The Essentials With Nicky Hilton: Kids’ Menus, Chanel and Holiday Dressing
Growing up living in New York City’s Waldorf Astoria, Nicky Hilton’s day-to-day was like a real-life version of the beloved children’s book series, Eloise. “The people-watching there was next level,” Hilton tells Observer. “You’d be going up in the elevator with a pop star, a president or an Academy Award actor—there was just always someone or something interesting going on there. Paris and I used to love to slip into the ballroom and see what events were going on,” she says of the holiday season, which has maintained its magic for the hotel heiress, who herself is now married and raising three children in New York City.
“The holidays are my favorite time of year to dress up because you can be festive and have fun with sparkles,” says Hilton, who collaborated with Australian designer Rebecca Vallance on a capsule collection of embellished dresses (and one jumpsuit) that pull double duty as accessories. “Some of the pieces are like jewelry because of the sequins, and crystals, and bows,” she continues, adding with a laugh, “I have not had to purchase one holiday dress this entire season.
While she’ll be packing up a few of her favorite designs as she heads to Los Angeles to join the rest of her family for Christmas (including the diamanté bow-adorned Leyla minidress), there are still a few holiday activities on her list in NYC. “One of my favorite traditions is going to Doubles for the Christmas lunch,” she says of the private dining club. “My mom used to take me when I was little, and now I take my kids—it’s just the most magical, festive place in the world.”
Another treasured holiday tradition for Hilton is preparing for the annual children’s event that she hosts as a board member for God’s Love We Deliver. The non-profit, which provides meals to New Yorkers who are too sick to shop or prepare food for themselves, will hold its Friends Fest event at the Museum of Ice Cream on January 28. “I started the Friends Fest with God’s Love three years ago,” explains Hilton, who helped the organization serve its 40 millionth meal shortly before our call. “This year, my sister Paris will be co-hosting with me and DJing. It’s the most incredible day, and the kids go crazy, and we raise a lot of critical funds for God’s Love.”
In the midst of holiday festivities, Observer chatted with Hilton about her essentials—from the skincare products she’s never without (yes, even when she’s traveling) to the ultimate room service order.
Her morning skincare routine
I wash my face every morning with this U Beauty Mantle cleanser. It’s really milky, and it gets the makeup off at night. And then I like Joanna Czech’s toner, and I’ll use the U Beauty Resurfacing Compound serum; it just tightens and brightens. And then for eye cream, I like Macrene Actives. For moisturizer, I’ve been using the Augustinus Bader, and I’ll blend in some of the Barbara Sturm Sun Drops with that for SPF. I also love U Beauty’s Neck + Décolleté Concentrate for tech neck lines. It’s like a lotion, but it has this blurring effect that’s really great.
What she’s binge-watching
I’ve been watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills because my mom is on it.
What she’s reading
I love to read nonfiction in general. My friend Sarah Hoover just gave me a galley of her book, The Motherload: Episodes from the Brink of Motherhood, which comes out in January. It’s about her journey with motherhood, and all of the ups and downs of that.
Favorite vacation spot
I’ve been going to the Grand Wailea [a Waldorf Astoria property] in Maui since I was a little girl, and it’s the best. I went last year with my sister and all of our kids, and it just brings back so many memories. I always have to do the waterslides at the hotel, and just swimming in general because the water is like a bubble bath. I’ll go to lunch at Spago next door at the Four Seasons Maui, and I love a luau—the hotel always does a fun luau.
Go-to room service order
I love a grilled cheese and fries with a Coke. Anything from a children’s menu at hotels—mac and cheese or sliders, and always have to have a Coke.
What she’s traveling with
I don’t think I’ve ever just done a carry-on in my life. It’s one of my husband [James Rothschild] and my biggest arguments, but I have a whole beauty suitcase. I don’t care what brand it is, I’ll just go on Amazon and look for the largest suitcase for all of my products: shampoos, moisturizers, face stuff, sunblock, hair styling products, blow dryers. On my carry-on, I always have a pen, a blanket and a charger. I also like to have lip balm and 111SKIN eye patches, and I’ll douse my face in the U Beauty face oil. My mom is a big believer in putting Neosporin in your nostrils so you don’t get sick. I don’t even know if it’s true, but she claims that it blocks germs.
New York favorites
I had dinner the other night at Chez Margaux, and last week, I had the steak at the Crane Club, which I thought was delicious. Right in my neighborhood, there’s a Los Tacos. It’s street tacos, so there’s no seating. You just stand at the counter and eat. I’d say I go there twice a week, and I get the steak and chicken quesadillas with onions and guacamole.
The one thing in her wardrobe she refuses to part with
I collect Chanel jackets, but I don’t get rid of any of my Chanel. It’s so timeless, and I figure I’ll pass that down to my daughters.