Laura Dern Let Her Teenage Daughter Dye Her Roots In Quarantine

Laura Dern's quarantine crew spans three generations. The Academy Award-winning actress is currently in self-isolation in her Los Angeles home with two teenagers — her 15-year-old daughter Jaya Harper and 18-year-old son Ellery Harper — as well as her 84-year-old mother, actress Diane Ladd.

Despite the relatable anxieties of living in close quarters during the global pandemic, Dern paints an idyllic picture of a calm and serene household, complete with family meditation, DIY mother-daughter beauty projects (and TikTok dance routines), and bedtime stories to promote a restful night's sleep. That said, the Little Women star is quick to note that fostering a calming environment starts with taking care of herself.

"I think there's a lot of guilt around self-care, but this is a pivotal moment in our history when we're being asked to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others," Dern told Refinery29 in a recent phone interview. "That pertains to our own families, but also staying healthy and social distancing to prevent the spread of viruses on a community-wide scale. So, now more than ever, we need to take our vitamins, we need to eat well, we need to get sleep."

The topic of sleep as it pertains to self-care is a seamless segue into Dern's newest brand partnership, teaming up with Natural Vitality Calm, a magnesium supplement she's sworn by as her good-sleep secret for years. "For me, the ritual of daily supplements is so important," Dern explains. "The Calm Magnesium Powder is something I've been using for years — my children use it, too. It's been part of our daily lives in general, but feels especially important now. We all take it every night before bed, and it really helps to promote good digestion and sleep. I find that I'm definitely restless without it."

Beyond the drinkable sleep supplement, Dern says she's been leaning heavily into sleep-focused rituals that help her family come to a place of calm before bed. "We're all into transcendental meditation, so we've been reminding each other to meditate in the evening, followed by some form of storytelling," Dern says. "My mom is quarantined with us, so sometimes I'll have her tell stories, or we'll read a book or short story or watch a movie. I think if you have kids and elders in the house and you're trying to keep everyone centred, before bed is not the time to be turning on the news."

From a beauty perspective, Dern says she's been trying to maintain some sense of normalcy during quarantine — with a little help from her daughter. "At night, I'm using my regular True Botanicals products, which I love because they use all organic and healing ingredients," Dern explains (she's also a True Botanicals celebrity brand activist, along with Olivia Wilde). "My daughter uses True Botanicals as well, and we've actually been doing our skin-care routines together lately. She also just did my hair colour, just with a root touch-up, and it was hysterical. She did an amazing job, God bless her."

If there's anything that can make this tumultuous time a little easier for those stuck at home, it's quality time — which can mean anything from family storytelling and meditation to helping your mom dye her roots.