Chris Hemsworth travels the world with a veritable arsenal of grooming products. While he prefers the no-frills, chemical-free kind of stuff, he won’t object to a luxury cream every now and then—especially if it’s already in his cabinet. After all, you’ve gotta be prepared when you’re the leading man of not one but two summer blockbusters.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s also the face of BOSS Bottled, whose latest fragrance, Infinite, came out this week. Ahead of the new scent’s release, Thor himself set aside his hammer-wielding duties to chat with GQ about his favorite local sunscreen brands, the occupational hazards of shaving on his own, and the $400 moisturizer he stole from his wife.
GQ: Let’s start with the basics. When you travel, what are the five essential things you take with you?
Chris Hemsworth: A toothbrush, toothpaste, beard trimmer, a bit of coconut oil, and a moisturizer. I steal various moisturizers from my wife's section of the bathroom. A little cologne, and some deodorant. Some sunscreen, if I'm in some hotter climates, an outdoor place where I'm gonna surf. I usually have a whole bunch of surfboard wax if I'm going on a surf trip. That usually takes up most of the room in my vanity kit.
Which of your wife’s products do you like to borrow?
She uses a lot of La Mer products, which, you know, cost a small fortune, so she's less than happy when I use that face moisturizer over my whole body. I found out the hard way when I used her $400 cream for a sunburn one time. That wasn't the best option.
You used it for sunburn?!
Yeah! My shoulders were sunburnt one time and I lathered up my shoulders with some La Mer products not realizing how expensive they were. She wasn't really that impressed. It smells so delicious, I wanted to eat it.
What kind of beard trimmer do you like to use?
I have a little Phillips one with the adjustable head for different lengths. I always prefer to have a shorter bit of stubble than [going] clean-shaven. Clean-shaven's a little intense, and I think most guys prefer not to do it if they don't have to. I've just done it for Men in Black for four months, and I think I've done my fair share of clean shaving for the next ten or fifteen years. I'm gonna enjoy a bit of stubble or a beard from now on.
How do you like to shave?
I usually prefer to do it the night before work and then have a shower and let my face relax a bit, rather than shaving and going straight to work. I feel like that's a bit of a shock to my skin system. And I had this orange Remington clean shave electric one—they're, like, $40 or something. It's been around for years. The ones you get literally from the local chemist or what have you. But that seemed to work just as good as the $400 ones. Otherwise, when I am shaving with a razor, I'd do it myself, but, you know, there's a higher risk of injury. Disaster.
What do you use coconut oil for?
Usually just on my face. Especially when it's really dry and I'm surfing a lot, spending a lot of time in the sun. It's better for sunburn or dehydrated skin—and much cheaper—than La Mer.
Are there certain smells that remind you of home that you like to use when you travel?
The coconut oil. There’s a coconut base in a lot of surfboard wax, and a lot of the sunscreens that I tend to use, and so there's something about that that reminds me of surfing as a young kid, or being on holiday somewhere—my happiest vivid memories of my childhood. I'm instantly brought back to that period by those scents.
What kind of sunscreen do you use when you’re surfing?
I use Surf Mud a lot. It's almost like putting clay on your face, but it's a pretty effective barrier from the harsh sun here in Australia. It’s a natural zinc. That’s for the face, and then there’s another local brand called Feel Good Sunscreen. It’s all natural products and no harmful chemicals and so on. It’s really good.
What about deodorant? Any specific brands you prefer?
I haven't used a spray deodorant for a long time due to the chemicals and the negative effects on the environment, so I tend to [use] a natural roll-on. But the natural ones don't always work so well, so you've gotta dig around and find the good ones. There's a couple of locally made ones here in Byron Bay that are pretty heavy. Pretty efficient.
What about cologne? What kind of scents do you like?
Nothing too overpowering, nothing too sweet. That's why I like the Hugo Boss stuff. There's a versatility to it that I've always appreciated, and it's not just for one occasion. But I like to wear it sparingly. Not a whole lot. You want it to be subtle. I don't like walking into a room and having everybody be aware of what cologne you're wearing. So the earthier, more relaxed tones.
What are your favorite hair products?
Kevin Murphy's got a clay wax that's pretty good. It's an Australian product, and I like his stuff. For when my hair's a little longer, he makes an elastic wax that's pretty effective. My hair's super thick and heavy, so if you put too much of anything, it just creates a big brick-like sculpture, so I need to be minimal with my application.
Okay, one more: What kind of fragrance do you think Thor wears?
Something...metallic. In his healthier days, he'd probably find something with a bit of spark and a bit of kick to it. But, you know, the way you saw him in Endgame...he probably just smells like Cheetos and beer.
