Photography: Emma Palmer
In between writing for The New York Times, Vogue and Allure and bringing the world of Flamingo to life on social media, Siraad Dirshe loves to hit the waves. “I was always fascinated with surfing (Blue Crush was one of my favourite movies growing up!), but I didn’t give it a try until a few years ago because I didn’t know how to swim and I never saw myself represented,” she explains.
Following a trip to Ghana, she was sold: “Until that point, it hadn’t really occurred to me that Black people surfed so my mind was really blown. After that experience, I committed to actually learning and then started taking weekly lessons in New York.”. Since then, she’s not only conquered the water, Siraad has also nailed her beauty routine to counteract the effect of the sun, sea and sand on her hair and skin…
The Pre-Surf Prep
Saltwater can really dry out my skin and hair, so I make sure to load up on a ton of water the night before. Usually I’ll add packets of electrolytes to really boost my hydration levels. I also try to remember to put some oil in my hair to help nourish and prevent the ends from feeling like straw.
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum is one of my favourite face oils, especially before I go surfing. It’s quite pricey but I do think it’s worth it.
My Five Beach Essentials…
When I head out to the beach to surf I always make sure I have a great sunscreen that’s environmentally safe. I have a deep complexion so finding SPFs that don’t leave a white cast can be tricky. Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50 is great because it glides on smoothly and it doubles up as a moisturiser.
A body wash that I can quickly rinse off with and a deep conditioner for my hair after getting out of the water are also very handy. Anything from Oribe usually does the trick on my curly hair. You’ll always find a good book and a huge bottle of water in my beach bag too.
Occasionally, I’ll add in a sixth product, Ilia Multi-Stick. I like to swipe a bit on my cheeks and then also in the centre of my lips.
My Post-Surfing Ritual
Oils, oils, and more oils are my go-to after a day at the beach (cue Vintner’s Daughter). For my skin, I’ll also put on whipped shea butter to really lock-in the moisture. During the week I like to sleep in a hair mask with a shower cap, so that it can really penetrate. I was introduced to Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector by my hairdresser years ago and my hair really loves it! It makes my hair feel instantly healthier and look super shiny.
After a day of surfing, I like to take a nice bath and do a bit of stretching since I’m usually pretty sore. Mentally, I usually feel super recharged after a day of being in the water, so I try as hard as I can to hold on to that feeling. I’ll journal or read on the trip back from the beach and then take it pretty easy the rest of the day, drinking lots of water.
