If you’ve ever wondered how a pregnant brand founder with a 3-year-old manages to wind down, chill out and indulge in must-have beauty rituals, then look no further. Sasha Plasvic, founder of clean makeup brand Ilia talks vitamins, finding time for herself and her skin brightening routine.
The Wind Down
I’m a mum, so that in many ways changed my life, I mean my usual Sunday night routine would probably be watching a TV series that I could just run through. Pre-child I’d enjoy that and go get a manicure and pedicure, I actually think that somebody touching me – giving me a hand massage or a foot massage is therapeutic, and probably even more so since I had a kid. A Sunday wind-down treat for me would be having an hour or two to myself and I think for women who are working and have kids, it’s a really good goal. At the end of the day we need to take care of ourselves too. The truth of the matter is I generally feel exhausted on a Sunday. It’s often a long weekend with my kid – sometimes we’re running around doing activities all weekend, she’s 3 and a half and it’s been a challenging 6 months – the tantrums can be fierce! It’s harder than my day job, so it’s important to try and find a little time for myself on a Sunday.
The Routine
I really like the Ren Micro Polish Cleanser, when my skin feels really dirty I find it deeply cleansing and it’s great before a mask; it doesn’t over-exfoliate, it’s really gentle. Some exfoliators and cleansers seem to strip skin and I have skin problems when I’m over-stripped. On Sunday I like to mask, Herbivore Brighten Pineapple and Gemstone Mask is a favourite. I like gentle, natural acids but I believe that you shouldn’t be exfoliating more than a few times a week. Sunday is a great day because you have some time to recover, and you need to always add moisture after. I use my Cucumber Water Stick as a prep step next, it helps to open the pores and it’s so cooling and depuffing. One thing that keeps my skin bright is Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, so I’ll use that next and throughout the week – it’s important to keep your regime going and not just do it on a Sunday. I always need moisture, especially after a mask I feel like I need to lock in what just happened, so I’ll use May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon. I put on a very thin layer and leave it overnight. During the week I’ll use Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum once or twice – it’s totally safe to use in pregnancy, unlike retinols. I want to look younger like every woman and I aim for my skin to look fresher, pores smaller and lines reduced. I like to look lifted and when I’m not pregnant I always use the NuFace.
I like to relax with a bath, I love to use a LOT of Epsom Salts – people think put in a cup, I’ll put in half a bag! It’s more effective, I used to have tendonitis and – I used a whole bag then; it really helped to heal it. They’re also good for relieving the pregnancy aches and pains that I’m currently experiencing. For extra benefits and fragrance, I’ll add a handful of Herbivore Calm Bath Salts too. Since being pregnant I have found I need extra moisture all over my body. I like Susanne Kaufmann Body Butter on my belly and extra dry areas like elbows and knees. My hair has changed too, I don’t need to wash it as often at all, it stays clean for days. Sometimes if I’m travelling a lot I can get psoriasis, because of the change in water or air, and so I’ll use Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Salt – it just resets my scalp. After I’ve washed my hair on a Sunday morning I mix Ouai Hair Oil with IGK Coconut Rich Kid and pull them through my hair. Then I’ll pull it into a low bun and take it down after a few hours and just it leaves a lovely soft, natural beachy wave which is ideal for California. It’s the easiest way to look polished and get rid of frizz.
Bedtime
I try to stop everything and shut down by 10pm, I’ve read that the first few hours of sleep are the most crucial, so going to bed on time is non-negotiable. Before bed I use our Balmy Nights Lip Exfoliator and Balmy Days Lip Conditioner, I have to keep it by my bed, otherwise I panic! I’ve even bought a new one when I’ve been abroad and lost mine! I try not to, but sometimes I get on Instagram and go down the rabbit hole, instead of sitting and talking with my husband. I don’t like to read the news before bed, because I find it depressing. If I am on the phone I always switch it to night-mode. If you’re looking at blue light late at night that is great indicator of sleep problems. I do take supplements, B12 complex and vitamin D. I look for small pharmacy brands and vitamins that dissolve on the tongue as they’re more bio-available. I also take liquid zinc and crystallised vitamin C because if you get sick and take 3000mg of vitamin C and two droppers full of liquid zinc, your cold will disappear. I need eight hours of sleep, but since I had a kid I rarely get it.
Monday Morning
My daughter wakes up at 7am on the dot. I’m excited on Monday morning and ready to take on the week. First thing I always go get a bottle for my daughter, then have a shower with Ren Neroli and Grapefruit Zest Body Wash (grapefruit grows high on a tree, so it’s meant to uplift), cleanse and do the Ilia 3-minute face with the True Skin Serum Foundation applied with fingertips. Then a Multi-Stick on my lips, cheeks and eyes and a touch of Limitless Lash Mascara and I’m done.
