Melanie Chandra Spills Her Beauty Secrets

Signature beauty statement
Less is more. Never hide behind your make-up or your clothes.

Morning fix
The first product I use every day is face wash — Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple.

Night regimen
I end my day with a facial serum. It loads my face with nutrients and my skin wakes up feeling supple in the morning.

Red carpet essentials
Lipstick. I never wear it on a day-to-day basis, only for events. I just do a natural gloss daily.

Notes from your childhood
My mom used to use Davidoff Cool Water. It was an American fad 15 years ago, but in the rare chance I smell it on someone, it takes me back to my childhood.

Power scent
I’m still looking for the right one — something alluring, mysterious, and feminine.

First fragrance
Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf.

Beauty must-haves
Facial sunscreen, Benefit’s Hoola Matte Bronzer, MAC Zoom Lash Mascara, Moroccanoil Hair Treatment for when my ends get dry, and Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick.

Pampering rituals
Facials or massages. They’re much needed to de-stress and detoxify, and I always feel renewed. I would love to get a facial every week if I could, but it’s hard to find the time.

Mom’s advice
She barely uses any products, and her skin has remained flawless to this day. She’s the one who told me that less is more, that all you need is a good moisturiser. She’s used a simple Oil Of Olay cream her entire life.

Beauty SOS
If my skin is in trouble, it’s probably because of what I’m consuming. So I’ll drink a ton of water (way more than usual) and stick to only nutrient-rich, all-natural food for some time.

Faux pas from the past
In high school we used to over-pluck our eyebrows so that they were super thin. It was a trend back then, but in retrospect, I just think, ‘Ouch!’

Travel essentials
My facial cleanser (Purity Made Simple by Philosophy), my facial serum and moisturiser (Raziehs Radiant Serum and their Obsession Cream), tweezers, chapstick, and hand cream.