STYLE

At 13 years old, former Dance Moms star and So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation judge Maddie Ziegler has a lot on her plate. Not only is she an über-talented dancer, but she’s also an actress, a writer (she’s penning a memoir *and* a young adult trilogy!) and now, along with her younger sister Mackenzie Ziegler, she's a spokeswoman for Clean & Clear.

With dance (and sometimes life) comes heavy makeup and lots of sweat. Add on top of that the hormones and stress of being a teenage girl and you can't expect every picture of Maddie to feature flawless, zit-free skin—so she's got a few fab tricks up her sleeve for nixing those pesky blemishes.

We asked the multi-talented teen to spill those tricks, fill us in on her beauty routine and share tips for you as you go back to school. We'll gladly take the advice of any teenager who has seen enough success in her lifetime to write a memoir about it.

GL: What's your skincare routine like?

Maddie Ziegler: I love to use [Clean & Clear] Morning Burst. It’s really hydrating, it wakes you up in the morning and it’s really refreshing, too. Then at night time before I go to bed I wash my face again. In the shower I can use the mask that they have, which is the Deep Action 60-Second Shower Mask. It’s really amazing because you can put the mask on while you’re in the shower, and you can be washing your hair at the same time you have the face mask on. The heat from the shower actually activates the mask, so then it’s tingly and feels so good on your face.

GL: What about your beauty routine?

Maddie: I always put on primer, then I’ll usually just put on concealer. I’ve been liking cream blush so I put that on, and then sometimes I put on a cream highlighter if I’m feeling fancy. I’ll put some mascara on and I always like to make sure my brows are good, so I put on some brow gel. Then usually either some lip moisturizer or a tinted lip.

GL: For most teens, clear skin can really boost confidence. Is this true for you?

Maddie: Yes, for sure. I mean, my skin doesn’t ever really ever get that bad, but sometimes if I ever get one little pimple, it’ll freak me out and I don’t feel as confident.

GL: How do you balance schoolwork with your busy schedule?

Maddie: I’m homeschooled, so it is easier for sure…If I’m just home in Pittsburgh, I have a tutor and me and my sister will do homeschooling. We tutor for like four hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

GL: Do you ever miss the excitement of the first day of school? What was your routine like?

Maddie: Actually, that was my favorite thing about school—getting ready for it. The first day of school I would pick my outfit out ahead of time for sure and I would figure out how I would do my hair and stuff. But then as the days went on, I would just kind of pick my outfit out in the morning and pull my hair into a ponytail. Now if I went to school it would be different, I think. When I used to go to school, I used to wear skirts, tank tops, sequins and stuff, and now I would just not wear anything like that.

GL: Does your little sister Mackenzie ever come to you for skincare, fashion or beauty advice?

Maddie: Definitely beauty advice. She comes to me a lot [like], 'How should I do my makeup? I’m going to my friend’s house.' I’m like, you don’t need to wear makeup, Mackenzie!

GL: What advice do you have for girls who want to look their best on the first day of school?

Maddie: Don’t be afraid to wear what you want to wear. A lot of people now are like, 'Oh, my friend won’t like this' or 'I don’t know if I’ll be cool if I wear this.' I think it’s really important to wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Also, don’t be afraid to make new friends and don’t be afraid to talk to new people. I think it’s very important to just be yourself on the first day of school.

Have you started preparing for your first day of school, yet? Will you use any of Maddie's tips? Let us know in the comments below!  

Photo credit: Maddie Ziegler.

by Kristin Helf | 8/5/2016