Sif Saga
The Icelandic born model shares with us her at home beauty and wellness secrets.
Sif Saga is an Icelandic born, Boston raised model that has been travelling all her life. Now based in LA, Sif has had the opportunity to jet set all over the world with big magazines like L’Officiel Singapore, Elle Argentina, and Elle France. When she’s not working on campaigns for Kendra Scott or GOOP, she can be found in the kitchen cooking for her friends or tickling the ivory to one of her favorite tunes.
We chatted with Sif to learn more about her passions, her international lifestyle, and her at home beauty and wellness secrets.
YOUR INSPIRATION
For eating well
My inspiration came from a book called Eat Pretty. It allowed me to gain a new perspective on how eating healthy effectively fuels your body, and taught me about the nutrients each ‘pretty’ food contains. In my opinion, this makes eating well easier, however, this does not mean I eat healthy all of the time… I absolutely love dessert.
For working out
I used to use Pinterest a lot to search for all types of workouts. However, my true inspiration came from my brother. He taught me how to lift weights and maintain a healthy cardio routine, so today I use a lot of what I have learned from him (with the occasional Pinterest routine).
YOUR DAY
Morning beauty routine
The first thing I do when I get up is drink a shot of apple cider vinegar and E3 live (apple-lemon flavor) and then a glass of water. Beauty starts from the inside so I make sure that this is always the first thing I do. It also really wakes me up.
Then I wash my face with Doctor Sebagh’s cleanser (which I love because it doesn’t make my face oily and is also kind to my sensitive skin.) I recently discovered a serum called BIOEFFECT (my newest obsession from Iceland) so I lightly lather my face with some of that and finish off with a gel moisturizer from Shiseido. And – if I remember – I use some eye cream by Saturday Skin, which is also great for moisturizing and plumping the lips.
Favorite lunch
My favorite lunch is a smoothie called Acai Superfood from the Body Energy Club. I am currently a little addicted to this one – it has everything I need to keep me going.
A healthy habit you have especially in the winter
This might sound cliché, but it’s drinking a lot of water. I probably drink between 10-15 bottles from my S’well water bottle every day; it keeps my skin hydrated and my mind clear.
YOUR LIFE
Personal passions
I have loved to sing and play the piano ever since I was little. I used to sing “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow”, from the musical Annie – my brother used to get so annoyed at me. Other than that, cooking is therapeutic for me and I always feel my best when I am getting creative in the kitchen. I always helped my mom when I was little (I still do today when I go home), and some of my fondest memories are of cooking with her. My mom is an amazing cook. Her food always brought my family together at dinner and has fueled many years of conversation.
Favorite travel spots
Hawaii! I went there for the first time this summer and I had the most incredible time. When I went I was able to experience so much that the Islands have to offer. I went free diving with sharks, snorkeling with turtles, scuba diving, and surfing. I never thought I would enjoy any of this but gave me a newfound love for sharks and sea life. Another one of my favorite spots is Florence, Italy – good food and beautiful historical buildings.
Best memories of Iceland
In Iceland, kids are given a lot more freedom because it’s safer. I love that about Iceland – I always felt like such an “adult” there.
Iceland is a beautiful country and if you haven’t been, you must. A lot of my fondest memories come from playing outside in the grass or hills with my brother and cousins late into the night during the summer. We have 23 hours of daylight in the summer so kids are outside late into the night playing. In Iceland, kids are given a lot more freedom because it’s safer. I love that about Iceland – I always felt like such an “adult” there. Another one of my favorite memories is going to the hot dog bar with my mom, brother and sister. These hotdogs are the best hotdogs in the world and I will stand by that as long as I live. They are made out of Icelandic lamb and that combined with some fired onion, ketchup, Iceland’s special sauce and a grilled bun is a tiny taste of heaven.
YOUR FOOD
Your energizer
A big superfood kale salad, which I usually make at home.
Your indulgence
Chocolate lava cake, definitely.
Favorite cozy winter meals
An orecchiette pasta with minced spicy Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, and a lot of garlic. Or, the lasagna my mom makes with a Bolognese sauce that cooks for 3 hours.
YOUR BEAUTY
Must have skincare & body care products
One of my must haves is the Dr. Jart exfoliator and Thayers Witch Hazel toner. And for body care products, I love Castile body soap and Nature Republic’s Aloe Vera body moisturizer.
Favorite makeup products
My go to for day to day is Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation. But if I am trying to jazz myself up a little, I love the Dior Highlighter and mascara, Tom Ford eye shadow and a lipgloss.
Beauty tricks to keep skin glowing and hydrated in the winter season
A good moisturizer. I tend to switch it up, but my all time favorite is from Nature Republic – it’s 90 percent Aloe Vera, so it allows the skin to absorb all of the moisture and is gentle enough that my skin doesn’t get a bad reaction from it. One of my other favorites is a good face mask, which I get from Dr. Sebagh: The Skin Perfecting Mask.
Follow Sif on Instagram here ♥
Lani Allen is a graduate of Columbia University’s Non-fiction Creative Writing program. After serving as Vice President of her class for two years, she contributed written pieces and illustrations to many on-campus publications. As a writer with a passion for beauty, Lani enjoys capturing the stories of innovative thinkers and risk-takers shaping the industry as we know it.
