When it comes to recent notable TV shows and films revolving around high school, what pops into your mind? Of course, there’s Mean Girls, Awkward, Pretty Little Liars, Easy A. But one of the most followed high school crews in the past years has to be our friends from William McKinley High School in Glee. And in the center of that musical, magical spectacle was, of course, Quinn Fabray, played by Dianna Agron. Even though Glee ended its run, Dianna will forever be the popular cheerleader singing and dancing her way through the halls. But did you know that Dianna wasn’t even a teenager when the show was on the air? And even now, as she approaches 30, she still manages to look as glowy and fresh as she did in her teen role. We caught up with the singer/actress to talk all things health and beauty. And to find out her secret to maintaining that impeccably gorgeous skin. It turns out that even though she’s killing it on the stage and on the big screen, she’s all about pausing for spa nights with her besties.
Teen Vogue: What is your secret to looking so amazing all of the time?
Dianna Agron: I think it really started with my generation; you felt a shift toward paying attention to what you’re eating and what you’re putting on your face and your body. You have to be really proactive, like ‘I want to be healthy, I want to feel good, I want to look good, I want to present myself in a way that reflects that.’ You can change the map of your skin by what you’re eating, what you’re drinking, what you’re putting on it. That’s why I love the Dr. Jart Dermask Collection. They’re so great, especially for me, because I’ve been traveling so much. I think I’ve been on more than 30 planes in the last month and a half. You need to pay attention to what your skin needs at specific times. With these products, you don’t have to buy the whole line with huge bottles. The sheet masks are so easy, and you can tailor them to what your skin needs at a given time. I just went from London to San Francisco, to L.A. for a day then NYC all within four days with very little sleep. I think what’s surprising to my friends and family is that, especially now because of how I’m taking care of myself, my crazy schedule isn’t showing up on my face. Even though I’ve only gotten a couple hours of sleep the past three nights, I’m still myself, because I’m taking care of myself.
TV: Do you practice a certain diet?
Dianna: I drink so much water, and I eat clean foods, nothing processed. You have to make sure you’re not starving yourself and be really detailed as far as what’s good for you, like taking multivitamins and taking care of your skin. I think it all goes together, it’s not like you can just do one. Obviously, food and water are so important, but your skin can have a mind of its own, especially with all the contaminants coming at us every day.
TV: Is there anything you eat or don’t eat that helps your skin?
Dianna: I think it’s different for everyone, but for me I need clean protein. And vegetables. I don’t crave sugars or carbs; supposedly, that’s my blood type as well. But that’s what works.
TV: What is your day-to-day skincare routine?
Dianna: I start with a good cleanser, and I always take everything off. I wasn’t always so diligent. You don’t realize if you put makeup on, you can’t just give it a light scrub. You’ll find there’s still makeup left behind, so be really thorough. It’s about being persistent. You want immediacy, and the good thing about these products is that you do see an immediate change, but it’s also about maintaining. You don’t want be at the extreme point of needing the right products when you’re skin is flaking off because it’s so dehydrated. I think that’s what’s great about this generation. We have access to so many things our parents didn’t have. I’m still playing characters that are nowhere near my age, and I’m about to be 30.
TV: You look like you’re 21! Was there ever a time in your teens when you struggled with breakouts or bad skin?
Dianna: Oh yeah! And still now, because I’m wearing makeup on set everyday, and there are lights, and I’m sweating — usually the conditions where you’re filming are less than ideal. It’s dusty. It’s all of these things. When I’m working, I have to be even more careful, because I’m battling every element at once.
TV: Did you ever go through an awkward phase? And how did you come out of it?
Dianna: Yes! And there were lots of interesting trends — emphasis on interesting— in the ‘90s (I was born in '86), but my favorite was to dye my hair. I really wanted red hair, and I would dye it from a box, and it would fade to orange in three days. Like, this is not what I was going for, and you try to fix things yourself. That experimentation and not taking yourself too seriously set me up for life. Of course I was teased in high school, of course I had these awkward moments, of course your skin’s not perfect, and you have braces. I think it’s character-building. Now that I have the tools to be able to do my hair and makeup and have a sense of self, it’s fun seeing those pictures. I was just home in San Francisco, talking with some of my friends like, ‘Remember when we used to do that?’ I see kids today walking around looking so sophisticated, and it’s like where did you get this know-how?
TV: Was there any part of playing a teen for so long that forced you to relive some of your teenage years?
Dianna: Yes, particularly on Glee, because we were the underdogs. We weren’t the sophisticates. We weren’t the girls wearing these amazing outfits. That was much closer to how I lived in high school.
TV: Would you say that you felt like you were an underdog in high school?
Dianna: I definitely was not a cool girl, but I had a lot of friends. I was on the yearbook staff, I did drama, I did ballet after school. It’s interesting, because I look at pictures and I’m like, ‘We weren’t that dorky,’ but we were at heart. We were good girls, and we would have fun just sneaking to the park and throwing water balloons at each other. I lived just south of San Francisco, and in 15 minutes you could be in the city, but we weren’t interested in that. We were interested in our youth and getting into that fun.
TV: What beauty look or product never fails when you want to kick your look up a notch?
Dianna: A good lipstick or a good liner. That immediately changes your face so much. That’s my go-to.
TV: What are you working on now?
Dianna: I just finished a play, and I have a movie coming up in October. A couple of movies I did last year are hitting theaters.
TV: Back to these masks. Is there anything quirky you do with them?
Dianna: Last night I took a ridiculous photo with my girlfriend. She had the clear sheet, and I had the white one. I don’t know why, but you always feel the need to share with someone like, ‘Look how ridiculous we look.’
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