Less is more, except when hair is concerned
Stacey Griffith of SoulCycle isn’t crazy only for spin, she is also quite the beauty-product buff
As one of the top instructors of SoulCycle, a fitness studio, Stacey Griffith, 48, has a following that transcends likes on social media. Her weekly spin classes are packed with New York’s power players, such as Mickey Drexler and Kelly Ripa, who rave about her infectious enthusiasm. It turns out that Griffith, who grew up in Cupertino, California, isn’t crazy only for spin; she is also quite the beauty-product buff. Here, the Upper East Side resident, whose fitness inspiration book, Two Turns From Zero, will be published in March, shares her favourite skincare and make-up picks.
SKIN CARE
I was blessed having a mum — she’s the most beautiful woman, ever — who was super, super into beauty. I think I was eight years old when my mum painted egg whites on my face. That was my first-ever mask. And now I am super, super into taking care of my skin.
In the morning, I use a sensitive cleansing gel from my dermatologist, Dr Paul Jarrod Frank, on my face. It’s so light you can use it every day. And I’m a junkie for anything from Fresh. I use the grapefruit shower gel, and I’m obsessed with the brown sugar scrub. I exfoliate every day. I sweat so much that I have to.
Then I have a really awesome trick. I take the Fresh Brown Sugar Lip Polish — it comes in a teeny tiny jar — and I scoop it out with my thumb. I use it on my cuticles, not my lips. I do this in the shower and I even do my toes! As if the scrubs are not oily enough, I use the Neutrogena sesame oil when my skin is still wet. Then I pat dry — I never rub.
There’s this vitamin C serum from Dr Dennis Gross that comes in a little orange bottle with a dropper. I use it under my eyes and in the corners of my cheeks while my skin is still wet. I have sensitive skin and can’t do anything heavy or I break out. I do this instead, and I think it makes my skin a little firmer. That’s my regimen. I never miss a day.
At least once a week, I do a face mask. Over Thanksgiving weekend, a bunch of my friends and I did these paper masks that had a dog’s face on each one. We Snapchatted the experience — they were so cute!
MAKE-UP
I use Urban Decay Naked Skin liquid foundation in 3.5, which gives me a bit of a tan without looking like George Hamilton. I call it my urban legend. There’s a story behind it: Wende Zomnir, who’s one of the company founders, was my neighbour in Laguna Beach, like 20 years ago. We became good friends and surf partners. At the time, she was commuting every week to San Francisco to work on Urban Decay. My mum was actually her first secretary! So I’m always down to try anything from the brand.
But the secret is really less is more. I always wear a bit of foundation and then a little CoverGirl So Lashy mascara. There’s a ball at the end of the brush, and you can really get into the corners of your eyes. For eye shadows, I usually mix between a YSL palette and the Urban Decay earth tones. I don’t do shimmer. Sometimes I’ll do a bit of earth-tone eye shadow under my cheekbone for shadowing, but I don’t do blush, and I’m not an eyeliner girl. My look is very androgynous tomboy. If I put on too much make-up, it looks a little drag queen.
HAIR
My hair is blonde right now with very short sides, and I have a flip to it. The flip actually warrants its own Instagram. I go to Valery Joseph for my cut, and Nicole in Valery’s salon colours it. I’m probably the only person getting this cut there — it’s an Upper East Side kind of place. My natural hair colour is actually salt and pepper, so it takes two-and-a-half hours to get this blonde. It’s kind of a nightmare, but I have to deal with it. I wash my hair with Frederic Fekkai Apple Cider Shampoo once a week, and then I use a Pantene conditioner, but only on the sides. The flip has to stay unconditioned or it won’t stand. I towel-dry and use Tancho Tique Stick while my hair is still wet. I also use TIGI Bed Head. Then I let it dry naturally for two hours before the flip goes up.
It’s really complicated. I should do a YouTube video.
FRAGRANCE
I think Voyage d’Hermès is literally in my blood stream, I’ve worn it so much. Once in a while, if I’m going to be tearing up a dance floor, I wear Terre d’Hermès. These are men’s fragrances, which to me kind of makes sense. I’m a gay woman; my girlfriend likes a more masculine scent on me. But I also mix in Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir sometimes or Jo Malone Grapefruit.