin Tint provides good coverage. I also love the brand’s new glossy lipstick, which is super moisturising – a nude or pink lip makes me feel on top of the world. A balm is a must if you’re travelling; you can use it on your lips or even your nails if they’re suffering in the cold. Hourglass’ Vanish Airbrush concealer is also great for blurring and brightening skin imperfections, too.”

What are your main priorities with skincare?

“As I do such long hours; I was recently shooting Criminal Record for Apple where I was doing around 13-hour days, six days a week. It means wearing make-up for a very long time. You don’t always have time to remove that make-up and replace it, so you have to make sure the base of your face is as clean as possible at the start of the day, and that you do a deep clean when you get home. I always make sure my skin is clean and hydrated when shooting for long hours both outside and inside, otherwise, you’ll lose all the moisture.”

What is your most useful beauty hack?

“Flannels! Whenever you go for a facial, [the therapist] will often use a hot muslin cloth on your skin, but I don’t think many people think to use them at home. They’re pretty cheap and sustainable as they can be rewashed – make sure you have a stack of 10 to 15 flannels in your bathroom, so you can use a clean one every day. I use a cleanser or melting balm and make the flannel nice and hot to wipe it off; it gives you a better clean than a make-up wipe or cotton pad. It makes a difference.”

What kind of fashion makes you feel your most confident?

“I’m a combination of tomboy and all-out glamour, which is a crazy mix! I’m such a fan of Erdem, for its androgynous lines and sparkly pieces that make them quite feminine. It feels like you’re going into someone’s wardrobe and playing dress up; that’s essentially why I love getting dressed up, as you can be somebody else.”

How has your style evolved over the years?

“My style isn’t actually that different from the days when I’d wear a tracksuit to class, then change into my girly ballet tutu when I get there. If I’m travelling to set or rehearsing I’m always in a tracksuit, whereas on the red carpet, I go glitzy and girly. That’s pretty much still me going to a dance class when I was 11, so nothing has changed.”

What has been your most memorable fashion moment in recent years and why?

“For the opening night of Josephine and I in New York, I had a gown specially made by Giambattista Valli, with the help of Anna Wintour. He made the tulle from scratch in Paris and sent it over – it was the most amazing black fishtail gown. There’s only one of it in the world and it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever worn.”

Whose style have you always admired and why?

“I’m a big fan of the classics, like Audrey Hepburn and Josephine Baker. I love performers and artists from between the 1920s and 1950s. I also love people like Tilda Swinton who have this effortless kind of femininity, but also it’s very classic and slightly tomboyish. ”

When do you feel most beautiful?

“It’s all about the inside. You can be dressed up to the nines and still not feel very good about yourself. I feel most beautiful when my son tells me I do, which can be when I’m making pancakes in my pyjamas. He’ll just turn to me and say, ‘You look beautiful today Mummy’. Those are the moments you remember.”

Fashion has a reputation for being frivolous, but why does what we wear matter?

“Style is about expressing the way you feel on the inside. I remember when I was a kid, my mother took me to the theatre and I was so enamoured by what I saw on stage. I went home and got an old shower curtain she was throwing out and made it into a wedding dress. Fashion ignites the imagination, especially for children, which is so important as you take that into your future.”