Ashley Tisdale Learned Everything She Knows About Skincare from Her Grandma

Meeting Ashely Tisdale felt surreal. Like many people my age, I was obsessed with High School Musical when it premiered, and I still probably have the muscle memory to dance along to “We’re All In This Together.” While her character in the film was the Disney villain who was all about glitz and glam, Tisdale is far more relaxed, warm, and open IRL.

These days, alongside acting in TV series like Carol’s Second Act and Merry Happy Whatever, Tisdale runs Frenshe, a wellness platform covering topics spanning from lifestyle and wellness to beauty and even interior design. Tisdale says that she has an intimate relationship with the wellness space thanks to her own struggles with anxiety and depression. “I really wanted to create a platform that I could share what I’ve been through, but also share experts that might not be accessible to everybody,” she tells Byrdie.

Tisdale reveals that there was no plan to launch products when she created her website, but after receiving positive responses from her audience, she knew she wanted to make accessible wellness products for all. She adds that the idea for her product line, Being Frenshe, came to her during the pandemic, when her readers were looking for easy at-home rituals. “And so instead of outsourcing wellness, like getting a massage or going somewhere to see someone who can make me feel good, I was like, Okay, what can we do for our bodies to take care of ourselves at home? And that’s when Being Frenshe was born.”

Given that accessibility was a top priority for Tisdale, you can find Being Frenshe at Target, and prices range from $8-$21. “[We’ve been] taught that wellness is really expensive, and people have to live a certain kind of lifestyle,” says Tisdale. “I met with a bunch of different experts—it’s actually all about moderation. It’s not something you should look at as a diet… wellness is really making little lifestyle changes, and if it’s [changing just] four things in your life, that’s a fine place to start.” Recently, the brand expanded with its new Lavender Cloud Body Serum Stick ($17) and Citrus Amber Body & Hair Radiance Oil ($21), which are both infused with the brand’s MoodScience Scent Technology.

While I was thrilled to learn about her brand, all I could really focus on was Tisdale’s glowing skin, so I had to get all the details. Ahead, Ashley Tisdale shares her entire skincare routine.

About Her Skin

I have very combination skin. So, it can be either dry or oily—it just depends on the weather. The only kind of skin issue I have is keratosis pilaris on my arms. When I was younger, I had a lot more acne—the teen years are always really rough for everyone. One of the things that I think a lot of people don’t tell you, and I think it’s so important, is that just because it works for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. When I was younger, I really believed Oh, this works for this person, it’s going to work for me. But as I as I got older, I learned which products really worked on my face. And so, I think I’m someone who believes in going to a dermatologist and whatever they tell you, stick with because they know best.

How She Got Into Skincare

My grandma, to be honest, is the matriarch in our family in terms of skin. She's always been into makeup—I remember putting her makeup on when I was younger, and she really taught me a lot of different things about beauty. And so, I have always been really conscious of my skin. I like to get my makeup off at the end of the night—I was never someone who slept in their makeup, I didn't care if I was partying until 2:30 in the morning.

I now really believe in my dermatologist. It's not just surface level stuff—she talks about your hormones, what you're going through internally, and your eating sensitivities. It contributes to things like me being dairy-free for seven years, because I'm sensitive to it. I always encourage people to learn more about themselves.

Her Morning Versus Night Routine

I have to have a nighttime routine because I do have anxiety and stress from my day. I like to create a ritual and set myself up for good sleep because otherwise I might not get good sleep. I like my Hair, Body, & Linen Mist ($15) in Lavender Cloud on my pillow. I use the Renewing Body Wash ($10) because I like to take a shower at night. Someone once told me when you’re taking a shower at night, let the water [pour over you] and feel the stress leaving and going down the drain of the day. And I think it really resets you so that you’re not carrying that with you to sleep.

I feel like at night I’m just trying to moisturize the heck out of my skin. That’s actually one of my grandma’s secrets—she was a slugger before slugging was the thing. She’s believed in Vaseline and her skin looks amazing, I’m not kidding you. My uncle did it, too, and he looks like he’s had Botox even though he’s never actually had Botox.

The [skincare] products that I use at night are more like a heavier moisturizer and eye cream. I use the Summer Fridays lip balm at night and in the morning. My morning routine is obviously different. I use a moisturizer and, honestly, I’m not very great at using eye cream in the morning—I should but I always forget, so it really is a simplified routine in the morning.

The Skincare Step She Never Skips

Definitely washing my face. I'm someone who, if I don't wash it right away, I can feel it in the morning. There’s just no way where I could go through a day without washing my face—even if I don't wear makeup. It's just has to happen and it's the one thing [makes] my skin feel prepped and ready.

How Her Routine Has Evolved Over Time

When I was younger, I thought that I had to use a lot more products. And I think as I got older, I realized that less is more on my face. My dermatologist has these amazing Fresh Pads. So I basically wash my face and use a Fresh Pad. And one of the things that she taught me was not to rub your face with a towel, because that actually causes more wrinkles. I let my face air dry, which I never used to do when I was younger. It takes a couple of minutes but it’s actually really nice.

Why She Switches Up Her Routine

I think just realizing that weather is what obviously dictates what my skin is going to be like. I do cut out certain things in the winter months. And I do cut out certain things in like the summer months. I think that sometimes we're fooled with like, Oh, we have to stick to the same thing on our skin. And I think [skincare] is ever-changing.

Her Best Skincare Advice

That it's just preventative—that's something my grandma taught me. I was in my 20s doing eye cream. I didn't need it, but I was like, it’s preventative. It felt like I was prepping my skin [for later]. Taking care of your skin during your younger years—whether that's in high school or college—and getting into that ritual will help you succeed with any skin.

The Product She’s Used the Longest

I guess hand cream. It's one of those things that my grandma taught me. I always was like, Why are you using hand cream all the time? And she was like, "Our hands age just as well." And I was like Oh my God, I never even thought about that. That is something that she did teach me, and it has been something that I've done for a really long time. I'm not the best at keeping up with it, but it's just something that I learned when I was really young and I've always tried to have in my bag with me.

Her Latest Skincare Obsession

I mean I really can't go wrong with Christie Kidd’s Fresh Pads. They’re the best. I've always been obsessed with them. What I love about them is that if I'm washing my face and there's makeup leftover, they really just get everything off. They’re also great for breakouts and preventing breakouts and so it's something that once I started, I could never really go back. I always use them.