Beauty Test: Model Ariela Soares on Rituals, Meditation, and DIY Beauty Secrets

Welcome to Beauty Test, where we invite the freshest new faces to the Byrdie studio to test-drive the most buzzed-about beauty trends.

With ever-radiant skin, sculpted cheekbones, and a head full of voluminous curls, Ariela Soares is one of those women who make you do a double-take if you passed her on the street. The striking model has been a permanent fixture in runway shows for the past several seasons, appearing most recently in Christian Siriano and Bronx & Banco’s S/S 21 presentations. While Soares’ day job often involves being decorated in over-the-top glam to walk down the runway, she prefers to take a more simplistic approach to beauty when she’s off-duty. 

If you’re wondering about what products make the cut in Soares’ pared-back daily beauty regimen, we’ve got you covered. We recently caught up with the model and she dished on everything from her favorite natural beauty routines to her makeup must-haves. Keep scrolling to get to know Ariela Soares.

On her beauty mantra:

"Less is more. I feel like these days people are going a bit over the top with the amount of product they put on their skin. Sometimes we forget our skin is the biggest organ in our body; our skin is very smart and knows how to maintain balance. It is essential for me to take a few days off and not use any products or makeup. I think beauty products and makeup are here to help, not to do all the work."

On where she finds her beauty inspiration: 

"I grew up with a lot of natural beauty routines from my mom, including honey and sugar for lip exfoliation, smashed avocado and olive oil for body and hair, and aloe vera for everything. I tend to search for and gravitate to natural beauty regimens and inspirations."

On her current skincare routine: 

"My daily skincare is very simple. I normally observe my skin condition to see if it is dry, oily, or if there is any acne or irritation, and I take it from there. Sometimes all my skin needs is to breathe, so I give it a bit of time off from all products.

I start my day washing my face with soap. I’m in love with La Mer The Cleansing Foam ($95), and Pangea Organics Facial Cleanser ($32) is another one of my favorites and smells good. Then I apply serum and moisturizer or serum and oil (when the weather is warm). The serum I’m using at the moment is SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier ($100), which helps amplify your skin’s hyaluronic acid levels, and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($166) to help improve signs of aging and help with loss of firmness. 

For moisturizer, I use Weleda Skin Food ($19), which is, by far, my favorite product. I love the consistency. It is the perfect preparation before foundation and is great for when my skin is dry. SkinCeuticals Epidermal Repair ($74) is great for repairing damaged skin, and for me, it helps a lot with high pigmentation, acne, and discoloration. SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture ($63) is a great light moisturizer. If the weather is warm, I usually use oils because my skin doesn’t feel as dry as in the winter. Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil ($68) is super light. I can’t help using coconut oil, olive oil, and jojoba butter all over my body too. I also love to use tools to apply my moisturizer and oils, like a jade roller and or gua sha stone.

Every 15 days or so, I also like to do a deep cleanse or a more elaborate treatment. I started using GloPRO Facial Microneedling Tool ($199), which is a microneedling tool that you can use at home. They have special heads for the face, lips, and eyes. It helps with rejuvenation and firmness of the skin, and it is also amazing for helping your skin absorb your favorite products more efficiently. After this, I use another tool called NuDerma Portable Handheld High-Frequency Skin Therapy Wand ($50). It helps with acne, sagging skin, hair loss, aging, etc. Another at-home treatment that I do is an avocado mask mixed with oil and aloe vera.  Other than that, I see my dermatologist for in-office treatments."

On her favorite makeup products: 

"I love the TOM FORD Shade and Illuminate ($88) in Intensity 01. It creates a beautiful yet natural look. Laura Mercier’s Flawless Fusion Ultra-Long Wear Foundation ($48) in the shade Amber is a perfect color and has a matte finish but still moist, and the texture is very light. Maybelline’s The Colossal Waterproof Mascara ($9) has been my favorite for over eight years. It gives volume and length, and it lasts all day. 

MAC Cosmetics’ Liquidlast 24-Hour Waterproof Liner ($22) is the absolute best for a cat-eye; I find it essential to use waterproof eye makeup for durability. Fenty Beauty’s Invisimatte Blotting Powder ($32) is my favorite translucent powder and a must-have in my bag. Charlotte Tilbury’s The Bella Sofia Eyeshadow Palette ($53) has the best combination of earthy tones that go so well with my skin. MAC Cosmetics’ Lipstick ($19) in Viva Glam III is like a matte burgundy shade. If you use just a little, it gives a natural lip color. You can also use it as blush and eyeshadow, which is my favorite kind of a three-in-one product. Pangea Lip Balm ($10) is also one of my favorites."

On her favorite on-set memory:

"I shot an editorial in Paris for Hunger Magazine with the amazing photographer Ellen von Unwerth and stylist Catherine Baba. We had so much fun all day long. We shot with a big crew, including dancers, contortionists, actors, performers, and two models. We shot at Marko cabaret in Paris. The energy was up, and the extravagance of the makeup and styling set the vibe for the show. I felt like a top model, and the images came out amazing. Some of my pictures reminded me of Grace Jones."

On what beauty means:

"It means well-being, health, authentic personality, charisma, self-esteem, and the confidence to be who you are."

On how the industry can do better in terms of diversity and representation:

"I think the industry has been doing a beautiful job with diversity and representation in the last few years, although there is more to be done. The work is not over. Being represented changes the way we perceive the world around us, and every change creates a new mindset. I think we are moving towards being our best selves."

 On staying grounded: 

"It’s crazy how our lives changed so fast [in 2020]. But, there is one thing I am very grateful for, and it’s the time I got to talk to my family and my loved ones without the daily stress of everyday life in the big city. We are definitely more connected and more open to talking about everything. 

Meditation has helped more than ever to feel more grounded and is my little escape from reality.  It has also helped me make sense of all that was going on in the world and inside me. It felt good to be active and exercise. I was running almost every day during the summer. And now, with the cold weather, I work out in the gym. Feeling good with my body made me feel good with my mind."

On taking care of her mental health:

"Meditation, books, real conversations with loved ones, and meditation again."

On the biggest realizations she made about herself in 2020:

"I learned how precious my time is. I realized how important it is to make peace with your past. I realized how human interaction is important to build personality. I realized how blessed I am. I realized that when we change, everything around us does, too, so don’t wait, create."

On dealing with self-doubt:

"I’m very lucky to have people who love me so much and I can talk to them about anything and everything. They gave me the support I needed during self-doubt moments. I also had this thought that kept coming back “I’m still one of the lucky ones. I have a roof over my head and food on my table; I have the flexibility of taking a few months off work, and I’m healthy, so suck it up and flip it."

On what’s she’s looking forward to most in 2021:

“Traveling the world, especially to my country, and giving a big hug to my family.”