I’m A Sustainable Beauty Brand Founder & This Is My Week In Products

Sunday is the day I get it together for the rest of the week. Since I recently went from black hair to super bleached blonde (it was a post lockdown re-set for sure) I take the time to properly deep condition my hair. I’ve tried so many shampoos, but lately I have been loving the Shu Uemura Color Lustre Conditioner for Color Treated Hair. I then use my all-time life saver, Christophe Robin Shade Variation Mask. I leave this on for about 30 minutes to make sure my hair gets happy, hydrated and lifts any yellow in the blonde. While I am masking my hair, I actually wax my own eyebrows. Since I don’t have a lot of time to go for maintenance, I learned how to do this myself with Parissa Wax Strips— I cut them up into smaller strips to get the job done.

Once I rinse out the mask, I apply some RozHair Willow Glen Treatment Oil, which is great for both hair and skin. It makes my hair so happy! I am obsessed with all things hydrating and love to finish my Sunday routine with the EVE LOM Moisture Mask, which is a leave-on sleep mask that I typically use once a week.

I start my day with a real ‘wake up’ shower (you know the kind). I wear a shower cap as I don’t like messing with my hair after my Sunday treatment, and I won’t wash or wet my hair again before Wednesday. I have been using We Are Uni Skin Shield Body Wash and then I like to exfoliate with Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator just to feel super fresh. My go to body moisturizer is usually Kiehl’s Creme de Corps.

For skincare, I apply BeautyStat UniversalC Skin Refiner followed by their Pro Bio Moisture Boost Cream. I was a bit late to the vitamin C game, but found it amazing for my skin. I also always use SK-II LXP Ultimate Revival Eye Cream, since most days I am trying new colors and products. I like to make sure I am starting out with some good protection from all the washing on and off.

I typically don’t have any calls and roll into my dining room, which doubles as my office, to get to work with my team and grab some products to test on myself.

At night, I cleanse with the EVE LOM Cream Cleanser, which I use with their muslin cloth. I love to layer on some oil at night so I have been checking out the C & The Moon Glow Oil which I have been really liking along with the True Botanicals Radiance Body Oil.

I have the same morning shower routine, but add a skin care step today as I am going to be deep in trying mascara brushes to choose for our new mascara formula I’m working on. Finding the perfect brush is the key. I use some Klorane Smoothing & Soothing Eye Patches with Cornflower, and leave them on for about 20 minutes while I try brush option number one, which I quickly see isn’t my favorite. I let it sit and then roll it off onto the patches with a Q-Tip and Lancome BI-Facil Eye Makeup Remover. This saves my under eyes from some wear and tear.

Since I have some zoom calls coming up, I throw on my go-to cheek and lip product, Neen Going Rouge in shade Shake, which is a bright pink that makes me look like I am actually more made up than I am.

Time to wash my hair. 

I don’t like washing my hair everyday, and try to wash it twice a week and just rinse and condition the other days. I use the Shu Uemura shampoo again and the Christophe Robin conditioner, which I leave on for the duration of the shower. I towel dry then apply the Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Serum before I blow-dry with my Harry Josh blow dryer, which is the fastest dryer on the planet. I don’t have a lot of patience. I use some Bumble & bumble Bond-Building Repair Styling Cream on the ends, as bleached hair can get a bit frizzed-looking, and finish with the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray to get some volume.

I like to rotate my skin care, so I apply the Retrouvé Intensive Replenishing Moisturizer and the Revitalizing Eye Concentrate Skin Hydrator. If I remember, I throw on some SkinMedica Neck Correct Cream — but I don’t always remember!

Then it’s back to the office to grab round two of brushes to test for mascara. Let’s see how this one goes. Today I am also trying out our new long-wear lip, which is my kind of product. I am testing the formula in different shades. Sometimes the formula can shift, especially in paler shades, so fingers crossed I will be happy with it.

For nighttime, I just remove the mascara and use my go-to wipes from Bliss quickly because I am tired after a long day and just want to crash.

Today I just rinse my hair with water and throw on ROZHAIR Santa Lucia Styling Oil for ease and a quick treatment. I also use the Byredo Creme Pour les Corps in Bal D’Afrique which is my go-to fragrance, but some days I prefer the cream for a softer scent.

Mascara brush number two wasn’t it, so I am trying number three today, which I am pretty sure will be my favorite, so I don’t bother with the undereye patches. I have a good feeling about this one — and I am right! So excited to have a winner. 

I have a couple of Zoom calls, so I decide to do some real makeup, which for me isn’t a lot. I use NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer to spot cover and deal with my permanent dark circles (too much thinking, not enough sleeping, maybe). I also throw on NARS Laguna Bronzer and our new Neen Pretty Shiny Highlighter in shade Metta — it’s a gorgeous golden beige in a buildable, creamy formula. Not sticky or oily, it gives you enough playtime to apply and blend to the exact finish you want. I finish off the look with another Neen Going Rouge, this time in shade Babe, a deep plum that gives my skin tone more dimension. I throw it on my lips, and a little into the crease on my eyelids, and I am good to go.

Happy to see the week wrapping up. I am trying out a new skin wand today, since I keep trying to use more beauty tools in my routine, but it takes time to introduce new habits. I just got a SolaWave Red Light Wand and I pair it with the Dermalogica Conductive Mask Base — stay tuned on how that works out. It feels kind of nice, and even if you don’t see results right away, sometimes practicing some self-care is just a good reminder to look after ourselves.

I did manage to fall in love with mascara brush number three yesterday, so I get to put on my mascara and feel happy I have a winner. I love that I can just wash it off easily with water. Not a ton of wear and tear. Finally!

Today my routine is pretty much the same, except on Saturdays I try to go and take a sound bath at the Ohm Center here in NYC, followed by a massage. My weeks are spent running a beauty business plus showing up for my five kids, so today it’s important that I focus on my own inner health. The sound bath brings me peace and energy and the massage helps me stand up straight. It’s important to nurture all parts of ourselves, especially when we take care of a lot of other people.