Talia Shuvalov

Beauty, to me, is about feeling good in your skin. By the time you hit your late thirties, you’ve usually figured out what works, what doesn’t, and how to navigate the shifts, whether they’re in your skin or your overall health. I’ve become much more proactive and committed to the long game. I know now that how I feel, especially when it comes to beauty, is directly tied to how I take care of my health. My philosophy is to look like I slept and stayed hydrated, even when I didn’t. 

I don’t cleanse in the morning, just a rinse with lukewarm water to wake up my face. While I brush my teeth, I mist with the Monastery x Coppola Hideaways Floral Essence – it’s light, floral, and gives my skin a hit of moisture while it settles in. Then I apply the ISDIN Flavo-C capsules for my daily dose of vitamin C.

Next comes a mix of Sente Dermal Repair Cream and Monastery Gold Face Oil, which I blend together and press into my skin, followed by a very quick (and often half-asleep) gua sha. To finish, I apply two layers of La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen – because one never feels like quite enough and I am always worried about pigmentation. 

At night, I start with Monastery’s Sage Oil Cleanser for a proper first cleanse, followed by Sente’s Daily Soothing Cleanser. Then I mist with the Monastery x Coppola Hideaways Floral Essence and apply retinol, usually alternating between 0.1% tretinoin and Monastery’s Rei Gentle Retinol Cream a couple nights a week. 

Tretinoin might be having a moment, but I’ve been using it for over eight years—it’s the only thing that truly works for my skin and keeps breakouts in check. I finish with my go-to mix of Sente Dermal Repair Cream and Monastery Gold Face Oil, and apply Sente Neck Firming Cream to my décolletage – because we’re playing the long game.

One or two nights a week, I’ll add in a mask or deeper exfoliation. I love the Lesse Bioactive Face Mask when I want that super-clean feeling, and Protective Nourishment’s Pumpkin Peel is a forever favorite, especially followed by a refrigerated sheet mask. (Meder Beauty’s Hydra-Fill Mask is a current obsession.)

Sente has been in my arsenal forever, science-backed, results-driven, and most importantly, it maintains. That’s what I love most: the sense of long-term stability. The Monastery obsession is newer, but I have a feeling the Gold Oil is staying on my shelf for good.

Nars Reflecting Eye Brighter – I’m totally fine going without makeup, but even on those days, I always reach for tinted SPF and my NARS Reflecting Eye Brightener. Without it, I feel completely bare—it’s a balmy little miracle that erases all signs of tiredness and lasts all day.

Farah Homidi Essential Lip Compact – I love the packaging on this and the fact that the insert is refillable. I also love this product for all things lips, cheeks, eyes, and nose. It just makes me feel fresh-faced and rosey. 

Estée Lauder Little Black Primer Mascara – This is a no-makeup mascara that looks incredibly natural, no flaking, no smudging, ever. It just defines your lashes enough to frame your eyes. It’s totally waterproof, but not in the usual stubborn way. It stays put all day through anything, and still washes off easily at night.

Victoria Beckham Feather Fix  – I’ve tried countless brow gels, nothing compares. This one is lightweight yet has incredible hold.

Westman Atelier Clean Glow Trio – This duo is a staple in my routine, quick, easy, and incredibly versatile. I especially love the highlighter; it gives me a glow without the shine. Every product can be used all over the face, eyes, lips, nose, wherever you need a touch-up.

My hair routine is pretty low-maintenance, nothing too fussy. I start with Olaplex Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo for a deep first cleanse, followed by Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner to keep things soft and balanced. I’ll occasionally layer in an Olaplex mask when my hair feels like it needs a little extra love, but that’s become more rare.

After towel-drying gently, I apply a leave-in, either the Color Wow treatments or Crown Affair’s Leave-In Conditioner, which is lightweight and really lovely. If I’m blow-drying, I always reach for the Color Wow Dream Coat, it’s truly a game-changer for frizz control and making a blowout last.

That said, most of the time I let my hair air-dry. I’ve been loving Crown Affair’s Texturizing Air Dry Mousse for a soft, natural wave that feels polished but effortless. I’ll sometimes finish with a touch of ROZ Hair Milk, it gives that extra bit of smoothness without weighing anything down.

I go through phases with rituals, to be honest, it’s always evolving. Right now, I start my mornings with hot water, lemon, and Manuka honey, which feels like a small but grounding reset. If I can, I’ll follow it with a Pilates class at Good Day in Brooklyn Heights. I gravitate toward things that are easy and don’t take too much time out of my day. It’s less about strict routines and more about carving out a couple hours a week to reset, whether that’s a long bath, red light therapy, or just lying still with a mask on. Wellness, for me, is intuitive and flexible. 

I’m not really a fragrance person, it’s the one step I always forget. But I do love a good-smelling body moisturizer, like Costa Brazil’s Crema Para o Corpo, which doubles as my fragrance most days. When I do remember to wear perfume, my go-to is Narciso Rodriguez for Her. When I worked for Narciso, I’d bring home bottles of it, and now the scent takes me back to the start of my career, a time of total creative freedom, zero industry cynicism, and a huge desire to learn. Narciso was such a generous mentor, and this fragrance will always remind me of that chapter.

Red light masks! Back in the day, I used to spend a small fortune running to the dermatologist for red light treatments every time I broke out, it was the only thing that really calmed my skin down. I bought the Déesse PRO about 11 years ago and only recently upgraded to the Monastery one, which uses a deeper red light and feels even more therapeutic.

Technically you’re supposed to wear it for 20 minutes, but sometimes I leave it on for an hour because I fall asleep. It’s incredibly relaxing, and nothing beats the look on my kids’ faces when they walk in and see me glowing like a sci-fi villain.

FACE

I swear by Ricari Studios for lymphatic drainage, it actually works. And while I’m not a huge facial person (I usually go straight for the hardcore stuff, lasers, peels, anything with a little zap), I do love Georgia Louise in NY and Linda Meredith in London when I want something more indulgent but still results-driven. Rachele Facchini at JTAV also does great laser facials that feel like they’re actually doing the work.

Ultimately though, my north star is my dermatologist, Dr. Rachel Nazarian. I’m a firm believer in having someone who understands your skin and isn’t afraid to mix it up. I think my skin does better when I’m not always doing the same thing. I love Fraxel and VI Peels and try to do both at least twice a year, like a seasonal wardrobe change, but for your face.

HAIR

I’ve been in New York for 16 years, and in all that time, I’ve let exactly two people color my hair. Blonde in New York is no joke, it’s a tightrope walk between “expensive” and “brassy.” Jenna Perry and Maurizio Bermudez are both incredible (very different styles, but both can coax out a beautiful, natural blonde, even if you’re starting pretty dark).

For cuts, it’s Tommy Buckets or no one. I’m loyal like that.