AUTO-REPACK: Our favorite beauty pros share their favorite products, so good they’ll make you want to click the little “auto-refill” box at checkout.
Photo: Šrankula Holecek
Shurankula Holecek may have given a whole new meaning to the term bespoke with her UMA Oil pampering experience. The Indian-born, Miami-based founder of the skincare and wellness brand creates face oils, toners, hair oils and herbal supplements, all with Ayurvedic practices in mind. Holecek’s motivation for hiring an all-female team is “the ability to support and nurture the incredible women I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” she told The Cut.
After earning a degree in Computer Science Engineering from BITS Pilani, an MBA from UCLA Anderson, and spending about seven years in management consulting with McKinsey, Holecek made a major shift to launch her own brand. “This career path grew out of my family roots in Ayurvedic agriculture and medicine that go back generations,” she says. “Part of my journey as an engineer and consultant was to learn and discover new tools and business practices, but a big part of it was also to learn, discover, and ultimately embrace parts of myself.”
While she creates products to help others develop self-care habits, Holecek also finds her own wellness moments through things like tongue cleaning and dry brushing. “I try to respect that self-care is subjective. Not only are my habits different depending on where I am in my life at the moment, they’re not the same as someone else’s,” she says. “Acknowledging that helps me avoid becoming too rigid about my self-care habits and making them a chore.”
My morning routine is pretty minimalist, both because I like it that way and because I often end up sleeping 15 minutes longer than I should before rushing to take a call with my India-based team. I start by washing my eyes and face with cold water, then “rolling” my eyes a few times while brushing my teeth. It’s an Ayurvedic ritual that’s good for the mind, skin and eyes, and I think it helps with under-eye bags too. I always use a tongue cleaner after brushing (made by UMA). If I have time, I dry and brush my teeth before I hop in the shower (ideally with an oil pulling treatment swirled around in my mouth).
I usually don’t use traditional products to wash my face in the morning. If I have an event in the morning, I rinse my face thoroughly and then apply honey or a face mask. After that, I spritz my face with UMA’s Ultimate Brightening Rose Toner and apply UMA’s Absolute Anti-Aging or Flow Blissfully Firming Neck Treatment all over my face and neck. I always wear sunscreen. Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is my favorite. I don’t wear makeup during the day unless I have a big meeting or event. My go-to makeup products are Giorgio Armani concealer, Bobbi Brown pressed powder when I feel like I need a little more makeup, and Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara. I also love Tarte’s blush and lip tints.
I love Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation for a dewy finish, and Nars’ Orgasm Blush – not flashy but fun. If I want to be bold, I’ll wear Slut Neutral Lip Colour (I love the shimmer) or Tom Ford’s Scarlet Rouge Lipstick.
My hair is completely unmanageable, so I need to tame the frizz and add volume to my roots. To tame my mane, I love A Social Life for Your Hair by Larry King. To add volume to my roots, I alternate between Rahua and Living Proof. I also oil my scalp and roots with UMA’s Intensely Nourishing Hair Oil at least once a week before washing my hair. I like to use Christophe Robin’s hair scrub once every two weeks to ensure there’s no risk of buildup.
I use a dry brush and a body scrub like UMA’s Absolute Anti Aging Body Scrub at least two or three times a week. I love Santa Maria Novella shower gels, and after each shower or bath, I alternate with a body oil or balm from UMA’s Absolute Anti Aging or Santal Silk lines. I also use a sunscreen on my body during the day, and I can usually find one like La Roche Posay on Amazon or at the drugstore.
My evening routine tends to be less hectic and more mindful. I usually listen to a language lesson on Audible (I’m currently learning Italian). In the meantime, I wash my face with UMA or Tatcha oil cleanser, then use the Gommage Exfoliator three times a week. After the last step, I add a facial massage for about two minutes with the Kansa wand or just my fingers. I apply oil to my belly button every night. Apart from the amazing detoxifying properties, it really helps with chapped lips. Before bed, I rub my feet with aromatic oils.
I like to do masks a few days a week. Right now I’m religiously using the Total Rejuvenation Honey Lemon Mask. After the mask, sometimes I’ll hold ice all over my face for 30 seconds, spritz my face with rosewater toner, and while my skin is still damp I use UMA’s Anti Aging Plump & Repair Face Cream, followed by a face oil and massage in with my hands or a Kansa wand.
That would be the curling iron. I’ve been using a GHD curling iron for a while now and haven’t found a reason to switch to anything else.
I wouldn’t be me without decent sleep, so I make a bit of an effort to get it. Having a glass of red wine with dinner has become a little ritual for me to relax. That definitely includes a little self-massage after my evening shower, rubbing my feet with aromatherapy oils, reading (fiction) or writing in my journal by candlelight, drinking teas and/or taking ashwagandha supplements.
I always make sure my bedsheets and covers are clean and neat, and I’ve bought blackout curtains and shock-absorbing windows to keep out light and noise. When I’m jet lagged, I like to go barefoot on the ground and incorporate invigorating herbs like ginger and peppermint during the day. Sometimes I take a small amount of melatonin at night, and sometimes if I’m on an overnight flight I’ll take a stronger sleep aid. For me, the benefits of better quality sleep outweigh the potential drawbacks of the occasional sleeping pill.
I have a rowing machine at home for when I watch TV. When regular exercise isn’t possible, I’ve run up and down the stairs of my parent’s house or office building 50 times. I also often walk to appointments in new cities. When I’m not busy, I love working out at the gym or taking pilates sessions, but I like to do it in moderation. Sometimes I’m too busy traveling for 2-3 weeks to do even one “standard” workout, so I’ll go for a walk, do squats, or sit-ups in my hotel room. I haven’t had perfect muscle tone or optimal body fat for a while now, but I find that being active in general makes me feel much better mentally and is pretty important for maintaining a sense of balance.
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