Camila Mendes
What I Put on My Face
All skin is good skin, which is why good skincare is more of a journey than a destination. We all love a one-off tip—but, at Byrdie, we’re more interested in how our skin evolves over time. The product we've used for a decade, the ingredient cocktail that made us glow, the step we never skip, and all the advice in between. This is the stuff that makes a real difference. With What I Put on My Face, we’re bringing you the rituals, recommendations, and failed experiments (we’ve all had them) straight from celebrities, founders, and influencers who’ve gone through it themselves.
Before I can even covertly open another tab to Google it, Camila Mendes inadvertently reveals her zodiac sign to me. “I'm kind of a control freak about [routines],” she laughs over Zoom, confirming all my speculation. Just as I thought, Mendes is an intuitive, stability-focused Cancer, and those classic sun sign traits are never more apparent than when we're discussing her daily skincare regimens and favorite products. In fact, despite the conversation's ostensible focus on sheet masks and serums, Mendes reveals illuminating information on what makes her tick—not just glow. By the end of our interview, I learn she's a natural note-taker, swears by the security of simple routines, and is a true strategist whose mind is always on the move.
But the stars can’t take all the credit for Mendes’ sharp eye, work ethic, or unbridled charisma that helped her put a personal stamp on an all-time iconic American character. That’s all her—with some help from her just-announced partner brand, the best-selling skincare and mask line Loops, too. Far from a run-of-the-mill endorsement, her Creative Director role allows Mendes to utilize her considerable Cancer talents beyond just (admittedly very radiant) campaign shots. Below, Byrdie spoke with the booked and busy Mendes on how her skincare journey started, where it's going, and why.
About Her Skin
I'd say my skin is pretty balanced, but I do think it leans on the dry side. Yeah, actually, I can get pretty dry skin. But to be honest, my skin growing up was very easy to maintain. I was never really into skincare when I was younger because I didn't necessarily need to be—my skin was just easygoing.
It wasn't until I started working a lot—you know, you get you don't get as much sleep as you used to, and you're stressed more than you're used to, and also wearing a lot more makeup than you're used to—and my skin started to struggle a little bit more. I would break out a lot, and I'd get cystic pimples all across my forehead. I wasn't used to them, so then I picked them and didn't know how to handle it. So, I've been through such a long skincare journey. Being on Riverdale and my skin adapting to this new schedule and lifestyle.
Over the years, my skin developed problems that I now have to deal with and combat. I'd say now my focus is always on keeping my skin clear (obviously), moisturized, and getting an even skin tone. Because I have melanin in my skin, I get hyperpigmentation really easily. So, every time I do break out, it's not just getting rid of the pimple but getting rid of the mark that it leaves afterward.
How She Got Into Skincare
Multiple things got me into skincare. One of them was obviously working in the industry and constantly working with makeup artists, going to get facials, and kind of being introduced to skincare through that. And then also through my peers. I had Lili Reinhart on our show and Madelaine Petsch, who are also very into skincare and know a lot more than I do—or did at the time. So they kind of helped me too, and over time I started to take notes and learn more and started to build my own relationship with skincare and do my own research.
Her Daily Skincare Routines
I like to keep my routine pretty simple. Morning is just washing my face. I wipe my face with toner, moisturize, and go on with my day. Nighttime is similar in terms of washing my face and toner, but then I'll always do something a little extra at night because that's the opportunity for me to go a little harder. So, I either put on a special product or a Loops mask and then moisturize and go to bed.
I like creating routines so that I don't have to think about them... so they're second nature. But, then you're not living your life. You're living on autopilot. And with skincare, I've been trying to be more present and actually assess my skin like a facialist would to see what the situation is. That's how I should look at my skin every day.
Her Favorite Sheet Mask
In the mornings, I kind of feel out the day and see, "Okay, is this an opportunity to put a LOOPS face mask on? Which one do I want to put Loops? What do I need right now? What's the vibe?" I always look for opportunities to incorporate a LOOPS mask somewhere in the day because it's such an easy thing to do.
The thing that attracted me to Loops in the first place was how aligned they were with my values on skincare: simplicity, efficiency, and actually being effective. It's good skincare, but it's also self-care, and I think the combination of those two things is perfect.
The Skincare Step She Never Skips
I don't think there's any skincare step that I ever skip! There's the rare night that I forget and fall asleep without washing my face, but that's very, very rare. I'd say I never do that. But I'm kind of a control freak when it comes to that—I need to go through my whole routine. But the thing about my routine is that it's so simple. I don't have this crazy several-step process, and I just know that makes it so much easier. I also travel a lot, and I want to be able to bring my routine with me everywhere I go, and I want things to be as simplified as possible to make my life easier.
The One Product That Makes The Biggest Difference
Honestly, I would say the Loops Hyper Smooth Mask ($35) because I struggle with hyperpigmentation, and even skin tone is so important to me. It's kind of the thing I strive for more than anything. Obviously, you gotta embrace your imperfections and everything you know, and I do, and I accept it, but I just love the look of clear, even skin. And ever since I started using the Hyper Smooth face masks, which is a newer one in the Loops portfolio, I've noticed such a difference in my skin tone. Now, it's become something I use multiple times a week.
Her Ultimate Skincare Annoyance
I hate masks that don't fit my face and fall off my face when I'm wearing them. It drives me crazy. Because I'm like, How am I supposed to?! You're telling me that if I use this mask, I have to just lay there staring up at the ceiling for 10 minutes? It's a waste of my time! And it's also just not sustainable. I have a pretty small face, I'd say, so it's always been a struggle for me to find face masks that fit, which is why I love Loops so much.
Her Most-Used Product
My moisturizer, the Tatcha Water Cream ($69) It's so light and thin, but it actually moisturizes my skin, and if I need to reapply it throughout the day, I don't feel like it's clogging my pores at all. I really love that one.
The Product She's Used The Longest
Any of the Renée Rouleau spot treatment products. She has the Anti Bump Solution ($50), the Daytime Blemish Gel ($40), the Nighttime Spot Lotion ($34)—anything that's specifically for pimples because I am not somebody who can just let it be. I'm not going to pick it, I need to do something to it to make it feel like I'm doing something about it. Those products always helped me.
The New Product She's Loving
There are these Dr. Kay Wipe Away The Day ($29) exfoliating wipes, like little pads, that I use at night when I've been working on set and have worn a lot of makeup that day. It's a little bit of a heavier exfoliant wipe, but I use that every once in a while, and I feel like it's a nice reset for my face to get rid of all the makeup.
