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.
'My name is Gia [@giacohh] and I’m a student studying photography in a little town in French Belgium. Every girl in my town has the same hair, makeup, and style—and I’ve always hated that. I’d rather photograph somebody visually interesting and maybe even 'uglier' than someone who is plainly beautiful—most of the time, they’re boring!
In fact, I love working with older women because their wrinkles are so fascinating and they’re always badass with tons of stories to tell. I had a school assignment to make a video and I made mine about my great grandmother. She was so funny and gracious in it…94 years old and she has more energy than I do. The older women in my family are all classy and they always look put together, even if it’s just to go out and buy some bread. My mom, too, has the best skin…sometimes I wonder if putting stuff on my skin is really worth it. I guess it’s mostly a question of good genes and I pray they run in the family.
I got into beauty really late—I must have been around 16, and that’s only when I started wearing mascara and some black pencil on my lower lash line. I can usually get ready in under 10 minutes, which is convenient when you’re not a morning person. I always use an UNE Anti-Fatigue Concealer Stick because I have dark circles no matter how long I sleep, and it's the only concealer I've tried that helps with that. If my skin looks bad, I either use Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream or Chanel Vitalumière Aqua. I add a bit of Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder from the Body Shop—it looks natural and you can really build it in. Then I apply Bourjois Cream Blush in Healthy Glow lightly so I don’t look like a total zombie. I never use anything for my brows because they’re thick and I love the way they are.
No-makeup-makeup is my thing, but I love a good red lip...I either use MAC Ruby Woo or a Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella. I've always used mascara until a few weeks ago when I totally quit, and now I just curl my lashes with a Sephora Eyelash Curler. I don’t like highlighters—they’re all so glittery—so I use a bit of Homeoplasmine on my cheekbones and eyelids. It reflects the light and gives me a little glow.
I remove my makeup with organic coconut oil from my local grocery store and wash my face with really cold water. I tried cleansers but they’re not for me. Before bed, I apply Argan Oil from Phytorelax and Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm. Then when I wake up, I wash my face again with really cold water—it wakes you up like nothing else—and I apply Embryolisse with a mix of Skin Food by Weleda and some SPF 30 from Nivea.
Once or twice a week I'll do a face mask. Aesop Parsley Seed Masque cleanses the skin in 10 minutes and I feel so refreshed afterwards! When I’m in full pamper mode, I’ll use Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay while I’m in the bath, and it's not kidding around. If having good skin gives me more time to sleep in the morning, and means less time for makeup, I’m all in. I’m the laziest person around, I’d rather sleep 10 more minutes than apply my makeup or do my hair, really. I want maximum effect with minimum input.
I’m not a big perfume person. Mostly because I get headaches so easily if I smell something too strong. I used Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has A Gun for a few years and then I couldn't smell it anymore. I ditched perfume for a while, but I occasionally put two drops of patchouli oil behind my ears or I steal my dad’s 1996 from Byredo.
In a perfect world my hair would be long and straight à la Meryl Streep in the late '70s. In that world, I’d have her face too. My hair’s short and curly though. I never knew how to deal with that until this summer where I let it do it’s thing and I really liked it. I wash with Elsève Total Repair 5 Shampoo, put some Bed Head Resurrection Conditioner in and I just let it dry naturally with a bit of mousse.
I’m already starting to get grey hair and I’m excited about it. Everyone I know in my family who has them has the most beautiful white color, I guess that’s why I don’t mind getting them now. Also Sarah Harris’ hair, major envy. I’m looking forward to get older, yes. I don’t understand plastic surgery—even less when it’s on younger people. I’m not afraid of wrinkles, and I’ll have bunch of great stories to tell people. I imagine myself like Linda Rodin, really.”
—as told to ITG
Ebba Davidsson also values sleep—and treats her bathroom cabinet like a “window to the soul'—in her #ITGTopShelfie.
