Gloss Angeles – Episode Summary

Episode: "Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy, Beauty, and Being the Ultimate ’90s It Girl"

Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan | Guest: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan welcome actress Sarah Michelle Gellar for an open, nostalgic, and insightful conversation. Sarah delves into her iconic career—from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and ‘90s cinema glory to her present-day relationship with beauty, aging, and motherhood. The discussion covers everything: favorite beauty products, how beauty standards have evolved (for both celebrities and everyday women), and Sarah’s perspective on fame in the social media era. Fans of Buffy, beauty junkies, and ‘90s pop culture devotees will all find something memorable here.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sarah’s Everyday Beauty Routine

[02:11–06:16]

• Accessible Skincare:

  • Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream Triple Peptide is Sarah’s “magic in a jar.”

    “I always believe that what we use should be attainable… My big secret is my Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream.” (Sarah, 02:13)

  • She’s loyal to products passed down from her mom and loves Olay’s constant reinvention.

• City Living & Skin:

  • Sarah washes her face multiple times daily, especially while working on set—"as a born and raised New Yorker," she feels cleaner and fresher that way.
  • She even startles makeup artists and directors by removing makeup at lunch for a clean reapplication.

• Makeup Favorites:

  • Victoria Beckham Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury get high marks—especially for products that “let you see your face” [05:21].
  • New discovery: Parfums de Marly Delina hair fragrance.

    “...You use so little of it, it lasts you years.” (Sarah, 06:12)

• Generational Product Sharing:

  • Her daughter’s influence: Sarah learned about Refi Brow from her.
  • Trying out new tech: Higher Dose Red Light Hat to help with hair strength and breakage, with visible results after consistent use.

2. Beauty, Aging, and the Pressure of Comparison

[08:03–11:27]

• Being Compared to Her Younger Self:

  • Sarah candidly reveals how being a longtime public figure means constant comparisons with her past self:

    “I am constantly compared to my younger self... But I don’t want to be that person anymore. I like who I am now.” (Sarah, 08:20)

• Attitude Toward Aging:

  • She’s mindful of the pressures—especially with the rise of plastic surgery and injectables for very young women.
  • Admits to using Botox (“I’m not going to lie and say there’s no Botox in my face, but I can still move my face!” [09:55]) but avoids anything that would sacrifice facial expression—key for an actor.

• Filters & Distorted Self-Image:

  • Social media filters “have messed with us a lot,” challenging even her own perception of her looks. (10:53)

• Parenting Perspective:

  • Guides her kids toward holistic wellness: healthy eating (family meals, growing vegetables), regular exercise, and balance between glam and downtime.

    “I try to make it a 360, a holistic conversation… It’s also fun to put my hair in a ponytail and wear my sweats and go to the farmer’s market.” (Sarah, 11:27)

3. Reflections on 90s Fame and Hollywood Then vs. Now

[14:36–24:43]

• Icon Status & The 'It Girl' Era:

  • Sarah reflects fondly on the uniqueness of rising to fame pre-social media, noting she could focus on the work rather than “outside noise.”
  • “There’s such a distinction between a working actor and a celebrity now.” (Sarah, 15:36)

• Playing the Mean Girl:

  • She was often typecast in “mean girl” roles (Swan’s Crossing, Cruel Intentions) and jokes about how people “see you as your last role.”
  • On choosing Catherine in Cruel Intentions over Annette despite expectations:

    “That’s the role I want to do… sometimes you need those people to play those roles.” (Sarah, 17:41, 18:14)

• Career Misses:

  • Eagerly shares her envy for Samara Weaving’s role in Ready or Not, saying, “I wish I wasn’t too old for Ready or Not.” (Sarah, 18:25)

4. Beauty Nostalgia: Favorite 90s & 00s Products & Moments

[19:00–22:35]

• Iconic Beauty Looks:

  • MAC Folio lipstick (so pale it was “basically blue like a corpse”), Chanel Vamp nail polish, and Aussie Sprunch Spray for big hair.
  • The hair clip trend and “mistakenly” trying to wear a different Hard Candy nail color every Buffy episode—only to regret it at reshoots.

