Content Creator Jordan Santos Shares Her Beauty Routine and What Self-Care Means to Her
It’s not very often that influencers on social media can claim professional expertise in the field but Los Angeles-based content creator Jordan Santos is also a social media strategist and brand consultant who has honed her skills managing the business social media accounts for fashion and beauty brands such as Rose Inc as well as her own.
Santos’ well-curated feed not only displays her clean, neutral aesthetic, an eye for art, design and architecture, and all things beauty, it’s also a tool for her to highlight causes she’s passionate about. The Filipino-American has used her social media platform to support voter registration and fundraise for pandemic relief, as well as spotlight Asian and Black-owned beauty brands.
But every once in a while, we all need to look after ourselves and our wellbeing, which is why we asked Santos to share her beauty routine with us.
Jordan Santos talks to The Folklore about her daily regimen, working towards beauty and her definition of self-care
How do you start your day?
I start my day with a large cup of water, a couple supplements, and usually an iced matcha oat milk latte that I make at home. I also listen to a daily news podcast like What A Day and sometimes NPR Up First. Lately, I’ve been trying to get back into working out so sometimes I’ll do a workout class—either pilates or cycle.
What does beauty or self-care mean to you?
To me, beauty is confidence and acceptance and an unapologetic self-assurance. Beauty is being empathetic and compassionate—and not just expressing that in a performative way, but showing it through action. Beauty is not something we can physically hold onto, but something we can work towards everyday through how we make ourselves and others feel.
Self-care by definition is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health; the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
There’s a lot going on in the world at the moment that make me unhappy, from the spread of misinformation online to racial injustice across so many aspects of our lives to gun violence—the list goes on, and seeing those things change would make me happy. I try to ask myself what can I do about it? I can learn, I can find resources to share, I can find ways to take action. No matter big or small, finding ways to make an impact on the things I want to change is my idea of self-care. And sometimes that means taking time to rest or read an important book.
What is the biggest beauty or skincare lesson you’ve learned?
Less is more. The beauty industry is always trying to sell more, more, more, but I’ve realized the less I use, the more I love myself. I wish I had known this at a younger age, but just glad I’ve begun to realize it now!
Jordan’s beauty regimen
Cleanse
I’ve been going back to the basics to try to restore my skin barrier and have been using a cream cleanser instead of a gel cleanser, as my skin is dry. The gel cleanser strips my skin a bit too much, while the cream cleanser is gentler and moisturizing.
Shop cleansers
Hydrate
My skin is prone to redness so I’ve been using serums that help reduce that. I am using one that specifically helps with repairing my skin barrier, while the other is anti-inflammatory and hydrating with an oil-like feel, which is perfect for my gua sha stone.
Moisturize
To moisturize, I use a simple moisturizer that really just focuses on healing the skin and in the daytime I use a physical SPF.
Shop moisturizers
Relax
To relax, I end my evening with a gua sha massage. I love using it to contour and massage my face, while also having a ritual each night that allows me to just sit with myself in silence for a few minutes.
Shop face oil
Photographs courtesy of Jordan Santos