What Lucy Hale Learned After Ditching Her 21-Step Routine

For years, beauty culture sold us the idea that better skin required more. More serums, more steps, more products crowding the bathroom sink. But now, even celebrities with access to every treatment imaginable are pulling back.

On Breaking Beauty, Lucy Hale said she’s moved on from the “21-step skincare routine” phase of her early career and now believes simpler, gentler habits deliver better long-term results. Joined by dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu, Hale chats about why overdoing skincare can backfire, what actually improves skin quality, and the minimalist swaps worth making now. 

1. Too many products can quietly wreck your skin barrier

If your skin suddenly feels tight, reactive, flaky, or angry, the issue may not be aging or hormones, it could simply be overload.

Dr. Liu repeatedly emphasizes skin barrier health, explaining that when the barrier is compromised, alllll the bad things can follow. Layering too many harsh actives can create the exact problems people are trying to solve.

Minimalist fix: pare back to cleanser, moisturizer, SPF, and one treatment product.

2. Consistency beats intensity every time

Hale says she used to chase perfection, while Dr. Liu said real skin quality is built “over decades, not overnight transformation.”

That’s the opposite of trend culture, where people expect one viral serum to erase years of going to bed without washing your face in a week. Skin responds better to boring consistency than dramatic experiments.

Minimalist fix: choose products you can tolerate daily instead of aggressive formulas you quit after four uses.

3. If you have sensitive skin, simpler is often smarter

Hale jokes, “I will break out if you look at me the wrong way,” which is relatable for anyone with reactive skin.

For breakout-prone or sensitive types, every extra product adds another chance for congestion, fragrance sensitivity, or irritation, which leads to more, you guessed it, breakouts.

Minimalist fix: lighter layers, fragrance awareness, and fewer rotating products.

4. Moisturizer may be more powerful than the serum you’re overthinking

Dr. Liu calls moisturizing underrated, noting that hydrated skin simply functions better. It often looks smoother and brighter faster than people expect. People often skip basics while spending heavily on “miracle” launches on TikTok.

Minimalist fix: use moisturizer morning and night before buying another active.

5. Stress shows up on your face too

Hale also makes a less obvious point—joy matters. “You glow more when you’re around people that you love,” she says.

Sure, it’s a little corny. But stress, poor sleep, and cortisol spikes absolutely can impact inflammation and skin appearance.

Minimalist fix: protect sleep, reduce stress, stop expecting skincare to fix burnout.

To hear the full skincare conversation, listen to Breaking Beauty wherever you get your podcasts.

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