Marie von Behrens-Felipe Only Uses Three Products for Her Dewy Skin

Social media wasn’t always as fast-paced as it is now. There wasn’t a constantly-changing algorithm to chase, and content creators didn’t speak into a camera at lightning speed while explaining their latest beauty hacks. Rather, they curated their pages with photos that created a distinct aesthetic (not just selfies that are guaranteed to perform) and almost nobody topped Marie von Behrens-Felipe in that realm. Von Behrens-Felipe started blogging when she was only twelve years old, becoming one of the first influencers of the 2000s.

The German-born creator shared pretty much everything with her followers, from moving to New York City to traveling around the world. Suffice to say, life was pretty hectic for von Behrens-Felipe, and after the weight of her bursting schedule began to affect her skin and health, she prioritized returning to her European roots by slowing down her lifestyle.

This change affected the way she viewed beauty, too, igniting a passion for simple skincare. Thus, her new skincare brand, Sonsie—a Scottish term that refers to healthy inner and outer appearance—was born. “Sonsie was built on the idea of simplifying our lives in positive, healthy ways and creating meaningful connections….stripping things down and going back to basics,” von Behrens-Felipe tells Byrdie.

Von Behrens-Felipe partnered with a cosmetic chemist to launch Sonsie with three products: the Sonsie Super Serum, the Basic Balm, and the Multi Moisture Mask. All three are vegan and cruelty-free, meet EU standards, and are formulated without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and silicone.

In honor of the launch, we caught up with her to chat her favorite go-to products and rituals that she can't live without. Ahead, everything Marie Von Behrens-Felipe puts on her face.

About Her Skin

I’ve definitely had skin issues in the past, and I occasionally do to this day. In my teenage years, I started breaking out quite a lot around my chin and forehead, and I also developed milia around my eyes. It took a lot of time and research to find ways to address these concerns, but I also learned to accept that perfect skin at all times is simply not realistic. It has always been most important to me to enhance my natural look, so I never covered up any of the blemishes with makeup.

Years of learning about my skin made me understand how to best care for myself—and a big part of that is not giving the “imperfections” too much attention. Our skin is imperfect, and so are we. Since I got pregnant, I’ve been dealing with breakouts around my chin and nose. It’s just my body going through changes, which is also amazing and exciting. It’s all an ongoing journey!

 The Moment Skincare Clicked For Her  

It was actually eight years ago, when I was traveling through Marrakech with a friend who is also a creator. She’s a couple years older than me and brought this huge beauty case of skincare products—and all I had was this random drugstore moisturizer in my hand luggage. I realized I had to step up my game. My friend let me use all her products on that trip and I was introduced to this entire new world. My work also started to take off at that time, and it came with considerable access to skincare products. 

When I moved from the north of Germany to New York at 21, I was always on the go and ate out for every meal. When the pandemic came, like many of us I was really forced to slow down; I realized I needed a full reset. My skin was not in the place I wanted it to be, so I started cooking healthy meals at home and cutting down my skincare routine to the bare minimum. With research and experimentation, I learned what my skin really needed. I felt full of creativity at this time, and I reached out to a chemist and started working on Sonsie.

Her Morning Versus Night Routine

They are quite similar and simple—even more so now that I’m pregnant. In the morning, I wash my face with a mild cleanser and apply the Super Serum on damp skin. On colder days (spring, fall, and winter), my third step is adding a small amount of the Multi Moisture Mask, which functions as a moisturizer, before applying sunscreen. On warm summer days, though, the serum provides enough moisture that I just apply my sunscreen directly on top. 

At night I use the same cleanser, and if I’ve had a long day of running around, I use micellar water on a reusable cotton pad. Then I will either apply the Super Serum with a small amount of the mask on top or just one thick layer of Multi Moisture Mask as an overnight treatment on days when my skin needs some extra love and hydration.

The Skincare Step She Never Skips

I always use a product that will hydrate and nourish my skin. I have always had very dry skin, so I make sure to take good care of it and give it a lot of moisture.

How Her Routine Has Evolved Over Time

I had a lot of access to skincare products through my work, and my biggest mistake was simply using too many things that were not right for my younger skin. Less is truly more—but this is something I’ve had to learn over time.

The Product That's Made the Biggest Difference

I would say the Super Serum. In the past, I needed several different products to moisturize, to nourish, and to calm my skin, but the serum is a one-bottle wonder. It’s the product that truly allowed me to return to a simple routine.  

Her Best Skincare Advice 

I truly believe in the basics: protect your skin from the sun, wash your face before bed, and moisturize well overnight. But I think what helped me more than any skincare tip was to accept that perfect skin is not the goal.

Striving for perfection is unhealthy, especially when it comes to your own appearance. Our bodies—and therefore our skin—will go through changes over the years. Of course, every human is different, and some conditions need to be medically treated. But a pimple shouldn’t make you feel stressed or any less good about yourself. 

Her Most-Used Product

My number one is probably the Super Serum. I use it every morning and night and never skip it. Because of my dry skin, I use the Multi Moisture Mask on top of the serum as a moisturizer most days, and three times a week I use it as an overnight mask. And then there is the Basic Balm, which I can’t leave the house without… so I guess you could say I use all three Sonsie products around the clock.

The Product She’s Used the Longest

To be totally honest, after I started working on Sonsie, I haven’t used any of the products that I used before. It isn’t because they are bad products—I simply cut my routine down to very few steps. My skin needed a reset, especially because at that time, I was only 25 and was using way too many things for my sensitive skin. 

I have introduced other products to the Sonsie line, and those will be launching in the future. Something that is new and exciting (as someone who never wore any makeup) is that I started using the blushes by Westman Atelier on top of my moisturized bare skin, and I truly love the difference it makes whenever I want a little extra something. I also love to put on the Kosas lip tint underneath or on top of the Sonsie Basic Balm.

Her Latest Skincare Obsession

I recently rediscovered the Sebamed 10% Urea Body Lotion, which is maybe not the most sexy product, but it truly does magic for people with dry skin. I think you can get it in most European drugstores. With my pregnancy, I also began using the Weleda pregnancy oil which I might continue to use just because it feels so good on the skin without being sticky. I also started using micellar water (in addition to a cleanser), which I put on a reusable cotton wipe after long days of running around or traveling.