beauty minute

I recently got interviewed about my beauty routine for a feature on Garance Doré. You can read my Beauty Minute on their site, or continue reading to check out my daily beauty regimen and go-to products. By no means do I use all of these products every day, but the ones listed below are some of my favorites that make me look and feel my best! 

Morning Routine:

I have sensitive skin, so I prefer to use brands that use clean, simple, and high-quality ingredients. I usually just rinse my face with water in the morning instead of using a cleanser. Then I use Osmia Organics Active Gel Toner. I add True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster to my True Botanicals Cellular Renewal Serum (which activates it), and apply that mixture next. Then I finish with either Osmia Organics Purely Simple Face Cream or Sunday Riley Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil, depending if I want something lighter or more rich (and don't forget your neck!). My lips always get a thick coat of Aquaphor in the morning. I take a probiotic every day, and like to have hot lemon water if I can as well. I’ve also been loving Sun Potion supplements in my morning coffee or smoothie! For fragrance, my go-tos are by Tom Ford- I love Violet Blonde or Oud Wood, depending on my mood!

Makeup Routine:

I rarely wear makeup when I'm not working- it feels nice to give my skin a break! If I'm wearing makeup, it's usually just the basics. I like a lot of Glossier products- they make great no-frills essentials. I use a tinted moisturizer (with SPF!) by Laura Mercier or True Botanicals, and concealer if need-be by Glossier (Stretch Concealer) or RMS Beauty (Un Cover-Up) on the face. Curled lashes, with or without mascara, but I like Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes. Groomed brows are a plus, and Glossier Boy Brow has a nice waxy texture. Glossier Haloscope and RMS Beauty Living Luminizer for highlights on the cheekbones and brow bones help give you that dewy glow. I rarely wear lipstick, but a red lip is fun every once in a while, and YSL Rouge Pur Couture has lots of great shades.

Daytime Touch-Ups:

I always have a good lip balm with me. Glossier Balm Dotcom and Lano Lips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm are go-tos, and I also just brought several tubes of Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment back from Australia. I also like to have a facial mist of some sort for whenever I feel like my skin needs a pick-me-up. Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist and Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence are both great. I drink tons of water throughout the day as well. 

Nightly Routine:

My nightly regimen starts with removing any makeup (if I'm wearing any) with Bioderma Crealine (aka Sensibio). Then I wash my face with Osmia Organics Black Clay Facial Soap or Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm (this one also makes a great mask). I tone with Biologique Recherche P50 (without phenol), then apply Mario Badescu Buffering or Drying Lotions to any blemishes if needed. I love a hydrating & calming oil at nighttime (something thicker than moisturizer) and Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil or UFO are amazing. Eye cream is also important to start sooner rather than later- I've been loving Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme.

Hair, Body, Masks:

I love R+Co shampoo & conditioner- both the Sunset Blvd. Blonde & the Dallas Thickening versions are go-tos. If my hair needs a refresher, I’ll use a bit of R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo or Ouai Wave Spray. Korean exfoliating mitts also work wonders for fresh, baby-soft skin. Post-shower, I’ll use either R+Co Tinsel Smoothing Oil or Ouai Hair Oil on the ends of my hair, then coconut oil all over my body. Every once in a while I'll apply a face mask (like Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask or Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask) or a sheet mask (Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask or Hada Labo Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask) to treat my skin to a little at-home facial. Now just to be clear, I don't use all these products every day. Beauty sleep, a healthy diet, and lots of water are all great ways to create that glow from the inside, out as well :)

 
 

fave products // sunday riley juno hydroactive cellular face oil

 
 

Remember when oil was considered the bad guy, and everyone thought putting oil on your face was an almost certain cause for a break out? Everywhere you looked, skincare products were boasting oil-free this, and oil-free that. I'm so glad that myth has been debunked, because to be honest, high quality oils offer some serious benefits for your skin: preventing dryness, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and promoting skin's firmness and elasticity to name a few! 

Take Sunday Riley Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil, for example. This essential oil is an antioxidant and superfood powerhouse that gives you that beautifully, radiant glow your skin craves. It works to protect and enhance the skin with a botanically active blend of cold-pressed superfood seed oils, including blueberry, cranberry, red raspberry, and broccoli seed oils. I've found it to be super hydrating and nourishing thanks to the antioxidants (which fight those free-radicals!) and omegas (3, 6, & 9!), but at the same time it feels light and soothing on my skin. Combined with Vitamin A & C, which help fight signs of aging by increasing collagen production and brightening the skin, and essential amino acids, your complexion will likely be more luminous than ever before.

