Beauty Black Book: Hanli Hoefer Shares Her Beauty Secrets
And they're super affordable too! By Debby Kwong
Hanli Hoefer (@hanlihoefer), MTV VJ and Power 98 Radio DJ
"I lead a very active and outdoors lifestyle. I’m constantly on the move from the moment I get up whether its taking my dog for a run, running around town for meetings or shoots to hitting hot yoga or the gym a few times a week. My skin care focuses on brightening my skin and my make up is angled toward a glowy natural look.
In the mornings I wash my face with a Hydro Cleanser from Porcelain Face Spa. It’s a very soothing formula that doesn’t strip away my natural oils. I then follow up with Porcelain’s Gycolic Toner and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Once my face is dry I use a potent hyaluronic acid serum called Hydraplenish I bought on iherb. I decided to try Hyrdaplenish out because the reviews online were promising, plus I quite like the old school packaging of it. Once that's absorbed, I put a fine layer of LiftActiv Vitamin C Freshot Serum from Vichy. Then my final step is a tinted moisturiser that also acts as a sunblock with SPF 20 from Porcelain called Skin Perfecting Moisturiser.
For makeup, I fill in my brows with Shu Uemura’s eyebrow pencil, I then use Clinique FIT Workout 24-Hour Mascara. I love how natural and lifted they make my lashes look plus they last throughout even the sweatiest hottest yoga classes without making me look like I’m crying black tears. I use Benefit’s Benetint Cheek and Lip Stain to give me that natural rosy hue on my lips and cheeks that will also last throughout the day. To highlight, I use Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Highlighter on my cheek bones, the arch on my eyebrows, bridge of my nose and just a tiny dab on my Cupid’s bow on my lips. I do love this product because a little goes a long way. Throughout the day I top up my lips with Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment Lip Balm to keep it looking naturally pink. I skip on any powders because I prefer a dewy look throughout the day, plus we live in such a humid country I feel like we all should just embrace the heat! If my skin gets oily I’ll dab it with an oil sheet.
At the end of the day I will take off all my eye make up with The Body Shop’s Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover then I will cleanse my face twice. Once with Porcelain’s Make Up Cleanser and then with their Hydro Cleanser, I then follow the same steps as in the morning except add a layer of Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil and use Sukin Moisture Restoring Night Cream before I go to bed, I like thick creams for night time to protect my face from drying out from the aircon. 2-3 times a week I will exfoliate with Burt’s Bees' Peach and Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub, I’ll also do a deep cleansing face mask with Aztec Secret's Indian Healing Clay followed by a natural manuka honey face mask which I let sit on my face for 10-20 mins. On my body I use Jergens Hydrating Coconut Dry Skin Moisturiser because I love the smell and I’ve been using Jergens since I was a teenager, I guess you could say I’m loyal to my lotion.
On days when I just want to pamper myself I’ll get a sun rescue facial at Porcelain Face Spa. This treatment is really effective especially after a heavy weekend outdoors. If I really want to detox I’d do a lymphatic drainage massage. When my hair needs some love I give myself a coconut and castor oil overnight hair mask, I focus the castor oil on my roots and the coconut oil on my tips. Castor oils promotes a healthy scalp and it boosts hair growth. To pamper myself from the inside out I drink Dandelion Root Tea every evening as it promotes kidney and liver function, it cleanses my digestive system and it helps with water retention.
It seems like a lot of products and effort but I believe that putting aside five minutes in the morning and evening for your self care is important. My mother has always been a religious product user, when I was a kid I used to watch her layer cream after cream on her face and body and now that I’m older I see the results and I want to be able to age as gracefully as she does. My final tips are: Drink your water; never skip your sunblock; and never fall asleep with your makeup on. I don’t care how tired you are—JUST DON’T DO IT!"
—as told to Harper's BAZAAR Singapore