@lindsellingson

Model Skincare Secrets: Lindsay Ellingson

By Marissa DeSantis

Lindsay Ellingson spent the first decade of her career walking runways from New York to Paris, covering magazines, and, perhaps most famously, modeling for Victoria’s Secret. According to Ellingson, it was her time in the makeup chair that ignited her own love for beauty and her on-the-go schedule that prompted her need for a simpler beauty routine—something she realized other women could also relate to. 

With that in mind (and entrepreneur Divya Gugnani by Ellingson’s side), Wander Beauty was born in 2015. “We wanted to simplify things, and we really believe in creating clean, multi-tasking beauty essentials that you will reach for every day,” Ellingson explains of her beauty award-winning line. 

Ahead, Ellingson shares every product behind her daily skincare routine, introduces us to Wander Beauty’s latest launch, and reveals the best skincare tip she picked up from working with the pros.

 

Lindsay’s Skin Type

“My skin is dry and sensitive—I’ve struggled with melasma and hyperpigmentation for years—and I’m going to be 37 this year, so those fine lines are popping up. I use mostly clean formulas, especially now because I have a son who is 11 months old, and I’m still pumping for him.”

Lindsay’s Morning Routine

“I like to cleanse with CeraVe’s Hydrating Micellar Water, and then I’ve been using these Dr. Loretta Micro Peel Peptide Pads every other day. They have 10% glycolic acid, so they’re great for hyperpigmentation and fine lines. From there, I go into treating the skin. We just launched our Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate with Wander Beauty that we’ve been working on for the last year. In the past, when I’ve used vitamin C serums, the formulas have been very unstable and they feel greasy or sticky with that weird smell. We wanted to solve that problem, so we worked with our labs on this vitamin C derivative that’s proven to be just as effective as your typical ascorbic acid, but it’s much more stable.

It’s also a beautiful cream-like texture so it plays well under makeup. 

In the warmer months, I don’t layer my skincare as much as I do in the winter, so I’ll just go straight to my sunscreen if my skin is not feeling too dry. Right now, I’m liking Supergoop’s CC Cream, which is 100% mineral SPF. There’s also a little bit of tint to it as well, so I can use this in place of my foundation.”

Lindsay’s Skincare Pick-Me-Up

“I love a mist throughout the day, and another product that I just started using is this James Read Gradual Tan H2O Mist for the face. My issue in the spring and summer months is that my body gets nice and tan, but my face doesn’t because I’m always wearing sunscreen. You spritz this on before makeup or throughout the day, and I see a gradual glow and a little bit of warmth to my complexion. 

With this last year, I haven’t been going to the dermatologist or seeing my facialist, so I’ve been doing more treatments at home. When I last got a facial from Georgia Louise, thankfully, I bought her freezer tools. They’re two little handheld ice ball-looking things, and you kind of swipe them over your face after putting a little oil on for a lymphatic massage.

They’re freezing cold because they’re made of stainless steel, so it feels like a cryofacial.

I do it in the morning if I’m a little bit tired because I definitely haven’t been getting the sleep I used to, and it helps if I feel puffy or red. Anytime I feel like I need to freshen up under my eyes, I put the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Eye Masks on for 15 minutes for an instant plumping effect. The gold foil helps to warm your skin so that it better absorbs the serum, which has hyaluronic acid, camu camu extract, aloe leaf juice, and glycerin.”

Her Nighttime Routine

“I like to use Wander Beauty’s Drift Away Cleanser in the shower to remove all traces of makeup without leaving my skin feeling tight. I’ve been a big fan of Vintner’s Daughter for a long time, and I love to mix a few drops of their Active Botanical Serum into a heavier moisturizer. I use Nuori’s Protect + Facial Cream, which is a really thick moisturizer with a butter-like feel that melts into your skin. Since I’m pumping, I’m not using a retinoid right now, but I’m excited to be able to use that again.

I’m still taking the Whole Foods New Chapter Prenatal Vitamin and this Simris Algae Omega-3 For Moms, which is plant-based. And then Gryph & Ivy Rose sent me these probiotic chocolates last year that I love. It just tastes like a piece of candy, but you get like 15 billion probiotics in this one little heart-shaped chocolate.”

Her Top Skincare Advice

“I was a model for 10-plus years before starting Wander Beauty, and that’s really where my passion for beauty started—sitting in the makeup chair for thousands of hours and absorbing so many tips and meeting so many people.

One of the things I’ve found most effective is just giving yourself a nice facial massage before you apply makeup.

It’s a great way to de-puff and get the circulation going, and I find that the natural contours of your face show a bit more. I start from the center of my face and work outwards towards my ears and down the neck with a little bit of an oil. You can use a tool like a gua sha, but your hands work beautifully, too.”