Julianne Hough on the Writing Ritual She Does Every Day, and the Lip Balm You’ll Always Find in Her Bag

Actor, dancer, and Dancing with the Stars host Julianne Hough was often asked when she was going to write a memoir or autobiography, given all the “twists and turns” her life had taken. It was never the right time to tell her story—until recently. Hough’s debut novel, Everything We Never Knew, is the story of Lexi, who goes on a thrilling journey to connect with her true self and heal herself and others.

While the book is fiction, it resonates deeply with Hough’s own life. “The inspiration for this book came from my own self-discovery and transformation that happened pre-pandemic when I started my healing journey,” Hough told Byrdie.“I went through different experiences very similar to Lexi when it came to having these supernatural experiences.” At the time, Hough said it felt “very scary” because she didn’t understand what was going on, but once she allowed the “mystical, magical things” to happen, she was able to transform into her most authentic self. 

Hough wants Everything We Never Knew to encourage readers to open themselves up to a similar journey. “I wanted people to embrace the joy of transformation versus the fear of change, and see that it can be a liberating experience and not a scary experience.” 

Below, Julianne Hough tells Byrdie about her writing routine and rituals, the one thing she does every morning, and the beauty essentials she reaches for time and time again.

The One Thing She Learned About Herself While Writing ‘Everything We Never Knew’

“I am a high-concept person and generate ideas like crazy, but I’m not a super structured person. Having Ellen [Goodlett] as a co-author was unbelievable; I came up with the idea and concept of the book because it was my life, but I wanted someone who was an expert at what they do to be able to write it, so we co-wrote it. The biggest thing I learned is that we’re better together and I know that I am better in collaboration.”

The One Writing Ritual She Does Every Day

“Every morning I do my three pages that I learned from the The Artist’s Way book. I’ve been doing this for about seven years now, and it is the most glorious brain dump. It’s fabulous.”

The One Beauty Product Always In Her Bag

“I have the Laneige lip balm in my bag, because there’s nothing worse than having dry lips.”

The One Beauty Look That Always Makes her Feel Like Herself

“The ‘no makeup’ makeup. When I feel like I look like me but I still have a little bit of makeup on just to feel like a filtered version of me, that’s when I feel the most beautiful and natural.”

The Skincare Brand She’s Obsessed With

“I love Oak Essentials, Jenni Kayne’s brand. It’s this really clean, natural beauty and the hydration is fabulous, especially the balm.”

The One Thing She Does Every Morning

“I take my dog Sunny on my morning loop walk, which is amazing. I meet all my neighbors and chat. It’s more than just a walk; it’s all about the connection with my neighbors as well.”

The One Style Trend She’s Excited to Try

“I’ve been dying to try the mesh flats! I just bought a pair of Khaite mesh flats that I’m going to be trying.”

The Best Piece of Beauty Advice She’s Ever Gotten

“Less is more!”

The Best Beauty Tip She Picked Up on Set

“I learned about micellar water on set. It’s the go-to for taking makeup off, especially after long shoot days.”