'My name is Bethany Bankston [@BethanyBankston]. I live in Los Angeles and work as a freelance wardrobe stylist and indie assistant producer. Being a stylist, I've really learned to change my outlook on inspiration. All my visual and beauty inspiration used to come from magazine ads, editorials, and music videos. Now, I'm really more inspired by everyday women—women who I work with, who I get to style, and who I learn from. It doesn't have to be in a Prada campaign to catch my eye—it just has to make it to my Instagram Explore page.
My skin was awful just one year ago. I walked into Saks Fifth Avenue, and an aesthetician asked if she could give me a facial. She was like, 'Why is your skin so dry!?' I never moisturized because I assumed my skin was too oily for that, but she explained that my skin actually produced excess oil because it wasn't hydrated, which is what caused a lot of my breakouts. Since then, I've changed my skincare routine. I start by cleansing my face with Everyday Coconut Cleansing Face Wash. It takes everything off and doesn't strip. I pair it with my Clarisonic one to three times a week. When I feel like my skin is about to flare up, I go back to the basics with Proactiv's Renewing Cleanser and Proactiv's Repairing Treatment, which is a godsend for my skin. After I wash my face, I moisturize with Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion or Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. Now when I get a pimple, I use Trader Joe’s Spa 100% Australian Tea Tree Oil or Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion to spot-treat. l really see the difference the next morning. I also like using Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask when I feel like my skin is looking dull.
My best friend and I were both suffering from hormonal acne flare-ups in our 20s then, all of a sudden, her skin was perfect—no blemishes, no marks, nothing. I was like, 'Tell me your secret now!' She told me to mix a little aluminum-free baking soda with your cleanser. It's a great tip, and I've been doing it ever since, when I need a little extra help.
In terms of makeup, I don’t like spending a long time on my own routine unless I’m going out. Day-to-day, I keep it dewy and fresh-faced. My skin's appearance was transformed when I discovered Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen. I use it in the shade Sand, and it's pretty much all I need for coverage. It doesn't look like I have anything on, and because of it, I haven’t used foundation in over a year. I might use Chanel's Double Perfection Lumière Long-Wear Flawless Sunscreen Powder Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in 40 Beige or Laura Mercier's Loose Setting Powder in Translucent to stop the shine, but it's very rare. My favorite makeup product, though, has to be bronzer. Right now, I'm using Lorac's Tantalizer Baked Bronzer. It gives me a slight tan and the most illuminating glow.
For eyes, I’m really into Dior's Diorshow Extase Mascara, but my number one is Dior's Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara. When I don't splurge on Dior, I go drugstore with L’Oréal's Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara—and Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes Mascara is great for layering and separating lashes. There's a mascara for every occasion, I think. I usually keep my lids bare, or I use a natural-looking shadow from Too Faced's Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Collection. For a sultry, nighttime eye, I use MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pots in Blackground and Quite Natural applied with my finger across the lid and blended together. I use a brush for my eyeliner, which is Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack— this has the best staying power of any eyeliner I've tried. I also use Mac Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance when I can help using a brush.
When I was a teenager, I rejected my hair because it was different than everyone else's. My mother is Mexican and my father is black. My mom used to spend hours combing my hair with leave-in conditioner, and I'd just leave it in pigtails. Since then, I've found products that work, and I embrace my hair. I use Kinky-Curly Come Clean Shampoo. It’s clarifying and gentle, so I feel good about it. I go through so much conditioner that it’s kind of ridiculous and pointless to splurge on expensive ones—plus, after a while, I feel they kind of stop working. I switch between Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner, Aussie Moist Conditioner, Suave Professionals Almond + Shea Butter Conditioner, Aubrey Organics White Camellia Conditioner, and Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner. Then, once a week, I'll use Shea Moisture's Community Commerce Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque or Moroccanoil's Intense Hydrating Mask to keep my hair hydrated.
When I flat-iron my hair, I use Morrocanoil Pure Argan Oil. It works the best on my hair texture, and I love the smell. When I don't feel like wearing perfume, I put Monoï Tiki Tahiti Tiare Huille Parfumée in my hair. It has an amazing scent and is extremely moisturizing.
I'm the type of person to always have her nails painted. Once they start chipping, I start over and paint my manicure again. Nude and dark colors are my favorites, and I usually always have on OPI Nail Lacquer in Barre My Soul, Samoan Sand, Lincoln Park After Dark, or Essie's Shearling Darling. The best base coat is Orly's Bonder, and I can't live without Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Your polish could still be wet, but when you apply this, it dries the polish underneath.”
—as told to ITG
The #ITGTopShelfie series puts the focus on the lives and beauty routines of Into The Gloss's lovely, accomplished, and loyal community of readers. Show us your own Top Shelfie on Instagram—tag us @intothegloss, and include the hashtag #ITGTopShelfie.
