A Deep Dive Into Lorde’s Skin Care Routine

Maybe it’s because I’m a beauty editor, but in my world, Lorde and beauty have always been deeply intertwined. In my early 20s, I listened to Melodrama front to back as a ritual while I painted sharp wings on my eyelids and traced my mouth with liquid lipstick. The lyrics “it feels so scary getting old” from the song “Ribs” often bounce around in my head as I anoint my face with anti-aging creams and serums. And during the summer of 2021, I remember sitting cross-legged on the floor of my old Lower East Side apartment, painting my nails cherry red while I listened to “Stoned at the Nail Salon.” Now, as Lorde has been teasing her new album Virgin, a surprising theme has cropped up during her press tour: skin care.

It started with a now-deleted Instagram post from last year, where she shared a photo with a pill labeled “SPIT.” Internet sleuths quickly identified the pill as spironolactone, an androgen blocker commonly used to treat hormonal acne. Then, Lorde shared her medicine cabinet during an interview with Document Journal—the cult-favorite, bright yellow Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Clearing Serum positioned front and center. The bottle was just one of a bevy of “if you know if you know” products, including niche French pharmacy finds and a unique Parisian fragrance.

In the past, Lorde has been open about her struggles with adult acne. In 2018, she spoke candidly about it on her Instagram Story. “For real though, acne sucks. You know what also sucks? When you’ve had acne for years and years and years. Tried all the drugs, done all the things, and people are still like, ‘You know what worked for me? Moisturizing.’”

All signs in her current skin care lineup point to someone who has put in work—beyond just “moisturizing”—to get their acne under control. Below is an in-depth look at Lorde’s skin care routine, featuring expert insights into how and why it works.

Although we don’t know for certain if Lorde is still on spironolactone, commonly known as the hormonal acne pill, if you are a woman who has struggled with these types of breakouts, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of, or are on the androgen blocker yourself. Often used as a blood pressure medication, it also works an acne fix because it blocks testosterone, which in turn reduces sebum production, since the hormone stimulates oil glands. “[Spironolactone] helps with acne and hair loss at the same time,” says David Kim, MD, a dermatologist in New York. “But it works best for hormonal acne. If you have acne primarily on your jawline or your chin, that gets worse during your cycle, spironolactone is the best treatment.” Kim adds that spironolactone is generally well-tolerated, and can be a good option for most people—as long as you don’t have low blood pressure or are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, since it can harm fetal development.

Sophie Pavitt, Lorde’s facialist, thinks that spironolactone can be a great tool for acne, but it shouldn’t be your entire tool box. “I think people use them first, without looking at their protocol and their diet and it’s like a band aid,” she says. Luckily, in Lorde’s case, the medication is part of a multi-pronged approach.

In a recent interview with Document Journal, Lorde shared a look into her extensive skin care and hair care routine with a snap of her aforementioned medicine cabinet. She stocked over 20 products across three rows, many of which required quite a bit of sleuthing to identify. Some standouts include P50, the cult-favorite French exfoliating toner beloved by celebrities and aestheticians; K18, the bond-building post-shower hair repair mask; and, of course, Sofie Pavitt’s Clearing Serum, the acne-fighting mandelic acid blend in a bright yellow bottle, which is one of the most eye-catching things on her shelf. “Mandelic clearing serum was our first launch,” says Pavitt, the New York based facialist who specializes in acne and started her skin care brand this year. “I wanted it to be impactful, and I wanted it to be the first thing you saw when you open someone’s medicine cabinet. So I’m glad it worked.”

Pavitt has been working with Lorde for four years, so she’s very attuned to her skin. For this past Met Gala, Pavitt worked off of the relationship they’ve built. “We focus on radiance and luminosity,” she says. “You don’t want to do anything too crazy before an event. The facial that we did was really hydrating and barrier-supporting.” Pavitt concentrated on gentle exfoliation with enzymes, LED, and high frequency to help reduce inflammation and even skin, and a cooling jelly mask all over to lock in moisture.

Shop Lorde’s full skin care regimen (identified by ELLE editors) below.

This serum has many fans—ELLE’s own beauty editor uses it to help stop the hormonal acne that crops up around her chin.

Barrier creams are everywhere—including in Lorde’s medicine cabinet, apparently. Ceramides and peptides are blended together to calm irritated and stressed-out skin.

In the ELLE office, this hypochlorous acid spray is as valuable as gold. Our editors love that it works well to curb breakouts and redness. It’s not just us and Lorde, though—Hailey Bieber also loves it.

Another Pavitt favorite, this mask is made with benzoyl peroxide to help clear skin. Our beauty commerce editor Nerisha Penrose swears by the ingredient.

Chances are, if you look in any beauty editor’s cabinet, you’d find a bottle of EradiKate. The sulfur in this formula helps shrink pimples fast.

A potent two-in-one product, this redness-reducing formula is a hybrid between sunscreen and a natural-finish foundation. ELLE’s beauty editor swears by it for all-over coverage that doesn’t hide her freckles.

Emma Lewisham’s lightweight day cream has mica in it to make skin look extra glowy. The brand is already beloved by models Irina Shayk and Georgia Fowler.

If you were to ask anyone in the beauty industry what you must get from a French pharmacy, Homeoplasmine, a staple for skin irritations, would be at the top of their list. It’s often spotted backstage at fashion week and can be used as nipple cream, lip balm, or a slugging ointment.

Meg Ryan uses this cream, and now we know Lorde does too. Moisturizer, sunscreen, and a skin tint all in one—it’s clear that she loves a multi-tasking product.

This mask uses biomimetic technology to help mend split ends. Lorde joins other celebrity fans like Sofia Richie Grainge and Simone Biles, who swear by this leave-in product.

Serum isn’t just for your face—this strengthening elixir helps protect and nourish your hair. Lorde is also in good company here, as other celebrity Olaplex fans include Kim Kardashian and Billie Eilish.

Bieber and TikTok beauty obsessives alike swear by this hair milk. The spray helps soften hair while protecting it from heat and frizz, and can be used to air dry or style with heat tools.

Danuta Mieloch, founder of Rescue Spa in New York City, is widely credited with bringing this French toner stateside. Lorde is one of its many celebrity fans, like Madonna, Bella Hadid, and more.

In any New York apartment, there’s a good chance that you’ll find at least one Aesop product. The brand’s aluminum-free deodorant comes in an easy-to-use spray.

Vilhelm Parfumerie is a niche fragrance brand beloved by Victoria Beckham and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. Dear Polly is an alluring mix of bergamot, apple, amber, and black tea that is described as being “a love letter to love itself.”

This moisturizer also helps curb breakouts. Lorde joins skin care obsessives like Shani Darden, a celebrity facialist who uses iS Clinical in her own routine.

Lorde’s medicine cabinet is stocked with NuFace Aqua Gel, which serves as a conductor for the popular microcurrent device. Dieux founder and skin care influencer Charlotte Palermino loves NuFace, and so do celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson.