The Cast of "The Sex Lives of College Girls" on Beauty Products and On-Set Memories

It's hard to find come across a coming-of-age dramedy that feels truly authentic. Many of us grew up with the iconic Degrassi, Boy Meets World, and Secret Life of An American Teenager. Still, there's a new generation of shows I wish existed when I was a confused teen, and The Sex Lives of College Girls is leading the way.

The HBO hit series created by Mindy Kaling, and Justin Nobles follows the lives of four college roommates (Kimberly, Bela, Leighton, and Whitney) juggling college, relationships, and sex. The show, which was just renewed for a second season, checks all the boxes of an addictive series: funny, raw, and relatable. Ahead, we talked to the strong female-led cast about their on-screen characters, behind-the-scenes memories, and, of course, their favorite beauty products. Read on to learn more about the cast.    

Meet Amrit Kaur

What's your go-to beauty product and why?

Water. It's accessible to everyone!

How are you similar to your character on Sex Life of College Girls? How are you different?

Bela is personal. Like Bela, I love people and making them laugh—and sometimes I end up being accidentally annoying instead, ha! We're both rebellious, and we both love comedy. We love SNL. Bela, I'd say, is a much braver version of myself. I think that's what's so enduring for audiences watching tv; we aspire to see bravery in characters on screen that we hope to achieve in ourselves. I aspire to Bela's boldness and bravery. 

A new skill you picked up after filming Sex Life Oof College Girls?

Beatboxing. All my castmates have excellent voices, and I was their back-up during our casual a capella sessions during takes.

What's the biggest life lesson you've learned from the show/your colleagues?

The importance of humility and gratitude. I'm continuously grateful to be part of this cast and cannot say it enough. Thank you, Mindy and Justin. I learned from Mindy that true leadership means collaboration. There were times, during the pilot, she'd be writing at the moment and involve us in pitching how our characters would respond in certain situations. She doesn't have to do that, being in her position, but it's in her character. I learned so much through that. 

What was your favorite on-set memory?

Singing "You Are My Sunshine" a capella sessions between takes with castmates. 

How are you practicing self-care these days? 

I love taking acting classes. I'm a nerd, and it's been rejuvenating to return to the study of my craft a couple of times a week. I'm also doing Julia Cameron's The Artist Way. 

Meet Pauline Chamlet

What's your go-to beauty product and why?

A bar of Dove fragrance-free soap because I can use it on my face and body. 

How are you similar to your character on Sex Life of College Girls? How are you different?

Kimberly and I are both curious. We also check in with our moral compass to see where we're at. We differ in our expectations of what life has in store. Kimberly expects things to go according to her plan for her life, and I am trying to let go of that notion. 

What's a new skill you picked up after filming Sex Life of College Girls?

Singing a capella with other people. 

The biggest life lesson you've learned from the show/your colleagues?

You do not always have to speak your mind, but you should always stand up for yourself and those around you when in need. 

What was your favorite on-set memory?

One of my favorite moments on set was having the entire cast sitting by the chairs, brushing and flossing our teeth together. Nicole Sullivan had given us all disposable toothbrush sticks that you could also floss with.

How are you practicing self-care these days? 

Not sleeping with my phone in my bedroom.

Meet Alyah Chanelle Scott 

What's your go-to beauty product and why?

The SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore moisturizer is my everything. I've had cystic acne since I was about 12-years-old, and this product always helps restore my moisture barrier when I'm using any harsher or drying products for my acne. 

How are you similar to your character on Sex Life of College Girls? How are you different?

Whitney and I are similar in that we both love to have control and don't like to admit we're making a mistake. We can be very stubborn, most times to a fault. However, I'd never sleep with my married soccer coach, so that's one area where we differ. Oh, and she has nicer clothes than I do. 

What's a new skill you picked up after filming Sex Life of College Girls?

I'm going to have to say soccer for sure! While we were filming, I trained a few times a week with a professional coach, Michael Holzer, who was extremely patient with me as I tripped over my cleats an embarrassing number of times during the first few sessions. I had never played before getting cast in the show, so I had no clue what I was doing. By the time the season wrapped, I ended up enjoying soccer.

The biggest life lesson you've learned from the show/your colleagues?

The entire experience as a whole was just so informative. College Girls is my first venture into working onscreen, so truthfully I was learning new things daily. I felt like a college freshman trying to find my footing. There were plenty of things I didn't understand, and honestly, to this day still don't. Still, every day I showed up and got to watch people who are phenomenal at their jobs do what they do best. I will forever be grateful for how much I learned from everyone working on the show—especially the cast. 

What was your favorite on-set memory?

It was probably teaching Pauline TikTok dances in between set-ups. I became slightly addicted to TikTok while filming because we had so much downtime, and I could mindlessly watch while we waited around. Eventually, I started learning dances and the girls asked me to teach them. We all love to dance and sing, so there was a ton of that happening on set. It honestly made the long days go by more quickly. That said, I sincerely apologize to every crew member we annoyed in the process. 

How are you practicing self-care these days? 

I think I could be doing better at that than I currently am. I have anxiety, so I tend to resist when things are changing around me or in my life. There's been a lot changing lately, so these days I am trying to journal more consistently and actively practice having grace with myself and with others, reminding myself that it's okay not to have all of the answers, to sit in the unknowing. Some days are easier than others, but yeah. 

Meet Renee Rapp

 What's your go-to beauty product and why?

I love Belif's moisturizer, which keeps my skin hydrated and helps calm dryness. I fly back and forth from NY to L.A., so I always need balance with the humidity there vs. none in L.A.

How are you similar to your character on Sex Life of College Girls? How are you different?

Like Leighton, I'm a bit of a mess, but I don't try to hide it as she does. I'm open about my chaos.

What's a new skill you picked up after filming Sex Life of College Girls?

My answer should be time management, but alas, that is not the case. I've become a better L.A. driver—still not a good one but better! 

The biggest life lesson you've learned from the show/your colleagues?

To not take myself too seriously. This job will get inside your head and make you second guess who you are if you're not careful. Once I let go of the idea that I needed to chase the "perfect take," the scenes became easier to capture. 

What was your favorite on-set memory?

A capella! For context, we started a very annoying acappella group during our overnight shoots. No one was pleased.

How are you practicing self-care these days? 

I'm diving into what creatively fulfills me like acting and music.