We Had a Tell-All Beauty Chat With Sydney Sweeney—From Hair Hacks to Acne Scars

Say hello to Unfiltered, a fresh, new beauty series where you'll get an exclusive glimpse into the dressed-down beauty routines of our favorite celebrities. They'll reveal their guilty-pleasure beauty practices, the five-minute routine product lineup they can't live without, the one good-skin tip they'll be forever thankful for, and so much more. To bring every conversation full circle, we ask each celebrity to send us a selection of self-shot, filter-free photos of their choosing to capture the essence of their Unfiltered beauty philosophy. 

Up next, we're excited for you to get to know actress Sydney Sweeney, who's graced our TV screens in award-winning hits like The Handmaid's Tale and Euphoria (just to name a few!). As a fellow skincare enthusiast and product junkie, she's answering all of our rapid-fire questions and sharing her best-kept beauty secrets below. Enjoy!

If you had to leave the house in five minutes, what products would you use?

I’d quickly lather my Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre ($16) on my face, swipe some Burt’s Bees Lip Balm ($4) on my lips, hope my skin is clear that day, and finish it all off with some Maybelline Mascara ($7) and Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Eyebrow Gel ($23). I’d either throw a hat on my head or let the hair be loose and wild! 

On days when you’re not working or you’re just staying in, what does your skin routine look like both morning and night?

The first thing I do in the morning is rinse my face off with water. If I don’t have any Zoom meetings, I usually let my face soak in lotion, or I'll walk around with a face mask or zit ointment if needed. Recently, I’ve been loving the Eye Patches from Peter Thomas Roth and have been wearing them religiously every morning.

I have combo skin, so at night, I’ll bounce between a light exfoliator or gel face wash depending on how my skin is that day. Then, I’ll apply my oils, lotions, doctor-prescribed zit cream, and more Burt’s Bees Lip Balm!

If we looked in your bath or shower right now, what would we find? Do you have any prized bodycare obsessions?

I have practically every Ouai hair product in there! I’m trying to help my hair grow and become strong again after all the coloring and heat from Euphoria, and that brand, in particular, has really been helping. I have super-sensitive skin, so I don’t have many scrubs or scented body lotions. I like using Dove’s Body Wash for Sensitive Skin ($6)—I have a giant tub of it in my shower.

What’s one thing about your beauty routine that would surprise people?

I love to put pure aloe on my face. I am guilty of popping zits that shouldn’t be popped, and then, I end up with a mark on my face that's even worse than it should be. Aloe saves me from scarring and helps tone down any redness.

Are there any game-changing beauty secrets you’ve picked up on set?

Wiping my makeup off with Bioderma Sensibio H2O ($15)! A lot of makeup wipes irritate my skin, and this has become my holy-grail makeup remover. It’s so gentle but gets it all off!

We have to talk about Euphoria because you had so many amazing beauty moments. Which look was your favorite and why?

I think it’s a tie! I loved the ice-skating look because all of the jewels on my face were amazing, and it was such a powerful scene for me. And, of course, my Halloween Alabama Worley look.

From the outside looking in, it seems like you have a lot of fun with makeup and hair. What are your biggest points of inspiration when it comes to choosing a vibe for a red carpet or event?

I really enjoy the creative freedom to express myself through hair and makeup. I’m still figuring myself out and what I like, so being able to explore tons of different looks has been a lot of fun.

Do you have any "guilty pleasure” beauty practices or products?

Skyn Iceland's Arctic Hydration Rubberizing Mask with Vitamin C ($30). It looks hilarious when you're wearing it, but my skin is so soft and hydrated afterward. If we're talking about guilty-pleasure splurges though… I recently bought an LED face mask. Will it work? Will I stay young forever and have great skin? Haha, ask me in 20 years! 

Wellness and beauty are so intertwined—do you have any wellness practices or favorite supplements that help give you a boost both mentally and physically?

During quarantine, especially, I have found such zen with my skin routines. Being able to take those minutes to just take care of my skin for once has been really nice. I’m so used to scrubbing a bunch of makeup off and just hoping to get at least six hours of sleep, so I’ve been soaking up all of the self-care I can get. 

What about beauty trends? Is there anything you don’t buy into?

I’m honestly such a sucker for beauty trends! If I was reading an article like this, I’d be the one to look up every product and contemplate for a good week on whether I should get it or not. 

Okay, here's the biggest question of the interview. You walk into Sephora and can take anything—what’s in your cart?

 Anything?? How can a girl pick?! It’s like a wonderland in there!

What’s your Unfiltered beauty philosophy in seven words or less?

Drink water, love yourself, and be confident. 

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