You know the #ITGTopShelfie—our interview series that shares the beauty routines of Into The Gloss’ lovely, accomplished, and loyal community of readers. Now we’re taking you into the bathrooms, cabinets, and makeup bags of some of Glossier’s own. These folks work in beauty, and they bring to the table lots of capital-t Thoughts about it. Submit yours on Instagram—post your Top Shelfie (tag us @intothegloss!) and include the hashtag #ITGTopShelfie for a chance to be featured on ITG.
“Hi there! I’m Katerina (@here.is.kat). I am an associate manager of paid media at Glossier, and my favorite part of the job is that I get to work with tons of amazing people, from Glossier’s lovely affiliate program members to my supportive coworkers. Things here are constantly moving and growing quickly, which definitely keeps me on my toes.
I was born, raised, and live in Queens, New York, home to beauty supply shops with products from every corner of the world. I am so grateful to have been exposed to different cultures (and the beauty standards that come with them) from the very beginning, because it helped me approach beauty as a way to express myself, versus hide where I come from. In Queens, I’ve never really felt the need to conform or compare myself to European or American beauty standards. Latina entertainers like Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, and Sofia Vergara were always the epitome of beauty in my Colombian household.
When it comes to beauty, I am, as the great Samantha Jones once said, ‘A try-sexual. I’ll try anything once.’ I even channel my mood or environment into my looks, to the point where if I feel a bit ill, I’ll add blush to the tip of my nose to make the illness more glam. It’s therapeutic. I also love to convince my peers to try new products or shades that they wouldn’t normally go for. Once someone says, ‘I’d never look good in that,’ it becomes my mission to try and make it work for them in a beautiful way. I absolutely love the feeling I get when someone asks me how to apply something, and I help them achieve the look themself. My fondest memories of beauty always involve me teaching someone how to apply something, and I take the opportunity to hold mini masterclasses in bar bathrooms, at my Glossier HQ desk… you name it. And, from drugstore to luxury, every product gets a fair chance to win me over.
I usually start my routine by splashing cold water on my face. I am a tummy sleeper, so on most days when I wake up my face is puffy. To top it all off I cry from everything—even when I laugh—so I always have de-puffers like Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water stick and Pixi Detoxifeye Hydrogel Patches on my vanity. They keep the puffiness (and the people asking me if I’m OK) away. Then I go right into toner. The Ole Henriksen Balancing Force toner has a minty feeling and smell that wakes me up, and I follow it with a glow-boosting vitamin C serum like Dermalogica’s Biolumin-C or Glossier Super Glow. I like a light moisturizer like Glossier Priming Moisturizer during the day, and I always apply Glossier Invisible Shield last. I have been warned enough never to skimp on the SPF. When my lips get chapped, I know it’s my body’s way of telling me it needs more hydration. But on top of drinking water, I am always using the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I actually use it more like a balm—it’s that good.
I’ve recently started priming with the Elf Poreless Putty and, WOW. It really works, and it’s only $8. Instead of using foundation I like Glossier Stretch Concealer’s dewy, natural skin-finish, and I keep three shades on hand. I use G8 all over, G10 to highlight, and G6 to contour. Keeping it all the same consistency makes blending much easier, but on days I need more coverage, I’ll reach for Tarte Shape Tape. My cheeks take up quite a bit of real estate on my face, so blush and bronzer are essential for me. Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer is my holy grail. I love that it works as both a contour and fake tan—chef’s kiss. I will never cheat on you, Hoola. I tend to lean towards cream blush, and I almost never use just one on its own. My inner Bob Ross comes out when I’m mixing blush. (If you ever meet me in person, check for a blush stain on my left hand.) My favorites are Cloud Paint in Dusk and Puff and EM Cosmetics Color Drops Serum Blush in Sunset Sky. I put two fingers on my smile lines and start applying blush above them, blending outward and upwards. Lastly, because I want to look 27 when I am 57, I use Supergoop’s powder with SPF to set.
For a night out, I’m really into nude, glossy J. Lo lips. To get the look I layer Nyx lip liner (hello, $4) in Coffee, Natural or Soft Brown under Fenty Gloss Bomb. And I like to crush a bit of powder highlighter into my body lotion. Body Hero with a little Bodyography Pressed Highlighter is sparkly yet subtle enough that I won’t look like a rotisserie chicken. I think it ties an entire look together when you’re glam from head to toe.
I love the shower—long showers are my jam. The speaker’s likely tuned into a D-Nice or Major Lazer live stream, and lately, I’ve been bringing a glass of wine in with me. It’s a real party. Curly girls: always detangle in the shower! Please! I do it with a wide-tooth comb, and then deep condition my hair at least once a week. No exceptions. And I never—ever!—dry my hair with a terry cloth towel. A t-shirt works just fine, though I always use a microfiber towel. My favorite deep conditioner is the Shea Moisture Intensive Hydration Hair Mask. It smells lovely, and leaves my curls feeling smooth, nourished, and hydrated—I like to say juicy. I also wear it overnight as a leave-in treatment sometimes, which helps when my hair is particularly unruly. Then I style it using cream-based products like the Deva Curl Leave-In or Not Your Mother’s Defining Cream, which define my curls without making them look crunchy. I’ll forgive a bit of frizz for a softer finish.
I find double cleansing to be the most effective method for my skin, so at night I like to start with a cleansing balm. My current fave is the Versed one because it has a lovely eucalyptus oil scent, and I follow it with The Inkey List’s Salicylic Cleanser. The Inkey BHA cleanser is no BS—it does what it says it does (exfoliates, unclogs), plus it’s clean and easy on my pockets. One of my biggest skin annoyances is pesky visible pores, and I became a chemical exfoliation convert thanks to Glossier Solution, which changed my skin for the better. The Ordinary’s Buffet is my anti-aging serum, which I reserve for nighttime. Then I use a thick moisturizer like Cerave Moisturizing Cream and seal it all up with facial oil. And I end my skincare routine every night with Shea Moisture Jamaican Castor Oil on my eyebrows and lashes for extra moisture and to stimulate growth. By the end, I look like a glazed donut, which is the desired look.
Using my Nuface Mini has quickly become one of my favorite parts of my routine, but facial massages work too! If you’re new to facial massages, I recommend following watching some of these TikToks. This one is my absolute favorite. Then I apply a little Biossance Squalane Rose Oil in upwards motions. I also do a face mask at least once a week. My go-tos for deep cleansing are the Aztec Healing Clay with ACV or The Ordinary’s AHA + BHA Peel. Both give me a delicious tingling-slash-burning sensation, which makes me feel like it’s working. For hydration, I like the Dr. Jart Shake and Shot masks. They got me with the packaging, but most importantly it leaves my skin very smooth and plump.
The Aztec Clay was also really helpful when I was transitioning to natural deodorant. I used it once a week on my underarms to keep those odors in check while the area adjusted. And one of my all-time favorite hacks is using the Glossier Moon Mask to revive the driest parts of my body. I slather some on my elbows and knees, and on my legs in the colder months when they get scaly and pasty—I go to sleep, and voila! Smooth and moisturized. I have been using it as an overnight hand treatment lately, which has really been helping.”
—as told to ITG
Photos via the author
