In answer to our customers’ most frequently asked question when Dara’s not in our studio, she's sharing which skincare products she uses every day. (She finds the frequency of this question both surprising and endearing, because quite honestly, she’s an open book about such things and never fails to share an opinion about products — so you can always just ask her.) Read on for her current regimen.

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Cleanser

I bounce between cleansers frequently; my skin tends to swing from dry to oily, and I find that changing my cleanser is the easiest way to deal with that. For some time, these have been the two I’ve used the most, and they’re my current rotation:

TWELVE Purifying Cleansing Beauty Cream
YULI Halcyon Cleanser

I like a creamy/milky cleanser at night (I find it removes sunscreen and light makeup more effectively than most gels) and a gel cleanser in the morning when I want to feel refreshed. I think these are my favorites because TWELVE’s creamy cleanser never leaves my skin feeling coated with residue, and YULI’s never leaves my skin feeling dehydrated. They’re just perfect.

Mist

I love a good mist. I find it keeps my skin in much better condition; even the gentlest cleansers can throw your skin off balance a bit, and a mist helps it recover more quickly — and more effectively make use of the products you apply to it afterwards.

My current mist is YULI Metamorphic Elixir, which I’ve used for some time now. YULI’s cofounder described it to me as “everything you could want in a spray,” which I can tell you is neither exaggeration nor hyperbole. It’s super hydrating and deeply nourishing; this is one of those products that slowly and sneakily creeps into your heart and becomes an indispensable part of your routine.

Serum

You can generally consider your serum to be the power step in your routine. I am devoted to YULI Ambrosia Beauty Nectar in the mornings; I find that it leaves my skin unusually vibrant, like nothing else; it's firming and hydrating; and its antioxidants are a great bonus during the day. When I run out, I don’t quite know what to do with myself. 

At night, I love Vintner’s Daughter Active Treatment Essence, which nourishes, firms, and brightens while sweeping away dull skin so that the YULI serum works extra well during the day.

Moisturizer

My favorite trick for all-over-the-place skin like mine, as well as for combination skin, is to mix up an on-the-spot moisturizer with a humectant serum and a face oil. This way, I can use more of the serum and less of the oil if my skin is feeling dehydrated yet somewhat oily, or vice versa if my skin seems to be lacking oil.

I’m devoted to my blend of TWELVE Ideal Moisture Level Serum with Marie Veronique for Ayla Dara’s Oil. TWELVE's serum has the longest-chain hyaluronic acid you can get because it’s designed to sit on top of the skin, creating a permeable film that helps regulate hydration levels (while the YULI serum, on the other hand, contains short-chain hyaluronic acid that's designed to sink in). The oil that Marie Veronique so kindly created for me is deeply nourishing and calming, yet lightweight — so it doesn’t feel like I have a layer of oil sitting on top of my skin.

At night, I often switch to my beloved MyHavtorn Face Oil, which is excellent for rosacea-prone skin like mine. These days, I'm using about 4 drops of the TWELVE serum mixed with three drops of either oil, blended together in my palm before I massage them onto my face, usually with Lanshin's Nephrite Jade Gua Sha tool.

Makeup

My makeup routine takes about 30 seconds! I get SPF and a little coverage in one go with Suntegrity’s 5-in-1 BB Cream, then add some warmth with a dusting of Inika’s Sunkissed bronzer.
When I remember (or have time), I’ll use Kosas 10-Second Eyeshadow in Globe or 333, Lily Lolo Natural Mascara in Black, and Olio e Osso Crema Lipstick in Marrone or Rubino, or a blend of the two. I love the simplicity of these products and the suits-everyone beauty of these shades.