Outer Banks [1] became the most popular show on Netflix a mere three weeks after it debuted. Surprising? No. The adventure mystery teen drama has a thrilling plot and is cast with beautiful new talent [2], one of them being breakout star Madison Bailey [3], who plays Kiara in the original series. As the leader of the Pogue crew, Kiara is the laidback and cool, yet effortlessly stunning beach babe [4]. And as it turns out, that description isn't that far off from Bailey's personality IRL.
"I don't think Kiara would touch makeup if you paid her to," Bailey told POPSUGAR with a laugh. "I myself love makeup. I collect makeup." But after playing the character for 10 episodes and living that Outer Banks life, that's changed — at least a little.
"I wear a lot less makeup than I did before the show," said Bailey. "That definitely changed the way I view makeup. I'm more into a natural, glowy look versus a full face. It made me more comfortable in my own skin. I feel a lot more naturally beautiful than I ever have." A great feat for any 20-something-year-old, but especially for someone in the spotlight and on TV.
Madison Bailey's Makeup Prep For Kiara's Natural Look
Plot twist: there really isn't any. Unlike many natural beauty looks that secretly involve 10-plus products, Kiara's look truly is all natural. "I genuinely hardly wear any makeup at all just because we're sweating or swimming and it's going to come off anyway," said Bailey.
Instead, the show's makeup artist Deidre Outlaw used a beauty routine that's as simple and paired down as it can get. "She used sunscreen on my face, a little bit of foundation as concealer if needed on certain areas, clear brow gel, and she curled my lashes. I don't even wear mascara." (To which everyone reading this, we thought the same: "Really?!")
On Madison Bailey's Signature Long Curls
You know Kiara's signature long, beachy curls? Those are natural too. While filming, Bailey practically woke up and headed to set with her hair ready to go. "The only curl products I use are fresh out of the shower, so showing up to set is pretty easy." When Kiara's hair is in a messy bun or half-up-half-down, that's all Bailey's handy work, too.
"There's actually a look that everybody's catching on to and liking and it's the two braids on the side with the top bun," said Bailey. "I actually put my own hair like that when I woke up one day and was like, 'I'll just mess with my hair for a little bit.' We were going into a new episode, so I asked if I could keep it like that and they were like, 'Yeah, sure. It looks really cute.'" (See the look in the photo above.)
Bailey's actually gotten so many questions on her hair care that she share her post-shower curly hair routine [5] on TikTok.
The Outer Banks Caster Member With the Longest Beauty Prep Routine
The Outer Banks [6] character with the longest beauty prep is both surprising and not. Aside from Madelyn Cline who, as a Kook through and through wears more makeup [7] than Kiara, John B's character requires a bit more work. "Out of the Pogues, John B always has some black eye or cuts on his face," said Bailey. "They also put self-tanner on him."
Bailey also revealed that the boys have to shave, like every day, to pull off their 16-year-old characters.
On the #1 Outer Banks Fan Question She Gets
Given that all of the Outer Banks [8] stars are fairly new to the spotlight (at least to this level of Netflix fandom) you can imagine that their phones are blowing up with questions and comments from fans. "The number-one fan question isn't even about me," said Bailey. "It's if I 'ship JJ and Kiara. My phone is blowing up with that question on a daily basis, on an hourly basis." JJ is one of the more boisterous members of the Pogue crew and one of Kiara's best friends. So, what's the answer?
"The answer is yes, I really do," said Bailey. "I think they'd be cute, but not right now, maybe later." Season two can't come soon enough.
Madison Bailey on Her Favourite Drugstore Product
Kiara may not be a huge fan of makeup but for Bailey, that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, she's a self-proclaimed Glossier girl — a huge one, to use her words. "Their brow products changed my life — the Glossier Brow Flick [9] ($18) and the Glossier Boy Brow [10] ($16) duo," said Bailey. "And the Glossier Haloscope Highlighter in Moonstone [11] ($22)." Which she hailed for its ability to "make your skin look wet."
As for her drugstore makeup favourites, she's loving the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Blushlighter in the shade After Sex Glow [12] ($6) right now. "My black liquid liner is the Wet n Wild Mega Last Breakup-Proof Black Liquid Eyeliner [13] ($6)," said Bailey. "That's one of my favourite products — I've been using it since I was 16."
Madison Bailey [14] on Her First Beauty Splurge
Considering how much Bailey loves makeup and the fact that she collects it, we had to know: what was her first beauty splurge? She didn't miss a beat and instantly recalled a moment from when she was 13 or 14 years old. "When I was a teenager, my mom didn't pick out birthday presents for me," said Bailey. "She took me to the mall and let me do my thing. I remember going to MAC — and MAC was and still is iconic, always will be — and I bought a MAC Matte Lipstick [15] ($19). I remember thinking I was so cool."
But that was years ago. Her first adult beauty splurge was the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette [16] ($42). Good choice.