Beauty Diaries: Shiva Safai On Injectables, Bad Hair Days And Her Favourite Cheat Meal
The entrepreneur and lifestyle influencer reveals her love of Dr. Barbara Sturm and Persian tahdig
From her favourite beauty brands to her workout routine, newlywed Shiva Safai shares her entire regime here with Bazaar.
MAKE-UP & FRAGRANCE
Favourite make-up brand: There are so many good brands, it’s impossible for me to single one out. However, some of my alltime favourites are Charlotte Tilbury, Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani, YSL and Urban Decay.
Favourite foundation/concealer: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation and YSL Touche Éclat concealer.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation, Dhs245, Bloomingdales.ae
Mascara: Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes Volume 2.
Signature scent: Byredo Mojave Ghost.
Byredo Mojave Ghost, Dhs600, Sephora.ae
Signature make-up hack: Using bronzer as eyeshadow to create a nice natural look.
HAIR
Hairstylist: Kim Vo for colour and Philip Wolff for a haircut.
Hair schedule: I colour my hair usually every three months and cut it every four-to-five, but with Covid that schedule has somewhat changed.
Treatments: I’m actually not very good at using masks on a weekly basis, but if I do, I just use coconut oil and let it sit in my hair for hours while I run errands or work from home.
Favourite products: HAIRtamin vitamins, Kérastase Hair Oil, Big Sexy Hair Root Pump which is amazing for volume, and Ouai Matte Pomade.
Ouai Matte Pomade, Dhs80, Lookfantastic.ae
Off-duty hair look: Always in a high bun with a scrunchie.
Bad hair day secret: Sleek high bun.
SKIN & BODY
Skincare routine: I wash my face every morning, I use serums, eye cream and finish with SPF moisturiser. At night, I cleanse and sometimes add a peel or a scrub and then use anti-aging serum; my new favourite is Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair followed with retinol or a moisturiser depending on what my skin needs.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Dhs415, Bloomingdales.ae
Go-to product for skin emergencies: Cortisone cream.
Cleansers: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex and Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser.
Flight essentials: Aquaphor ointment is great for dry lips, Listerine Fresh Breath Strips and Caudalie Beauty Elixir.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Dhs221, Sephora.ae
Miracle product: Dr. Dennis Gross Daily Peel Pads, Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic serum, True Botanicals Renew oil and Shani Darden Retinol Reform (Dhs742).
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic serum, Dhs1,096, Bloomingdales.ae
True Botanicals Renew oil, Dhs405, Truebotanicals.com
Manicure: Voila Nail Salon in Beverly Hills. I love Essie long-lasting nail polishes; some of my favourite colours are Pre-show Jitters and Rock the Runway.
Suncream: Lancôme Energie Lift Multi-Action Ultra Face Cream with SPF 30.
Lancôme Renergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra Face Cream with SPF 30, Dhs665, Sephora.ae
INTERVENTION
Attitude to injectables: All for it as long as it’s done in a conservative way to enhance your own natural beauty.
Cosmetic dermatologist: My skincare gurus are Shani Darden and Dr. Barbara Sturm. They put my skin on the right track and it’s never looked this good.
Secret surgeries: Rhinoplasty.
DIET & FITNESS
Workout method: Training at Royal Personal Training three-to-four times a week, with a hike on the weekends.
Guilty food pleasures: I’m Persian so I love yummy stews and tahdig, and you also can’t go wrong with a McDonald’s!
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2020 issue.