Adut Akech’s daily beauty rituals: ​“I was told my lips were too big. Now I love them”

For this month’s instalment of Daily Beauty Rituals, we caught up with Adut Akech. Now resident in Los Angeles, the South Sudanese-Australian megawatt model’s break was walking for Saint Laurent SS17. She’s since graced covers for British Vogue and Numéro and, closing Chanel’s Haute Couture AW18 show as their bride, was the first Black model to do so since 2004. Now, in and around charity work with the United Nations, Akech has squeezed in her latest role: the newest Global Brand Ambassador for Estée Lauder. Here we get the scoop on the 21-year-old’s skincare secrets, work-out regime and how she spends her downtime.

I wake up at… It depends what time I go to sleep the night before. I’m not a morning person! I would love to say that I am, but I’m just not!

The first thing I do is… Pray. Every morning.

My skincare regimen in the morning is… Simple! Taking care of my skin is the most important thing and I’ve found that a simple routine is best for me. Cleanser, moisturiser (with SPF) and lip balm.

My favourite morning products are… Estée Lauder DayWear Anti-Oxidant 72H-Hydration Sorbet Creme SPF 15 and Estée Lauder Little Black Primer.

My worst beauty habits are… I have no problem moisturising my face, I never skip a night. But I could do a better job moisturising the rest of my body.

My favourite feature is my… Lips. When I was younger, I was told my lips were too big. But now I love them! I’ve learned to embrace them and appreciate them. And now everyone wants bigger lips!

My first beauty-related memory is… When I moved to Australia and I saw my mum and sister’s makeup products. I remember playing with lipsticks and eyeshadows and becoming mesmerised with these magical products.

Where are you headed today? I’m at my favourite lunch spot in LA with friends right now. I brought my laptop with me so when we are finished, you can still find me sitting here working away!

What tasks have you got to get done? I have a couple of calls to make to catch up with some people. My most important call today is to a furniture company. I ordered a new couch a couple months ago and it came with a missing piece. I’m finally just getting around to request a replacement, I’ve been so busy!

Do you work out? I don’t work every day, I’d be lying if I said I did! But I try to work out a few days a week. I have been doing a lot of cardio lately, and booty and ab workouts.

Are you taking any supplements? I take my vitamins every day. All the ones that are important to take: Vitamin B, B12, C, collagen and a supplement gummy for hair, nails and skin.

What’s for lunch and why? Right now, I’m eating Short Rib eggs Benedict and potato bites.

What’s your evening routine? It depends on what I’ve been doing that day. If I am working, I will get home and just relax. I live in Los Angeles now, so my nighttime is daytime in Australia, where my family is. So every night, I’m usually talking to family and friends there before they start their days.

How do you relax? I come home from work, change into some comfy clothes, like loungewear, then just lay around. I watch some YouTube or TV.

Do you listen to anything in the evening? If I’m struggling to fall asleep, I’ll put on a sleep playlist on Apple Music. It’s these soft, soothing sounds that will play all through the night.

Burn any candles? Have a bath? I love candles and always have one burning when I am home. I don’t like anything with too strong of a scent. I prefer a calming candle scent. I take a bath every now and then. I would love to take one every night, and most of the days, but I just don’t have enough time!

What products do you use at night? I like to use the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm to remove my makeup. I love this balm because it melts into an oil and gets all my makeup off.

What skincare products do you swear by? I love to use masks when my skin needs extra hydration, especially when I’ve been travelling or working a lot. I love the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair PowerFoil Mask.

What’s the best beauty hack you’ve ever learned and why? It sounds simple but my makeup artist recently applied my moisturiser with a sponge. I liked the way it felt and had never thought to do that so now I do the same.

What’s the last product you apply before you sleep? My Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Nighttime Rescue Lip Oil-Serum. It leaves my lips so soft and smooth when I wake up in the morning.

Bedtime is at… On a good day, my bedtime is usually around 11pm.

How do you sleep… Not great! If I’m away working and not in my own bed, I can’t get comfortable for the first two, three nights. But if I’m in my own bed, I sleep just fine.

I’ve been dreaming of… The world opening up so I can go home and see my family and friends in Australia!