Rhiannon McGavin, Poet

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

The #ITGTopShelfie interview series focuses on the beauty routines of Into The Gloss' lovely, accomplished, and loyal community of readers. Submit your own on Instagram—post your Top Shelfie (tag us @intothegloss!) and include the hashtag #ITGTopShelfie for a chance to be featured on ITG.

"My name is Rhiannon McGavin (@mermaideleh) and I live in Los Angeles. I work for a nonprofit called Get Lit, which is the largest poetry organization in LA. I write poems for them, I perform for them, I mentor—it's really fun. A lot of the schools we work with don't have proper English departments, so we bring in classic poems—Maya Angelou, Shakespeare, Tupac—and each kid picks a poem and writes a response, and then slams to it. Get Lit came to my high school in 9th grade, so that's how I got started writing. The other organization I work with is Peace Over Violence, which is a crisis center. Both organizations are on the same block, so it's an easy walk.

I work in Koreatown, and when I want to get away from work for a bit, I'll usually go to a beauty store and look at sheet masks. I'm so fascinated by the 10-step Korean skincare routine. And I'm crazy about skincare in general because I feel like it takes the place of therapy for me. I recently bought that Nature Republic Snail Serum, which is so great. I also love the Dr. G Peeling Gel. I do that once a week—I sample it on my friends, too. They come over and they're like, 'Rhiannon, can we do skincare?'

Cleansing is really important to me. Sometimes I feel like LA is a disgusting, filthy city, so I have to cleanse extra. I have three face washes I rotate between—Philosophy's Purity Cleanser, Josie Maran's Argan Cleansing Oil, and Dr. Jart Micro Water. I typically use Purity in the morning because it's a cream cleanser, and then I use the oil and micellar water to double cleanse at night. Sometimes I'll just do the micellar water in the morning, for when I'm feeling in between. And then Mario Badescu Rosewater, natch.

My sunscreen is the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence 50+ because it melts into skin perfectly and doesn't leave a cast. But sometimes I mix the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Sunscreen Moisturizer with Dr. Jart BB Beauty Balm, and that'll be my coverage. Normal daily makeup is light, because I usually do it on the bus, 20 minutes late for something. I put Glossier Stretch Concealer under my eye, mixed with a few spots of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. That stays on all day. I apply Boy Brow in Blond with a clean spoolie—I brush with the spoolie, use Boy Brow, and then brush them again. My mascara is a brown Sephora Collection one because it's a little softer for blue eyes. I put on eyeshadow, too—a pink Josie Maran liquid eyeshadow. It's so beautiful. I like eyeshadow because I can't do eyeliner. I'll also use this Too Faced Marie Antoinette palette that's discontinued. It's old, but I haven't gotten an eye infection yet, so...! For a lip I like Nature Republic Lip Tint, and I layer Glossier Generation G Lipstick over that.

Because it's the summer, I go swimming every other morning. It's so calming, so lovely—I'm from Southern California, so we all swim. I go to this pool that I went to all the time when I was younger...I used to take my Meg Cabot books there and read. And I'm still doing that! But I have to wash my hair all the time so it doesn't turn green. I'll use the Pura d'Or Deep Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. To style, I've been using samples of the Bumble and bumble Bb Curl line, which is excellent. I used to straighten it all the time, but now I'm embracing my big, fluffy hair. I'm taking my Biotin every day. I'm treating it properly, and it loves me back."

—as told to ITG

Next up: Student Ebba Davidsson starts her morning with quick yoga and a face scrub, domestic violence counselor Noor Elkhaldi swears by olive oil for everything, and art director Oisin Orlandi recommends layering perfumes for lasting scent in the #ITGTopShelfie.