5 Beauty Secrets Russian Women Swear By

Here are five beauty secrets Russian women swear by that you can easily recreate at home or buy off the shelf to improve your hair and skin.

1. Air Dry Your Hair

It’s no secret that frequently using hot tools like hair dryers isn't the best for your hair. However, Russian women are known for letting their hair air dry naturally to maintain healthy locks. Apply a styler like the Bumble and bumble Don't Blow It Fine Hair Air Dry Styler or the Garnier Fructis Smooth Air Dry Anti-Frizz Cream before twisting your hair to create natural waves.

2. DIY (and Store Bought) Hair Masks

Many Russian influencers, like former socialite and model Nastasiya “Nastya” Ovechkina, are known for their silky hair. Russian women are known for using DIY hair masks that have been passed down through generations to maintain their luscious locks.

Beauty writer Tanya Akim writes, “Babushkas everywhere are familiar with the cayenne pepper and vodka hair serum. To create the mixture that is one part pepper and two parts vodka, cut up 1 cup of cayenne peppers into small strips and add 2 cups of 80% vodka to a bottle or jar. Do not use anything higher than 80 proof. Leave the tonic in a dark place to stew for two or three days and then strain out the peppers. On wet hair, add the tonic all over the scalp with a dropper and massage it in for several minutes. Leave it in for 30 minutes as it removes buildup and stimulates blood flow for new growth. Wash and condition the ends with a luxurious hydrating mask for the best results. Repeating this treatment once a week is a surefire recipe for enviously long hair.”

If you want to stick to store-bought masks, the Ouai Treatment Hair Mask is a favorite from Sephora, and the Dove Beauty Moisture Recovery Mask is the perfect inexpensive alternative.

3. Use an Ice Cube (or Cold Jade Roller) To Soothe Skin

Empress Catherine the Great used ice cubes on her face and neck to help reduce puffiness in her skin every morning. If you have low cold tolerance, simply wrap the ice cube in a thin washcloth or napkin for a similar effect after washing your face and before applying your moisturizer.

Not much of an ice queen? Replace the ice cubes with a cold jade roller. Put your jade roller in the fridge overnight and apply it to your skin in the morning to help reduce puffiness. Some fan-favorite jade rollers include the Herbivore Jade De-Puffing Face Roller and the Daily Concepts Daily Jade Facial Roller. Bonus: they’re also perfect for relieving headaches and facial tension.

4. Use Products with Sea Buckthorn Berries

Russian-born Instagram blogger Sonya Esman loves beauty products with sea buckthorn berries for their anti-aging and moisturizing qualities. One of her favorite products is a hair mask from the Russian-based brand Natura Siberica that you can buy on Amazon. You can also find sea buckthorn berries in other products like body scrubs and facial oil.

5. Use a Milk-Based Cleanser

Have you ever felt a gust of cold wind on dry and/or chapped skin? It’s the worst; I wouldn’t recommend it. Our skin is drier in the winter, and Russia is notorious for cold winters, so it’s a must for Russian women to keep their skin moisturized all year long.

Traditional facial cleansers can strip natural oils from the skin, so Russian women like to use milk-based cleansers to keep their skin glowing through dry and cold winters. The trick is to apply the cleanser to dry skin to help retain moisture. Some good cleansing milk products on the market are the Milky Jelly Cleanser from Glossier and the Fresh Soy Face Cleansing Milk from Sephora.

Closing Thoughts

Russian women often hold themselves to the highest standard of beauty, but it’s not unattainable for the average women to recreate at home. It’s easy to embrace our natural beauty like Russian women do, so why not try it out?