Leslie Mann on What She Taught Her Daughter, Maude: "Whatever's on the Inside Comes Out"

When Jergens asked if I wanted to spend a brunch with Leslie Mann and Maude Apatow, it wasn't a hard sell. Who doesn't want to hang out with Leslie? And while Maude's star is just starting to rise, I knew that if she was anything like her parents, she would be a blast, too. (I was right.)

The brand then spiced up the offer: in the spirit of Mother's Day, my mom would be invited, too. We celebrated at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills with a group of 50-plus editors, influencers, and their moms. We also got to chat with Leslie and Maude, both spokeswomen for Jergens, one on one. Check out the conversation below.

POPSUGAR: What's the number-one piece of beauty advice that your mom has given you that you've taken to heart?
Maude Apatow: She has always told me not to overpluck my eyebrows, and now thick eyebrows are cool. I have thick eyebrows [Laughter], and so I'm very glad I didn't pluck them. And then, also just to stay moisturized.

POPSUGAR: Do you have a first makeup memory, something you maybe saved your money to buy or an experience using a product that you remember thinking, "OK, I'm using makeup now. This is so cool"?
MA: Well, I remember the first time my mom put mascara on me for Halloween when I was really little. I don't know how old I was, like 5 or 6, and I was so excited. I was like, "I look amazing right now." But I think at Sephora they have the Sephora brand eye shadow palettes that fold out. I remember I saw that, and I was like, "Oh my God."
Leslie Mann: And we got it for you for Christmas.
MA: I got that for Christmas, and I was so excited!

POPSUGAR: Growing up in LA and having the mom and dad that you have, I'm sure you probably have some pretty cool celebrity stories. Do you have anything that rings a bell or a memory that you're like, "I bet not a lot of other people have this memory"?
MA: I saw one of the actors from Lost at Coffee Bean. We live in LA, but I was so excited, and I don't think I've seen him anywhere else.

POPSUGAR: That's great. He's not lost anymore. Do you have a go-to makeup brand or look that you're really into right now that you'd want to share with your fans?
MA: I love all of the . . . what are they called? These lip glosses, I can't remember.
LM: Oh, yeah, the Chanel.
MA: They're like short and matte. Are they called Rouge Coco? The new Chanel ones, I love those. Because they last really long but they don't dry out your lips. I love those. The nudish one of that, I use like every day.
LM: And I agree. Those actually don't flake and look crazy after a while.

POPSUGAR: Leslie, this is for you. What advice did you give Maude when she first started talking about acting? Was there anything that you didn't want her to learn the hard way or go through that you had been through personally?
LM: I think the one good piece of advice we give both of our girls is to write your own stuff so that you don't have to rely on other people to give you jobs. Write your own stuff, make your own stuff, direct your own stuff, which you can totally do nowadays even if you have no money. You can make a little movie for almost nothing. And anyone can sit down and try to write.
MA: And you have social media and the internet to put out what you do. And it's so easy, you could make a movie on your iPhone now. It's so crazy. And you've always said, "Be fully committed to whatever you do." Commit. And serve the story, not ourselves.

POPSUGAR: Was there advice that she has given where you thought at first, "Ugh, Mom," but then, you were like, "Yeah, Mom's right. Always"?
MA: You've given me beauty advice that I haven't trusted, but then I looked back and I'm like, "Oh."
LM: What? Tell me!
MA: I don't know. Just heavy eyeliner over dark eye shadows always looks terrible.
LM: What about the smile?
MA: I used to smile really — wait. That makes it sad. [Laughs] I just did this really weird forced smile, with like, an underbite.
LM: With her bottom teeth pushed out!
MA: But I was really young. I was like 4.
LM: And I'm like, "Maudie? Just smile." And she said, "No." And that's her passport picture.

POPSUGAR: Beauty is more than just looking good. It's deeper. What did you hope to teach both of your daughters about beauty growing up?
LM: Whatever's on the inside comes out. What's happening on the inside, your thoughts, how you take care of yourself, the food you put into your body. That's everything because then you feel good, you feel happier, and if you think positive thoughts, if you are kind to people, it all comes out on your face.