• Red Carpet Realities:

  • Sarah recounts the extensive logistics of getting red carpet–ready: availability of designers, multiple fittings, finding the right look, and personal nerves.
  • “I freeze [on the red carpet]. Everyone’s looking at you, the flashes… Not my skill set.” (22:03)

5. Advice and Reflections on Aging, Social Media, and Relationships

[22:50–29:30]

• On Confidence & Aging:

  • “There’s a confidence you get later that you just… There’s no way to replicate it for a younger person, because it just comes with living.” (Sarah, 22:58)
  • Sarah envies today’s teens’ skincare awareness, wishing she had avoided tanning beds.

• Teen Stardom—Then vs. Now:

  • Without social media, Sarah had privacy and could focus on acting.
  • Now, young stars are pressured to “collect content” on top of performance. Anecdote about marketing teams giving actors disposable cameras for more content creation. [24:02]

• Buffy Reboot—Why Now?

  • After long resistance, Sarah was swayed by director Chloe Zhao’s passion and vision, realizing the world “needs that heroine” now (25:04–26:04).
  • On dealing with fan expectations:

    “I can’t make work for those people [who just want to hate comment]… I make work for the real fans.” (Sarah, 26:10)

• Feedback from the Public:

  • She welcomes constructive, loving feedback from fans but avoids reading online reviews.

6. Lightning Round

[27:33–30:14]

• Order for Getting Ready: Hair, then makeup, then wardrobe (27:48).
• On Work With Husband Freddie Prinze Jr.:
  • Says they do everything “as a family… I feel like a part of any project he’s on” (28:04).
• 90s Trends:
  • Sarah is not excited for the return of “sperm eyebrows” or chokers (“they hide your neck!”) but loves the t-shirt-and-dress layering (28:30).
• Relationship Advice:
  • “Don’t ask anyone else for advice… For anything that’s worth it, you have to put the work into it.” (Sarah, 28:58)
• Buffy Love Triangle (F/M/K):
  • Marry Riley (“that’s if you want a serious relationship”), “Angel girl” for the fun, “you can’t kill Spike—he’s already dead!” (29:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I’m very loyal to products I grew up with—my mom used Olay… I like to think of myself as a jar of Olay.” (Sarah, 02:20)
• “I’m not 18 anymore. I do all those cliches, like less is more—I wore three times as much makeup in my 20s than I do now.” (Sarah, 08:50)
• “I can’t make work for those people… I make work for the real fans.” (Sarah, 26:10)
• On red carpets: “I freeze… Everyone’s looking at you, the flashes… Not my skill set.” (Sarah, 22:03)
• On relationships: “Don’t ask anyone else for advice… Everyone’s experience is different—anything that’s worth it, you have to put the work into it.” (Sarah, 28:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:11 — Sarah Michelle Gellar’s beauty routine & favorite products
• 08:03 — Views on aging, beauty, and comparisons to her younger self
• 14:36 — Discussion of her career, playing "it girl" and mean girls
• 19:00 — 90s beauty nostalgia and red carpet insights
• 22:50 — Thoughts on aging, social media, and advice to younger women
• 24:02 — Being a teen star then vs. now
• 25:04 — Buffy reboot, why she returned, and the importance of fans
• 27:33 — Lightning round (getting ready, 90s trends, relationship advice, Buffy F/M/K)

Tone & Style

Warm, candid, and humorous—the episode is marked by Sarah Michelle Gellar’s self-awareness, humor, and openness. Hosts Kirbie and Sara keep the conversation energetic, nostalgic, and always anchored in their mutual love for pop culture and beauty.

Perfect For:

Fans of ‘90s/00s TV and film, anyone interested in beauty and wellness, and those curious about how celebrities age gracefully while navigating fame, family, and staying grounded.