How different are beauty rituals around the word? Skinfluencers from 3 countries weigh in on what makes their routine unique
If you consider yourself a skincare enthusiast like us, chances are you’d love an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at people’s skincare routines. We’re particularly intrigued by the rituals of the skincare influencers, or “skinfluencers,” we love and follow. What keeps their skin looking healthy and glowing? What are their holy grail products? What can’t they live without? Below, three beauty influencers hailing from different corners of the world give us a glimpse at their meticulously curated skincare routines.
Vasudha Rai is a beauty and wellness author based in India
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Walk us through your daily skincare routine. What are the key elements?
The two main pillars of my skincare routine are daily facial massage in the morning and a retinoid a few nights a week. I practice a gentle daily massage so that my skin stays nourished and oxygenated. I also find that a daily massage moves the lymph, helps reduce puffiness and also decreases the facial muscles to make the appearance of the skin tighter and more sculpted. I use retinol to ensure that the texture and tone of my skin is bright, smooth and even-toned.
What’s your holy grail skincare ingredient or product?
A soothing cleanser. Everyone talks about serum and sunscreen, but the one basic thing that gets ignored is cleanser. Face wash can make or break your skin; if you use a harsh, soapy one, it can lead to dry, red, irritated or bumpy skin. Just changing the cleanser, in this case, will transform the complexion.
How does your country and culture influence your skincare routine?
It influences my skincare routine a lot. I love using wild turmeric powder mixed with red sandalwood and raw milk as a face mask to brighten my skin. This is a classic Indian combination, which is very popular in South India. I also use red lentils as a face mask. I soak them in saffron-infused milk overnight, and in the morning I turn the mixture into a paste, apply it all over my face and neck and gently rub it away when it’s semi-dry. I use raw milk so the lactic acid gently resurfaces the skin and the red lentils and the saffron helps brighten. I also mist my face with pure, steam-distilled rosewater. As for hair, I use oil to nourish and henna for color—both have helped keep my hair thick and strong. All of these rituals are inspired by my culture and country.
Sofia Santos is a skincare and beauty influencer based in Portugal
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Walk us through your daily skincare routine. What are the key elements?
I believe healthy skin starts with consistency. I do my morning and evening skincare on a daily basis based on my skin’s current needs. I have dry skin, so moisturizing ingredients are a must. Some days, I do an eight-step routine, other days just four. I love to make sure my skin is clean at the end of the day, so I always double cleanse at night, followed by serum, eye cream, moisturizer and facial oil. I wear SPF every day, and do a face mask every Sunday.
What’s your holy grail skincare ingredient or product?
I can’t live without a balm cleanser and an SPF. Keeping skin clean and protected might be the most important step in my beauty routines.
How does your country or culture influence your skincare routine?
The decade I lived in London influenced my skincare routine because that’s when I discovered beauty influencers. Since then I’ve really cared for my skin. London was cold and my skin didn’t agree with the water so it became extra dry. Learning to take care of my skin, how each ingredient worked and how to improve my skin’s health was a necessity. It influenced the person I am today.
Lesley Buckle is a content creator based in England
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Walk us through your daily skincare routine. What are the key elements?
The key elements for me, like many, are to cleanse thoroughly, moisturize and protect my skin from the sun and my environment. Every day I start with a cleanser, then a serum with vitamin C for glow and finish by layering on a light moisturizer and plenty of SPF. By evening, it’s a similar process, but I’ll double cleanse if I’m wearing makeup—sometimes even triple cleanse. I tend to start with an oil or balm, then something more foamy and maybe finish with something milky or creamy so every trace of makeup is off but my skin isn’t compromised in the process.
At night, I’ll also go in with serums or masks to tackle any areas of concern and give it time to work on my skin overnight. My skin tends to lean more oily and dehydrated and can often get congested. I want my skin to glow at all times but I can get dark marks a lot from blemishes so I also use a gentle retinol occasionally. But most of the time for even skin, I like low strength AHAs or BHAs like glycolic and salicylic acid as my skin can be sensitive. If my skin is particularly sensitive that day, I’ll use PHAs or skip altogether and use hydrating masks or barrier creams to soothe my skin before bed.
What’s your holy grail skincare ingredient or product?
My favorite type of products are cleansers and moisturizers since you get instant gratification from them. The most transformative ingredients for my skin have been vitamin C for brightening, gentle acids for exfoliating, niacinamide for evening tone and squalane for superior softness.
How does your country or culture influence your skincare routine?
Skincare routines in the UK tend to be quite basic, which I don’t necessarily see as a bad thing. It has led me to keep my routine fairly simple. It’s always when I try and do too much I end up compromising my skin barrier. My skin thrives when I use minimal, yet effective products.
The most unique thing about how I learned about skincare and skincare rituals is that both my parents played a role. It’s usually matriarchs passing on skincare practices to children, but my dad taught me a lot too which has shaped my routine today. I’m mixed race—my dad is British and my mum is Nigerian. My mum would always stress the importance of skin being very well cleansed and moisturized and to layer my body specifically in lots of cream and buttery formulas.
My dad has eczema and was very conscious about managing it. What I took from my dad was using more soothing, gentle products to not aggravate the skin but still with the emphasis on the need for skin to be well moisturized. My dad also covered me in sunblock as a child. I didn’t like it at the time as my face and body was (noticeably) smeared with white cream that didn’t work for his skin—and even less so for my skin tone—but I’m very grateful he took the time to make sure I was so well protected from the sun.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Murad, and are for informational purposes only, even if the advice of physicians and medical practitioners are included. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered specific medical advice.
