California-born actress Brenda Song grew up on Disney, literally. She started acting in commercials when she was five years old, and her first big gig was The Ultimate Christmas Present in 2000. She went on to star in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and many more shows. Song hasn't stopped acting, with roles on Scandal and New Girl under her belt, and along the way she's developed a stellar beauty ritual. In the latest episode of Masked and Answered, Song shares her extensive skincare routine while masking with Drunk Elephant's T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial ($80).
"I love this mask because one of my biggest skin concerns is resurfacing and exfoliating because I get a lot of clogged pores," Song describes. "I love the smell of this mask and the moment you put it on it starts tingling. Call me crazy, but, I love that it kinda hurts. I feel like it's working, because I can feel it." The reason why Song has a pretty extensive skincare routine, she explains, is because she has combination, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.
In the morning, she starts with Eve Lom's Morning Time Cleanser ($60) because it's really gentle. Then, she applies RéVive's Balancing Toner ($65). "Because I use so many exfoliating products, I need to put the moisture back into my skin," Song says. The first step for that is applying La Mer's Treatment Lotion ($155), then she goes into her serums, which are Obagi Professional-C Serum ($102) and Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum ($80). She seals in the moisture with Beautycounter's Glow Oils ($30). "They all do different things," Song says describing the oils. "One is brightening, two is plumping, three is balancing—I'll make a cocktail of these three."
"And then, eye creams," she says, approaching the end of her routine. She's loves Obagi's Vitamin C Eye Brightener ($60) and Tatcha's The Pearl Tinted Eye Illuminating Treatment ($48), which is what she opts for on days when she doesn't want to wear much makeup but likes under-eye concealer coverage. For moisturizer, if she needs something heavy she'll use Sunday Riley's C.E.O Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream ($65), and if she's looking for something a little more lightweight she'll use Drunk Elephant's Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer ($68). Last but not least, she applies Obagi's Vitamin C Suncare Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen. Here's a fun kicker: She listens to true crimes podcasts when she's getting ready or masking. "I'm usually watching something crazy and dark when I do my makeup or when I'm masking," she says, laughing.
Shop Brenda Song's Skincare Routine
Watch Song's full video above for more details on her skincare routine. Don't forget to subscribe to Marie Claire's YouTube Channel to catch up on the latest episodes of Masked and Answered and share your favorite mask in the comments.
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Maya Allen is the former Digital Beauty Editor at MarieClaire.com where she covered makeup, skincare, haircare, wellness, you name it! She has a 15-step skincare routine, owns over 200 red lipsticks, and enjoys testing the latest and greatest in beauty. On most weekends, you can find her at her happy place, which is her makeup vanity. There, she’s usually blasting her speakers while singing along to lyrics at the top of her lungs, and making sure her highlighter is on point.
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