Jenna Dewan on breaking makeup rules in Catholic school and being in her ‘Reputation Era’.

Jenna Dewan on breaking makeup rules in Catholic school and being in her 'Reputation Era'.

Those of us who survived all-girls Catholic school know how to bend the rules without breaking them. And believe it or not, Jenna Dewan found a cheeky way to get around the “no makeup” policy with a little help from her mom.

“I was 13 or 14 and dying to experiment with makeup, so I turned to my mom for an accomplice,” Dewan reveals gleefully over Zoom. “She took me to the drugstore and let me buy some gel blush and clear mascara. She was like, ‘We’ll find a clever way around it.’ That’s just how my mom rolls!”

The dancer and Step Up star credits her mom for instilling in her the beauty ideals she hopes to pass on to her own daughter, Evie. The most important lesson? Beauty should be fun and embraced on your own terms!

“When I was younger, people used to say rude things like, ‘Oh, look at her all dolled up.’ Makeup and beauty were frowned upon as if it were too early to care about such things. But my mom always kept it playful, and I enjoyed every moment,” Dewan reminisces. “There was never any shame around it.”

It was through sneaking into her mom’s room and experimenting with her beauty products that Dewan’s love for beauty blossomed. In her twenties, she faced the challenges of cystic acne and melasma, which led her to develop a special interest in skincare. It’s no wonder that her collaboration with Neostrata, a skincare brand aligned with her personal skin goals, feels natural and authentic.

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“It’s been a real journey trying to figure out how to eliminate or at least control my melasma. I’ve tried every product and treatment under the sun,” shares Dewan. “And let me tell you, Neostrata has been a game-changer!”

Dewan’s beauty routine these days is refreshingly simple. For her skin, she swears by the Neostrata Foaming Glycolic Wash, followed by a vitamin C serum and a moisturizer. At night, she switches out the vitamin C for a retinol serum. She adds, “Sometimes I go old school with straight-up Retin-A!” To keep her complexion smooth and radiant, she also exfoliates with those fancy exfoliating pads once or twice a week.

When Dewan isn’t in the spotlight or attending fancy events, she keeps her hair routine simple too. She humorously shares her instructions with her hairstylist, Jen Atkin: “Don’t give me a haircut that requires styling. I need a cut that makes my hair look amazing straight out of the shower!” The no-fuss approach continues as she declares, “I’m not the type to spend hours curling or blow-drying my hair. If I wash it, I just let it air dry.”

Similarly, Dewan’s makeup style leans towards minimalistic. She opts for a concealer, cream blush, curled lashes, and a touch of lip balm for her everyday look. But when it’s time to go full glam, she doesn’t hold back. “Being from Texas, we love full glam!” Dewan exclaims. “I have to be talked out of putting glitter on my eyes for every single event.” Glitter lovers unite!

Speaking of beauty tips, Dewan has two game-changing hacks to share. First, she emphasizes the importance of taking care of your neck and chest. “Extend all the products you use on your face down to your neck,” she advises. Second, for a natural no-makeup look, skip the foundation and opt for concealer only on specific areas of your face.

And as we reminisce about Taylor Swift’s iconic eras, we had to ask Dewan about her favorite. Without a moment’s hesitation, she declares, “Reputation!” “During that time, Taylor had some incredibly sassy songs,” says Dewan with a mischievous grin. “Trust me, the dancers love rocking out to Reputation!”

Beauty should be a celebration, just like Jenna Dewan proves with her infectious spirit and joyful approach to all things glam. So go ahead, have fun with makeup, embrace your uniqueness, and remember, there’s no such thing as too much glitter!

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