Saved by the Stem Cell

Post-breakup Soviet Union countries were not exactly what you’d call a land of plenty. When people struggled to survive, wondering how to put their next meal on the table, such things as teenage body care were simply nonexistent. I remember what a revelation hair conditioner became for my mother and me, when we first bought a bottle. It was, I think, 1995, and we couldn’t stop singing hosannas to the newfound smoothness and manageability of our hair. I still remember it. Purple, lilac-scented, under some obscure label… but forget hair conditioner – we were grateful to have running hot water in the house, which we didn’t have when we first moved to the little suburban village where my parents still live today.

Thank heavens, my fifteen-year-old skin was not prone to acne. On the contrary, I had a tendency of dryness even then. So, by pure intuition, I started to whip up egg yolks with honey, and those were my first facials. In the summer, I used to make masks out of mashed strawberries, and cucumber juice was my toner. I still laugh when I remember how I decided to treat my hair with onions… I don’t even remember why, I think I had a case of dandruff, which, for me, mysteriously comes and goes to this day. At that time, I was dating a boy I was madly in love with, so I wanted to look my best. Unfortunately, on our reunion after the winter holidays, I didn’t smell my best. Thankfully, we managed to laugh it off, and that was the last time I tried radical DIY beauty treatments.

Years later, when I was a young successful professional in Moscow, I could afford things like expensive exfoliating cleansers and serums. Well, in Moscow, you needed a good cleanser, since it was a very polluted city. It was the time when Moscow started to recover from the fall of the "Evil Empire" and was on its way to becoming a giant of industry and commerce that it is today. I remember how I used to return home, gently run my fingernails over my face, and come up with dirt under the nails. Then I would rush to the bathroom and wash the city off my face with good Japanese stuff. I still remember the lovely light blue colour of the cleanser, with scrubbing particles of a darker blue…

When I had to give up my career and return home for health reasons, I sort of gave up on my skin completely. It was too dark of a time for me. When I had finally emerged of the deep black waters that were my late twenties, I relaunched my career… and pretty much my life. At that time, I was a fan of Dior. It was also the time when I started using makeup more regularly. I very rarely used foundation and powder, though, and it is my personal belief that it is a big reason why my skin looks the way it does today.

Presently, as I am in my fifth decade and in another hemisphere, half a world away from homeland, I am dedicating a lot of time and resources to self-care. In addition to the quick cleanse-tone-moisturize daily routine, I do spa days. Two times a week, I light a soy candle, make a cup of mint tea, put on the Best Opera Arias on YouTube, and proceed to the following ritual:

- Cleansing. My latest favourite is a cleanser based on lactic acid and mangosteen extract. With age, I started noticing a tendency to enlarged pores on the forehead and around the lips. The product I am currently using has a smoothing quality, smells amazing, and cleanses well. Pores? Diminishing with every use. This is my holy grail number one.

- Steaming. I did some research on the order of facial procedures and concluded that it is best to do steaming before exfoliating and masks. I put a bag of chamomile tea in the water before steaming my face and do it just for 2-3 minutes. It is enough to prepare the face for the following steps.

- Exfoliating. My current exfoliant is based on strawberry rhubarb extracts and lactic acid as well. Its particles are very fine and provide a gentle scrubbing action. The scent is also wonderful. I leave it on my face for half a minute before washing it off and patting my face with a towel, leaving the skin slightly damp for the next step.

- Clay Mask and Nose Strip. With my dry skin, clay masks are a bit redundant, but since clay has a property of deep cleansing, I include it in the ritual. I apply a charcoal nose strip, a layer of pink or green clay mask, and spend the next 10 minutes listening to Luciano Pavarotti singing “E lucevan le stelle” from Tosca on repeat. I wash it all off in the shower, under warm water. Afterwards, I apply a body oil based on apricot kernel, grape seed, sea buckthorn and jojoba oils.

- Nourishing Mask. This is my favorite part of the entire process! I apply a thick mask based on coconut oil, honey, and vanilla, leave it for ten minutes, then do a facial massage. This is my other holy grail. Then I remove the mask with a warm wet towel.

- Toning. I spray on a neroli-based toner, pat the face lightly and let it dry. By this time, the tea cools down to my liking, and I enjoy a cup, listening to the divine voice of Maria Callas. “Casta Diva” from Norma is one of my personal favourites.

- Serum. I have recently tried a calming serum based on arnica and rosehip I had received as a sample. I will do a few more applications to test the results, but I like what I’m seeing and feeling so far.

- Moisturizing. Here, the options vary based on my current mood. It can be either a peptide cream with arctic plants, berries, gardenia and gotu-kola stem cells, or a light cream based on Japanese purple rice, or whatever moisturizer I have on my vanity.

- Eye treatment. I am presently waiting for my order from my favourite skin care brand, which includes a fruit peptide elixir for the skin around the eyes. So, I will keep you posted.

Ritual complete. You glow, girl!

Yes, I’ve come a long way from egg yolks and cucumbers… Not that I deny the value of a good DIY, I just prefer scientifically formulated organic cosmetics. After all, health is our most important asset, and radiant skin is a key part of it.

Personal tip: Once a week, I give my skin a day of rest. No treatments whatsoever, except cleansing! All these creams and serums and masks are like a workout for the cells, and I feel like they need rest, too.

If you read this piece and tried my ritual with similar products, I would love to hear your opinion. Thank you!