Sophie Turner on 'GoT' Wigs, Fenty Highlighter, and What She Texts Joe Jonas
If you were following the stories from Priyanka Chopra’s bachelorette party this weekend, you already know Sophie Turner is a good time. So it should come as no surprise that when I met up with the actress and face of Wella Professionals recently to talk about the brand’s latest product, she greeted me in a fuzzy robe and heels, with a Juul in hand. (In all fairness, the room was freezing.)
Because of Game of Thrones, she goes back and forth between Sansa Stark red and her natural light blond. But at the moment, it’s more of cool, white blond—the result of Koleston Perfect, a pro-grade hair dye that’s meant to keep color vibrant for longer and cause less damage. “Icy, beige blond is the actual color of it,” she tells me. As much as I want it to be a clue about Sansa’s future in long winter ahead, she’s keeping details on the show (and on her engagement to middle Jo-Bro Joe Jonas) under lock and key. But as for answering our Big Beauty Questions, well, she didn’t hold back.
Glamour: For coloring it so much, your hair looks awesome. What do you do to keep it so healthy?
Sophie Turner: The biggest thing is WellaPlex. It’s a hair mask that you put on, leave in for 10 minutes, and then wash out. It repairs the bonds in your hair, so that it doesn’t just feel strong and healthy, it actually is stronger and healthier afterwards. I use it every week, because with the job I have, it’s a lot of dyeing, straightening, curling, and heat damage. I’ll put in on after showering, watch a bit of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and then I go back and wash it off.
Glamour: Tell us about your biggest hair emergency.
ST: A few years ago, I was trying to go back from red to blond, and it destroyed my hair to the point that I had to use a wig for Game of Thrones. They wouldn’t let me dye it back red or my hair would’ve fallen out.
Glamour: What’s one beauty trend you absolutely love?
ST: I love all the bold eyeshadow and crazy-colored highlighters people are wearing. Like Rihanna’s Fenty highlighters and pink, glossy eyes—stuff like that. I think people are becoming way more creative with their beauty looks, and it’s so much fun. I don’t know if they suit me, personally. I tried the [pink eye shadow look] but took it off before I left the house. Because once you have your makeup professionally done, when you do your own, you’re like, “I look terrible.”
Glamour: What’s one trend you wish you’d never tried?
ST: Cutting my hair into bangs. It was a disaster. I did it myself when I was 13, and it didn’t help that my red [from GoT] was fading into a mousy brown. I don’t know why I did it. I guess people were having bangs cut in and I thought, “F-ck it. I’ll give it a go.”
Glamour: What city gives you the greatest beauty inspiration?
ST: New York, for sure. People are bold and creative in New York, and there are all types of ethnicities in the city. You see beauty in so many different ways just walking down the street. Every time I’m in New York I feel like I experiment more. I dress cooler, I do cooler things with my makeup—it’s so inspiring.
Glamour: Your house is burning down! What are the three products you save?
ST: Wellaplex, hair spray—because if it’s stuck in the fire, then it’s going to blow up—and lip balm. I love Fresh’s coconut one. It’s so good.
Glamour: What’s your go-to getting ready music?
ST: I really like any seventies music. I’m into Dave Edmunds. What’s that song? [sings] I hear you knocking in, but you can’t come in… I think it’s because of my dad. He used to play seventies music all the time. I hated it then, but now, I’m 22 and it’s all I play. I also love R.E.M., Genesis, Fleetwood Mac. Most people would play rap or something to hype themselves up. But this is just happy music to me.
Glamour: What’s your favorite way to take a moment for yourself?
ST: Honestly, my favorite thing is lying in bed until I wake up naturally. With this job, it’s really hard to have a full sleep schedule. I usually have to get up at 4 A.M. So sometimes I just lie there and just enjoy being in bed.
Glamour: Do you watch anything or do you truly just lay there?
ST: Lately I’ve been watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians. I’ve binged seasons one through seven in, like, the past week. The family boxing match is by far the funniest episode.
Glamour: What’s the last Instagram rabbit hole you went down?
ST: Have you seen “If You High?” It’s this Instagram that I guess is for people who are high, but honestly, you don’t have to be high to watch it. It’s literally filled with the most satisfying images, like people squeezing putty or a putting steaming hot knife on lipsticks so the colors flow out together. Actually, I got this off of If You High…it’s called Epic Lava Tours. It’s videos of lava flowing out of rocks. It’s epic to watch. You have to look it up.
Glamour: Screw, marry, kill: mascara, lipstick, highlighter.
ST: I would kill lipstick, just because you don’t always need it. I would marry mascara, because it’s a necessity. And I’d screw highlighter.
Glamour: What’s your favorite emoji?
ST: I use the love heart eyes ?the most. Probably because I text my fiancé with that all the time, and I love him. Actually, if I had a real favorite, it’s the shit emoji ?. It’s just funny. Apparently, it’s really a chocolate ice cream though! At least someone told me that…
Glamour: You have $20 and free rein of a drugstore. What do you buy?
ST: I love drugstores. CVS is my favorite store in the whole world. It’s like Candyland. Honestly, I’d just buy the weirdest shit. The other day I spent $150 on makeup brushes that I already had and didn’t need. I could have just washed them; instead I get carried away and think I need everything. Like alcohol wipes—I love buying those. Cotton pads are great too. I have a real passion for the thin square ones. I use exactly five of them to take off my makeup: one on each eye, which I leave on for a minute, then dab to get all my mascara off. Then I take two more and do a circle around my face, and then the last one I swipe right down the middle. I love taking my makeup off. It’s my favorite routine.
Glamour: If you could change anything about beauty ideals, what would they be?
ST: Body-wise, I’d change what’s considered beautiful. I think if you’re healthy and you’re happy, then that’s all that matters. You don’t have to look a certain way, you don’t have to dress a certain way, you should feel freaking awesome in whatever you’re wearing, no matter your size.
Glamour: What’s the last piece of advice you got from your GoT co-star Maisie Williams?
ST: Maisie is the most supportive person I know. She and I are very open with each other and encourage each other to be healthy mentally. She’s one of the biggest champions of that. She’ll call up every day and be like, “Hey, you good today?” I know that’s not advice, but in a way, she’s telling me to look after myself—especially mental health-wise. I think that’s the most important thing.
Glamour: Is that because being an actress can be so tough on your mental health?
ST: I think so. Maisie and I have been through a lot together. We’ve grown up in this industry, and it can be taxing. I know her inside and out, and she knows me inside and out. It’s good to just check up on each other once in awhile. We love each other.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Related Stories:
–Sophie Turner Says Fans Might Be ‘Disappointed’ by Game of Thrones’ Series Finale
–This Video of Priyanka Chopra Carrying Sophie Turner While in Heels Is Everything
–Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams Had a Very Specific Self-Care Ritual to Deal With Game of Thrones Stress