How Madison Beer And Vanessa Hudgens Conquered Their Skin Insecurities

This is not your typical celebrity beauty launch. The founders, Vanessa Hudgens and Madison Beer, need no introduction. However, these two entertainment industry powerhouses have created a thoughtful and detailed skincare line very much their own. With a focus on personalization, effectiveness, and unique skin needs, this line is truly inspired by personal beauty experiences—ones that often happen out of the public eye.

Know Beauty, which launches today, takes into account your age, environment, food intake, and more to help you develop a skincare routine that works for you. Beer and Hudgens have struggled with skincare issues themselves (both have tried treatments, expensive products, and DIY solutions to manage their skin concerns) and are therefore especially sensitive to the intimate nature of finding the right skincare.

After years of dealing with unrealistic expectations and inconsistent results, they turned to each other—and partnered with Dermatologist and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Kagha—to create precisely what they were looking for: a personalized line that remains affordable, empowers users with knowledge, helps normalize insecurities, and, with consistent use, promises effective outcomes. The intention is to remove trial and error from the category. In short, while skincare journeys can be tedious and frustrating, the multi-talented duo is here to say that it doesn't have to be that way.

Ahead, get an inside look from Madison Beer and Vanessa Hudgens at the new brand, their individual skincare journeys, and, of course, a deep dive into favorite products. 

How did you decide to launch a skincare line together?

Vanessa Hudgens: “I have been a fan of Madison's—I think that she is just so stunning and doing great things. And, we both had tedious skincare journeys. A part of that was understanding our own personal skin. We've both done diagnostic tests in the past, but nothing had really given us the answers that we were looking for. So, we put our heads together to create something that was accessible to everyone—to know their personal skin and what will work for them."

What was the inspiration?

Madison Beer: "For me, going through the skincare world and never really getting a proper answer was my inspiration. I really felt like I was in the dark, and there was no real guidance. I wish I could jump into a time machine and give advice to my younger self—to give her some clarity and guidance. That was the real inspiration. It was truly going through it myself and thinking, 'I really want something out there that could hopefully provide people with more answers.'"

What makes this skincare line special?

VH: "It is your very own, personalized skincare regimen... We give you a diagnostics test which deals with everything: your environment, how much sleep you're getting, what your skin is doing now, and a DNA test. It's affordable, and it gives you a full breakdown of what your skin will be like in the future. With these two things combined, you are given a regimen that is going to take care of your skin now, but also look out for it in the future."

What's the one product your skin can't get enough of?

MB: "My skin can't get enough of the Calming Day Moisturizer ($26). It is my favorite product of the whole line. I absolutely love it. It feels so good on your skin, especially in the morning. It's part of my morning routine, but I use it both day and night."

VH: "Yeah, it's got CBD in it, so it's super calming.

"Mine would probably be the Bubbling Oxygen Mask ($30). I'm a big fan of masks, and this one comes in an airtight, sealed package, so when you apply it, it foams up and re-energizes your skin. So it's really great for clearing your face and giving it that hydration boost."

Do you have a specific skincare concern or issue that you wanted to address?

MB: "Mine was definitely my acne. Keeping it under control was really important for me. I didn't want to be unrealistic and say, 'Oh, I'm never going to get a pimple ever again,' because it's unavoidable. But, I want to be able to maintain [my skin]."

VH: "Yeah, mine was skin preservation because the skin on your face is the only skin you've got. It's important to take care of it now, but also for your future self. It's important to be proactive."

Do you have any tips for using the line?

MB: "Use it as it's directed. Get your routine, and follow it. And give it time: be patient and be diligent. I think the second that I started being really diligent, I started seeing results fast."

Is there an ingredient that has been an absolute game-changer for your skin?

MB: "Salicylic acid has really been good for my skin. It kills all my zits. Sulfur—there's this mask that I use with sulfur in it—also helps kill and eliminate a lot of my pimples."

Can you talk about your skincare journey? 

MB: "There was a point where [my acne] was so bad that I was googling every single thing that could potentially work. I was using every product. I was using every household item.

"It was a really frustrating and long experience. And it led me to the only answer: there needs to be something out there that gives people the answers they're looking for. Something that eliminates that trial and error of getting your skin balanced and maintaining a routine. 'There has to be a better way.' That's all I kept thinking."

What are your skincare priorities these days?

VH: "These days: keeping my skin hydrated and fine lines. I am not in my 20s anymore, and aging is so real."

What's the non-negotiable step in your skincare routine?

VH: "Oh, all of it. I am a maximalist when it comes to skincare. I love doing the most. For me, it's a time to take care of my skin, but I think that it goes further than that. It's a big part of my mental health and an act of self-love—just knowing that at the end of the day, I have this date scheduled with myself. Knowing that I'm doing something good for myself is really something that I look forward to at the end of every day."

What does your skincare routine look like these days? Is it paired down or long and thorough?

VH: "I feel like that changed in my 30s. Aging is real, and you start seeing fine lines that were never there before. In the beginning, I definitely had a freakout moment thinking, 'Oh my god, buy the most expensive eye cream you can possibly find.' But now, with Know Beauty, I know the steps to take that will actually be good for my skin and my collagen production. And what chemicals to use like hyaluronic acid and retinol—there are certain things that I know really work with me, make it easy, and take the guesswork out of it."

Who are your beauty icons?

MB: "I would say Angelina Jolie."

VH: "Work, that's hot.

"My definition of beauty has changed throughout the years. I've always been a big Sophia Loren fan. She was always beautiful, vibrant, free, curvy, and just stunning. And I still think she's gorgeous. But, as I've gotten older, more than just how someone looks is beautiful. I have proudly gotten to a place where I feel comfortable without wearing makeup. I can put on a little blush and some mascara and go out in the world feeling like my best and sexiest self. And I think that's something the public needs to see more. Because it's really easy to compare yourself to women we see in magazines and on social media that have been put through filters, Photoshop, and airbrushed. All these things aren't realistic."

What's one beauty item that you always have in your bag?

MB: "I always have some sort of ChapStick, lip gloss. I have to have something lip-related, always."

VH: "One thing that I've had in my purse for a while is Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty Cream Blush ($21). I put that on my cheeks, lips, and eyes. And then the other thing I always have is the Freck OG pen ($22). I think freckles are cute, and the days that I don't put on any makeup—if I have a pimple especially—I'll just put that on and do a couple of dots throughout my face, and the pimple feels suddenly super cute."