How Maayan Zilberman Achieves Her Signature Look & Glowing Skin

I've been emailing with Maayan Zilberman—artist, confectioner, founder of Sweet Saba, and quite possibly one of the chicest women in New York—on and off for several months now about an assortment of work-related inquiries. Even over email, I could glean she was kind, whip-smart, generous with her time and self, and had exquisite taste in all things wellness, beauty, and fashion.

On that latter point, she was actually one of the very first people I had in mind of featuring when we crafted this series. I simply had to know what beauty products she's been into lately—and if I knew that intel, then it's only right I'd share it with all of you, too.

And let me tell you, my dear mbg beauty fam: She did not disappoint. Over an hourlong video chat, she shared enough product recommendations and tips to last me a lifetime. (OK, at the very least to get me through winter.) There were tales of wearing lipstick to bed, neroli-infused oils from a small-batch luxury brand I'd never even heard of, and so much more.

"I'm very much an oil girl. I started using oils at a time when everyone wanted to look very matte and very dry, so some people thought I was crazy for using them.

"I started by using DHC products from Japan; I used to order it from their catalog. My go-to was just a pure olive oil moisturizer—it's funny to say moisturizer because I think it was literally just olive oil—but I loved it. I prefer olive oil because I used to live in Jerusalem when I was a kid and there were olive trees everywhere. The scent of olive oil just feels very close to me.

"Once in like 1998, I was on a date and my face felt very dry, so I went into the kitchen during dinner and asked the chef if he could just give me a bit of olive oil. He probably thought I was a lunatic, but then it became totally cool to just apply pure oil on your face. And even now, when I'm out and realize I don't have a hand cream with me, I'll just ask to see if anyone has any cold-pressed oils I can use to rub into my hands and cuticles. So I'm still doing it.

"I've always had dry skin. Especially before I realized I could fix it by just drinking more water. It's amazing when you realize a solution is easy and free—in New York all you have to do is turn your tap water on.

"From my experience, if you don't drink water, nothing works. All of your supplements, vitamins, face creams—everything that you want to work isn't going to work if you're not hydrated. I believe that you have to put in the work too. Don't complain and get on Amazon to write a review like 'Oh this face cream doesn't work or this isn't hydrating' if you're not drinking your water. Because no matter what you do, the equation isn't going to work.

"I used to resent this advice when I was young because I thought it was vain, but then I grew to love it. My grandmother used to tell me to 'Put on makeup before you go to bed because you never know what's going to happen at night.' She meant it as a way to say always be and look ready.

"Later I was able to interpret it in a way that worked for me: Just the idea of going to bed feeling good about yourself really stuck with me. So for example, I do my whole nighttime routine—I brush my teeth, put on my night creams, do it all. And then I brush up my eyebrows to look shaped, apply a little lip stain, then spritz on a bit of perfume. And I don't take it super seriously, but it's just one of these little things that really does add joy to my life and makes me smile.

"I've never been into toners. I've never wanted to add an extra step into my routine. And toners just felt like putting water on your face, so I never really understood it.

"But then I did a collaboration with La Prairie, and they sent me some products to try. I started using the essence-in-lotion and just loved it. It's not really a toner but more like a liquid moisturizer that goes under your face cream. I noticed the difference when I started using it because my skin care products stayed on better throughout the day. And on days when I don't use it—because I'm traveling or something—my moisturizer just kind of evaporates.

"I will say it's expensive. But I find that it lasts a long time because you're only doing a thin layer. Another tip to make it last longer: I always apply it with my hands, never a pad, because I think those little cotton rounds absorb too much.

"I used to travel a lot—less so now, but I do love traveling-sized bottles for day-to-day since I'm carrying a lot of stuff for my kids. Plus, you never know when you need to go to an event or something.

"So I love these refillable bottles. They're so simple, user-friendly, and always the right size to pack. It's perfect because I can just use the same products that I would normally without having to get separate travel-sized versions of them—or have to change my routine.  

"Red lips—always red lips. People always associate me with having red lips, a smile, and my freckles. Once my daughter saw me when I wasn't wearing lipstick, and she asked me what happened to my mouth. She was worried I had lost my mouth overnight! I just need to apply my lip color.

"I stock up on my favorite lip color, which is this liquid lipstick from About Face and the shade is Fireside. I literally have like 50 of them, just in case if something happens or they discontinue them. I need it with me until the end of time. They don't pay me to, but I talk about this product all the time. Someone once commented on my Instagram that I needed to disclose that it was an ad, but it really wasn't: I just love this product that much.