CLARA REIS
Journalist, associate director of Santa art and curator of the current exhibition at Z42.
THE BEAUTY TALK
WHAT PART OF YOUR FEMININITY DO YOU FEEL EMPOWERING ?
I think sensitivity, which I call emotional intelligence. I think, most of the time, we are more emotional then men, who get to be more rational. The way we can feel things, being more connected to our guts, is very different from how men are. Obviously we have a lot of power when you think we create life!
WHAT IS YOUR DAILY BEAUTY/HAIR ROUTINE ?
During the week, if I don’t have any social engagement I don’t wear a lot of make-up, also because I am a bit lazy to do it every day! But at least I exercise in the morning! I run three times a week, not because I like it but because I love to eat and have a drink, so I have to! I always lived in Rio which helps, as the city is really made for people who want to do sports. We have that great culture of taking care of ourselves here. I lived in Ipanema for 24 years and went to the beach every day to exercise, play volley-ball…
Coming back to my skin routine... I clean my face with Avène Cleanance Gel for oily skin, without soap, then I put sunblock because here in Rio you have to! For that, I mix two products: Shiseido sun protection liquid foundation broad spectrum SPF 42, I like it because it is tinted, and the other one is from La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40. Then I apply some concealer and I use many different because I have a dark circles: Studio Finish Concealer NC30 from Mac, the touche éclat pencil from Yves Saint-Laurent or the Fake Up in medium from Benefit. And then sometimes when I’m not too lazy, I put some mascara on, always waterproof. Usually I use the Colossal Volume Express from Maybelline. When I have events and things going on during the week-end, I like to wear a fuller look with lipstick and high heels.
YOU SEEM TO HAVE A SIGNATURE HAIR WITH YOUR LOW BUN.
Yes, I don’t have patience for anything else, especially with our weather, my hair gets frizzy and stuff. So I just put it in a low bun. Products wise I started reading about all the bad chemicals in shampoos and got concerned, so last time I traveled to NY, I bought this sulfate, paraben and silicone free “low-poo” from Deva Curl which I use now, and another one from L’Oréal called Eversleek which has a smoothing action. Sometimes though I wear my hair down but it is so hot in Rio that I don’t do it very often.
IN RIO, WOMEN ARE VERY ATTACHED TO THEIR BEAUTY ROUTINE: THEY GO EVERY WEEK TO THE SALON TO GET THEIR NAILS DONE, THEY ALWAYS SMELL LIKE THEY JUST CAME OUT OF THE SHOWER EVEN UNDER EXTREME HEAT, THEY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT NEW HAIR TREATMENTS… ARE YOU LIKE THAT YOURSELF?
Unfortunately I don’t have enough patience but I have been doing my own nails since I was 14 years-old. The only thing I get done at the salon are my eyebrows. I specifically go to the one called Cultura da Beleza in Ipanema, once a month or so, and have been going there for 6 years! Once or twice a year I get a facial cleanse there too.
WHAT’S ON YOUR LIST OF MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS?
Most of my products come from France! I buy everything when I travel. But I like Brazilian nail polish: "Gabriela" from Risqué is my favorite red. Sometimes I try more natural things like coconut oil in my hair, but again my laziness always wins me over. Weirdly enough, on week-ends I like wearing fake eye-lashes. Maybe because I am a Leo, so when I really want to stand out, I do it fully! I also like red lips, I use Russian Red from Mac.
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN OPENLY CELEBRATE YOUR INDIVIDUALITY HERE IN RIO DE JANEIRO?
Yes, I feel more comfortable here than in any other place. I have something in common with the Cariocas which is the kind of laid back attitude to put an effort on your look. Whereas in Sao Paulo I see that women are much more concerned about it, the way they are dressed, they wear make-up every day, etc… So I think it is a local cultural thing. A friend of mine told me the other day: “the Cariocas want to show their bodies and the Paulistas want to show their clothes”, or something like that… I guess in Rio you are more relaxed.