POPSUGAR: Let's talk about Jergens—
LM: Grab that Jergens. Grab it!
POPSUGAR: Tell me a little bit why you guys thought that this was a good match for both of you. Maude, why do you love Jergens?
MA: Well, we've always had the Wet Skin Moisturizer.
LM: It's the best product ever. And the people are so nice, and it's been such a great experience for me. What did you think?
MA: Well, I think we actually really do use Jergens! It's a no-brainer. But yeah, dry elbows? Use a little Jergens shea butter moisturizer.

POPSUGAR: I feel like such a dork even asking this next question, but I'm going to. You're a really cool mom to have. What's the most "mom" thing you've done when it comes to parenting? Is there something that you have thought to yourself, "Wow. OK. I'm officially a mom. I did this. It happened"?
LM: I am cool, but I also track them on Find My Friends.
MA: Sometimes, you don't know how to work FaceTime. That was the first time that technology was an issue. She's like, "How do I turn the camera around?!" Other than that, you're pretty savvy. You're not embarrassing.
MA: You're not embarrassing.
LM: Thanks, Maude!
MA: Iris thinks you're embarrassing.
LM: Iris would say I'm embarrassing. What do I do with Iris that's embarrassing?
MA: Everything.
LM: Everything embarrasses her because she's 15.
MA: She's angsty.
LM: It's different.

POPSUGAR: I've been following [Maude] for a while on Instagram and your sister. I have to say, your accounts are so fun. I have to know, Leslie, were you ever worried about your kids getting on social media, especially with how big the platform has become for them?
LM: Yeah. A little bit. I mean —
MA: I was nervous about being on social media.
LM: Yeah. I think with Maude, we felt a little more comfortable. She seemed to have a good handle on it. And Iris was a little bit younger and would put things on her Instagram that were inappropriate. And we've had many fights about what's appropriate and what isn't. It's been tricky. But now, I feel like she's got it handled for the most part.
MA: It is scary, though, right now having to be so young and to have people paying attention to what you're posting. I don't think I had that when I was that age. We made funny videos and took weird pictures, but no one would ever see them. And I'd be so embarrassed thinking back if someone saw that now. So to see all these really young kids are posting all of that stuff is a little scary. Because it doesn't go away.

POPSUGAR: So for Maude and Iris, when were you guys allowed to watch Knocked Up? Was that something you were allowed to watch immediately?
MA: No. We didn't — well, because we were like 7. And 2.
LM: I don't think so. I don't think we ever let them watch it. It think they just found a way to sneak and watch it. But probably a while after. But also, most of that stuff just goes over their head.

POPSUGAR: This is the rapid fire. So this is for both of you. What makes you feel beautiful?
MA: Jergens.
LM: Jergens.

POPSUGAR: You are a great spokesperson. They are applauding you right now.
LM: Yes. Let's think. Love.
MA: Clear skin.

POPSUGAR: What's your favorite thing about your dad, your husband [Judd Apatow]?
MA: His humor.
LM: His belly.

POPSUGAR: What advice would you both offer Iris as she's finding her own path in life?
MA: Just follow in my footsteps and you'll be fine!
Iris Apatow: Will do.
MA: Chill with attitude. [Laughs] No, just kidding.
LM: Follow your heart, but make sure your heart's in the right place.

POPSUGAR: What were the first fragrances that you ever picked out?
LM: Paris by Yves Saint Laurent. I still have it. And I smell it all the time, and it reminds me of when I was a teenager.
MA: Mine was maybe a sample of that Chanel one, Coco. I used that, and I was like, "Oh, I'm so fancy!" It was a Sephora sample.

POPSUGAR: What is your favorite Instagram account?
LM: Maude and Iris. I only follow them.
MA: I love —
LM: The Bichon, Tori?
MA: No, I don't want to say that one.
LM: It's true, though.
MA: Yeah, I guess. I follow a lot of dogs on Instagram. My favorite dog is this dog, Bichon Tori. It's just this little cotton-ball dog. Every time it comes up on my feed, I feel like I want to cry. It's so cute. So that.