In so many ways, Nicole Richie defined the 2000s. Alongside her childhood best friend, Paris Hilton, she became a pioneer of reality TV in 2003 with The Simple Life, where the party girls traded blingy Los Angeles for rural Arkansas. After five seasons, the duo moved on—having paved the way for the Kardashians, the Housewives, and the Bachelors. Daughter of the musicians Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey-Richie, Nicole went on to write two books and launch the jewelry brand House of Harlow 1960. Now, married to Joel Madden and the mother of two teenagers, she’s back in the reality spotlight with Paris & Nicole: The Encore, a three-part series that finds the pair revisiting Arkansas—and trying to write an opera. To celebrate this cultural moment, Richie shares her simple nighttime routine.
WHEN DO YOU START GETTING READY FOR BED?
Emotionally, I start getting ready at seven P.M. Physically, I like to be in bed by 10 o’clock. But I start shutting down in the sense that … the shop is closed. My brain starts going a little sideways at about 7:01.
TAKE US THROUGH YOUR NIGHTTIME SKIN-CARE ROUTINE.
I deal with rosacea, so I take a less-is-more approach to my skin care. I use a brand called Avène. For me, it’s really about keeping my skin calm and clean and not irritating it. I do a cleanser, a toner specifically for my rosacea from my dermatologist, and then a very heavy cream. I have dry skin, so I can take a heavy moisturizer.
DO YOU TAKE ANYTHING TO FALL ASLEEP?
Sometimes I’ll drink magnesium powder before bed, but other than that, I just stick to water. I try not to eat late, but I also love to go to dinner with girlfriends, so it doesn’t work 100 percent of the time.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO FALL ASLEEP?
Not that long. I unfortunately have a bad habit of falling asleep on the couch with my dogs, and then I’ll wake up and go to my room. But it’s not a problem for me to fall asleep. Sleeping is my favorite activity.
ONCE YOU’RE IN BED, DO YOU WATCH ANYTHING?
Right now, I’m finishing the latest season of Yellowstone.
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU DO BEFORE BED?
Shower. I would never get into bed without showering.
DO YOU ADD ANY STEPS WHEN YOU’RE SHOOTING PARIS & NICOLE?
No matter how early my call times are, I’ll make sure that I have a big chunk of time in the morning to get myself together. I organize and clean, check over the house, and pack my snacks. It just really helps me emotionally.
HOW DO YOU DECOMPRESS AFTER A LONG DAY ON SET?
The biggest difference is the makeup-removal process. Makeup is very hard on my skin, so I don’t really wear it. My skin really takes a beating when I’m on set. I have gentle makeup wipes, and I start taking my makeup off as soon as I can. But it’s definitely an extra step.
ARE YOU PARTICULAR ABOUT YOUR SLEEP CONDITIONS?
I’m a nightmare to sleep with because I’m always cold, so I like to keep the temperature in my room at a nice, beautiful 80 degrees. That’s where I’m the most happy, but my husband obviously does not feel the same way. We meet in the middle, at 70, and then I’ll sneak around when he’s asleep and move it up to 75 or 76. But if he’s on tour or out of town and I get to go wild, I will blast that heat.
HOW ABOUT YOUR PAJAMAS?
Right now, I’m very into Eberjey. The fabric is so soft and they’re just perfect—and you can get them monogrammed for your friends.
ANY SOUND MACHINES?
No, but I do have a fan that I need. I like that moving air, and I like that noise. It’s like the desert. I also have two cats. They start fighting and knocking things over around four A.M., so you’ll hear little screams, and footsteps, sometimes things dropping on the floor … but it’s all very relaxing to me.
WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHTS?
I’m very sensitive to light. I have blackout curtains. If I feel even a little sliver of sunlight when I wake up in the morning, it feels like I’m being attacked.
One time, I slept at my girlfriend’s house, and we fell asleep with the windows open, and I woke up screaming. I wish I had an automatic curtain opener, but I do it manually, like a peasant.
AND YOUR BED …
We have a Sleep Number, and right now it’s on a little bit of a tilt. But I’m 5’1”, and the tilt doesn’t work for me. It’s like a slide—I just end up at the bottom of the bed. I understand the point of it, but I think I’m too short. We also have a Casper at our other house, and I really love it.
ARE YOU FINICKY ABOUT YOUR PILLOWS?
I sleep with a lot of pillows because I like to read in the morning. I have many small pillows, and I kind of Tetris them into my body. I pull the covers over me, have my knees up, and wear this baller reading neck light. It might not really be baller, but it is in my mind. It wraps around my neck with two little lights by my collarbone.
WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SLEEP?
At home. Always at home. I’m happy wherever my family is.
WHAT’S THE BEST NIGHT’S SLEEP YOU’VE EVER HAD?
I’m a pretty good sleeper. I would say any night when everyone’s here and I can really shut off.
Jeanne Malle is an Associate Editor at Air Mail
