Self-Care with Wander Beauty

When entrepreneur Divya Gugnani met Victoria’s Secret Angel Lindsay Ellingson at an NYC salon opening on the Upper East Side, they bonded over a shared love of beauty. They spent the entire evening brainstorming about products they wished existed—products that were portable, easy and dependably flattering. The business-savvy mother and the globe-trotting model, now soon to be a mom herself, joined forces to create travel-inspired (and travel-friendly) makeup essentials that multitask as much as they do. We asked how they fill their quieter moments.

What does self-care mean to you, and how does it impact your work?

Divya Gugnani: Self-care means taking time wholly and completely for you, to nurture yourself, whatever that looks like to you. For me, it's completely disconnecting to swim, which is where I also end up having my best ideas.

Lindsay Ellingson: Self-care is so important, especially when you're balancing work, family, friends and more, as all modern women are. I make a point of incorporating self-care into my morning routine by writing in my gratitude journal and making time for Pilates, no matter how busy my schedule gets.

What prompted you to get into the beauty game?

DG: As a career mom, I was rushing to get my kids out the door each morning, leaving me to do my own beauty routine on the train en route to work. But, all of my products were in heavy glass jars or in compacts that ended up cracked all over my bag—not exactly portable. Lindsay and I wanted to create multitasking products that streamlined your routine and decluttered your beauty bag.

LE: As a model, my career involved a ton of travel. My beauty products, however, were not travel friendly. When Divya and I met, we bonded over this shared pain point, even though we were living two completely different lifestyles.

What are your can't-live-without Wander Beauty products?

DG: Our Do Not Disturb Overnight Repair Concentrate has been a game-changer for me. With 1% retinoid, it speeds up skin's regeneration process, fighting fine lines, pigmentation and acne scarring. We sourced a specific type of retinoid known to be non-irritating, so the redness and peeling that normally comes with traditional retinoids is drastically reduced. I use it every single night.

LE: I can't live without Unlashed Mascara. We spent two years developing the formula—I even slept in it to make sure it wouldn't transfer or smudge overnight. It's made to go from a natural, everyday lash to a date-night lash and everything in between. You can layer and layer and layer without it clumping. 

What are your favorite ways to reset or recharge outside of work?

DG: I'm always multitasking, even when I'm recharging! There's nothing I love more than spending a weekend morning masking with our Baggage Claim Eye Masks as I cook my family kale French toast. I love being in the kitchen and sneaking in a little self-care moment in the process. 

LE: Besides spending time with family, I make time to practice Pilates each week and have a weekly DIY spa night using our Fast Lane Instant Facial Mask and Baggage Claim Eye Masks.

Any final words of wisdom?

DG: We're all about serving the everyday woman and reminding her that she doesn't need a 25-step routine and two hours in front of the mirror to look her best. All you need is a curated arsenal of our multitaskers and 15 minutes or less, and you're ready to take on the day.

LE: We are super focused on clean, globally sourced ingredients, without ever sacrificing performance. We not only want to create multitaskers you reach for every day, but all of our products, from color to skincare, include skin-loving ingredients that work with your skin, not against it.