SB: Hello Asya (ANA)! Thank you so much for joining us for this skincare interview series. Your insights are incredibly valuable, and we truly appreciate your contribution. Every person’s skin is unique, and we all have our own personalized skincare routines. By sharing your experiences and tips, you’re helping our readers learn and improve their own practices. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to hear from you and bring your voice to our community of skincare enthusiasts.
ANA: Thank you so much for the opportunity. While thinking about what to say in this interview about my skincare, I realized that I am using too many products on my skincare. Maybe I should decrease them a little bit. We will see!
SB: Before we dive into the skincare questions, could you tell us a bit about yourself?
ANA: I am 27 years old and live in Etiler, Istanbul. I have a dog, which is the most meaningful thing to me. I organize my life around her – I wake up early for her morning walk. I graduated in industrial design, but currently, I am doing marketing for a jewelry brand. I recently joined this company a couple of months ago, so I am rearranging all my daily routines accordingly.
I really enjoy walking every day; it’s a kind of therapy for me. I also enjoy spending time with my friends. Lately, my friends and I have been playing with LEGOs at our home-gathering events. My best friend lives in London, and today she is coming to Istanbul, so I am very excited to see her.
SB: Tell us a fun thing about yourself.
ANA: I look very extroverted from the outside, but in reality, I am very introverted. I enjoy staying home most evenings and going to sleep as early as possible. As opposed to most people who were eager to go out during the pandemic, I actually enjoyed my time at home during the lockdown.
SB: Tell us about one of your regular days.
ANA: Currently, I am working from the office almost every weekday. I take Mio for a morning walk early in the day, around 7 a.m. My office is very close to my home, within walking distance, so most days I prefer to walk to work. I personally believe I can travel anywhere in the city just by walking.
SB: Now we learned a bit about you, but before jumping into the skincare routine questions, we would like to learn more about your skin.
ANA: Oh, it’s mixed. My skin has never been problematic. I’ve never experienced too much acne, excessive oiliness, or dryness. It has always been mixed. My T-zone is a bit oily, but overall, my skin has been okay. This was the same back in my teens.
In the last couple of years, I’ve experienced a little bit of acne, but other than that, my skin type is very comfortable. However, my body skin is a bit dry—I know that.
I also suffer from eczema from time to time in certain areas, like around my eye, on my scalp, and inside my ear. I need to take special care of those areas when I have irritation from eczema.
SB: We will continue with your facial skincare practices. What is your layering routine? Most people start with cleansers, but many people change the ordering of the steps, tell us about your practice.
ANA: I clean my face with a cleanser and apply sunscreen before taking Mio out. Then, after our morning walk, I come back home and use a cleanser again. I love deep sanctification.
Typically, I start with a cleanser and rose water, then apply either Vitamin E or Vitamin C, followed by a water-based moisturizer, and finish with a tinted sunscreen.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please note that this post contains affiliate links and any purchase made through such links will result in a small commission for us.
SB: What is your practice regarding sun protection?
ANA: I have two sunscreens—one in stick form and the other in cream form. I use the cream version in the mornings and the stick form during the day. I started using sunscreen in my early 20s. I guess I was influenced by YouTubers and realized the importance of applying sunscreen. Since then, it has become a habit, and I use it regularly.
I tried a couple of different sticks, but some of them resulted in acne on my face. So far, Shiseido is my favorite because it has a watery texture and doesn’t cause acne.
SB: How do you moisturize your lips?
ANA: I used to use a lip scrub, and I have balms. By the way, I am vegan, so Hurrow products are always in my bag.
SB: Have you ever experienced Botox, golden needling, mesotherapy, lifting or any other in-office treatments?
ANA: I’ve never experienced that. I asked a dermatologist we know if I should start Botox earlier, and she advised me not to because my skin is perfect. Even when I wanted to try in-office treatments, they said no because I didn’t need it. So, I haven’t pursued it yet. Maybe later, if I develop wrinkles and fine lines, I might consider it. But for now, I prefer exploring natural solutions instead of in-office treatments. I use gua sha and practice face yoga to keep my skin healthy, and currently, I’m considering red light collagen boosting.
SB: Is there a specific body wash and shower gel routine or product that you want to mention?
ANA: I think I take good care of my facial skin, but I recently started focusing more on my body care. Currently, I’m using an organic olive oil soap in the shower, which is sourced by my grandmother.
Lately, I’ve been experiencing dryness in my body, so I occasionally use a coffee-flavored body scrub. I’m moisturizing my body more often these days. If I’m doing dry brushing, I apply some oil to make my skin smoother. I use The Body Shop’s hemp seed oil, which is also good for eczema. However, I sometimes forget to do it, so it’s not an everyday routine.
