Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli, host of the Naked Beauty Podcast, has many skin care tips and tricks up her sleeve that she’s acquired through both self-discovery and from podcast guests. Read on to learn more about her clean beauty philosophy, favorite natural beauty ingredients, best beauty hacks, and tips for creating DIY beauty products.
Brooke is the creator and host of the beauty podcast, Naked Beauty, and the product marketing manager for Instagram. Every week, she interviews women she respects on topics related to self-care, beauty, skin care, and wellness. She’s also created a community on Instagram called Naked Beauty Planet where she shares her daily inspiration, products she currently loves, and stories from her podcast guests.
Over the years, Brooke has experimented extensively with her skin care regimen, dabbling in aromatherapy, plant oils, and even formulating her own beauty products at home. Her trials and tests with a variety of natural skin care remedies have encouraged her to embrace a clean and natural approach to skin care and beauty. Below, she also shares why she loves sea buckthorn oil, her sheet mask hack, and what’s in store for the podcast.
The Klog: How would you describe your beauty philosophy?
Brooke: I’d love to say that I’m a ‘less is more’ skin care minimalist, but that would be a lie. To keep it all the way real, I’m a beauty maximalist and ‘more is more kind of girl. Once I’ve found products that I love I stick to them, but I love doing the absolute most when it comes to beauty: steaming my face on the weekends, doing Gua Sha in the morning, finding new face masks I can make, sleeping with overnight hair masks, trying new nail art — I love it all. I just love beauty. I think it’s so much fun and such a powerful tool for self-expression.
The Klog: From what we’ve read, it seems like your beauty routine is a mix of natural/clean formulas and non-“clean” products. What do you look for when shopping for products?
Brooke: Yes, if all of my products could be clean that would be my absolute dream. When it comes to makeup, I have less clean beauty than I would like and I’m still waiting for a brand to give me Pat McGrath & NARS level pigments but keep it all natural.
When it comes to skin care you just absolutely have to read labels. This is a big philosophy I often talk about on my podcast. This is how you learn what your skin likes. When I was first getting into facial oils, I realized that many of my favorites had grapeseed oil as the first ingredient. Grapeseed oil is really great for sensitive skin because it’s non-irritating but also deeply hydrating. If I never read the labels on my skin care, I wouldn’t have found that link.
Another fabulous resource I love to put people on to is an app called Think Dirty. You can scan or type in tons of beauty products and they’ll tell you how toxic they are based on the ingredients. They also will recommend more natural alternatives. This app was really eye-opening for me when I was trying to decode what products were truly in fact ‘clean’ versus the ones that just used [the term] as marketing.
The Klog: We’ve heard sea buckthorn oil is one of your favorite skin care ingredients. What do you love about it? What are your go-to products that contain sea buckthorn oil?
Brooke: I love sea buckthorn oil. Even just thinking about that vivid bright orange hue gives me a thrill. I tried two serums — Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and Living Libations Best Skin Ever facial oil — and they made my skin glow so much. As I researched more, I realized they both had sea buckthorn oil.
A single drop of sea buckthorn oil contains 190 different bioactive compounds. It really does regenerate your skin and all of the omega fatty acids and antioxidants are just so good – you can’t argue with nature. I buy it in bulk at Mountain Rose Herbs and add it to my own DIY facial oil (using jojoba oil, argan oil, grapeseed oil).
I’m also excited about the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm because I know it uses this powerful ingredient as well.
The Klog: Charlotte told us that you have a genius sheet mask trick! Can you let us in on the secret?
Brooke: Because I’m impatient and sitting still for 20 minutes some days feels like too much to ask (which as I share sounds so ridiculous but it’s true!). I’ve taken to sheet masking in the shower. If you have a big day and want an all -day glow, pop on a sheet mask before you get into the shower. Do everything you need to do to your body – dry brush, shave, exfoliate, wash, moisturize and then pop the sheet mask off when you’re done and follow with your serums. I think the steam of the shower also helps the sheet mask ingredients absorb more.
The Klog: What are some of the best beauty and skin care tips you’ve learned from your Naked Beauty guests?
Brooke: [There are] so many I don’t know where to start. One of the things I’m proud about when it comes to Naked Beauty is that I’m interviewing women I admire. They’re not necessarily experts, so they’ve all come to these genius beauty hacks and lessons quite organically. A few that stand out to me:
Maya Allen, beauty editor of Marie Claire swears by a dab of Aquaphor on cheek bones and brow bone for an extra glisten and glow instead of a highlight [episode link]
Anya Santana, who’s my fitness inspiration, spoke about approaching a workout like you’re brushing your teeth. Just make it something you do as part of your day. It doesn’t have to be hyper-involved. Sometimes 15 minutes is enough — just do it! [episode link]
My dear friend Gillian Sagansky talked about the importance of coming out of the ‘shame cave’ and her personal struggle with OCD and anxiety. Once she embraced these as part of who she was, she felt so much more beautiful. Beauty is much deeper than what our outward appearance shows. [episode link]
The Klog: On Naked Beauty, you always stress the importance of cultivating organic conversations about topics that are relevant to women of all backgrounds, such as fitness, self-care, and careers. Is there a topic that you plan to explore more in 2020?
Brooke: I definitely want to speak with more public figures that always have to look perfect as part of their brand or business because I’m curious how that reshapes your relationship with beauty once it becomes less optional. I also want to continue elevating voices of diverse women. Women who wear hijab but love makeup, trans women, women from totally different cultural backgrounds than my own.
The Klog: Any tips on creating a natural beauty routine if you’re new to skin care, oils, and aromatherapy?
Brooke: I’d say start with these essentials: jojoba oil (can be used on face or body), grapeseed oil (can also be used on face or body), and lavender essential oil. With these three ingredients you can start making calming body oils, add extra moisture to your existing products like hair conditioner, and use as a natural alternative to store bought makeup remover and moisturizer.
The Klog: Since you’re willing to take risks and create your own DIY products, do you see yourself creating your own skin care line in the future, or makeup line perhaps?
Brooke: For now, I’m balancing a full-time job with my podcast and a beauty community, @nakedbeautyplanet, where I share beauty inspo and recipes so it feels like my hands are full but never say never!