Beauty Detail

Vanessa Hudgens Is Also Obsessed With Chrome Nails

The actor and singer reveals everything that’s in her beauty routine.

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Vanessa Hudgens on her skin care routine and go-to makeup products.
Getty Images/Taylor Hill / Contributor
Beauty Detail
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In Bustle’s Beauty Detail, we dive into the beauty bags of our favorite talents for intel on the rituals that keep them glowing and the MVPs (most valuable products) they can't live without. Here, Vanessa Hudgens tells Bustle about the all-in-one makeup product she swears by and the nail trend she’s obsessed with.

A scroll through Vanessa Hudgens’ Instagram will show that the star loves to have fun with beauty. One day she’s rocking braided pigtails under a bucket hat, and the next she’s wearing a sophisticated updo on the red carpet. On Halloween, she tends to follow Cady Heron’s school of thought, dressing up in intricate costumes versus the more Regina style of just showing as much skin as possible. “I think it's so fun to be able to express yourself and really embrace your femininity and not play to social norms of what is [considered] ‘sexy,’” the 34-year-old tells Bustle over Zoom.

Hudgens genuinely loves playing around with makeup and hairstyles, and is particularly into the resurgence of early 2000s trends. (She has been unofficially named the “queen of Coachella”, after all.) “I’ve always been a fan of throwing stickers on my face and playing with color and glitter on my roots,” she says. “During the lockdown, I can’t tell you how many times I would wake up and be like, ‘what cute kooky hairstyle can I do on myself today?’”

While the actor and singer is experimental with hair and makeup, she takes a more careful approach to her skin care routine. “I have very oily skin, really sensitive skin, and I’ve been dealing with acne for as long as I can remember,” says Hudgens, who notes that she’s tried “everything under the sun” to keep her breakouts under control. And that’s largely why she’s relaunching her skin care brand Know Beauty as a line of products that target specific concerns. First up? One product: the Glacial Bay Clay Mask, a purifying treatment that clears out the pores without drying out the skin.

Clay masks have always been something I’ve used as someone who’s dealt with acne,” says Hudgens. “But I had always found them to be way too drying for me, so I wanted to create a product that’s going to rid your skin of toxins while also being hydrating — the product I’ve always needed.”

Whenever a pimple shows up, though, Hudgens doesn’t stress about it as much as she used to. “I think [it’s important] to approach [your skin] with care and time and love,” she says. “And to be forgiving to yourself and your skin because sometimes you can’t control it — it’s literally hormonal.” To give her complexion the TLC it needs, Hudgens says she doesn’t rush through her skin care routine. “I put on some music, light some candles, palo santo myself, and break out my tools,” she says.

As for her nails? She’s just as into the chrome manicure trend as everyone else is. “I’ve honestly become such a fan of the glazed look. It’s what I have on right now,” says Hudgens. “I’ve been opting for neutrals but done in an interesting way, and that normally means the glaze.”

Here, Hudgens reveals her current beauty staples, including the multitasking facial tool she swears by.

Her Must-Have Face Mask

“This really works and it does everything that I’ve always wanted a clay mask to do — I can’t live without it. One ingredient it contains is lactic acid, which is something I’ve always been a fan of. I think it really works wonders at clearing away dead skin cells and evening the skin tone as well as softening the skin. I honestly use this almost every day.”

Her All-In-One Skin Tint

“For my everyday makeup look, I’ve found this tinted moisturizer that I’m obsessed with by Ilia. It’s got hyaluronic acid and sunscreen in it, which is a win-win.”

Her Go-To Makeup Essential

“I love my Freck. I put on my freckles almost every day, and if I have a little pimple, it's a great way to cover it up.”

Her MVP Serum

“This is a great oil. As someone who has oily skin, this one is really absorbent and uses plant-based nutrients, which I love.”

Her Everyday Device

“I use my SolaWave on top of the Everything Serum. It just really allows those nutrients to better penetrate the skin.”

Her Go-To Beauty Tool

“I love my Snatched by Pauly tool. It uses high-frequency lights and ultrasound, comes with a collagen gel that you slather on, and really just tightens up your muscles and helps with fine lines as well as promoting lymphatic drainage. It does all the things. I’ll use this about twice a week.”

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