Ashley Graham Reveals How She Keeps Her Skin Glowing Year-Round
She tells HelloGiggles that her skincare routine is all about simple, multi-tasking products.
Cleanse, moisturize, sleep, repeat—or not. From the 18-product maximalists to the one-and-done movers and shakers, everybody’s skin care routine differs. In A.M. to P.M., we explore the morning and evening routines of people with different skin care concerns, from targeting acne to embracing vegan beauty.
Age: 33
Skin type: Combination, but more on the drier side
Skin concerns: Anti-aging and rosacea
When we think about #skingoals, one of the most obvious names to come to mind is Ashley Graham. The supermodel, TV presenter, new mom, and overall badass always serves face. “I’ve always really cared about taking care of my skin,” she tells HelloGiggles over Zoom.
However, Graham’s skincare priorities have changed ever since having her son, Isaac last year. Now, more than ever, she pays close attention to the ingredient lists on the back of her beauty products, as she’s careful to stick to a breastfeeding-safe skincare routine. Additionally, when picking items, Graham focuses on multi-tasking products that work quickly.
“As I approach my mid-30s I need to see fast results,” she explains. “I want something that’s going to hydrate my skin and protect it from what the environment is doing to it.”
As someone with combination skin that lingers on the dry side, Graham looks for skincare products that will make her skin that just-got-back-from-the-beach glow while also providing the necessary moisture to keep her skin healthy. Plus, as a breastfeeding mom looking for anti-aging skincare, she also likes products that help slow down the clock without retinol (a no-no for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding). Here, Graham shares her skincare routine with all the products she uses to maintain her supermodel glow.
A.M.
“I don’t have an alarm—Isaac is my alarm—and I have the baby monitor on next to my bed,” she says. “When he starts to make noises, I wake up and go to the bathroom, wash my face with just water, I pop in my contacts, and then I apply a little St. Tropez Face Serum because I want to have a natural glow.” With brightening vitamin C and hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid, it’s the perfect first step for Graham as it works to bronze skin in as little as four hours and quenches her complexion.
Once the serum has sunk in, Graham applies Environ Youth EssentiA Defence Crème moisturizer to her skin. “I like the science behind it,” she explains, adding that its vitamin-rich formula replaces retinol as she breastfeeds. “Then, I make oatmeal for Isaac because it needs to be done before he gets out of the crib, otherwise, he’ll bite my head off,” she continues. “I make a coffee, get my baby, and that’s how I start my day.”
Graham, like most of us, spends most of her time indoors. However, if she does leave her home, she’ll apply the Dermophisiologique Chrono Age White Skin Photoblock SPF 30 to her face and the Supergoop! Glow Oil to her body. Growing up, she used to frequent tanning beds, and so now she’s super diligent about using SPF and getting faux tans via self-tanners. “I’m so mad at myself for having done that as a kid, but hopefully I stopped soon enough that I won’t regret it later in life,” she says.
P.M.
One skincare step that Graham never forgets is cleanse her skin and take off her makeup at the end of the day. “It doesn’t matter how late it is or how many drinks I’ve had, I will wash my face,” she says. “Doing so has definitely paid off because there have been a few nights in the past where I’ve slept in my makeup and I break out right away.”
She adds that she uses the cult-classic Bioderma Sensibio micellar water. “I like that it’s basically water with a solution that doesn’t leave a film on my skin after using it,” Graham says. “I can use it to take off my makeup and not wash my skin afterward and I know my skin would be fine.”
Every 7-10 days, Graham uses the brand-new Ultimate Glow Kit that she launched in collaboration with St. Tropez. While creating it, she had a clear vision of what she wanted in the formula: fast-absorption and a great scent. Long gone are the days where she had to use special self-tan sheets. “My husband hated them!” Graham says, adding that the old-school self-tan scents always seemed to linger on the sheets. Now, this high-end scent is pleasant, and it absorbs into the skin in about a minute, so there’s no need to worry about transferring it onto your clothes, towel, or sheets.
“After showering, I apply lotion to my elbows, hands, knees, and feet to prep for the self-tan. Then, I do my skincare routine. And before applying the self-tan, I’ll put lotion on my elbows one last time,” she continues. “I love a good one-layer moment,” she adds, saying that it gives her the perfect, healthy glow. The product fits in line with Graham’s focus on multi-use and hydrating products, as this self-tanner is infused with hyaluronic acid, provitamin B5, and glycerin that keep skin soft and supple. The formula is so moisturizing that she doesn’t even need to use body lotion!
To wrap up her nighttime routine, Graham says she uses her Environ face cream and then Aquaphor to keep her lips hydrated and plump: “I think it’s the cheapest and best thing you can buy at the drugstore!”
