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Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley Reveal If Their ‘Gossip Girl’ Characters Ended Up With Right People
Spotted: Leighton Meester’s recommendations for buttery smooth skin.
The Gossip Girl alum offered a close look into her body care routine, including the one item that’s helped improve her skin’s texture over the years.
“I love an exfoliating mitt,” Leighton, 39, told Marie Claire in an interview published March 3. “I love going to a spa day at Olympic Day Spa in LA, which is a Korean spa. It’s co-ed, but there’s a women’s only section. The first time I ever went I was like, ‘What is this?’”
Specifically, the “Somebody to Love” singer—who shares daughter Arlo, 10, and a 5-year-old son with husband Adam Brody—felt “like an alien coming to Earth” when she used the product for the first time.
“They’re like, ‘You need to shed your alien skin to be here.’ It’s amazing,” she continued of the experience. “I bought a version of them so I can use them at home before I shave or something, but I’m much gentler when I use them myself.”
Since then, the scrubbing glove has become a vital step in Leighton’s shower routine, especially if she’s planning on layering fragrances during her date nights with The O.C. actor.
“I like the idea of a signature scent,” she detailed. “I’m in love with Elizabeth Arden’s Eternal Aura. I wear that regularly. I feel like it is a date-night scent because it gives you a sense of romance. It’s grounding, but still an uplifting, happy fragrance in my opinion.”
Indeed, the couple—who got married in 2014—have embraced that lighthearted mood during their public outings, such as their viral interaction with Ariana Grande at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards in January. At the time, Leighton sweetly smiled as the Wicked singer told her, “I love you. Wow, wow, wow.”
And when Leighton and Adam, 46, aren’t posing on the red carpet together, she’s sharing insight into the early years of their relationship. Though the duo were friends before they started dating, the Monte Carlo alum was still hesitant to take it to the next step with him.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
“A lot of the time there’s false starts,” she told her Gossip Girl costar Penn Badgley on his Podcrushed podcast last month. “Like, ‘Oh I thought he liked my roommate.’ And it turns out that was my husband the whole time. I think I just had to see about a couple of other people first. Now, I go like, ‘Why did I do that?’ That was the wrong move, obviously. But was it?”
But despite their slow start, Leighton is confident she found her lifelong partner.
“He is the right person,” she affirmed. “I would argue he’s the right person for a lot of people. He’s just a really good person.”
Keep reading for a look back at Leighton and Adam’s cutest moments…
Splash News/Shutterstock / SplashNews.com
Out and About
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody showed some sweet PDA while heading to a Mexican restaurant in 2013.
AKM-GSI
Mums the Word
As romance rumors continued to swirl, the pair declined to publicly comment on the status of their relationship. But you know what they say, a picture's worth a thousand words.
Allan Bregg / Splash News
NYC Love
Spotted: After keeping under the radar for months, Meester and Brody resurfaced in New York City together.
Tania Coetzee/Shutterstock
He Put a Ring on It
In 2013, news broke that The O.C. actor and the Gossip Girl star were engaged. Nearly a month later, they were photographed stealing a smooch in South Africa.
Henry S. Dziekan III/WireImage
Wedding Bells
Meester and Brody got married in a super-secretive ceremony in 2014.
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Red Carpet Ready
The actress supported her husband at the premiere of his movie Shazam! in 2019. No doubt their daughter, Arlo, loves that her dad is a superhero!
Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Images
Picture Perfect
Brody previously shared that becoming a father is "the best in every way."
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Do Gooders
In their spare time, this couple enjoys giving back to their community.
Kelsey McNeal via Getty Images
Co-Stars
After working on 2011's The Oranges, the two once again reunited on the set of Meester's show Single Parents in 2019. In his guest role, Brody played her character's ex.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Proud Parents
While the couple never announced they were expecting baby No. 2, Brody confirmed in September 2020 that Meester gave birth to their second child.
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Stylish Pair
The stars dazzle at the 2022 premiere of his show Fleishman Is In Trouble.
Araya Doheny/WireImage
XOXO
Meester and Brody also made a super duo at the March 2023 premiere of his movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Amy Sussman/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Movie Night
Hey Upper East Siders, the Blair Waldorf alum and Seth Cohen actor attended the screening of his film American Fiction in December 2023.
Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for UTA
A Golden Evening
Meester and Brody celebrate the 2024 Golden Globes at an after-party in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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Date Night
And the award for cutest couple at the 2024 SAG Awards goes to...
Gilbert Flores/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images
A Golden Couple
Leighton accompanied Adam, nominated for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series for his role in Nobody Wants This, at the 82nd Golden Globes held in January 2025.
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Date Night at The SAG Awards
The following month, Leighton and Adam stepped out once again for a date night to the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards in February.
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