Atelier Doré

We chatted with Daphne Oz, a busy working mom (she is co-owner and Chief LOUMinary at LOUM) based in Florida, about her paired back but deeply nourishing skin routine and what she does to steal a moment to herself!

What is your morning beauty routine?

Kiss the babies!! Get them settled, then coffee plus workout which — in addition to boosting my mood and productivity the rest of the day — helps to get rid of sleepy puffiness, detoxes my skin and wakes my system up. Afterwards, if ever I take a bath, it’s now. The kids are busy with school so it’s the best time for me to steal 15-20 minutes to myself. I love soaks with Epsom salts to soothe tired muscles, and this is my favorite time to do a hair mask so I don’t have to do at night when bed is beckoning — my hair needs tons of extra moisture after sun, sand, beach, harsh water etc.

Most mornings I’m rushing to get ready for work, and then it’s just a quick shower where I wash my face with a bit of LOUM Beauty Cleansing Balm which I love for the way it deep cleanses without stripping my dry/combo skin. It’s such a wonderfully silky moisturizing formula packed with antioxidants and hyaluronic acid to draw hydration back to the skin even as it sweeps away impurities. Sometimes I’ll add a quick scrub with a washcloth or Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser for a little more exfoliation if I think I need it.

As a teen, I would use all kinds of harsh cleansers and the harder I worked, the worse my skin looked. What I love about my current beauty routine is that it’s pretty minimal and basically does just what my skin needs to look its best and otherwise lets my skin find its own calm and balance so it isn’t overcompensating. I follow with a serum or two — I love how fast I can apply these deeply nourishing and treatment-quality products with just quick presses into the skin. Some current favorites: LOUM Beauty Pure Serenity Golden C — everything in the LOUM line is engineered to be potent but gentle, and this serum is a perfect example. Vitamin C and micro gold particles work to brighten skin and clear discoloration, while the TriSerene and TriPeptide complexes soothe skin, dial down stress and help to fill in fine lines for an instant awakened lift. Just love!! I also have been enjoying the Mutha No.1 Serum and Up All Night Eye Cream. I follow with a blend of LOUM’s Redefine Contour Firming Cream and Balance and Prime Gel Moisturizer, my favorite combo for richly nourishing my skin while leaving a velvety smooth finish without any silicones, perfect to wear alone or under make up. I press on some Dr. Sturm Sun Drops SPF and then I like wearing a basic make up look most days which is Ilia foundation, Ilia multi-matte pigment blush, Almay eyeliner in brown, and Laura Mercier Caviar Volume black mascara. I (over)line my lips with Sisley Biege Natural or Laura Mercier Plumberry lip liner and a quick slick of a dusty rose or berry lipstick or any clear gloss…I like when it’s that “just bitten” look, natural but augmented.

What beauty products to use throughout the day?

I take my vitamins from Persona Nutrition, which honestly is one of my major beauty non-negotiables — I’m a big fan of the inside-outside approach to looking my best. I also love to eat foods that boost beauty: hydrating vegetables like lettuces, cucumbers and celery, probiotic rich fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir or yogurt, foods rich in essential fatty acids like salmon, avocado, nuts and flax seeds (I add these to oatmeal and smoothies), alkalizing lemon in just about everything, dark chocolate for antioxidants and happiness. Other than that, it’s really just an occasional dusting of translucent powder, especially if I’ve been in the sun or on camera, and more lipstick. If I need to refresh foundation, I’ll spray with some One Ocean Blue Light hydrating spray and then use clean hands just to tap and diffuse what’s already on my skin. I really like letting my natural skin quality show through so I try not to cover up too heavily.

What is your evening beauty routine?

I usually take another shower and loosen any make up with warm water, then melt a bit of coconut oil between my hands and use it to massage away mascara, eye liner, foundation, etc. I use a warm, wet washcloth to remove the oil and then follow with a second coconut oil rub if needed (very rare, it’s so efficient) and then will cleanse with Dr. Barbara Sturm Cleanser or the LOUM Stress Detox Enzymatic Cleanser a couple times a week to gently sweep away dead skin cells and pore-clogging build up. Once or twice a week, I’ll follow with a small amount of LOUM Polishing Minifacial, a wildly effective mask that goes on quick and works in just 2-3 minutes. It leaves my skin incredibly smooth and soft, and ready to better absorb serums etc. I pat my skin dry and apply more Golden C Serum and either the LOUM Elixir Oil or Vitner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and do my quick Gua Sha routine to stimulate the lymphatic system to boost skin detoxification, soothe tight muscles that can cause skin to sag and droop, and help tone and define cheekbones and jaw line. I always drink a mug of something hot as I’m settling into bed: sometimes hot lemon water for a little extra antioxidant vitamin C, sometimes a detoxification blend, sometimes faintly sweet rooibos or Honey Vanilla Chamomile because it’s delicious.

When do you feel most beautiful?

I feel most beautiful in the time between an amazing dinner and bed. Something about the way your makeup and face settle after a wonderful meal and good conversation and belly laughs, it makes me feel so alive. Also snuggling with my kids on weekend mornings. And mascara and lip liner are my two musts, they do the most with the least.

Do you have any beauty secrets that have been passed down in your family?

I remember watching my mom do her make up every day as a kid. We have the same eye shape, and all my favorite application tricks I learned from her — how to artfully draw a natural looking eye liner that slightly lifts the outer edge of your eye. How to blend (and blend! And blend!) for the most natural enhancement of your natural appearance — basically how to look like you, but better! I’ve done a bunch of makeup application IGTV’s showing her technique that’s now my technique. She also showed me how to enjoy the method and the meditation of making yourself ready to take on the day. I learned how to press skincare on with my finger pads rather than drag it with my palms from my grandmother who has the most beautiful skin. And from my other grandmother who has never been one for more than some SkinTrip (my fave for body! The scent is unbelievable coconut heaven, instant vacation) quickly slathered over her skin, I learned that we’re all our most beautiful when we’re doing what we love, living a life full of purpose and fun!