Getting ready
with Patrick Janelle
Patrick Janelle is best known for his lifestyle-focused Instagram account, @aguynamedpatrick. He’s the Founder of the boutique style agency Untitled Secret, and Founding Member and Board of Directors Chairman of the American Influencer Council (AIC). We went over to Patrick’s before he moved from his Soho apartment to chat about skin care, self care, and his current projects. Here’s how it went.
written by MARK PRESTON
photography by NATALIE KOGAN
WHAT’S YOUR MORNING ROUTINE?
I start the day with a workout of some sort. Recently, I’ve been rotating mornings between cycling and yoga. Afterwards, I shower. I make myself a coffee (I love having my daily "cortado"), and then I’m ready for the day!
fantastic face wash - URSA MAJOR and gel cleanser - MILK HONEY
WHAT IS THE STEP-BY-STEP TO YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE?
I cleanse my face two times a day: once in the morning and once in the evening before bed. If I workout or sweat more during the day, I’ll wash my face then, too. Although I also love Ursa Major face wipes for times when I can’t wash my face but need a little refresh. After washing my face, I like to use a favorite serum, followed by a moisturizer that I feel is right for my skin that day. A few favorites are the Tata Harper Resurfacing Serum and Moisturizer and the Allies of Skin Triple Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum and the Firming Daily Treatment. Lately, though, I’ve been often skipping the serum and going straight to a face oil. The True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil is incredible, and I’ve found that using it both night and day can help balance the skin and ward off breakouts, which I can be prone to.
Hydrating Floral Essence and Resurfacing Serum - TATA HARPER
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT PRODUCTS YOU USE BASED ON HOW YOUR SKIN FEELS THAT DAY ?
One thing that has been affecting my skin a lot is all of the bicycling I’ve been doing. With rides that sometimes go longer than 100 miles, there’s a lot of pollutants, sweat, and grime that my skin is dealing with. To balance that stress, it’s important to use a deep cleanser and really spend time washing my face well afterwards. I also like to use a toner, like Ursa Major Face Tonic—which is also the ingredient in their face wipes. I usually wait a day or so before doing a mask, but some sort of deep exfoliating mask can be helpful. On extra dry days, I usually reach for face oil, which provides extra nutrients.
HOW DO YOU SHOP FOR SKINCARE PRODUCTS?
I like clean products, so it’s important to understand the ingredients and know what they’re intended for. Once I trust a brand, I return to it and continue to use products from their lineup. I have to admit, I am gifted with products from a lot of brands because I have a lot of visibility, and it’s awesome because I get to try a lot of products and compare and contrast them to find my favorites. I add all of my favorites to my online shop—and I can order more from there!
PEPTIDES & ANTIOXIDANTS FIRMING DAILY TREATMENT — ALLIES OF SKIN and PURE RADIANCE OIL— TRUE BOTANICALS
HOW DOES SELF CARE PLAY INTO YOUR CONFIDENCE?
Self care can give you time to ground yourself and recharge, so it’s an important part of building and maintaining confidence. But I don’t think it’s the activities of caring for yourself that give you the confidence. You have to dig down a bit deeper—understanding you are intrinsically interesting and valuable—to find true confidence. The rest is just icing on the cake.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE BEAUTY?
When I think of beauty, I think of confidence and naturalness. I think it’s important to take care of our skin and preserve what we have, but confidence—and owning any imperfections—also contributes to my definition of beauty.
UNDER EYE RECOVERY GEL - PORT PRODUCTS and EYE CREAM - HAOMA
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GET READY HEAD TO TOE?
Thirty minutes, tops (and then inevitably another ten minutes because there’s always something I forgot).
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
During the pandemic, I launched my online shop, where I curate my favorite products. I’ve been spending a lot of time getting that up and running. And at the beginning of last year, I launched a boutique creative agency called Untitled Secret. We do a variety of projects, like branding and photography, for clients, and we also represent a roster of incredible social media talent.
