Big Little Rituals: Mesh Henry

For dancer Mesh Henry, life is all about routines - both the ones he performs onstage, and those he follows at home. Hardly surprising then, that he's choreographed himself a beauty routine that's as flawless as his dance moves. For Mesh, his Big Little Rituals reflect his personality - caring and relaxed, but with an injection of decadence and fun. Below, he tells us more...

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MY DAY...

The first thing I do when I wake up is…
Stretch and move my body around. I’ve always noticed that animals stretch out their spine and legs every time they’ve been asleep, be it for five minutes or five hours - so I make sure I do this.

The ritual that brings me the most joy is…
Shaving. It makes me feel like I’m brand new, and wakes up my face. I love that shaving has almost become a game I play on my face. I choose a different place to start - be it a section on my chin, or at the top of my sideburns, or even a chunk of my moustache - to see how I feel about leaving certain areas of facial hair and trying a new look. I usually go for a completely shaven face, unless I flex a moustache. That’s when I feel like I’m being my most playful.

Beauty to me is…
Personal. I love that it can be a physical feature, like the freckles on someone’s face or a gap in someone’s teeth. I also love that Beauty can be something deeper; the glimmer in someone’s eye, or the line across someone’s forehead. I also love that Beauty is something playful that can be applied and taken off.

In the evening…
Most evenings I try to be disciplined in sticking to a routine that allows me to unwind from the day. I will never tire of the feeling of being in bed with a warm drink - it’s something I do to begin to feel snoozy. Recently I have been drinking Dr Barbara Sturm Skin Tea right before bed and it’s been a game-changer to my nightly ritual. It’s also absolutely delicious! To add to my evening routine I love to use Grown Alchemist’s Age-Repair Sleep Masque. It’s an overnight leave on masque that I apply generously to my face as it’s so lightweight.

I feel most relaxed when…
I feel most relaxed when I’m in the company of others, knowing someone is either beside me or around me. It’s the same feeling I think people have when they leave a lamp on. Speaking of lamps, I’ve recently invested in a pink Himalayan Salt Lamp and I try to put it on as soon as it gets dark - the warm pink glow is beyond relaxing.

The beauty MVPs I can’t live without are…
An eye cream, a moisturiser and a clear eyebrow gel. I feel naked when I don’t apply these things, like I’ve left the house and forgotten something. I love to use Omorovicza’s Blue Diamond Eye Cream as it’s so lightweight and soothing. It’s like spreading silk sheets beneath my eyes.

I also really love using Natura Bissé C+C Vitamin Cream. Like the eye cream, it’s both soothing and lightweight, and it smells divine. I think it’s criminal to not moisturise! I’ve also found that I cannot leave the house without using an eyebrow gel to lift and mould my eyebrows. My eyebrow hairs are now longer, fuller and bushier than the hair I have on top of my head, so I believe I should always elevate this as a feature.

For beauty advice, I look to…
My partner - I steal all his knowledge on the topic. He’s super in-the-know, and is always trying out new products, tools, teas, serums and vitamins. He’s become my in-house Gwyneth Paltrow.

My biggest beauty extravagance…
My biggest beauty extravagance is treating myself to a facial or splashing out on a must-have product. I love going to visit Shane Coopers’ clinic. He performs a bespoke facial treatment that is suited to each individual, which is both luxurious and hi-tech. He’s got such good chat too.

When it comes to splashing out on products, I always want to go for a product that not only performs incredibly well, but that looks incredible, too. Augustinus Bader does exactly that. Does it get more extravagant than Augustinus Bader? It’s like the Bottega Veneta of skin care! I love using The Rich Cream, The Ultimate Soothing Cream and the Face Oil.

My earliest beauty-related memory is…
Applying Vaseline to my lips and cheekbones in high school. I would have on average about three tins stored in my pencil case and I would religiously apply it in lessons. I think I was ‘highlighting’ before I even knew what highlighting actually was.

I feel most beautiful when…
I feel most beautiful when I’ve been able to spend time getting ready! Rushing is not the one. I love taking the time to bask in the process of getting ready - it’s a treat. I guess that giving myself time to look beautiful makes me feel beautiful, and you wear that feeling out with you.

My favourite smell is…
My favourite smell exists in a hotel in Paris, Hotel Costes. I wanted to ensure it could also exist in my everyday, so I bought a few candles that smell similar. I love that every time I smell the candles it takes me back to Paris - a city obsessed with smells like ciggies, cheese and wine!

My beauty icon…
Younes Bendjima is my No.1 beauty icon. I can’t and won’t get over his face! It's so multifaceted - he looks manly but youthful, strong but pretty. You can tell he’s so in charge of his image and the care he takes of himself.

One beauty secret…
One thing I learned the hard way is that spots don’t want to be touched. One product I adore to prevent breakouts is the Dr Barbara Sturm Cleanser. This product is a dream to use as a little goes a long way.

When I’m flying…
I always think of the trip as a treat! Nine times out of 10 I’ll treat myself to a drink - despite knowing how dehydrating flying is to the body and skin! Because of this, I make sure I’m moisturised to balance out the alcohol. My in-air routine will always involve Dr Barbara Sturm’s Hyaluronic Serum, and finishing the flight with a face mask feels like tying the routine in a bow. I use 111SKIN’s Celestial Black Diamond lifting and firming treatment mask. My favourite thing is the look on people’s faces when I leave it on whilst walking through customs….

EVERY DAY…

Before I can even begin to talk, I’m flying down the stairs, boiling the kettle, and making myself a coffee. Once I’ve got a personality, I'll think about my daily outfit whilst I shower. I like to think of this as killing two birds with one stone. When I’ve climbed over the “WHAT WILL I WEAR?!” mountain, I’ll begin to wake up my face. Before anything else, I slap on some SPF. Up next is moisturiser - my go-to currently is Natura Bissé’s C+C vitamin cream.

SOME DAYS...

Some days I will do something that even I don’t expect myself to do - I fake tan! I use Tan-Luxe Illuminating Self-Tan Drops. The bottle recommends applying two drops into a moisturiser, but if I’m feeling wild I’ll drop in two extra drops. The difference it makes for me is major - it restores so much tan back into my face and sits so thinly on the skin.

BIRTHDAY...

On a special occasion when I want to look my best I’ll give myself a while to get ready. Depending on the occasion, I’ll find a fab playlist to put on and pour myself a fun beverage. A treat for me when it comes to beauty and getting ready is when my partner says: “You can grab something from my drawer if you want”. It’s like raiding a treasure chest of the best creams, oils, tools and gadgets. I also like to use my jade roller which I keep in the fridge to help de-puff the face and is good for lymphatic drainage. Then I apply a face mask whilst I think about what to wear!

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