Dutch beauty blogger, founder of haircare brand Gisou and new mum has the word ‘powerhouse’ under her belt.
With 7.1 million Instagram followers, over 500,000 YouTube subscribers and a spot on Forbes’s European 2018 30 Under 30 list — not to mention many lucrative fashion and beauty partnerships and her own self-funded beauty company — Negin Mirsalehi’s career is one to which just about any influencer would aspire.
Hair-care brand, Gisou, which she founded with fiancé Maurits Stibb is flying high as well as off the shelves. And it all started with beekeeping. Yes, beekeeping.
Mirsalehi comes from a family of beekeepers dating back six generations, and she hasn’t let that family tradition fall by the wayside. In fact, she’s tapped into that history to build a connection with her followers and conceptualise her brand. Gisou draws on ingredients from her father’s bee gardens — including honey and propolis — and her hairstylist mother’s DIY hair-care recipes, with an emphasis on using as many natural ingredients as possible, and her luscious locks are enough for us to go by.
We delve into Negin’s on-the-go beauty rituals.
How do you adapt your beauty regime when you travel?
While travelling, hydration is my number one priority. From the products I use on my skin, hair and lips to drinking plenty of water.
What are your must-do beauty rituals/treatments before you travel?
I wake up a little earlier on travel days so that I have extra time to do a full hair and skin routine to give my hair and skin the extra moisture it needs to combat the drying effects of travel. At the airport terminal, I’ll stop by the little gift shop to buy some travel necessities: ear plugs, pressure socks, and some healthy snacks.
What’s the best way to downsize your at-home beauty product haul for travel?
I like to pack light, so multi-use products are the key to downsizing for me. I never leave home without my Honey Infused Beauty Balm, which not only soothes dry, chapped areas on my face and body, but also tames flyaways, shapes my brows and doubles as a highlighter for a subtle glow.
Do you prefer to pack travel minis or full-size beauty staples? And why?
It depends on where I’m travelling to and how long I plan to stay, but I generally pack travel sized products.
Do you have a regular plane beauty routine?
Throughout the flight, I run Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil Luxe Travel Size through my hair to prevent moisture loss and apply Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oil. Recently, I’ve started to use compression socks to increase circulation and prevent any swelling in my legs.
How do you unwind on holiday?
I love chilling out with a good book on the beach in the afternoons and watching a movie with Maurits and Mosey on the couch in the evenings. Self-care rituals, like taking a bath with a hydrating face mask and hair mask, are also very important to me. I usually add Epsom salts to my bath or lavender-scented bath oil – the smell is soothing and helps me sleep better.
What has been you favourite vacation spa so far and why?
The best spa I’ve ever been to is Dior Institut at the Plaza Athénée in Paris – it’s unrivalled. I also love The Beverly Hills Hotel Spa.
How do you overcome jet-lag skin when you land?
If I know I have to be somewhere straight off a flight, I like to put on under-eye masks so that I look fresh and awake and ready to go. For long-haul flights, I wear a sheet mask.
What are your top skincare/haircare tips when travelling?
Staying healthy while travelling is a must for glowing hair and skin. I’ll take a vitamin B12 supplement with my breakfast or I’ll take propolis (a compound produced by bees, thought to fight infection) from my father’s bee garden. As for hair, I use my signature Honey Infused Hair Oil every day to keep it looking healthy, shiny and smooth. It’s the one product I take everywhere.
What is your favourite location to shop for homegrown beauty?
I like supporting small businesses all over the world that have mission statements that I believe in. One of my favourite recent discoveries is from Haan. Even before Covid-19, I always made sure to have a hand sanitiser on me. When I travelled a lot, it especially came in handy. The downside of hand sanitisers is that they tend to strip and dehydrate skin. I recently found this one from Haan, and I love that it cleanses without leaving my skin dry. They also focus on Water Crisis awareness and eradication.
What’s on your beauty wish list right now?
I really love what Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is doing in the clean makeup space. Rose Inc’s Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum delivers powerful skincare and sheer, radiant coverage — perfect for every day.
THE PACKING LOWDOWN
Travel light or over-packer?
Travel light.
Spa facial or massage?
Massage.
Vacation air-dry or blow-dry?
Blow-dry.
Fake tan or au naturel?
Au naturel.
Desert island beauty product?
Gisou Hair Oil!
Any Questions or Tips to add?