Beauty Detail

The Moisturizing Skin Care Hack Adrienne Bailon Swears By

The star shares her beauty essentials.

by Danielle Sinay
Adrienne Bailon's beauty routine includes gua sha facials and head-to-toe moisture.
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Beauty Detail

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, Adrienne Bailon tells Bustle about her favorite skin care products, the importance of daily routines, and how practicing self-care influences her perspective on beauty.

Adrienne Bailon Houghton’s self-care mantra is “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” And that’s why the former Cheetah Girls star is adamant about following both a morning and a nighttime routine.

“You need a morning and a night routine because it sets up your whole next day — then you’re not disorganized, you’re not rushing, and you’re not stressed,” she tells me over the phone. “Wake up an hour earlier, and it makes a huge difference in your day.”

So what exactly does the entrepreneur’s morning look like? First, she says she begins her day by writing in a gratitude journal, then extends her appreciation into her get-ready regimen. “The shower, my body wash — the whole experience — is so important for how the rest of my day goes,” she shares. Next, she’ll apply body lotion immediately after the shower. “The first three minutes after you get out of the shower is when you should put your lotion on because that’s when your body is most absorbent,” says Houghton (such is the case for many serums, as well, which is what she applies next). “I do that first thing in the morning, then it’s also part of my routine before I go to bed at night.”

Houghton’s skin care regimen is a large part of her a.m. and p.m. rituals (her father instilled in her at a young age the idea that “when you look good, you feel good”). Currently, she’s obsessed with collagen and admits she consumes the skin-boosting nutrient in every form she can. “I’ve been drinking it in protein smoothies, teas, and using it in all of my facial creams and serums,” says Houghton.

As for makeup, the star has been appreciating the recent resurgence of ’90s-inspired fads. “I love a good retro winged liner, and that color in makeup is coming back — it’s been fun seeing white or green liner,” says Houghton. “I also love that I’ve been wearing my natural curls, and that people are embracing texture more and volume which is definitely very ’90s.”

Lately, Houghton’s developed an appreciation for taking care of her skin beneath her neck. Her go-to body care product? Olay’s collagen-spiked body lotion (naturally). “We’ve been using all these ingredients — like hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3 — on our face, and completely not using them on our body,” she tells me. “So I’m excited that my body is catching up to my face.”

Read on for more of Houghton’s must-have skin care essentials, including the serum she applies before giving herself a gua sha facial.

Her Favorite Facial Serum

“I start my morning with the Vintner’s Daughter face serum, which I love. It’s a product that’s an investment for sure, but so worth it. So I’ll apply it first thing in the morning, then use my gua sha.”

Her Treasured Beauty Tool

“I’m a huge fan of gua sha facial tools. I keep one in the fridge. I do it every morning, it’s my fave. It de-puffs and helps sculpt my face — I naturally have a fuller face so I love that it really creates definition.”

Her Beloved Body Lotion

“I love the Olay Firming Body Lotion with collagen in it. It’s my favorite because when you think of hydrating you [sometimes] think, ‘Oh I’m going to be walking around greasy for the rest of the day,’ but it’s so not that. It’s a non-greasy formula, and it’s been super helpful [for my skin].”

Her Beauty Sleep Essential

“I love a good silk pillowcase from the brand Slip, and the eye mask is amazing as well.”

Her Must-Have Lip Product

“I literally sleep with a lip balm under my pillow because I will wake up in the middle of the night and feel like I need to replenish. I love to keep my lips super moisturized with the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask — I’m obsessed.”

Her Go-To Collagen Powder

“I love Vital Proteins Collagen. I've been putting it into my smoothies every morning for the last two years.”