If you’ve haven’t hopped on the road to elevating your skincare regime, this is your sign. While most of us are working from home, at least here in Hong Kong (the city’s battling its fifth wave), one thing we can do is to focus on skincare, self-care, health and everything in between

Who better to ask than Drunk Elephant’s founder Tiffany Masterson. She shares with us some of her skincare tips, her daily skincare routine using Drunk Elephant’s latest product A-Gloei Maretinol Oil and even how nutrition plays a part to skincare.

What are some skincare tips you live by? 

Skip the foundation. My mom never allowed me to wear it when I was growing up and I believe that’s a big part of why I never had to. 

I never cleanse my skin in the morning as my skin is clean from the night before. I am a firm believer that cleansing in the morning, or even more than once a day, is a mistake for our skin and its acid mantle. Our acid mantle is the first line of defence and is critical to the health of our skin. Over-cleansing and stripping the acid mantle is another way of disrupting the health and balance of the skin. 

Beyond that, I wear sunscreen every day and avoid the #Suspicious6, not because they’re scary, just because they can definitely cause problems in skin. Oh, and exercise and hydrate as much as possible. It’s my answer for everything. 

What are your current morning and night skincare routines like?

It changes day by day based on what I feel my skin needs. On a typical the morning, I might go for a smoothie of B-Hydra, C-Firma, A-Passioni, or A-Gloei, Lala and a drop of D-Bronzi for added warmth to the complexion and vitamins, of course, topped off with Umbra Sheer or Umbra Tinte for physical SPF protection. 

At night, I cleanse with Slaai or Beste, then mix TLC Framboos, Protini Cream, B-Hydra and Marula oil together and apply. I’ve been “slugging” with a yet-to-be-released product! It’s non-occlusive and locks in everything! Like Drunk Elephant’s answer to petroleum jelly.

Shaba or C-Tango and Lippe may be applied at the end of any routine! Babyfacial is once weekly for deeper exfoliation. Some days are dryer than others, so I listen to my skin regarding how much and which moisturizer I choose. 

Also see: Drunk Elephant’s Tiffany Masterson on the future of skincare

How do you incorporate skincare as part of your self-care routine?

I massage my face to de-puff with marula! I exfoliate my body with my Koffee scrub and then slather on my body lotion. I Babyfacial every sunday and I top it with F-balm and Marula. Like being at an estheticians office for a facial, but at home! 

What skincare advice would you give your teenage-self?

Put down that astringent toner filled with witch hazel! It was a huge mistake for my skin. And don’t over-cleanse! It leads to oily skin which leads to over-cleansing. A vicious cycle.

Apart from the application of skincare products, how does nutrition and water intake influence your skincare regime? 

I’m a health nut for sure and I always try to avoid certain things in my diet. I don’t consume any processed sugar and try to stick to only gluten-free. I eat lots of vegetables, lean protein, brown rice, low-sugar fruits and I love bone broth. Lately I’ve been trying to drink a ton of water because hydration is so key. Oh, I also steer clear of alcohol except on the weekends and then, I drink tequila on ice with lime. 

I like to use superfood extracts in my products. I like to research ingredients found in our diets that have multiple health benefits to see what they can do for skin! You find loads of antioxidants in my products, plant and fruit extracts, non-fragrant plant oils, etc. We are what we eat is a true statement. After a cleanse, my skin never looks better. I have very healthy skin based on what I put on it, but a clean diet takes that to the next level of healthy. 

Since starting Drunk Elephant, what are some skincare lessons you’ve learned?

Mixing products together is easier than layering. Cleansing only at night is a game-changer. Listening to your skin and giving it what it needs is key! More or less moisturiser based on what your skin needs. Experiment. Don’t let us tell you what to do. We want to educate people so they know what’s best for them. 

Where do you think the skincare trend is going in 2022?

I really don’t pay attention to the trends in the industry. If we did, we would just end up copying what everyone else is doing and then we wouldn’t be authentic to our brand. Coming from outside the beauty industry has been an advantage for me in many ways. From the beginning I had my own unique philosophy and approach, and I still avoid looking at what other brands are doing so I’m not influenced by trends and stay in my own lane. That being said: retinol all over, fresh vitamin C, non-occlusive face butters. 

Also see: #legendasks: How to strengthen health and wellness during a lockdown