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.
“Bonjour! My name is Bérénice (@berenice.magistretti), and I’m a 32-year-old Swiss and Italian journalist who loves to write, travel, network and drink great wine. I live in London, where I work as a tech reporter for Forbes and Wired UK. I didn’t always live here—I used to live in San Francisco for a bit, but eventually I returned to Europe to be closer with friends and family.
One of my favorite topics to write about is Femtech, which relates to women’s health and sexual wellness. Many ‘bros’ in the Bay Area told me that this is considered a ‘niche’ market. My answer? It’s 50-percent of the population, dude. I’ve come across a lot of Femtech founders in my career, and these kickass ladies have influenced the way I now think about my own intimate care, and intimate beauty. I love Fur products, and I regularly use the Momotaro Apotheca salve to soothe my nether region. Organic tampons and pads are also a must. When I was in the U.S., I subscribed to Cora, and I’ve now switched to Freda in the UK.
To relax, I like to take a nice long bath and listen to a cool podcast or music. Being visually impaired (I suffer from a retinal degeneration), I also spend time raising awareness around visual impairment, and I’m actually thinking of launching a startup of my own! The idea would be to help people with “invisible” disabilities, and find great, accessible places (bars, restaurants, hotels, etc.) that match their needs.
My beauty philosophy is simple: great skin, great smile, and great hair. You can put on all the layers of makeup and hair products that you want, but if you’re not happy and healthy, you’ll never look like your best self. That means a healthy diet, exercise, meditation, good sleep and… no smoking! Good genes help too :)
When I wake up in the morning, I need to wash my face to feel like I’ve properly woken up. My go-to face wash is Glossier’s Milky Jelly cleanser—I love the texture and smell. I then apply Glossier’s Bubblewrap eye and lip cream and finish my morning routine with a moisturizer. I alternate between Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer and Goop’s Revitalizing Day Moisturizer. One of the best beauty tips my mother ever gave me is to always wear sunscreen—the higher the protection the better! For everyday city life, I use Glossier’s Invisible Shield, but I wish they would launch one that is SPF 50! At night, I’ll wash my face, and then apply BioEffect’s EGF serum to repair and renew my skin overnight.
I always carry lip balms with me. One of my favorites is Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel. My lips are often dry and chapped, so I regularly use a lip scrub and mask. For the scrub, I use French Girl’s Rose Lip Polish. And for the mask, Kiehl’s Buttermask is my go-to. I apply it before going to bed—the coconut oil and wild mango butter infuse the lips with super smoothness!
A few years ago, I found the best shade of eyeshadow in a duty-free shop at an airport. I was walking around when a makeup artist from NARS asked me if I’d like to try out some of their products. I told her I was looking for an eyeshadow that matches my complexion and... voilà! I bought the Dual-Intensity eyeshadow in the Telesto shade and have been faithful to it ever since. I love the combination of the brownish, gold color and the sheer, luminous effect it has.
Being visually impaired, I’ve had to learn to apply makeup in a strategic way. When I close one eye, for example, it’s very difficult for me to see the other eye because of the blind spots in my vision. Over the years, I’ve learned to “feel” the makeup when I apply it. I’ll close both eyes and apply the eyeshadow using a cushion-y brush, feeling the contours of my eyelids as I apply. I then use Clinique’s Quickliner For Eyes Intense in Black on the top of my eyelids. I love this product as it slides smoothly on the eyes, making it really easy to apply. And there’s a smudge tool at the other end in case you need to correct the line, which does happen with me!
For my nails, there is only one color I wear: Essie’s Mademoiselle. It’s the best shade that’s neither too pink, too white, too beige or too transparent. For my feet, I like color—red or coral. For a quick dry, I use Dior’s Top Coat in Abricot.
I would say my style is simple, natural and laid back. Not a fan of heavy makeup, jewelry or high heels. Although I often read about contouring. Haven’t tried that yet, but I’m definitely curious about it.”
Photos via the author.
