Lucy Hale Reveals How She Cured Her Hormonal Acne

Lucy Hale has a lot of hidden beauty tricks up her sleeve. From her secret knowledge of obscure perfumes to her penchant for SoulCycle, the Pretty Little Liars actor knows quite a bit—particularly when it comes to skin and curing her recurring bouts of acne.

During an exclusive interview, Hale revealed that she’s had a pretty fraught history with her skin. As a teenager, Hale said she was blessed with a clear complexion and never had much of an issue with her skin. However, her 20s would prove to be a totally different story. Hale explained that she was about 21-years-old when her first bout of cystic acne hit. "The day I turned 21, my skin just went nuts," she said. She shared that she had a lot of ups and downs with her skin in the years following, battling hormonal issues and breakouts until she finally found a skincare routine that actually worked. 

Hale walked us through everything she does to keep her complexion healthy and clear, revealing a series of smartly chosen products and habits that prove she seriously knows what she's talking about. 

Keep scrolling to see Lucy Hale's entire anti-acne beauty routine!

Lucy Hale's Clear Skin Routine

1. Double cleansing

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil $28.00

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Hale says her number one tip for keeping your skin glowy and breakout-free is to never go to bed with even a stitch of makeup on. "Double-cleansing is what it's really about for me," she says. First, Hale uses DHC's cleansing oil to wash her face (an especially important step when she's been wearing HD makeup on set all day). 

Restorsea Reviving Cleanser $65.00

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Next, Hale follows up with a water-based cleanser from Restorsea to make sure the makeup and grime are truly cleared from her pores.

Clarisonic Mia Smart Acne Prevention Set $169.00

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Hale uses a Clarisonic with her Restorsea cleanser for a seriously deep clean.

2. Exfoliation

Lancer The Method Polish Exfoliator $75.00

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Hale exfoliates her skin twice a week to make sure it stays bright but not overly exfoliated, which can cause irritation and other issues. "I like Dr. Lancer's products a lot," she says.

3. Serum

IS Clinical Active Serum $138.00

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After exfoliating, Hale says she uses "a ton of serums" from IS Clinical and SkinCeuticals.

4. Moisturizer

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture $63.00

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She then moves on to moisturizer—an important step for even for acne-prone complexions because you want to keep your skin's natural oil levels balanced and not overly dried out. "I'm a huge fan of SkinCeuticals," Hale says. "I want everything. It's so expensive, but it's worth it. SkinCeuticals moisturizer and eye cream are great."

In addition to her product routine, she also pays regular visits to her esthetician. Her facialist Molly M. Lucio at Lasky Aesthetics & Laser Center in Los Angeles helps keep her skin in tip top shape. "She's the shit. I've been seeing her for over five years," Hale says. "I'm really diligent about facials. If I can go once a week, I'll do it."

Hale also revealed that keeping her stress levels down has been hugely beneficial. Her number one anti-stress tip? Exercise. SoulCycle is Hale's workout of choice. "It's amazing. Emotionally, there are a couple of teachers that have made me cry," she says (in a good way). "I think it's really important to take care of your mind." We couldn't agree more: healthy brain, healthy skin.