7 Polish Models Share Their Hometown Beauty Secrets, From Honey Water to Zinc Cream Inline
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of @karrokaro; Courtesy of tradehouse.com1/7Karo Michalowska
“I use homemade products very often and always try to use as few chemicals as possible on my skin. One of my favorite recipes is a face-peeling recipe from my mother. You take a teaspoon of baking soda and a few drops of clean water. Then you put the mixture on your skin for a few minutes, and it makes it clean and bright. As for pharmacy cosmetics, my favorite is micellar water from a Polish brand by the dermatologist Dr. Irena Eris. I use it every day.”
Dr. Irena Eris Micellar Solution, $15, tradehouse.ee
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of amazon.com; Courtesy of Marcelina Sowa / @mar_sowa2/7Marcelina Sowa
“I love to use honey on my face since we have amazing honey in Poland! It soothes my skin after a long day and several makeup changes at work. I mix it with sugar and lemon for a homemade peel for the lips. When I use it on my face, I add a little bit of olive oil and leave it on while I shower so it also works as a mask.
“My grandmother’s tip was to always use zinc cream, or masc cynkowa, on my pimples—it dries them faster! You can buy it in a pharmacy for less than a dollar. She also taught me to rinse my hair with chamomile (like chamomile tea) for natural highlights and shine.
“But the thing I miss the most from Poland is the hypoallergenic soap Bialy Jelen. It’s perfect for sensitive skin and allergies, since it’s all-natural and has no scent. I wash my face and body with it. I also use it when I’m handwashing my lingerie.”
Bialy Jelen Natural Soap, $6, amazon.com
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of Julita Formella / @julitaformella; Courtesy of patandrub.com3/7Julita Formella
“One thing my mother taught me—although I’m not sure if you can call it a secret—is to soak your fingers in warm olive oil to help nails regenerate after a long period of using polish. For ready-to-use products, I love the Cuddling Sugar Scrub by Pat Rub, a Polish brand that uses only natural ingredients. The scrub is made of cane sugar, olive oil, and avocado butter. It smells like caramel and lemon.”
Pat Rub Cuddling Sugar Scrub, $22, patandrub.pl
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of kosmetykidle.pl; Courtesy of Asia Piwka / @asiapiwka4/7Asia Piwka
“I’m using cosmetics that are based only on herbs from [a brand called] DLA. Another tip is that my mother mixes yogurt with honey when she gets sunburned.”
DLA Kuracja Regenerujaca Regenerating Treatment Day Cream, $5, kosmetykidla.pl
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of anagement / @nextmodels; Courtesy of nimmall.com5/7Maja Salamon
“My ‘Polish beauty secret’ is not a secret at all. It is in general my lifestyle, like eating very healthy. I love Polish seasonal fruits and vegetables. They smell and taste so much better than anywhere else. I also do lots of sports, which helps my blood circulation and digestion, and sleep well. I think that skin reflects how you feel inside.
“There are some basic tricks that I use from time to time, like homemade face masks made from banana, avocado, egg yolk, oats, milk, apple, and lemon. It’s funny, but my grandma never used any skin products though she always looked great. I assume it was all thanks to the produce from her own garden.
“Whenever I am in Poland, I order custom-made hand cream from my local pharmacy and pick up Iwostin sunscreen products, Tolpa Botanic body wash (with black rose and babassu butter), and Ziaja goat’s milk lotion and soothing cream for extremely dry skin.”
Tolpa Botanic Nourishing Shower Gel, $6, nimmall.com
