Image Source: Jackson Lee Davis / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection
Madelyn Cline knows a thing or two about achieving a good makeup look on and off the screen. A rising star who has appeared in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," "Stranger Things," "The Originals," among others, the actor has demonstrated chameleon-like range in the beauty realm. She has experienced several character transformations throughout her career, ranging from an 80s core aesthetic to subtle glam.
But it's hard to believe she's wearing any makeup while searching for treasure or fleeing from enemies as Sarah Cameron in Netflix's "Outer Banks," or as fans abbreviate, "OBX." Primarily shot on the oceanfront of the South Carolina beaches, the show's coastal setting inspires Cline's relaxed vibes. While her dewy, summer glow looks all-natural, the actress revealed it's not – at least not entirely.
Ahead of part one of the season four premiere of "Outer Banks" on Oct. 11, Cline shares what it takes to create her character's natural radiance, her viral "sunset siren" makeup look, and the relatable reason behind her end-of-summer haircut.
About Her No-Makeup Makeup on "Outer Banks"
For Cline, simplicity is critical to achieving her "Outer Banks" character's laid-back look. "Less is more," she tells PS at a Revlon beauty event. (Cline is the brand's newly minted global ambassador.) "We always rely on dewy products that don't hide our skin's natural texture, like a gel serum blush to keep it really simple." The dewy product Cline refers to is Revlon's Illuminance Gel Serum Blush ($11), a holy grail that she swears by and incorporates into her everyday beauty regime.
Cline achieves a smooth canvas by applying sunscreen and moisturizer before any makeup. For the latter, she once shared in a TikTok video that her favorite face cream is the SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore ($155). "Finding products with good ingredients but also help keep your skin healthy with moisturizing ingredients is always key," Cline says. "I always need to make sure that I'm giving my skin a lot of hydration and going that extra mile just to restore and replenish my skin's barrier."
Even though Cline is committed to her skin-care routine, you won't find her shelves overflowing. In an age when many beauty influencers correlate "more products" with "better," Cline unapologetically rejects that notion. "It's really easy to think that a good skin-care routine is like 10 steps and you layer on all these products," she says, reasserting. "For me, sometimes less is more. With skin and makeup, it is quality over quantity."
The Real Reason Behind Her Bob Haircut
Cline's beauty transformations don't go unnoticed, especially by fans who admire her boldness. The Internet almost lost it when she recently debuted a major hair-color change that differs from her signature lengthy, blond look. Even though stepping outside her comfort zone isn't new to her, she revealed that the chop wasn't by choice: heat damage led to her trying the low-maintenance bob.
"I'm on a hair recovery journey," Cline says. "Of course, I miss my hair, but there's definitely a way to keep it healthy and at a good length where it doesn't look like you're in the process of regrowing damaged hair. That was kind of the whole inspiration by the beach bob."
Filming on the coast comes with its hair-care challenges. From excessive heat damage to saltwater exposure, the shore isn't the most conducive environment for healthy hair. Cline also dyes her dark brown hair blond for "Outer Banks," so it makes sense that wearing extensions has become one of Cline's go-to protective styles in her hair care journey. Whether she rocks her bob or opts for long, flowy hair, her realistic approach to beauty trends serves fans the ultimate "OBX" inspiration.
Fall Beauty Trends She's Loving Right Now
To celebrate Revlon's latest release of its ColorStay makeup products, Cline adopted the viral "siren eyes" trend to create a signature look called "sunset siren" for its September event. (For the unfamiliar, siren eyes are a sultry twist on your typical cat-eye that involves extending the line down toward your tear ducts.)
While the look has been trending on TikTok for years, Cline teamed up with celebrity makeup artist Jen Tioseco to transition her luminous glow and golden eye look into fall using three products: the Revlon ColorStay Flex Wear Full Cover Concealer ($10), Revlon ColorStay Xtensionnaire Mascara ($10), andRevlon ColorStay Multiplayer Liquid-Glide Eyeliner in Queen of Hearts ($9). Although the pair initially created "sunset siren" last summer, the warm-tone eye proved especially perfect for fall.
Image Source: Courtesy of Revlon
The siren eyes trend isn't the only look Cline is carrying into the cooler seasons. Along with her post-summer glow, the actress said she's excited to experiment with blush and rocking big, bold lashes. I don't think that any makeup look is complete without them," she says. "I love any of Revlon's mascaras. They're so iconic.
While she may wear barely-there makeup while filming, her public appearances tell a different story. Whether walking red carpets or modeling, Cline rocks different versions of soft glam and heavily relies on collaborating with her glam squad when searching for inspiration.
"I have the privilege of working with my makeup artist [Jen Tioseco] and hairstylist [ Marc Mena] who are some of my closest friends," she says. "We've worked so closely for so long that deciding on a look is how we feel on that day. It's a lot of sending pictures back and forth and creating something unique."
Giana Levy is a Los Angeles-based entertainment and culture journalist dedicated to providing deeper context to trending headlines. In addition to PS, her work has appeared in Essence, BET, Yahoo Life, Refinery29's Unbothered, and more.