'Pretty Little Liars' Star Shay Mitchell's Beauty Routine
by Lyndsay Green, Teen Vogue
Photo: Sebastian Kim
Shay Mitchell’s beauty radiates from the inside out. It’s not just that head of long, lush, glossy hair or her glowy skin—we also love and respect her charity work, like her commitment to protect women and children from sex trafficking.
The 27-year-old Pretty Little Liars actress might play a sporty teen on the hit series, but in real life Shay’s a girly girl at heart. Head over to her Instagram account and we guarantee you’ll get lost in countless photos of colorful flowers, cityscapes, and many a #mani shot. Or you can hop over to Amore & Vita, the lifestyle site that Shay launched with her bestie, Michaela Blaney, where you’ll find loads of décor, fashion, and beauty inspiration. “I love fashion, beauty, and fitness,” Shay says. “People always ask who I go to for beauty advice and I’m like: ‘Myself!’”
So when the self-proclaimed beauty guru is willing to share every little detail about her A.M. to P.M. beauty routine, not only do you take her up on it—you jot down notes and consider adopting her entire regimen as your own. Here, a step-by-step guide to getting Shay Mitchell-pretty from the stunning star herself.
Skin Care:
“First and foremost, I wash my face with whatever cleanser is on my vanity at the moment (I have a mini drugstore in my bathroom!). It’s so important. A lot of people say to cleanse at night but you have to do it in the morning. I’m also a moisture queen. I swear by Innovative Skincare Active Serum and lots of body lotion, and I keep undereye patches in the freezer. I try to use a face mask every other night or at least once a week (I love Glam Glow’s masks!), followed by Shani Darden’s Retinol Reform and Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate. I also make it a point to see Shani here in L.A. regularly.”
Related: 4 Things You Need to Know Before Getting a Facial
Makeup:
“I grew up in Toronto where it’s freezing and snowing all the time. (I’ve been living out in L.A. for five years now. When it comes to the cold—been there, done it, don’t want to do it again!) Carmex was really my first little makeup product, so becoming the Carmex Moisture Plus spokesperson was a really organic relationship for me. Now, the new packaging is shaped like a lipstick and has SPF, which a lot of people forget is important to have in your lip products. In the morning, I only use CoverGirl Lash Blast (I purchase 10 at a time in case they discontinue!). It just works really well. Kelley Baker’s Brow Powder and Magic Stick Highlighter Pencil are also amazing. Otherwise, I keep my makeup light. Jouer’s Luminizing Moisture Tint is more like a tinted moisturizer than foundation, so I feel like I’m killing two birds with one stone. When I’m on vacation, I might try a pop of color on my lips and if I’m going out at night, I’ll probably try winged eyeliner, but for the most part I tend to stick with my lip balm and mascara. I think less is more. You don’t need to cake it on. I see a lot of girls who wear a lot of makeup but it should be more about enhancing what you have—not covering it up. Instead, focus on taking care of your skin. I do have a ton of makeup, which I keep in a big acrylic makeup box so that I can see it all, because I like to play around with different looks. I use a moist BeautyBlender to apply my concealer or foundation and instead of normal makeup brushes, sometime I go to art supply stores to get different types of paint brushes! I’m also so fortunate to have so many friends who are talented makeup artists, so I often go to them for tips.”
Hair:
“I wash my hair once every three days and try to let it air-dry as often as possible versus blow-drying it. Working with heat every day really stresses your hair, so the less heat, the better. Instead, I’ll spritz any sort of salt or conditioning spray in it, scrunch, and let it dry naturally. For a big night out, most of the time I like to keep my hair simple and down with a slight curl, but sometimes I’ll try something new like a braid here or there or a slicked-back look. My all-time favorite product right now is coconut oil. I use it for everything(even as lotion!) and apply it as a hair mask once a week. I like piling the coconut oil on while my hair is dry, then keep a shower cap on my head to give my strands a chance to absorb the oil.”
Related: 10 Quick Ways to Pump Up Your Ponytail
Diet and Fitness:
“I’m not a big breakfast person, but I do start the day off with green tea—I’ve had two already and it’s not even 6:00 A.M.! I also have a big sweet tooth. A lot of my fans know that I love candy, but right now SweeTarts Ropes are my go-to guilty pleasure and I don’t feel bad about eating them because there’s no artificial coloring or flavoring in them. So when I’m eating the big packages by myself I’m like: 'I’m good’! Everything in moderation, of course. I’m not completely healthy 100% of the time, but I think you should have a little fun and just hit the gym the next day! I love fitness. I put my headphones in and get a good workout going. At home, I’ll start off with 15 minutes of cardio on the treadmill or skipping rope, followed by lifting weights and interval training. Or, I’ll go for a hike or take a boxing or spinning class. The goal is to switch it up as much as possible so that I don’t get bored. I have a few different trainers—one for pilates (Cynthia Czarnecki is my girl), two boxing coaches (one in L.A. and one for whenever I’m in NYC), and Gunnar Peterson is my go-to strength trainer.”
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