Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth on PURENESS Skincare, Motherhood & Her Clean Beauty Journey

When deciding who should be the face of our PURENESS Skincare campaign, we really wanted to be true to our inspiration. When we developed this collection to have minimal ingredients, with proven results, we were thinking about skincare purists, and in particular about new moms who begin examining the ingredients in their own beauty products as they quickly learn that their babies are delicate — and awfully handsy!

Enter Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth, who founded Honey & Silk in 2011 as a food blog, and has since evolved it into a visual diary for all things style, travel and beauty. But Honey & Silk is far more than just pretty pictures; the Los Angeles-based creative also shares her experiences growing up in a Chinese immigrant household, as well as an intimate look into her life as a new mother. We are so proud to introduce her as the face of our PURENESS campaign.

Clean beauty and natural living have always been a huge part of Stephanie’s ethos and earlier this year, she revealed that she transitioned to an entirely clean skincare routine. Stephanie did it for herself, and for her (adorable) son Jacob, and it has changed her skin and life for the better. We spoke with Stephanie about her clean beauty secrets, her thoughts on the new PURENESS Skincare Collection, and how motherhood has changed her outlook.

You’ve been a proponent of clean living for a long time. What does clean beauty mean to you?

To me, clean beauty is beauty from within. It starts with how we approach our lifestyles and how we take care of our bodies. I became more conscious of the ingredients in my skincare because I went through a health scare and it forced me to look at everything I was consuming in my life and to make more serious and more conscious decisions about what I was putting on my body.

Clean ingredients are important to me because I can actually understand what I’m putting onto my skin. I can understand the benefits and what would work for my own unique skin.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to skincare?

My relationship with skincare has been quite a journey. I have felt so lost trying product after product to see what would work for my sensitive skin, but entering the world of clean beauty has really empowered me because it gives me the choice to find the right ingredients that work for me. Now, my skincare is clean enough for me to kiss my son.

After your extensive skincare journey, what would you say is your best beauty tip?

My best beauty tip is to spend a little extra TLC on your skin whenever you apply your moisturizer or serum. I like to pat the product into my skin or massage it in. I think spending that extra minute really helps activate your skin’s own unique ability to heal and glow.

Who is your beauty role model?

My mom has had the greatest impact on how I look at beauty because she’s very minimal and graceful. Her skin is amazing at the age of 60, so I only hope to age as well as she does!

We believe in THE POWER OF GOOD and creating a chain of good with your actions. What does THE POWER OF GOOD mean to you, as an influencer?

My personal POWER OF GOOD is empowering my community of women and mothers to feel supported and to feel fellowship — that we’re there for each other. One good thing I do for others on a daily basis is to be kind and be supportive. And one good thing I do for myself is to listen to my own body.

When did you first start using bareMinerals?

My first experience with bareMinerals was when I was in high school and I tried the ORIGINAL Loose Powder Foundation for the first time and it completely changed my skin. I was dealing with a lot of breakouts and acne and as soon as I switched my foundation it cleared right up and I had the best skin ever at 16.

Aside from the PURENESS Collection, what’s your favorite bareMinerals product now?

The MINERAL VEIL [Finishing Powder]. I love using it because it sets my foundation and it gives me the best glow.

Do you have any morning rituals?

My typical morning skincare routine actually starts with a hot cup of jasmine tea while I cleanse my skin, put on my serums and moisturizers and then use my jade roller to massage my skin.

What do you love most about the PURENESS Collection?

My skincare is clean without compromise. Why are natural ingredients important to me? Now that I have a young baby it’s so important for me to know the ingredients that go into our products because my only concern is his health and wellness.

Clean without compromise means knowing that my skincare is formulated with clean ingredients that will give me my best skin. My sensitive skin easily gets irritated, so I look to clean ingredients that keep my skin happy and calm.

What’s your definition of self-care?

Self-care to me means taking care of myself so that my cup is full to take care of others. I find time for myself while Jacob is napping or after he goes to bed and I love to indulge in a good skincare routine like a mask or a good bath.

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