By Linda Nguyen, PhD MBA
I love the rituals for self-care that allow you to luxuriate and enjoy the present moment, free of any thoughts of anything else, so much so that I like to let water run over me at least twice a day (also a helpful practice when you exercise and move most days of the week).
Here is what I use in my bathing, skincare, make up and hair routines (oh my!) after years of trial and error and many late night discussions with other ladies who indulge in skincare, like to do their hair and wear a bit of make up to highlight their naturally beautiful features.
Also, if you’re a Beauty Insider at Sephora, their Savings Event is happening April 9-15, 2024 (if you have Rouge status, that means your order is 20% off and you get early access starting April 5, 2024!) so that would be an opportune moment to try some of these products at a discount with the code YAYSAVE.
Bathe With Me
Great as the first step of my double cleansing routine to remove makeup and sunscreen.
Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder
I follow up with this gentle enzyme peel as the second step of my cleansing routine.
Loved that the technology came out of MIT and the acronym for the shampoo is PhD. Plus, the shampoo helps me be able to wash my hair every 3-4 days instead of every other day.
The PhD Shampoo and Conditioner combo make my hair look like it was just blown out on wash day after I let it dry naturally as I normally do.
I take my skincare regimen very seriously – no joke, I will check in my bag just to be able to fly with everything I need to maintain my skin. With my conscientious routine, young age and good genes, I’m confident I’ll be able to extend the beauty of my skin with continuity of my regimen.
I wash my face BID (bis in die or twice a day in Latin; BID is used when describing how often something is taken in terms of medicine) and then follow up with toner, essence, serum, moisturizer and eye cream twice a day. In the morning, I add sunscreen and head out the door like this or put on a bit of light make up. The lip mask, I use at night. I love using the body lotion every day after showering and I really like using a hydrating, collagen face mask at least 1/week.
Après La Douche, Time for Skincare!
This serum’s vitamin C helps my sun spots go away and keeps my skin hydrated.
I’ve been using Shiseido’s eye cream since I was 16 to hydrate around my eye orbital and prevent crow’s feet.
I like hydrating masks with collagen in them to keep my skin moisturized and pliable.
No Make Up | Light Make Up
This eyebrow powder makes it so easy to do your brows. I do the lighter color all over and the darker color where I want more definition at the tail ends.
I went to a bachelorette party in Amsterdam and could not stop staring at one of the girls who had this on. She was stunning and now I love using this La Mer Cushion!
I’m a huge fan of Dior’s pink lip glow and got the limited edition color Rose Nude during the last Sephora sale. The color looks amazing on me.
On my no make up days (read: most days), I have on my skin care regimen and I do my eyebrows and use lip balm. On my light make up days, I place on a cushion foundation with SPF because I like hiding from the sun’s damaging rays (UV exposure can cause DNA damage; accumulation of DNA damage can lead to cancer).
Make You Say “OMG!” Make Up
I go between this cream blush in Chiffon and Baby colors depending on how I feel. It glides on and blends easily.
This highlighter in Clarity is so soft to put on and I really like how luminous and radiant it makes me.
I got the BACKSTAGE Glow Face Palette in 001 like using the different highlights to accentuate my features.
EM Cosmetics Bronzer + Contour
This bronzer + contour from EM Cosmetics slides so smoothly and blends so easily. I use the color Terra.
I put eyeshadow primer on below eyeshadow and this helps the colors come on vibrantly and stay longer, especially if I’m dancing.
I have the Naked3 and Naked Smokey Eyeshadow Palettes and like using them for different looks.
Urban Decay Glitter Eyeliner
I like using the glitter eyeliner in different colors around my top and bottom eyelashes for fun.
I love the bright red color (999 satin) of this moisturizing lip balm that looks opaque like lip stick on!
For special occasion days like going out with the girls, bae on a date, colleagues for networking, I like to put on some blush (in Chiffon or Baby) and highlighter, maybe concealer and the Dior lip balm (it looked so beautiful on a girlfriend that I had to get it!). On days when I go all out, I use the face palette, contour and do primer and eyeshadow, with maybe some glitter eyeliner (I have it in silver, white and pink).
Hair She Is
K18 was clutch to help repair the amino acid bonds in my hair after becoming a double process platinum blonde.
I love this hair brush and have used it everyday for 10+ years to massage my scalp, brush out any tangles and distribute oil throughout my hair.
I use this styling cream before I curl my hair with my Dyson Hair Wrap to protect my hair and hold the curls better.
The Dyson Hair Wrap makes it so easy to curl my hair and make it look like I got a professional blowout.
Living Proof Hair Spray
Go big or go home. My super fine straight locks need help staying curly so I use hair spray to add texture and volume.
I wear this every night to protect my silky hair from friction while sleeping. It also helps my curls stay intact longer.
I’m typically very low maintenance when it comes to my hair and make up so I prefer the natural look. Everyday, I brush my hair for a nice scalp massage and use a silk hair turban to keep my long hair shiny and oils distributed from the hair root all the way down to the ends to prevent split ends. When I want curls for special occasions, I use a cream to protect my hair, curl it, then seal the curls with hair spray.
Hope this was helpful for you to learn about how I do my beauty routine! As always, getting sufficient sleep, proper nutrition, hydration, meditating, giving yourself tender loving care and living life according to your values will give you a glow and radiance of confidence that shines from within. And this is more valuable, energizing and beautifying than any product you can buy.
How do you take care of yourself and what else are you curious to learn about from next?
What products work for me may not work for you as this is all individualized. I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links found on this site. Thank you so much for your support!