Lucy Hale's 2026 Beauty Routine? Simple, Skin-Focused, and Not at All Aria Montgomery-Coded

It's been five years since we last spoke to Lucy Hale about her beauty routine, and I can confirm the actress's skin looks just as clear and glowy as it appeared in 2021. (In fact, I'd even say her complexion has remained virtually unchanged since we were introduced to her as Aria Montgomery during the 2010 pilot of Pretty Little Liars.) Yet as we sit in a dimly lit treatment room at NYC's Sage + Sound, she reveals her skin has experienced quite a few shifts underneath the surface—so much so that she evolved her entire approach.

"In 2021, I was probably still in my 'more is more' phase," she says. After all, it was around this time her Vogue Beauty Secrets video—which showcased a 25-step skin and makeup regimen—went absolutely bananas on the internet. Today, it's safe to say she's cut that routine by more than half. "I'm five years older, so my priorities are a little bit different. I have to approach my skin type differently," she says. These days, hyperpigmentation and fine lines are her main concerns ("It's all happening," she jokes), so a partnership with Shiseido—which just added two new products to its Benefiance brightening and smoothing range—was practically written in the stars. "I have always loved Shiseido's products. To me, it's classic, and the Benefiance line is beautiful," she says. "Once I find a product that I like, I like when it comes in a trio or package because then I know it's going to attack at all angles."

The Benefiance collection does just that, offering a serum, moisturizer, and eye cream with impeccable line-smoothing, dark spot-fading power. The serum and moisturizer also come spiked with picão preto, a plant-derived retinol alternative that's been shown to stimulate collagen levels and smooth wrinkles—and because there's no actual retinol in the formulas, you can use it day and night without any photosensitivity concerns. Of course, Hale still stresses the importance of daily sunscreen, praising Shiseido's Urban Environment line for its sensoriality. "It's so sheer, and you can mix it in your foundation. It's so nice," she says.

From there, her skin must-haves include a gua sha (In the morning, I just need to wake my skin up a little bit," she shares) and an LED mask from Jovs. "LED light really does wonders for my skin," she adds.

Her makeup routine follows a similar "less is more" M.O. Don't get me wrong, Hale still loves to accentuate her wide, hazel-green eyes, but she'd rather strategically enhance them with shadow than globs of mascara and eyeliner. "I'm really into the no-mascara [look]. Somehow that almost makes my eyes pop more" she tells me. "Sometimes I'll put clear brow gel on my lashes just so they fan out, but it doesn't give them any more pigment." Charlotte Tilbury's Brow Fix is the MVP, as it boasts a clump-free formula and small, precise brush.

The go-to technique seems rather at odds with Aria Montgomery, particularly her daytime smokey eye that populated beauty mood boards in the 2010s. "In 2016, I was loading up on mascara. I loved an eyeliner," Hale reflects on her Pretty Little Liars days. "I don't think I even own an eyeliner anymore." Today, she'd much rather define her orbs with a soft shadow—namely Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze & Glow Contour Duo, which she applies along her lash line for some subtle dimension. "It pops the green [in my eyes]," she notes.

Don't think that means Hale shies away from the occasional bold glam; she did sport rose gold locks back in 2018, after all. "I love a dramatic haircut. I'm growing out my hair right now, but me at prime Lucy is a blunt, short bob," she says. "I feel like I try to change it up with every acting gig I have." Of course, I have to ask her if we can expect a big chop—or any other beauty experiment—for spring and summer. "No big surprises yet," she smiles. "But if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." Who knows? In another five years, we might look back on this conversation as the impetus for Hale's next beauty era.

Shop Lucy Hale's 2026 Skin and Makeup Routine