The “Gossip Girl” Cast on Beauty Secrets, Self-Care, and Season Two

What do you get when you mix alcohol, social media, and Upper West Side privilege? That’s right, the second season of Gossip Girl. The HBO Max series, developed by Joshua Safran, a writer and executive producer on the original Gossip Girl show, follows half-sisters Julien Calloway (Jordan Alexander) and Zoya Lott (Whitney Peak) as they navigate their newfound sisterhood and friendship. Along the way, they encounter drama, love, sex, and drugs alongside their friends Shan (Grace Duah), Monet (Savannah Lee Smith), Luna (Zion Moreno), and Obi (Eli Brown). 

The show began rolling out new episodes on December 1, and fans (myself included) can't wait for GG herself to reveal the next set of game-changing secrets for the New York City students we love to hate. Ahead of the season premiere, we caught up with the students of Constance Billard-St. Judes to talk about their beauty and skincare secrets, how they relate to their characters, and their favorite on-set memories. Keep reading to learn more about the cast.

Meet Savannah Lee Smith

How would you describe your character's fashion and beauty aesthetic? How has it evolved from season one to season two?

Monet is trying to look as powerful as possible in this season. She's a little more accessorized and trying to wear things to make her stand out more.

What are your must-have beauty products on set?

I wear a lot of wigs on the show and in real life, so the Got2Be Glued Blasting Freeze Hair Spray ($6) is a must. I carry the mini one in my bag everywhere. Ghostbond Hair Replacement Adhesive ($20) and chapstick are also essential.

What's one beauty hack you learned while filming?

I realized I didn't know how actually to curl my hair properly with a barrel. I was just going in and doing it. But I was watching the head of the hair department,  Michael Zambrano, curl my hair one time, and I was like, What? That's how you do it? Now I know how to do that. 

How do you practice self-care while filming?

I listen to music on the way to the set and home. I find music helps bring me back to real life for a second. 

Meet Zion Moreno

How would you describe your character's fashion and beauty aesthetic? How has it evolved from season one to season two?

Luna is more interested in seeing her clients shine than herself. This season, she wears a lot of cool business suits to school because she means business. Her style evolved in terms of her nightlife looks. She's a lot more sexually empowered, and it was really fun to encapsulate that.

What are your must-have beauty products on set?

The hair and makeup team got me obsessed with Roxanne Rizzo's Bronze Glow ($40). It makes you look a bit more golden. I kind of overdid it toward the end of the season, but I can't live without it. It's amazing.

What's one beauty hack you learned while filming?

I learned how to put individual fake lashes on, which is a big milestone for me. That was fun.

How do you practice self-care during filming?

Music is my safe haven, too. It's definitely a must. I also try to sleep as much as possible because I'm cranky if I don't get enough sleep.

Meet Whitney Peak

How would you describe your character's fashion and beauty aesthetic? How has it evolved from season one to season two?

I think Zoya's definitely gotten a little bit more experimental.

What are your must-have beauty products on set?

I don't know if it counts, but I'm going to say perfume.

How are you similar to your character? How are you different?

In the first season, I really resonated with Zoya. But I've grown somewhat out of the fashion sense we shared. We're the same in our values and music taste, though.

How do you practice self-care during filming?

Listening to music, reading a lot, and just tuning everything out. We've got such a good group on set, so we all keep each other's spirits high for the most part.

Meet Eli Brown

How would you describe your character's fashion and beauty aesthetic? How has it evolved from season one to season two?

Obi is wearing the same stuff.

What are your must-have beauty products on set?

I leave it to the makeup team. I don't know what they're putting on me.

What has been your favorite on-set memory while filming season two?

Shooting the New York Public Library scene. I was on set for 12 hours, which was a little brutal. But it was still really fun to stay up all night with everybody. There's always a crack-up.

Meet Grace Duah

How would you describe your character's fashion and beauty aesthetic, and how has it evolved from season one to season two?

Shan is experimenting more with the line between her masculine and feminine looks.

What are your must-have beauty products on set?

I always keep a little concealer in my back pocket because you never know [when you'll need to look more awake].

How are you similar to your character? How are you different?

I'm a little too anxious to do some of the things that Shan does. She's very free-spirited. My anxiety doesn't work that way, baby. We are not going to do that. We're going to think it through. We're going to overthink, in fact.

How do you practice self-care during filming?

I always say, "Leave it at the door, but give yourself permission to pick it up when you get home." When I come home, I need to have the freedom to pick up whatever I'm feeling internally. I have a really good support system with my roommate and my family. When I come home, I can put aside any facades and feel whatever I want.

What has been your favorite on-set memory while filming season two?

Mine was when Whitney and I filmed this party scene in a warehouse. That whole day was a trip. Any time it's just her and me on set, we're going to laugh. That day was very heavy on the laughs.