Jessica Szohr’s Take on Beauty Has Zero ‘Complications’

Jessica Szohr, former Gossip Girl, talks confidence in her new role on Complications. (Photo: Instagram)

Sitting at dinner in Manhattan, former Gossip Girl star Jessica Szohr is playing the game “Bone, Marry, Kill” with a table of a dozen or so women. (Participants reveal who they want to spend time with for a night, forever or not at all). When friend and Gossip Girl co-star Chase Crawford’s name comes up, the actress declares she isn’t playing this round. She’s shared a lot of memories with Nate Archibald and the rest of her CW cast mates — including hours upon hours in hair and makeup. But Szohr — who often introduces herself as Jess — is no longer waltzing around with the teenage crowd on the Upper East Side of New York City.

The 30-year-old now plays a nurse in USA Network’s Complications, debuting June 18. The series revolves around a man who saves a boy from being shot. Still coping with the unrelated death of his own daughter, the hero becomes a vigilante when he learns the young man is still in danger.

Speaking of heroes — Szohr has two. One is her mom and the other is a model (and a role model) whom with she shares an identical lightning bolt finger tattoo. The actress tells us, it’s not always easy to conceal ink, or have it applied for the sake of TV…

Yahoo Beauty: You have 22 tattoos. How do you cover them up for roles?

Jessica Szhor: It’s been half and half for certain roles. For some roles, they let me have them. For some, I’ve had to cover them up – it’s a longer process for sure.

What does the tattoo cover-up process entail?

Just being in the makeup chair two hours longer than you would have to be. It’s a certain kind of cover up. It’s a certain makeup and it has to blend, and they make sure the lighting’s right.

What’s the process for applying your fake ones for your Complications character?

I have a huge flower [on my chest], something on my back, another armband. It’s a lot, because I have to lay down to not create creases so that it looks very real. It’s a situation!

You’re from a small Wisconsin town. How does beauty differ from Wisconsin vs. Los Angeles or New York?

I have to say, growing up, I was always someone who wanted to take care of my skin and make sure that I was clean at night when I was going to bed, and make sure I was putting good products on. In Wisconsin, I wasn’t aware of as many products as I am now – especially [after] being on Gossip Girl, with the way beauty was on that show. I definitely learned more being an actor and being around it.

What products are you using now?

Right now I’m using Obagi face wash, toner and lotion. It’s a gel face wash, a really light toner and a really light lotion. Sunscreen is a really big thing. My mom was always like, “Sunscreen!” but as I got older, I realized you need to put in on –  especially living in L.A., the sun’s always out.

What makeup tricks have you learned from Gossip Girl?

I never really knew about contouring until Gossip Girl. There are different bronzers; Charlotte Tilbury is amazing. She has a great contouring bronzer. I feel like curling your eyelashes can change [a look]. If you don’t have mascara one day, it just opens up your eyes more. It’s a simple one most girls can do. That’s one I’ll do no matter what, now.

Did you learn any beauty short cuts while being around Blake Lively or Leighton Meester?
We had really good makeup artists. We all have a different face shape or a different skin tone. Something Blake or Leighton could do, I couldn’t do – or vice versa. There were definitely certain brushes I wasn’t aware of that they definitely showed me on the show.

Complications is about a hero. Who are your heroes and your biggest supporters through and through?

My mom’s a big hero. She was 27 and had four kids with no help and was an amazing mom, from cooking meals to getting us involved in sports and different things in our community, which is really beautiful and amazing to me. [Model] Jessica Stam is one of my heroes. She’s really opened up my eyes to different charities that I’ve become involved with, with her. We’re both from small towns and moved to New York and have had a lot of opportunity at our fingertips. I was always wanting to help others, and when I met her, she was like, “We can help more…” She is a really good friend to have.

What makes you feel beautiful and confident?

Learning about myself as I get older. As you get older, you get more comfortable in your own skin and who you are. As a woman, especially being in entertainment, coming off a show like Gossip Girl that was very much about fashion and beauty and things like that, I’m a girl that has certain insecurities. I’m very confident in certain ways, but there are certain things that you’re like, “Am I too this or am I too that?” I think getting older and being more comfortable and understanding that everyone looks different and has a different way of eating or working out – I think it’s about getting to know yourself more. I think you get to know yourself as you get older with more life experiences.

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