Other than its awesome hydration and protection power, I really love that Juno is formulated without parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. I personally try not to use any products with these ingredients, as they can be highly irritating to my sensitive skin. At this point it's safe to say that Juno has (deservedly!) earned a prime spot in my skincare routine and medicine cabinet!

fave products // true botanicals polishing grains

 
 

By now we've all heard about the importance of exfoliation. Exfoliating your skin helps to remove dead skin cells, exposing the soft, smooth, and polished layer underneath. It also helps prep your skin for any other products you'll be applying, like a moisturizer or serum. Exfoliating is one of the best ways to achieve that natural glow all over your body (not just the face!), and these Polishing Grains from True Botanicals make it super easy. Add a few shakes to your usual cleanser of choice, and voilà- you have an instant secret weapon exfoliator! Made from oat flour, adzuki bean powder and rice powder, this super-fine mix of grains work as natural exfoliants that won't irritate the skin. Kaolin clay is a soothing mineral that helps remove impurities and regulate oil production, while rosehip seed powder enriches the skin with retinol and essential fatty acids! Talk about an exfoliator that does it all! Added bonus that these polishing grains are environmentally-friendly, made without plastic microbeads, as well as travel-friendly! Renewed and radiant skin is just a shake of grains away.

fave products // glossier haloscope

 
 

My makeup routine is pretty basic. I typically don't wear much of it when I'm not working, and tend to stick to products that both look and feel super natural. Glossier makeup, with its "beauty in real life" mantra, falls easily into this category for me. I personally love that dewy look my skin gets after being out in the sun a bit, and highlighters are a great way to get that same glow, but without the sun damage! Glossier's Haloscope creates this dew-effect with two formulas in one: the outer ring is infused with crystal extracts for all-day enlightenment, while the the oil-based center boasts vitamin-rich moisturizers for a hydrated, dewy finish. I love that it isn't glittery or sticky in any way, but just adds the perfect, natural highlight to my cheek and brow bones. The topaz shade is great for achieving that post-beach sun-kissed glow, while Quartz is a bit lighter, adding a pearlescent highlight to wherever it's applied. The twist-up applicator makes it easy to toss in your bag and apply to your skin whenever you want that beautiful, yet subtle sheen.

fave products // fig & yarrow complexion water

 
 

I love keeping a little skin refresher in my bag at all times, for whenever my complexion needs a pick-me-up spritz. There are quite a few options out there these days, and many with high quality ingredients at that. But one that I keep coming back to for not only its stellar ingredient list, but also its calming and balancing nature, is Fig + Yarrow Complexion Water. This aromatic blend of orange blossom, rose water, and sandalwood oil has a luxurious hydrating and toning effect for the face, body, and hair. Neroli oil boasts regenerative and rejuvenating qualities for sensitive skin, and also adds a wonderfully warm and seductive smell to the water. I personally love the smaller, travel-size bottles, because I can keep them with me in even the smallest of purses, not to mention in my carry-on while traveling. Keep an eye out for Fig + Yarrow's other complexion water blend as well, which is made of yarrow, immortelle, and rockrose, and especially beneficial for sun-damaged, aging, or problematic skin. Fresh and rehydrated skin is just a spritz away!

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fave products // glossier boy brow

 
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My off-duty makeup look tends to be pretty simple. Curled lashes, highlighter, concealer if need-be, and groomed brows. I love a thick, full brow, and feel that nicely shaped and groomed brows can really pull a look together. Glossier Boy Brow, a creamy wax formula made from beeswax and carnauba wax, is the easy answer for beautiful, face-framing brows. Natural waxes hold hairs in place without drying into a stiff or flaky paste, which is absolutely crucial in my book. There's nothing worse than crispy, flaky brows. In addition, oleic acid nourishes and moisturizes, while lecithin adds a silky, smooth texture and subtle sheen. The sheer pigment is available in three shades, and a small, tapered brush allows for precise application. Even better, it's made without fragrance or parabens, and is great for all skins types. Glossier claims to be a beauty brand inspired by real life, creating new essentials without all the fuss. After trying out several of their products, I couldn't agree more. Keep an eye out for more reviews soon!