Celebrities Who Admit They Barely Wash Their Faces

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When we think of extreme celebrity skincare routines, outrageously expensive products and wild procedures typically come to mind. However, some A-listers have taken their skincare regimen to questionable lengths by choosing not to regularly wash their faces. Somewhat surprisingly, these celebrities often forgo the basic step due to simple beliefs and personal preferences rather than complicated and unscientific myths.

While each of the following notable figures may have their own reason for skipping the step, it's important to remember that experts generally don't recommend going prolonged periods without a face wash. One of the biggest reasons to follow a consistent face-washing routine is that it helps clear the skin of dirt, oil, makeup, and other debris it accumulates daily. Getting rid of these impurities can give the face a cleaner appearance, prevent clogged pores, and reduce the likelihood of acne flare-ups, inflammation, and irritation. Regular washing also lets skincare products work more effectively and helps makeup sit better. 

In an exclusive chat with Health Digest, dermatologist Ronald Moy, said that how often you should be washing your face largely depends on your skin type. Dr. Moy explained that people with dry skin should ideally only wash their face once a day. Furthermore, those with oily skin should wash their faces more frequently, while those with combination skin (oily and dry skin on different areas of the face) should wash once or twice a day. Still, many celebs who barely wash their faces don't seem bothered by all the potential drawbacks and find that skipping the basic step fits right in with their skincare philosophy.

Speaking to "RuPaul's Drag Race" judge Michelle Visage on her BBC Podcast, "Rule Breakers," in March 2022, Cameron Diaz shared that she essentially put no thought or effort into her skincare routine after taking a break from acting in 2014. "I literally do nothing. I like never wash my face," she said, before elaborating on how she randomly used skincare products. "Twice a month if I'm lucky, I'll be like, 'Oh, I better put this on. One time works, right?' Like, is that all I have to do? I'm just not in that place right now like where I put any energy." 

For someone with a decades-long Hollywood career, that change didn't naturally come overnight. Diaz explained that she once harshly judged herself against societal beauty standards. However, during her Hollywood hiatus, she started seeing her body more positively and questioning why she was being so hard on the body that had gotten her through so much. Ultimately, Diaz couldn't be happier about the freedom she had experienced after she stopped stressing about her looks and started fully focusing on her family life with her kids. 

The "Charlie's Angels" actor has also made it clear that she refuses to see aging in a negative light. Speaking on "The Dr. Oz Show," Diaz encouraged people to have a positive attitude toward aging because a good mindset affects mental and potentially physical well-being. It's worth noting that Diaz isn't just going against expectations by not washing her face regularly; she is also one of the many celebrities who skip deodorant for all-natural pits.

During an April 2019 fan Q&A session (via Teen Vogue), Shawn Mendes said he believes skincare is more about internal well-being. "My skincare routine — I'm not lying when I tell you guys that I just don't wash my face! I meditate a lot," the "Mercy" singer explained. "I think skin is very based off of how you're feeling." Mendes joked that someone content in their life could get away with applying dirt on their face acne-free. Summing up his skincare philosophy, Mendes said, "Just do everything that will make you happy."

Despite his commitment to staying happy and relaxed, Mendes still follows a skincare routine to show his skin some extra love. During the Q&A session, he said he treated himself to a face mask every few days. Additionally, in a November 2019 chat with Marie Claire (via Capital FM UK), the "Stitches" hitmaker's personal groomer, Anna Bernabe, said she told her male clients to lather moisturizer before sleeping so they wake up with soft skin. 

Meanwhile, in an August 2022 chat with GQ, Bernabe shared that before Mendes walked the red carpet during that year's Oscars, she used 111Skin's Black Diamond Eye Masks on him. For a boost of moisture, she used Kypris' Antioxidant Dew Quench & Glow Facial Serum, which gave him a glow. 

Alex Cooper's skincare routine has evidently been through quite a few changes over the years. In November 2022, the famed podcaster told Glamour that her skincare routine had two cleansers: an Acella face wash, which she used for acne flare-ups, and the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta® AHA/BHA Daily Cleansing Gel, reserved for days when her skin wasn't as irritated. However, that routine changed a few years later. While discussing her skincare routine with Vogue in July 2024, Cooper admitted, "I don't wash my face." She continued, "I just realized that like early on when I was breaking out a lot, my skin was super oily and it was confused and I was struggling a lot with my skincare and when I stopped washing my face, all of a sudden, I stopped having pimples." 

The "Call Her Daddy" host has notably been dealing with acne for quite some time. In a December 2024 Byrdie interview, Cooper said that after experiencing acne flare-ups in her younger years, she tried Accutane. While it worked wonders for her, she still had to deal with one of Accutane's biggest side effects: dryness. While she desperately wanted to counteract the dryness, she also knew that she had to be careful with the products she used on her acne-prone skin. So, when she started taking her skincare more seriously in college, she began focusing on internal hydration and ensured she drank plenty of water. As Cooper grew older, she continued sticking to the simple habit and found that well-hydrated skin made her makeup pop more.

During a Teen Vogue Summit panel in November 2024, Alex Consani shared that she didn't wash her face using a traditional face wash or soap. Instead, her simple routine consisted of a cleansing oil and a moisturizer. However, by January 2025, she had apparently moved even further away from traditional face washing. Demonstrating her daily skincare routine in a video for Vogue, Consani started by dabbing ice all over her face to freshen up her skin. It appears that for Consani, good skincare isn't rooted in cleansing, but in using a few products with the proper application. 

To make the most of her gua sha routine (a traditional Chinese practice involving gentle skin scraping using a flat stone), the TikTok star used Dr. Barbara Sturm's hyaluronic serum, which helped the instrument glide over her skin more smoothly. While she used her rose quartz gua sha, Consani ensured she moved in an outward direction and paid special attention to her technique. Likewise, when she applied her Weleda Skin Food moisturizer, she used a technique she saw women practicing on her flight from South Korea and continuously patted her face. Per Consani, the simple technique improved blood circulation and helped the product do its job better.

If Consani's skincare regimen seems a bit simple, it's important to know that, for a time, she followed a maximalist approach. At the Teen Vogue Summit panel, she said that after going through a phase where she used multiple skincare products, she discovered that using fewer products worked better for her. 

In an August 2015 interview with Into the Gloss, Cheryl Burke said that while she grew up watching her mother stick to a consistent face-washing routine, she didn't follow suit when she had grown older. The professional dancer then explained that she couldn't rely on a facial to cleanse her face, since she had experienced an acne flare-up from one in the past. 

During her April 2026 appearance on the "Off The Vine" podcast, Burke said she never washed her face while she was on "Dancing with the Stars." Her time on the show notably lasted around 17 years. In those days, the dancer was more focused on getting her makeup off rather than giving her skin a deep cleanse, since she used a makeup wipe or two after wrapping up filming for the day. Burke joked that her lack of effort in cleansing made her bed look more like a crime scene, since the tan she used before the shows would transfer to her pillows while she slept. 

With that said, in her Into the Gloss interview, Burke stressed that it is important for people who regularly use a lot of makeup to be thorough with makeup removal. Back then, she kept her skincare routine simple, sticking to basics that helped hydrate and protect her skin, like SPF lotions and Olay creams. Burke's skincare routine has notably gone through quite the overhaul since her stint on the popular dancing competition ended. In a July 2025 Facebook video, Burke shared that she uses two cleansers in her more extensive skincare regimen.