Lukas Gage On Wedding Bronzer, Smelling Sexy, and Wanting Hugh Grant Hair

The Armani Beauty face tells us all his tips to feel the best inside and out.

Byrdie Boy

Byrdie Boy is our series to break outdated perceptions of men and beauty. Here, we highligh the routines, product picks, and musings of cool guys with a unique POV, so our male and man-aligned readers can learn about skincare, makeup, and hair from a trusted, inclusive source. Actor Lukas Gage tells us about everything from his new Armani partnership to his grooming essentials.

Lukas Gage has a knack for giving the ultimate scene-stealing performances. Of course, there was that scene in The White Lotus—one of the most widely discussed in modern T.V. history—as well as his delightful turn as Penn Badgley's nemesis in the fourth season ofYou. There's more, but we don't want to gush.

Off screen, he's just as captivating. He's as fun and cheeky as you expect him to be, and he's had his fair share of viral moments: most recently, his surprise wedding to Chris Appleton (the pair wore matching fur coats and leather pants) officiated by Kim Kardashian.

Now, this Byrdie Boy is officially making his debut as part of Armani Beauty's Gen A crew, alongside actors like Camilla Mendes, Lili Reinhart, and Chase Stokes. We caught up with Gage in Venice, Italy, about his love of fragrance, the products he's a “skincare slut” for, and the tips he swears by to feel his most beautiful inside and out.

Tell us about your partnership with Armani Beauty. What is so exciting about being the face of Acqua di Gio?

"It's such a classic, old-school company with a new generation of young talented artists. That's how I found my way into this [partnership]. They had Sydney [Sweeney] last year, and I made a connection with the amazing Armani peeps, and it was very organic—a natural flow into the group. We genuinely are all very, very tight."

That’s so nice and very evident in watching everyone interact. What's your daily grooming routine like?

"I start the day with some kind of workout, and then I try to do at least a five- or 10-minute meditation to chill and then I'll chug water.

"The hair is key. I'm always switching it up and putting a bunch of [product in it]. I'm heavy on the product. I need a lot of product to make my hair not look like a toupee. I love K18 and, of course, the Colorwow Money Mask ($45) is sick. I also use a purple shampoo. [Without the purple] shampoo, [my hair] gets brassy.

"I'm a total skincare slut. I have this thing from Biologique [Recherche], that Placenta Cream. I also love a mask. I like a Biologique Recherce sheet mask and the La Mer mask is insane."

You're married to celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton. Has he changed your approach to haircare at all?

"I think it's just nice to have a groomer on 24/7 standby! But no, he's kind of just made me think outside the box and be like, 'You should play with different things and mix it up.' So now I'm into more the trends. I'm really wanting to bring back these '90s hair trends, like the Hugh Grant look, and other iconic staples. Like I love, on girls, the Pam Anderson '90s look, it’s the hottest thing in the world. And for guys, I want to emulate Hugh Grant, but flowy."

Do you have any hair care tips of your own?

"I don't think it's great to wash your hair every day. I mean, I take a shower every day, I'm clean! I shower twice a day, but I don't wash my hair. I wash my hair usually ever other day, maybe every two days, because of my [hair] texture. That's my beauty tip—that, and a face mask. Get the sheet masks!"

People tend to gloss over wedding beauty for men. How did you prepare for your big day?

"With a spray tan. Always a little bit of Armani bronzer. I don't like to have a heavy beat, but I do love a bronzer and tinted moisturizer. I definitely [spritzed] my Acqua Di Gio ($102)—I had to smell sexy.

"That's another little tip. I put the cologne in my hair. It stays fresh and stays on for a long time. Hair traps the smell really well. Some people like to [spray it] on their neck or their wrist, but I'm a hair guy. You can smell it when you’re giving a hug for sure."

Obviously you love fragrance, what scents or notes do you find yourself gravitating towards?

"I love earthy notes, also beach-y, light notes. The reason I love [Acqua di Gio]  is it just feels like a beach day in a bottle. I tend to gravitate towards more positive, upbeat scents because it makes me feel a bit lighter and happier."

You’ve spent a lot of time on sets, what's the best tip you learned from the hair and makeup teams behind the scenes?

"It's important to know what medium you're shooting. If you're on set, it's okay to a heavier beat because it'll read differently on camera. At first, I was pushing away from it, and I wanted it to look natural. But, [the end result] looks different than a photo shoot or a red carpet. You want to always adjust accordingly. On set is [also] where I learned to use those face and eye masks."

What is the weirdest beauty treatment or product you’ve used?

"I mean, placenta cream is pretty weird. It truly has the most insane smell to it. That's a pretty strange technique or ingredient, but it works! There's something about it that really is sick."

What's your earliest beauty memory?

"Putting my mother's red ruby lipstick on when I was a child? I’m totally kidding! I honestly didn't really get into skincare or hair care until I was older. So, cologne was my earliest memory, like stealing from my older brothers, trying on their insane fragrances, and finding my own. I remember in high school [Acqua di Gio] was the cool [fragrance] to get."

You're always on the go. What are some travel essentials?

"Biologique, the little face mask and the Cryo-Sticks ($126), those are essential. I love an under-eye [mask]. The Skyn Iceland under-eye one is really good for traveling when you don't want to look like you haven't slept. Sunscreen too. I've become obsessed with sunscreen after I noticed some sun damage. Now, I'm pretty religious with my sunscreen. Other than that, I keep it pretty light.

With your busy schedule, how do you stay grounded and take care of your mental health?

"Honestly, the five- to 10-minute little meditation app thing that I do. I do Peloton too, I like this girl named Aditi, I follow her. I love her. She's so good. I DMed her like, 'You changed my morning, my gratitude!' It's really important to always have gratitude. I think, otherwuse, [you can get] lost and forget how lucky we really are. I love a therapy session. I'm a big, big therapy boy. I did therapy at like two in the morning last night. You have to do it no matter the timezone—it's important. And water, drink water—at least 10 cups a day."

What's you're beauty philosophy? What does beauty mean to you?

"It's just as important on the inside as it is on the outside. If you're not feeling good before you put on all this stuff to externally look hotter, it doesn't matter. You can radiate confidence in sweatpants and a T-shirt. You can radiate confidence in sunscreen and no makeup. You just have to start from the inside. If I'm not feeling good, if I'm not working out, if I'm not keeping my mental health in check, and staying grateful, all that other stuff doesn't really matter."

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Read the original article on Byrdie.