SB: Do you want to share what kind of deodorant you use? It is known that over-the-counter deodorants are extremely harmful to our world in terms of global warming and carbon emissions.
ANA: Unfortunately, I’m still using stick deodorants from global brands. I’m trying to find an organic, healthy, and environmentally friendly product, but I haven’t found one yet. I make sure it’s vegan and cruelty-free, but it also needs to make me feel comfortable. I cannot use creamy tube deodorants, because I do not prefer to apply it with my hand.
SB: What is your hair type? What do you use for your hair in the bath?
ANA: My hair is a big challenge for me. It’s very thick on top but very thin at the ends. It breaks very easily. I get keratin treatments periodically to help restore it. I recently started using Aveda shampoo, so we’ll see how it goes. I stopped using conditioner seven years ago because I didn’t think it was very effective.
I’m not someone who washes my hair excessively, as I’ve noticed it makes my hair oilier. I only wash it twice a week. For oil, I use Olaplex’s hair-softening oil, and occasionally, I apply hyaluronic acid to my hair.
SB: Is there any specific products or routines you apply to your hands?
ANA: I always keep hand cream in my bag and at the office. I have a coconut-scented cream that I really like.
SB: What is your everyday makeup routine?
ANA: I do not use foundation, not even on special occasions. I use concealer instead. I believe I can solve everything with concealer. I love blushes and always have two types in my bag. Glossier is my favorite brand, and Rare Beauty blushes are really good—they’re long-lasting.
Glossier is my go-to brand. Their skincare products are also very good for my skin. The products from this brand complement each other well. I think their ingredients and formulations work well with my skin in every product. My retinol and night cream are both from Glossier.
During weekdays at the office, I do very minimal makeup. I use some blush, lip balm, and cover my under-eye area.
I’ve had issues with mascara, eyeshadow, and eye irritation, so I keep my makeup minimal. Since I have eczema on my eyelids, wearing eyeshadow isn’t very comfortable. For me, blush, under-eye concealer, and lip balm are enough. I like and use mascaras from Maybelline and L’Oréal. I also have an eyeliner from Benefit, but I use it sparingly.
SB: Do you have a (or more) favorite fragrance?
ANA: I have a lot of perfumes. The one I use most often is Chloé—I love powdery scents. I use Nomade a lot, and I always repurchase it when it runs out. I have a night perfume, and lately, I’ve been using Alien and YSL Libre.
For daily wear, I use Maison Margiela’s Garden, which is a floral scent. Lately, I’ve really loved and been using Hermès Twilly. I tend to choose based on my mood.
Generally, I prefer spicier scents for the evening and powdery scents for the day. I also use Chanel Chance and Calvin Klein Euphoria. As I mentioned, I choose depending on my daily mood, but I do not like very sweet tones. I prefer floral and powdery scents.
SB: What are some essential products that you carry in your bag wherever you go?
ANA: Sunscreen, and too many lip products—balm, lipstick, gloss, scrub. I also carry blush and rose water. I have the mini version of almost all my products.
SB: What is your evening skincare routine?
ANA: My night routine is very long, and I do something different every night. I use Bioderma micellar water to wipe my skin first. If I have makeup on, I use an oil-based cleanser. I double-cleanse if I have makeup, but if not, I just cleanse once.
I use a night serum that contains jojoba oil and other ingredients, and I apply a Korean brand eye cream under my eyes. I make my own eye mask with coffee and Vitamin E because my under-eyes are very dark, and I’m trying to improve that. I apply cucumber slices and do ice massages since I often wake up with puffy eyes.
Twice a week, I use retinol, but it’s very mild, not heavy. I use Glossier retinol, which I finish with Glossier’s balm, and then I cleanse extra thoroughly in the morning.
If I’m not using retinol, I apply hyaluronic acid one day and The Ordinary niacinamide the next. I divide the week like this.
SB: Many people find that their skincare routine not only benefits their skin but also has a positive impact on their mental health by promoting relaxation and self-care. What are your thoughts on the connection between skincare practices and mental well-being?
ANA: I wouldn’t say that I do my skincare very mindfully, but sometimes when I feel really down, doing my skincare routine relaxes me immensely. I believe that negative energy can wash away with water. Walking, cleaning, and cleansing my skin are things that help me relax and feel better. Sometimes, when I’m feeling really down, I do a 15-step skincare routine. Spending time with myself feels good. In the end, the only true constant is yourself; everything around you could be an illusion. The most important thing is how you take care of yourself, hence skincare is very important to me.
Thank you for having this interview with us!
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please note that this post contains affiliate links and any purchase made through such links will result in a small commission for us.
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