“Beauty is more than makeup, it’s more than clothes – it’s fitness, it’s mindset, it’s our emotional state,” explains Alexis Ren, author of 2011 up-and-coming model on social media for her Tumblr-era posts. Although the year-old has landed her fair share of covers, her viral ab workout routine has garnered hundreds of million views, that’s about the most recognized she can be said to be. “To this day, girls still talk to me about abs workouts on YouTube, and it’s amazing how many views there are,” she says. As someone who’s always in the spotlight, Ren’s beauty rituals help her look and feel her best — from clean skincare to romantic makeup.
To treat her combination skin, Ren’s routine focuses on avoiding breakouts while providing essential hydration. Mario Badescu’s cleansing oils are first wiped off with Clean Skin Club’s biodegradable towelettes. “It changed my skin texture; my skin texture is so much softer now,” she says. Facialist Sonya Dakar’s two rejuvenating serums offer day care, a double-face cream to lock in moisture, and a gua sha massage to ease puffiness. Then, a layer of tinted sunscreen and a touch of Laneige lip mask set the foundation for her romantic look.
“Beauty is about showing who you are, not covering it up, you know?” She details her makeup philosophy — relying on a sun-kissed bronzer and some cosmetic tricks, while Not flashy makeup. Eyebrows came first, and Ren admits she succumbed to the tendency to shorten them at the end. Since this naturally enhances her looks, she relies entirely on a little Göt2b Gel for grooming. The complexion starts with a natural contour, followed by a sheer veil of Chanel foundation and two more bronzers—a Tom Ford face cream and a Charlotte Tilbury powder.
Her next trick? Using Clé de Peau and Becca’s formula, blend her Eye Concealer upward for a natural eye lift. Subtle smoky eyeshadow, purple winged eyeliner and a layer of mascara over her favorite Yumi mascara further accentuated her gaze. To take her already radiant skin to the next level, Ren opted for faux freckles, blush, and a shimmering highlighter. For a romantic finish, layer on Ilia’s Tinted Lip Balm in Wanderlust. All that was left was to prime her hair with dry shampoo and texturizing spray to achieve her signature half-up look, complete with two face-framing strands. “Thank you so much for watching – I hope you give it a try!” she laughs. “Don’t steal my Ilia lip balm! Love you guys and see you soon!”
