If you’re at all plugged into the reality television circuit, you absolutely know who Ariana Madix is. You’re most likely familiar with her as the “Vanderpump Rules” (VPR) star who went through a very tumultuous and public cheating scandal (and then went viral for her revenge dress shortly after), but the truth is, she’s so much more than that. Since her relationship with her ex, Tom Sandoval went very, very public, Madix has been crushing it, and she shows no signs of slowing down any time soon — especially with her 40th birthday just around the corner.
Madix co-owns a sandwich shop with a VPR cast mate, she’s been on “Dancing With the Stars,” made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” and even landed a gig as the host of Love Island USA. She’s also written a cocktail recipe book, “Single AF,” guest-starred in the television show “Will Trent,” and starred in countless brand collaborations and even a few commercials. See what we mean? Madix is a woman who has it all together — or at least, she’s great at making it look that way.
When it comes to things that fall into the beauty category, Madix doesn’t try to pretend she has it all figured out. Quite the opposite, actually. Despite her time in the spotlight, she remains refreshingly relatable when it comes to her makeup and hair struggles. “I still don’t know how to make my makeup last,” she says. “By the time I get to where I’m going, my eyeshadow is completely off, and I will have spent an hour on it.” It’s generally the same story with her hair. “I will have spent an hour curling my hair, and by the time I get where I’m going, it’s flat.”
Back when she first joined VPR she was barely making rent, so she purchased products purely based on what she could afford at the time. These days, she prefers to hire professionals to help her get ready. “If I’m on camera, it’s full glam, it’s powder, it’s a lot of stuff to really lock all of that in. Crazy setting sprays, especially in Fiji when you’re sweating.”
There is one thing Madix feels like she doesn’t need professional help with, however, and that’s skin care. When she was doing her own makeup for “Chicago,” she started to pay extra close attention to her skin because she was sweating so much on stage. “It was important for me before I put anything on to make sure my skin was in a good place.” Madix couldn’t rattle off a list of products that transform her skin (although she does call out using the Bobbi Brown Face Base Moisturizer and Primer ($69) before foundation), but she says getting it right all boils down to one thing: consistency.
“In the past, whether I had money to spend on things or not, I struggled to wash my face before I [went] to bed. Now, regardless of that, I probably still have so many of the same products, but I’m using them consistently and that’s making a difference,” she says. While she’s still figuring a lot of things out, there’s one beauty rule that Madix follows no matter what: always wear sunscreen. Years of tanning bed use led to a melanoma diagnosis that she only caught when VPR viewers, social media followers, and even a few dermatologists direct messaged her to point out the dark mole on her chest. “I had it for years and didn’t think it would be a problem,” she says. “But at the encouragement of other people, I eventually had it checked out.”
She had to have a large area of skin removed on her chest leaving her with a visible scar, so she doesn’t play around when it comes to skin protection. “It’s all about regular skin checks, it’s all about SPF. Never, for any reason, step into a tanning bed at all,” she says. While the melanoma was likely the scariest part of the ordeal, having a large visible scar was a close second. “Having a scar led me to learning about how to take care of it, and because I don’t ever cover it up, if it’s out, it’s out,” she says. Madix recently partnered with Bio-Oil and swears by the Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil Serum For Scars and Stretch Marks ($20) to take care of that sensitive area. “The original skin-care oil is my go-to, and I like it because it’s hydrating and doesn’t clog my pores,” she says. “Hopefully, because I’ve been telling this story about this scar so much, other people maybe [won’t] feel afraid to show theirs as well.” If the risks aren’t enough to keep you out of a tanning bed and wearing sunscreen, Madix adds: “Even from a pure vanity standpoint, SPF is one of the best things you can do for antiaging. So even if you don’t care about the health of your skin, maybe you’ll care about that.”
Although she’s still figuring some things out, she does have a couple of beauty indulgences. When asked what she’d grab at Sephora if she had an unlimited budget but only 60 seconds, her answer was quick. “I love a gadget, and if I had an unlimited budget but only a quick amount of time, I would go straight to the devices and just grab them all,” she says. Her current obsession is Higher Dose LED Face Mask ($349). Even with all the lessons (still) being learned, Madix isn’t a perfectionist when it comes to beauty, and honestly, it’s refreshing.
Renee Rodriguez (she/her) is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.
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