Lisa Olsson on her self-care routine, must-have products and her relationship with beauty

There are some people who might roll their eyes at the idea of a person being called “an influencer.” While there are some imposters out there, my friend Lisa Olsson has certainly earned the title through perseverance and hard work.

Olsson is the founder of Nootka, a Stockholm-born jewellery brand I happen to be quite fond of. Not only are their handmade products dazzling, they’re also manufactured with responsible, sustainable practices in place. She launched the company a couple years ago, just as she entered her mid-20s. But her journey toward success in fashion began at a much younger age.

As a teen, she quickly leveraged the power of social media to gain a large, devoted following, who liked and favourited scores of images depicting her designs. With a multifaceted background in not only fashion and design but also photography, Olsson was bound to be a success.

I spoke to her about her favourite beauty and fashion trends right now, as well as some elements of her beauty routine and other compelling topics. Given her standing in the fashion community, when she talks you should listen — or in this case read what she has to say.

You’re not only a successful content creator and IT-girl, you’re also the founder of the Swedish jewellery brand Nootka. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind Nootka and how you ended up on this path?

Nootka was born out of a personal dream and passion for designing and creating. I’ve loved fashion since I was little, when I did a lot of sketching and sewed my own clothes. I ended up designing jewellery because jewellery has always meant a lot to me, it carries great personal value. It’s the smallest but also often the most important detail that completes your look. And when you find jewellery that you feel comfortable in, you easily become very loyal to it. I find that especially interesting. Therefore, my consistent focus with Nootka is to create nonseasonal pieces made from recycled materials that make you look twice.

What’s your relationship to beauty and how has that evolved through the years?

The fact that I started with my own social media accounts at a very early age probably made me more aware of beauty and the way I looked automatically — though not in a bad way. With a creative heart I immediately let myself experiment with different makeup and hairstyles, while I had to get used to my followers commenting on the way I looked or dressed along the way. Most often their comments were positive, but not always. I think it taught me how important it really is to be comfortable in your own skin, without quantifying beauty too much. I am definitely interested in beauty more today, but I still approach makeup and hair more as a way of expressing myself and my style rather than for beauty’s sake.

What’s your skincare routine? Do you switch it up between the morning and the evening or keep it the same?

At the moment I maintain the same morning and evening routines. Doing it that way seems to work well with my skin. I hold on very tightly to everything Augustinus Bader, and have been doing so for a few years now. The Rich Cream combined with their Face Oil is a lovely duo. Once a week I do a gentle exfoliating scrub in the shower. I really like the calming effect Björk & Berries Vitalising Peeling Gel has on my skin. And whenever in the mood for some extra boost I use RMS’s Beauty Oil before makeup and apply The Calm Balm by Mantle on any dry spots.

Are there any skincare products you’re particularly excited about during this time of the year, for the cold winter months?

I’d say that I stick to my favourite skincare products, but adding extra thick layers when needed during winter [laughs].

What’s your approach to makeup?

Makeup is fun! But I won’t let it take too much time, at least on the weekdays. My routine includes a lot of RMS, Rosie Inc, Dior and Make The Make at the moment. I do like to try different products and brands and find new favourites all the time though, but something I would have a hard time replacing is the Un-Cover Up foundation by RMS. It’s just: Wow. Together with the brow gel from Refy, Rose Inc.’s rouge — particularly the Berry color — and a touch of the Gloss Pot from Make The Make, I’m ready for the day. I’m not a huge fan of daytime mascara; I would rather go for a soft shadow using a semi-matte bronzer.

What’s your hair routine?

I am currently letting my hair grow out after a few years of short hair — which I love, but I am in the mood for some flowy lengths again. So to be extra gentle to my hair I’ve been avoiding all kinds of heating tools for almost a year; that’s my main rule right now. I visit my dear hairdresser, Marre Hitti at Bangs in Stockholm, regularly for some simple fresh-ups mostly to prevent split ends, and when in need or in the mood we do some highlights to give the hair a bit of a movement and depth. My hair routine at home includes Ceremonia Shampoo & Conditioner (You did amazing Babba!), a hair mask once a week by NOIR, and I massage a few drops of Kerastase’s serum in the scalp after shower to stimulate the hair growth. To stay true to my rule of not overdoing any styling, I simply put some sea mineral spray in towel dried hair and then let it air dry.

Do you practice any rituals for your body?

I guess I should? [Laughs] Honestly, I don’t have a specific ritual for my body; however, I do always enjoy a gentle scrub in the shower. And for my hands I am a big fan of Aesop’s Reverence Aromatique hand wash that has finely milled Pumice which gives a really nice exfoliating feel and leaves your hands smooth, even this time of the year. I’ve always been weak for woody scents!

What are your travel essentials when going for a shorter trip?

Everyone who knows me knows that I am nearly addicted to lip balms. I especially cannot be without ACO’s classic lip cerat — you’ll find one in almost every coat, bag and corner of my apartment. Another thing I enjoy bringing with me for a shorter trip is a nice sheet mask since I seem to never find the time to do it at home. So when I finally do, I treat myself with Verso’s Deep Hydration Mask. And last I love the travel size of Bioderma’s Micellar Cleansing Water. That product never disappoints me.

Lastly, what’s next for Nootka and you?

Beginning of February we are entering our very own Nootka space at Döbelnsgatan in Stockholm! It will be a combination of office and showroom for our customers and I couldn’t be more thrilled!