Founder of the ‘less is more’ Instagram blog, Bambi Does Beauty, Elle is passionate about empowering her audience to embrace their natural beauty. At 15, she realised that scrubbing her face with apricot kernels wasn’t the epitome of great skincare, and now some ten years on she is taking a more simplistic, educated approach to caring for her skin and loving the process wholeheartedly.
This interview is part of our ‘Lessons in Loving Your Skin’ series, where we sit down with friends of Alpha-H to understand what ageing authentically really means to them.
Give us a little insight into YOU; where are you right now, what are you doing, what are you passionate about.
I’m Elle, founder of ‘less is more’ Instagram blog Bambi Does Beauty. I am passionate about empowering my audience into showcasing their natural beauty. I’m 28 and only now feel like I’ve come into my own in my career. My early twenties were chaotic and somewhat miserable – I’m the happiest I’ve ever been right now. I live with my mom(ager) who is my right-hand man, don’t feel too sorry for her though – she gets A LOT of freebies! Right now, I’m really excited – I’m working with brands I love and saying no to one’s I don’t and that is so important. Integrity and authenticity are at the heart of Bambi. I can’t wait to see where it leads (hopefully the Maldives…! haha).
Tell us about your earliest memory of looking after your skin?
Discounting the 15-year-old phase of scrubbing my face down with apricot kernels, I got into skincare quite late. At school and university, I was very heavy handed with the bronzer, suffered with acne and didn’t really have a skincare routine. The first time I really took skincare seriously was when I was chatting with my cousin; she was double cleansing and using flannels as opposed to cotton pads – I was in awe.
Was there a defining moment or product that changed your approach to skincare for good?
Yes, acid exfoliants! It was 2016, when I first started Bambi. I couldn’t believe the results from something that seemed to be so effortless to do – no scrubbing needed.
How has your approach changed to looking after your skin from a bright-eyed teenager?
Oh wow, big time! I was the typical “cucumber face wipes” kind of teenager. I was far more interested in my GHDs at that point! I didn’t really have an approach back then. Now I’m very mindful of my routine – I scrutinise ingredients now and I’m really enjoying being more clued up.
What does “ageing authentically” mean to you?
I guess right now it means not having any work done. I want to age authentically, I want to embrace my crow’s feet!
When you are looking to add a new product to your routine, what changes do you look for in your skin?
I will admit I’m into that instant gratification with skincare. I try so many products it’s hard to really appreciate the “wow” factor a product has unless I notice an immediate change to my skin. I love for my skin to look brighter and feel more supple – that’s probably the two big things that matter to me.
Why is keeping and maintaining hydration in your skin important?
Hydration is the key to great skin. It keeps it plump, and our skin barrier working at its optimum, therefore protecting our skin from environmental aggressors.
When you think of Hyaluronic Acid, what comes to mind?
Golden hour, with a beautiful bare face, dewy, plump and radiant.
What is something you wish every woman knew about herself?
Your bare face is beautiful.
Take us through your routines – what Alpha-H products do you reach for or elements of your routine you must follow (i.e. double cleanse with a cream cleanser, serums every second night, etc.)
Here goes!
AM
I love a morning cleanse, I look for brightening cleansers that don’t strip my skin of it’s natural moisture. I then go in with an acid – Liquid Gold has been a staple of mine for years; I am a big fan of the Rose edition! Then I follow with one or two serums (usually two – sometimes three!). As you can tell I love hydrating my skin – I find serums are the best way to get the ingredients to penetrate furthest. My favourite ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Then to seal it all in I’ll use a thick moisturiser, I love Daily Essential Moisturiser as it’s formulated with SPF 50 which is essential for protecting skin.
PM
My PM routine is a little more thorough as I always double cleanse whether I’m wearing makeup or not (SPF sticks to your skin so you need an oil based cleanser to remove!). I’ll use the Essential Cleansing Balm (I loooove the dispenser pot packaging) then I follow with a lighter textured cleanser; I tend to use soothing and hydrating cleansers as my second step. Then I’ll use a Vitamin A/retinol, as they’re best to be used in the evening. To finish I will keep it simple and apply a little serum and moisturiser. My evening routine definitely switches up though – sometimes I’ll use a dedicated nighttime treatment like Beauty Sleep Power Peel – if I want to look especially bright the next morning!
Skin is more than just…
Facetune or photoshop. It’s real, pores and all.
You can connect with Elle and her ‘less is more’ approach via @bambidoesbeauty and also catch her as a beauty columnist for Glamour UK.
