@irinashayk

My grandmother was perfect, and not by accident.

She was an architect and photographer; beauty was literally in her bones.

Russia was cauterized for most of the 20th century.

russian beauty secrets

@irinashayk

Secrets from the past empire or homemade treatments were the only color horse.

I was born stateside the year the Soviet Union collapsed.

Learning and teaching beauty hacks through my single digits felt normal.

Look good; feel good, she always saidin Russian, of course.

Circulation

Start with hot steam from a shower or bath.

Allow the capillaries to open up and the skin to become supple.

See, coffee is a stimulant and diuretic, therefore it can temporarily eliminate water from fat cells.

For coffee with added safflower oil, we love Le Labos scrub for exfoliation and moisturizing all at once.

Hair

In Russia, good hair is all about a balanced scalp and using hydrating masks.

Leave it in for 30 minutes as it removes buildup and stimulates blood flow for new growth.

Wash and condition the ends with a luxurious hydrating mask for the best results.

Repeating this treatment once a week is a surefire recipe for enviously long hair.

Leonor Greyls Quintessence Masque is the ultimate in hair hydration and at-home luxury.

Use it as a conditioner in the shower or leave it on overnight for life-changing therapy for your hair.

Ice

Meet the original contouring.

If its good enough for an emissary of the Russian Empire, its good enough for me.

Ice restricts capillaries and seals in the product by closing your pores.

If melting ice is too tedious, I recommend Madonnas favorite Cryo-Sticks from Biologique Recherche.

Packed with thermic energy that spreads added cold to the skin, these sticks feel amazing.

I love the ergonomic shape for under the eyes and cheekbones, too.

Cleansing

Russian women prefer cleansing milk instead of harsh, oil-stripping foam and gel cleansers.

For sensitive, fair, or acne-prone skin, the milkier alternative will provide some serious skin-clearing relief.

double-check to apply the milk cleanser on dry skin.

That way, it can adhere to your skin and emulsify oils, debris, pollution, and makeup.

Applying it on damp skin or with damp fingertips is not as effective.

This will give your skin a nice, light, manual exfoliation, too.

Consider it a mini microdermabrasion.

Try this moisturizing milk cleanser from Siberias own organic skincare line.

Gel Manicures

The worst part about anygel manicureis sitting with your fingertips wrapped like baked potatoes.

Russian girls, however, leave the tinfoil for baking pierogies.

For the best Russian manicure in Los Angeles, I recommend Arina Ossipova, owner of My Ideal Nails.